Author: Miguel Garcia

The UK government has unveiled an £86 million initiative aimed at enhancing air quality in Greater Manchester, with a significant focus on cleaner public transportation. Of the total funding, £51.1 million is allocated to procure 117 new buses, including 40 zero-emission models and 77 compliant with Euro VI standards, alongside the necessary charging infrastructure for electric buses. The plan also dedicates £8 million to aid taxi operators in transitioning to cleaner vehicles, while £5 million will address local traffic management. An additional £21.9 million is reserved for administration, delivery, and monitoring costs, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the scheme. See…

Italy has launched a groundbreaking test of a self-driving vehicle designed for car sharing, marking the first such trial in Europe. The project, led by utility company A2A in collaboration with Stellantis, Politecnico di Milano, and Italy’s National Sustainable Mobility Centre, took place in the northern city of Brescia. During the trial, a fully autonomous electric FIAT 500 city car drove one kilometer at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, simulating a car-sharing experience by picking up a passenger and arriving at a designated parking area. This test is part of A2A’s initiative to enhance urban mobility while focusing on…

Polestar has confirmed that the popular Polestar 2 electric vehicle will receive a direct successor toward the end of the decade, as stated by CEO Michael Lohscheller in a recent interview with Autocar. This announcement clarifies that the recently introduced Polestar 7 small SUV will not replace the Polestar 2 in the lineup, as initially speculated. Instead, the company plans to maintain a six-model lineup, with the next-generation Polestar 2 positioned alongside the Polestar 3 and 4 SUVs, Polestar 5 fastback, Polestar 6 sports car, and Polestar 7. See also: Polestar Announces Long-Awaited Launch in France Following Trademark Dispute Resolution…

GWM UK has revealed the updated 2025 ORA 03 electric vehicle lineup, introducing a new flagship GT trim alongside revised pricing and upgraded features. The range begins at £24,995 for the entry-level PURE variant, with pre-orders now open ahead of first customer deliveries expected in March 2025. The ORA 03 PURE variant offers a 48 kWh battery, delivering a range of 192 miles. It comes equipped with a 10.25-inch infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, along with wireless phone charging and satellite navigation. Safety remains a priority across the lineup, with features such as Lane Keep Assist,…

A fleet of 50 electric double-decker buses is set to hit the streets of Plymouth this year, part of an ambitious plan to replace almost half of the city’s public transport fleet with zero-emission vehicles. Wrightbus will supply the electric buses, with the first 25 expected in the summer of 2024, followed by the remaining units by the end of 2025. These buses will primarily operate on routes 21/A, 42, and 50/51 in Plymouth, with six additional buses serving route 70 to the Rame Peninsula in Cornwall. See also: Plymouth Expands Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure with £2.4M in Funding The…

The electric vehicle (EV) market in Europe showed signs of slower growth in 2024, with sales of new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) declining slightly. According to the latest statistics from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), a total of 1,447,934 new BEVs were registered in the EU in 2024, a 5.9% decrease from the previous year. Despite the decline, the number of new electric cars surpassed the number of new diesel cars, continuing a trend from 2023. In addition to BEVs, the ACEA recorded 758,944 new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the EU, marking a 6.8% drop compared to…

Shares of Japanese automakers and South Korean battery makers fell on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, while revoking an electric vehicle (EV) executive order from the previous administration. Honda Motor shares dropped 0.3% to 1,478 yen, reflecting apprehensions over potential tariffs impacting the 80% of its Mexican production exported to the U.S. Mazda Motor saw a sharper decline, with shares down 2%, as the automaker assesses the potential impact on its exports from Guanajuato, Mexico. Conversely, Nissan Motor shares rose 1.2% despite the automaker exporting 300,000 vehicles annually from its Mexican…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $68 million in funding to accelerate the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The initiative, part of the DOE’s SuperTruck Charge program, will focus on innovative charging site designs near key ports, distribution hubs, and major transportation corridors across the country. Three projects have been selected to receive funding. Pearl Street Property Company will lead the first project, securing $20 million to establish a charging facility along the I-10 corridor in Arizona. This site will feature ten pull-through truck charging stalls equipped with MCS chargers, solar canopies,…

Moment Energy has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round to establish the world’s first gigafactory dedicated to repurposing electric vehicle (EV) batteries in the United States. This funding round, co-led by the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Voyager Ventures, will enable the company to scale its production of battery energy storage systems (BESS) made from second-life EV batteries. This milestone adds to Moment Energy’s total funding of $52 million, including a $20.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The upcoming gigafactory aims to repurpose retired EV batteries and create over 250 skilled clean-tech jobs, boosting…

China’s CALB Group announced on Friday that it is facing a lawsuit from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), accusing the company of patent infringement related to battery modules. CATL, the leading electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer in China, is seeking 60 million yuan ($8.19 million) in compensation. CALB responded, saying that “the patent involved in the litigation relates to battery modules, and there is no infringement involved in the products of the company.” The company also noted that it had applied to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) to invalidate the patent in question. The legal dispute comes…

