Author: Callum Fraser

Italian energy company Eni’s charging infrastructure subsidiary Plenitude has formed a strategic partnership with Italian design firm Pininfarina to develop a new generation of electric vehicle charging stations. The collaboration will focus on designing charging spaces that combine technical functionality with architectural design and user experience. According to Plenitude, the project aims to create charging stations that are visually distinctive while remaining adaptable to a wide range of urban and regional environments. See also: TE Connectivity Acquires Charging Inlets Business From Phoenix Contact E-Mobility Under the partnership, Plenitude will contribute technological expertise related to electric mobility infrastructure, while Pininfarina will…

TE Connectivity has finalised a strategic asset agreement with Phoenix Contact E-Mobility to acquire parts of the company’s electric mobility unit, including its business for charging inlets used in electric vehicles. The Switzerland-headquartered supplier said the acquisition will strengthen its ability to serve global automotive manufacturers and support its long-term growth strategy in vehicle electrification. Under the agreement, TE Connectivity will acquire the charging inlets segment, which includes vehicle-side charging sockets. The remaining charging cable and plug business will continue to be operated by Phoenix Contact E-Mobility, which has indicated it will withdraw from supplying the automotive sector. TE said…

RAW Charging has signed a multi-year agreement with ChargePoint to deploy more than 300 new DC fast charging points across the United Kingdom. The rollout, which is expected to begin this year, includes an initial commitment valued at about $7.5 million. Under the agreement, RAW Charging will expand its existing collaboration with ChargePoint as its technology partner. The charging stations will operate on the ChargePoint Platform and will be supported by the company’s Assure Pro maintenance service, designed to improve reliability and maximise network uptime. According to the companies, the integrated system aims to provide drivers with a consistent charging…

TotalEnergies is reportedly reviewing strategic options for its electric vehicle charging business in Germany and has begun approaching potential investors, according to media reports. German outlet The Pioneer reported that the company is considering a possible sale of its charging portfolio, which is said to include around 190 charging parks. Only about one-third of these sites are currently operational, while the remaining projects are still under development. See also: TfL Selects TotalEnergies for New Rapid EV Charging Rollout The portfolio reportedly also includes government subsidies worth several hundred million euros tied to charging sites yet to be built. Management consultancy…

The UK government has extended its home electric vehicle charger grant scheme by another year and increased the maximum subsidy per installation from £350 to £500, as part of efforts to make EV ownership more accessible. Originally introduced in 2023, the programme is designed to lower the cost of installing home charging equipment. Officials said the higher grant could cover “almost half the cost” of a charger and help drivers reduce running costs compared with petrol vehicles. See also: Be.EV Acquires Mer’s UK Public Charging Network in Major Expansion In addition to households, schools are eligible for support of up…

Spanish supermarket chain BM Supermercados has partnered with charging network operator Zunder to deploy electric vehicle charging stations at its stores, with 133 charging points already operational across 33 locations. The installations are located in supermarket car parks in the regions of Madrid, the Basque Country and Cantabria, focusing on so-called destination charging that allows customers to recharge vehicles while shopping. Zunder has installed a mix of alternating current (AC) chargers for longer stays and direct current (DC) chargers for faster top-ups. The combination is intended to accommodate both quick visits and longer shopping trips, aligning charging availability with customer…

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has launched the Community Charging phase of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) programme, allocating $100 million in federal funding to expand publicly accessible EV charging across the state. Funding will be distributed region by region throughout 2026, beginning with southeastern Pennsylvania. The first tranche of approximately $34 million will cover Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Local transportation planning agencies will identify priority locations, though any publicly accessible site within the region may apply. Subsequent funding rounds are scheduled for western Pennsylvania in April–May 2026, followed by eastern and central regions in…

Munich-based startup HeyCharge has secured €2.5 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to further develop its electric vehicle charging platform designed for underground parking garages with limited or no internet connectivity. The grant comes from the EIC Accelerator programme, which supports startups developing breakthrough technologies. HeyCharge’s system uses a fully offline architecture intended for basement and semi-basement car parks in residential buildings and offices, where mobile and Wi-Fi signals are often weak or unavailable. Founded in 2020, the company has built its business around its patented SecureCharge technology. Unlike conventional chargers that require continuous online connectivity for…

French leasing and mobility provider Ayvens has introduced a new electric vehicle charging service, Ayvens Power, built on a white-label platform from Berlin-based Plugsurfing, as the company seeks to expand its digital offerings for fleet customers across Europe. The service launches initially in the Netherlands, where drivers can access more than one million public charging points across the continent through a dedicated mobile application. Ayvens said the rollout will extend to Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and the United Kingdom later this year. Ayvens and Plugsurfing first announced their partnership in September. The platform provides roaming access to a wide network…

U.S. student transportation provider Zūm will deploy the largest fully electric school bus fleet with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability in the northeastern United States for Branford Public Schools in Connecticut, the company said. The fleet, scheduled to begin service in the 2026–27 school year, will also mark Zūm’s first all-electric bus depot on the East Coast. The project will enable the school district to complete its transition to electric buses within two years—three years ahead of the original timeline under a 10-year transportation contract signed in 2024. Bidirectional charging infrastructure will allow buses to supply stored electricity back to the local…

Kempower has partnered with mobility provider Aimo to deploy public fast-charging infrastructure at SkiStar Lindvallen in Sälen, Sweden, marking the first such installation at the popular ski destination. The site is operated by Aimo Charge, which manages EV charging networks across Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Located near the Experium complex and key resort amenities, the facility includes four Kempower Satellite DC charging points, each capable of delivering up to 150 kW. The chargers are intended to allow visitors to recharge quickly during daytime activities rather than relying on overnight charging. See also: Kempower Installs 28 DC Charging Points at Amsterdam…

UK charge point operator Be.EV has acquired the public electric vehicle charging network of Mer in the United Kingdom, significantly expanding its presence across the country. The transaction adds more than 1,600 charging bays at over 450 locations, bringing Be.EV’s total network to more than 2,500 bays across more than 680 sites nationwide. The company said the acquired infrastructure will be fully integrated into its platform, while existing users will retain access to the chargers under Be.EV’s pricing structure. Be.EV plans to extend its subscription tariff of 39 pence per kilowatt-hour nationwide, along with off-peak pricing between 7 p.m. and…