Author: David Smith

Tesla has recently announced plans to use their new 4680 cells in their stationary storage devices, in addition to their vehicles. The switch was revealed by CEO Elon Musk during his presentation at Giga Nevada, where he also announced a $3.6 billion expansion that will include new floor space for 4680 production and high-volume Semi manufacturing. “We expect the new cell factory will produce at least 100gwh, and as I said that’s really just to begin with. Long term Tesla is aiming to produce well over 1,000GWh, possibly 2,000 or 3000 [GWh]…and they will also be using 4680 for stationary…

Honda plans to take a different approach in the future as it pushes forward with its ambitious electric vehicle (EV) plans. The carmaker aims to sell 1.2 million hybrids this year, with its sub-brand, Acura, accounting for 160,000 units. However, starting in 2024, Acura will only offer online sales to buyers. Mamadou Diallo, SVP of Sales for Honda, said in a press release, “In 2023, we will see the strategies we’ve been talking about, including growing sales of light truck models, increasing volume of hybrid-electric models and the start of digital sales at Acura. All this leads toward our vision…

UK battery startup Britishvolt, which aimed to become a major supplier of batteries for electric vehicles, has entered administration, raising concerns about the future of the automotive industry in the country. The company was working on a $5.1 billion gigafactory in Northumberland, with plans to create 3,000 jobs and produce 30 gigawatt hours of batteries by 2030. The British government had also promised to invest £100 million ($123 million) into the company if it reached certain goals. However, Britishvolt struggled to secure the funding and supply deals necessary for its long-term survival. Additionally, the challenges of Brexit, including increased costs…

The 2023 MotoE championship is quickly approaching and production of Ducati’s V21L prototype electric bikes has begun in earnest. Only 23 of these machines will be crafted, with 18 set to line up on the grid and an additional five serving as spares. These bikes are expected to be ready for use by mid-February, 2023. The V21L prototype boasts a peak power of 110 kilowatts, or approximately 150 horsepower, and 103 pound-feet of torque. The bike’s weight is substantial, weighing in at 225 kilograms, with over half of that being the 18 kilowatt-hour battery. As with any Ducati race bike,…

Evyve, a British firm owned by property regeneration company Peel L&P, aims to become the UK’s leading fast charging company by 2030. This goal comes after the company secured a deal for up to 10,000 charge points, with a supply agreement for Tritium to serve as its preferred technology partner. The initial order includes 350 of Tritium’s fast chargers as part of a £25 million investment over the next two years. The charging stations will be located at Peel-owned retail parks, Greene King pubs, and hotels. Evyve has so far installed 60 Tritium chargers, which include 75kW and 150kW units.…

Researchers at Oregon State University are collaborating with Daimler Truck North America to develop a hydrogen fuel cell-powered heavy-duty truck for regional and long-distance transport as part of Daimler’s “SuperTruck” project. The tractor is expected to have a range of 600 miles without sacrificing payload, thanks to new power electronics, engines, and energy management tools. The two researchers, Yue Cao and Alan Fern, have received $860,000 for their role in the four-year Daimler SuperTruck project. The project is part of a larger $162 million initiative funded by the US Department of Energy to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions among…

Nikola announced today that Biagi Bros. Inc. will receive 15 Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the fourth quarter of 2023. The vehicles, to be delivered in Ontario, California, are expected to log over 100,000 miles annually in support of Biagi Bros.’ round-the-clock operations. “These initial 15 Nikola Tre FCEVs are part of Biagi Bros. commitment to transition their fleet to zero-emissions,” said Michael Lohscheller, Nikola’s President and CEO. “In addition, the trucks will be fueled at the previously announced hydrogen station in Ontario, Calif.” “Biagi Bros. has been successfully testing Nikola’s Class 8 FCEV beginning in…

The Skoda brand, a part of the Volkswagen Group based in the Czech Republic, had a challenging year as global car sales decreased by nearly 17% year-over-year to 731,300 units. However, the fourth quarter saw a positive trend with sales of 186,700 units, an increase of 5%. In terms of electrification, Skoda also faced challenges. After more than tripling all-electric car sales in 2021, the brand slowed down significantly but still managed to maintain positive growth. In Q4 of 2022, the company sold 16,800 battery electric cars (BEVs), which is on par with the same period in 2021 (17,000 units…

Sono Motors has been awarded a grant of €1.46 million from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency to advance the development of its proprietary solar technology. The funding will be used over four years to develop automated manufacturing equipment, address new manufacturing processes, and demonstrate cost-effectiveness and compliance with market requirements and standardization frameworks. The company has received the first installment of €532,441 as part of a campaign to raise €45 million for pre-series production of the Sion solar electric vehicle in 2023. The company’s solar technology is integrated into other manufacturers’ vehicles, such as buses, trailers, trucks…

UK-based bus repower company Kleanbus has completed development of its first advanced modular electric platform, which it has installed in a prototype Optare Solo vehicle. The company is now moving forward with testing at its facility in the east of England. Kleanbus’ ‘e-drivetrain in a box’ technology allows for the quick and cost-effective conversion of both single and double decker buses from internal combustion engines (ICE) to full electric power. The platform is technology agnostic, meaning it can be paired with a wide range of batteries and motors to create custom e-powertrains tailored to a bus operator’s specific needs. Kleanbus…

