Author: Casper Benedict

Toyota Motor showcased its next-generation engines designed for a range of vehicles, including hybrids and those running on biofuel, as part of its strategy to meet stricter emissions standards and offer a variety of powertrain options beyond electric vehicles (EVs). At a media event with Subaru and Mazda Motor, Toyota displayed in-development 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engines that are more compact than current models. In a joint statement, the companies said, “With these engines, each of the three companies will aim to optimize integration with motors, batteries, and other electric drive units.” Toyota, which owns about a fifth of Subaru and…

Daimler Truck’s electric truck brand, Rizon, is expanding its portfolio with the introduction of two new models, the e18Mx and e18Lx, at the 2024 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Las Vegas, USA. These Class 4 and Class 5 models, set to be available for the 2025 model year, offer upgraded payload capacity compared to Rizon’s current models. The e18Mx and e18Lx models can move a total of 18,850 pounds (approximately 8.5 tonnes), an increase from the current models’ 17,995 pounds (about 8.2 tonnes). While specific technical details about the powertrain have not been released yet, Rizon states that the…

Porsche has announced its decision to prolong its involvement in Formula E, confirming its participation in the electric racing series beyond the current agreement, which ends in 2026. The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer will continue competing in Formula E from Season 13 (2026/2027) onwards, coinciding with the introduction of the fourth generation of vehicles. Initially joining Formula E in 2019 with a commitment until the 2023/2024 season, Porsche extended its involvement last summer by two years, showcasing its dedication to the electric racing series. While the exact duration of Porsche’s renewed commitment has not been specified, it is expected to…

Tesla has officially begun construction of its highly anticipated Shanghai Megafactory on May 23, 2024. This facility marks the electric vehicle maker’s first dedicated energy storage site outside the United States. The Shanghai Megafactory, which will produce Megapack batteries, will complement Giga Shanghai as Tesla China’s main production facilities. According to a CNEV Post report, the new Megapack factory is located in the Lingang area, close to Gigafactory Shanghai, and spans approximately 200,000 square meters (49.4 acres). Tesla senior vice president Tom Zhu highlighted the significance of the new facility in the company’s global battery storage strategy. “The Shanghai Megafactory…

Audi, the premium brand of Volkswagen, has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese joint venture partner SAIC to develop a new platform tailored for intelligent and electric vehicles in China. This move underscores the increasing pressure on traditional automakers to adapt to the evolving landscape of the world’s largest auto market. The collaboration aims to address Audi’s lagging performance in the Chinese EV market, where it has trailed behind competitors like Tesla amid intense pricing competition. The new platform, known as the Advanced Digitized Platform, is expected to reduce Audi’s time-to-market by over 30%, enabling faster development and deployment of…

Argonne National Laboratory is embarking on a new project to build a state-of-the-art research and development facility dedicated to independently testing large-scale hydrogen fuel cell systems. With funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE), this initiative aims to assess the viability of hydrogen fuel cells for heavy-duty and off-road applications. The DOE is leveraging Argonne’s extensive experience in fuel cell research, dating back to 1996, to evaluate new polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems ranging from 150 to 600 kilowatts. These systems will be tested for use in industrial vehicles and stationary power generation applications. The new facility…

First Bus, a British transport company, is bolstering its electric bus fleet in Leeds with the addition of 22 new electric buses from Wrightbus. This expansion builds upon an initial order placed in March, marking a significant step towards sustainable public transport in the region. The investment in these new electric double-deckers will see the electric bus fleet at the First Bus depot in the Bramley district increase to 79 vehicles. With 57 electric buses from Wrightbus already introduced in March, this move will ensure that half of the depot’s buses are electric by the end of 2024. Funding for…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Xpeng is strategically expanding its collaborative efforts within the automotive industry, with plans to co-develop models with German automotive giant Volkswagen. Brian Gu, Xpeng’s vice president, emphasized the company’s commitment to sharing its autonomous driving and EV technologies with other automakers as a long-term trend, aiming to create a new revenue stream. In an interview with the South China Morning Post on May 17, Gu stated, “We see more collaborations as the long-term trend, because it’s hard to imagine traditional car manufacturers developing smart driving technologies quickly by relying on their own capabilities.” Xpeng recently…

General Motors’ innovative Ultium electric vehicle platform has encountered challenges, with the latest issue potentially causing power loss in a small number of vehicles on American roads. Thankfully, the problem is confined to just 10 examples across the United States. The automaker is recalling three Cadillac Lyriqs, three Chevrolet Blazer EVs, two Chevrolet Silverados, one GMC Hummer, and one GMC Sierra EV, all from the 2024 model year, due to a wiring problem in their rear drive units. The issue was first brought to GM’s attention on April 11, when a quality engineer reported an anomaly through its Speak Up…

Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing (VTRL) is making significant strides in supporting the electrification of commercial fleets with the installation of 47 high-powered charging stations at four strategic dealer locations across Southern California. This initiative, aimed at facilitating the transition to electric mobility, is set to be fully operational by the end of this month. The VTRL charging network, comprising 45 120 kW Detroit e-Fill chargers and two DCFC stations from ChargePoint, is designed to cater specifically to the needs of medium and heavy-duty battery electric work trucks. The choice of Detroit e-Fill chargers was influenced by their proven track…

