Author: Andy Williams

Volkswagen has announced that its upcoming entry-level electric vehicle (EV) will offer the same spaciousness as a Golf, but at an affordable price point similar to the Polo. The new EV will receive a performance version, much like its combustion-engine counterparts. Kai Grünitz, VW’s Board Member for Technical Development, revealed in an interview with Top Gear magazine that a “sporty version” is already in the works, with front-wheel drive and an impressively potent front-mounted electric motor. While the decision hasn’t been made yet, the hot hatch is likely to be badged as a GTI or GTX. The recently unveiled ID.2all…

Volkswagen Group’s PowerCo SE has announced the construction of its second electric vehicle (EV) battery gigafactory in Valencia, Spain. With an initial annual production capacity of 40 GWh, the plant has the potential to expand up to 60 GWh in the future. The cell factory will cover an area of approximately 130 hectares and supply unified cells to vehicle plants in Martorell and Pamplona, among others. The facility will operate on green electricity generated by solar and wind power. Since its launch in July 2022, PowerCo has chosen three sites for cell factories, with Valencia and Salzgitter already under construction.…

Autoflight, a Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) startup, has secured a deal with EVFLY for the purchase of 205 electric air taxis. The agreement initially covers the Prosperity I and Prosperity Cargo Aircraft, with the first 10 AutoFlight Cargo aircraft to be operated by EVFLY in the Middle East, specifically in promising markets such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The eVTOLs will subsequently be deployed in Asia and Africa. The partnership highlights the commitment of both companies to the Middle East region, which they believe has great potential for eVTOL services. See also: AutoFlight’s Prosperity…

Lancia, the Italian automaker owned by Stellantis, has given car enthusiasts a glimpse of its upcoming electric concept set to be unveiled on April 15th. While there is not much information available, the teaser image suggests that the iconic Stratos may be the inspiration behind the brand’s first EV. Lancia has only confirmed that the concept will be revealed at the Emozione Pu+Ra press event, where the company’s brand manifesto for the next ten years will also be discussed. Before you dismiss Lancia going electric, it is worth noting that the automaker currently only sells one car – the Ypsilon…

Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH), one of the largest local transport companies in northern Germany, has placed a groundbreaking order for up to 350 new electric buses. The move is part of the company’s goal to convert its entire public transport fleet to zero-emission vehicles by the 2030s. The tender for the new electric buses was won by two major bus manufacturers, MAN Truck & Bus and Daimler Buses. This is the largest electric bus tender in the history of VHH, and the order comes after news that the conversion of Hamburg’s bus fleets to electric vehicles is progressing more slowly than…

Lucid Motors, a company partially owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced that its first electric vehicle (EV) to be assembled in Saudi Arabia will be launched this September. Faisal Sultan, Global Vice President and Managing Director Middle East for Lucid Motors, shared this exciting news during his participation in the PIF private sector Forum, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The goal of Lucid Motors is to establish a stand-alone plant in Saudi Arabia and localize its industries. Sultan highlighted that Saudi Arabia is one of the largest car consumers in the region, making it…

Gatik, the leading provider of autonomous middle mile logistics solutions, has announced a multi-year partnership with Kroger, one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States, to transport customer orders within its Dallas distribution network. As part of the collaboration, Gatik’s medium-duty autonomous box trucks will be utilized to transport fresh and popular products from a Kroger Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC) in Dallas to multiple retail locations. These industry-leading autonomous trucks are equipped with a cold chain-capable 20-foot box designed to safely and efficiently transport ambient, refrigerated, and frozen goods. See also: Microsoft in Advanced Talks to Invest in…

China’s largest battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL), has delayed its plan to raise at least $5 billion in Swiss global depository receipts (GDR) due to concerns raised by Beijing regulators over the scale of the offering. Three individuals with direct knowledge of the matter stated that CATL had expected to receive approval from the Chinese securities regulator by the end of January, but the process is taking longer than expected. The delay comes a week after Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed mixed feelings about CATL’s status as the biggest player in the rapidly growing business of electric vehicles…

Japan’s industry minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, announced on Tuesday that Japan and Canada are in discussions to collaborate on building strong supply chains for battery metals. According to Nishimura, a public-private mission led by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and consisting of 16 companies that work with batteries visited Canada last week for talks on building sustainable and resilient supply chains. Nishimura highlighted Canada’s abundance of battery metals and good market access to the United States, noting that “Canada is one of the most important countries for Japan when it comes to strengthening our supply chains of storage…

Canoo is one of the most promising electric vehicle startups on the market. The company plans to produce the Lifestyle Vehicle, an innovative new product that can serve as both a people-carrier and a delivery van. However, it is the delivery van variant that has really saved Canoo from going under. Last year, the company received substantial orders for its Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) from major fleet customers such as Kingbee, Zeeba, and Walmart, totaling almost 17,000 units with the option for an additional 16,200. To meet the demand, Canoo has acquired a new vehicle manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City.…

As per numerous media reports, General Motors (GM) is reportedly set to announce a fresh partnership related to electric vehicle (EV) batteries with Samsung SDI. Unofficial sources indicate that the two companies may sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday, March 8th. Earlier news revealed that the talks between GM and LG Energy Solution (LGES) regarding their fourth battery plant in the US stalled. GM and LGES have already initiated three Ultium Cells battery projects, with the first plant producing battery cells since 2022. See also: Samsung and Stellantis open up opportunities to build electric vehicle battery factories in…

Honda’s commercial vehicle division has introduced the third generation of its electric Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV), providing an all-electric, fully autonomous flatbed truck that makes work on construction sites easier than ever before. While the Japanese automaker’s passenger electric cars may not have been as quick to market as some of its competitors, contractors now have an electric Honda that can carry all their heavy loads, building materials and anything else that’s required on a construction site. So what exactly is the AWV? Essentially, it’s an electric flatbed truck that carries heavy loads and materials around a construction site, and…