Author: Miguel Garcia

The British government has formally commenced a consultation phase to discuss the gradual phase-out of combustion engine vehicles by 2030 and the implementation of a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. The consultation, which is scheduled to run until February 18, 2025, will focus on the automotive industry’s involvement in the transition process. The Labour government aims to collaborate with the automotive sector on the details of the 2030 phase-out and is optimistic that the consultation will offer the “much-needed clarity” to the industry, according to a statement from the Department for Transport. The consultation is expected to provide “confidence to…

Evri, the British parcel delivery company, has begun operating the DAF XB electric truck at its Southampton depot as part of an “early adopter” program. This program, which is limited to 10 vehicles, represents the final testing phase before mass production of the truck begins in 2025. By incorporating the DAF XB into its fleet, Evri emphasizes its commitment to expanding its use of electric vehicles and cargo bikes. The 16-pallet DAF XB truck offers an electric range of up to 300 km and is equipped with high-energy battery packs with a capacity of 282 kWh. During the trial, the…

Honda and Nissan are reportedly preparing to enter discussions about a potential merger, according to a recent report from Nikkei Asia. The deal, which would also include Mitsubishi Motors, a company in which Nissan holds a 24-percent stake, is still in its early stages, with few details available at this time. The automakers are considering the possibility of forming a holding company, though specifics regarding ownership stakes in the new entity are yet to be decided. This announcement follows reports earlier this year suggesting that Nissan faced a challenging future, with some speculating that Honda could acquire a stake in…

Mercedes-AMG has commenced trials for its upcoming electric SUV, which is set to be built on the newly introduced AMG.EA platform. The initial phase of testing will take place in northern Sweden, where the model will undergo winter trials on both test sites and public roads. This yet-to-be-named electric SUV is the second vehicle to be developed on the AMG.EA platform, following the announcement of a four-door coupé earlier this year, which also began its testing cycle in Sweden. While Mercedes-AMG has shared an image of a heavily camouflaged prototype, further details about the SUV remain scarce. The company has…

Factorial Energy has announced scaling its Solstice solid-state battery cells to a 40 Ah capacity. These A-sample cells, featuring dry cathodes, are designed for electric vehicles and represent a step forward in solid-state battery development. Factorial Energy, supported by Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai-Kia, is pursuing several development paths for solid-state batteries. In 2023, the company delivered B-sample cells with a capacity of over 106 Ah and an energy density of 391 Wh/kg. The Solstice line, currently in the A-sample phase, is expected to achieve an energy density of up to 450 Wh/kg, with the potential to increase electric vehicle range…

Portugal’s government announced plans to launch a long-awaited tender for lithium prospecting licenses in 2025 as part of its efforts to position the country as a leading European supplier of critical metals for the green transition. The international tender will target six areas in the northern and central regions of the country. This initiative follows several delays, initially set for 2018, due to environmental and social concerns about lithium mining. Environment Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho emphasized the importance of the tender for reducing Europe’s reliance on critical material imports, particularly from China, which currently dominates the global lithium supply…

UK-based Vertical Aerospace announced on Monday that investor Mudrick Capital has agreed to convert 50% of its outstanding convertible debt notes to equity, extending the repayment date for the remainder to December 2028. This deal provides the cash-strapped air-taxi maker with crucial financial support. In addition to the debt restructuring, Mudrick will commit $25 million in upfront funding for Vertical’s next equity round and an additional $25 million backstop, to be reduced by any third-party contributions. This agreement is set to extend Vertical’s cash runway into the fourth quarter of next year, helping the company avoid potential liquidity issues. The…

Faraday Future has unveiled the first teaser image of its upcoming Faraday X (FX) prototype, marking the official launch of the vehicle’s development and testing phase. The camouflaged prototype, transported on a trailer, offers a glimpse of the automaker’s plans to position itself as a leader in the Artificial Intelligence Electric Vehicle (AIEV) market. The teaser, though visually underwhelming, reveals a few design elements, including prominent wheel arches, angular shoulder lines, and door-mounted mirrors. The prototype also features a greenhouse extending beyond the front doors and what appears to be a badge on the front fender. Faraday confirmed the first…

Ford has announced plans to reduce its European workforce by approximately 4,000 employees by 2027, with 2,900 of the cuts affecting its Cologne plant in Germany. The restructuring, approved by the company’s headquarters in Dearborn, is aimed at improving cost competitiveness and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its operations in the region. The job reductions follow a recent move to implement short-time working at the Cologne facility, where production of the electric Explorer and Capri models, based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, has slowed due to weak demand. Around 2,000 of the plant’s 13,000 employees have already seen reduced working hours,…

Nio, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, reported third-quarter revenue below analysts’ expectations but achieved record vehicle deliveries and an improvement in gross margins. The company’s revenue reached RMB 18.67 billion ($2.66 billion), down 2.1% year-on-year and missing the guidance range of RMB 19.11 billion to RMB 19.67 billion. Nio delivered a record 61,855 vehicles in the third quarter, an 11.6% increase from a year earlier and up 7.8% from the previous quarter. The company attributed its year-on-year revenue dip to lower average selling prices due to changes in its product mix, partially offset by higher deliveries. For the fourth…

For all its potential as a clean energy solution, hydrogen has struggled to compete with cheaper and more established alternatives like natural gas. One major hurdle is the high cost of hydrogen production and transportation. Ecolectro, a startup co-founded by Gabriel Rodriguez-Calero and Kristina Hugar, aims to change this by producing hydrogen closer to end-users with innovative electrolyzers designed to reduce costs and logistical challenges. “We are very interested in figuring out who’s trucking in hydrogen today,” Rodriguez-Calero told TechCrunch. “By making the gas on site, you’re mitigating a lot of risk around logistics of transportation [and] storage at the…

Chinese automaker Chery will delay the launch of vehicle production at its Barcelona plant to the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a year-long postponement from its previous schedule, according to Pedro Calef, CEO of its Spanish partner, Ebro. The announcement follows an earlier statement in September citing delays without specifying a timeline. “The project has not been canceled. There has just been a readjustment,” Calef assured in an interview at the Barcelona plant, expressing confidence in the partnership’s longevity. Ebro had previously attributed the delay to commercial factors, including potential EU tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, but Calef clarified that the…