Author: Joshua Morris

Chinese electric carmaker Nio is determined to forge ahead with its European expansion plans, undeterred by the looming uncertainty surrounding potential tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) by the European Union. Founder William Li affirmed the company’s commitment on Thursday as Nio inaugurated its first showroom in Amsterdam. “Electric vehicles are very important for the positive development of the environment; they should never be used as a political target,” Li told reporters at the showroom opening. See also: China FAW to Join Nio-Led Battery Swap Alliance  Despite the EU’s contemplation of imposing tariffs, Li emphasized that Nio would make “the most…

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refrained from committing to follow the United States’ recent move to significantly increase tariffs on battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) imported from China. On May 14, the same day the Biden administration announced a hike in existing U.S. tariffs on Chinese EVs from 27.5% to 102.5%, Trudeau attended the inauguration of a lithium-ion separator plant in Ontario. This facility is a key component of Canada’s strategy to develop a robust EV supply chain in the region. “We’re obviously closely monitoring what our closest trading partner, the United States, is doing,” Trudeau remarked regarding the U.S. tariff…

Toyota Motor is conducting tests on its new battery-electric Hilux pickup truck in Thailand to assess its performance under various conditions, as the company prepares to commence manufacturing of the vehicle in the country by the end of 2025. This move comes as Toyota aims to tap into Thailand’s critical pickup truck market, which accounts for more than half of total vehicle sales and faces increasing competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers. Pras Ganesh, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Asia, confirmed the company’s intention to produce the Hilux BEV in Thailand, stating, “Our intention is to be producing the…

Xpeng, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, has made a significant move into the French automotive market by launching its G9 and G6 SUVs. This expansion is part of the company’s V 2.0 strategy for internationalization, aimed at strengthening its presence beyond China. The Xpeng G9, the flagship SUV, is available in three variants in France – Standard Range, Long Range (rear-wheel drive), and Performance (4-wheel drive). The prices start at €59,990 ($64,960) for the Standard Range and go up to €73,990 for the Performance version. The G9 boasts a 78.2 kWh or 98 kWh battery capacity, with performance ranging…

Tevva Motors, a British electric vehicle startup, has taken a step towards securing its future by filing for the appointment of an insolvency administrator. The move is aimed at buying the company time to attract new investors while under creditor protection. This decision comes on the heels of Tevva’s failed merger attempt with Canadian vehicle manufacturer ElectraMeccanica around six months ago. Despite subsequent efforts to secure new investors and potential merger partners, no concrete agreements have been reached. The insolvency filing is seen as a strategic move to maintain operational flexibility and facilitate the search for new investors. In a…

Einride, the Swedish electric logistics company, and DP World, the Arabian port operator, are joining forces to electrify the movement of shipping containers at the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai. The partnership aims to save 14,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per year. Jebel Ali, the tenth-largest harbor in the world, will soon utilize Einride technology. The Einride Saga software will manage a fleet of heavy electric vehicles and a charging infrastructure, along with piloting projects for autonomous driving. This collaboration will electrify container flows between terminals in Jebel Ali Port, enhancing efficiency and sustainability in the port and marking…

Lucid Motors is gearing up to expand its electric vehicle lineup with the introduction of the “Earth” electric SUV, slated to arrive in 2026 as the company’s most affordable model yet. The Earth will follow the debut of the Gravity SUV, expected to hit the market later this year. The automaker recently filed trademark applications for the Earth nameplate, indicating its plans for a smaller, more budget-friendly electric SUV. Sized similarly to the Tesla Model Y, the Earth is anticipated to be competitively priced, with an entry-level cost expected to be below $50,000. Lucid’s CEO, Peter Rawlinson, confirmed the Earth’s…

Xiaomi has officially introduced the Electric Scooter 4 Pro (2nd Gen) in European countries, offering various improvements over its predecessor and a promotional discount for some customers. The new model, initially teased on the brand’s global website in March, boasts upgrades in motor power, range, and features. The Electric Scooter 4 Pro (2nd Gen) is equipped with a more powerful motor, delivering 1,000W peak power while maintaining a top speed of 25 kph (~16 mph) to comply with local regulations. Riders can choose between three modes for varying speed preferences. The scooter also features a 468Wh battery, providing an extended…

Tesla’s Director of Manufacturing Engineering at Gigafactory Texas, Renjie Zhu, announced his departure from the company this week. This latest resignation marks a continuation of recent staff changes at the electric vehicle manufacturer. Zhu revealed his decision to leave in a LinkedIn post on Monday, concluding a five-year tenure that included significant contributions in both Texas and China. Since January 2023, Zhu has overseen the launch and production ramp of the Cybertruck at the Texas facility. “After triumphing the epic launch of Cybertruck program and ramping the volume production line to the steady 1K/W throughput orbit for the past 16…

Archer Aviation, a company specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has reached a significant milestone with the completion of its high-volume battery manufacturing line. The San Jose, California, facility now houses a battery pack manufacturing line capable of producing 15,000 battery packs annually. Tom Muniz, Archer’s chief technology officer, emphasized the importance of this achievement, stating, “This is a major milestone for Archer as designing, developing and mass-producing electric propulsion systems that are purpose-built for electric aircraft is the key to unlocking the electrification of aviation.” The facility, which also includes a certification flight simulator and integrated…

