Author: Moira Shortle

Audi has confirmed that its Brussels plant will cease production at the end of February 2025, following the failure to secure a viable investor for the site. Despite previous efforts to find a potential buyer, the last remaining investor pulled out, leading Audi to announce the closure with no plans for reopening under a different brand. The decision comes as a disappointment to the 3,000 employees at the plant, who had hoped for a last-minute resolution. While no premature redundancies will occur before the closure, the future of the workers remains uncertain. The closure of the Brussels plant had been…

Rivian saw its shares jump over 13% in premarket trading on Wednesday after securing a $5.8 billion investment from German automaker Volkswagen as part of their new joint venture aimed at advancing electric vehicle (EV) technology. The joint venture, named Rivian and VW Group Technology LLC, is expected to leverage Rivian’s software capabilities and Volkswagen’s advanced electrical infrastructure to drive development in future EV models for both brands. This strategic collaboration comes at a crucial time for Rivian, which is seeking to streamline costs and edge closer to profitability with the planned launch of its smaller, budget-friendly R2 SUV model.…

President-elect Donald Trump announced that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will officially take on a leadership role in his administration. In a statement made on X, the social media platform Musk acquired two years ago, Trump shared that Musk, along with American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, will head the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump praised Musk’s qualifications, saying, “I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency. Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to…

Swedish fuel cell manufacturer PowerCell is contributing to the EU-funded H2MAC project, a four-year initiative aimed at developing scalable hydrogen-powered fuel cell systems for non-road mobile machinery (NRMM). The project seeks to advance sustainable hydrogen technology for high-demand off-road sectors such as construction and mining. PowerCell will receive €793,000 to support its role in system and application integration, designed for rugged environments. Project milestones include the planned delivery of hydrogen fuel cell systems between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, with the first operational trials set for autumn 2026. “Participating in the H2MAC project highlights PowerCell’s commitment to hydrogen-electric solutions that…

Tesla has been seen testing its Cybercab robotaxi, a steering-wheel-less, self-driving vehicle, on the roads around its Gigafactory in Texas, marking a new stage in its autonomous vehicle development. The relaxed regulations on autonomous testing in Texas, compared to stricter rules in California, make it an ideal site for Tesla to advance its robotaxi testing. The Cybercab, unveiled last month on the Warner Bros studio lot, was first demonstrated on private roads that mimic city environments. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and self-driving head Ashok Elluswamy shared that the studio lot provided a safe, closed environment to showcase the robotaxi’s potential…

Lucid reported better-than-expected revenue for the third quarter, reaching $200 million and narrowly surpassing analysts’ estimates of $198 million, according to LSEG data. The luxury electric vehicle manufacturer, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, also reiterated its annual production goal of 9,000 vehicles for 2023, despite a challenging economic environment. The company delivered 2,781 vehicles during the third quarter but saw a dip in production, manufacturing 1,805 units. To meet its full-year target, Lucid will need to produce 3,357 vehicles in the last quarter. Despite high interest rates affecting budgets and pushing customers toward less expensive hybrids,…

KYMCO, the Taiwanese scooter manufacturer, has announced a significant milestone in its collaboration with U.S.-based electric motorcycle company LiveWire. The long-anticipated KYMCO RevoNEX electric motorcycle will now be constructed on LiveWire’s S2 Arrow platform, a versatile foundation currently used in LiveWire’s Del Mar and Mulholland electric models. The latest design of the RevoNEX was unveiled at the 2024 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show, with KYMCO Chairman Allen Ko showcasing the bike onstage. “Every detail of the new RevoNEX has been meticulously crafted to bring riders the most unique electric riding experience,” Ko said, highlighting the brand’s commitment to delivering a premium…

Volvo’s new electric SUV, the EX30, will reach U.S. customers earlier than initially planned, following a surge in pre-order demand, the automaker confirmed. Deliveries of the EX30, which is Volvo’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle, are now set to begin in late 2024, a shift from its previously anticipated 2025 debut. The move comes after high interest in the EX30 Twin Motor Performance variant, which Volvo identified as the model’s most popular version. Starting at $44,900, this dual-motor variant offers 422 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, marking it as Volvo’s fastest vehicle…

Suzuki has introduced its first electric vehicle, the eVitara, marking a new chapter in the automaker’s history. Yet, for fans of the compact off-roader Jimny hoping for an EV variant, Suzuki’s President Toshihiro Suzuki has cast doubt on that possibility, citing concerns about the impact on the vehicle’s defining characteristics. “If you talk about the Jimny EV, I think it would ruin the best part of the Jimny,” Suzuki stated, emphasizing that the battery weight could undermine the off-roader’s agility and distinctive lightness. This stance appears to contradict Suzuki’s official electrification roadmap announced earlier in 2023, which hinted at a…

U.S. retail giant Walmart is gearing up to debut its BrightDrop electric delivery vans in major cities, with plans to expand its sustainable fleet in the coming months. Walmart initially reserved 5,000 of these EVs from BrightDrop, a General Motors subsidiary, as part of a broader strategy to electrify its delivery network. The first batch of 400 BrightDrop vans will soon begin serving areas like Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Northwest Arkansas, Orlando, and the San Francisco Bay Area by year-end, in support of Walmart’s in-home delivery service expansion to 62 million homes. Walmart’s Vice President of Dedicated Delivery, Warren Moore,…

Tesla’s latest software update, 2024.38.4, introduces a new feature for Track Mode V3 called Powertrain Endurance, aimed at optimizing performance during extended track sessions, the company confirmed. The addition reflects Tesla’s continued refinement of Track Mode, which initially debuted in 2018 to enhance the track performance of its electric vehicles (EVs). As EV community reports and screenshots show, Powertrain Endurance allows drivers to customize their vehicle’s performance output with three settings: Standard, Increased, and Maximum. According to Tesla, the Standard setting provides peak output, though performance may be quickly limited due to thermal management constraints. https://twitter.com/TeslaNewswire/status/1850789656234717203 The Increased option strikes…

The Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency and the National Public Roads Administration have proposed pushing back Norway’s climate target for van sales to 2027, shifting from the initial 2025 deadline to allow only zero-emission new van sales. This adjustment follows feedback from Norsk elbilforening, Norway’s association for electric vehicles, which had previously advocated for the revised timeline. While Norway has led the transition to electric vehicles, the original 2025 target for 100% electric van sales has proven challenging, with electric vans making up less than 29% of light commercial vehicle sales last year—far below the 82% achieved in passenger car sales.…