Author: Harding Greenwood

UK-based Swytch, known for its e-bike conversion kits, has announced its first electric bicycle, the Swytch Go, which aims to provide riders with a more affordable option in the electric mobility market. The Swytch Go will be priced starting at £999 ($1,300) and features three battery options, a 250W motor, and various standard features. The e-bike is equipped with a 250W rear motor delivering 40Nm torque, allowing assistance up to 15 mph (24 kph) in the UK and EU, and 20 mph (32 kph) in the US. The Go power pack offers a base range of 20 miles (32 km),…

Hyundai has teased the latest addition to its Ioniq electric lineup, the Ioniq 9, ahead of its global unveiling set for November. The all-electric, three-row SUV is the brand’s most ambitious EV yet and signals Hyundai’s push to capture the growing demand for spacious, family-sized electric vehicles. Inspired by the SEVEN Concept revealed in 2021, the Ioniq 9 will be showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Ioniq 9 builds on Hyundai’s signature ‘Parametric Pixels’ design seen in the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, featuring a full-width LED light bar across the front and vertically aligned pixel LEDs. Hyundai…

Audi has launched two new versions of its A6 e-tron, introducing an entry-level model with rear-wheel drive and a smaller battery and a more powerful all-wheel-drive variant. These options are now available for order in Germany, with the base A6 Sportback e-tron priced at €62,800 and the A6 Avant e-tron estate starting at €64,450. The entry-level A6 e-tron comes equipped with a 210 kW rear-wheel drive and an 83 kWh battery (75.8 kWh net), while the all-wheel drive models, branded as A6 Sportback e-tron quattro and A6 Avant e-tron quattro, start at €79,800 and €81,450, respectively. In terms of performance,…

State Farm is set to remove electric vehicle (EV) charging stations from its parking garages across the U.S., citing fire safety concerns as the main factor behind the decision. The Illinois-based insurer, known for its extensive coverage range, informed employees that it would seek alternative solutions for EV-charging access and plans to share updates on these options once finalized. The decision, first reported by local media outlet WGLT, impacts State Farm’s headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, along with numerous satellite offices nationwide. State Farm has set October 28 as the deadline for the removal, giving employees less than a month to…

Redwood Materials, the battery recycling company co-founded by Tesla’s J.B. Straubel, is increasing its focus on recovering lithium-ion batteries involved in accidents and natural disasters. In a recent blog post, Redwood detailed its collaborations with local and national organizations to efficiently manage and recycle batteries affected in emergency scenarios. One recent example occurred on the I-15 highway, where an overturned truck transporting lithium-ion batteries led to a fire and temporarily closed a section of the highway. Redwood worked with Graymar Environmental to recover and safely handle the damaged batteries. The company reported receiving approximately 70,000 pounds of battery materials from…

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to develop electric vehicle (EV) DC fast chargers in up to 16 communities across the state. This $1.2 million funding initiative, sourced from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) Program, is intended to bolster accessible, reliable, and equitable EV infrastructure in areas beyond the state’s main highways. “This funding opportunity helps North Dakota target investment in EV charging infrastructure in communities throughout our state,” said NDDOT Project Manager Russ Buchholz. “Installing fast chargers in these communities will help reduce…

Italy’s government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is proposing a reduction of approximately €4.6 billion ($5 billion) in funds initially allocated to support the national automotive industry between 2025 and 2030. This move, detailed in a draft of the 2024 budget, has stirred significant opposition, especially as the global electric vehicle (EV) market faces sluggish sales due to uneven policies on green incentives. The reduction affects automakers including Fiat-maker Stellantis, which has had to adjust its strategies to navigate shifting market conditions. The proposed cuts have been criticized by the Italian automotive lobby group ANFIA, which called the reduction…

ChargeLab and ChargeHub have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing EV roaming capabilities throughout North America. This collaboration will enable seamless integration of ChargeLab’s charging stations into ChargeHub’s roaming network, allowing EV drivers greater access to charging stations without additional registrations or fees. Under the new arrangement, all ChargeLab customers, including those using white-labeled networks, will be automatically connected to ChargeHub’s platform, improving accessibility for both drivers and network operators. As part of this effort, ChargeLab—a leader in hardware-agnostic EV charging software—and ChargeHub, North America’s top EV roaming platform, are working to streamline charging processes. The initiative aims to…

POSCO Holdings announced the completion of a lithium hydroxide production plant in Guemes, Salta Province, Argentina, with a ceremony held on Oct. 24. Located at Hombre Muerto Salt Pan, the facility can produce 25,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year—enough to support battery production for approximately 600,000 electric vehicles. This addition raises POSCO’s annual lithium hydroxide production capacity to 46,500 tons, including output from the POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution’s plant in Gwangyang, South Korea. “The completion of this plant is an important first step for POSCO Group to produce high-value-added lithium in Argentina,” stated Kim Jun-hyung, head of POSCO’s Secondary…

Xpeng Aeroht, the flying car division of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng, has initiated construction on a manufacturing facility designed for large-scale flying car production. The Guangzhou-based facility, which broke ground on October 27, is set to become the world’s first flying car factory to employ a modern assembly line, with an expected annual capacity of 10,000 units. Xpeng Aeroht anticipates starting production and deliveries by 2026. Covering approximately 180,000 square meters in the Guangzhou Development Zone, the new site aims to merge aerospace-grade standards with automotive-scale manufacturing capabilities, which the company says will improve manufacturing consistency, reduce costs, and…

U.S. auto dealers’ groups announced on Friday that they intend to oppose Volkswagen’s decision to sell Scout Motors’ electric vehicles directly to consumers, bypassing traditional independent dealerships. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) stated that it will “challenge this and all attempts to sell direct in courthouses and statehouses across the country.” On Thursday, Scout Motors, an electric vehicle brand under Volkswagen, said it would adopt a direct sales model akin to Tesla, promising transparent pricing and a streamlined purchasing process. NADA CEO Mike Stanton criticized the move, saying, “The decision by VW to attempt to sell Scout vehicles direct…

Daimler Buses has announced a significant order from Italy’s Autoservizi Troiani, which operates a bus network in the eastern suburbs of Rome. The company has placed an order for 110 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses, with some units equipped with Daimler Buses’ new NMC4 batteries. The delivery of these buses will occur progressively, with the first 10 already in operation since September 2024. The entire fleet is expected to be delivered by mid-2026. Autoservizi Troiani has deployed the initial buses in areas such as Grotte Celoni, Ponte Mammolo, Pantano, and Rebibbia, with plans to convert its entire fleet to electric and…