Author: Derick Munoz

Xpeng Aeroht, the flying car subsidiary of Xpeng, announced that it has garnered nearly RMB 300 million ($42.8 million) in pre-orders for its innovative modular flying car. This significant milestone comes as the eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) manufacturer entered strategic partnerships with two Hangzhou-based firms, Gaozhi Aviation and Aocheng Aviation, culminating in contracts for 150 modular flying cars. The pre-orders were formalized during the third Global Digital Trade Expo, which took place from September 25-29 in Hangzhou. At the event, Xpeng Aeroht showcased flight demonstrations of its Voyager X2 flying car, emphasizing the company’s commitment to advancing air…

Kia Corp., part of Hyundai Motor Group, has commenced mass production of electric vehicles at its first dedicated EV plant in South Korea. The automaker is positioning itself to recover from the ongoing global slowdown in the electric vehicle (EV) market, with hopes of leading innovation in the sector. The newly completed facility, known as the EVO Plant, is located in Gwangmyeong near Seoul and boasts an annual production capacity of 150,000 units. At the plant’s completion ceremony, Kia’s executive vice president Choi Jun Young emphasized the company’s commitment to sustainable mobility, stating, “To provide sustainable mobility solutions, we will…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new funding opportunity under its Clean School Bus Rebate Program, making up to $965 million available to school districts. This latest round builds on nearly $3 billion in previous investments aimed at improving air quality in and around schools. To date, the Clean School Bus Program has funded approximately 8,700 bus replacements, with around 95% of those being zero-emission, battery-electric vehicles. Funding has reached nearly 1,300 school districts across almost all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. Many of these funds have been directed to…

Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group focused on advancing the transition to net zero, has announced a new project aimed at producing and validating electric vehicle (EV) battery cells using materials recovered from end-of-life EV batteries. This initiative marks a first for the UK, demonstrating the production of battery cells using recovered cathode active materials (CAM) that will be validated for use in vehicles with a leading automotive manufacturer. The project is supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK as part of its Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator (ARMD) competition. Collaborating with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Altilium plans to utilize…

Liquidators for the electric vehicle division of China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) are currently in negotiations with a potential buyer to acquire a stake in the company, aiming to secure a new credit line to support production. The firm, known as China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle (0708.HK), initially aimed to rival Tesla but has been significantly impacted by the debt crisis facing its parent company. On Thursday, China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle announced that its liquidators have not yet finalized any agreements with prospective stake buyers, nor have they secured any deals to extend credit to the EV manufacturer. In a…

Audi has confirmed that the 2025 Q6 e-tron will start at $63,800 in the United States, with deliveries expected by the end of the year. The company also announced plans to introduce a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variant in the fourth quarter of 2024, expanding the lineup of this all-electric SUV. The RWD version is expected to have an estimated EPA range of 321 miles, making it the longest-range battery electric vehicle (BEV) in Audi’s portfolio. This variant features a rear motor producing 302 horsepower, enabling acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph.…

Advanced air mobility (AAM) operator UrbanLink has signed a new purchase agreement to enhance its electric aircraft fleet in the Southeastern United States, acquiring 27 all-electric Seagliders from REGENT Craft, a developer focused on sustainable air mobility. Based in South Florida, UrbanLink aims to transform urban transportation by integrating zero-emission solutions, such as electric aircraft and seagliders. The company is working towards enabling zero-emission travel within a 500-mile range by 2028, with plans to extend this range to 1,000 miles by 2030. Initial hub cities include Miami, Los Angeles, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. UrbanLink is positioning itself to become…

Tesla faces heightened expectations for its vehicle deliveries as Wall Street anticipates positive results ahead of the company’s upcoming quarterly report. Set to release its production and delivery figures for the third quarter of 2024 next week, Tesla is projected to reverse its recent trend of year-over-year delivery declines. After delivering 435,059 vehicles in Q3 2023, which was surpassed in the last quarter despite lower overall performance, analysts believe the company can achieve this target. Strong demand in China, fueled by a 0% interest financing offer, is contributing positively. However, concerns linger regarding weaker performance in Europe and an uncertain…

BYD has delivered 100 electric buses to Cutcsa, Uruguay’s largest electric bus operator, marking a key milestone in its commercial vehicle expansion. The delivery took place at BYD’s Qingdao plant in Shandong province on September 19, with executives from both companies present, according to a company statement. The BYD K9UD buses, each measuring 12.2 meters in length and equipped with a 422-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, can cover up to 450 kilometers on a single charge. Cutcsa aims to fully electrify its fleet by 2040, reflecting a broader trend toward sustainable transportation in Latin America. “We are proud to partner…

Mercedes-Benz has commenced the assembly of its EQS SUV at its Chakan facility, located near Pune in Maharashtra, marking a significant step in the company’s operations in India. This facility is now the second location, alongside the main plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the full-size electric SUV is manufactured. The EQS SUV is being assembled in the 580 4MATIC variant using imported knocked-down kits, allowing Mercedes-Benz to capitalize on minor localization to reduce import duties and offer a more competitive price in the Indian luxury car market, which remains relatively small compared to the US and Europe. The EQS SUV…

