Author: Jonathan Collins

Mercedes-Benz Vans said on Monday it is introducing autonomous robotics at its Düsseldorf plant to cut energy losses, improve maintenance and automate routine tasks. The German automaker said its four-legged robot “Aris” detects compressed air leaks and noise anomalies in production systems, helping to prevent failures and reduce energy consumption. “For example, it can automatically carry out the routine inspection of analogue gauges of certain systems and machines. The data is recorded and can finally be evaluated as easily as possible,” the company said, adding that such measures can lower costs “in the six-digit range.” The robo-dog is capable of…

Tesla has recalled more than 7,000 Model Y vehicles in Australia due to a safety concern with the driver-side window automatic protection system. The recall affects 7,301 examples of the 2025 Model Y, covering all variants of the SUV. Authorities noted that the system may fail to detect obstructions, potentially causing the window to close with excessive force, increasing the risk of injury. Tesla confirmed that vehicles already running software version 2025.26.6 or later are not affected. Owners can check their software version through the infotainment display by navigating to Controls > Software. The automaker plans to address the problem…

Budapest Transport Authority (BKK) has selected Electrobus Europe, a Chinese-Hungarian consortium working with Yutong, to supply up to 160 new battery-powered trolleybuses, the company said on Monday. The deal covers both solo and articulated variants, although only an initial batch of 40 vehicles has secured funding so far. Electrobus Europe, which partners with Hungarian bus maker Ikarus and Chinese manufacturer Yutong, won the contract after submitting what BKK described as the most economically advantageous bid. Rival offers came from Solaris, Skoda and the Bozankaya-Medcom consortium of Turkey. In the final round, the consortium beat Bozankaya after other competitors were eliminated.…

Deere & Co has acquired 100% of GUSS Automation, a maker of autonomous agricultural sprayers, expanding its push into robotic farm equipment as demand for automation rises amid labor shortages and higher crop production costs. The GUSS battery-powered autonomous sprayer was unveiled at the 2024 World Ag Expo in Tulare, California, which John Deere described as “the world’s first and only fully electric autonomous herbicide orchard sprayer.” The machine uses a 63 kWh Kreisel battery pack and can operate for 10 to 12 hours between overnight Level 2 charges, according to the company. Julien Le Vely, director of production systems…

Volvo Buses said it has received its first order in Brazil for electric articulated and double-articulated buses, securing a deal to supply 21 vehicles to Goiânia, the capital of Goiás state. The order includes 16 articulated and five double-articulated buses, which will operate on the city’s east-west Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. The new vehicles are based on Volvo’s BZRT electric chassis, developed specifically for BRT systems. “It is with great satisfaction that we announce this important sale for one of the main BRT-systems in Brazil. The city of Goiânia takes a major step toward decarbonizing public transport by adopting…

Norwegian electric vehicle (EV) charging company Easee said it has sold one million chargers worldwide, with the landmark unit being its new Charge Pro model, a 22-kilowatt system designed for fleet depots, apartment blocks and commercial car parks. Founded in 2018, the company designs and manufactures its chargers in Norway. The Charge Pro supports both single- and three-phase installations, comes with MID certification for precise billing, and includes features such as load balancing and dynamic phase management to optimise grid use. Easee said the new model is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) ready, allowing it to support future applications where EVs can return…

Tesla reported lower China-made vehicle sales in August, marking another month of weak performance for its Shanghai operations, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The U.S. automaker sold 83,192 vehicles in August, including domestic deliveries and exports, down 4.04% from 86,697 units a year earlier. Sales rose 22.55% from July’s 67,886 units. From January to August, Tesla China delivered 515,552 vehicles, a 12.24% decline year-on-year. Tesla has faced consistent sales pressure in China since late 2024, with monthly volumes falling year-on-year in every month except June. The Shanghai plant produces the Model 3 sedan and Model…

German startup Hyperdrives said it has raised €3 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to develop its patented cooling technology for electric motors and prepare for large-scale production. The Munich-based company said the financing, led by Rethink Ventures with participation from First Momentum Ventures, SDAC, Acequia Capital, 2100 Ventures, Prototype Capital and several angel investors, will be used to validate service life according to automotive standards and expand manufacturing readiness. Hyperdrives, which describes its technology as a “turbocharger for electric drives,” has developed waveguide cooling that directs coolant through copper conductors to dissipate heat at the source. “The result is…

Renault said on Monday it has appointed former Mercedes-Benz executive Katrin Adt as managing director of its budget brand Dacia, part of a broader management reshuffle under new chief executive François Provost. Adt, who succeeds Denis Le Vot, previously led the Smart brand, headed Mercedes-Benz Own Retail Europe, and most recently served as vice president of corporate audit at Mercedes-Benz. Renault said Le Vot, once considered among the frontrunners for the group’s top job, will now leave the company. The French carmaker also named Fabrice Cambolive, currently head of the Renault brand, to the newly created position of chief growth…

Zeekr Group said on Monday it delivered 44,843 vehicles in August, up 10.6% from a year earlier and 1.5% higher than July, as stronger sales at Lynk & Co offset weaker performance at the Zeekr brand. Deliveries for the Zeekr brand fell 2.2% year-on-year to 17,626 units but rose 3.8% from July. Lynk & Co delivered 27,217 vehicles in August, up 20.8% from a year earlier and roughly unchanged from July’s 27,216. From January to August, the group delivered 333,913 vehicles, up 14.6% from the same period last year. Zeekr brand deliveries in the first eight months totaled 125,343 units,…