Spanish company QEV Technologies has placed an order for 200 special edition Logistar 450P electric vans from the American manufacturer Cenntro, marking the first European order for the electric vehicle. The Logistar 450P is the latest variation of Cenntro’s Logistar LS450 series, and the company believes its introduction to Europe could have a transformative impact, particularly for short-distance shuttle services and public transportation. The special edition model was developed in collaboration with QEV Technologies. Cenntro plans to deliver the first 47 units of the LS450P in the first quarter of 2025, though it has not specified when the remaining vans…

TELO Trucks, a young electric vehicle startup, has formed a partnership with solar EV developer Aptera to incorporate solar technology into its flagship MT1 compact electric pickup truck. This collaboration allows customers who pre-order the TELO electric truck to select from three solar panel configurations, which aim to extend the vehicle’s range and reduce dependency on grid power. Founded by a team with diverse backgrounds in automotive technology, including expertise in autonomy, ADAS, and Tesla’s Roadster development, TELO introduced the MT1 in June 2023. The compact electric pickup offers the bed and crew cabin space of a traditional pickup truck…

The municipal council of Utrecht has approved the “Transition Petrol Stations” programme, a strategic initiative to adapt filling stations for the growing electric vehicle (EV) market. The plan includes the installation of 20 to 30 fast chargers at petrol stations along the city’s ring roads by 2030, marking a significant step in the transition to electric transport. The plan aims to ensure the city’s infrastructure supports the shift from fossil fuels to electric mobility. Should existing facilities prove inadequate, the programme calls for the development of additional fast-charging stations at new locations along the ring road. The initiative also incorporates…

Harley-Davidson’s electric subsidiary, LiveWire, has officially launched its new S2 Alpinista model in Europe and North America. Designed to offer a blend of superbike performance and touring comfort, the S2 Alpinista is priced at €18,832 in Germany and combines the best features of road, sports, and touring motorcycles. The S2 Alpinista is aimed at riders who want an electric motorcycle that excels in both everyday commuting and spirited rides on winding country roads. The S2 Alpinista stands out with its 17-inch wheels, which not only improve the bike’s handling but also lower the seat height by 28 mm compared to…

The Polestar 3 has secured the top spot in the Norwegian Automobile Federation’s (NAF) El Prix winter range test, completing 531 kilometers in Norway’s challenging winter conditions. The vehicle demonstrated a minimal 5% deviation from its official WLTP rating of 561 kilometers, the smallest margin among the 23 vehicles tested. The annual test, conducted by NAF and Motor magazine, evaluates how far electric vehicles can travel on a single charge under real-world winter conditions, including wet and slippery roads and a 1,000-meter ascent. Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller commented on the results, stating, “Range is an important criterion for customers –…

Changan Automobile has announced a partnership with EHang Holdings to collaborate on the research and development of flying cars and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. These innovative vehicles are expected to offer vertical takeoff and landing capabilities without the need for traditional runways. The partnership will combine Changan’s automotive expertise with EHang’s strength as a global Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company. Both companies aim to create advanced transportation solutions that could drive new economic opportunities. The low-altitude economy in China, including activities like drone deliveries, is predicted to reach a value of one trillion dollars by…

Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Japan declined by 33% in 2024, marking the first drop in four years, as hybrid vehicles continued to dominate the market. The decline comes in stark contrast to the global EV market, which recorded a 25% increase in sales during the same period. Data showed that EV sales in Japan totaled 59,736 units, representing less than 2% of all vehicle sales in the country. Leading domestic automakers, including Nissan Motor, Toyota, and Mitsubishi Motors, saw significant declines, underscoring challenges in shifting consumer preferences away from hybrid models. Nissan, holding a substantial share of Japan’s EV…

Yadea, one of the largest urban mobility companies, has introduced its first electric scooter powered by a sodium-ion battery, marking a significant development in the electric vehicle sector. The new scooter, available in multiple versions, uses sodium-ion cells provided by Yuji Tech, a move that highlights the growing traction of sodium-ion batteries, which have moved beyond the research phase and are now entering real-world applications. Sodium-ion technology is gaining momentum, similar to the earlier adoption of LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. After more than a decade of development, sodium-ion batteries are now being mass-produced and utilized in both grid-level energy…

Tesla has announced that it is developing a new method to keep the cameras on the Cybertruck clean, a common issue that affects the performance of its advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS). This problem has been reported by many Tesla owners, especially when using Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) features, which frequently issue alerts about “one or more cameras being obstructed” due to dirt or snow accumulation on the lenses. The issue is more significant for the Cybertruck, where the rear-view camera is the primary method for viewing behind the vehicle when the tonneau cover is up. Some owners have voiced…

Polestar has unveiled plans to expand its portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs) significantly in the coming years. Building on its lineup of numerically named models, the brand is set to introduce several new vehicles, including the Polestar 5 and Polestar 7, alongside updates to its production strategy. The Polestar 5, slated for a 2025 launch, will be a luxurious four-door grand tourer inspired by the Precept concept revealed in 2020. Equipped with an advanced dual-motor system producing 884 horsepower, the EV will feature a 103.0-kWh battery offering a minimum range of 300 miles. The Polestar 5 will also debut a…