Author: Benedict Mcdaniel

British retail giant Asda has joined forces with self-driving company Wayve to launch Europe’s largest trial of autonomous grocery delivery in urban areas. Over the next year, more than 170,000 residents in approximately 72,000 households near Asda’s Park Royal store in West London may have their groceries delivered by one of Wayve’s autonomous Jaguar i-Pace models. Customers will place their orders online as usual, choose a delivery time slot, and may be randomly selected to have their groceries delivered by a self-driving car. During the trial, the Wayve Jaguars will have both a safety driver and an Asda staff member…

Sweden, known for its commitment to sustainability, is home to a new startup that aims to revolutionize urban mobility. Luvly, which stands for “Light Urban Vehicle,” is developing a range of micro EVs that are not only affordable and efficient but also environmentally friendly. The company’s first model, the Luvly O, is a two-seater electric vehicle that weighs less than 400 kilos and measures only 2.70 meters in length and 1.53 meters in width, making it perfect for urbanites. It is powered by two exchangeable battery modules, each weighing 15 kilograms, and uses only 6 kWh per 100 kilometers. Safety…

Tesla has released an update on the production of their much-anticipated Cybertruck in their Q1 2023 shareholder deck. The update includes a glimpse of the Cybertruck pilot production line at Fremont and the permanent production line at Giga Texas. Initially unveiled in 2019, the Cybertruck was supposed to launch in 2021. However, due to a confluence of factors such as supply chain disruptions and the pandemic, the timeline has been delayed multiple times. Nonetheless, Tesla confirms that the current target of beginning production later this year remains on track. See also: Tesla Continues Cost Cutting and Production Increase Strategy in…

New York State has allocated $8.3 million in funding towards the installation of 255 EV charging stations across 70 municipalities. The funding comes from the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program. Of the 255 charging stations, 28 will be DC fast-chargers, though the charging speed has not yet been specified by the state. The remaining stations will be AC chargers with two Level 2 charging ports each. The state has also announced plans to install over 1,300 EV charging stations for its agency fleets within the next five years. New York is following California’s lead in…

Swedish truck manufacturer Scania and battery producer Northvolt have announced the development of a new electric battery with a lifetime capacity equivalent to that of a truck. According to the companies, the lithium-ion cell has demonstrated the ability to power trucks for 1.5 million kilometers, which is equal to the expected lifespan of a Scania truck. In a joint statement, the companies emphasized the importance of top-performing battery cells to enable the shift towards electric heavy transport. Scania CEO Christian Levin said that the future of heavy transport is electric, and the company needs high-quality battery cells to deliver on…

Bentley Motors CEO, Adrian Hallmark, recently shared exciting news regarding the future of the luxury car brand. In an interview with Autocar, Hallmark confirmed that all Bentleys will go electric by 2030, with five battery-powered models launching by then. The first electric Bentley is set to arrive by 2026 and will have twice the power of the current W12 models. “They will happen to be electric, but all the traditional qualities will go up another notch. What’s more, our new powertrains will have between 50% and 100% more power than we currently offer, so the performance will be there,” explained…

The Tesla Semi has been making waves in the trucking industry since its unveiling in 2017. While the all-electric Class 8 long-hauler is already being delivered to customers, a lot of information about the production version of the vehicle is still under wraps. However, following the delivery of more Tesla Semi units to PepsiCo earlier this week, some interesting details about the vehicle were shared. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Tesla Semi is its cost. Electric vehicles typically tend to be more expensive than their combustion-powered counterparts, and during the Semi’s unveiling, Tesla estimated that the truck’s…

Ford is making significant strides in the world of self-driving technology with its BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system. The UK’s Department for Transport has approved the Blue Oval company’s hands-free driving system, making Ford the first automaker to have its Level 2 technology approved in the country. The BlueCruise system, available on the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV, uses sophisticated infrared camera technology to ensure driver attentiveness and constantly monitors road markings, speed signs, and traffic conditions to control steering, acceleration, and braking. However, the system needs pre-mapped roads, limiting its functionality to 2,300 miles of motorway network in England,…

Volta Trucks is gearing up to showcase its highly-anticipated Volta Zero electric truck at the US ACT Expo trade show in early May this year. The vehicle is classified in US Class 7, which means a 15-tonne truck, and US customers are expected to receive some examples of the Volta Zero in Classes 6 and 7 for fleet testing by the end of 2023, followed soon after by the market launch. The company first announced its US market entry in May last year and has been working tirelessly to adapt the 16-tonners that were developed for Europe to suit US…

A photo of an unconfirmed Tesla Model 3 prototype has surfaced on social media, sparking rumors that it could be a part of the rumored Model 3 refresh project, codenamed “Highland.” Late last year, reports emerged that Tesla was planning to launch a Model 3 refresh in the second half of 2023, and this new photo has fueled speculation that it could be a glimpse of what’s to come. Tesla has been working on integrating large casting technology into its vehicles, starting with the Model Y. This technology allows for the use of single, large casting parts to replace several…

Renault Group and Verkor have announced a new commercial partnership for the supply of low-carbon batteries for electric vehicles. Verkor will provide Renault with 12 GWh of batteries per year, which will be used in the upper segments of the company’s brands, starting with the upcoming Alpine 100% electric C-Crossover GT manufactured in Dieppe, France, from 2025. These batteries will be produced in France at Verkor’s Gigafactory in Dunkirk, and the partnership builds on the strategic relationship formed with Renault’s acquisition of a stake in Verkor in June 2021. The two companies have approved the product’s technical quality, economic competitiveness,…

Allego, a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, has announced the opening of its 107th public fast-charging station in France in partnership with the French distribution network operator, Enedis. The milestone was celebrated on the anniversary of their roll-out, which started exactly twelve months ago. The latest addition to Allego’s network is located in Rambouillet, in the Yvelines region of France. The company now operates a total of 120 fast-charging stations in the country and aims to increase this number to more than 300 by 2024. See also: Allego Secures New Contract to Build Fast-Charging Infrastructure in Sweden…