Author: Jonathan Collins

General Motors, EVgo and Pilot Co. said on Monday their joint electric vehicle fast-charging network has surpassed 200 locations across nearly 40 U.S. states, marking the installation of almost 850 stalls in just over two years. The expansion brings chargers to new regions including Colorado, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, with significant growth across Texas, Missouri and Florida. Many of the sites are located in rural counties, where charging options remain limited. The chargers are deployed at Pilot and Flying J travel centers, giving drivers access to amenities such as Wi-Fi, restaurants and convenience stores.…

Hesai Technology, a leading supplier of lidar sensors, showcased its next-generation ETX and FTX systems at the IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich on Tuesday, setting new benchmarks for long-range detection and blind-spot coverage in autonomous vehicles. Mass production of both products is scheduled for 2026. The ETX is positioned as Hesai’s flagship automotive-grade lidar, designed for Level 3 and Level 4 self-driving systems. It features an 800-channel count, a 400-metre detection range at 10% reflectivity, and a fine resolution of 0.05° × 0.025°. The sensor is built on the company’s fourth-generation platform, which incorporates Photon Vector Technology to improve…

Rimac Technology unveiled a series of innovations in battery and drive systems at the IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich on Monday, including a solid-state battery developed with ProLogium and the Mitsubishi Chemical Group. The Croatian company, a subsidiary of Rimac Group, presented what it described as next-generation solutions designed for large-scale production. “What we’re showcasing at IAA represents the convergence of breakthrough innovation and production readiness,” said Nurdin Pitarević, Rimac Technology’s chief operating officer. “These aren’t simply concept technologies; they’ve been developed to be production-ready solutions that will power hundreds of thousands of vehicles in the coming years.” The…

Hyundai unveiled the Concept Three at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, offering the first preview of its upcoming Ioniq 3 compact electric car, a model expected to sit alongside the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 in the company’s European lineup. The 4.29-metre-long concept is roughly the size of Volkswagen’s ID.3 and is based on Hyundai Motor Group’s 400-volt E-GMP platform, already used in Kia’s EV3 and EV4. The platform supports two battery options, 60.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh, with up to 160 kW front-wheel drive. An all-wheel-drive variant could follow, with Hyundai suggesting a sportier performance version is possible.…

Pony.ai said on Friday it has partnered with Qatar’s state-owned transport operator Mowasalat to deploy Robotaxis on public roads in Doha, marking a step towards integrating driverless technology into the country’s transport system. The initiative, part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 strategy for sustainable development, will begin with testing vehicles under supervision of safety operators. The project will adapt Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology to Qatar’s road infrastructure, weather conditions, and traffic dynamics. “This deployment with Pony.ai marks a significant milestone in our journey towards realizing Qatar’s National Vision 2030,” said Mowasalat CEO Ahmed Hassan Al-Obaidly. He added the initiative “contributes…

Skoda has outlined more details of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV, the Epiq, which will sit beneath the Elroq and Enyaq in the brand’s lineup. Measuring 4.1 metres (161.4 inches) in length, the compact model is similar in size to the Fabia hatchback and slightly larger than the Indian-market Kylaq, making it Skoda’s smallest electric vehicle to date. Production will take place at Volkswagen’s Navarra facility in Spain, with sales scheduled to begin in mid-2026. The Epiq is the first vehicle to fully adopt Skoda’s Modern Solid design language, which will shape future models. Styling features include a “Tech-Deck” front…

Turkey’s Togg and NIO’s Firefly have secured five-star ratings in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests, underscoring growing competition in the electric vehicle (EV) market as newcomers achieve safety results on par with established automakers. Togg’s first two European models, the T10F electric saloon and T10X electric SUV, both achieved maximum safety scores. The T10F recorded a 95% rating for Adult Occupant protection, while the T10X achieved 94%. Both models also received 85% in Child Occupant testing and delivered strong results in pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as driver assistance systems. Founded in 2018, Togg began production…

Lucid has reduced lease costs for its 2025 Air Pure sedan, making the luxury electric vehicle less expensive to lease than Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range AWD despite a higher sticker price. The offer runs through the end of September. The Air Pure can now be leased for $509 a month over 36 months, with $1,889 due at signing, resulting in an effective monthly cost of $561. That marks a reduction from the previous effective cost of $589 after Lucid lowered the upfront payment by nearly $1,000. In comparison, Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range AWD carries an effective monthly lease…

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has reported a breakthrough in its BALIS project, reaching more than one megawatt of output from both fuel cells and an electric motor for the first time. The milestone marks a step forward in developing hydrogen-powered electric drives for aviation, shipping, and heavy transport. The BALIS initiative, based in Mengen in Germany’s Black Forest, is establishing a modular test field for fuel cell systems capable of delivering up to 1.5 megawatts. Researchers said the achievement demonstrates the progress of large-scale hydrogen fuel cell systems that are not yet commercially available. “This is an important milestone…

More than 150 executives from Europe’s electric car sector have urged the European Union to stick to its 2035 zero-emission target for cars and vans, warning that any delay could undermine momentum in the shift to electric vehicles and erode investor confidence. In a letter released on Monday, signatories including Volvo Cars and Polestar argued that postponing the deadline would risk “stalling Europe’s EV market, handing an advantage to global competitors and eroding investor confidence.” The push reflects growing divisions within the industry. At the end of August, the heads of the European automobile manufacturers’ and suppliers’ associations wrote separately…

Schaeffler has started volume production of its high-voltage inverter brick at its Tianjin site in China, supplying a leading domestic carmaker as part of its push to expand in electric vehicle technology. The inverter brick, a core power electronics subassembly, converts logic signals into high-frequency current pulses that drive an EV’s motor. Schaeffler said the unit supports battery voltages above the typical 800-volt range and can deliver root mean square (RMS) currents of up to 650 amperes. “Through our strategic approach of incorporating scalability and modularity into our e-mobility solutions – from individual components to a highly integrated electric axle…

Stuttgart’s public transport operator SSB has opened a new charging hub for electric buses at its Möhringen depot, a step towards the city’s goal of electrifying all central bus routes by 2027. The installation, put into service on September 4, includes 28 charging points with a capacity of up to 180 kW each. Daimler Buses acted as general contractor, working with Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH, Omexom and Power Electronics. The state of Baden-Württemberg supported the project with around €13 million under the German Municipal Transport Financing Act (LGVFG). “The construction of the charging infrastructure for SSB in the immediate vicinity…