Author: Andy Williams

Wattif EV, a Norwegian provider of charging stations for electric vehicles, has secured a €50 million investment from Marguerite, a leading investment fund manager for sustainable infrastructure projects in Europe. The investment will be included in Marguerite’s latest fund, Marguerite III. Wattif EV plans to use the funding to rapidly build over 120,000 new charging stations across Europe and expand its sales team in key automotive markets. The company’s business model includes sharing net revenues with the site owner, and it claims its proprietary software is compatible with a wide range of hardware. This approach has reportedly helped the company…

Lotus Envya, an upcoming electric sedan, is undergoing winter testing in northern China. Recently, new images of the car, officially known as the Type 133, have surfaced thanks to attentive Lotus fans. These images provide a glimpse inside the car, which is currently concealed in camouflage to conceal its bodywork details. The split-headlights design with DLRs sitting separately above the driving lights is visible in the new images. Unlike previous photos, this vehicle does not have any sensors on the roof. However, the outline of a retractable LiDAR sensor can be seen. The additional LiDAR sensors are located above the…

Hanwha and LG Energy Solution (LGES) have announced a joint investment in energy storage facilities in the United States. This partnership will position Hanwha as a leader in the expanding energy storage market and in the Urban Air Mobility sector. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Seoul for cooperation in battery business for ESS (energy storage systems) and other clean energy solutions. The MOU was signed by LGES and three Hanwha Group subsidiaries: Hanwha Solutions, which owns clean energy manufacturer Qcells, Hanwha Corporation/Momentum, and Hanwha Aerospace. The planned joint investment aims to increase the availability of batteries for…

Audi is adding 72 electric vehicle charging stations at its Neckarsulm facility using “cubes” made from used lithium-ion batteries from dismantled Audi test vehicles. Two of the cubes supply 48 charging stations in a multi-storey car park, while the third cube provides 24 charging points in another car park near the plant. Each cube contains 198 used battery modules, with the capacity to expand with 132 more modules. This will increase charging options for employees and visitors at the Neckarsulm site. By supplying power to the charging points from the second-life batteries, Audi eliminating the need for a costly infrastructure…

A group of three Nordic companies, Nimbnet (a Swedish charging station operator), Kempower (Finnish charging hardware manufacturer), and Virta (Finnish charging infrastructure service provider), plan to create a nationwide fast-charging network for electric trucks in Sweden to support the 85,000 heavy trucks currently on the road. Funding for the project will come from the Swedish energy agency Energimyndigheten and the first truck charging stations will be located in Gothenburg, Söderhamn, Sundsvall, and Nordmaling, with plans to have them operational by the end of 2023. The number of chargers to be installed has not been announced yet. The charging columns for…

The Jeep Avenger, an all-electric crossover, has won the Car of the Year for Europe award. The award, now in its 60th year, is decided by a jury of 57 European journalists. The Avenger beat out competitors such as the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and the Nissan Ariya. The voting process is unique in that each jury member’s choices and reasoning are made public, with a maximum of 25 points to distribute among the seven finalists and no ties allowed. The Jeep Avenger was announced as the winner of the Car of the Year for Europe award at a ceremony at the…

Fortescue, a global green energy company, has developed a 1.4 MWh prototype battery system in collaboration with equipment maker Liebherr. The battery system, which was completed and delivered by UK-based engineering company WAE Technologies (acquired by Fortescue in March 2022), will be assembled and installed in a 240-tonne mining haul truck. The truck will then be transported to the Pilbara in Western Australia for testing. This battery system marks several industry firsts, including its 1.4 MWh energy storage capacity, fast-charge capability in 30 minutes, and ability to regenerate power while driving downhill. A team of 50 engineers and technicians designed…

Making its debut at the 2023 Brussels Motor Show, Belgium, the unique Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV series plug-in hybrid joins the all-electric Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv in Mazda’s electric lineup. Featuring its own “Modern Human” interpretation of our Kodo design philosophy, the Mazda MX-30 R-EV stands out from the crowd and meets the needs of the modern driver. Carefully developed proportions and attractive elements bring the car to life, such as the freestyle doors and driver-centered cockpit, for a one-of-a-kind crossover vehicle made in Japan. Available to order, for arrival in the UK in summer 2023, the Mazda e-Skyactiv R-EV is…

At the Tokyo Auto Salon 2023, Toyota showcased their GR Yaris concept car as the centerpiece of their lineup. In addition, they also presented a pair of Corolla AE86 classics, which were retrofitted with carbon-neutral drivetrains. The first concept car, named the AE86 H2 Concept, is powered by a hydrogen-burning internal combustion engine. The 1.6-liter inline-four engine has been minimally modified, with only changes made to the fuel injectors, fuel pipes, and spark plugs. The high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks for the car have been sourced from the Toyota Mirai, one of the first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This concept…

Tesla has recently decreased prices significantly for their electric vehicles (EVs) in the US and Europe in an effort to increase sales. The Model 3 RWD, the least expensive EV, has gone from $46,990 to $43,990, and the Model Y Long Range has dropped 20% from $65,990 to $52,990. This decrease in price also makes the Model Y Long Range eligible for the $7,500 US Federal Tax credit, resulting in a final price drop of over 30%, or $20,500. Tesla has also reduced prices on other models including the Model S, Model X (both regular and plaid versions), and the…

Nissan is set to embark on a historic journey using an all-electric vehicle, the modified Ariya e-4ORCE, from the North Pole to the South Pole. The vehicle, which will be unveiled in February, will be driven by British adventurer Chris Ramsey as part of a 27,000km trip through some of the harshest conditions on earth. To tackle the rough terrain of the Arctic and Antarctic, the Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE that will be driven by Ramsey during the expedition is being outfitted with a custom exterior for added durability. This includes a raised suspension, flared wheel arches, and large tires to…

Iveco Bus, a division of Iveco Group N.V., has reached a three-year agreement to provide Busitalia, a bus company owned by FS Italiane Group, with up to 150 E-WAY full electric city buses. These buses will primarily be used for local public transportation services. This is the largest order for E-WAY city buses in Italy to date. Iveco Bus will deliver the E-WAY full electric city buses to Busitalia between 2023 and 2025, with the first batch of 18 units set to arrive in Padua and Rovigo in July 2023. The E-WAY bus has already proven to be a reliable…