It may seem that the market for high-end electric vehicles (EVs) is becoming less profitable, given recent price cuts from Tesla on their Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid models, as well as the launch of more affordable versions of the Lucid Motors Air luxury EV. However, this does not appear to be the case for Rolls-Royce and its Spectre ultra-luxury EV. Despite production not yet having begun, the automaker is reporting higher than expected orders for the vehicle. In fact, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös stated on a recent call with journalists that the carmaker may need to increase…

Last year, 18.8% of all new cars sold in California were zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), totaling 345,818 units. A small percentage of these sales were made to out-of-state buyers, accounting for 3.89% or 3,303 units. California accounts for 40% of all ZEV sales in the United States. ZEV sales in California have seen significant growth, increasing 38% from 2021 and 138% from 2020. However, the distribution of sales within the state is not evenly distributed, with the highest percentage of sales in Santa Clara county at 34.04% and the lowest in Modoc county at 0.63%. Three counties in California, Los Angeles,…

A new all-electric bus service will begin in the midwest region of Ireland this month, featuring 11 new buses for Athlone’s depot. The depot has been reconfigured with charging infrastructure installed by ESB Smart Energy Services, including chargers and a substation to power the electric fleet. This new service is expected to cut CO2 emissions by 400,000kg annually and provide a quieter bus experience for Athlone and its many weekly passengers. The service set to launch on January 29th, is the first of 35 planned transportation projects to be rolled out under the Government’s Pathfinder program. Operated by Bus Éireann,…

Citroen has released its latest electric vehicle, the eC3, but it will only be available in India. The company markets the eC3 as an SUV, but it is actually just a small hatchback with raised suspension and added exterior cladding. The eC3 looks similar to its gasoline-powered counterparts, with the only difference being the lack of a tailpipe. The car has small blue “e” badges but otherwise does not stand out as an electric vehicle. It is unclear if the budget was limited or if Citroen chooses not to emphasize the eC3’s electric power source. The interior of the eC3…

In December of last year, pictures emerged online that seemed to show a refreshed version of the Tesla Model 3. These recent photos, taken of the same vehicle spotted on the streets again, have led to even more pictures being shared online. Some speculate that the Model 3 update will be similar to the Model S refresh, with minimal exterior changes and mostly under-the-hood improvements. However, if this were the case, why would Tesla go to the effort of covering up the front and rear bumpers? The December photos also hinted at some slight design modifications. Besides aesthetics, rumors suggest…

Technicians at Tesla’s Gigafactory Austin have reportedly begun assembling a 9,000-ton Giga Press from Italian die casting machinery maker IDRA Group. This machine, which has been spotted in the factory over the past few months, will be used to produce structural components for the Cybertruck. Drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, who has been closely monitoring the construction of Tesla’s Texas plant since the beginning, has captured images of the giant new casting machine being assembled inside the factory. A drone flyover video shows that Tesla is currently in the process of assembling the Giga Press, the world’s largest aluminum die casting…

Data from China Merchants Bank International (CMBI) showed that Tesla’s retail sales in China significantly increased in January, following a reduction in prices for their best-selling models. According to CMBI, the average daily sales for Tesla in China from January 9th to January 15th were 12,654 vehicles, a 76% increase from the same period in 2022. This is in contrast to a 14.5% decrease in overall retail auto sales in China during the same week, however, sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country did increase by 36.5%. The company has not yet commented on CMBI’s data on Tesla’s…

Renault Group and French research organization CEA are developing a highly efficient bidirectional charger for electric vehicles. The charger, set to be used in Renault’s production models by the end of the decade, aims to reduce energy losses during charging by 30%. The improved efficiency is attributed to a new architecture for onboard current transformers, which will be made with new materials and integrated into the vehicles’ onboard charger. The charger will also have the ability to feed power back into the grid, and have a charging power of up to 22 kW in three-phase operation. Renault has developed a…

BMW announced at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show that it will not provide over-the-air performance upgrades for its electric vehicles. As a result, customers who want a faster accelerating BMW iX will have to opt for the M60 variant. This decision was confirmed by Frank Weber, a member of BMW’s Board of Management for Development. This differs from Mercedes-Benz’s approach, which faced criticism in the past for its $1,200 Acceleration Increase subscription. As a reminder, Mercedes previously offered a $100 per month upgrade on its EQE 350 to increase output from 288 to 349 horsepower, resulting in a drop in…

The Tesla Cybertruck is close to production after its unveiling by CEO Elon Musk over three years ago, according to Chief Vehicle Designer Franz von Holzhausen in a podcast interview. The Tesla Cybertruck, originally unveiled in 2019, has faced multiple delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying supply chain disruptions. Despite CEO Elon Musk stating the design is final, Tesla continues to make slight modifications as it gears up for early production in mid-2023, with full-scale production scheduled for the end of the year. According to Tesla’s Chief Vehicle Designer Franz von Holzhausen, the company is nearing production…