Author: Michael Khan

Aptera, a manufacturer of electric vehicles, has unveiled the Launch Edition of its three-wheeled electric vehicle. The launch, which represents the first series of over 40,000 pre-orders the company has accumulated, features in-house developed 700-watt solar technology. The vehicle’s photovoltaic cells, which are located all over the car, will yield up to 40 miles of daily range. This means that it may be possible to never charge the vehicle from the grid, a significant advancement in transportation electrification. The car’s driving range is 1000 miles, though the company may release a version that can travel 1,000 miles on a single…

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares recently addressed the obstacles facing widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption at a CES roundtable, specifically referencing the challenges of limited range and charging station availability. However, the CEO clarified that Stellantis has no plans to invest in building a charging network in the United States. Tavares stated, “Infrastructure is not part of Stellantis’ core business. It requires a significant investment in resources. We have no plans to build a fast-charging network in the US, but do plan to sell chargers as part of our strategy.” This approach differs from the strategy employed in Europe, where the…

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has placed an order for 14 zero-emission, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ heavy-duty transit buses from New Flyer. The buses, purchased off the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services contract, will be supported by 20 ABB HVC-C 150kW plug-in chargers and 40 dispensers provided by NFI Infrastructure Solutions™. The project coordination and commissioning will also be handled by NFI. This new order builds on COTA’s previous purchase of eight battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG buses announced in May 2022. The new buses will help COTA to enhance the passenger experience and transition to a 100% zero-emission bus…

Tata Motors, a subsidiary of Tata Group that also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, recently unveiled Sierra EV, a production-ready electric SUV concept, at the India Auto Expo 2023 in New Delhi. The company has plans to launch 10 electric vehicles in various segments and styles in India by 2027, including the Nexon EV, Tigor EV, and Tiago EV, which will begin deliveries this month. The new Sierra EV SUV concept is a preview of another EV model set to launch in 2025. The Tata Sierra EV is a significantly improved version of the concept vehicle that was unveiled at…

Kia has made history by winning two Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards in the same year. The Kia Carens received the ICOTY 2023 award and the Kia EV6 received the Green Car Award 2023. The Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards, organized by the Automotive Journalists Association of India (AJAI), are considered the premier awards in the Indian automotive industry, often referred to as the Oscars of the industry. The awards are based on an expert and unbiased evaluation of the best new car, with the winner being chosen by a panel of highly experienced jury members.…

Tata Motors, an Indian automaker, showcased a diverse range of vehicles including electric vehicles (EVs), internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and trucks at Auto Expo 2023. The company, which currently leads the domestic EV market in India, plans to launch 10 EVs by 2026. The Auto Expo 2023 lineup featured 5 EVs, 7 ICE cars and 14 trucks. This follows Tata’s recent fundraising of $1 billion for its EV business in 2021. Tata Motors unveiled its latest electric SUV, the next-generation Sierra, at the Auto Expo in Greater Noida, India. The Sierra is aimed at competing with medium-sized SUVs like…

The Tata Group is exploring the possibility of building two battery cell factories, one in India and another in Europe, to supply Tata subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover. P.B. Balaji, CFO of Tata Motors’ auto division, stated that the company plans to announce the details soon and emphasized the importance of localizing cell manufacturing in order to increase the use of local components in electric cars and develop a local supply chain. Tata Motors announced that it has sold 50,000 electric vehicles in India to date and plans to launch 10 new electric models by 2026. The company projects that electric…

The quantity of electric bus routes in Moscow is on the rise, with 1050 electric buses currently operating on 79 routes. These buses transport over 430,000 passengers daily. Recently, Russian manufacturer KAMAZ began production of upgraded electric buses at their SVARZ eco-plant. The new models feature more prominent route numbers, faster opening doors, and are equipped with heaters and durable floor coverings. Additionally, the power reserve has been increased to a range of 90 km. “Moscow continues to adapt infrastructure and urban transport in accordance with the Green Agenda. Moscow’s eco-friendly transport fleet is considered to be the largest in…

The Ford F-150 Lightning has been named the North American Truck of the Year™ for the new year, adding to its list of awards. This marks the third consecutive NACTOY Truck of the Year award for Ford and the fifth NACTOY award for Ford in the past three years. “Earning North America’s Truck of the Year is huge for the team that has been working so hard to build and deliver as many Lightnings as possible, as quickly as possible,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “We’re moving fast to further ramp production to a 150,000 run rate this…

Madison, Wisconsin is purchasing 46 electric buses from New Flyer, which will be used on its new East-West Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT). The buses, known as Xcelsior Charge NG, are articulated and measure 60 feet in length. The order is being funded by the US government as part of a broader rapid transit system initiative and is expected to be operational in 2024, as per the statement by New Flyer’s parent company, NFI Group. “Metro Transit is excited to partner with New Flyer to help make our ambitious BRT plans a reality,” said Justin Stuehrenberg, General Manager of Metro…

