Author: Jonathan Collins

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…

British sportscar maker Lotus said on Thursday it plans to cut up to 550 jobs across its business, as part of a restructuring plan aimed at aligning with current market conditions. The company, majority owned by China’s Geely, said the review of its business objectives prompted the decision. Automakers globally have faced mounting uncertainties, with shifting policies driving billions in additional costs for manufacturers. “We believe (the restructuring proposal) is necessary in order to secure a sustainable future for the company in today’s rapidly evolving automotive environment,” Lotus said in an emailed statement to Reuters. As part of the restructuring,…

Astemo, a joint venture between Hitachi, Honda and JIC Capital, will establish a new production line for next-generation electric vehicle inverters at its plant in Bolton, northern England, with output scheduled to begin in April 2027. The company said the investment will create or secure around 220 jobs and help “ensure a stable supply of electrification products for the UK and EU markets.” The project is being supported by Britain’s Automotive Transformation Fund, which backs the development of electric vehicle supply chains. Astemo described the inverters as “highly efficient, compact and lightweight” and designed to meet European market standards, with…

Hyundai Mobis on Wednesday presented a long-term growth strategy centered on robotics, semiconductors, electrification, and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), while pledging to improve profitability and expand its global customer base. At its 2025 CEO Investor Day in Seoul, the auto parts affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group shared its new vision of “leading the future mobility paradigm” with investors, analysts, and credit rating agencies. President and CEO Lee Gyu-suk said the company will concentrate on three strategic pillars: strengthening technology competitiveness, improving profitability, and broadening its international reach. “We will concentrate investment and R&D resources on future key technologies to secure new…

Los Angeles-based startup Robomart has introduced its latest autonomous delivery vehicle, the RM5, designed to reduce grocery delivery costs by as much as 70% by removing the human driver. The electric vehicle features 10 individual lockers, each capable of being chilled or heated, allowing it to deliver multiple parcels to different customers in a single trip. Each locker can carry up to 50 pounds (22.6 kg), giving the vehicle a total payload capacity of 500 pounds (226 kg). Robomart said customers will pay a flat $3 fee per order, significantly lower than typical service charges from competitors. By eliminating the…