Author: Joshua Morris

Tesla plans to begin offering public rides in its self-driving robotaxis on June 22, according to CEO Elon Musk, who made the announcement Tuesday on social media platform X. The long-awaited launch will mark a pivotal step in Tesla’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, with initial operations set to begin in Austin, Texas. “We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift,” Musk cautioned in a reply to a user asking about the timeline. He added that Tesla aims to expand the service to other U.S. states later this year, including California, where autonomous vehicle (AV) regulations remain among…

China’s electric vehicle (EV) exports jumped 19% year-on-year in the first five months of 2025, as the country’s broader trade momentum remained resilient, driven by strong overseas demand for equipment manufacturing products, official data showed on Monday. According to the General Administration of Customs, equipment manufacturing exports—including EVs, ships, industrial robots and construction machinery—totaled 6.22 trillion yuan (about $858 billion), up 9.2% from a year earlier. These goods accounted for 58.3% of China’s total exports from January to May. Leading the auto sector, Chery exported 250,800 vehicles during the period, followed by MG, owned by SAIC, with 168,700 units. Geely…

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a 15 mph (24 km/h) speed limit for e-bikes in response to growing public concern over safety risks posed by fast-moving electric bicycles, particularly in areas shared with pedestrians. The proposed cap aims to curb accidents as the city’s electric mobility sector—especially for deliveries—continues to expand rapidly. The new limit would bring NYC in line with European Union standards, where e-bikes are typically capped at 15.5 mph (25 km/h) and limited to 250-watt motors. https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1930447154717319625 However, Adams has not called for any power restrictions. While the reduced speed may be enforceable on…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Leapmotor has expanded its footprint in Europe, entering seven new markets over the past two weeks through partnerships supported by Stellantis. The company is now present in Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Bulgaria. The latest expansion brings Leapmotor’s total number of sales and service locations across Europe to 600. Stellantis said the growth was driven by “a series of strategic appointments and partnerships executed in line with Leapmotor’s European development plan.” Stellantis formed a joint venture with Leapmotor in 2023 after acquiring a 20% stake in the company for €1.5 billion.…

Rolec, a UK manufacturer of DC rapid and ultra-rapid charging equipment, has launched an updated version of its UltraCharge DC charging range in collaboration with Dutch design and engineering company EVbee. The partnership combines Rolec’s experience in the UK market with EVbee’s EV charging technology. The updated UltraCharge range includes four new models, offering power outputs from 40 kW up to over 1.6 MW to address a range of commercial and public sector applications. Enhancements include improved LCD screens, advanced cable management, reduced physical size, and simplified installation, with no increase in cost. The chargers support multiple connectivity options such…

Design firm LoveFrom, founded by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive, was involved in the development of an electric bike project at Rivian, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, TechCrunch reported on Friday. The collaboration took place over approximately 18 months and ended in late 2024. During that time, a small group of LoveFrom designers worked with Rivian’s internal skunkworks team, which was exploring compact electric vehicle concepts. The effort was led by Chris Yu, formerly chief product and technology officer at Specialized. The project has since spun out into a separate company named Also, which secured $105…

U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid Group has signed a new supply agreement with Graphite One to receive natural graphite sourced from Alaska, starting in 2028, as it continues efforts to secure a domestic battery material supply chain. The deal covers both Lucid and its battery cell suppliers and follows a 2023 agreement between the companies for synthetic graphite sourced from Graphite One’s planned facility in Ohio, also expected to come online in 2028. The new agreement is set to run for five years, with pricing “based on a price formula agreeable to both parties,” according to Graphite One. Graphite One…

Berlin-based roaming provider Hubject has partnered with Siemens subsidiary Heliox, Accelera by Cummins, and electric school bus manufacturer Blue Bird to launch the first commercial interoperable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging solution in the United States based on the ISO 15118-20 international standard. The initiative focuses on electric school buses that can not only draw electricity from the grid but also feed energy back, helping to stabilize demand fluctuations and create new income opportunities while vehicles are parked. The Heliox V2G-capable DC fast chargers used in the project meet ISO 15118-20 requirements, supporting secure and standardized bidirectional communication between vehicles and charging…

Logistics provider DHL Group, commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck, and emission-free vehicle rental firm Hylane have signed a cooperation agreement to deploy fully electric trucks in Germany, officials said on Tuesday. Under the partnership announced at the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich, DHL will operate 30 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric trucks via Hylane’s “transport as a service” model. Instead of purchasing the vehicles, DHL will be invoiced by Hylane based on the actual kilometres driven. The addition of the eActros 600s marks a strategic expansion for Hylane, which until now has focused exclusively on fuel cell electric trucks. Sara…

Global prices for lithium-ion battery packs dropped 20% in 2024, marking the sharpest decline since 2017, as increased production, intensifying competition, and surging demand reshaped the electric vehicle (EV) battery landscape, according to a new study by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The price decline is a crucial development for the future of EV affordability, as battery packs remain the most expensive component in electric vehicles. Automakers including Tesla, General Motors, Toyota and Ford have ramped up efforts to localize battery production, with varying levels of success, in a bid to bring costs down and reduce reliance on foreign supply…

Avatr Technology, the electric vehicle (EV) brand backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, launched in Hong Kong on May 29 as part of its continued international expansion. The company introduced its flagship Avatr 11 SUV to local consumers, offering two all-electric trims — Premium and Max — starting at HKD 513,800 (approximately $65,540) and HKD 608,800, respectively. Both variants are powered by ternary lithium batteries from CATL (SHE: 300750), with the Premium model featuring a 90-kWh battery and the Max version equipped with a 116-kWh pack. During the launch event, Avatr also showcased the Avatr 012, a luxury limited-edition…

Shell is building a high-capacity test centre for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Hamburg, focusing on megawatt charging for heavy-duty transport such as trucks, buses, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and electric ships. The first trials at the site are expected to begin by the end of 2025. The new facility, located at the Shell Technology Centre Hamburg, will support charging capacities of up to five megawatts, making it Germany’s most powerful test centre for heavy-duty EV infrastructure, according to the company. Shell said the centre will play a key role in advancing fast and efficient charging technologies to support…