Author: Jonas Berg

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…

Tesla has secured regulatory approval to begin testing its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in urban traffic in Sweden, marking a key step toward launching the technology in Europe. Sweden’s transport authority has authorised Tesla to test FSD (Supervised) version 14 within the municipality of Nacka, east of central Stockholm, allowing the system to operate on public city streets under supervision. The approval extends Tesla’s testing scope beyond controlled-access highways and into dense urban traffic for the first time in the country. See also: Tesla to End Model S and Model X Production as Focus Shifts to Robots and AI The…

Finnish fast-charging specialist Kempower has entered into a distribution and service partnership with fellow Finnish company Plugit, aiming to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for both passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks across the Nordic region. Under the agreement signed this month, Plugit will procure and deploy turnkey charging solutions from Kempower for its own charging parks as well as for third-party customers. The partnership covers sales, deployment and service of Kempower’s fast-charging technologies in multiple markets. The first phase of the collaboration has already resulted in 15 charging sites being commissioned in Finland. A key milestone was…

German electric vehicle charging operator Qwello has secured two contracts from the City of Copenhagen granting it the right to install and operate up to 140 public alternating current (AC) charging stations across multiple districts of the Danish capital. Under the agreements, Qwello will roll out chargers in areas including Stefansgade, Nørrebroparken, Lundtoftegade and Vesterbro Vest under one contract, while the second covers Bispebjerg, Gl. Sydhavn, Rosenvænget, and Svanemøllen Syd and Øst. Qwello said the contracts represent a milestone in its expansion across Northern Europe. See also: Qwello Secures Public Tender for 150 AC Charging Points in France’s Brittany Region…