Author: Moira Shortle

The European Union’s Horizon project, NextETRUCK, is set to revolutionize the transport industry by decarbonizing it. The project aims to develop electric trucks that can handle medium freight haulage by the end of 2025. With 19 partners from eight countries, the project aims to increase efficiency and provide seamless management. “We aim to utilize EV drives that are at least ten per cent more efficient than comparable drives in this class,” says the NextETRUCK consortium. Additionally, the project aims to create special tools that meet the requirements of the regional medium freight haulage sector. To achieve its goals, the consortium…

LG Energy Solution, the South Korean battery giant, is reportedly in talks with Toyota to supply electric vehicle (EV) batteries, according to LGES CEO Kwon Young Soo. The negotiations have been progressing well, and the companies are discussing the way of cooperation. “We are discussing the way of cooperation,” Kwon said during a recent press conference after LGES’ annual shareholders meeting. This news comes after LGES announced a joint venture $4.4 billion battery plant with Honda in Ohio last October, further solidifying its position as the world’s third-ranked EV battery maker. LGES already has joint battery plants with General Motors,…

Tesla has launched its Safety Score 2.0, an updated version of its driver scoring system, aimed at making insurance premiums fairer for its customers. The Safety Score was initially developed by the company for use in its own car insurance product, using real-time driving data from its vehicles to assign drivers a score based on how and when they drive. This score affects their monthly premium, either positively or negatively, depending on various factors such as aggressive turning, hard braking, and unsafe following distance. The Safety Score 2.0 includes significant changes to the existing program, adding Excessive Speeding and Unbuckled…

Ebusco, an electric bus manufacturer based in the Netherlands, has received a significant order for up to 63 e-buses from Qbuzz, a public transport operator. The order comprises the latest Ebusco 3.0 model and will be used in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe from 2024. The Qbuzz order includes 45 Ebusco 3.0 solo buses measuring 12 metres and 18-metre articulated buses. Four of the articulated buses are still under an option. The 45 solo buses will mainly be used in regional traffic, while the 18-metre articulated buses will run on lines 5 and 6 in the surrounding area under…

Sono Motors, a German electric car manufacturer, is reportedly facing financial difficulties and is at risk of insolvency. According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company’s auditors have expressed “significant doubts” about its ability to continue as a going concern. The company has been struggling to secure funding to continue operations after the demise of its Sion solar electric car project. In a recent announcement, Sono Motors stated that it will focus on its solar business for B2B customers rather than pursuing its capital-intensive solar car project. However, the company acknowledges that it will…

French companies Forsee Power, Blue Solutions, and Bluebus, all subsidiaries of the Bolloré Group, have joined forces to develop a solid-state battery made in France, set to launch in 2026. The collaboration will focus on developing a new generation of battery cells, known as GEN4, to be integrated into Forsee Power’s battery systems. Bus manufacturer Bluebus will use the new lithium-ion NMC battery system for its 6-metre and 12-metre buses, replacing its LMP battery systems. The new system includes the Zen Slim, a smaller battery system available with 11, 16, or 21 kWh that will be used for the 6-metre…

Scout Motors, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, recently announced its plans to establish a $2 billion factory in Blythewood, South Carolina. The company is expected to start production of electric SUVs and pickup trucks in 2026, and it selected the Blythewood site after considering 74 locations across the South, Midwest, and Western regions of the United States. In order to secure Scout Motors as a new business in the state, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a generous $1.3 billion incentive package into law on March 20th. The package includes a $400 million grant for Scout Motors, $650 million for…

Hyundai Mobis has announced the successful development of an in-wheel system that allows for direct motor control of each wheel. This cutting-edge technology, which has not been mass-produced anywhere else in the world, includes key components such as the drive motor and controller, which were developed in-house by Hyundai Mobis. The in-wheel system is currently being verified for mass-production based on the IONIQ 5 with Hyundai Motor Company. The development of this technology began in 2010 in response to the emerging electric car market. The in-wheel motor requires a complex design process to place a powertrain on wheels and is…

TotalEnergies, the French mineral oil group, is planning to sell its service station network in Germany and the Netherlands to Canadian company Couche-Tard. The move is reportedly in response to the planned phasing out of internal combustion engines in Europe, as the company intends to focus on developing new forms of mobility such as hydrogen and electric charging stations. The service station network in Germany comprises 1,198 filling stations, while there are 392 in the Netherlands. TotalEnergies does not occupy a market-leading position in either country, making it essential to seek the expertise of a convenience store specialist. The company…

Murtas Motorcycles, a new entrant in the electric motorcycle game, is making waves in Europe with its headquarters based in Pierrelatte near Montélimar, France. The brand is spearheaded by Patrice Murtas, who successfully brought the Super Soco brand to French soil in 2021. With France’s tightening restrictions on gasoline-powered machines, especially in urbanized areas like Paris, electric two-wheelers are becoming an increasingly attractive solution. After opening its doors in early 2023, Murtas Motorcycles has wasted no time in establishing itself in the market. The brand has introduced two electric scooter models, the MX1 and MX2, that offer performance levels similar…

Rivian has made a name for itself in the electric delivery van market, thanks to its substantial order from Amazon for 100,000 electric delivery vans (EDVs). The order has allowed Rivian to continue ramping up production considerably. Now, the automaker’s newest van variant, the EDV 500, has been spotted on public roads. The Rivian EDV 500 is the smallest van offering from the company and is set to hit the market in the first half of this year. It was recently spotted by Instagram user kindelauto. Unlike its larger siblings, the EDV 500 has a body made up of three…

The year 2022 proved to be a significant setback for electric mobility in Italy, Europe’s fourth largest auto market. While electric vehicles (EVs) continued to gain market share across the continent, Italian sales of plug-in vehicles suffered an unexpected setback. In 2021, over 67,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in Italy, doubling the numbers from the previous year. It was expected that the country would surpass the psychological threshold of 100,000 annual units sold. However, EV incentives abruptly ended before 2022 even started, leaving the Italian car market in limbo for several months. Although a new set of leaner…