Author: Moira Shortle

Toyota has initiated a public transport pilot in Thailand with nine fully electric Hilux Revo pickup trucks, marking a significant move in the Southeast Asian electric vehicle (EV) landscape, where Chinese manufacturers are challenging Japanese automakers’ dominance. The modified pickup trucks, now serving as song-taews for public transportation, were launched in the Thai seaside city of Pattaya, about 100 km (62 miles) east of Bangkok. “The battery EV Revo have been modified into song-taews for public transportation,” stated Surapoom Udomwong, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Thailand, on Thursday. Toyota’s pilot project in Thailand comes as Chinese EV brands are…

Rocsys, a Dutch company specializing in robotic charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), has announced exciting new partnerships with Easymile from France and Autocar from the USA. Both companies intend to utilize Rocsys’ cutting-edge charging solutions, which are based on robotics and AI-based computer vision, in their future operations. Since 2019, Rocsys has been developing an autonomous charging platform that allows a robot to plug and unplug charging cables automatically, without any human intervention. This technology aligns with the vision of Easymile and Autocar for a future where autonomous vehicles can charge themselves seamlessly, maximizing uptime and productivity. Alban Brisy,…

Amazon has emerged as a frontrunner in decarbonizing its commercial delivery fleet, operating over 13,500 Electric Delivery Vans (EDVs) across the U.S. as part of its commitment to sustainability. The company has also established a robust charging network to support these vans, ensuring efficient operations and timely deliveries for its customers. Manufactured by California-based EV startup Rivian, the EDVs were initially produced exclusively for Amazon. However, Rivian has since opened them up for other businesses following the end of its exclusivity agreement with Amazon last year. Despite facing challenges and delays in the initial adoption of the Rivian EDVs, Amazon’s…

The European Parliament has thrown its support behind new CO2 standards for trucks and buses in the EU, paving the way for emission-free buses by 2035 and nearly all trucks by 2040. The move, which still requires approval from the European Council, is seen as a formality. MEPs voted in favor of the policy, which aims to regulate emissions from new trucks, buses, and trailers. Under the new standards, manufacturers must reduce the average emissions of trucks weighing over 7.5 tonnes and coaches by 45% from 2030, by 65% from 2035, and by 90% from 2040. These targets will also…

Renault Trucks is set to open a new service outlet in Lyon, France, named ‘Renault Truck City,’ located in the Urban Logistics Hotel (ULH) in the city center. The ULH, opening this week, will serve as a central logistics hub for unloading and sorting goods before distribution by low-emission vehicles. The new service center, according to Renault Trucks, will offer maintenance and repair services for customers operating medium-duty electric trucks and light commercial vehicles in Lyon’s city center. The E-Tech-certified workshop will be staffed by two technicians and will also cater to Kleuster cargo bikes, assembled at Renault Trucks’ factory…

Elon Musk has mandated Tesla employees to install and demonstrate the Full Self-Driving Beta for every customer taking delivery in North America. Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that automates driving on city streets and highways but requires the driver’s attention at all times, remaining a level 2 system despite its name. Tesla aims to enhance the system until it can eliminate the need for the driver’s attention, making it a true self-driving system. The automaker is currently deploying version 12 of its FSD Beta system, which powers vehicle controls with neural networks, representing a…

The UK government has announced a significant funding boost of £143 million to support the procurement of 955 new zero-emission buses across 25 local authorities in England. This funding, part of the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme, aims to enhance public transport and reduce emissions in urban and rural areas. Originally budgeted at £129 million when the second funding round was announced in September 2023, the actual awarded funding exceeded expectations by £16.3 million. Of the total funding, £40 million will be dedicated to rural areas, facilitating the purchase of 318 zero-emission vehicles. This…

Charging infrastructure specialist ChargePoint has announced a collaboration with Iveco company GATE to simplify the management and charging of GATE’s commercial electric rental vehicles. As part of the collaboration, ChargePoint will offer integrated charging services to simplify the electrification of GATE’s customers. This includes consultancy for the purchase and installation of charging stations, technical support before and after the sale, and software to manage and monitor the charging infrastructure. “Our partnership with GATE will help more fleets to realize their e-mobility and decarbonization goals,” said André ten Bloemendal, Senior Vice President for Europe at ChargePoint. “ChargePoint has proven experience which…

Porsche is gearing up for its most extensive vehicle launch ever, with plans to introduce four new models this year, including the highly anticipated all-electric Macan EV, which has already garnered strong pre-order numbers. “After a successful 2023, our strong results are due to the high demand for our attractive products and strict cost discipline,” stated Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke following the company’s 2023 earnings announcement. Porsche reported a revenue of $44.2 billion (40.5 billion euros) in 2023, marking a 7.7% year-over-year increase. Despite facing rising inflation and significant investments, the company maintained an operating return on sales of 18%.…

Biliti Electric, a Californian-based electric tuk-tuk manufacturer, has commenced construction on a new production facility in Hyderabad, India. The new plant, slated to produce battery packs alongside the company’s signature three-wheeled electric vehicles, marks a significant step in Biliti Electric’s global expansion strategy. With a designed capacity of 2,000 vehicles per month, the new facility covers approximately 13 acres. Media reports indicate that Biliti has invested over Rs 400 crore (approximately 4 billion rupees or 48.33 million US dollars) in this state-of-the-art facility, which is expected to generate around 10,000 new job opportunities. Raja Gayam, CEO at Biliti Electric, highlighted…

Packfleet, a UK-based package delivery startup specializing in all-electric van operations in London, announced on Tuesday that it has successfully raised $10 million in Series A funding. The investment is intended to support the company’s expansion efforts within London and its upcoming expansion to other cities across Britain later this year. Leading the funding round are prominent venture capital firms General Catalyst and Voyager, with additional contributions from existing investors such as Creandum. Packfleet is part of a growing cohort of delivery startups in Europe and the U.S. striving to meet the increasing demand for zero-emission last-mile deliveries to both…

Dinobus, a provider of emission-free airport transport solutions, is making waves with its innovative 14-metre Dinobus Pure Electric Airport Bus, designed to provide sustainable transport options for airports. The bus boasts a maximum speed of 60 kph and can travel up to 150 kilometres between charges, making it a versatile and eco-friendly choice for airport shuttles. Equipped with a 210 kWh LFP battery pack from CATL, the Dinobus Pure Electric Airport Bus is not only environmentally friendly but also practical. With a width of roughly three metres and a height of 3.4 metres, the bus features eight passenger seats and…