Source has joined OVO’s charging network, giving OVO Charge customers direct access to the company’s ultra-rapid hubs across the UK. The roaming deal integrates 150 kW chargers into OVO’s platform of more than 50,000 public charge points, extending services to both private drivers and fleets. The agreement allows OVO Energy customers to access Source’s hubs through the OVO Charge app or card without additional registration. The integration also applies to fleet managers and drivers using OVO’s existing platform. Source said its infrastructure targets uptime above 99% and is supported by AI-driven site monitoring to ensure reliability. Source plans to capture…

Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, the Ioniq 9, is recording stronger-than-anticipated early sales, reflecting robust interest in larger electric vehicles amid a competitive market. Since its launch in February, the model has sold 14,391 units globally, with 4,745 units in South Korea and 9,646 units in international markets. In the United States, where the Ioniq 9 went on sale in May, Hyundai has sold 2,086 units. Industry analysts noted that, despite its higher price point and the crowded electric SUV segment, the model appears to be exceeding initial expectations, particularly as consumers rush to take advantage of the federal EV…

Henrik Fisker, founder of bankrupt electric vehicle startup Fisker Inc., and his wife Geeta quietly closed their private charitable foundation late last year, according to tax filings. The Geeta & Henrik Fisker Foundation, created in 2021 to “incubate innovation in healthcare, education, sustainability, mobility, and all causes that help support the planet and improve and further the lives of people and animals,” filed its final return with the Internal Revenue Service in December 2024, six months after Fisker Inc. went bankrupt. The filing was made public earlier this year. Over its three-year existence, the foundation awarded about $100,000 in grants,…

Volkswagen has increased the lease discount on its 2025 ID.Buzz electric van by 40% to $10,500, making the vintage-inspired model more affordable for U.S. customers. The adjustment lowers effective monthly lease payments by $90, bringing the cost down to $589 per month on a 36-month contract for the Pro S trim. Customers are required to pay $5,999 at signing, which covers a $4,711 down payment, the first month’s lease, and a $699 acquisition fee. No security deposit is required, but applicants must qualify through Volkswagen Financial Services. The lease incentive applies to new Pro S models across the U.S. (excluding…

Smart charging software provider ev.energy has partnered with energy data platform Volteras to enhance real-time management of electric vehicle (EV) charging, aiming to reduce costs for drivers, cut emissions, and support a more resilient power grid. The collaboration seeks to scale managed charging programs across the EV ecosystem by making secure, high-speed data streams widely accessible. Under the partnership, Volteras will integrate with more than 30 automakers, including Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, streaming EV telematics and energy data every five seconds. This information — covering elements such as battery state and charging events — will allow ev.energy to expand its demand…

Aurora and McLeod Software said they have launched the first transportation management system (TMS) designed specifically for self-driving trucks, aiming to streamline operations and accelerate the adoption of autonomous freight technology. Beta testing of the platform is underway, with a full rollout to McLeod customers scheduled for 2026. The initiative combines Aurora’s autonomous driving technology with McLeod’s widely used TMS platform, allowing freight carriers to integrate autonomous trucks into their daily operations. The system will enable load tendering, dispatching, and real-time tracking of self-driving trucks through McLeod’s existing software, reducing the complexity of adoption for carriers. Aurora, listed on NASDAQ…

BASF said it has delivered cathode materials to China’s WeLion New Energy for use in semi-solid-state batteries, marking the German chemical group’s first supply of such materials and a shift from concept to mass production within a year. The deliveries were made through BASF Shanshan Battery Materials (BSBM), a joint venture with Shanshan established in 2021 in which BASF holds a majority stake. BASF said its nickel-rich NCM cathode material, developed with a composite coating layer, was designed to address interface challenges between cathode active materials and solid electrolytes, enhancing energy density, stability, and cycle life. “This collaboration marks a…

Japanese commercial vehicle maker Isuzu said on Friday it has begun building a dedicated test track for fully automated buses and trucks in Hokkaido, with operations expected to start in September 2027. The site will serve as Isuzu’s central hub for developing Level 4 autonomous driving technologies. The facility, located at the company’s Isuzu Hokkaido Proving Ground in Mukawa, will be Japan’s first test course of its kind. Isuzu said it is investing around 7.4 billion yen ($49 million) to create a 190,000-square-metre site with simulated city streets, motorway access points and rural roads, equipped with traffic infrastructure to reproduce…

Dutch EV charging platform provider Deftpower said on Friday it has raised €12.5 million in a financing round led by Endeit Capital, with participation from existing backers Proeza Ventures, 4impact Capital, Rethink Mobility and angel investor Jan Fredriks. The company said the fresh capital will be used to further develop its artificial intelligence-based charging platform, designed to optimize charging sessions by shifting electricity demand to times when renewable energy is more abundant and prices are lower. Deftpower said its technology can move as much as two-thirds of charging activity from peak to off-peak hours, helping to cut costs for drivers,…

Octopus Energy’s EV charging platform, Electroverse, has launched a new payments card for fleets in partnership with Visa, aimed at consolidating charging costs and on-road expenses into a single platform. The “Business Payments Card” allows fleet drivers to pay not only for charging but also for tolls, meals, car washes and other travel-related costs. It is powered by Visa’s Fleet 2.0 platform, which expands beyond traditional fuel payments to incorporate EV charging, tolls, public transit and micromobility services. “We’ve made charging simple for drivers – now we’re making the whole fleet experience just as easy for Britain’s six million fleet…