Author: Derick Munoz

GreenPower has announced that it is now a qualified manufacturer for the commercial clean vehicle credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. This means that businesses and tax-exempt organizations that purchase GreenPower’s all-electric commercial vehicle models weighing greater than 14,000 pounds GVWR can receive up to $40,000 in tax credits, while vehicles weighing less than 14,000 pounds GVWR are eligible for up to $7,500 in tax credits. The commercial clean vehicle credit was introduced on January 1, 2023, to incentivize the adoption of electric vehicles and support domestic production. As a qualified U.S. manufacturer, GreenPower can proudly provide cleaner and safer…

An up-and-coming Chinese power battery maker, Hina Battery, has taken the automotive world by surprise by starting to incorporate sodium-ion batteries in passenger cars, potentially marking the beginning of a new era in the battery industry and in the market for affordable passenger electric vehicles (EVs). At the beginning of the year, Hina Battery unveiled three sodium-ion battery cell products, followed by the announcement of a partnership with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC), making one of its models the first to carry sodium-ion batteries. Sehol, a joint venture brand between JAC and Volkswagen Anhui, worked alongside Hina Battery to…

Sixt, a leading car rental company, is expanding its cooperation with Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD in Australia. The German company plans to add at least 500 BYD EVs to its rental car fleet in Australia over the next twelve months. Sixt already runs one of the country’s largest electric car fleets and works with BYD in other continents. The new partnership with BYD will accelerate Sixt’s plans to convert half of its 16,000-strong rental fleets to electric vehicles in the coming years. In 2021, Sixt announced its expansion in Australia through a franchise with the National Roads &…

Tesla, the innovative electric vehicle and clean energy company, has announced its Manufacturing Development Program (MDP) aimed at high school graduates. The program offers participants an opportunity to kickstart their careers at Tesla by providing them with the necessary resources, coursework, and experience. The program is open to students residing in California, Nevada, New York, and Texas, where the company has major facilities. The MDP program is quite comprehensive, as it offers students the chance to gain financial resources, training, and experience required to qualify for a job at the company. Tesla stated that the application process for the program…

A team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has discovered a new class of electrolyte materials that could significantly improve the conductivity of solid-state batteries. Solid-state batteries, which do not contain any liquid, are seen as the next frontier for battery technology, as they are more stable and safer than traditional liquid-based batteries. However, the slow diffusion of lithium ions through solid materials has been a major obstacle to their development. The new class of electrolyte materials, which the TUM team discovered, is a crystalline powder that contains phosphorus, aluminum, and a high proportion of lithium. The…

Tesla’s recent decision to slash prices on its electric vehicles has caused shockwaves in the automotive industry. Thanks to the federal government’s US$7,500 subsidy for new EVs, the price of Tesla’s Model 3 has been reduced by up to 31%, making it more affordable than ever. Even without the subsidy, the Model 3 is now cheaper than the average new vehicle sold in the US, at a price point that is US$4,930 lower than the current average. The price war that Tesla has started has had a significant impact on the overall new car market, not just the electric vehicle…

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has revealed plans to establish three new engineering hubs in Europe, located in Germany, Italy, and Spain. The hubs will create approximately 100 engineering jobs to develop next-generation autonomous technologies, such as driver assistance systems and artificial intelligence (AI), for JLR’s luxury vehicles. The move is part of JLR’s “multi-year strategic partnership” with Nvidia, a Silicon Valley-based AI company, which the automotive giant announced in 2020. JLR’s engineering hubs will work towards developing computer brains and nervous systems for Jaguars and Land Rovers that incorporate self-driving systems. The hubs in Munich, Bologna, and Madrid were chosen…

The United Kingdom is determined to make a significant contribution to the global fight against climate change. As part of its efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector, the country has set ambitious targets for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). To achieve this, the government has been investing heavily in EV infrastructure, and today it announced a £56 million expansion of the charging infrastructure. The funding will help add 2,400 charge points across the country, with sixteen local authorities joining the effort for the first time. The Department for Transport has stated that the 2,400 charge points are expected to…

Nikola has announced the fourth location of its HYLA brand’s hydrogen station network in California. This move marks a significant step towards scaling its long-term hydrogen distribution solutions to meet market demand and decarbonize the heavy-duty transport sector. The new refueling station and logistics infrastructure will be built in West Sacramento, California. This location will further support Nikola’s truck demand, including third-party heavy-duty hydrogen electric vehicles, and underpin the company’s integrated energy and zero-emissions truck portfolio. See also: Nikola Corp Separates Hydrogen Business to Focus on Electric Truck Production Nikola aims to have 60 HYLA brand stations in place across…

Xpeng is set to launch its G9 SUV in Europe. However, the version of the G9 that will be sold in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway will have two fewer sensors than the Chinese version, one of which is the vehicle’s 3D lidar. According to Xpeng’s head of product planning for Europe, Martin Stegelmeier, this is due to the cost of the technology. While Xpeng aims to be at the forefront of ADAS for European carmakers, the company is also mindful of offering a competitive price. As a newcomer to the automotive industry, Xpeng is focused on making its…

Nuvve Holding Corp. and Circle K AS, a subsidiary of Alimentation Couche-Tard, have announced an exciting new partnership to bring grid services to electric vehicle fast chargers in Norway and Denmark. This marks the first time that fast chargers will be utilized for frequency regulation services. The partnership aims to monetize Circle K’s EV charging assets and generate grid services revenues for both companies in 2023. Nuvve’s V1G unidirectional smart charging technology will manage an initial 40 megawatts of fast chargers and stationary storage for Circle K through its GIVe platform, set to launch in early 2023. The Alpitronic Hyperchargers…

Nissan is taking a smart and gradual approach to the electrification of its future vehicles. The Japanese automaker plans to introduce electric versions of its popular Juke, Rogue, and Rogue Sport models in 2025 to make them more familiar to consumers. The decision to electrify existing models is based on the success of Nissan’s e-Power hybrid powertrain, which helped boost Qashqai (Rogue Sport in America) sales significantly last year. Unlike typical plug-in hybrids, the Qashqai e-Power hybrid uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) to power the battery, which, in turn, powers the electric motor. This unique hybrid system is also…