Author: Jonas Berg

Coop and freight technology firm Einride plan to transition grocery delivery operations in Sweden’s Uppland region to electric vehicles by the first half of 2026, as part of efforts to reduce transport-related emissions. The Uppland region, located north of Stockholm and covering nearly 13,000 square kilometres, includes 23 Coop stores that require approximately 659,000 kilometres of annual deliveries. The companies estimate that shifting these operations to electric vehicles could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 912 tonnes per year. “At Coop, we believe that every delivery can make a difference for our customers and the local community,” said Peter Rosendahl,…

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar said its latest battery systems for the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 now contain at least 50% recycled cobalt, marking a step forward in efforts to reduce reliance on newly mined raw materials. The company said more than half of the cobalt used in these batteries is sourced from secondary materials, part of a broader strategy aimed at improving supply chain transparency and extending the lifecycle of critical resources. The move comes as automakers seek to address environmental and ethical concerns associated with cobalt mining. Polestar said its circular economy approach also includes extending battery…

Polestar has raised $300 million in a new equity financing round, with participation from investors including Crédit Agricole, as the company continues efforts to strengthen its balance sheet. The funding round also includes Vida Finance, Innovator Limited and Proximastar Holdings Company Limited. Polestar did not disclose how the funds were distributed among the participants. As part of the agreement, investors have secured put option arrangements with a subsidiary of Geely Sweden Holdings, giving them the right to exit their investments within three years with predefined returns. The structure mirrors previous financing deals completed in recent months. In late 2025, Polestar…

Finnish technology company Donut Lab has conducted a fast-charging test of its solid-state battery in a production electric motorcycle, marking its first public demonstration at the full battery pack level. The test, carried out as part of the company’s “I Donut Believe” campaign, used a Verge TS Pro motorcycle equipped with Donut Lab’s latest battery technology. Unlike earlier evaluations conducted in laboratory settings with the Technology Institute VTT, this test aimed to show real-world performance in a vehicle environment. See also: Donut Lab Test Shows Solid-State Battery Retains 97.7% Charge After 10 Days “The use of Donut Lab’s solid-state battery…

Lyten has signed a binding agreement to acquire Revolt, the former battery recycling facility of Northvolt in Skellefteå, Sweden, as part of its broader expansion following the takeover of other Northvolt assets, the company said. The acquisition includes licenses for key recycling technologies, though Lyten did not disclose financial terms. The company said the deal is “fully funded from equity investment in Lyten” and is currently undergoing regulatory approvals in Sweden, with completion expected in the second quarter of the year. See also: Lyten Completes Acquisition of Northvolt’s Swedish Sites The move follows Lyten’s recent acquisition of Northvolt Ett and…

Polestar has released the full life cycle assessment (LCA) for the Polestar 5, continuing its initiative to publish detailed climate impact data for every vehicle in its lineup. The automaker has published LCAs for its vehicles since 2020, becoming the first original equipment manufacturer to disclose the full carbon footprint of all models. The cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of the Polestar 5 is calculated at 23.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e), covering emissions from raw material extraction through production and delivery to customers. See also: Polestar Expands Grid Rewards Smart Charging Program to Germany and France According to the company,…

German automaker BMW has completed the final winter testing phase for its upcoming i3 electric sedan, with prototypes undergoing validation at the company’s winter testing center in Arjeplog ahead of the vehicle’s design premiere scheduled for March 18 in Munich. The model will become the second vehicle built on BMW’s Neue Klasse electric platform, following the launch of the BMW iX3. Positioned as the electric counterpart to the company’s 3 Series sedan, the i3 incorporates the sixth generation of BMW’s eDrive technology and upgraded powertrain systems. During the current testing phase in Sweden, engineers are focusing primarily on refining driving…

Norway has surpassed the milestone of one million battery-electric vehicles on its roads when combining passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, reflecting the country’s long-standing leadership in electric mobility adoption. According to data from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Norway currently has 951,300 battery-electric passenger cars and 50,300 battery-electric light commercial vehicles in operation. Battery-electric vehicles now account for 32.4% of all passenger cars and 9.7% of light commercial vehicles in the national fleet. Overall, Norway has about 2.94 million passenger cars and around 519,000 light commercial vehicles registered, meaning roughly one in three passenger cars in the country runs…

Volvo Cars said it is reviewing plans to increase 2026 production of its new fully electric Volvo EX60 after customer orders in Europe exceeded internal forecasts shortly after the vehicle’s launch. The Swedish carmaker said demand in major European markets such as Sweden and Germany has been particularly strong, with more than 3,000 retail orders placed in Sweden alone within weeks of the SUV’s unveiling. Orders have so far been limited to European markets, with U.S. order books expected to open later in the spring. To meet rising demand, Volvo is considering expanding output at its Torslanda Plant, where the…

Norway recorded a strong rebound in electric vehicle registrations in February, with battery-electric cars accounting for about 98% of all new passenger vehicles registered during the month. According to data from the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), 7,272 new passenger cars were registered in February, including 7,127 battery-electric vehicles. Only 145 newly registered vehicles were powered by other drivetrain types. Despite the rebound, total registrations were still 18.7% lower than in the same month of the previous year. “Viewed in isolation, this may seem dramatic,” OFV said in a statement. “However, when examining the figures week by week, a different picture…

