Author: Ivan Popov

Tesla has asked a U.S. federal judge to set aside or reduce a jury verdict that found the automaker partly liable for a 2019 fatal crash in Florida involving its Autopilot driver-assistance system. The company argued that the $243 million penalty it faces is excessive and that the driver was responsible for the collision. The case stems from a crash in Key Largo, when George McGee, driving a Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged, struck 22-year-old Naibel Benavides and her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo. Benavides was killed instantly, while Angulo sustained severe injuries. McGee admitted he had dropped his phone and…

ZM Trucks, a subsidiary of ZO Motors and a developer of zero-emission commercial vehicles, opened its U.S. headquarters and assembly plant in Fontana, California, on Thursday, marking a significant step in its North American expansion. The launch included the U.S. debut of its ZM8 commercial truck and T75 terminal tractor, highlighting its commitment to sustainable transport despite policy and regulatory headwinds. The new facility spans 9.67 acres and houses a 210,000-square-foot production floor located 49 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The plant will manufacture zero-emission vehicles, including commercial trucks and terminal tractors, designed for logistics, ports, and urban fleets.…

Zoox, the autonomous mobility company owned by Amazon, detailed safety features of its purpose-built robotaxi, saying it incorporates redundant systems to ensure reliability across critical functions such as steering, braking, power, sensors, and connectivity. The vehicle is designed to operate under a fail-operational model, meaning it can continue functioning safely even if components fail, unlike traditional fail-safe systems that may shut down or restrict performance. The robotaxi uses a dual-battery configuration to avoid single points of failure in its powertrain. If a battery or power converter stops working, the system allows the vehicle to safely pull over, activate hazard lights,…

Canadian battery maker Electrovaya said on Thursday it has signed a supply agreement with Janus Electric, an Australian firm that converts diesel trucks into fully electric vehicles, to provide its Infinity lithium-ion battery systems. The deal comes as Janus Electric, which recently went public on the Australian stock exchange, scales up its technology to electrify heavy-duty trucks using swappable battery systems. “We are excited to partner with Janus Electric, a recognized innovator in sustainable transportation,” said Electrovaya CEO Dr Raj DasGupta. He added that heavy trucks are “particularly difficult to electrify and require outstanding battery technology,” which Electrovaya aims to…

Polish bus maker Solaris said it has signed a contract with Nobina Sverige AB to supply 180 electric buses to Malmö, marking one of its largest orders in Sweden. Deliveries are scheduled between 2026 and 2027. The agreement covers Solaris Urbino electric buses in four different lengths — 12, 15, 18 and 24 meters — to serve both urban and suburban routes. The order includes 78 articulated Urbino 18 buses with 600 kWh batteries, 36 Urbino 24 bi-articulated buses with 700 kWh batteries, 65 Urbino 15 LE low-entry buses with 500 kWh batteries, and one Urbino 12 bus with a…

BYD  has officially entered the Argentine market, introducing three vehicles as its first batch of models, the company said on Tuesday. The lineup includes the all-electric Dolphin Mini and Yuan Pro, along with the plug-in hybrid Song Pro DM-i. The Dolphin Mini is marketed as the Seagull in China, while the Yuan Pro is known domestically as the Yuan Up. The Song Pro DM-i retains its Chinese name, though in some overseas markets such as Costa Rica the Yuan Up has been sold as the S1 Pro. Pre-orders for the three models have already opened in Argentina. BYD said Argentina…

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume is preparing to step down from his role at the sports car maker to focus fully on his responsibilities as head of Volkswagen Group, German business daily Wirtschaftswoche reported on Wednesday, citing “several high-ranking insiders from the corporation, works council and financial circles.” Blume, who has led Porsche for a decade, took over as chief executive of Volkswagen in September 2022 from Herbert Diess. He has repeatedly said that holding both posts was “not designed to last forever.” According to Wirtschaftswoche, he has now decided to relinquish his Porsche mandate to concentrate on steering Volkswagen. The…

German thermal management specialist technotrans will unveil its new battery thermal management system (BTMS) zeta.trax at this year’s Busworld exhibition in Brussels, the company said on Wednesday. The system, designed for both on-road and off-road vehicles, is cybersecurity-ready and meets regulatory requirements for new type approvals of electric buses. The zeta.trax system supports direct high-voltage connections of up to 850 volts DC and can optionally be supplied with a low global warming potential (low-GWP) refrigerant. The company said the solution reduces integration costs and complexity for manufacturers, while offering a scalable cooling capacity starting at 6 kW. “With our new…

Stellantis has paid $190.6 million in penalties so far this year for failing to meet U.S. fuel economy requirements, according to figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and confirmed by the automaker. The agency said in its annual report that Stellantis paid $112.3 million in June and $78.3 million in March to cover shortfalls from the 2019 and 2020 model years. That brings the Italian-U.S. automaker’s total fuel economy fines to $773.5 million since 2018. NHTSA noted that automakers will not face fines for missing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules dating back to the 2022…

WeRide, an autonomous driving technology company, and Shenzhen Bus Group have introduced the city’s first Level 4 driverless Robobus public transport service. The B888 line operates in the busy Luohu District, connecting Luohu Port with the MixC Market and covering major landmarks including Guomao, Di Wang Tower, and Shenzhen Grand Theater. The service offers 6.6 km outbound and 4.3 km return trips, each lasting about 30 to 35 minutes. Passengers can book rides through the Shenzhen Bus Travel WeChat mini program. Equipped with more than 20 sensors, including LiDAR and high-definition cameras, the Robobus enables 360-degree perception of up to…

