Author: Harding Greenwood

ChargeHub, a North American roaming provider, has announced a partnership with Ampeco to utilize its charging management platform, enhancing access for charge point operators (CPOs) and eMobility Service Providers (eMSPs) across the US and Canada. This collaboration aims to provide EV drivers with access to over 100,000 chargers and enable payments through a single account. Additionally, CPOs and eMSPs already using the Ampeco platform can now join ChargeHub’s Passport Hub roaming service, facilitating greater connectivity. ChargeHub boasts over 150 active roaming connections, covering more than two-thirds of networked CCS and J1772 chargers throughout North America. This initiative follows Ampeco’s recent…

Rivian has announced that it will include a North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapter with every new R1T and R1S purchase made in Canada and the United States. This move enhances the charging experience for new owners, as Rivian was one of the first automakers to agree to adopt Tesla’s NACS plug, enabling Rivian vehicle owners to access Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network. Historically, Rivian vehicles have been equipped with a CCS1 charging port, requiring existing owners to use a separate adapter to charge at Supercharger stations. The company is currently working on integrating an NACS port into future electric vehicle…

Rivian’s R1S electric SUV is now available for rent in the United Kingdom through rental firm EVision, marking the company’s growing presence overseas despite its vehicles not being sold in Europe. While Rivian’s website states that it only accepts reservations in the United States and Canada, the R1S is making its way onto the streets of the UK. EVision announced, “The Rivian R1S has arrived at EVision,” emphasizing that the electric SUV can be rented for durations ranging from one day to three years. The rental cost for the R1S is approximately $1,300 (£990) per day, which includes VAT. For…

Fisker Ocean owners are relieved to learn that 23 service locations across the U.S. and Canada have been confirmed for servicing their electric vehicles. This comes as a significant development after months of uncertainty, following Fisker’s financial struggles, including a bankruptcy filing and abandoned corporate offices. Earlier this year, concerns grew among owners when reports emerged of “bricked” vehicles—cars that were undrivable due to a lack of functioning service centers. Many feared they had lost significant investments in vehicles that couldn’t be repaired amid the company’s distress. The Fisker Owners Association (FOA) recently announced 20 approved service shops in the…

Investment firm Monroe Capital LLC announced plans to establish a $1 billion fund aimed at supporting smaller auto suppliers as the automotive industry transitions from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). The new initiative, named the Drive Forward Fund LP, seeks to provide financial assistance to small- and medium-sized suppliers who are critical to the U.S. automotive supply chain but often face challenges accessing capital. The White House praised the fund, stating it would “facilitate access to lower cost capital for small- and medium-sized auto manufacturers to refinance, grow, and diversify their businesses.” According to the administration, more than 250,000…

General Motors and Ford Motor may have to stop importing vehicles from China under a proposed U.S. rule aimed at restricting Chinese software and hardware, a Commerce Department official told Reuters. The rule could impact other automakers operating in the U.S., including Volvo Cars and BYD. GM currently imports the Buick Envision, and Ford brings in the Lincoln Nautilus from China. In the first half of 2024, GM sold approximately 22,000 Envisions, while Ford sold 17,500 Nautilus SUVs in the U.S. Ford did not comment on the potential impact of the rule. “We anticipate at this point that any vehicle…

BYD has been chosen to supply electric buses for Connect Bus in Växjö, Sweden, following the cancellation of an order for 47 Ebusco electric buses. The decision comes after Ebusco failed to deliver the ordered Ebusco 3.0 models by the end of 2023, prompting Connect Bus to seek a new supplier. Connect Bus CEO Jonas Kempe noted that the company evaluated six alternatives before selecting BYD, citing the latter’s superior combination of product quality and delivery timelines. This change marks a significant shift in the local electric bus landscape. Ebusco has been experiencing notable challenges, both operationally and in its…

Tesla is set to roll out its Autopark feature to a broader group of Cybertruck owners after initially offering it to select testers earlier this month. The feature, which allows for automatic parking, is now expected to reach more customers in the coming days, according to a report from Teslascope. Teslascope reported that Tesla’s software update version 2024.32.5.3 has been spotted on four Cybertruck vehicles as of early Saturday morning. While the exact timeline for wider release remains unclear, those who have purchased or subscribed to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised package could receive the update shortly. https://twitter.com/teslascope/status/1837398115948941398 Autopark enables…

Italian fast-charging station manufacturer Alpitronic has officially launched its US headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking a pivotal step in the company’s North American expansion strategy. Celebrations accompanied the operational launch as Alpitronic reaffirms its $9.3 million investment plan, with the ambitious goal of creating up to 300 jobs in the United States. The new headquarters spans over 6,000 square meters and includes advanced facilities such as a diagnostics lab, a repair center, a spare parts warehouse, and a training center to support its growing presence in the region. Philipp Senoner, CEO of Alpitronic, expressed the company’s excitement about the…

Mercedes-Benz announced plans to upgrade its cars equipped with the DRIVE PILOT automated driving system, enabling them to drive autonomously at speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour on German motorways under certain conditions. Pending certification by Germany’s motor transport authority, expected by the end of 2024, the new system will be available for sale starting next year. This Level 3 autonomous system will allow the vehicle to take over driving when another car is in front and visibility is clear, giving drivers the freedom to remove their hands from the wheel, though they must remain ready to take…

