Author: Moira Shortle

Walmart Canada has taken a significant step towards its sustainability goals by integrating a hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck from Nikola into its fleet, becoming the first major retailer in the country to do so. The move underscores Walmart Canada’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint as part of its broader initiative to achieve zero emissions across its operations by 2040. The Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV Class 8 tractor, capable of covering approximately 800 kilometers on a single charge, promises to eliminate approximately 97 metric tons of CO2 tailpipe emissions annually, according to Nikola. See also: AiLO Orders 100 Nikola…

Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) customer Martin Brower, a leading supply chain solutions provider for global restaurant chains, is ramping up its electric fleet with the addition of ten Volvo VNR Electric vehicles. These electric trucks will facilitate food and beverage deliveries to McDonald’s restaurants across the greater Montreal and Toronto areas. The expansion follows a successful trial of Volvo’s electric tractor in 2022, where Martin Brower tested the vehicle’s capability on regular routes from its Baie d’Urfé distribution centre to McDonald’s locations in Montreal. See also: 4 Gen Logistics Expands Electric Truck Fleet with 41 Volvo Trucks in California Working…

Equipmake, a British conversion company, has introduced a new iteration of its modular electric chassis designed to electrify diesel-powered Wrightbus Streetdeck buses. The Streetdeck model, also targeted for electrification by its manufacturer, Wrightbus, is set to benefit from Equipmake’s scalable Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED) and HTM 3500 electric motor, delivering 400 kW of power and 3,500 Nm of torque. The conversion includes a 436 kWh lithium-ion battery, enabling a range of up to 200 miles (322 km) on a single charge. The retrofit solution integrates seamlessly into existing vehicle space without compromising passenger capacity, according to Equipmake. It incorporates an…

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar announced on Friday a decline in revenue and widened losses for 2023, reflecting challenges in the high-end electric vehicle market. Shares of Polestar, listed in the U.S., fell 3.1% to 80 cents following the announcement, bringing its year-to-date decline to over 63% as of Thursday’s close. See also: Polestar Initiates First Customer Deliveries of Polestar 3 Electric SUV The anticipation leading to Polestar’s earnings report was filled with obstacles, including reduced investment from major backer Volvo Cars and slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles. Polestar plans to release its first-quarter results and second-quarter volumes on July 2…

Kia Motors is gearing up to launch its new low-cost electric vehicle, the EV4, with production slated to begin in early 2025 and an ambitious target of manufacturing 70,000 units annually to meet rising demand for affordable EVs, Reuters reported. Unveiled last October as part of Kia’s expanding lineup of mass-market electric vehicles, the EV4 is positioned by Kia as a vehicle that “redefines the electric sedan,” according to the automaker. See also: Kia Targets Affordable EV Market with EV3 and EV4 Models Building on the recent launch of the EV3 in Korea, where orders have commenced starting at approximately $30,700…

Allego, a major operator of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Europe, will implement an overstay fee at its High-Power Charging (HPC) stations starting from July 1. The fee, intended to curb prolonged charging sessions, will apply after 45 minutes and varies across countries, averaging around 25 cents per minute. In Germany, the fee, termed as an “overstay fee” by Allego, will be 0.207 euros per minute net or 0.246 euros per minute gross including VAT. Austria and Finland will see similar rates of €0.248 and €0.257 per minute respectively, adjusted for varying VAT rates. See also: Allego to Be Delisted…

Rimac has unveiled Verne, a new brand aimed at revolutionizing the autonomous electric vehicle market. Scheduled for a 2026 debut in Zagreb, Verne marks Rimac’s pivot from hypercars to driverless technology, emphasizing passenger-centric design and customization. The new venture, announced at Rimac’s Croatian headquarters, introduces a two-seater vehicle optimized for comfort and safety under Mobileye’s level 4 autonomy system. According to Verne executives, the platform represents a departure from traditional automotive designs, catering exclusively to autonomous driving. See also: Rimac Founder, Mate Rimac, Unveils Unique Nevera Hypercar with Personal Touches “The vehicle is built on a completely new platform designed around…

The Greek government has unveiled a new initiative, “Zap Taxi Club,” aimed at increasing the number of electric taxis in Athens tenfold to at least 1,000 units by 2026. This effort builds upon previous initiatives to promote electric taxis in the capital. According to media reports, the government officially presented the “Zap Taxi Club” initiative, addressing the current shortfall in electric taxi adoption. Currently, only about 100 of the 13,661 taxis in Athens are electric, highlighting the limited impact of the ‘Green Taxi’ funding programme introduced in 2023, which runs until 2025. To tackle this issue, the state is launching…

Solaris has announced new contracts to supply electric buses in the Scandinavian market, specifically in Sweden. Nobina, Scandinavia’s largest public transport operator, has placed an order for a total of 88 electric buses from Solaris for its operations in three regions: Skåne, Värmland, and Malmö. The order consists of 18 Urbino 18 electric articulated buses and 70 Urbino 15 LE electric three-axle buses, which are also approved for intercity services. Deliveries are scheduled for 2024 and 2025. See also: OVAG to Introduce 15 Hydrogen Buses in 2025, Partners with Solaris for Sustainable Public Transport Olivier Michard, Member of the Management Board…

Kia Motors has announced a 2.1% year-over-year decrease in global vehicle sales for May, totaling 264,313 units. Despite this overall decline, the company experienced a significant surge in all-electric car sales, setting a new record. Kia reported that retail all-electric car sales reached 19,407 units in May, marking a 93% increase from the previous year. The share of EVs out of the brand’s total volume reached 7.5%. See also: Kia Plans to Manufacture EV3 in Mexico, Leveraging US Federal Tax Credit The company’s all-electric lineup includes the EV5, EV6, EV9, Niro EV, Niro Plus EV, Soul EV, and the Korea-only Ray…

