Author: Derick Munoz

The race to dominate the electric vehicle (EV) market in China is heating up as automakers slash prices to attract customers. Japanese carmaker Nissan has joined the fray by offering a limited-time discount of 60,000 yuan (approximately 8,200 euros) on its Ariya model in China. This is the company’s highest-priced EV in China, and the discount applies to all four versions of the vehicle. Nissan is not the only automaker to offer discounts in China. Tesla, Xpeng, and Toyota have also reduced prices on their EVs to boost sales. Tesla has lowered the prices of its Model 3 and Model…

JCB, the engine manufacturer based in the UK, has recently launched a 4.8 liters hydrogen ICE engine primarily intended for use in construction and agricultural machinery. However, the company has gone one step further by collaborating with Mercedes-Benz to retrofit a 7.5 ton truck with the innovative engine. JCB’s £100 million project has been spearheaded by the company’s Chairman, Lord Bamford, who himself was one of the first test drivers of the retrofitted truck. According to Bamford, “This is a giant leap forward for JCB and the rest of the world because we all have one goal: to reduce emissions.…

ZEVX, a prominent provider of intelligent EV power system solutions, has successfully raised over $20 million in the first phase of a funding round. The investment was led by Reynolds Capital, the investment arm of The Reynolds and Reynolds Company, which is the leading provider of automobile dealership software, services, and forms for enhancing business results and customer experience transformation. Several other investors also participated in the funding. ZEVX is recognized for its rapid innovation in battery electric power systems and data intelligence for e-mobility applications. Its range of premier battery electric powertrain and power system products enables Class 2-6…

Peugeot, the French automaker, is preparing for an “electric year” in 2023 with the introduction of new technologies. One of the latest additions is the 48V HYBRID system, created by Stellantis, which will first be offered on Peugeot’s 3008 and 5008 models before expanding to other models in the future. The 48V HYBRID system adds to Peugeot’s existing family of electrified engines, which includes plug-in hybrid, 100% electric, and fuel cell variants. The 48V HYBRID system combines a new-generation 136bhp PureTech petrol engine with a 6-speed dual-clutch electrified gearbox and an electric motor. This technology offers extra torque at low…

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is reportedly offering select electric vehicle (EV) makers, including NIO, significant discounts on battery costs in an effort to retain core customer loyalty. The company is implementing a lithium rebate programme for a few strategic clients, with the core terms of the partnership specifying that CATL will settle with car companies at a price of RMB 200,000 per ton of lithium carbonate for the next three years. Automakers signing the partnership will be required to commit around 80% of their battery purchases to CATL. Currently, battery-grade lithium carbonate costs around RMB 470,000 per ton, so car…

The electric vehicle (EV) market in China is hotly contested, with the likes of BYD and Tesla vying for market share. According to Charlie Munger, the well-known Berkshire Hathaway fund manager and investor in BYD, the Chinese automaker is dominating Tesla in China. However, a closer look at the data reveals a more complex picture. BYD is renowned for its affordable offerings, making up the majority of the Chinese EV market. In contrast, Tesla’s vehicles are positioned at the premium end of the market, which traditionally garners less popularity. Nevertheless, Tesla’s sales numbers in China have been impressive and continue…

Despite being a leader in the electric vehicle market, Tesla’s biggest competition is not other EV manufacturers but those making cars with internal combustion engines. This is because Tesla’s ambitious production and sales targets cannot be achieved without taking market share from ICEs, which continue to dominate the global automobile market. However, if a competitor were to arise and challenge Tesla’s supremacy with a better product, Tesla CEO Elon Musk would reportedly not mind if the company went bankrupt. During a talk at the World Government Summit on February 14, Tesla board member Hiromichi Mizuno told CNBC’s Dan Murphy that…

Volkswagen’s main factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, has been awarded the contract for producing an additional electric vehicle starting in 2026. The new car will be a compact SUV model and is expected to fill the gap until the company’s upcoming Trinity core model is ready for launch. The Trinity’s development has been delayed due to software development problems, and it is not yet known if it will be built at the Wolfsburg factory or a new facility in the Warmenau district of the city. See also: Volkswagen invests $ 482 million in Wolfsburg plant for production of ID.3 electric hatchback…

Hamburg is set to become the first German state to ban combustion engine taxis from 2025. According to the city’s transport minister, Anjes Tjarks, the move is aimed at accelerating efforts to tackle climate change in the transportation sector. Tjarks believes that the ban on combustion engine taxis is a positive step in the right direction. Switching to electric and hydrogen-powered taxis has already resulted in an annual reduction of 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. If the entire taxi fleet in Hamburg goes electric, this figure could rise to 25,000 tonnes per year. Hamburg launched the “Future Taxi” project in…

Mercedes-Benz’s latest addition to their electric SUV lineup, the EQE SUV, has just hit the market in the UK. The EQE SUV comes with a base price of £90,560 for the EQE 350 4MATIC AMG Line, offering customers cutting-edge technology and best-in-class comfort. The entry-level EQE SUV 350 4MATIC is equipped with a broad range of features, including fully electric memory function sports seats with leather upholstery in black or neva grey trim, ENERGIZING AIR CONTROL, 12.8” and 12.3” Digital Instrument Displays, Active Parking Assist, and Illuminated Door Dills. The exterior of the EQE SUV 350 4MATIC boasts features such…

