Author: Jonathan Collins

Tesla is laying the groundwork for operations in Colombia, signaling its second official expansion into South America after launching in Chile earlier this year. The U.S. electric vehicle maker has posted at least 10 job openings across Colombia in the past week, covering roles such as associate sales manager, Tesla advisor for sales and delivery, service technician, and service advisor. Similar hiring efforts were seen in Chile several months before Tesla opened its first retail location there. https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1970234178995151271 The listings include positions in Bogotá, the capital, and Medellín, one of Colombia’s largest metropolitan areas, suggesting Tesla plans to establish a…

Wrightbus has carried out its first conversion of a diesel truck to electric, widening its repowering business beyond buses in an effort to speed up electrification in the transport sector. The vehicle, a 19-tonne twin-axle DAF truck, was retrofitted by Wrightbus’s NewPower division, which was launched in 2023 to electrify existing diesel buses. According to the company, the truck “was chosen for its remarkably similar duty cycle DNA to a bus – urban deliveries with fixed routes and back-to-base.” The conversion adapted the Wrightbus battery-electric powertrain, with more than 90% of parts shared with its bus platform. Engineers fitted the…

Japanese construction equipment maker Komatsu has joined forces with autonomous driving startup TIER IV and digital solutions firm EARTHBRAIN to develop automated dump trucks for civil engineering and quarry sites in Japan, with practical deployment targeted by fiscal 2027. The initiative will focus initially on Komatsu’s HM400 articulated dump truck with a 40-ton payload and the larger HD785 rigid dump truck with a 93.9-ton payload. The companies said future expansion could include additional vehicle models and potential applications in industries such as steel mills and industrial plants. TIER IV will provide its Autoware open-source autonomous driving software, already tested in…

Taiwanese computer hardware maker Micro-Star International (MSI) has entered the electric vehicle (EV) charging market with the launch of its EV Life and EV Life Plus chargers, targeting both residential and commercial users. The chargers, part of MSI’s new EVSE product line, offer up to 14.4 kilowatts of power delivery and support both Type 1 (SAE J1772) and Tesla’s NACS connectors. Prices start at $449, with the company providing a five-year warranty upon registration. MSI said the EV Life model features app-based controls for scheduling and tracking charging sessions, while the EV Life Plus adds RFID authentication, Wi-Fi and Ethernet…

Nio said it will start trial operations of its first fifth-generation battery swap stations in China by the end of this year, before a wider deployment in 2025, as the electric vehicle maker seeks to expand its charging and swapping infrastructure while reducing capital expenditure. The new sites will be operational by Christmas, with capacity increasing by about 20% compared with the current fourth-generation stations, Nio co-founder and president Qin Lihong told media during a roundtable in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Qin added that the company plans to provide further details on the next-generation swap stations at a later event. Nio currently…

Scania has launched a new business unit, Scania Industrial Batteries, to strengthen its electrification push in industrial off-road applications such as mining, construction and material handling. The move follows Scania’s acquisition and carve-out of Northvolt Systems’ Industrial Division in April 2025, enabling the Swedish transport solutions company to deliver fully integrated electric systems to global customers. Scania said the new unit will offer battery systems, electric motors, software, connectivity and support services. Two product platforms, Core and Compact, provide modular battery packs ranging from 21 to 624 kilowatt-hours and up to 1,000 volts, either as complete powertrains or standalone systems…

Tesla has received approval from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to begin testing autonomous vehicles on public roads, expanding its robotaxi validation program beyond California, Texas and Nevada. ADOT confirmed on Friday that Tesla submitted the required self-certification documents outlining its testing plans. The authorization allows vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to be tested under the supervision of safety drivers, ensuring human oversight during early trials. https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1969202176477003849 The approval does not extend to operating a transportation network company or ridesharing service, which would require separate permits. For now, Tesla’s activities in Arizona will be limited…

Onvo, the mass-market sub-brand of Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO), has launched an updated version of its L60 SUV as the model marks its first anniversary. The updated L60 is now available for locked-in orders via Onvo’s mobile app, with deliveries set to begin in mid-to-late October. Pricing remains unchanged at RMB 206,900 ($29,080) for the base model with a 60-kWh battery pack. Under the Battery as a Service (BaaS) plan, the starting price is RMB 149,900 with monthly rental fees beginning at RMB 599. Onvo said the L60 has been upgraded in energy efficiency, range, smart cockpit features and comfort.…

Bosch said on Wednesday its development team for the fuel cell power module (FCPM) has been nominated for Germany’s Deutscher Zukunftspreis, a national innovation award, recognizing its work on hydrogen-powered trucks that aim to cut emissions while matching diesel in range and refueling times. The nominated team – Christoffer Uhr, Kai Weeber and Pierre Andrieu – developed Bosch’s most complex system to date, comprising more than 1,000 parts. The FCPM enables long-haul trucks to operate with zero carbon emissions when fueled with green hydrogen, offering up to 1,000 km of driving range and fast refueling. Production is underway in Stuttgart-Feuerbach,…

Xiaomi is broadening the availability of its Electric Scooter 5 Plus across Europe, with the model now officially on sale in France and Italy following its launch in the UK in late August. The expansion highlights the company’s efforts to strengthen its position in the region’s competitive e-mobility market. The Electric Scooter 5 Plus is priced at €549.99 in both France and Italy, placing it above the entry-level Electric Scooter 5 and the mid-range Electric Scooter 5 Pro, but slightly below the flagship Electric Scooter 5 Max. French customers are being offered a 10% promotional discount, reducing the price to…

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) said it will provide $20 million in grants through two programs aimed at advancing electric transportation, including the replacement of diesel school buses and the installation of public charging stations. The Electric School Bus Grant Program will allocate $10 million to school districts and bus service contractors to replace older diesel buses with electric models. According to NJDEP, overburdened school districts may receive up to $350,000 per bus and charging station, while other applicants are eligible for up to $320,000. The remaining $10 million will go toward the EV Charging Grant Program,…

Tesla is developing a redesign of its vehicle door handles following a U.S. federal probe into their reliability, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen said in an interview on Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuit podcast. Currently, Tesla vehicles feature two ways to open doors from inside: an electronic button, which the company recommends for normal use, and a mechanical release intended for emergencies. While the front-seat mechanical release is easily accessible, the rear-seat release is located under a cover in the door pocket, making it less intuitive. “The idea of combining the electronic one and the manual one together into one button, I…