Author: Derick Munoz

Kia Motors has continued its electrification journey with the unveiling of its latest concept, the EV5 electric SUV. The South Korean automaker is looking to expand its line-up of electric vehicles and accelerate its position in the zero-emissions vehicle market. The EV5 concept offers a glimpse of what we can expect from Kia’s next all-electric production SUV, set to be released later this year. Kia has been reimagining itself in the new era of electric vehicles, experimenting with eco-friendly transport options for several years now. Its latest generation of electric vehicles has taken the brand to new heights, with models…

Hyundai Canada has just announced the pricing of the Ioniq 6 electric sedan, a larger and sleeker follow-up to the previously released Ioniq 5. The company has set the base price for the Ioniq 6 at $54,999, with all three models of the new electric sedan eligible for government rebates. One of the most exciting features of the Ioniq 6 is its ultra-fast charging capabilities, with a battery system capable of charging at speeds of up to 350 kW. This means the battery can be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in as little as 18 minutes, making…

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a groundbreaking conductive polymer coating that could revolutionize the world of electric vehicles (EVs). The coating, known as HOS-PFM, is a game-changer, conducting both electrons and ions simultaneously. By doing so, it ensures battery stability and high charge/discharge rates while significantly extending battery life. In addition, the HOS-PFM coating also shows promise as a battery binder that could extend the life of a lithium-ion battery from an average of ten to about 15 years. This advance represents a significant breakthrough in the development of more affordable and…

Volkswagen, the largest carmaker in Europe, plans to invest in mines in order to bring down the cost of battery cells, meet half of its own demand, and sell to third-party customers, according to the company’s board member in charge of technology. This strategy aligns with a trend among carmakers to seek greater control over parts of the supply chain that have traditionally been left to third parties, from energy generation to raw material sourcing, as they compete for the scarce resources required to meet electrification targets. Volkswagen’s battery unit, PowerCo, aims to become a global battery supplier and meet…

BAIC Group, a major Chinese automobile manufacturer, is ramping up its efforts to catch up with its peers in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. On March 13, BAIC subsidiary Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. (BJEV) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL), with the aim of jointly developing power battery products and tapping into the new energy vehicle (NEV) market. Under the agreement, CATL will participate in the vehicle development and production of BAIC-affiliated NEV companies, and provide power battery products and services. The two companies will build a close strategic partnership and cooperate fully…

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a major funding initiative to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen. The $750 million made available through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) first phase of the $1.5 billion plan aims to advance electrolysis technologies, improve manufacturing and recycling capabilities, and accelerate the widespread use of clean hydrogen. Clean hydrogen produced with net-zero carbon emissions is a crucial component of the emerging clean energy economy and a key pillar in reaching President Biden’s goal of a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The funding will support research, development, and…

General Motors (GM) is taking a giant leap in revolutionizing the driving experience by collaborating with Microsoft to develop an AI-powered virtual assistant for its future electric vehicles (EVs). The tech giant recently invested billions of dollars in OpenAI, a nonprofit research company behind the popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT. With the partnership, GM is looking to add more intelligence to its EVs by integrating ChatGPT’s AI models behind a virtual personal assistant. The advanced assistant is expected to be more capable than the voice command features currently available in cars on the road. According to sources familiar with the product,…

The highly anticipated all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup is back in production after a temporary shutdown due to a potential battery issue. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center resumed production on March 13, 2023, following a safety check and adjustments to the production process. The news was officially announced by Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, who praised the team’s commitment to quality and safety. “This is the engineering standard we aim to deliver consistently,” Farley wrote on social media. https://twitter.com/jimfarley98/status/1635320314199703553 The production pause was triggered by an assembled F-150 Lightning catching fire while charging during a quality inspection in mid-February. The root…

Rivian, the American electric vehicle (EV) maker, is reportedly in talks with Amazon to end the exclusivity clause in their commercial EV van deal. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, unnamed sources said that if successful, Rivian would be able to sell its electric vans to other customers. The discussions are still ongoing, but Amazon confirmed that the exclusivity agreement is still in place. However, an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement that the company has always been open to others benefiting from Rivian’s technology in the long run, as having more EVs on the road is…

Tesla’s Cybertruck has been a hot topic since its unveiling in 2019, and the electric vehicle has been shrouded in mystery since then. However, during Tesla’s recent Investor Day event, a few new details have surfaced about the Cybertruck. Matthew Donegan-Ryan, an investor who attended the event, claims to have spoken with Tesla executives who provided him with several new details about the vehicle. One of the most notable pieces of information is the confirmation of the Cybertruck’s dimensions. According to Donegan-Ryan, the vehicle is approximately 5% smaller than the original prototype, and its exterior dimensions are similar to those…

