Author: Alexander Reed

Bosch said it will integrate NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX Thor centralized compute platform into its future vehicle architectures, in a move designed to support the development of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The collaboration targets the rising demand for high-performance centralized computing to manage safety-critical functions and complex artificial intelligence workloads. Industry forecasts suggest that by 2030 more than half of new vehicles will use such platforms, enabling greater automation, comfort features and reduced system complexity. See also: Bosch to Cut 13,000 More Jobs Amid Cost Pressures, EV Transition “By pairing NVIDIA’s advanced AI compute with our…

Stellantis N.V. has appointed Joao Laranjo as Chief Financial Officer and member of its Leadership Team, effective immediately, replacing Doug Ostermann, who resigned for personal reasons. Laranjo will assume all responsibilities previously held by Ostermann, the company said. Laranjo, who has over 20 years of finance and auditing experience, joined Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in 2009 and held senior roles in controlling, reporting, profit and loss management, and financial planning. He later served as Chief Financial Officer for Stellantis Latin America and North America, before a stint at Goodyear as Vice President of Finance for the Americas in 2024. He…

Ovo Energy said it will roll out a new subscription service that combines home and public electric vehicle charging into a single monthly fee, in what the UK power company describes as the country’s first such bundled offer. The “Charge Anytime” product, available from November 4, will offer two tiers. The Standard plan costs £27.50 per month and includes 700 miles of smart home charging and vouchers equivalent to 600 miles on public chargers, along with insurance against charger damage, theft or vandalism. The Premium plan, priced at £37.50, raises the home allowance to 1,000 miles and adds annual battery…

Pando Electric has introduced its Gen2 Smart Outlet, a new electric vehicle (EV) charging platform designed for multifamily housing. The system aims to remove common barriers to EV adoption in apartment complexes by operating offline, requiring no costly electrical upgrades, and reducing installation costs by up to 70% compared with traditional EV chargers. “Multifamily buildings have been stuck with EV solutions designed for shopping malls and restaurants,” said Aaron Li, CEO of Pando Electric. “Gen2 changes that. No WiFi. No upgrades. No maintenance. We designed Gen2 to be the first charger that works with the building and its residents, not…

Alphabet-owned Waymo on Wednesday unveiled “Waymo for Business,” a new program that allows companies to set up accounts for employees to use its driverless ride-hailing service in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Austin and Atlanta. The initiative is aimed at recurring corporate travel, offering employers controls over where, when and how staff use the service. The company said an admin portal lets organizations manage riders, create promotional codes and generate reports to monitor activity and budgets. https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1970883252257796109 Waymo said it now completes more than one million rides per month, with nearly one in six riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles…

Stellantis has scrapped its plan to launch an electrified 4xe plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Gladiator in North America, saying it will reassess its product strategy as customer demand shifts. The automaker confirmed the move in an emailed statement to TechCrunch, a year after announcing the electrified Gladiator would arrive by late 2025. “The Jeep Gladiator carries its rugged styling and authentic design into 2026 while adding incredible new content straight from the factory,” the company said. “As customers’ propulsion preferences for battery-electric trucks continue to evolve, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will no longer include an…

Roaming platform Hubject has partnered with Blink Charging to integrate the US company’s charging points in the United States, Canada and Mexico into its Intercharge roaming system, aiming to simplify access for electric vehicle drivers in North America. As part of the agreement, Blink will join Hubject’s Intercharge platform as a charge point operator (CPO). Once integration is complete, Hubject’s existing e-mobility service provider (eMSP) and CPO partners will gain access to Blink’s network, while Blink expects greater utilisation of its stations from Hubject-connected customers. “Our collaboration with Blink marks an important step in expanding our North American intercharge network,”…

Daimler Truck has completed summer testing of its Mercedes GenH2 fuel cell truck in the Swiss Alps, putting the prototypes through more than 10,000 kilometres in thin mountain air and temperatures reaching 35°C. The company said the trials confirmed the reliability of the hydrogen-powered powertrain, with a small series of 100 vehicles scheduled for production from 2026. The GenH2 testing follows winter trials earlier this year under icy conditions. Engineers in Valais examined the interaction of the truck’s fuel cell, buffer battery and hydrogen tanks, alongside its thermal management and predictive powertrain control systems. The vehicles climbed a cumulative 146,000…

Hesai Group, China’s largest LiDAR manufacturer, surged on its first day of trading in Hong Kong, raising HK$4.16 billion ($535 million) in the largest-ever listing for the global LiDAR industry. Shares rose 11% to HK$236.2 by midday, giving the Shanghai-based company a market capitalization of about HK$36 billion. The offering marks the first dual primary listing in the United States and Hong Kong by a LiDAR maker, and the biggest capital raise by a U.S.-listed Chinese company returning to the city in nearly four years. Hesai said roughly half of the proceeds will be directed to research and development, with…

British driver Taylor Barnard, the youngest competitor in Formula E history to take part in an E-Prix, will join DS PENSKE for the upcoming Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Barnard, 21, has achieved five podium finishes and two pole positions in just 19 career races, and will race alongside Maximilian Günther in the DS E-TENSE FE25. Barnard, who made his debut in Monaco 2024 and has since claimed points in Berlin 2024, a podium in Sao Paulo 2025, and a pole position in Jeddah 2025, will bring his aggressive driving style and overtaking skills to DS…