Chinese electric carmaker BYD, which is backed by Warren Buffett, announced during an auto show near New Delhi on Wednesday that it will release its third passenger electric vehicle in India in the fourth quarter of this year. The luxury sedan, called the BYD Seal, will have a range of 700 kilometers. The company also plans to increase its dealer network in India by double in 2023. BYD’s first passenger car in India was an electric SUV, launched in October, with a goal of capturing 40% of India’s electric car market by 2030. BYD intends to sell 15,000 units of…

MG Motor India, a subsidiary of China’s SAIC Motor, anticipates that at least 25% of its sales in India in 2023 will come from electric vehicles (EVs). This projection was announced by the company at India’s biennial auto show on Wednesday. MG Motor currently holds a small market share of around 1% in India’s passenger vehicle market, where it currently offers the ZS EV SUV. SAIC Motor, the parent company of MG Motor India, has previously stated that it has a diverse range of new energy vehicles (NEVs) available, including electric, hybrid, and fuel cell cars, which MG Motor India…

Voltera has formed a partnership with Amerit Fleet Solutions to offer comprehensive mobile fleet maintenance support at EV charging sites across the United States. Through this partnership, Voltera clients will have access to on-site inspections, maintenance, and technical support as vehicles charge at Voltera’s charging sites. This service is one of several that Voltera offers as part of its EV infrastructure buildout, aimed at reducing downtime and improving fleet operations. Amerit’s EV Ready Technician Program ensures that technicians have received specialized training and certification to service a wide range of electric vehicle models from different manufacturers. As a result, fleet…

The transportation company in the Slovakian city of Presov has ordered an additional six trolleybuses from Skoda Group. These 18-meter buses will have Solaris bodies and will be equipped with traction batteries that allow for a range of at least 12 kilometers on routes without overhead lines. The city of Presov, with a population of 90,000, already has a 30-kilometer-long trolleybus network with seven routes and 44 trolleybuses. The new trolleybuses will feature amenities such as air conditioning, cameras, passenger counting devices, Wi-Fi, and USB sockets. Specific details about the drive configuration and delivery date for the new trolleybuses have…

The European Investment Bank and the Brussels-Capital Region have signed an agreement for €475 million in financing aimed at enhancing the public transport system. This funding will be used to purchase 94 electric buses, including 70 long articulated buses measuring 18 meters each and 24 standard buses measuring 12 meters, as well as 90 trams of varying lengths and 43 metro trains measuring 94 meters in length. Additionally, the money will be used to renew 63 kilometers of tram and metro tracks. The residents and commuters of the Brussels-Capital Region can expect significant improvements to their local public transportation system,…

Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to manufacture and release the VAN.EA electric platform on three different continents starting in 2025. This move is in response to the increasing demand for electric vans, even though it is not expected that the segment will fully transition to electric in the near future, based on Mercedes’ projections. “In perspective, we also want to build VAN.EA models at our sites in the USA and China,” Mercedes Vans boss Mathias Geisen told the German publication Automobilwoche. “It is a global architecture.” However, Geisen did not name concrete models or annual figures for the market launch of the VAN.EA…

Texas-based Infinitum Electric has unveiled the Aircore Mobility motor, a next-generation axial flux propulsion and traction motor designed to power passenger and commercial electric vehicles, as well as aviation, marine, construction, agricultural machines, and auxiliary applications. The Aircore Mobility motor is set to be released in Q2 2023 and features a lightweight printed circuit board (PCB) stator, which replaces the heavy, copper-wound iron stator found in traditional motors. Infinitum Electric claims that the Aircore Mobility motor is ten times more reliable, 10% more efficient, 50% smaller and lighter, and uses 66% less copper compared to conventional motors. “Our aircore motor…

Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a state-owned company in India, has issued a tender for the lease of 3,500 electric cars for a period of three to five years. CESL is the Indian government agency responsible for procuring and deploying electric vehicles across government and state-run units to ensure vehicle standards and operational compatibility among states. The organization recently launched the third round of tenders under the Grand Challenge Scheme, which aims to fund the deployment of thousands of electric buses in up to nine major cities in India. This latest tender for the lease of 3,500 electric cars is…

Cenntro Automotive, a US-based emerging electric vehicle manufacturer, presented the world premiere of five new vehicles at the CES event. These vehicles included the LM864H, a class 8 hydrogen fuel cell semi-truck, the Logistar 300, a battery-electric Class 3 van, and the iChassis product line which consists of three fully programmable, open-platform vehicles designed for autonomous and automated driving. The company also unveiled an autonomous vehicle platform at the event. Cenntro plans to release its first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the LM864H, in the third quarter of this year. The LM864H is a 6×4 semi-trailer truck powered by eight 210-liter…

John Deere has unveiled its new electric excavator at the CES 2023 technology trade show in Las Vegas, marking the company’s entry into the electric heavy machinery market. “Everything we do at John Deere is focused on real purpose and real impact,” said Jahmy Hindman, CTO at John Deere. “This means we’re developing technology that enables our customers to provide the food, fuel, fiber and infrastructure that our growing global population needs.” During its presentation at CES 2023, John Deere primarily focused on its agricultural innovations, including the release of its ExactShot technology, which uses robotics to apply fertilizer. However,…