Renault Trucks has proclaimed that it has attained an impressive market share of 24.2 per cent in the medium- and heavy-duty electric truck sector in Europe for the year 2022. The Volvo Group-owned company sold a total of 379 units of the E-Tech D and E-Tech D Wide models in Europe throughout the previous year, a new release from the company states. The company’s market share figure in Europe is accompanied by a separate sales statistic for France, where Renault Trucks managed to sell as much as 75 per cent of the medium and heavy-duty electric trucks that were sold…

Ford is taking a bold step towards a sustainable future by introducing electric school buses. The automaker is now offering a Type A electric school bus package based on its top-selling E-Transit commercial van, and it is set to change the game for the electric van market. The E-Transit, which was introduced back in 2020 as an all-electric smart workhorse version of its best-selling cargo van, has quickly climbed the sales charts, and Ford has reported a massive 95% control over the electric van market since disclosing E-Transit sales last July. With the E-Transit remaining on top despite several competitors…

Volkswagen Group has reportedly halted its plans to establish battery plants across Europe, as it waits for the EU’s response to the Inflation Reduction Act in the US. The Act could offer the Group up to $10.5 billion in incentives. Volkswagen will now focus on selecting a site for a US battery plant, while it waits to see what sort of conditions and incentives will come into play in what is being called the “EU Green Deal.” Volkswagen Group has doubled down on electrification and has even increased its sales targets for passenger EVs. While other German automakers are at…

Ford has announced that it will increase production of its electric vehicles (EVs) at several of its manufacturing plants in North America. This decision comes as Ford’s EV sales have seen an impressive 68% increase through February, signaling the automaker’s continued commitment to electrification. To meet growing demand, Ford will produce more of its popular EV models, including the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit, at its manufacturing facilities in Cuautitlan (Mexico), Detroit, and Kansas City. In Mexico, Ford has already begun to increase production of the Mustang Mach-E, with changes made to the plant’s operations allowing for a near…

In the world of electric vehicles, range has always been a limiting factor, especially when it comes to electric scooters and motorcycles. To tackle this issue, several manufacturers have turned to battery swapping technology while also developing fast-charging capabilities. One of the pioneers in electric motorcycles, Taiwan-based Kymco, has introduced some intriguing models like the RevoNEX and SuperNEX, which wowed audiences at the EICMA motorcycle show. Kymco also has its own subsidiary called Ionex, dedicated solely to EV projects. One of the latest models to come out of the Ionex project is the i-One electric scooter, a lightweight commuter geared…

The Australian electric vehicle market continues to flourish as Tesla’s Model 3 maintains its position as one of the country’s top-selling electric cars. According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), Tesla sold 2,671 Model 3 vehicles in February 2023, making it the leading electric vehicle in sales. Despite tough competition from the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hi-Lux, the Model 3 was the third highest-selling car in Australia last month, with 5,598 cars sold year-to-date. FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber praised the overall increase in vehicle sales, especially given the ongoing supply chain constraints, stating that…

Tesla’s ambitious plan for Gigafactory Mexico is taking shape, as the company gears up to start construction on a massive site spanning almost 4,200 acres in an industrial zone in Nuevo Leon. The news was confirmed by Jesus Nava, the mayor of Santa Catarina, who also revealed that Tesla is acquiring the site from private owners and construction will begin in just three months. What’s notable about this latest development is the sheer size of the complex. The Giga Mexico site will be more than double the size of Mexico City’s International Airport and substantially larger than the Gigafactory Texas…

Tesla may be working on a wireless home charging solution, according to a quick image displayed during the company’s Investor Day. The image showed a red Tesla Model S parked over what looked like a wireless charging pad, prompting speculations about a potential wireless charging system for residential customers. Tesla’s Head of Global Charging Infrastructure, Rebecca Tinucci, highlighted the company’s work on expanding its rapid charging infrastructure, including innovations such as prefabricated Superchargers. Tinucci noted that amidst all the hard work, the company still doesn’t “forget to do cool s***,” and displayed a themed Tesla Supercharger modeled after a drive-in…

The future of combustion-powered cars in Europe is in doubt after Germany and Italy threatened to block the European Union’s 2022 vote to ban the sales of emissions-producing vehicles in 2035. The two countries are calling for allowances to be made for vehicles that use synthetic fuels, which are climate-neutral. They are not alone in their opposition, as both Poland and Hungary are also against the existing plan that requires automakers to sell only zero-emissions vehicles in Europe by the middle of the next decade. The plan was expected to be signed off by the European Council without incident next…

Tesla’s much-anticipated Cybertruck has been making headlines since its debut in 2019, and with pre-production beta units now making their way to Gigafactory Texas, the hype is only increasing. Ahead of Investor Day, admitted patrons have been treated to a first-hand look at the all-electric pickup truck and its interior, and it’s safe to say that the Cybertruck is living up to its reputation. While several Cybertruck units have been spotted over the past few months, the latest pre-production beta build is by far the most impressive. Attendees have shared images showcasing a sleek and modern interior design, complete with…