Author: Jonathan Collins

Seattle’s King County Metro is advancing its electrification efforts with the addition of 120 Tesla Model Y vehicles to its vanpool fleet. The expansion will increase the share of electric vehicles in the fleet to nearly 10%, aligning with the agency’s broader goal to fully electrify its rideshare operations by 2030. “Vanpooling is similar to carpooling. Commuters share the driving and have a common schedule and route to work. With a Metro Vanpool, all costs are included in one low monthly fare,” King County Metro explained. The agency estimates that about 1,000 Metro vanpools operate daily, serving as a critical…

The US Department of Energy has released its updated list of electric vehicles eligible for the $7,500 tax credit starting January 1, 2025, under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The number of eligible models has decreased from 49 to 25, with prominent models like the VW ID.4, Rivian R1T and R1S, and Nissan Leaf no longer qualifying. In contrast, electric vehicles from Hyundai Group, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9, Kia EV6 and EV9, and Genesis Electrified G70, have secured eligibility for the full credit. Hyundai’s qualification stems from its recent investments in US manufacturing. Production at the…

A coalition of 16 states, led by California, along with environmental advocacy groups, has withdrawn a 2022 lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) over its plan to primarily purchase gasoline-powered next-generation delivery vehicles. The decision follows significant changes in USPS’s fleet strategy. Initially, USPS aimed for 90% of its new fleet to be gas-powered and 10% electric. However, the agency has since committed to acquiring a majority of electric vehicles (EVs). “Given USPS’s commitment to rebuild its fleet with a majority of electric vehicles, we decided to dismiss the lawsuit,” said the California attorney general’s office on Thursday. The…

Avatr Technology, the electric vehicle (EV) company backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, has successfully closed its Series C financing round, securing over RMB 11 billion (approximately $1.5 billion). The new round of funding will support Avatr’s ambitions to accelerate the development of future vehicle models, enhance brand recognition, and expand its presence in international markets. Avatr, which was originally founded as Changan Nio in 2018, plans to go public by 2026. This announcement was made by Avatr’s president, Chen Zhuo, on Weibo, marking the beginning of the company’s preparations for an initial public offering (IPO). As part of…

E-lixr, a burgeoning electric water taxi service founded by Sam Payrovi and Nathalie Paiva, has announced a pivot in its business strategy. Originally aiming to launch the first nationwide network of all-electric water taxis in the U.S., the company now intends to create a global network of electric waterborne operators. Through a unified platform, E-lixr will empower both new and existing fleet operators to modernize, decarbonize, and streamline their operations, facilitating a faster, more scalable transition to sustainable marine transport. Founded in 2023, E-lixr initially set out to test the waters with electric water taxis in Miami. The company rolled…

Tesla’s Chief Designer, Franz von Holzhausen, recently explained the reasoning behind the gold color choice for the company’s newly unveiled autonomous ride-hailing vehicle, the Cybercab, during an interview with the Petersen Automotive Museum. In the video shared on Tuesday, von Holzhausen discussed various features of the two-seat autonomous vehicle, which is currently on display at the museum in Los Angeles, California. According to von Holzhausen, the gold color was selected to represent a futuristic take on the iconic yellow of New York City’s traditional yellow taxis. “We chose the color gold, and it’s really a special color,” von Holzhausen said.…

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has sentenced a German-Canadian citizen to two years in prison for stealing trade secrets from Tesla to start a battery business in China, marking another development in the electric vehicle maker’s legal battles over intellectual property. Klaus Pflugbeil, who resides in China, was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to trade secret theft in June. The DOJ said Pflugbeil used proprietary battery manufacturing information from Tesla in his new business. “In stealing trade secrets from an American electric vehicle manufacturer to use in his own China-based company, Pflugbeil’s actions stood to benefit the (People’s…

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics announced it will provide up to €5 billion in subsidies over several years to support a semiconductor factory in Dresden, a joint project led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) alongside Bosch, Infineon, and NXP. This state aid constitutes roughly half of the factory’s €10 billion investment, with the remaining funding sourced from private contributions by the involved companies. The agreement, finalized between Germany’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (BMWK) and the companies, comes after the European Commission approved the funding under state aid rules in August 2024. The project aligns with the European Chips Act,…

Israeli semiconductor manufacturer VisIC Technologies and Austrian technology company AVL have announced a collaboration to develop advanced gallium nitride (GaN) inverters for electric vehicles (EVs). The new technology aims to surpass current silicon carbide (SiC)-based inverters in both performance and cost-effectiveness, offering improved energy efficiency, smaller form factors, and higher power density, which can ultimately reduce production costs for automotive manufacturers. The GaN-based power semiconductors, developed by VisIC Technologies, are designed to deliver superior performance over traditional silicon and silicon carbide alternatives. According to the partners, GaN inverters provide higher efficiency, reduced sizes, and better energy savings, particularly when operating…

Australian firm Applied EV and Japanese automaker Suzuki have introduced the Blanc Robot, an autonomous vehicle (AV) without a cabin, designed for a variety of applications including last-mile deliveries and industrial tasks. The innovative design is the culmination of a collaboration that began in 2021 and was solidified in April 2023 through a Memorandum of Understanding. The Blanc Robot’s modular “tabletop” chassis can support multiple configurations, enhancing its adaptability. Applied EV claims the vehicle offers up to three times the operating duration of comparable human-driven alternatives, thanks to its electric powertrain. This efficiency promises cost savings and reduced carbon emissions,…

Archer Aviation announced on Thursday that it has raised $430 million in fresh capital, aimed at advancing its aerospace technology projects, including the development of a hybrid aircraft in partnership with defense tech company Anduril Industries. The equity offering attracted existing backers like United Airlines and Stellantis, as well as new investors such as Wellington Management and Abu Dhabi-based 2PointZero. The collaboration with Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey, targets a potential “program of record” acquisition from the Pentagon. While details about the aircraft’s specifications, investment scale, and service entry timeline remain undisclosed, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein emphasized the partnership’s strategic…

China’s Geely and Baidu announced on Friday their commitment to assist their joint electric vehicle (EV) venture, Ji Yue Auto, in resolving disputes with employees over unpaid wages, social welfare, and severance payments. The statement, issued on both companies’ Weibo accounts, followed viral videos showing Ji Yue Auto CEO Xia Yiping being confronted at the company’s Shanghai headquarters by employees demanding overdue compensation. The turmoil at Ji Yue Auto underscores the difficulties faced by smaller EV startups in China’s competitive automotive market, which is experiencing intense price wars. Earlier this week, Ji Yue Auto revealed plans to seek fresh funding…