Author: Derick Munoz

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,…

Automotive supplier ZF has announced plans to produce two additional electric passenger car axle drives at its Saarbrücken facility in Germany, with series production set to begin in 2025. This expansion follows the company’s 2022 commitment to convert the Saarbrücken plant into a central hub for all-electric drive systems, involving a substantial investment. ZF began production of its first electric axle drive at Saarbrücken earlier this year, catering to European car manufacturers. The company’s recent decision to add two more electric axle drives marks a significant milestone in the site’s transformation, according to Andreas Hubbuch, site manager. “With the addition…

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Company will invest 1 billion baht ($28 million) to establish an electric vehicle and battery assembly facility in Thailand, the country’s Board of Investment (BOI) announced on Wednesday. Thailand’s rapidly growing electric vehicle sector is currently led by Chinese manufacturers such as BYD and Great Wall Motors, which utilize the country as a hub for exporting vehicles across Southeast Asia. The new Hyundai factory, planned to be situated just southeast of Bangkok, is set to begin production in 2026, according to a BOI statement. “Thailand’s strong existing supply chain will allow Hyundai to source not…

Rivian has launched a new financing promotion for its Dual Max R1S, offering a 2.99% APR for 60 months. The promotion, aimed at celebrating summer adventures, is part of a broader strategy to make its upgraded R1S more accessible. The new Dual Max R1S, which starts at $89,900, features significant enhancements over its predecessor. These include over 400 miles of range, a re-engineered suspension system, and Rivian’s in-house Dual-Motor system. “Rivian has introduced hundreds of hardware improvements, performance upgrades, and a fully redesigned software experience in the Gen 2 R1S,” the company noted in its announcement. https://evmagz.com/rivians-r2-will-redefine-the-ev-game-how-it-stacks-up-against-the-tesla-model-y/ The upgraded R1S…

Volvo Cars announced a 6% increase in global sales for July, reaching 57,447 vehicles, primarily due to rising demand for fully electric vehicles in Europe. The Sweden-based automaker, which is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, noted that European sales surged by 40%, while sales in the United States and China declined by 11% and 31%, respectively. Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer Bjorn Annwall remarked, “We are pleased to report another month of sales growth, which is driven largely by the sales in Europe despite a generally challenging market environment.” Sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid models grew by…