Volvo Cars has introduced a new drivetrain variant and additional updates for the latest model year of its entry-level electric vehicle, the EX30, expanding the range of configurations available for the compact SUV. The new version features a 110 kW electric motor paired with a 51 kWh battery, with an estimated driving range of 339 kilometres under the WLTP test cycle. This compares with the existing entry-level EX30 Single Motor, which uses the same battery capacity but delivers 200 kW of power and a WLTP range of 337 kilometres. Volvo has not disclosed further technical details, pricing or the official…

Finnish startup Donut Lab has released the first independent findings on its solid-state battery following scrutiny of the technology’s ambitious claims made at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. At the event, the company presented specifications including an energy density of 400 Wh/kg, a full charge time of five minutes and a lifespan of 100,000 cycles—figures that drew skepticism from industry experts. Critics noted that major gains in energy density and charging speed typically come at the expense of durability. To address doubts, Donut Lab commissioned VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to conduct third-party testing. Initial results focus…

Polestar plans to place greater emphasis on high-performance electric vehicles alongside its upcoming model launches, Chief Executive Michael Lohscheller said, signaling that expansion of the brand’s lineup will include faster variants designed to compete with established performance divisions of luxury automakers. Speaking at the company’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, Lohscheller outlined the strategy during a media gathering, according to British automotive publication Auto Express. He said future models will deliver more consistent performance characteristics across the range. “In terms of how we will continue to deliver performance with our future models, I think we’re going to deliver a more consistent…

A prototype of Kia’s upcoming EV2 electric vehicle covered 310.6 kilometers (193 miles) during Norway’s El Prix Winter Test Drive, one of the world’s most demanding cold-weather evaluations, the company said. The long-range “GT-line” prototype completed the route in temperatures as low as −21°C, finishing within about 25% of its target WLTP range despite harsh conditions. The test, organized by the Norwegian Automotive Federation (NAF), took place in the mountainous Jotunheimen region and lasted more than five hours. Kia said the prototype outperformed several production vehicles tested under the same conditions, though its results were not included in the official…

Czech automaker Skoda has released the first technical specifications of its upcoming fully electric Epiq, outlining three powertrain variants as the brand prepares to unveil the compact model in the first half of 2026. The Epiq will be offered with outputs ranging from 85 kilowatts to 155 kilowatts, combining two battery chemistries and three performance levels. The entry-level Epiq 35 produces 85 kW, while the Epiq 40 delivers 99 kW. Both versions use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with a gross capacity of 38.5 kilowatt-hours and a WLTP range of up to 315 kilometres. The range-topping Epiq 55 features…

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar said it has expanded its public charging offering in Europe, providing drivers access to more than 28,000 Plug & Charge–compatible charging stations and fully integrating Tesla Superchargers into the Polestar Charge app. Plug & Charge technology allows vehicles to automatically authenticate and process payments when connected to a charger, removing the need for cards or third-party apps. Polestar said the feature is offered as a complimentary benefit for Polestar Charge users and is now available at more than 28,000 charging points across Europe, including networks operated by Ionity, Allego and others. See also: Polestar Secures…

Oslo, the world’s most electric car–dense capital, is set to overhaul how drivers pay for public AC charging, shifting from a predominantly time-based system to one centred on energy consumption while retaining a time-linked parking fee to keep charging points available. The city council this week approved the change, which is expected to take effect in autumn 2026, according to Norway’s electric vehicle association. The move follows years of criticism from EV drivers who argued that paying by the minute unfairly penalised vehicles that charge more slowly. See also: Oslo Raises Toll Charges for Diesel Trucks to Spur Shift to…

Jaguar has begun winter testing of prototypes of its upcoming all-electric four-door “Luxury GT,” sending camouflaged vehicles to the Arctic Circle as part of what the company described as its most comprehensive development programme to date. The British carmaker said the cold-weather and calibration tests on frozen lakes in Sweden are designed to validate the vehicle’s driving systems and thermal management under extreme conditions, ahead of the model’s global premiere scheduled for summer 2026. See also: Jaguar Land Rover Hack Costs UK Economy Estimated £1.9 Billion, Report Says Images released by Jaguar show the four-door GT adopting proportions aligned with…

New electric car registrations in Norway fell sharply in January following a year-end surge driven by tax changes, but battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) continued to dominate the market, accounting for 94% of new passenger car registrations, industry data showed. According to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), just 2,218 new passenger cars were registered across all powertrains in January, a decline of 76.7% from the same month a year earlier. Of those, 2,084 were battery-electric vehicles, down in absolute terms but maintaining a near-record market share. See also: Lucid Air Grand Touring Tops Norway Winter EV Test With 520-Km Run…

Electric vehicle maker Polestar said on Monday it has secured a $400 million equity investment from Feathertop Funding Limited, a special purpose entity consolidated by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered, as the Swedish automaker works to strengthen its finances amid a broader slowdown in EV demand. The latest funding follows a $300 million equity investment in December from BBVA and Natixis, as well as a loan agreement of up to $600 million with Polestar’s majority owner, Geely Holding. See also: Polestar Posts 27% Rise in Fourth-Quarter Sales as Europe Becomes Core Market “Following the new equity financing and…