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have identified ferric chloride (FeCl3) as a promising new cathode material for solid-state batteries, potentially leading to significant reductions in both costs and reliance on critical raw materials. Initial tests indicate that FeCl3 performs comparably or even better than established cathode materials while costing only one to two percent of their price. The chemistry behind the FeCl3 cathode utilizes abundant materials—iron (Fe) and chlorine (Cl)—while eliminating the need for nickel and cobalt, which are often costly and subject to supply chain vulnerabilities. The team’s findings suggest that FeCl3 not only matches…

Tesla will return to the 2024 Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l’Auto) after a six-year absence, marking its reappearance at the automotive event set to take place from October 14 to 20, 2024. Tesla’s last participation at the Paris Motor Show was in 2018, when it introduced the Model 3 sedan, a vehicle that contributed to making electric cars more accessible to a broader market. For the 2024 event, Tesla is expected to showcase its full range of vehicles. This includes the Model Y, which became the best-selling vehicle globally by volume last year, the updated Model 3 sedan, as…

Juna, the newly established joint venture between Scania and Sennder, is set to expand its fleet by adding 30 heavy-duty electric trucks, bringing its total to around 50 electric vehicles. Scania is scheduled to deliver the new trucks in the first half of 2025, specifically designed for regional transport and capable of carrying up to 46 tonnes. Currently renting electric trucks in four major European markets, including Germany, Juna aims to facilitate the transition to electric logistics through its pay-per-use model. This approach allows logistics companies to avoid high acquisition costs and eliminates residual value risk, as Juna assumes that…

A joint venture between U.S.-based Ascend Elements and Polish company Elemental Strategic Metals has officially opened a recycling plant for electric vehicle batteries in Zawiercie, Poland. The plant, announced earlier this year, has the capacity to process 12,000 tonnes of used lithium-ion batteries annually, equivalent to about 28,000 electric cars. Ascend Elements and Elemental plan to continue expanding their operations in Poland, with the construction of a new facility capable of extracting lithium set to begin in Zawiercie this autumn. The current plant dismantles, discharges, and crushes EV batteries to produce “black mass,” a material containing valuable battery components. The…

The U.S. House of Representatives voted narrowly on Friday to repeal clean-vehicle regulations introduced in March, which aim to cut tailpipe emissions by 50% from 2026 levels by 2032. The 215-191 vote, with support from 207 Republicans and eight Democrats, underscores a partisan divide over the future of electric vehicles and emissions regulations. House Republicans criticized the rules, claiming they would force automakers to accelerate electric vehicle production and reduce the presence of gas-powered vehicles in the U.S. market. Republican Representative John James described the rules as “catastrophic” for the auto industry. “Nobody here is against battery electric vehicles but…

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has placed an order for more than 50 electric buses from Munich-based manufacturer MAN, set to replace the current fleet of aging electric buses by April 2025. The new buses will continue the airport’s commitment to electric transport, which has been in place for a decade, facilitating passenger movement between aircraft and the terminal. The upcoming MAN electric buses will feature improved passenger comfort and reliability, according to Sybren Hahn, Executive Director of Infrastructure at Schiphol. The airport anticipates that bus transport will remain essential due to increasing aircraft sizes and ongoing renovations. The new buses will…

BMW, Ford, and Honda have officially launched ChargeScape, a new joint venture designed to integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into the power grid, enhancing grid stability while lowering charging costs for drivers. The initiative reflects the automakers’ ongoing commitment to electric mobility and reducing the total cost of ownership for EV customers. ChargeScape’s platform connects EVs wirelessly to the grid, working in collaboration with participating utilities to manage electricity flow based on real-time grid conditions. Through smart charging (V1G), the system reduces demand during peak hours, and in some cases, enables vehicles to return energy to the grid (V2G). This not…

Hyundai Motor Company and Skoda Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at collaborating on the establishment of a hydrogen mobility ecosystem. The signing ceremony occurred during the Korea-Czech Republic Business Summit in Prague, attended by Ken Ramírez, Executive Vice President at Hyundai, and Petr Novotný, CEO of Skoda Group. The MOU outlines several initiatives, including the study of hydrogen fuel cell systems and technologies, the exploration of energy-efficient solutions for mobility projects, and the development of opportunities within the hydrogen ecosystem beyond mobility applications. Ramírez emphasized the partnership’s goal to accelerate hydrogen adoption, contributing to advancements in…

Blink Charging, a prominent electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator, has announced plans to reduce its global workforce by 14%. The company, which operates in both North America and Europe, cited the move as a proactive measure to adapt to current market conditions. The workforce reduction will begin immediately, with the goal of completion by the first quarter of 2025. However, Blink has not provided specific details on how many employees will be affected. In its press release, Blink Charging emphasized that the decision is part of a broader cost-saving initiative. The company expects the cuts to generate annual savings…

A recent study by consultancy firm McKinsey has revealed that the cost of emissions-free trucks must be reduced by as much as 50% for them to become a viable alternative to diesel models. The report, released ahead of the IAA Transportation 2024 truck show in Hanover, emphasizes the importance of price reductions in helping the European Union achieve its climate targets. Currently, less than 2% of the EU’s heavy freight vehicles are powered by electric or hydrogen. However, for the EU to meet its carbon emission reduction targets, that figure must rise to 40% of new vehicle sales by 2030,…