Author: Joshua Morris

Louisville, Colorado, has launched the nation’s first fully electric fleet for residential recycling and waste collection, city officials announced last Tuesday. The milestone was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony as four new McNeilus Volterra ZSL electric trucks rolled onto the city’s streets, designed to operate quietly and efficiently in residential neighborhoods. Electric vehicles (EVs) are particularly suitable for waste collection in urban settings due to their ability to handle heavy loads, perform under stop-and-go conditions, and operate along predictable routes within limited driving distances. These qualities are enhanced in Louisville’s EV trucks, which also aim to reduce noise pollution, allowing…

The European Union’s car market continued to contract in September, with new registrations declining by 6.1% compared to the previous year. Major markets, including France, Italy, and Germany, saw sharp decreases of 11.1%, 10.7%, and 7%, respectively, while Spain reported a 6.3% rise in registrations, bucking the regional trend. Despite challenging conditions, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose by 9.8% in September, yet year-to-date volumes are down by 5.8%, largely influenced by a 28.6% decline in Germany. BEVs currently hold a 17.3% market share, an increase from 14.8% in 2023. Conversely, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) saw a 22.3% drop in…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its long-awaited final rules governing the operation of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxis. This Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) outlines essential operational requirements, including minimum safe altitudes and visibility standards, marking a critical step toward enabling commercial air taxi services in the United States. “The FAA will continue to prioritize the safety of our system as we work to seamlessly integrate innovative technology and operations,” stated Mike Whitaker, FAA Administrator. “This final rule provides the necessary framework to allow powered lift aircraft to safely operate in our airspace.” The new…

Waymo, Alphabet Inc.’s autonomous driving subsidiary, announced Friday it has completed a $5.6 billion funding round spearheaded by its parent company, Alphabet, as the company aims to expand its self-driving ride-hailing service. The funding round included contributions from existing investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, Perry Creek, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price. “With this latest investment, we will continue to welcome more riders into our Waymo One ride-hailing service in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, and in Austin and Atlanta through our expanded partnership with Uber,” Waymo stated. Alphabet’s finance chief Ruth Porat mentioned in July…

Joby Aviation, a developer of electric aerial vehicles (EAVs), has announced its plans for a public offering of common stock, seeking to raise $202 million. The company intends to allocate the proceeds from this offering to support its certification and manufacturing initiatives, prepare for commercial operations, and address general corporate expenses. The public offering price has been set at $5.05 per share, according to a regulatory filing. This public offering follows a substantial $500 million investment from Toyota, which has now invested a total of $894 million in Joby since their partnership began in 2019. Initially, Toyota’s investment was $394…

Porsche announced it will reduce its dealership network in China, as weakening demand in the world’s largest auto market weighs on European carmakers. The German luxury automaker, majority-owned by Volkswagen, aims to implement cost-saving measures totaling billions of euros by 2030, according to Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke. The decision comes on the heels of a sharp 41% decline in Porsche’s third-quarter operating profit, signaling the financial pressures facing European manufacturers in the region. “China is an incredible challenge, not just for Porsche,” Meschke stated, noting that demand in China is unlikely to return to previous levels for European brands. He…

Tesla has marked a significant milestone by producing its 7 millionth vehicle, an achievement announced via the company’s official X account. The vehicle was manufactured at the Fremont Factory, and the occasion was commemorated with a photo of the Tesla team alongside the milestone vehicle. During the third quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk underscored the importance of this achievement, particularly in the context of a challenging automotive environment. Musk noted that Q3 2024 represented a record quarter for Tesla. “It is notable that Tesla is profitable despite a very challenging automotive environment, and this quarter actually is a record…

U.S. self-driving truck company Outrider announced on Thursday that it has raised $62 million from investors to expand its autonomous truck services in distribution yards, catering to clients in e-commerce, manufacturing, and other sectors. The Series D funding round was led by Koch Disruptive Technologies, the venture capital arm of industrial conglomerate Koch, along with New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a prominent American venture capital firm. The funding round also saw contributions from Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) venture capital division, NVentures, and Prologis’ (PLD.N) venture capital arm. With this latest investment, Outrider, based in Brighton, Colorado, has now raised over $250 million to…

Austrian energy group Verbund has committed €1.5 million to Easelink, a Graz-based company specializing in automated conductive electric vehicle charging technology known as Matrix Charging. This investment, made through Verbund’s investment arm, Verbund X Ventures, aims to expedite Easelink’s international expansion and enhance its collaborations with automobile manufacturers. The Matrix Charging system central to Easelink’s offering allows electric vehicles to charge efficiently by utilizing a retrofitted charging plate on the vehicle’s underbody. This plate connects with a charging pad mounted on the ground, establishing a conductive connection that minimizes energy losses compared to traditional wireless charging methods. Michael Strugl, CEO…

CATL unveiled its latest innovation, the Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery, designed to provide an electric vehicle (EV)-like experience for extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The launch took place today at an event in Beijing. The new battery boasts a range exceeding 400 kilometers for hybrid vehicles and supports rapid charging at 4 C, catering to the growing preference among Chinese consumers for the driving experience of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) while alleviating range anxiety. This trend has led many consumers to opt for hybrid models, as evidenced by the retail sales figures for hybrid vehicles…

Stellantis has made a significant announcement in the realm of electric vehicle (EV) technology, revealing plans to integrate solid-state batteries into the Dodge Charger Daytona by 2026. While this news is certainly exciting, it is essential to note that the initial rollout will consist of a demonstration fleet, aimed primarily at testing the technology in real-world conditions. The prototypes of the Charger Daytona will feature solid-state batteries developed by Factorial Energy, boasting an impressive energy density exceeding 390 Wh/kg. Although specific details about the battery performance remain scarce, both Stellantis and Factorial emphasize the numerous advantages of this innovative technology…

Tesla has released its financial results for the third quarter of 2024, and with them, a rare and bold prediction for the fourth quarter. The automaker expects to set a record in vehicle deliveries, sending Tesla’s stock soaring by 8% in aftermarket trading. While Tesla narrowly missed revenue expectations by around $300 million in Q3, the company still beat earnings per share (EPS) forecasts, reporting $0.72, exceeding projections by $0.12. Tesla’s ability to maintain higher-than-expected margins last quarter helped buffer the revenue miss, though it’s not the primary reason for the stock’s surge. The jump in Tesla’s stock price is…