Author: Casper Benedict

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and Mack Trucks, both Volvo Group companies, have collaborated to provide on- and off-road electric equipment to Coastal Waste & Recycling, based in Boca Raton, Florida. This partnership aims to support Coastal Waste & Recycling’s sustainability goals. Coastal Waste & Recycling is piloting a 23-ton EC230 Electric excavator from Volvo CE and has received a Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle. The Mack LR Electric will be used for residential and specialized commercial applications in southern Florida. See also: Skanska’s Volvo Electric Excavator Pilot: Saving $15.15 and Reducing 34 Kilograms of Carbon Emissions per Hour…

The Ford SuperVan 4.2 has made history at Australia’s Mount Panorama, setting a new lap record with racing driver Romain Dumas behind the wheel. Ford showcased the SuperVan 4.2 at the Bathurst 500 Supercars event, where Dumas took it for a hot lap after the race’s qualifying session. Clocking in at 1:56.3247, Dumas’s lap time set a new record for closed-wheel vehicles at the circuit, surpassing the pole time of the Supercars event by over 10 seconds. The achievement also narrowly edged out a record set a week earlier by a modified Mercedes-AMG GT3. See also: Ford’s SuperVan 4.2 Electrifies Pikes…

Li Auto has revealed an ambitious plan to expand its supercharging station network this year, although the number falls short of earlier media reports. In a Weibo interaction today, Li Auto stated, “Supercharging station network layout of 2,000 planned for 2024, stay tuned.” The company’s statement was somewhat ambiguous in Chinese, leaving it unclear whether they intend to add 2,000 new supercharging stations this year or reach a total of 2,000 by year-end. See also: Li Auto to Triple Supercharging Station Plans Ahead of BEV Launch However, during an analyst call following the fourth-quarter earnings announcement, Li Auto’s management clarified that…

Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern AG (VBL) has welcomed the arrival of its first three electric buses, marking the initial step in a larger plan to electrify its fleet. The Swiss public transport operator intends to progressively transition to electric vehicles, with a goal to have an entirely electric fleet by 2040. The new electric articulated buses, part of a larger order for 50 electric buses placed late last year, commenced service on February 24. While the main charging for these buses will occur overnight, VBL noted that some recharging may be necessary during the day to ensure sufficient energy for continuous operation.…

Electric vehicles (EVs) are known for their quiet operation compared to vehicles with gas engines, but Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, is aiming to change that with its upcoming Charger Daytona EV. The automaker is set to simulate the sound of a gas vehicle, specifically a HEMI V8 engine, in the new EV, according to a patent spotted by Mopar Insiders from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The patented systems, including “Active Vibration Enhancement” (AVE) and “Active Sound Enhancement” (ASE), will work together to create the effect of a gas engine. AVE will make the car vibrate as…

Tesla is developing a software update to cut Sentry Mode power usage by approximately 40%, aiming to reduce “vampire drain” on parked vehicles. While it may seem like a minor update, the impact could be substantial. Electric vehicles experience power loss when parked, often referred to as “vampire drain.” Factors contributing to this drain include battery temperature control and active connectivity features. See also: Tesla Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Battery Damage Through Software Updates For Tesla vehicles, a significant contributor to vampire drain is Sentry Mode. This feature uses the vehicle’s cameras, primarily intended for driver-assist features and future self-driving capabilities,…

Nikola Corp announced the delivery of the first production hydrogen fuel cell truck in North America during the fourth quarter, reaffirming its commitment to zero-emissions mobility solutions. The company also stated it remains on track to deliver the first reworked battery electric trucks back to customers by the end of the first quarter. Nikola’s president and CEO, Steve Girsky, stated, “Today we’re sharing what we’ve accomplished and how we are providing fully integrated zero-emissions mobility solutions to fleets right now.” See also: Nikola Appoints Carla Tully, Energy and Infrastructure Expert, to Board of Directors In its fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 results,…

Xiaomi has denied recent reports claiming that customers purchasing the Xiaomi EV could receive a free Beijing license plate. The report, which sparked widespread discussion on social media, was dismissed by Xiaomi as “completely untrue.” “The pricing, delivery, and sales policy of the Xiaomi EV will be subject to the official release,” a Xiaomi Weibo account stated, refuting the claims. The initial report suggested that customers who do not possess a Beijing license plate could potentially receive one for free with the purchase of one of the first Xiaomi EV vehicles. It cited an early employee close to Xiaomi founder,…

Paul Jacobson, Chief Financial Officer of General Motors, has openly addressed the automotive giant’s need to resolve issues with its electric vehicles (EVs), acknowledging several delays in their upcoming models over the past year. Among the most significant delays is the postponement of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV, originally slated for release in 2024 but now expected in late 2025. Similarly, the launch of the Chevrolet Equinox EV has been pushed back, with its starting price set at $34,995, higher than the initial ~$30,000 estimate. Jacobson stressed the importance of pricing competitiveness for GM’s EVs to attract…

Scout Motor, the revived company under Volkswagen, is gearing up to make a splash in the United States electric vehicle (EV) market. The company, known for its upcoming electric pickup truck and SUV, recently broke ground on its $2 billion South Carolina assembly plant, signaling its ambitious plans for the future. In a conversation with journalists during the groundbreaking event, Scout Motor CEO Scott Keogh shared some insights into the company’s vision. Keogh revealed that Scout Motor is not only focused on entering the electric pickup truck market but is also developing an all-electric SUV to cater to a broader…

