Author: Jonathan Collins

The Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) has activated a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system that allows its electric school buses to feed power back into the electric grid during high-demand periods. Developed in partnership with The Mobility House, this project leverages the district’s electric bus fleet to bolster community energy resilience and reduce operational costs. The system uses The Mobility House’s ChargePilot® technology to manage bidirectional charging, enabling buses to discharge electricity during emergency events notified by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) through the Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP). This first phase includes multiple chargers and smart charge management that balances vehicle…

Siemens has made a strategic investment in Emporia Energy, becoming a part shareholder in the smart home energy management company. The collaboration seeks to advance the Inhab® platform, providing homeowners with tools to monitor and manage their energy usage more effectively as residential electrification increases. The partnership builds on previous cooperation between the two companies, including the launch of the Inhab® Energy Monitor. This device offers real-time insights into home energy consumption, covering appliances, electric vehicle chargers, and solar power generation, helping users optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Jacob Middleton, Head of Residential Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA,…

Renault’s China-based R&D team is developing a new range of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) on Geely’s GEA platform, with production aimed at overseas markets including Southeast Asia and Latin America, AutoPix reported. The collaboration could mark the first external supply of Geely’s latest vehicle architecture. The upcoming models will be SUV-type vehicles available in both pure electric and plug-in hybrid variants. While Renault will design the vehicle bodies, the chassis and core architecture will be based on Geely’s Galaxy brand models, a move intended to reduce costs and speed up development timelines. The GEA platform currently underpins Geely’s flagship Galaxy…

BMW is promoting its i5 eDrive40 electric sedan in the United States with a lease offer that could reduce monthly payments to as low as $499. The deal, available until September 30, includes a $9,900 lease credit, combined with dealer contributions and capitalized cost reductions. The 36-month lease arrangement features a $9,900 credit alongside a suggested $3,500 dealer contribution and a $4,225 capitalized cost reduction, allowing qualified applicants to lease the single-motor rear-wheel-drive sedan with payments starting at $499 per month. According to BMW, some lessees may not be required to provide a security deposit. Lessees have the option to…

Ford Motor Co said on Monday it will launch a new midsize electric pickup built on its Universal EV Platform, aiming to offer lower ownership costs than a Tesla Model Y and more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4, with a starting price of around $30,000. The upcoming electric pickup will be assembled at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant and is part of the company’s broader strategy to introduce affordable electric vehicles designed to optimize efficiency and reduce costs, the company said. https://twitter.com/jimfarley98/status/1954906020494397497 “We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable electric vehicles that delight customers in…

A new study by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has revealed significant differences between the official range figures of electric vehicles (EVs) and their actual performance in real-world driving, with some models delivering considerably less than advertised. The government-funded four-year testing program assessed five EV models from various brands on a standardized driving route. All five recorded shorter driving ranges than their official claims, though the scale of the shortfall varied greatly between models. See also: MIT Study Finds Dynamic Speed Control at Intersections Could Cut Carbon Emissions by Up to 22% The largest gap was observed in the BYD…

Polestar has announced an expansion of its retail network in Australia, including the opening of a new test drive and handover centre in Canberra. The move aims to improve accessibility for buyers in a key Australian market as the company continues its global shift toward active selling. Since January 2025, Polestar has added five new retail locations across South Australia, regional Victoria, and western Sydney. The new Canberra centre is expected to facilitate both online and in-store customer experiences. See also: Polestar 3 Gains Abbey Road Studios Audio Mode in New Software Update Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard said…

Leapmotor, a Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer backed by Stellantis, has introduced a dedicated car carrier to support its growing international business. The move comes as the company accelerates exports to Europe and expands its presence in overseas markets. The vessel, named “Grande Tianjin,” was delivered in Shanghai in collaboration with the Grimaldi Group, a multinational logistics firm specializing in maritime transport. Built for vehicle shipments, the carrier is capable of transporting more than 2,500 Leapmotor electric vehicles to Europe in a single voyage. Grimaldi has been providing Leapmotor with steady shipping capacity since 2022, enabling monthly transport of…

SoftBank is reportedly the buyer of the former General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, previously owned by Foxconn, Bloomberg News said. The Japanese conglomerate plans to use the site to build AI servers as part of the Stargate data center project with OpenAI and Oracle. The sale was announced by Foxconn last week, with the buyer identified only as “Crescent Dune LLC,” a Delaware entity formed in late July. “Neither company immediately responded to requests for comment,” according to the report. The deal also includes electric vehicle manufacturing equipment that had been inside the facility. It remains uncertain how the…

Berlin’s public transport operator BVG has begun construction of a new electric bus depot in Marienfelde, part of the city’s broader effort to expand zero-emission public transport infrastructure. The site on Säntisstraße is scheduled for completion in 2027 and will accommodate up to 220 electric buses. The new depot will include two workshop halls, an administration building, and 209 overnight charging points capable of up to 150 kW, along with nine ultra-fast charging stations offering up to 450 kW. BVG also plans to install a transfer station, inverter stations, and charging masts to support future electric double-decker buses. The project…

Kenyan electric bus manufacturer BasiGo has deployed 100 electric buses across Kenya and Rwanda and aims to increase that number to 1,000 by 2027, aligning with the Kenyan government’s broader eMobility goals. The company began series production of its flagship nine-metre E9 Kubwa electric bus in Kenya in 2024. Designed for urban transport, the bus accommodates up to 54 passengers and incorporates a 210 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery supplied by China’s CATL. BasiGo claims the bus can travel up to 400 kilometres daily with a fast-charging stop, taking less than two hours to fully recharge. “We shall be…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr plans to update four of its existing models and introduce two new SUVs by the end of the year, in a bid to improve transparency over product changes and strengthen its position in the market. The Geely-owned brand said it will roll out upgrades to the Zeekr X compact EV, Zeekr 007 sedan, Zeekr 001 shooting brake, and Zeekr 7X SUV in the fourth quarter. The Zeekr X update, scheduled for September or later in the year, will add the company’s Golden Battery – a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack first unveiled in December 2023…