Horace Luke, CEO of Taiwanese electric scooter maker Gogoro, has stepped down amid ongoing financial difficulties and allegations of subsidy fraud involving the use of Chinese-made components instead of locally sourced parts. The company has faced mounting losses, with second-quarter figures rising from US$5.6 million last year to US$20.1 million this year, and gross margins dropping from 15.2% to 5.2%, according to the Taipei Times. Gogoro’s board of directors has appointed Tamon Tseng, general counsel of Ruentex Group, as the new chairman. Ruentex Group is the company’s largest shareholder. In an internal email to employees, Luke said, “After much reflection,…

Electric scooter giant NIU has launched two new models just in time for the back-to-school season. The NIU KQi 100P and KQi 100F scooters offer a budget-friendly option for urban commuters, with price tags that are surprisingly low for a company known for its high-quality electric vehicles. The KQi 100P debuts at a competitive $349 MSRP, while the more compact KQi 100F is priced at $449. Both scooters share many of the same core features, including 48V 252 Wh battery packs, 600W peak-rated rear motors, and top speeds of 28 km/h (17.4 mph). They also boast a maximum range of…

Turkish electric vehicle manufacturer Togg has entered the test phase for its second model, the T10F electric saloon, with deliveries expected to commence in April 2025. The T10F, which follows the T10X SUV, was first unveiled as a near-production prototype at CES in Las Vegas in January, where its technical specifications were also revealed. The T10F will be available in three versions: Standard Range RWD, Long Range RWD, and Long Range AWD. The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) models feature a 160 kW engine, while the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version, equipped with a second engine, offers a combined output of 320 kW. Battery capacities…

Lion Electric, a US commercial electric vehicle manufacturer, announced plans to lay off an additional 300 employees and reduce production in response to rising costs and waning demand. This decision follows a nearly 50% year-on-year decline in revenue for the second quarter of 2024. The company’s ‘Action Plan’ aims “to streamline its operations, further align its cost structure with current demand and improve its liquidity position and ability to reach its profitability goals.” The layoffs, affecting approximately 30% of the workforce across the US and Canada, will impact “all areas of the organization.” The move is expected to save Lion…

Volkswagen-backed US battery startup Forge Nano has started shipping prototypes of its high-energy 21700-format cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells, which feature the company’s ‘Atomic Armor’ surface technology, to existing customers and potential partners. Forge Nano plans to ship thousands of these prototype cells to current customers later this year, representing several gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year of confirmed offtake. Since announcing its large battery factory in North Carolina in November 2023, the company has received letters of intent to purchase a total of 24 GWh per year. The company’s first commercial product, the ‘Gen. 1.1 Supercell,’ boasts an energy density of 300…

Xpeng saw a rise in vehicle deliveries for July, though figures remain significantly lower compared to the end of last year. The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer delivered 11,145 vehicles in July, marking a 1.24 percent increase from the same month last year and a 4.47 percent rise from June 2024. This represents the fifth consecutive month of sequential delivery growth for Xpeng, but still falls short of the over 20,000 units delivered monthly during the fourth quarter of 2023. The Xpeng X9 MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) accounted for 1,459 units delivered in July, a decline of 13.52 percent from 1,687 units…

US-based Air Products has announced plans to establish a network of hydrogen refuelling stations across Europe. These stations will be strategically located along major transport corridors near the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The company has not yet disclosed the exact number of planned stations, as this will likely depend on available subsidies. The proposed network aims to support fuel cell trucks and buses, enhancing reliability and convenience for hydrogen-powered heavy-duty transportation. Air Products has already secured subsidies from the EU Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding programme for some existing and planned hydrogen filling stations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and…

General Motors (GM) remains confident in its electric vehicle (EV) investments but acknowledges the need for flexibility to respond to changing consumer demand, according to outgoing executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, Gerald Johnson. In an interview with Automotive News, Johnson highlighted the importance of agility in the automaker’s strategy. “We’re still confident in those investments, but we do have to be agile enough to time and/or retime some of our startup dates so that we are hitting the market with the right product at the right time frame. The plans that we laid out a year ago,…

EVgo has appointed three former executives from Tesla and General Motors (GM) to key positions, the company announced in a press release last week. Martin Sukul, a former Tesla Lead Architect and Senior Management of Charging Systems, Jeff Inhofer, a former Tesla Mechanical Engineer for Residential Solar, and Alex Keros, the former GM Director of EV Infrastructure Development, have joined the EV charging company. Sukul will serve as Executive Vice President of Engineering at EVgo. Inhofer and Keros have been named Vice President of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) and Senior Vice President of Product, respectively. Sukul, who spent over…

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City is set to launch a pilot program featuring self-driving shuttles, confirmed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Starting mid-July, two autonomous buses manufactured by Ohmio, based in Auckland, New Zealand, will transport passengers within one of the airport’s expansive parking lots throughout the summer. Equipped with advanced cameras, sensors, and GPS trackers enabling autonomous navigation, each shuttle will also include a human safety monitor onboard to ensure passenger reassurance. These monitors, familiar with the area, will accompany the self-driving buses during operations. Operating at Parking Lot 9,…