Author: Ivan Popov

Xpeng’s X9 seven-seat extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) has appeared in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing, revealing key specifications ahead of its official launch in the fourth quarter. The new model will use the company’s Kunpeng Super Range Extender system and is expected to deliver a pure electric driving range of around 450 km, according to markings on the prototype. Declared dimensions are 5,316 mm in length, 1,988 mm in width and 1,785 mm in height, with a 3,160 mm wheelbase and a curb weight of 2,750 kg. Compared with the current battery-electric X9, the EREV is slightly…

The United Kingdom has expanded its Electric Car Grant (ECG) scheme to include 17 eligible electric vehicle (EV) models, as part of ongoing government efforts to promote zero-emission transport and increase EV affordability. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced that new additions to the list include models from Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall, and Citroën, although no vehicle currently qualifies for the full £3,750 subsidy. The scheme, which launched last month with a total budget of £650 million, targets vehicles priced below £37,000. However, price is not the sole factor for eligibility. The DfT requires manufacturers to demonstrate verifiable commitments to decarbonisation,…

Transport Scotland has announced further funding for the second and final phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB2), reopening the opportunity for additional projects to receive support. The initiative aims to assist large bus operators in replacing diesel fleets with zero-emission alternatives, including battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Last July, the government awarded £41.7 million to a consortium led by Zenobē, involving eight bus operators. Although this was originally intended as the final grant, Transport Scotland confirmed that the second-placed bid in the funding competition would now be reviewed for further support. That bid comes from Rock Road,…

Tesla has introduced a long-range rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version of its Model 3 sedan in China, bringing the total number of Model 3 variants available in the market to four. The launch follows range upgrades across the entire lineup, the U.S. electric carmaker said on its Weibo account. The new RWD model, priced below the long-range all-wheel-drive (AWD) and AWD performance versions, uses a 78.4 kWh battery supplied by LG Energy Solution and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 200 km/h. The dual-motor AWD long-range and performance versions are priced from 285,500…

Blue Bird Corporation has delivered 25 electric school buses to the Little Rock School District (LRSD) in Arkansas, supported by a $9.875 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The move is intended to reduce emissions and operating costs while modernizing student transportation for more than 19,000 students across over 40 schools. The Vision electric buses have a range of 130 miles on a single charge, a capacity of up to 69 passengers, and can recharge in about two hours. They join a fleet of roughly 70 vehicles that travel 1,400 miles daily to transport…

Transport and logistics firm DSV has added four Volvo FH Aero Electric 4×2 tractor units to its UK fleet, marking the start of a wider rollout that will see the company take delivery of 300 zero-emission trucks from Volvo Trucks by 2026. The new vehicles, which replace older diesel models, will be based at DSV’s site in Immingham, the company said on Thursday. The agreement between DSV and Volvo Trucks was signed in August last year. Volvo said the FH Aero Electric units offer “improved aerodynamics” and an advanced electric drivetrain designed to maximise energy efficiency. Each truck is equipped…

MAN Truck & Bus and German freight forwarder Dettendorfer are conducting a four-week trial of fully electric trucks on the Brenner route between Raubling, Germany, and Bolzano, Italy, to assess the potential of night-time operations to ease congestion, cut CO₂ emissions, and reduce noise in Alpine freight transport. The test, running in July and August, takes advantage of an exemption from the night-time driving ban on Austria’s A12 Inntal motorway, which applies to diesel vehicles but not to electric trucks. The MAN eTruck, produced in Munich since June 2025, offers ranges of up to 800 km with an intermediate charge,…

A large-scale modeling study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has demonstrated that dynamically controlling vehicle speeds to reduce stops and idling at intersections could lower carbon emissions by as much as 22% in major cities without impacting overall traffic flow or safety. Published in Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, the research employed advanced artificial intelligence to simulate traffic across thousands of intersections in three U.S. cities. The findings suggest that full implementation of “eco-driving” — a system that adjusts vehicle speeds in real-time to smooth traffic patterns — could reduce annual intersection-related emissions by 11 to 22…

Tesla’s Shanghai factory has begun mass production of the Model Y L, a longer-wheelbase version of its top-selling crossover, according to accounts from Chinese industry observers. The new variant is expected to feature three rows of seating for six passengers, positioning it to compete more directly in China’s growing three-row electric SUV market. Industry reports suggest Tesla China is in the process of deciding which domestic showrooms will be the first to display the Model Y L. The vehicle’s specifications recently appeared in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) latest list of new energy vehicle models eligible for…

Rivian said on Tuesday it has substantially completed the expansion of its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, where it will build the forthcoming R2 electric crossover, as the company seeks to scale production and broaden its appeal with a more affordable model. The 1.1-million-square-foot addition will house the body shop and general assembly lines for the R2. Once fully operational, the expanded plant will support an annual production capacity of 215,000 vehicles, according to the company. The R2, priced around $45,000, is expected to enter production in 2026 and is seen as a mainstream rival to Tesla’s Model Y. See…

Autonomous driving technology firm PlusAI has joined forces with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company to enhance safety and operational efficiency in the autonomous freight sector. The partnership will integrate Goodyear’s SightLine tire intelligence system with PlusAI’s SuperDrive™ virtual driver platform, combining real-time road data with autonomous vehicle control to optimize performance and reduce fleet operating costs. SightLine, Goodyear’s proprietary technology, delivers continuous insights into tire health, road surface conditions, and friction levels through embedded sensors. When paired with PlusAI’s SuperDrive system, this data helps improve decision-making capabilities in autonomous trucks by offering real-time awareness of environmental and mechanical conditions. The…

General Motors has announced that its 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Max Range Work Truck has set a new world record for the longest distance traveled on a single charge by a production electric vehicle. The full-size pickup truck completed 1,059.2 miles (1,704.6 km) during a controlled range test near GM’s Milford Proving Ground in Michigan. Although the Silverado EV Max Work Truck is rated for an EPA-estimated range of 493 miles (793 km), GM engineers were able to more than double this figure through a series of driving and vehicle setup optimizations—without making any changes to the vehicle’s hardware or…