Mitsubishi Motors has experienced a significant shift in its top earning market, with North America surpassing Southeast Asia just as the carmaker prepares to introduce an electric vehicle sourced from Nissan and a new mid-sized pickup truck. While Southeast Asia has historically been Mitsubishi’s most profitable region, challenges such as high interest rates and a strong Thai baht have impacted its local business. In contrast, favorable foreign exchange rates and the weakening of the Yen have bolstered its performance in North America. This change in fortunes aligns with Mitsubishi’s recent confirmation of new products in development for the North American…

Finnish retailer K-Lataus has joined forces with Kempower to enhance the fast charging infrastructure across Finland. This collaboration will see the K-Lataus charging network expand with over a hundred DC charging points strategically placed at key commercial locations for Kesko and along major highways. K-Lataus has selected Kempower chargers capable of delivering 400 kW, catering to a variety of vehicles. These chargers support 800 volts, aligning with the existing K-Lataus network. Iiro Määttänen from K-Auto, overseeing the K-Lataus charging network, noted, “As the total power of each new charging hub is at least 1600kW, we are able to guarantee fast…

Enteligent, a California-based solar EV charging technology company, is now accepting pre-orders for what it claims is the world’s first DC-to-DC solar-powered EV charger. The company unveiled its product, the TLCEV T1 solar EV charger, in February 2023 at Intersolar North America in Long Beach, California, and is now ready to take pre-orders. The TLCEV T1 charger is capable of supplying up to 12.5 kW of DC charging, which is twice as fast as many AC EV chargers. It enables at-home, at-work, and at-store charging directly powered by existing solar panels. Traditionally, EV owners plug their cars into home chargers…

In the BALIS 2.0 research and development project, a team led by H2FLY is spearheading efforts to create a fundamental fuel cell module for hydrogen-powered aviation, a crucial step toward realizing hydrogen-fueled regional aircraft with 40 to 80 seats. The federally funded BALIS 2.0 project, slated to run until 2026, is the successor to the BALIS project launched in early 2021, led by the DLR Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, which focused on fuel cell systems with an output of approximately 1.5 megawatts. The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) laid the groundwork for a test field at the Empfingen Innovation Campus in…

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has underscored the critical importance of training miles for the advancement of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. Despite the extensive coverage and excitement surrounding Tesla’s FSD, Musk revealed that only one out of every 10,000 miles driven with the system engaged is actually beneficial for training the neural net-based model. This revelation came in response to an investor discussion about FSD, where Musk highlighted that while Tesla and FSD are no longer constrained by AI training compute, the validation of driving circumstances now presents the most significant limitation to the system’s progress. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1787768103449010597 Tesla’s shift…

Tesla has announced plans to shut down its Gigafactory in Berlin for four days, raising questions about whether the closure is a necessity or a strategic decision by the company. Last quarter, Tesla faced challenges at Gigafactory Berlin, including a shutdown due to an arson attack by environmental activists and reduced production due to supply chain disruptions related to the Red Sea conflict. While these issues were largely out of Tesla’s control, some analysts suggested that the disruptions conveniently aligned with the automaker’s need to scale back production due to lower sales. The recent announcement of another shutdown at Gigafactory…

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is reshaping the global oil market, with analysts predicting a significant slowdown in the growth of transportation fuel consumption. This trend, driven by the rapid adoption of EVs in major markets like China and the United States, is expected to have profound implications for the future of oil demand. According to analysts at Wood Mackenzie, the growth in oil consumption is expected to be just 340,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2024, down from 700,000 bpd in the previous year. This sharp decline in the growth rate is attributed to the increasing sales of EVs,…

Chinese power battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd has engaged in discussions with approximately twelve carmakers regarding technology licensing partnerships, aiming to cement its leading position in the global power battery market. According to a recent statement to CnEVPost by a CATL spokesperson, the company has been exploring an LRS (License Royalty Service) model of cooperation with these OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). Under this partnership model, CATL offers technology licensing, plant construction, and operation services, enabling global OEMs and even competitors to rapidly acquire battery production capabilities. The spokesperson highlighted the mutual benefits of the LRS model, stating, “Car…

The UK has witnessed a record number of installations of public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the first quarter of 2024, reflecting the increasing presence of plugin cars on British roads. Nearly 6,000 new EV chargers were installed during this period, with approximately 25% being DC fast chargers, according to quarterly figures from data company Zapmap, as published by the UK’s Department for Transport. As of April 1st, the UK boasted nearly 60,000 active public vehicle chargers, marking a significant uptick of almost 49% compared to 2023 and nearly doubling the number of chargers available in 2022. Ben Nelmes,…

The Shyft Group, through its subsidiary Blue Arc, has secured a significant order from FedEx for 150 Blue Arc EV Trucks. These electric vehicles will be integrated into FedEx’s pickup and delivery fleet in the United States. The decision to order the Blue Arc EV Trucks followed a series of tests conducted by FedEx, where the vehicles were put through their paces on last-mile delivery routes in Memphis. The trucks operated for extended 8-10 hour routes under challenging conditions, including temperatures ranging from 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. John Dunn, President and CEO of The Shyft Group, highlighted the importance…