Author: Moira Shortle

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…