Author: Ivan Popov

Deutsche Bank has revised its sales forecast for Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Nio Inc, citing increased clarity from the company’s latest earnings call. The bank now predicts a total of 450,000 units sold in 2025, in line with Nio’s guidance, driven by robust performance across its three brands—Nio, Onvo, and Firefly. “We now expect the Nio brand to sell 223,000 units in 2025 (up 10% year-on-year), and Onvo brand to sell 219,000 units in 2025 (vs. approximately 20,000 units in 2024), along with 8,000 units from the Firefly brand,” Deutsche Bank analyst Wang Bin’s team wrote in a research…

Japanese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer SkyDrive is expanding its air taxi operations in South Carolina with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with SAI Flight and Greenville Downtown Airport. The agreement includes the pre-order of up to 10 SKYDRIVE eVTOL aircraft, marking a significant step in the company’s U.S. expansion. SkyDrive aims to develop practical use cases for eVTOLs, including air taxis, cargo, and emergency services, by collaborating with local airports and businesses. SkyDrive, a relative newcomer to the sustainable aviation sector, has quickly gained momentum globally despite the challenges of scaling production. With support from…

ChargeEuropa, a Europe-based EV charging company, has announced a strategic partnership with Movem, a subsidiary of Meralco, the Philippines’ largest energy provider. This collaboration marks ChargeEuropa’s first venture into the Asian market and is set to introduce the company’s unique Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising-integrated EV charging model to the Philippines. Through this partnership, ChargeEuropa aims to deploy a network of advertising-supported EV chargers across key locations in the Philippines. This innovative approach combines the installation of electric vehicle chargers with digital advertising, creating a financially sustainable model for EV adoption in markets where traditional charging infrastructure may be lacking. Movem,…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is nominating former Wisconsin Representative Sean Duffy, now a Fox News host, to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation. If confirmed, Duffy will oversee the department’s vast portfolio, including aviation, automotive, rail, and transit policies, with an annual budget of approximately $110 billion, as well as significant funding under the Biden administration’s 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure law and ongoing EV charging station developments. Duffy will inherit several pressing transportation issues. One of his first tasks will likely involve reversing the Biden administration’s stringent vehicle emissions rules. “We plan to begin…

Karl Iagnemma, a prominent figure in the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, has been appointed CEO of Vecna Robotics, a Massachusetts-based startup specializing in robotic material handling. This move comes after Iagnemma’s departure from Hyundai-backed Motional, where he served as president and CEO. Iagnemma brings years of experience in autonomy, having co-founded NuTonomy and played a pivotal role in the development of autonomous vehicle technology. Vecna Robotics, which develops autonomous pallet movers and related software, also announced it has secured $14.5 million in funding from existing investors. This new investment will be used to enhance its automation technology and expand its…

Hyundai is preparing to unveil its first electric three-row SUV, the Ioniq 9, following a year after Kia launched its EV9. The company released two teaser sketches ahead of the vehicle’s reveal at next week’s Los Angeles auto show, showcasing the Ioniq 9’s sleek exterior design and “lounge-like” interior. The Ioniq 9 takes inspiration from Hyundai’s 2021 Seven concept and appears to retain much of the original design’s flow. The new addition to Hyundai’s lineup will offer an electric alternative to the popular gasoline-powered Palisade, expanding the brand’s offerings in the growing electric SUV market. The Ioniq 9 will be…

Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) is rising steadily among car buyers, with a survey from Accenture indicating that 43% of current non-EV drivers are considering an electric car as their next purchase. This trend, revealed in a survey involving 6,000 car buyers from the United States, Italy, Germany, France, China, and Japan, points to significant potential for EV adoption as manufacturers work to capture a broader market segment. Accenture’s findings show that more than half of drivers across key markets expect to transition to EVs over the next decade, with 57% likely to adopt an electric vehicle within ten years.…

Ceer, a joint venture between Foxconn and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced a partnership with Croatian supplier Rimac Technology to provide electric drive systems for its upcoming premium electric vehicles. The collaboration will see Rimac, known for its high-performance drive systems, supply advanced electric drive units to Ceer, which aims to become Saudi Arabia’s first EV brand and has set a market launch target for 2025. Ceer, introduced in November 2022, is slated to manufacture its vehicles domestically in Saudi Arabia for distribution throughout the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Although details on production schedules…

CATL, the world’s largest battery producer, is weighing a U.S. expansion if President-elect Donald Trump opens the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain to Chinese investments, Robin Zeng, CATL’s founder and chairman, told Reuters. “When we initially considered investing in the U.S., the government blocked us,” Zeng said. “But I’m open-minded,” he added, referencing the possibility of a policy shift. U.S.-China trade tensions, intensified by Trump’s first term, led to tariffs and barriers that prevented Chinese EV and battery companies, including CATL and rival BYD (002594.SZ), from entering the U.S. market. Biden-era policies restricted federal EV incentives for Chinese-made batteries, and…

Rivian has officially begun expanding its Normal, Illinois factory to make way for the production of its new R2 platform, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth. Chief Operations Officer Javier Varela confirmed the news, stating that the construction crews have broken ground on the expansion project. In a LinkedIn post, Varela shared the update, saying, “Rivian R2 is one step closer to coming to market! We broke ground in Normal (Illinois) to begin expanding the plant to build R2, in addition to our current products. R2 is our new fully electric midsize SUV coming in 2026 with a…

Bollinger Motors announced that its all-electric Bollinger B4 Class 4 commercial truck has been approved for New York’s Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP), which provides incentives for commercial electric vehicles. The eligibility allows Bollinger’s customers to receive up to $100,000 in credit through the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), as the company aims to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles in the commercial fleet market. The Bollinger B4 joins other qualified electric vehicles that benefit from incentives in four Northeastern states: New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Customers in these states may qualify for combined incentives…

British transportation operator First Bus has placed an order for 36 electric buses from Wrightbus for its Aberdeen fleet, comprising 24 new electric double-decker buses and 12 retrofitted former diesel models. The fleet is scheduled for deployment in early 2025, enhancing eco-friendly transportation options in the city. The new buses will primarily serve routes 1 and 2, which connect to Robert Gordon University, providing sustainable travel options for students. “We take pride in our nature-positive campus and actively support sustainable travel as part of our net-zero efforts,” said Bill Sommerville, Director of Estates and Property Services at Robert Gordon University.…