Author: Michael Khan

Dubai’s commitment to becoming a global frontrunner in autonomous transportation has received a significant boost with the introduction of a new legislation specifically targeting driverless cars. The law, enacted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of Dubai, aims to reinforce his vision of transforming Dubai into a “paragon for future cities and the ultimate destination for living, working, and visiting.” The newly implemented law delineates the responsibilities of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in regulating the autonomous vehicle (AV) sector. See also: Dubai Sets Goal for…

Continental and Aurora Innovation, Inc. have joined forces in an exclusive partnership aimed at revolutionizing autonomous transport. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as it brings together Continental’s expertise in systems development for automotive solutions and Aurora’s cutting-edge hardware and software system, the Aurora Driver. The goal is to deliver the first commercially scalable generation of the Aurora Driver, catering specifically to the trucking industry. Through this partnership, Continental and Aurora will jointly undertake the design, development, validation, delivery, and service of this scalable autonomous system. The vision is to make the technology readily available for carriers and commercial fleet…

German mobility provider Quantron has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Norwegian company Westgass Hydrogen to supply hydrogen fuel for its fuel cell electric vehicles in the Nordic countries. The deal will initially affect transport in Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, with Quantron planning to start its commercial rollout in Norway in 2024. Launch customers are expected to run the first ten to 20 hydrogen trucks, with Westgass joining the list of Quantron’s preferred hydrogen suppliers. See also: Quantron AG and Norwegian Hydrogen Collaborate to Introduce Hydrogen-Powered Heavy-Duty Trucks in Scandinavia Westgass Hydrogen is currently selling hydrogen at 25…

Iveco Group, a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles and industrial engines, has opened a new bus plant in Foggia, Italy, marking the return of bus production to the country after a decade-long hiatus. The plant, which was inaugurated eight months after the foundation stone was laid, will produce battery and fuel cell buses, among other products. Iveco’s decision to manufacture buses in Italy again was announced less than a year ago, and the company can now build up to 1,000 buses per year in Foggia. Although Iveco has not revealed the proportion of electric buses that will be produced at…

The number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Germany has increased by 35% in the last year, according to the BDEW energy industry association. The number of ultra-fast points capable of charging over 150 kW, allowing for 100 km of range within minutes, rose by 83% year on year to 7,037 points. The number of fast charging points using direct current rose by 15% to 6,216 units, and the number of normal charging points rose by 34% to 67,288 units. However, the BDEW warns that current growth rates will only deliver 8 million EVs by 2030, compared to the…

Chinese automaker Neta Automobile has announced the upcoming release of their fourth electric vehicle model, the Neta GT. This two-door sports car is set to hit the market in the first half of 2023 and will be available in single-motor and dual-motor variants, with the latter boasting an impressive 340 kW output. See also: Neta unveils two-door electric sports car Neta GT with 455 HP and a Starting Price of $35,000 The Neta GT will come equipped with a range of battery storage options, including 64.24 kWh, 74.48 kWh, and 77.9 kWh, offering CLTC ranges of 560 km, 580 km,…

DiDi Global, the ride-hailing giant based in Beijing, has been making waves in the autonomous driving industry with its recent announcements regarding its self-driving taxis and other related initiatives. In collaboration with Chinese automakers, DiDi plans to launch its own self-driving taxis on its ride-hailing platform by 2025. The company’s autonomous driving unit, which was established in 2016 and later spun off as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2019, has been working diligently to make this a reality. To showcase its technological advancements in this space, DiDi recently unveiled a concept robotaxi called the DiDi Neuron. This innovative driverless vehicle…

Volvo Trucks North America has announced that Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited (Coke Canada Bottling) will acquire six Volvo VNR Electric trucks as part of a pilot program to service their ‘Red Fleet’ customer delivery routes in the Greater Montreal Area. This marks the first time the beverage distributor’s fleet of 650 heavy-duty vehicles will include Class 8 battery-electric trucks to service customers throughout the region. Coke Canada Bottling is the first Canadian food and beverage manufacturer to use zero-tailpipe emission trucks, and all six Volvo VNR Electric trucks will be delivered throughout 2023. See also: Coca-Cola to make deliveries using…

Stagecoach, the UK public transport operator, has recently made its biggest ever electric bus order. The company is set to spend £37.2 million (€42.3 million) to procure a new fleet of 170 electric buses for use in Stockport, Manchester. This is a significant investment, which will undoubtedly improve the air quality in the area. The order comprises 150 electric double-decker buses and 20 solo buses, all of which are due to enter service in summer 2024. These buses will be similar to the 27 electric buses that Stagecoach ordered for Ayrshire, which were based on the BZL Electric chassis from…

National Express West Midlands has recently placed a firm order for 170 double deck electric buses with the electric vehicle partnership of Alexander Dennis Limited (AD) and BYD UK, which is UK’s leading electric bus producer. This new order will bring the total number of BYD AD Enviro400EV buses operated by National Express in the West Midlands to 329, making it the largest fleet of its kind in the UK. Moreover, this order is in line with National Express’ commitment to have a completely zero-emission bus fleet in the UK by 2030. The electricity to power these electric vehicles will…

Mercedes-Benz Group reports a moderate increase in sales for Q1 2023, primarily driven by sales of electric vehicles (EVs) and premium cars. The German automaker announced on Wednesday that it had sold a total of 503,500 vehicles globally, representing a 3% increase from the same period last year. The strongest growth was recorded in Europe, where sales grew by 8%. However, the rest of the world saw a decline in sales, with numbers dropping by almost a quarter. This can be attributed to the company’s decision to halt export and production in Russia in March last year. Despite the ongoing…

Hirschbach Motor Lines has taken a major step towards decarbonizing its operations by deploying five Orange EV battery-electric yard trucks at two Lineage Logistics facilities in Kansas City. Hirschbach, which is based in Dubuque, Iowa, is using the vehicles to provide zero-emission spotting services. Lineage Logistics, which specializes in temperature-controlled food storage and transportation, has also deployed 10 additional Orange EV yard trucks at its facilities in California. Hirschbach’s goal is to have 20% of its spotter fleet converted to EV by Q3 of 2023. By switching from diesel to electric, the company eliminates over 100 tons of carbon dioxide…