Author: Joshua Morris

Fleet operator Ayvens is teaming up with Plugsurfing to manage charging for 600,000 electric vehicles across 42 countries, starting with a white-label app in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, and the UK. Plans are in place to expand the service further across Europe. The app provides drivers with real-time availability and transparent pricing, with authentication via RFID or in-app options. For fleet operators, a portal enables card and driver management, monitoring of charging sessions across public, home, and workplace locations, spend control, policy compliance, and reporting at both country and operator levels. “Our collaboration with Plugsurfing allows us to…

Dacia is expanding the powertrain options for its Duster and Bigster models with the introduction of the Hybrid-G 150 4×4, a bi-fuel LPG hybrid system that the company said is a world first combining hybrid technology, LPG fuel, and all-wheel drive. The new system will be available on both models by the end of the year. The Hybrid-G 150 4×4 pairs a 103 kW (140 hp) 1.2-litre 48V mild-hybrid engine on the front axle with a 23 kW peak (31 hp) electric motor on the rear axle. The combined output reaches 113 kW (154 hp) and 230 Nm of torque…

Volkswagen said it has begun limited series production of the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE, a special edition electric model built at its plants in Zwickau and Dresden, Saxony. The car, created in collaboration with sports fashion brand BOGNER FIRE+ICE, is a modern tribute to the Golf II Fire and Ice of the 1990s. Only 1,990 units of the vehicle will be produced, a reference to the year the original Golf II Fire and Ice was launched. “We are confident that this special edition will follow on seamlessly from the surprise success of the 1990s,” said Danny Auerswald, spokesman of the board…

Charging infrastructure operator Allego said it will enter the mobility services business through a partnership with Dutch AI-based charging provider Deftpower to build a new mobility service provider (MSP) platform. The company did not disclose a timeline or detailed plans but said the platform will combine Allego’s charging expertise with Deftpower’s software capabilities. “Our new MSP platform is being developed in partnership with Deftpower, combining Allego’s expertise in charging solutions with Deftpower’s scalable, flexible platform capabilities. The platform will bring innovations that make charging easier, more transparent, and more rewarding for EV drivers,” Allego said in a LinkedIn post. Jean…

Xpeng unveiled its next-generation P7 electric sedan in Europe on Tuesday, showcasing the vehicle ahead of the IAA Mobility 2025 auto show in Munich, as the Chinese automaker looks to strengthen its position in overseas markets. “The Next P7 makes its European premiere, right here in Munich — where stunning design meets cutting-edge technology to redefine electric driving,” Xpeng said in a statement on social media platform X. The company will hold a global livestream of the event on Sept. 8. The model, first launched in China on Aug. 27, features a redesigned exterior and integrates the company’s in-house developed…

ProLogium Technology, a Taiwanese battery developer, and France’s CEA research organisation are jointly developing a solid-state battery module designed for easy disassembly and recycling in automotive applications. The prototype will be presented at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich. The module features a non-welded structure, allowing individual cells to be accessed and recovered for recycling. This design supports efficient separation of materials such as electrolytes and electrodes, while maintaining compact dimensions and high performance. The approach follows a “Design-for-Disassembly” principle, enabling cells to be replaced individually without dismantling the entire pack. ProLogium said conventional liquid batteries using cell-to-pack or cell-to-chassis designs…

Tesla’s newly launched Model Y L has seen a surge in demand in China, with orders exceeding 120,000 since its debut last month, according to a company salesperson in Beijing. The first batch of deliveries began this week, the representative added. “(The Model Y L) is selling very well. Since its launch, 120,000 orders have been received, with nearly 10,000 orders placed every day. The first batch of customers began receiving deliveries in the past two days,” the Tesla salesperson told Chinese outlet Cailianshe. China remains the world’s largest and most competitive electric vehicle (EV) market, where Tesla competes with…

General Motors will reduce output of two electric Cadillac SUVs at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, assembly plant, reflecting broader challenges in the U.S. EV market, Reuters reported on Thursday. The midsize Lyriq and the larger Vistiq will see production halted during December, according to sources familiar with the matter. Reuters cited internal communications to GM employees, which indicated the automaker also plans to significantly limit production of both models during the first five months of 2026 by temporarily laying off one of the plant’s two shifts. “General Motors is making strategic production adjustments in alignment with expected slower EV industry…

Audi has unveiled the Concept C, a fully electric two-seater sports car that introduces the brand’s new design language and is expected to enter production in 2027 with only minor changes. The model, presented ahead of the IAA Mobility show in Munich, is not intended as a successor to the Audi TT but as a distinct addition to the lineup. The most striking feature is the redesigned front, replacing Audi’s long-standing “single frame” grille with a narrower, upright “vertical frame” that spans the car’s height. Audi said the design “reinterprets the history of the brand,” recalling the 1936 Auto Union…

Eve Energy has started mass production of all-solid-state batteries as it inaugurated a new manufacturing base in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on September 2. The company said its “Longquan II” solid-state cell, designed for humanoid robots, low-altitude drones, and high-end AI equipment, rolled off the production line the same day. The Chengdu base covers 11,000 square meters and will be built in two phases. The first phase, scheduled for completion by December 2025, will produce 60-Ah batteries. The second phase, set for December 2026, is expected to provide an annual capacity of 100 MWh, according to Eve Energy. At full operation,…

