Author: Christopher Harrison

VDL Bus & Coach has officially inaugurated its new production facility for electric buses in Roeselare, Belgium. The company will use the plant to manufacture the latest generation of its Citea electric city buses in series. The 77,000-square-metre plant has been operational for some time, although the exact duration was not specified by VDL. The facility has an annual production capacity of approximately 800 buses. Originally scheduled to open in 2021, the plant faced delays due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation stone was laid on February 8, 2022. According to VDL, the building reflects the…

Electric vehicle maker Tesla has informed several customers of unexpected delays in Cybertruck deliveries, prompting the cancellation of some scheduled appointments, as reported by multiple sources. In a message sent to affected customers, Tesla stated, “Hi, we have just been informed of an unexpected delay regarding the preparation of your vehicle. We need to cancel your delivery appointment for tomorrow and we will reach out again when we’re able to get you back on the schedule. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to hosting your Cybertruck delivery soon!” The delay appears to stem from a problem with the…

Chinese automakers are gearing up to export hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide, driving a surge in demand for car-carrying vessels. China is poised to amass the world’s fourth-largest fleet in the coming years, prompting the creation of new trade routes specifically for Chinese cars. According to data from shipping consultants Veson Nautical, China currently has the world’s eighth-largest shipping fleet with 33 car-carrying ships. This pales in comparison to Japan’s 284 ships, Norway’s 102, South Korea’s 72, and the Isle of Man’s 61. However, the landscape is rapidly changing, with Chinese companies placing orders for 47 ships,…

Tesla’s Cybertruck, despite its polarizing design and initial production challenges, has garnered immense interest from American buyers, with the waiting list now extending to 2025. The Cybertruck, which saw a limited number of deliveries in 2023, has faced delays, and most orders were slated for fulfillment in 2024. However, Tesla’s recent update on its retail site indicates that fresh orders will not be fulfilled until 2025, without specifying the exact timeline within the year. With over 2 million pre-orders for the Cybertruck, Tesla’s Austin, TX, plant, expected to produce 250,000 units annually at full capacity, will not reach this milestone…

Legendary heavy metal band Metallica is set to embark on their “M72 World Tour” in a groundbreaking fashion, opting for electric trucks and vehicles provided by partner Iveco for their European shows from May to July 2024. This move marks a significant step towards sustainability for the band, as they aim to reduce the carbon footprint of their tours. Iveco, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks, will supply their electric S-eWay trucks for transporting Metallica’s equipment between concerts. These trucks are available in both purely battery-electric and fuel cell variants, with both drive systems being utilized for the tour. Regardless…

Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD has launched the Glory Edition update for its all-electric Seal EV, offering a lower starting price as part of its ongoing strategy to increase market share. The Seal EV Glory Edition now starts at RMB 179,800 (25,000), marking a RMB 10,000 (5.27 percent) reduction from its predecessor’s starting price of RMB 189,800. As the flagship sedan of BYD’s Ocean series, the Seal EV was initially launched in China on July 29, 2022, as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) and positioned as a strong competitor to the Tesla Model 3 in China. The recent…

LiveWire, the all-electric motorcycle company born from Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle division, has introduced its latest electric motorcycle, the LiveWire S2 Mulholland. This new model marks LiveWire’s first foray into the cruiser electric motorcycle segment, distinguishing it as the pioneer in this category among major electric motorcycle manufacturers. Contrary to the traditional Harley-Davidson cruiser aesthetic characterized by chrome pipes and leather bar tassels, the LiveWire S2 Mulholland is dubbed a “performance cruiser,” boasting specifications to match. With a 3.3-second 0-60 mph time, the S2 Mulholland blends sportiness with the laidback cruiser geometry, featuring taller bars for a more relaxed riding posture.…

Tesla’s Cybertruck is poised to embrace wireless inductive charging, as indicated by new connectors discovered on the electric pickup truck’s battery pack. This development marks a notable departure for the automaker, which had previously shown little interest in wireless charging technology for its electric vehicles. While the convenience of wireless charging may not address a pressing issue, as plugging in a car is not particularly challenging or time-consuming, Tesla has previously discussed the concept in the context of preparing for self-driving capabilities. The notion was that if vehicles could autonomously navigate, it would be logical for them to also manage…

Tesla’s factory in Texas has achieved a significant milestone in its production of 4680 battery cells, producing enough cells last week to equip 1,000 Cybertrucks. This marks a substantial increase in cell manufacturing, although it remains unclear if this production rate is consistent. Previously, in 2022, Tesla had announced a production rate of 868,000 4680-format cells within one week, sufficient for around 1,000 vehicles. However, it was uncertain whether these cells were produced solely on the Kato pilot line near the car factory in Fremont, California, or also at the Texas factory. https://twitter.com/cybertruck/status/1770421592633360766 Electrek has reported sightings of “several hundred…

The European Union has launched the BATTwin project with the goal of establishing efficient and sustainable production of lithium-ion batteries in Europe, reducing dependence on other nations. Led by the Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy), the project aims to develop digital twins of battery factories by May 2027 to reduce waste, energy requirements, and emissions from cell production, ultimately creating a European “zero-defect gigafactory.” One crucial aspect being investigated in Oldenburg is how to avoid producing faulty battery cells. Andreas Rauh, leading the team from the ‘Distributed Control in Networked Systems’ department, is focusing on reducing the current reject rate…

Amazon’s autonomous car unit, Zoox, has announced a significant expansion of its vehicle testing in California and Nevada, aiming to keep pace with rival companies like Waymo. The expansion includes a wider testing area, higher speeds, and the addition of nighttime driving. The changes, unveiled on Thursday, are focused on Zoox’s unique fleet of vehicles, which the company designed and built itself. These vehicles, known for their toaster oven-like appearance, do not feature traditional manual controls such as steering wheels, pedals, and gear shifters. In addition to its proprietary vehicles, Zoox also operates retrofitted self-driving Toyota Highlanders in several cities,…

Autonomous driving software specialist Plus has announced a significant long-term partnership with several commercial fleet developers under the Traton Group, including MAN, Scania, and Navistar, to deploy Level 4 autonomous trucks globally. Public road testing is already underway on two continents. Plus, a global provider of autonomous driving solutions headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in Europe and Australia, specializes in next-generation safety systems and automation like PlusDrive, along with its Level 4 driverless technology, SuperDrive. The startup’s proprietary autonomous technology has attracted interest from several commercial vehicle developers, leading to partnerships with Bosch, IVECO, Nikola, and Luminar, among others.…