VinFast announced a collaboration with Bosch to provide its customers access to a network of 700,000 charging points in 30 European countries. This partnership builds on their existing relationship in North America, where VinFast and Bosch have worked together on charging infrastructure for two years. Expanding on their U.S. partnership, VinFast and Bosch aim to enhance charging infrastructure in Europe. This move will allow VinFast customers to “travel across the continent with easy access to a large network of compatible charging stations,” according to a company press release. VinFast has been preparing for the European launch of its electric vehicles…

Tesla celebrated a significant milestone on Friday evening, announcing the production of three million cars across its Fremont factory and Gigafactory Nevada. The achievement comes just under two years after the company surpassed the two-million mark at these sites. In a post on X, Tesla’s main account congratulated the teams at Fremont and Giga Nevada for their accomplishment. The post featured photos of the production team at Gigafactory Fremont alongside the three-millionth electric vehicle (EV) built, a deep blue metallic Model S. https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1791606155719966982 Tesla previously celebrated the production of two million cars at Fremont and Giga Nevada in July 2022,…

In a troubling incident last October, a Cruise robotaxi, an autonomous vehicle developed by General Motors’ subsidiary, Cruise, was involved in a collision with a pedestrian in San Francisco, according to a report by Fortune. The victim was reportedly compensated with an amount ranging between $8 million and $12 million for the injuries sustained during the incident. The collision resulted in the pedestrian being dragged over 20 feet by the self-driving vehicle, causing life-threatening injuries. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was initially in critical condition but has since been discharged from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Following the incident,…

Mercedes-Benz has announced a recall affecting 283 EQB vehicles in the United States due to a safety defect that could potentially lead to unintended vehicle movement. Owners of the affected vehicles can expect to receive notification from Mercedes-Benz on July 9. The issue, first identified by Mercedes-Benz in June 2022, relates to drivetrain noises and vibrations reported by EQB customers outside the U.S. Further investigation revealed that a weld defect in the front motor’s spur gear could result in the gear breaking, causing it to rotate freely and disengage power to the front wheels. While the defect does not render…

Mitsubishi has revealed its ambitious vision for the future in North America with a comprehensive plan called ‘Momentum 2030.’ This strategy aims to nearly double the size of Mitsubishi’s lineup in the region, accelerate electrification efforts, and expand its dealer network to better serve customers. As part of ‘Momentum 2030,’ Mitsubishi plans to launch one completely new or redesigned vehicle every year from 2026 to 2030. This lineup expansion includes the introduction of two vehicles in entirely new segments for Mitsubishi. One of the exciting new entries hinted at by an unnamed dealer speaking to Autonews is Mitsubishi’s venture into…

The Biden administration’s decision to impose tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) imported from China is set to impact Alphabet’s autonomous-driving technology company, Waymo, which collaborates with Geely-owned Zeekr on robotaxis. The vehicle, dubbed the M-Vision and designed for ride-sharing, is built on Geely’s SEA-M platform, an adapted version of the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) used in several Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and Smart models. With President Biden’s announcement of a 102.5% tariff on Chinese-made EVs, the Waymo robotaxi, sourced from Zeekr, faces the prospect of these tariffs affecting its importation. A Waymo spokesperson informed Auto News that the company is closely…

SK hynix’s foundry subsidiary, SK keyfoundry, is poised to manufacture power semiconductors for Tesla electric vehicles starting in the second half of this year. The move comes as a response to China’s aggressive expansion in the legacy foundry sector, with SK keyfoundry unveiling a high-performance chip process tailored for automotive use. Industry sources revealed on May 15 that SK keyfoundry will commence the production of Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC) for Tesla EVs as early as July at their 8-inch wafer fab in Cheongju, South Korea. These PMICs, designed by a U.S.-based semiconductor design company, will be produced by SK…

In a bid to keep pace with Tesla and emerging Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers like BYD, Ford has announced plans to revamp its strategy, seeking cost reductions across its EV lineup. The move comes as Ford’s Model e unit continues to incur substantial losses, totaling billions in the first quarter of this year. Following in the footsteps of its competitors, Ford slashed prices significantly to remain competitive with Tesla, a strategy that has helped drive up demand but at a considerable cost. For instance, after reducing prices of its Mustang Mach-E by 17% earlier this year, sales surged by…

Tesla Model Y units at the company’s Gigafactory Berlin in Germany were seen today equipped with Hardware 4 (HW4), the company’s newest and most advanced self-driving computer. First introduced last year, HW4 is designed to enhance Tesla’s vehicles with additional cameras and potential radar systems. This latest self-driving computer processes more data to improve the accuracy and robustness of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite. HW4 cameras capture images at a resolution of 5 megapixels, a significant upgrade from the 1.2 megapixels of the previous generation. The first vehicles to feature HW4 were the Model X Plaid cars. Recently, HW4 was…

Chargepoint, an electric vehicle charging infrastructure provider, has announced the development of a new megawatt charger designed to support the upcoming Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The charger, based on Chargepoint’s Power Link 2000 series, will initially deliver 1.2 MW and is expected to later increase to up to 3 MW. The company is now offering tests of the charging system to truck manufacturers. According to Chargepoint, the MCS cables and plugs for e-trucks will be available at charging stations equipped with this type of device. The company’s partners, particularly truck manufacturers, can commence interoperability tests immediately. The charger will also…