Portsmouth is accelerating its transition to electric mobility with the installation of over 150 new on-street electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints across the city. The initiative, led by Portsmouth City Council in partnership with chargepoint operator Zest, represents the first phase of a wider plan to improve EV access for residents. The new chargepoints, mounted on lampposts and bollards, are designed to serve areas where off-street parking is limited. The rollout is funded through the UK government’s On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) and matched by Zest’s investment. City officials said the move is intended to prepare Portsmouth for a projected surge…

Kodiak Robotics, a developer of autonomous trucking technology, has received clearance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its registration statement in connection with its planned merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II (AACT), bringing the company closer to becoming publicly traded. A shareholder vote on the proposed business combination is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025. If approved and all closing conditions are met, the combined company plans to list on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbols “KDK” for its common stock and “KDKRW” for its warrants. Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak, said: “We are…

Hyundai has revealed its new compact electric vehicle concept, Concept THREE, providing a first look at the company’s Aero Hatch design ahead of the vehicle’s global premiere at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, Germany. The teaser image shows a dynamic side profile shaped by Hyundai’s Art of Steel design language, emphasizing sculpted surfaces and flowing character lines. The Aero Hatch body style is designed to reimagine the compact EV segment with a focus on proportion, motion, and precision. Simon Loasby, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center, said the concept aims to “capture a sense of flow and…

Volkswagen said on Wednesday it will abandon its current naming convention for electric cars and revive established model names, starting with the production version of its ID.2all concept, which will be launched as the ID. Polo. The change marks a shift away from the ID. plus number branding used for the carmaker’s electric models. Volkswagen brand chief Thomas Schäfer said the company will only apply iconic names such as Golf or Polo if future EVs can match the character of their combustion-engine predecessors. “The ID. Polo is just the beginning,” Schäfer said. The move opens the way for models such…

A research team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has developed a new electrochemical process that could make recycling lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries more economical, addressing a growing challenge as electric vehicle adoption accelerates. Recycling of traction batteries remains rare and costly despite their valuable raw materials. LFP batteries, used increasingly by automakers, have been considered less attractive to recycle than nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries because they contain iron and phosphorus rather than higher-value metals like nickel and cobalt. “At this point, there’s no economically compelling method to recover lithium from spent LFP batteries even though the market is…

The EU-backed Recirculate project has completed the first phase of developing an automated system for dismantling electric vehicle batteries, addressing what researchers describe as one of the industry’s most pressing bottlenecks. Led by Centria University of Applied Sciences in Finland, the project combines robotics and machine learning to disassemble battery packs down to the cell level. The team has built a robotic cell using a KUKA KR10 industrial robot on a mobile linear track, equipped with customised tools and a depth camera to detect and remove components from high-voltage packs. “There are approximately 50 screws on the lid alone,” said…

Norwegian charging technology company Zaptec has introduced the Zaptec Go 2 in the United Kingdom, describing it as the country’s first vehicle-to-grid (V2G)-ready AC charger designed for both residential and commercial use. The Go 2, now available to order, supports 3-phase charging at up to 22 kW and complies with ISO 15118, enabling plug-and-charge and bidirectional energy communication. While carmakers are still activating V2G functionality, Zaptec said the unit has been built to support the transition. The charger features dynamic load balancing to avoid grid upgrades, subscription-free 4G connectivity, OCPP 1.6J compliance for platform integration, and solar compatibility through energy…

Norway’s electric vehicle market continued its rapid expansion in August, with 13,482 new battery-electric cars registered, accounting for 97% of all new passenger car sales. The country has long held one of the highest electrification rates in the world, though the latest figures stand out even by local standards. “We have never seen such a high overall share of electric cars at the beginning of September, even though there have been individual months with a higher share,” said Øyvind Solberg Thorsen, Director of the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV). “Of the almost 14,000 new passenger cars in August, fewer…

LiveWire Group has launched a limited-time promotion that reduces prices across its entire S2 electric motorcycle lineup by several thousand dollars, as the Harley-Davidson spinoff looks to attract more riders to its premium models. Under the “Twist & Go” campaign, which runs through Oct. 31, 2025, the S2 Del Mar now starts at $9,999, the S2 Mulholland at $10,999, and the S2 Alpinista at $11,999. The models previously retailed in the $15,000 to $17,000 range, depending on trim and region, according to the company. LiveWire is also rolling out a free software update for its motorcycles that introduces two new…

Mercedes-Benz plans to discontinue its EQE and EQE SUV models next year as part of an internal review of its electric vehicle (EV) strategy, according to a report by Autocar. The decision comes amid low sales and a broader effort by the German automaker to streamline its EV lineup. The EQE was introduced at the 2021 Munich Motor Show, followed by the EQE SUV roughly a year later. Combined sales of the two models in the United States fell 39% in 2024 to 11,660 units, highlighting weaker-than-expected market performance. Prices for the EQE start at $64,950 and rise to $96,600…