Author: Derick Munoz

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…

Plug Power and Johnson Matthey have joined forces to drive forward the growth of the green hydrogen economy. In this long-term strategic partnership, Johnson Matthey will become a key supplier of components such as catalysts, membranes, and catalyst coated membranes (CCM) to Plug Power. This agreement brings stability in terms of supply of precious metals and exclusive recycling capabilities to the table. The collaboration between these two companies is aimed at helping Plug Power reach its revenue goals of $5 billion by 2026 and $20 billion by 2030. To achieve these targets, Plug Power and Johnson Matthey will co-invest in…

Canoo has announced the sale of 50 million shares of common stock to investment group Alliance Global Partners. The shares are expected to bring in a total of $52.5 million and will be used for general working capital purposes. Despite facing financial difficulties, including the threat of bankruptcy in mid-2022, Canoo is pushing forward with its plans to produce the Lifestyle Vehicle. The company is setting up two manufacturing facilities in Oklahoma, with the first one in Oklahoma City starting production this year with a target of 20,000 vehicles annually. The second plant in Pryor will produce Panasonic battery cells,…

German public transit operator, VAG Nuremberg, is expanding its fleet of zero-emission buses with the addition of 46 Mercedes-Benz eCitaros. This includes 16 solo electric buses and 30 articulated models. The gradual introduction of these buses into the fleet will see almost half of VAG Nuremberg’s buses become zero-emission vehicles. The addition of these new eCitaros will bring the total number of electric buses in the 160-strong fleet to 85, with the possibility of more to come. In 2022, funding was granted by the BMDV for additional e-buses, including 56 for VAG Nuremberg, with 10 still outstanding. The eCitaro buses…

VinFast, Vietnam’s electric automaker, has announced a delay in delivering its first vehicles to customers in the United States. The company stated that it needs to complete software updates before the vehicles are sent to their new owners. The initial target for deliveries was December 2022, however, these have now been pushed back to the second half of February 2023. VinFast, a subsidiary of conglomerate Vingroup JSC, aims to make a name for itself in the competitive U.S. auto market. The company started shipping its first 999 electric vehicles (EVs) in November 2022 and is eager to establish itself as…