The British government has announced an extension of its subsidy for electrified taxis until April 2025, albeit with a reduction in the subsidy amount from £7,500 to £6,000 per vehicle – equivalent to a decrease from around €8,760 to €7,000. Since its inception in 2017, the UK government has allocated over £50 million (just over €58 million) to support the purchase of more than 9,000 electrified taxis through the Plug-in Taxi Grant programme. The primary criterion for the subsidy is that taxis must be capable of operating purely on electric power. Plug-in hybrids are also eligible for the subsidy. See…

Hyundai is gearing up to unveil its latest electric three-row SUV, the IONIQ 7, at the Busan Motor Show in June, adding to its lineup of electric vehicles based on the E-GMP platform. Despite not qualifying for the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs except through leasing, Hyundai has emerged as the fourth best-selling EV brand in the US, capturing 4.5% of the market last year, according to registration data from S&P Global. This success comes as rivals like Ford and GM are slowing electric car production. See also: Hyundai Ioniq 7 will use a large 7 seater SUV configuration The…

Despite the dominance of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles in the European Union’s new car market, electric cars are steadily gaining ground, accounting for 10.9% of market share in January, up from 9.5% last year. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), a total of 92,741 battery electric cars were sold in the EU in January 2024, marking a 28.9% year-on-year increase. The largest markets for electric vehicles (EVs) were Belgium (+75.5%), the Netherlands (+72.2%), France (+36.8%), and Germany (+23.9%), which together represented 66% of EV sales in the EU. See also: Tesla Dominates 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales, Securing Top…

On February 20, LG Innotek made a groundbreaking announcement, revealing the development of a cutting-edge high-performance heating camera module tailored for autonomous driving. This innovation leverages state-of-the-art precision optical design technology, marking a pivotal moment in the company’s quest to dominate the autonomous driving camera module market. The newly unveiled heating camera module integrates a heater into existing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) cameras. This integration effectively prevents frost or snow buildup on the vehicle camera lens, thereby mitigating the risk of major accidents stemming from obstacle detection errors. See also: LG Innotek Unveils Groundbreaking Wireless 800-Volt BMS for Electric Vehicles…

Volvo Trucks North America is set to unveil the all-new Volvo VNL model at ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) 2024 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, happening from March 4-7, 2024, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Attendees of the TMC conference will have the exclusive opportunity to experience the new Volvo VNL firsthand by visiting the Volvo Trucks booth (#2413), where a VNL 840 74-inch mid-roof sleeper with the Edge interior and exterior trim will be on display. Additionally, the latest version of the Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric truck will be showcased.…

BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology, the electric vehicle subsidiary of Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC), announced plans to introduce its inaugural sedan in collaboration with Huawei Technologies this year, as Huawei makes strides into the electric vehicle market. Responding to an investor query on Monday, BAIC BluePark stated that the first jointly developed model with Huawei is slated to debut in the Chinese market this year. The state-owned automaker described the vehicle as “a high-end intelligent sedan to meet consumers’ demand for premium mobility experiences,” but did not disclose specific details. See also: JAC and Huawei Jointly Developing Luxury Smart Electric Vehicle,…

Tesla is making progress with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta, as the latest version, v12.2.1, is now being rolled out to employees and select groups. This comes shortly after the rollout of FSD beta v12.2 to workers. The new build includes support for HW4 vehicles, marking a significant update as the previous version was only available for HW3 vehicles. The rollout of FSD beta v12 has been closely watched, with expectations rising for a public launch in the coming months. Tesla began testing the v12 FSD beta with a limited group of employees in November and has since deployed multiple…

Tesla is reportedly gearing up to address long-standing complaints about its auto wipers, which have been a source of frustration for owners of Tesla vehicles manufactured in 2018 and later, particularly in regions with varying weather conditions. Unlike traditional rain sensor-based systems commonly found in premium vehicles, Tesla’s auto wipers rely on its Autopilot cameras and a computer vision neural net. While this approach was meant to offer a more advanced and integrated solution, it has led to several issues, including inaccuracies in detecting precipitation intensity and improper activation or speed adjustments of the wipers. Many Tesla owners have voiced…

Just over 10,000 electric cars are now in use by Uber and Lyft in New York City, constituting twelve percent of their combined fleet. This transition to electric vehicles is happening more quickly than anticipated. In early 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to require transportation service providers like Uber and Lyft to switch their fleets to electric or make them wheelchair accessible by 2030. This initiative became a reality in October 2023 with the introduction of the ‘Green Rides’ program. Since its inception, more than 7,500 new electric Uber and Lyft vehicles have been approved by the Taxi &…

Stellantis’ recent moves in the automotive industry have raised eyebrows and sparked speculation. Last October, the Euro-American corporation made waves by acquiring a 21 percent stake in Chinese automaker Leapmotor for a hefty $1.5 billion. Now, Stellantis has hinted at the possibility of producing Leapmotor’s electric vehicles (EVs) at Fiat’s historic Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy. According to Automotive News Europe, if this plan materializes, the Mirafiori plant could potentially churn out up to 150,000 budget EVs annually starting in 2026 or 2027. These vehicles would be sold through Stellantis dealerships in Europe, circumventing potential tariffs on Chinese EV imports,…