Author: David Smith

General Motors (GM) has announced its decision to stop supporting Apple’s CarPlay platform in favor of teaming up with Google to design custom-built infotainment systems for their future electric cars. The move, which has been described as controversial, marks a significant shift for GM, which only a few years ago had gone all-in on CarPlay. According to a report by Reuters, GM’s decision to phase out CarPlay will begin with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer. The company believes that this change will enable it to collect more data on how consumers drive and charge electric vehicles (EVs) while developing its infotainment…

Amazon has announced that its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans (EDVs) has grown to over 3,000 vehicles in operation across the United States, up from the 1,000 reported in November last year. While the figure is still short of Amazon’s initial goal of having 10,000 EDVs on the road by the end of 2022, the company remains committed to having 100,000 EDVs in operation by 2030. The online retail giant first started using the Rivian EDVs in the summer of 2022 and reports that they have delivered over 75 million packages in more than 500 cities and regions across…

XPeng, the electric vehicle manufacturer based in China, has announced that it will be rolling out its Tesla FSD-like Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) to two of its flagship models, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards building its assisted driving capabilities. The company plans to release a new OTA update called Xmart OS 4.2.0 today, which will open up the first phase capabilities of XNGP, XPeng’s new generation of intelligent driving systems, to the XPeng G9 and P7i. The announcement was made by Wu Xinzhou, the Vice President and head of the autonomous driving center at XPeng, during…

Waymo has made a bold announcement that is sure to make waves in the automotive industry. The company has revealed its plans to phase out the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid and transition to an all-electric vehicle (EV) fleet. As part of this transition, Waymo will be replacing its plug-in hybrid minivan with the Jaguar I-Pace in Phoenix and the East Valley region starting next month. This move marks a significant milestone for Waymo, as it becomes one of the first autonomous vehicle companies to embrace electric power. According to the company, EVs offer several key benefits over traditional gas-powered vehicles, including…

Volta has announced a significant update to its advanced infrastructure planning solution, PredictEV®. The new feature will provide state and local governments with data-driven insight into the travel patterns of residents in disadvantaged communities, allowing them to identify EV charger locations that will maximize convenience and utilization with more precision. This update ensures that infrastructure funds are efficiently and effectively spent as governments develop competitive applications for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, upholding the federal government’s Justice40 goal. PredictEV is a powerful planning tool that leverages disparate data sources, including local mobility, demographic, commercial, and site-specific data,…

Klean Industries Inc, a company that specializes in converting waste into clean energy and resources, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nikola, a manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. The agreement aims to promote the adoption of zero-emission trucks and to develop green hydrogen supply and dispensing infrastructure in the United States and Canada. Under the MOU, the companies will work together to encourage the use of Nikola Class 8 zero-emission vehicles with Klean’s partners and feedstock suppliers. They will also collaborate on the development of green hydrogen supply and dispensing infrastructure in…

Lyft and Ericsson have announced a new partnership to expand e-bike services and connectivity in the United States. The ride-hailing giant will use Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator platform to manage the connectivity of its network of e-bikes and e-scooters, regardless of their location, with global connectivity and management provided by Deutsche Telekom. Lyft plans to use the partnership to achieve its goal of providing a “micromobility service with scalability and reliability.” By mid-2023, the company hopes to have connected 20,000 e-bikes to its ecosystem. The partnership will improve Lyft’s ability to manage large fleets of vehicles, but more importantly, it will…

Shanghai-based Hesai Group, a leading manufacturer of LiDAR technology for autonomous and advanced assisted driving, has signed an investment agreement with the Chongqing Economic Development Zone to establish a software global R&D headquarters in the city. The deal was announced on March 26th, according to a report in the Chongqing Daily. Chongqing’s mayor, Hu Henghua, has called on Hesai to strengthen its cooperation with local car companies. As part of the agreement, Hesai will create an innovation incubation center, establish a LiDAR industrial park, and construct the software global R&D headquarters in the Chongqing Economic Development Zone. Hesai, which began…

US-based Cirba Solutions, a battery recycler, has announced that it will invest $300m in a new recycling factory in South Carolina. The factory, which will be Cirba’s eighth in North America, is set to be constructed in Richland County, near Columbia, with operations beginning by the end of 2024. The facility will be the fourth of its kind to be situated in the “Battery Belt,” an area that includes Southern states such as Georgia, where more than 15 new lithium-ion battery gigafactories or expansions have been announced since 2021. According to Cirba, the new flagship plant will be extracting critical…

The convergence of technology and automotive industries has become more apparent in recent years. The integration of advanced technologies in vehicles has made electric vehicles one of the hottest topics in the tech world. However, the latest collaboration between Rivian and Epic Games has pushed the boundaries of what is possible. Rivian’s R1T has been used to showcase the upcoming Unreal Engine 5.2, which promises to create photorealistic video simulations. The video demo showed the R1T driving through a jungle, and the level of detail is awe-inspiring. The suspension and tire deformation of the truck have been rendered with precision.…

