Author: Harding Greenwood

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Mitsubishi Motors, U.S.-based battery technology firm Ample, and courier service Yamato Transport said on Friday they will launch a multi-year pilot program starting September 2025 to deploy more than 150 electric commercial vehicles and 14 modular battery swapping stations across Tokyo. The initiative will involve Mitsubishi Fuso’s eCanter light-duty electric trucks and Mitsubishi Motors’ Minicab EV, a kei-class small commercial vehicle. The pilot aims to validate the operational efficiency and grid benefits of battery swapping technology at scale in urban logistics. The move builds on a smaller trial conducted in Kyoto in 2024,…

Nissan has released new technical details of its third-generation LEAF, spotlighting improvements in maneuverability, thermal efficiency, and cabin refinement as part of the company’s ongoing LEAF Insights video series. The new model is the first to adopt Nissan’s 3-in-1 electric powertrain, which is 10 percent smaller than its predecessor while delivering up to 160 kW (214 hp) and 355 Nm (261 lb-ft) of torque in select variants. “The all-new LEAF delivers a responsive, smooth and confident drive. All elements have been optimized to support efficiency,” said Richard Candler, Vice President of Global Product Strategy at Nissan. Improvements in sound insulation…

American consumers are adjusting their car-buying timelines in response to the anticipated effects of former President Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on auto imports, according to a new report from car-buying platform Edmunds. The survey, released Friday, found that 37% of new-car shoppers are accelerating their purchases to avoid expected price hikes, while 25% plan to delay their purchase decisions until market impacts become clearer. In total, 75% of respondents said they believe tariffs will play a role in their next vehicle purchase, with 44% calling it a definite factor. While the tariff has yet to cause major disruption in…

Volvo Cars will introduce a new adaptive seat belt system in its upcoming EX60 electric crossover, further developing its legacy in automotive safety innovation. The Swedish carmaker, owned by China’s Geely since 2010, said the new “multi-adaptive safety belt” will be capable of adjusting to the size and weight of individual occupants, as well as the severity of a crash. The system is designed to provide a higher belt load in serious crashes for larger occupants, while reducing the load for smaller individuals in less severe collisions to minimize injury risk. Volvo said the technology represents a significant improvement over…

Retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China surpassed 1 million units in May, marking the first time this year the sector crossed the milestone, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Passenger NEV retail sales reached 1.021 million units in May, representing a 28.2% increase from a year earlier and a 12.1% rise from April. The figure slightly missed the CPCA’s earlier estimate of 1.056 million units but exceeded its end-of-May forecast of 980,000 units. “This marks a significant recovery in momentum for the NEV market,” the CPCA said in its report. Battery electric…

Nio is preparing to appoint a distributor partner for Macau, signaling a shift from direct operations to a localized partnership model in the special administrative region. The move, described by the company as a “strategic upgrade,” is intended to optimize Nio’s user service experience in Macau, according to an announcement published Monday on the Nio App. “After carefully assessing the characteristics of the Macau market, we will select a strategic distributor with comprehensive service capabilities to fully manage Nio’s market operations, user service network development, and brand ecosystem growth in Macau,” said the general manager of Nio’s Guangzhou regional company.…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is reportedly taking legal action against 37 influencers over content it claims is defamatory, as the automaker steps up efforts to protect its brand reputation in the face of growing scrutiny on social media. The company has also placed an additional 126 content creators on a watch list, according to Chinese automotive outlet CarNewsChina. The legal campaign reflects an aggressive stance rarely seen in other markets, where automakers typically resolve content disputes through private requests or takedown notices. In China, however, defamation laws carry greater weight, and companies have increasingly turned to litigation to address…

Toshiba has begun delivering samples of its new lithium-ion battery featuring a niobium-titanium oxide (NTO) anode, positioning the technology as a fast-charging, long-life alternative to conventional graphite-based batteries in the commercial vehicle sector. The new battery, branded ‘SCiB Nb,’ is said to match lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells in volumetric energy density while offering advantages in fast charging and durability. Toshiba says the NTO anode allows the battery to reach 80% charge in ten minutes and endure up to 15,000 charge cycles, even with frequent partial charging. “Frequent charging at designated points along the route allows reductions in number of…

German car subscription provider Finn has signed a framework agreement with China’s BYD for the delivery of up to 5,000 vehicles over the next ten months, the companies said on Thursday, in a move aimed at expanding Finn’s electric vehicle (EV) portfolio. The deal marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between the two companies and allows Finn customers to book five BYD models immediately: the all-electric Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal, Sealion 7, and the plug-in hybrid Seal U DM-i. A sixth model, the new BYD Dolphin Surf, will be added once it launches in Germany. “This agreement is…

Lithuanian energy company Ignitis has obtained a €60 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to fund the construction of up to 600 new fast-charging stations across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia by the end of 2027. The loan, structured over a ten-year period, complements a grant of up to €3.78 million awarded under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) via the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) funding line. Total project costs are projected to reach approximately €76 million. Ignitis’s subsidiary, Ignitis On, will oversee the deployment of the new charging infrastructure, though details on the…

Wärtsilä has secured a contract to provide propulsion systems for three all-electric high-speed ferries set to operate in San Francisco Bay, marking the first deployment of such vessels in the United States. The contract is held with All American Marine (AAM) on behalf of San Francisco Bay Ferry, California’s largest public ferry operator. The three zero-emission ferries are a key component of the Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, designed to offer sustainable transit between Treasure Island and Mission Bay—two rapidly growing neighborhoods—and the Downtown San Francisco ferry hub. Wärtsilä will collaborate with the REEF project team to finalize…

BETA Technologies marked a historic milestone as its ALIA CTOL all-electric aircraft completed a 45-minute passenger flight from Westchester County to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), becoming the first electric plane to land at a Port Authority-operated major commercial airport. The flight is part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s initiative to explore low-emission technologies as it aims for net-zero operations by 2050. The agency’s call last year for next-generation aircraft demonstrations laid the groundwork for this achievement. “This flight proves electric aviation is not a future concept, it’s here,” said Kyle Clark, CEO of…