Author: Robin Cannon

The city of Liverpool has committed £26 million for the acquisition of 50 new electric double-decker buses, bolstering its efforts to transition to a sustainable public transport system. The funding is sourced from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which totals £710 million for major transportation projects across the region. This latest order adds to the 58 electric buses previously secured by the Liverpool City Region, with aspirations to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035. Mayor Steve Rotheram emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “Today is a landmark moment in our mission to build a London-style, green…

Canadian eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle manufacturer Horizon Aircraft has successfully conducted hundreds of flight tests with its large-scale prototype, the Cavorite X7. This hybrid eVTOL vehicle is designed to take off vertically and then transition to conventional airplane flight. The Cavorite X7, which seats seven, is slated for completion by 2026. In addition to flight testing, Horizon is developing digital twin technology to facilitate the rapid testing of thousands of virtual flight scenarios, with the prototype already nearing full transition speed. The Cavorite X7 is engineered to achieve speeds nearly double those of traditional helicopters, boasting a…

CATL announced plans to establish 10,000 battery swap stations, marking a significant step in its expansion into the battery swap sector. This is the first time the company has disclosed specific targets for this business. Gao Huan, CATL’s Chief Technology Officer, revealed the ambitious goal during the 2024 World Power Battery Conference held yesterday in Yibin, Sichuan province. In the short term, CATL aims to have 3,000 battery swap stations operational by 2027. Additionally, the company plans to expand its network to 30 cities with over 500 stations by 2025, and by 2026, it intends to have more than 1,500…

Zeekr reported a rebound in vehicle deliveries in August, with 18,003 units sold, marking a 15% increase from July’s 15,655 deliveries and a 46.43% rise from the 12,303 vehicles delivered in the same month last year. The rebound follows a dip in deliveries in July. From January to August, Zeekr delivered a total of 121,540 vehicles, reflecting an 81.47% increase year-on-year. The company aims to reach a target of 230,000 deliveries for the entire year. As of the end of August, Zeekr’s cumulative deliveries since its inception stood at 318,173 vehicles. Zeekr’s current lineup includes the Zeekr 001, Zeekr 007,…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $50 million in grants to assist small and medium-sized manufacturers in six states as they transition to the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain. The funding is aimed at preserving well-paying, unionized jobs in traditional automotive communities as the industry shifts toward e-mobility. The states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois have qualified for the grants, which are part of a broader $2 billion initiative funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The program is coordinated by the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) and is designed to support…

LG Energy Solution (LGES) has established a task force to develop prismatic batteries, responding to increasing demand from the electric vehicle (EV) market for safer and more cost-efficient battery production processes. A report by Business Korea revealed the formation of this task force, although it did not cite specific sources or include comments from LGES. This move marks a strategic shift for LGES, which has traditionally specialized in pouch and cylindrical cells for vehicles and stationary energy storage systems. https://evmagz.com/lg-energy-solution-considers-morocco-for-new-battery-plant/ The automotive industry is increasingly adopting cell-to-pack (CtP) battery concepts, where cells are directly installed into the battery pack without…

UK charge point operator Gridserve has inaugurated a test lab for electric vehicle chargers at its Innovation and Operations Centre in Swindon, aiming to enhance the reliability of its charging network. The new facility allows Gridserve to test Medium Power and High Power Chargers (HPC) and provides ample space to trial multiple EV charging bay configurations. The company is also examining hardware components, including distribution cabinets and stationary storage systems. A key focus for Gridserve is ensuring the interoperability of chargers with various electric vehicles. The company has conducted tests with electric cars, motorcycles, and trucks, including a prototype of…

U.S. solid-state battery developer ION Storage Systems has achieved a significant milestone on its path to commercialization, reaching 800 cycles with its “anode-less” cells. This marks a considerable advancement from the 125 cycles reported earlier this year. ION’s cells operate without the need for compression or volume change, a major challenge in the development of solid-state batteries. In March, the company announced that the U.S. military had achieved more than 125 cycles with less than five percent capacity loss using ION’s solid-state battery cells. “The stable cycling that we’ve repeatedly observed in our R&D cells is the culmination of key…

A recent study has revealed that most Tesla owners in 2024 have switched from electric vehicles (EVs) to combustion engine models, with only 32 percent choosing to stay electric. The study found that 51 percent of Tesla owners moved to pure internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, while 10 percent opted for hybrids and 6 percent selected plug-in hybrids. This trend aligns with a McKinsey & Co. survey, which showed that nearly half (46 percent) of EV owners in the United States are likely to return to combustion-powered vehicles for their next purchase. Despite these figures, the situation represents a notable…

Neta Auto, the electric vehicle (EV) brand under Hozon Auto, has introduced an updated version of its Neta X SUV, featuring lower prices and upgraded specifications. The revised model is available in four variants, with starting prices of RMB 89,800 ($12,550), RMB 99,800, RMB 114,800, and RMB 124,800, respectively. Initially launched on October 18, 2023, the original Neta X was priced at RMB 126,800, RMB 136,800, RMB 136,800, and RMB 146,800 for its four variants. On February 19, 2024, Neta Auto reduced the prices of all Neta X variants by RMB 22,000, adjusting the starting prices to RMB 104,800, RMB…

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office has reported a significant decrease in the cost of lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles (EVs). According to the DOE, the cost has dropped by 90% from 2008 to 2023, using constant 2023 dollars. The estimated cost for 2023 is $139 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on a usable-energy basis for production at a scale of at least 100,000 units per year. This is a substantial reduction from $1,415 per kWh in 2008. The decline in cost is attributed to advancements in battery technologies and chemistries, as well as improvements in manufacturing processes and…

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi has commenced construction on the second phase of its electric vehicle (EV) factory in Beijing. This development is part of the company’s efforts to expand its EV production capabilities and introduce new models to the market. The new phase, located in Majuqiao within Beijing’s Yizhuang development zone, began construction on July 26, just 24 hours after securing the land deal, according to a statement from the Yizhuang development zone management committee posted on WeChat. Yizhuang officials visited the project site on July 31, expressing their commitment to supporting its construction. https://evmagz.com/xiaomi-on-track-to-meet-annual-su7-delivery-target/ An affiliate of Beijing-based Xiaomi…