Author: Robin Cannon

Tesla has set a new record by installing more than five times the number of DC fast chargers than its closest competitor in the United States in the first quarter of 2023. The EV manufacturer installed 1,292 DC fast charger ports, which accounted for 59 percent of all new DC port installations, according to data from EV research firm EVAdoption. The company also opened 98 new Supercharger sites nationwide, averaging more than one per day. In comparison, EVgo installed 250 DC fast charging ports between January and March, while ChargePoint placed 203. Despite billions of dollars in incentives from federal…

Ram, a brand of the multinational automotive company Stellantis, has finally revealed its long-awaited electric truck, the Ram 1500 REV. The Ram 1500 REV is set to rival the Ford F-150 Lightning and the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV, boasting impressive targeted range, towing, and other features. The CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, stated that the Ram 1500 REV would outperform all competitors on the attributes that customers care about most: range, towing, payload, and charge time. Ram Trucks CEO Mike Koval also spoke about how the company was not the first to release an electric truck on the market, with…

The Volkswagen Group and Bosch partnership is making significant strides in the development of self-driving cars. CARIAD, VW’s software-focused subsidiary, confirmed in a recent blog post that the partnership, known as the “Automated Driving Alliance,” is now testing self-driving cars on the road. The collaboration, which was announced in January 2022, was given the green light in July by the German Cartel office. Since then, around 1,500 staff, equally split between the two companies, have been working on the project across Germany, with hubs in Ingolstadt and Stuttgart. The partnership’s immediate priority is the introduction of a driver assistance system…

ABB E-Mobility, the Swiss-Swedish industrial group’s e-mobility division, has announced that Frank Mühlon is stepping down as CEO and moving to the role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Michael Halbherr, who has experience in software and technology leadership positions, will take over as interim CEO with immediate effect. Mühlon had previously played a key role in building and leading ABB E-Mobility’s charging pillar business, and had taken over as CEO when the division was spun off as a separate entity in preparation for an IPO. However, the exact reasons for his replacement as CEO have not been disclosed. See also:…

Electric vehicle giant Tesla (TSLA) has set a new record for its first quarter delivery and production numbers, surpassing expectations and beating its previous record. With the recent drop in prices and expansion in production capacity, Wall Street had high hopes for the company’s Q1 deliveries. Tesla has officially confirmed the figures, with over 440,000 vehicles produced and over 422,000 vehicles delivered in the first quarter of 2023. This has exceeded the analysts’ consensus of 420,000 vehicles delivered during the same period. The company’s latest delivery numbers have exceeded its previous record of 405,000 vehicles achieved in the last quarter…

Hyundai Motor has recently announced a joint development agreement with Advent Technologies, a US-based company that specializes in developing, manufacturing, and assembling complete fuel cell systems. The agreement comes after a successful fuel cell technology assessment, which evaluated Advent’s proprietary Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) technology for supplying Hyundai’s high-temperature fuel cell needs. The joint development agreement will focus on further developing and assessing Advent’s advanced fuel cell technology, specifically the HMC-Advent Ion Pair membrane electrode assembly (MEA), for use in Hyundai’s heavy-duty and stationary applications. The partners will also introduce advanced cooling technologies for mobility high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM)…

It’s no secret that our oceans are facing a massive plastic pollution problem. But what if we had a solution that could help clean up this mess while also collecting data on water quality? That’s where the WasteShark comes in. Created by Richard Hardiman, the WasteShark is a mini electric catamaran-shaped robot that is specifically designed to eat plastic and other debris that doesn’t belong in our oceans. The idea for the WasteShark came to Hardiman after he witnessed two people fishing rubbish out of the water with a net in South Africa. With a background in engineering and a…

Canoo, the EV startup that made headlines in 2020 as it went public, has released its Q4 earnings report, marking a crucial moment for the company as it moves into its next phase of development. The report revealed that after reaching a settlement with the SEC over an investigation into the company’s merger with SPAC Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp, Canoo is now in a position to access new funding opportunities. The EV maker has experienced its fair share of highs and lows since its foundation in 2017. After the excitement surrounding its IPO, the hype soon faded. In April 2021,…

GMC, in collaboration with EarthCruiser Innovations, is developing an electric motorhome concept based on the Hummer EV Pickup. The model, called the GMC Hummer EV Overlander, will be unveiled in concept form in late summer 2023. The companies released a cryptic teaser of the vehicle, showcasing a fully covered rear bed with storage compartments on the sides and solar panels on the roof. The Hummer EV Pickup’s longer wheelbase and overall length make it an ideal base for the motorhome conversion. The solar panels on the roof could produce enough energy to meet the motorhome’s needs, preserving the EV battery…

Daimler Truck North America, a subsidiary of German automaker Daimler AG, has secured a deal to supply 200 zero-emission trucks to Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing in the US. The deal includes 125 eCascadia and 75 eM2 trucks from Daimler’s US brand Freightliner, and the rental company expects the battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) to be fully operational by 2025. Velocity opted for the largest battery version of both Freightliner models, which can run up to 230 miles (370 km) on a single charge. The eCascadia, which is an all-electric version of North America’s best-selling Class 8 truck, is suited for short-haul…

