Author: Alexander Reed

Stellantis will relocate production of Maserati sports cars from its Mirafiori facility in Turin to the brand’s historic base in Modena by the end of 2025, as part of broader adjustments to its manufacturing operations in Italy. The move comes amid a strategic review of Maserati’s business plan, which had been paused last year, including the timing of future model launches. The Modena site, located in Italy’s Motor Valley near the headquarters of Ferrari and Lamborghini, is expected to benefit from the shift in production of Maserati’s GranTurismo and GranCabrio models. Meanwhile, Stellantis is preparing the Mirafiori plant for the…

Dutch EV charging network operator Allego has signed a strategic partnership with Austrian battery specialist Kreisel Electric to integrate the Chimero battery-buffered fast charger into its European charging infrastructure, with construction scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025. Under the agreement, Allego will deploy Kreisel’s Chimero 240 chargers, which include an integrated 115 kWh buffer battery, allowing ultra-fast charging with up to 240 kW of power even at locations with limited grid capacity. The system can deliver dual charging at 2×120 kW or dynamically adjust output in 60 kW increments. The initial installations will take place in Germany,…

Audi has reintroduced the A6 in two plug-in hybrid versions, now equipped with significantly larger batteries that extend the electric driving range to up to 106 kilometers, according to the WLTP. The new models, dubbed ‘e-hybrid,’ are available with two power outputs: 220 kW and 270 kW. The e-hybrid versions are powered by a combination of a two-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. The petrol engine produces 185 kW, while the electric motor contributes up to 105 kW in the higher-output variant, achieving a combined system output of 270 kW. This version can accelerate from 0 to 100…

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has rejected Tesla’s attempt to trademark the term “Robotaxi” in reference to its vehicles, TechCrunch reported on Wednesday, citing official filings. According to the report, the USPTO issued a “nonfinal office action” on Tuesday, which gives Tesla a three-month window to respond. If the company fails to address the agency’s concerns within that period, the application will be considered abandoned. See also: Uber CEO Confirms Tesla Declined Collaboration on Robotaxi Platform Tesla also filed a separate application to trademark “Robotaxi” for its planned ride-hailing service. That application is still under examination, the report…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide has launched its first paid Level-4 robobus service in the downtown area of Guangzhou, marking the city’s first fare-charging, fully driverless bus line in its urban core. The service, operating daily from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., runs on a 13.6-kilometre circular route starting from Meidong Road Terminal in Yuexiu District. The route includes key city landmarks such as Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Dongjun Plaza and Yuexiu Bridge. See also: WeRide Granted Guangzhou’s First Driverless Road Testing License for Robovan W5 Each vehicle can carry up to six passengers, with ticket prices set at…

The PV5 Cargo marks the debut model in Kia’s ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) strategy, which focuses on purpose-built electric commercial vehicles. The PBV lineup is designed around a new, dedicated platform—E-GMP.S—separate from Kia’s passenger vehicle EV architecture, and tailored specifically to meet the needs of urban logistics, delivery services, and ride-hailing operations. Unveiled alongside three other concept models at the IAA Transportation 2024 event, the 4.7-metre-long PV5 is roughly the same length as the Volkswagen ID. Buzz with a standard wheelbase. Unlike many commercial EVs that are adapted from combustion-engine designs, the PV5 is built from the ground up as…

Less than two years after retiring the Ford Fiesta, the automaker may be considering a revival of the nameplate — this time as a fully electric vehicle developed in partnership with Volkswagen, according to a speculative report by Auto Express. While Ford has not confirmed any plans, growing collaboration with VW could pave the way for a new compact EV based on the German carmaker’s MEB Entry architecture. Volkswagen’s head of sales and marketing, Martin Sander — a former Ford executive in Europe — described the EV partnership with Ford as “very, very, very successful.” The two automakers have already…

Poland has launched a trio of large-scale funding initiatives totaling 6 billion zloty (€1.4 billion) aimed at accelerating the country’s transition to electric vehicles, with a specific focus on electrifying freight and commercial transport. The funding package, announced by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, includes two programs dedicated to high-power charging infrastructure and truck charging stations, as well as an expanded grant scheme for electric vehicle buyers. The largest component targets high-power charging (HPC) hubs with a total allocation of 2 billion zloty, half of which—1 billion zloty (€233 million)—will be available in the first round of funding open…

German DC technology company Schaltbau has broadened the product range of its subsidiary Eddicy by launching a new series of high-performance contactors, aimed at supporting stationary and mobile megawatt charging systems for electric vehicles. The move comes as the industry increasingly gears up for faster and more powerful EV charging capabilities. The new contactors include the C305 and C805 models, which support the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) Level 2 with current ratings of up to 1,500 amps. For higher capacity needs, Schaltbau has developed the C330 and C830, both of which are bidirectional contactors designed to handle MCS Level 3…

Auckland Transport (AT) has launched 44 new electric buses, including 26 double-deckers, as part of its push to reduce emissions from public transport. The fleet was introduced on Sunday and will operate on several high-frequency and local routes, including the WX1 Western Express service. The new vehicles are part of Auckland’s broader strategy to replace diesel buses with electric alternatives. AT said the deployment will support services on routes 11T, 11W and 12, as well as the WX1 line, which runs from Westgate to the city centre via Lincoln and Te Atatū interchanges. The move aligns with Auckland’s policy to…

Uber and Chinese autonomous driving startup Momenta said on Friday they will begin offering robotaxi services outside the United States and China, with a planned launch in Europe in early 2026. The rollout will feature autonomous vehicles integrated into the Uber app and initially include safety operators onboard to monitor the rides. The move marks an expansion of Uber’s ongoing efforts to bring self-driving vehicles to its global platform. See also: Autonomous ID. Buzz Vans to Enter U.S. Market via Uber Partnership “This collaboration brings together Uber’s global ridesharing expertise and Momenta’s AI-first autonomous driving technology, paving the way for…

Land Rover has completed the second winter testing phase for its upcoming 2025 Range Rover Electric, confirming key technical specifications for the luxury SUV ahead of its planned launch later this year. The vehicle, which will be available to order by year-end, features an 800-volt electrical system and a 117-kWh battery using cell-to-pack architecture with 344 prismatic cells arranged in a double stack. It is built on Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) MLA Flex platform, which supports internal combustion, hybrid, and fully electric drivetrains. The Range Rover Electric endured 45,000 miles of testing in Arctic conditions to assess cold-weather performance, particularly…