Rivian has disclosed plans for additional layoffs affecting a small number of salaried roles within the company. This announcement follows earlier layoffs earlier this year. According to Rivian spokeswoman Kelli Felker, the company is focusing on improving efficiency, particularly after enhancing manufacturing efficiency in April, allowing the same vehicle output as in 2023 but on two shifts instead of three. Felker stated, “As we continue improving efficiency across the company, we are eliminating a small number of salaried positions.” See also: Rivian Unveils 2025 R1T Pickup and R1S SUV Refresh with Up to 420 Miles of EPA Range The layoffs are…

InoBat, a Slovakian battery company, has announced the official start of production for its battery cells in Slovakia, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey. The company has successfully produced its first cells on a pilot line in Voderady and is now gearing up for large-scale production in partnership with Gotion High-Tech. The pilot line, inaugurated at the end of 2023, has the capacity to produce up to 50,000 cells per year. The equipment for the production line is sourced from Wuxi Lead, a Chinese company that also supplies Volkswagen. With all necessary certifications in place and employees trained,…

Panasonic Energy has decided to cancel its schedule for expanding production capacities, citing weaker demand in North America. The previously announced target of reaching 200 GWh of battery cells per year by 2031 will no longer be tied to a specific target year, as reported by Nikkei Asia. The Japanese company, known for its partnership with Tesla in the electric car battery cell market, had announced plans about a year ago to quadruple its capacity to 200 GWh per year by March 2031. This expansion was intended to focus more on production in North America. However, Panasonic CEO Kazuo Tadanobu…

Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS), the UK’s pioneering Hydrogen Fuel Cell truck OEM, has forged a partnership with Explore Plant & Transport Solutions (Explore) to supply 30 HVS hydrogen electric tractor units for integration into Explore’s fleet. The agreement includes comprehensive support services to ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of the vehicles. Under the terms of the Partnership Agreement, Explore will benefit from a service and maintenance plan, full training on the safe use of hydrogen, refueling and driver training, and a dedicated hydrogen fueling infrastructure tailored to their operational requirements. Established in 2015, Explore specializes in providing transport and…

Geely has announced a collaboration with European chipmaker STMicroelectronics for the supply of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power chips. The agreement reflects Geely’s commitment to enhancing its electric vehicle (EV) offerings with advanced semiconductor technology. STMicroelectronics and Geely have entered a long-term supply agreement for SiC devices, aiming to bolster their partnership in this field. The agreement includes the supply of SiC power devices for Geely’s mid-range and high-end all-electric vehicles across multiple brands, with a focus on improving vehicle performance, accelerating charging speeds, and extending driving range. Additionally, the partnership will see the establishment of an innovation joint lab, facilitating…

Italy’s eagerly awaited subsidy programme for ‘clean vehicles’ launched by the government was met with overwhelming response, exhausting the budget earmarked for purely electric cars in less than nine hours. The move highlights the strong demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the country. Initially presented in February, the subsidy programme aimed to target low-income households with older vehicles, offering incentives not only for purely electric cars but also for ‘vehicles with low pollutant emissions’, including efficient combustion engines and hybrids. The total budget of 950 million euros was allocated for this purpose. A substantial budget of 240 million euros was…

Envirostream, a subsidiary of Lithium Australia, has secured an exclusive deal with Volvo Group Australia’s Buses business to recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from its electric and hybrid bus fleet in Australia. The agreement, set for an initial 3-year term, solidifies Envirostream’s position in sustainable battery disposal. Under the agreement, Volvo will supply used batteries from its buses to Envirostream for recycling. Volvo, a prominent supplier of electric and hybrid buses in Australia, serves various transport operators nationwide, including public transport authorities in Western Australia and Queensland. While details about the potential second-life use of Volvo bus batteries for stationary storage…

Tesla has announced plans to transition to battery-powered trains for its shuttle service to and from its factory premises in Grünheide, Germany. The move comes after the contract between Tesla and Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB), the operator of the shuttle service, is set to end this month, with the NEB needing the diesel railcars for other purposes. According to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, the switch to battery-electric railcars from Siemens is expected to take place in July, following a brief interruption in the shuttle service. The new electric trains will replace the diesel-powered ones currently in use, aligning with Tesla’s commitment…

Mate Rimac, the founder of Rimac Automobili, has recently taken delivery of his personalized Nevera hypercar, showcasing a stunning array of bespoke features that set his vehicle apart from the rest. The exterior of Rimac’s Nevera is a sight to behold, featuring dark red carbon fiber meticulously placed to maintain a seamless weave across multiple panels. Contrasting the red carbon fiber are various components finished in black carbon fiber, including parts of the hood, elements near the front wheels, and trim along the sides. The vehicle’s customization extends to its wheels, which are finished in black, complemented by bright red…

Volvo Cars reported a strong performance in May, with sales reaching 68,034 cars, up 13% from the previous year. The increase was supported by a 27% rise in Europe and a notable contribution from its fully electric XC40 Recharge (EX30), the company announced on Wednesday. Sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid models saw a significant increase of 37%, accounting for 48% of the group’s total sales globally. Volvo Cars, based in Sweden and majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, highlighted the growing demand for electrified vehicles as a key driver of its sales growth. “This month’s sales figures are another…