Jaguar TCS Racing celebrated a triumphant victory at the Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix, as Mitch Evans took first place and teammate Sam Bird finished in third, securing the first-ever lockout podium for the British manufacturer in the all-electric racing series. This was a significant moment for Jaguar, who had struggled in the earlier rounds of Season 9 with just one podium finish. The team’s success highlights the unpredictability and competitiveness of the Gen3 era, which has seen five different race winners in the opening six races of the season. Evans’ win, which came after navigating through constant position changes…

As we move towards a greener future, the debate over the best way to achieve it rages on. The recent agreement by the European Union (EU) to ban the sales of new combustion engine vehicles by 2035 has been a hotly contested topic, with many arguing that the move is too drastic and unrealistic. However, the recent inclusion of exceptions for e-fuels has brought some relief to those who have been calling for a more gradual transition. The EU’s original proposal to ban new combustion vehicle sales by 2035 was met with resistance by Germany, a major automotive powerhouse in…

ABT e-Line, a company based in Kempten, Germany, has announced a partnership with WiTricity to offer inductive charging for electric cars in the European aftermarket. The first vehicle to be upgraded with the technology will be the VW ID.4, which is expected to launch in early 2024. Other models from the VW Group, such as the VW ID. Buzz, Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, are also expected to receive the aftermarket solution. While the exact details of the aftermarket solution are not yet clear, ABT e-Line claims that the WiTricity magnetic resonance technology enables charging processes “with the same…

Volkswagen has announced its plan to manufacture three million fully electric small cars at its Spanish plants in Martorell and Pamplona between 2025 and 2030. This comes as part of Seat’s annual press conference, where the company stated it is investing three billion euros to convert its Martorell plant near Barcelona in order to begin production of the recently unveiled VW ID.2 and the Cupra offshoot in 2025. The Pamplona plant will reportedly produce the VW ID.2 X crossover variant and Skoda’s offshoot called Elroq. The company is aiming for annual sales of 100,000 units per model, but it would…

Surrey County Council and Connected Kerb, an EV charge point provider, have announced a partnership that will result in the largest deployment of EV chargers by a local authority in the UK. Under this partnership, Connected Kerb will install 10,000 new public chargers across Surrey by 2030. The rollout will see Connected Kerb install their on-street charge points at over 1,500 locations across streets and public car parks in the county. This initiative will increase the number of EV chargers dramatically, with one charger per 9,000 residents in Surrey, and is expected to deliver over 5,000 fast charging points by…

In a major step towards achieving its ambitious goal of being 100% green by 2050, United Airlines is set to launch the first electric air taxi route in Chicago. The company has partnered with Archer Aviation, which has developed an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The air taxi service will be flown from O’Hare International Airport to Vertiport Chicago, which is the largest vertical takeoff and landing facility in North America. Passengers will be able to travel from point to point in just 10 minutes, as opposed to the one-hour-plus it can take during rush hour. Archer’s Midnight…

Cake, the innovative Swedish manufacturer of lightweight electric motorcycles, is set to make a big impact in China, Mexico, and Greece, thanks to a series of new distribution and production partnerships. In total, Cake plans to sell over 200,000 electric motorcycles in these countries, reflecting the growing global demand for sustainable mobility solutions. The most significant deal is with Shanghai Forever, a leading two-wheeler manufacturer and distributor based in China. This collaboration will see 150,000 Cake bikes manufactured and sold in China over the next four years, providing an excellent opportunity to tap into one of the world’s largest markets.…

Volvo Buses has made the decision to close its plant in Wroclaw, Poland, in Q1 of 2024. The facility, which produces electric buses and other vehicles, will be transitioned to Vargas Holding, a non-industry company, according to a recently signed letter of intent. Volvo will shift its focus to chassis production in Europe, a successful business model in other markets, in order to improve profitability and long-term competitiveness. The President of Volvo Buses, Anna Westerberg, explained, “Our business in Europe has been loss-making for years. With this business model that we already today apply successfully in many markets, we will…

Cabot, a US specialty chemicals company, has announced its plans to establish a technology centre in Münster, Germany. The centre will focus on technical collaboration with customers to accelerate the development of its battery materials products in Europe. Cabot develops solutions for current and future battery technologies such as cathodes with high nickel content, silicon-containing anodes, and solid-state battery materials. These solutions will now also be developed in Münster for the entire EMEA region. Cabot already has production capacities for conductive carbon additives (CCA) in Europe. Therefore, the EMEA technology centre will support the development of Cabot’s entire CCA product…

Tesla has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation by updating its mobile application to version 4.19, which includes several new features aimed at improving the driving experience for Tesla owners. The app, which has been praised for its excellent integration with Tesla vehicles, allows owners to control and customize their driving experience. With this update, the company has introduced several new features, including “Drive on Sunshine,” improved charging information, and a new section for non-Tesla charging membership. See also: Tesla App Update Allows Drivers to Purchase Features With Credits One of the most exciting features of the updated app…