Siemens and Volvo Group have delivered the world’s first full-scale fully electric deconstruction site, marking what the companies call a landmark in sustainable urban development. The project, part of Siemens’ €500 million technology campus redevelopment in Erlangen, Germany, was carried out without fossil fuels and relied entirely on battery-electric trucks and heavy equipment. In partnership with Metzner Recycling, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) deployed a fleet of electric machinery to manage precision demolition across a 25,000-cubic-meter site. The equipment was also used to sort and process around 12,800 tons of construction waste. “As well as deconstruction tasks, the electric machines…

UK-based e-bike firm Boost, best known for its electric bicycle conversion kits, has unveiled a new compact e-bike that avoids a folding frame but is designed to fit into tight spaces. The Boost Bike uses swiveling or removable handlebars to reduce its profile to just 25 cm wide, making it easier to store in hallways, car trunks, or small apartments. The design approach echoes other compact e-bike makers, including JackRabbit, which popularised 90-degree swiveling handlebars. While Boost’s version does not slim the bike down quite as much, the company said the feature provides a practical solution for riders with limited…

Audi of America has launched a major incentive on its high-performance electric sedan, the S e-tron GT Quattro, offering a $20,000 bonus on both lease and purchase options. The time-limited deal is available through participating U.S. dealerships until September 30, excluding Puerto Rico. “Audi is offering a time-limited $20,000 bonus on the S e-tron GT Quattro for both lease and purchase. The deal runs till the end of September,” the company said. The promotion applies to new, unused 2025 models and cannot be redeemed for cash. The S e-tron GT Quattro stands out as one of Audi’s flagship performance EVs,…

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new battery electrolyte that can dissolve into its molecular components within minutes, allowing lithium-ion cells to be dismantled and recycled more easily. The advance, published in Nature Chemistry, could help reduce waste and strengthen a circular supply chain for electric vehicle batteries. The team created a solid-state electrolyte based on aramid amphiphiles (AAs), molecules that mimic the chemical stability of Kevlar. Modified with polyethylene glycol to conduct lithium ions, the AAs self-assemble in water into nanoribbons with robust backbones and ion-conducting surfaces. When hot-pressed, the nanoribbons form a solid…

Toyota is preparing to introduce its bZ7 electric sedan in China, with development led by its local team, as the automaker accelerates its presence in the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market. GAC Toyota, the company’s joint venture with GAC Group, this week released official images of the bZ7, underlining the mid-to-large sedan’s imminent launch. The model also appeared in a regulatory filing, listing its dimensions at 5,130 mm in length, 1,965 mm in width and 1,500 mm in height, with a 3,020 mm wheelbase. The bZ7 will be powered by a motor supplied by Huawei, producing up to 207…

Joby Aviation on Wednesday announced that helicopters operated by Blade Air Mobility will be available on the Uber app starting “as soon as next year,” offering a new travel option for users in areas such as New York City and parts of Southern Europe. While Joby did not specify which locations would be included initially, the company indicated to TechCrunch that the helicopters are expected to operate along the “most popular routes,” including airport transfers. The announcement follows Joby’s recent acquisition of Blade’s passenger business for up to $125 million. Blade’s medical division, which specializes in transporting live organs, remains…

European car parts supplier Valeo called on Wednesday for minimum requirements for European content in vehicles sold in the EU, saying such rules are crucial to maintain the region’s competitiveness as the industry transitions to electric vehicles. Christophe Perillat, Valeo’s chief executive, spoke at the IAA auto show in Munich, noting that the European Commission is engaged in discussions with automakers and suppliers on policies to safeguard the sector’s future amid rising competition from China and uncertainties over tariffs. “Such a mechanism would strengthen European sovereignty while at the same time protecting competitiveness,” Perillat said, pointing to similar measures in…

Renault will introduce lower-cost batteries and accelerate vehicle development cycles as part of efforts to make its electric vehicles more competitive against Chinese automakers, Chief Executive Francois Provost said on Monday. Provost, speaking publicly for the first time since his appointment in July, said the French automaker has benchmarked itself against Chinese rivals and is targeting a 40% reduction in EV costs between 2023 and 2028. “Next year, we’ll have a second, LFP, battery across all existing Renault vehicles,” Provost said at the Munich auto show, referring to lithium iron phosphate technology, which is less expensive than cobalt-based batteries. “I…

U.S.-based Windrose said on Saturday it has partnered with Xos, a provider of mobile charging systems, to deploy scalable charging solutions for Class 8 electric trucks, aiming to cut infrastructure delays that have slowed the shift to zero-emission freight. The partnership will give Windrose customers access to the Xos Hub, a mobile charging platform designed to be deployed within hours, bypassing traditional permitting and construction requirements. The system, which includes a 630 kilowatt-hour onboard battery and integrated DC fast chargers, is capable of delivering up to 150 kilowatts per port, or 300 kilowatts in series, enabling dual-shift truck operations. “Together…

Türkiye’s domestic electric vehicle maker Togg entered the European market on Monday, unveiling its T10X sport utility vehicle and new T10F fastback sedan at the IAA Mobility 2025 fair in Munich. Germany, home to nearly 1.5 million Turkish residents, will be the company’s first export destination with its long-awaited T10F sedan. Both the T10X and T10F have received the highest five-star rating from Euro NCAP, meeting Europe’s most stringent safety standards, Togg said. The T10X, already adopted by more than 70,000 users in Türkiye, will be joined by the T10F, which is ready for mass production. Pre-orders for the T10F…