Author: Moira Shortle

Ryvid, the Southern California-based manufacturer known for its innovative electric motorcycles, has introduced its latest offering, the Ryvid Outset, alongside a significant price reduction for its existing model, the Ryvid Anthem. The Outset, priced at just $5,995, is positioned as the most affordable highway-capable electric motorcycle in the US, while the Anthem’s price has been lowered to $6,495. The Ryvid Anthem, initially priced at $8,995, has garnered attention for its commuter-friendly design since its late 2023 debut. Now, with the introduction of the Outset, Ryvid is expanding its lineup to cater to riders seeking a dual-purpose bike that can handle…

Milence, the electric truck charging joint venture, has announced the construction of a new charging location in Perpignan, France, scheduled to go online in September 2024. This marks Milence’s second site in France, following the opening of its first site in Heudebouville, Normandy. According to a press release from the company, the Perpignan site will initially feature three CCS chargers capable of delivering up to 400 kW of power. In a later phase, the site will be expanded to include megawatt chargers, consistent with Milence’s two-stage approach to charging hub development. The strategic location of the new site near the…

New Way Trucks, in collaboration with hydrogen fuel cell specialist Hyzon, has unveiled North America’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse truck at Waste Expo in Las Vegas. This groundbreaking vehicle is the first outcome of their Joint Development Agreement (JDA). The hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (HFCEV) will be part of pilot programs in California following the expo, starting with Recology, a San Francisco-based employee-owned solid waste and recycling hauler. Recology CEO Sal Coniglio expressed pride in their fleet sustainability leadership and excitement about being the first to test this technology in California communities. The truck is powered by…

Luminar Technologies, a producer of lidar sensors for autonomous vehicles, revealed that Tesla was its largest customer in the first quarter of this year. Despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s previous criticism of lidar technology, which he once dubbed “expensive appendices,” the electric vehicle giant accounted for over 10% of Luminar’s total revenue of $21 million during the period. Musk has been vocal about his skepticism regarding lidar, stating in 2019 that “Lidar is a fools’ errand. And anyone relying on Lidar is doomed.” Tesla, known for its reliance on cameras for its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software, has steered clear…

Amazon has announced the deployment of 50 battery-electric heavy-duty trucks in California, marking the largest such fleet in the country. The move is part of the company’s broader mission to reduce pollution from its global operations, despite a recent spike in its carbon emissions. According to Amazon, these trucks will play a crucial role in its first-mile and middle-mile operations, transporting goods from container ships at ports to fulfillment centers, and from there to various delivery centers. Some of these trucks will join Amazon’s drayage fleet, which moves goods from the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach to fulfillment…

Rivian impressed investors and analysts alike with its first-quarter financial performance, as detailed in its latest earnings report. Despite a net loss of $1.4 million and an EBITDA-adjusted loss of $798 million, the company’s revenue of $1.2 million exceeded expectations, signaling a positive trajectory towards profitability. During Q1, Rivian delivered 13,588 vehicles and produced 13,980, narrowing its loss per vehicle delivered to $38,784, down from $43,372 in Q4 2023 and significantly lower than over $124,000 in Q4 2022. CEO RJ Scaringe expressed optimism about the results, stating, “First-quarter results exceeded our outlook and set a strong foundation for the remainder…

Stellantis, the multinational automotive manufacturer, is set to introduce hydrogen-powered versions of its largest RAM Trucks in the North American market, with production slated to take place in Mexico. The company plans to significantly expand its hydrogen-powered vehicle lineup in the coming years, aiming to increase sales from 350 units of its HFCEV delivery vans sold last year to over 100,000 units annually by 2030. It anticipates that a majority of these sales will come from commercial customers, particularly in the United States, where RAM Trucks are popular. “This year, we are starting production of larger vehicles in Poland,” said…

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is preparing for an extensive test run with its new electric flagship, the eActros 600. The company intends to send two near-series prototypes of the battery-electric long-haul truck on a journey across more than 20 European countries, covering more than 13,000 kilometers each with a total towing weight of 40 tons. The goal of this venture is to gain comprehensive experience on a variety of routes in different terrains and climates, focusing on energy consumption. The manufacturer plans to share these findings with interested customers. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Trucks aims to demonstrate that the eActros 600 is capable of…

Luminar Technologies, a leading provider of lidar sensors for autonomous vehicles, announced on Friday its plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 20% as part of a restructuring initiative for the current year. The company aims to streamline its operations and reduce costs. As of December last year, Luminar employed nearly 800 full-time staff across its locations in the U.S., Germany, Sweden, India, and China. In addition to workforce reductions, Luminar intends to sub-lease some of its facilities either partially or entirely, as it seeks to reduce its global footprint. The restructuring plan, set to be implemented immediately, is expected…

Hubject, a provider of EV charging interoperability solutions, has joined forces with Shahin to improve the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The collaboration aims to establish a roaming platform in the UAE through Hubject’s network, enhancing accessibility and reliability for EV drivers. The partnership comes at a crucial time as the UAE experiences a surge in EV adoption, with experts forecasting a 30% average annual growth rate. This growth is expected to result in a need for more than 70,000 public charge points by 2035. However, the current EV charging landscape in the…

Vienna-based company Eloop has announced the end of its electric car-sharing service, citing financial challenges and a shift in focus towards asset tokenisation. The company, known for its fleet of around 200 Teslas, will dissolve the fleet following a restructuring process. Eloop’s decision comes amid struggles with drastically increased interest rates and high operating costs, exacerbated by a recent rise in vehicle damage, including total losses. Leroy Hofer, CEO and co-founder of Eloop, explained to Austrian newspaper Der Standard that the company will file for bankruptcy to reorganise and save as many jobs as possible. Eloop will now focus on…

Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus has clinched a significant deal to supply 46 hydrogen buses to Germany. The order, placed by public transport provider Cottbusverkehr, includes eleven H2 buses designated for operation in Cottbus and an additional 35 for the subsidiary Spree-Neiße-Cottbusverkehr. The first batch of the revolutionary Kite Hydroliner hydrogen buses is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2024. While these 46 buses mark the first hydrogen-powered additions to Cottbusverkehr’s fleet, Wrightbus has previously supplied Kite Hydroliners to other German operators, including Regionalverkehr Köln in 2022 and WestVerkehr for the Heinsberg district in 2023. Cottbusverkehr’s decision to choose…