Author: Miguel Garcia

Stellantis has announced plans to overhaul the platform of the Fiat 500 Electric, aiming to introduce a more affordable version of the popular small electric car. The Group intends to achieve this by introducing a new battery and electric drive. The company is investing 100 million euros to enhance the Fiat 500e, with a focus on improving the customer experience and expanding production of the model. Specific details about the revision, including the new model’s features and pricing, have not yet been disclosed. Currently, in the UK, the Fiat 500 Electric with a 23.8 kWh battery starts at £28,195, while…

Alibaba has completed its latest planned reduction of its stake in Xpeng, allowing the stake to fall to less than 5 percent. According to an announcement on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Alibaba’s Taobao China sold 33 million American Depositary Shares (ADSs) of Xpeng on March 22. Each ADS represents two Xpeng Class A ordinary shares, with an average price per ordinary share in the transaction of about $4.76. Alibaba cashed out $314 million from the sale. Prior to the reduction, Alibaba held 141,918,464 ordinary shares of Xpeng, representing a 9.23 percent stake. Following the completion of the reduction, Alibaba’s…

Luxury electric carmaker Lucid announced on Monday that it is raising $1 billion in capital from an affiliate of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), sending its shares up about 8%. The investment by the sovereign wealth fund underscores a key advantage Lucid has in the competitive EV market, where many startups are struggling to survive. The Saudi government, which has a 60% stake, has invested billions in Lucid’s success as part of a strategy to diversify the Kingdom’s economy beyond oil. See also: Lucid Faces Trademark Challenge Over “Gravity” Name for SUV Ayar Third Investment Company, a PIF affiliate, will…

Rivian has officially secured access to Tesla’s renowned Supercharger network. The company has announced plans to distribute NACS DC adapters to its owners at no cost starting next month. This development comes after Tesla opened its connector to other automakers, aiming to establish it as the new charging standard in North America. Rivian swiftly embraced this opportunity following Ford’s initial foray into the network. https://twitter.com/Rivian/status/1769758297438159021 Ford led the charge by providing a free adapter to Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners last month, paving the way for Rivian’s integration. Rivian has now confirmed the commencement of EV integration into Tesla’s…

Hyundai and Iveco are expanding their partnership to include heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles, aiming to accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation in European markets. The manufacturers have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on electric heavy-duty trucks, encompassing both battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles. The partnership between Hyundai and Iveco began in March 2022, focusing initially on electric commercial vehicles. Since then, they have introduced the Iveco eDaily FCEV van and the E-Way H2 bus in the fuel cell sector. The announcement of a joint light battery-electric commercial vehicle in February marked their first foray into the BEV segment, with…

Audi has announced a significant reorganization of its Board of Management, with Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management, taking over the role of Technical Development at the German carmaker with immediate effect. This move follows the transfer of Oliver Hoffmann, the previous Board Member for Development. Gernot Döllner, who has been CEO of Audi since September 1, 2023, has begun implementing his strategy at the company, resulting in changes to model planning, organization, and management personnel. The appointment of Oliver Hoffmann to head the brand’s Formula 1 commitment marks the first change to the Board of Management under…

Rivian’s upcoming all-electric crossover SUV, the R2, has garnered significant attention and acclaim within the electric vehicle community, with CEO RJ Scaringe announcing over 68,000 reservations for the vehicle. However, one aspect of the R2 has raised eyebrows – its charge port location. The R2 prototype, along with the R3 and R3X prototypes, showcased a charge port positioned on the rear passenger side. This design choice has led to concerns among EV owners, who note that this setup would require the R2 to occupy two spots at Tesla’s V3 and V2 Superchargers. See also: Everything You Should Know Rivian R2 Battery…

Rivian has announced a significant restructuring of its production shifts at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, with plans to reduce the number of shifts from three to two starting next month. The company describes this move as a strategic decision to optimize production efficiency. The decision comes after Rivian revealed plans to lay off 10% of its salaried workforce, as detailed in its Q4 and 2023 financial report. See also: Rivian Reports 2023 Financial Results: Net Loss of $5.4 Billion Despite Increased Sales Approximately 8,000 employees are based at Rivian’s Normal facility, with the majority in hourly manufacturing roles. Despite…

After a two-year wait since its initial concept reveal, Dodge has launched the all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona, embodying the classic muscle car ethos with a modern electric twist. CEO Tim Kuniskis emphasized that the new model was designed with the same performance-driven attitude as its predecessors, despite the shift to electric power. The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T model boasts an impressive range of 317 miles (510 km) per charge, but Kuniskis revealed that the car could have achieved even greater distances if efficiency had been the primary goal. See also: Dodge Makes Electrifying Move with 2024 Charger Daytona EV: Unveiling…

Audi has inaugurated its sixth proprietary fast-charging location, situated on Orber Straße in Frankfurt am Main, where electric cars of all brands can be charged at four High Power Charging (HPC) points with up to 320 kW capacity. The site boasts four fast-charging points that can be reserved in advance, offering electric vehicle (EV) owners a convenient and efficient charging experience. Audi has also implemented second-life batteries from dismantled test vehicles for the charging hub, enabling the utilization of the low voltage connection available on site without the need for an additional transformer. This setup provides a total of about…

MIT spinout and battery manufacturer 24M Technologies has introduced a revolutionary direct-material battery recycling process, Liforever, designed for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and energy storage systems. The new process, integrated into 24M’s battery manufacturing process, aims to significantly improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of battery recycling. 24M Technologies, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed a unique battery design called “SemiSolid,” featuring gooey electrodes that simplify lithium-ion battery production. This design reduces production costs by up to 40% while enhancing the batteries’ energy density, safety, and recyclability. See also: Volkswagen Explores Dry Coating Process to Enhance Electric Car Battery Production According to…

Ford CEO Jim Farley has expressed his gratitude to Tesla and CEO Elon Musk for opening the Supercharger Network to non-Tesla electric vehicles through the North American Charging Standard (NACS). This move marks a significant milestone in North America’s transition to sustainable transportation, as Ford EVs can now access Tesla Superchargers. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Farley acknowledged that he has personally tested Tesla’s Supercharger Network with Ford’s electric vehicles. He praised the ease of integration of NACS into Ford’s EVs, highlighting the hard work that went on behind the scenes. Farley also thanked Elon Musk…