Germany has introduced a new data profile to help standardise how charging point operators (CPOs) share information on public charging infrastructure, ahead of upcoming European Union rules. Since April 14, 2025, CPOs have been required to provide information on their publicly accessible charging stations free of charge and without discrimination. To support this, the country’s National Charging Infrastructure Control Centre launched the DATEX-II data profile version 01-00-00, now available in the Mobility Library of the Federal Ministry of Transport. “With this data profile, charge point operators can already report their charging point data in compliance with the standard and meet…

Royal Enfield has released official footage of its upcoming Flying Flea C6 electric motorcycle undergoing road tests in Leh, Ladakh, as the company builds anticipation ahead of a planned market debut in early 2026. The video marks the first time the model has been shown in motion after months of leaks and spy shots. The bike was filmed handling steep climbs, descents and switchbacks, with riders testing both Eco and Sport modes, including with a passenger. According to the footage, the prototype maintained speed uphill and delivered smooth power on descents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogwwvb8w5LQ The C6 is inspired by Royal Enfield’s World…

Geely Galaxy opened pre-sales of its flagship M9 hybrid SUV on Saturday, positioning it as one of the most affordable large sport utility vehicles in the Chinese market. The six-seat model starts at RMB 193,800 ($27,050), roughly half the cost of Li Auto’s L9 extended-range EV, which is priced from RMB 409,800. Despite its lower price, the M9 matches its competitor in size and offers comparable specifications. Unveiled globally in Milan in May, the M9 is built on Geely’s Electric Architecture (GEA) platform and integrates the company’s new-generation Leishen EM super hybrid system. The SUV measures 5,205 mm in length,…

Liofit, a company specialising in the repair and recycling of e-bike batteries, has started construction of a new headquarters in Kamenz, Saxony, with operations expected to begin next year on a site of about 1,000 square metres. The family-owned business, founded in 2023 by Dr. Ralf Günther, said the new centre will expand production capacity, optimise processes, and create additional space for research, development and jobs. The company expects demand to increase across Europe following the EU’s new battery regulation, which introduces binding recycling quotas. “With the new building, we are creating the basis for saving even more batteries from…

Xpeng said on Monday it has begun rolling out its global XOS 5.8.0 over-the-air (OTA) software update, introducing new driver-assistance, cabin comfort, and personalization features to its vehicles worldwide. The update is the company’s third major OTA release this year, following XOS 5.4.5 in January and XOS 5.6.0 in May. Xpeng said the latest version builds on user feedback and reflects its focus on safety, intelligent driving, and customer experience. See also: Xpeng Under Scrutiny In China Over Handling Of P7+ Steering Failures https://twitter.com/XPengMotors/status/1959874131198976428 “With XOS 5.8.0, the third major OTA release of 2025, each of these releases raised application…

Daimler Buses has delivered ten fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro solo buses to Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB), along with a complete charging infrastructure built in cooperation with its subsidiary Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH. The 12-metre buses will operate in scheduled service in Bonn, complementing electric vehicles from other manufacturers that are already part of the SWB fleet. The charging infrastructure, which includes ten charging points, was installed at the SWB depot in Friesdorf and will be presented on Aug. 20 by SWB Managing Director Anja Wenmakers and Bonn’s Mayor Katja Dörner. https://twitter.com/DaimlerTruck/status/1958466556662276399 Daimler Buses assumed overall responsibility for the planning and construction,…

Blink Charging said it has entered a strategic partnership with Presto to expand access to its nationwide fast-charging network for fleet and rideshare drivers in the United States. The integration combines Blink’s charging infrastructure with Presto’s app and APIs, aiming to improve convenience, reliability and efficiency for operators of corporate, delivery and mobility fleets. The collaboration allows drivers using the Presto app to locate Blink charging stations, view real-time availability and manage payments directly from their devices. The integration also supports APIs for businesses, enabling fleet managers to embed charging functions into their operations. “This integration empowers fleet drivers to…

Autonomous vehicle startup Nuro has raised $203 million in a late-stage funding round, valuing the company at $6 billion, it said on Friday. The round included fresh investment from Uber and Nvidia, along with support from existing shareholders. The raise comprises $97 million in new capital, adding to the $106 million announced in April from backers such as T. Rowe Price, Fidelity and Tiger Global. The company’s current valuation is lower than the $8.6 billion it achieved in 2021, according to PitchBook, as many startups that benefited from the 2021 funding boom now face more cautious investor sentiment. Nuro said…

Tesla (TSLA.O) must defend a certified class action lawsuit brought by California drivers who claim Chief Executive Elon Musk and the company overstated the self-driving capabilities of its electric vehicles for nearly eight years, a U.S. judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco said on Monday that a central question — whether Tesla lacked the necessary sensors to deliver full autonomy and failed to demonstrate a long-distance self-driving trip — was enough to justify group litigation. The case consolidates lawsuits from drivers who purchased Tesla’s Full Self-Driving package between 2016 and 2024. The judge found that…

The Prague City Council has approved a major investment project to install up to 1,500 publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the Czech capital over the coming years. The project, wholly owned by the city, is estimated to cost nearly 493 million Czech koruna (around €20 million). According to the city administration, the charging stations are intended to make electric mobility more accessible for all residents, including those without the option to charge at home. While specific locations and a construction timetable have not yet been disclosed, officials indicated the stations will likely focus on residential areas, enabling…