Author: Michael Khan

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,…