Ram Trucks, a brand under Stellantis, has given its dealers an exclusive look at its second mid-size electric pickup truck concept. The upcoming electric vehicle (EV) resembles the Ram Revolution concept, which was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The Revolution concept featured unique features like detachable third-row seating, grand saloon doors, and powered, automatic steps. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares claimed that the EV would outperform all competitors in terms of towing, range, payload, and charge time. Ram’s first electric truck, the 2025 Ram 1500 REV, was unveiled in production form during the Super Bowl in February. Despite…

If you thought electric bike speed limits in Europe were already tight, then brace yourself for even tighter restrictions in Amsterdam. City officials are proposing to reduce the electric bike speed limit on cycle paths to just 20 km/h (12 mph). City transportation chief Melanie Van Der Horst has written a letter to the city council stating that many e-bikes on Amsterdam’s vast cycling path network are reaching speeds of 30 km/h (18 mph) or higher. This variation of speeds, from slower non-electric bikes to faster electric bikes, can be dangerous to kids and elderly riders on the cycling paths.…

Twaice, a Munich-based battery analytics company, has recently partnered with R&D service provider Vispiron Systems to open the Munich Battery Lab. The lab will serve as a platform to analyse battery behaviour and optimise battery development with a focus on testing lithium-ion batteries. The facility is built on state-of-the-art infrastructure and offers an area of over 100 square metres. This enables the analysis of different cell types in the battery at a current of one to several hundred amperes, with a cooling capacity of 40 kW, and using ten temperature chambers. The lab offers a range of tests such as…

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has announced the introduction of a new California model this year, based on the Multivan and featuring a wide range of connected features. The new camper is part of the automaker’s plan to expand the California range, with the introduction of the “California Universe,” which will bring the latest automotive technology to the campsite. Carsten Intra, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, stated: “We want to expand the range around the business with our camping models—and thus offer our customers that special California feeling. These include digital services for the Cali Community, completely new services to complement the…

There was a time when every drag race video on YouTube featured a Tesla Model S Plaid. The reason was simple: the electric sedan could take on any competition. Tesla has now deigned to explain the secret behind the car’s success. In a recent video, Chris Mayfield, one of Tesla’s performance engineers, reveals how the Model S Plaid prepares itself to accelerate quickly. This is all part of what Tesla calls Drag Strip Mode. Firstly, the Model S’s cooling fans start running to lower the temperature of the drive units. According to Mayfield, the coolest temperature is ideal for the…

May Mobility, the autonomy specialist, has unveiled its latest autonomous driving system, claiming it offers significant improvements in safety, efficiency, and rider satisfaction. The third-generation system features a range of enhancements, including increased speed, tele-assist capabilities, and improved detection accuracy, all of which combine to make the vehicle more adept at navigating a variety of different scenarios. One of the most notable improvements to the system is the enhanced pedestrian modeling, which enables the vehicle to make more robust predictions about pedestrian behavior in complex environments. This allows May Mobility’s vehicles to operate more efficiently in busy, pedestrianized downtown areas.…

Volkswagen Group’s CEO, Oliver Blume, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to developing electric vehicles (EVs) at the group’s annual media conference. However, Blume also emphasized that addressing climate change cannot be achieved solely by introducing more new EVs to the market. Synthetic fuels like e-fuels are necessary to transform internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles into net-zero emissions transportation. Blume stated that the billions of ICE cars already on the roads, and the many more to be manufactured in the future, will keep running for many years. Therefore, e-fuels are a viable alternative to keep older vehicles on the roads without…

Belgium has approved a proposal that mandates all federal ministries to purchase or lease purely electric official vehicles from July 2024 onwards. The decision, which was put forward by Minister for the Civil Service Petra De Sutter, covers 15 ministers, five state secretaries, their cabinets, and all federal ministries. By 2026, only zero-emission company cars will be tax-deductible in Belgium. The move is in line with Belgium’s aim to achieve its climatic objectives by 2030. With the majority of the country’s civil servants using public transport, the current fleet of 920 cars used by government officials is expected to shift…

Ford Motors has unveiled its first all-electric vehicle designed specifically for the European market, as part of the company’s plan to transition its European lineup to be entirely electric by 2030. The new EV crossover, called the Explorer, will leverage the well-known nameplate to gain traction in the European market. Although the Explorer EV shares some design attributes with the gas-powered SUV in the US, and a plug-in hybrid version that’s currently available in Europe, the new vehicle is entirely different in terms of technology and performance. The naming strategy is part of Ford’s plan to capitalize on its most…

Cadillac has been spotted making a bold move to poach Tesla owners in China. Sales representatives have been seen approaching Tesla owners who are waiting for their vehicles to charge at a Shanghai Supercharger station with free test drive offers of the brand new Lyriq SUV. This is a clear attempt by Cadillac to lure these Tesla owners with its first-ever all-electric vehicle. Chinese consumers have always embraced Western luxury brands, so it makes complete sense for Cadillac to give this strategy a shot. Its representatives purposely parked at least one Lyriq in the middle of the charging station’s lot,…