Author: Christopher Harrison

Porsche has recently announced that they have made significant improvements to the third generation Cayenne, including the plug-in hybrid version, before launching the purely electric offshoot of the fourth generation model. The changes include updates to the drive, chassis, design, and equipment, making it one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche. The Cayenne E-Hybrid, available in both the SUV and SUV Coupé, now boasts a system output of 346 kW, thanks to a revised V6 petrol engine and a new electric motor with an increased output of 30 kW to 130 kW. The battery’s energy…

Volvo Buses has signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt’s Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles (MCV) to produce bodies for its electric buses in the city and intercity segments across European markets from next year. Under the agreement, MCV will manufacture bodies under license for the Volvo 7900 Electric and 7900 Electric Articulated city buses, scheduled for delivery to European customers in 2025. The companies also plan to jointly develop an electric intercity bus offering, with further details yet to be revealed. See also: DHL orders 2,000 Ford electric vans for last-mile deliveries Volvo Buses will retain the production of chassis and…

Solaris, the Polish manufacturer of electric buses, has announced its largest single order for hydrogen buses to date from the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The municipal company Rebus Regionalbus Rostock has ordered 52 fuel cell buses from Solaris, including 47 vehicles with a length of twelve metres and five articulated buses. Rebus Regionalbus, which is responsible for public transport in the Rostock region, plans to invest €40 million to convert to hydrogen public transport. The company currently operates 170 diesel buses and expects to commission the fuel cell vehicles in the first quarter of 2025. The average distance travelled on…

Ikea has committed to a £4.5 million investment in a partnership with Mer to install almost 200 charging stations at its stores across the UK and Ireland. The charging stations will cater to Ikea’s growing electric vehicle (EV) fleet and will increase its global network. The project, which is one of the region’s largest EV charging infrastructure initiatives for last-mile fleet services, will be managed and maintained by Mer. Ikea has announced its ambition to have over 500 charging points by 2025, as part of its target to achieve 100% zero-emissions deliveries from all of its stores and distribution centres…

Tesla is set to ship cars from China to North America for the first time, as it begins producing a version of the Model Y in Shanghai to be sold in Canada later this year. This move will connect Tesla’s largest and most cost-efficient factory in the world to North America, its largest market, and is expected to be a significant development for the electric vehicle maker. The news was confirmed by an individual with direct knowledge of the plan and a production memo seen by Reuters. According to the memo, the vehicles have been designed and tested for export…

StoreDot, the company behind the ultrafast Tesla-like 4680 cells, has announced its partnership with VinES Energy Solutions to develop Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) battery cells for VinFast EVs. The first generation of this XFC battery cell will be immediately adopted by VinFast vehicles when it becomes commercially available in 2025. VinES, a member company of Vingroup, the largest private conglomerate in Vietnam, specializes in researching, developing, and manufacturing advanced Li-ion batteries for mobility and energy storage. Together, StoreDot and VinES will research, develop, and offer XFC battery cells in different form factors to prepare for mass production and supply. StoreDot…

Audi has announced that its global car sales during the first quarter of 2023 increased by 7.9 percent year-over-year to 415,700 units. While this marks a significant improvement, it still falls short of Q1 2021 sales figures of 462,800 units. However, the brand’s all-electric car sales experienced impressive growth during the same period. In fact, all-electric car sales increased by 42.8 percent year-over-year to roughly 34,600 units, which is the best Q1 and the second-best quarter for battery electric vehicles (BEV) so far. Compared to the total volume, all-electric cars now represent about 8.3 percent share, up from 6.3 percent…

Tesla has provided a comprehensive update on its 4680 battery cell program, which is anticipated to be critical for its future electric vehicles. The 4680 battery cell format has been a topic of interest since Tesla introduced its own cell strategy at Battery Day in 2020. The company claimed that the new design could potentially reduce battery costs by over 50%. However, Tesla has faced bottlenecks in its efforts to bring it to volume production. During a conference call following the release of its Q1 2023 financial results, Tesla’s Senior VP of Engineering, Drew Baglino, gave an update on the…

Polestar has unveiled its third all-electric series model, the Polestar 4, at the Shanghai Auto Show. Positioned between the Polestar 2 and 3 in terms of size and price, the SUV coupé is the brand’s fourth model and the third BEV model after the Polestar 1 PHEV coupé. One of the most striking features of the Polestar 4 is the absence of a rear window. Instead, Polestar is claiming to provide “a new kind of immersive rear occupant experience.” See also: Polestar 3 electric SUV premieres on October 12 According to Polestar, the Polestar 4 was designed from the ground…

Italian carmaker Lancia has unveiled its ten-year vision for the brand with the all-electric concept vehicle, the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE. The vehicle study is based on the chassis and powertrain of the future Lancia Ypsilon, which will launch in 2024 as an all-electric and hybrid variant. However, it is unclear whether the Pu+Ra HPE will ever hit the road. According to Luca Napolitano, CEO of the Lancia brand, the Pu+Ra HPE represents the brand’s way of conceiving and experiencing the car. The EV boasts an electric range of more than 700 kilometers, with efficient aerodynamics being a prerequisite. Features such…

China’s CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, has announced the launch of its latest innovation, the Condensed Battery, which is expected to revolutionize the electric vehicle (EV) industry and pave the way for the electrification of aviation. With a single cell having an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg, the Condensed Battery boasts high safety and high energy density, according to the company’s chief scientist Wu Kai. The Condensed Battery has a micron-scale adaptive mesh structure that regulates inter-chain interaction forces for changes in the electrochemical reactions of ultra-high energy density chemistries. This technology introduces a series of innovations…

Australia has announced new standards to boost electric car sales and cut vehicle emissions, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said in a news conference. The national electric vehicle strategy will introduce a fuel efficiency standard, outlining the carbon dioxide output of a car. Bowen noted that fuel-efficient and electric vehicles are cleaner and cheaper to run, calling the announcement a “win-win for motorists.” Australia lags behind other developed economies in electric vehicle adoption, with only 3.8% of cars sold in the country last year being electric. “Apart from Russia, Australia was the only developed country to either not have or be…