Ottometric, a technology company specializing in the validation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), has secured $4.9 million in seed funding. The investment round was led by Rally Ventures, with the participation of leading mobility funds, including Goodyear Ventures, Proeza Ventures, Automotive Ventures, Trucks VC, Reinforced Ventures, and Investor Collaborative. The company was founded in 2019 by a team of automotive industry veterans with extensive experience in artificial intelligence (AI) training and validation processes. They developed a cloud-based software platform that automates and streamlines the ADAS development and validation process, helping OEMs and their suppliers save millions in development costs…

Ford has recently announced that it is halting the production and shipments of its all-electric version of the best-selling pickup truck in the US, the F-150 Lightning. The automaker cited potential battery issues as the reason behind the stop-shipment order and production halt. According to Ford’s spokesperson, Emma Bergg, a vehicle displayed a potential battery issue during the pre-delivery quality inspection process, prompting the company to investigate the matter and hold the vehicles until further notice. See also: Ford Teases Performance F-150 Lightning Concept Fortunately, customers who have already purchased the F-150 Lightning can breathe a sigh of relief as…

Automotive giant, Stellantis, is spearheading the development of fast-charging stations in Italy as part of its wider European charging network initiative. The first of these charging stations, known as Atlante, was installed at a Stellantis dealership in Magenta, near Milan. The station is a joint venture between Stellantis, NHOA Group, and Free2move eSolutions, and is expected to be the first of many in the company’s Italian dealer network. The Atlante fast-charging station has two CCS cables, with a charging power ranging from 100-175 kW. This, combined with the clear signage of the charging points, makes for a user-friendly and efficient…

NIO, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, is set to launch its highly anticipated 150-kWh battery pack in the first half of 2023. This new battery technology has been long awaited by NIO owners, however, the high cost of the semi-solid-state battery will make it difficult for widespread adoption. The 150-kWh pack is expected to cost as much as an ET5 electric sedan, according to NIO co-founder and president, Qin Lihong. The new battery pack will initially be available for rent only, but a buyout option is expected to be offered in the future. The 150-kWh pack is being manufactured by…

Volvo is set to start production its all-electric XC90 successor, the EX90, in the final quarter of this year. The full-sized SUV will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Charleston, South Carolina and also in Chengdu, China to cater to Asian and European customers. The EX90 shares similarities with the Polestar 3, with the same platform and 111 kWh battery pack. Both vehicles have a similar size, a range of around 370 miles, and can be charged at speeds of up to 250 kW. However, the EX90 is designed to be more practical, with the capacity to seat up…

Tesla’s plans to install a solar array over parking spaces at its factory in Giga Berlin, Germany, have hit another bureaucratic roadblock. Authorities from the Oder-Spree district, where the factory is located, have reportedly stopped the construction of the solar array after it was discovered that Tesla had planted 104 stakes into the ground without proper approval. According to reports, meter-long concrete piles being installed into a water protection area require authorization from local authorities, and Tesla failed to secure it before starting the operation. The district of Oder-Spree has stated that it assumes the low insertion depth of the…

Genesis, the luxury brand under the Hyundai umbrella, has expanded the availability of its all-electric crossovers, the Genesis GV60 and Electrified G80, to Colorado. The slow rollout of these vehicles is part of Genesis’ plan to have its entire lineup fully electrified and available across the United States by 2030. The brand has also opened new standalone dealerships under the Genesis name to further support this initiative. “We are thrilled to offer our cutting-edge electric vehicles to an even wider audience of American consumers,” said Claudia Marquez, the Chief Operating Officer of Genesis Motor North America. “Customers have been eagerly…

German automotive startup Vay has made history by launching the first “teledriven” vehicles on public roads in Europe. Instead of having a driver physically present in the vehicle, the remote pilot sits in a steering station located several miles away and controls the vehicle through cameras and microphones. The technology received an endorsement from German safety agency TUV SUD, who evaluated its compliance with ISO 26262 and ISO/SAE 21434 standards. Vay was granted an exemption permit in December 2022, allowing it to forego the previous requirement of having a safety driver behind the wheel as a failsafe in the event…

On March 1st, Tesla Inc’s CEO Elon Musk will unveil the third installment of the company’s “Master Plan” during its first investor day. The billionaire first presented his vision for the electric vehicle maker in 2006 and again in 2016, but much of those plans remain unfulfilled. On Wednesday, Musk took to Twitter to announce that “Master Plan 3, the path to a fully sustainable energy future for Earth will be presented on March 1,” https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1623152067547394050 During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in August, Elon Musk revealed that the third part of his Master Plan would focus on scaling up both…

Gruber Logistics, a transport company based in South Tyrol, is set to expand its fleet by 50 electric trucks in the next two years. The European logistics firm has opted for a multi-brand strategy for its fleet expansion and will source the trucks from manufacturers Volvo, Scania, and Iveco. The vehicles, with a total weight of 44 tonnes and a range of 300 to 350 km, will be primarily used in Germany, but also in Italy, Poland, and the Benelux countries. The decision to go with these three brands is a result of Gruber Logistics’ long-standing partnership with them. The…