Author: James Bryant

Overland AI, a Seattle-based developer of autonomous off-road technology, has been selected to participate in the U.S. Army’s UxS Autonomous Maneuver Program, the company said on Monday. The initiative, awarded through the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, will assess the integration of commercial autonomy solutions into the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The program will run a six-month evaluation with a Transforming in Contact unit, focusing on reliability, robustness and operational impact of autonomy in real-world scenarios. “UxS is a significant milestone in shaping the Army’s ground autonomy portfolio,” said Stephanie Bonk, Overland AI’s co-founder and president. Overland, founded in 2022, has…

Finland said on Sunday it will become the majority owner of domestic supplier and contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive, with state-run Finnish Minerals Group (FMG) also set to take a 70% stake in the firm’s battery subsidiary Ioncor, citing the country’s “changed geopolitical situation.” Valmet Automotive said the move was part of efforts to safeguard industrial know-how for broader use, including in defence. “In the changed geopolitical situation, Valmet Automotive’s special expertise in industrial serial production will strongly benefit the whole of Finland,” the company said in a statement. The Finnish state and Pontos Group acquired 20.6% of Valmet Automotive from…

General Motors (GM) will temporarily halt production of some of its largest and most expensive electric vehicles, including the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ, at its Factory Zero plant in Detroit-Hamtramck from Labor Day through October 6, the company confirmed. The pause, first reported by the Detroit Free Press, will suspend both first- and second-shift operations and affect about 160 workers. It follows an earlier round of temporary layoffs announced in April that impacted 200 employees as sales of GM’s big electric trucks and SUVs slowed. A company spokesperson said the move is part of normal production planning.…

Eaton, an intelligent power management company, and ChargePoint, a U.S.-based provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, have unveiled a new ultrafast DC charging architecture designed to scale across North America and Europe. The ChargePoint Express Grid, powered by Eaton, will debut at the RE+ trade show on Sept. 9, featuring advanced vehicle-to-everything (V2X) capabilities and charging capacity of up to 600 kilowatts for passenger EVs, while also supporting megawatt charging for heavy-duty fleets. The system, which integrates Eaton’s electrical solutions with ChargePoint’s Express platform, aims to address rising demand for efficient and reliable EV infrastructure. It offers a modular…

Onvo, the sub-brand of Nio Inc, reported record deliveries in August as sales of its L90 electric SUV surpassed 10,000 units, marking a milestone for the model’s first full month on the market. The company highlighted the achievement at the Chengdu auto show, where the 10,000th L90 was handed over. Onvo also presented the seven-seat version of the SUV at the event, with customer deliveries of that variant expected to begin in late September. The L90, officially launched on July 31, began deliveries on Aug. 1. The six-seat version is currently being delivered. Onvo’s previous monthly record was 10,528 units…

Turkish electric carmaker Togg confirmed that it will present both its T10X SUV and the new T10F electric saloon at the IAA Mobility show in Munich this September, marking its entry into the German market. The company said the T10X, already on sale in Türkiye since 2023, will launch in Germany later this year, earlier than the autumn 2024 timeline originally announced. German pricing will be revealed at the fair, while in Türkiye the model starts at around €41,000. Togg will also stage “the world premiere of the series-production version” of the T10F, with the saloon scheduled for release in…

First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators, said on Thursday that its new battery storage facility in Hampshire will begin operations next month, storing surplus energy for grid export and supporting power supply for more than 1,200 electric buses. The site, located at the company’s Hoeford depot, will initially hold up to three bus batteries capable of storing as much as 1 megawatt of power. The company said it will recycle batteries from its electric fleet to expand capacity over time. First Bus added that it also aims to begin work later this year on an “even larger”…

Bird has re-entered the German market with the launch of 3,350 electric scooters through mobility app Freenow, marking a return after its withdrawal in 2022. The scooters are now available in Munich, Würzburg and Reutlingen, with a broader rollout planned in the coming months. Freenow, which operates in nine European countries, was acquired this year by U.S. ride-hailing company Lyft and has been rebranded as “FreeNow by Lyft.” The company said the partnership adds to its portfolio of around 20 mobility service providers in Germany, with Bird scooters bookable via its existing platform using current accounts and payment options. Bird…

General Motors said all of its future electric vehicles will come with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port beginning with the 2026 Cadillac Optiq, and confirmed that the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt due in 2027 will also feature the connector. In the meantime, the company has launched four new charging adapters to support current owners of Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC electric vehicles. “These new adapters help ensure that every customer can navigate this transition,” GM said in a statement. The products include NACS-to-CCS and CCS-to-NACS units, as well as adapters that allow connection to GM’s Level 2 PowerShift home charger…

German e-bike manufacturer Riese & Müller has temporarily halted shipments of its electric bicycles to the United States, citing unpredictable steel tariffs and an uncertain import landscape as key factors behind the decision. The company, known for high-end urban and cargo e-bikes, informed U.S. dealers this week that it would pause exports “for the foreseeable future” while it evaluates the evolving trade environment. According to Bicycle Retailer, the brand stated in a dealer email that it needed time to assess the implications of recent tariff changes before proceeding with further shipments. The pause comes amid the reinstatement of a 50%…

BYD said it will double its sales network in Cambodia this year as its first vehicle assembly plant in the country prepares to begin production in the fourth quarter. The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker plans to expand to 13 sales showrooms and six after-sales service centers by year-end, up from seven showrooms and one service center currently operating in Phnom Penh, according to a company statement. Its Cambodian factory, located in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, will have an annual production capacity of 10,000 NEVs. The $32 million facility, occupying 12 hectares, is expected to complete construction in…

German carmaker Opel, a brand of Stellantis, has postponed its target of selling only battery-electric vehicles in Europe from 2028, citing slower-than-expected demand for EVs across the region. The company will continue offering combustion engines under Stellantis’ “multi-energy” strategy, according to a report by elektroauto-news.net. “We are currently reviewing our plans and adapting them to the new conditions,” an Opel spokesperson told elektroauto-news.net. “Everyone in the industry knows that electrification is not progressing at the same pace in all markets.” The spokesperson added that while demand for electric models is growing, it is not yet fast enough to meet the…