Author: Robin Cannon

The Estonian capital will expand its battery-electric trolleybus fleet to 70 vehicles after city authorities confirmed the purchase of 30 more units from Skoda Group, complementing an earlier order of 40 placed this year. The additional vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2026 under a contract between AS Tallinna Linnatransport and Skoda. Funding from the European Modernisation Fund will cover €12.1 million of the cost for 17 of the new units. According to the city, the first of the additional trolleybuses will begin service in May 2026 on route 72, before being deployed to other routes including the city’s busiest…

Tesla has introduced an armor upgrade for its Cybertruck, offering enhanced rock sliders and an underbody battery shield designed to boost durability in off-road conditions. The “Terrestrial Armor Package,” announced on social media platform X, is currently available only for Foundation Series models, with broader availability expected by September 2025. https://twitter.com/cybertruck/status/1953932173100429655 Priced at $3,500, the package includes an aluminum underbody shield, coated steel rock sliders for both sides of the vehicle, and installation at a Tesla Service Center. The upgrade is aimed at protecting the vehicle’s battery and body structure from rocks and debris during challenging terrain use. “Get extra-terrestrial,”…

LiCAP Technologies has completed installation and testing of a 300 MWh roll‑to‑roll dry electrode production line at its Sacramento facility, supported by funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC). The company began producing customer samples this month, targeting cell manufacturers seeking cleaner and more efficient battery production methods. The production line uses LiCAP’s proprietary Activated Dry Electrode process to produce free‑standing cathode films without toxic solvents, avoiding energy‑intensive drying and solvent recovery steps common in slurry‑based electrode manufacturing. In July, the company produced its first cathode roll exceeding 500 metres in length. The process, developed with engineering partner Dürr and…

Students at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) have unveiled an electric motorcycle prototype named Laplace, designed to advance Indonesia’s shift toward zero-emission transport and promote homegrown technology development. The project is led by the Faculty of Engineering as part of UNNES’s commitment to sustainable innovation. Dean Wirawan Sumbodo said the initiative reflects a shift from dependency on imported technology. “For too long, we have been users of imported technologies. It is now time for us to create homegrown innovations that serve our communities and support the government’s zero-emission agenda,” he said during an interview at the faculty’s Engineering Building E5 in…

Thailand has revised its electric vehicle (EV) incentive policy to allow carmakers greater flexibility in meeting local production requirements, aiming to boost exports amid weak domestic demand and increasing competition from Chinese automakers, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Under the changes, exports of domestically produced EVs will now count toward production quotas, which previously only included locally registered vehicles. The adjustment is part of the country’s broader 2022 EV incentive package, which offered duty-free imports on the condition that carmakers match imports with local production by 2024, and ramp up to 1.5 units produced for every imported unit by 2025. “The…

Xpeng is set to unveil its next-generation P7 electric sedan in Beijing on August 6, marking a significant update to one of the company’s key models. The new version, internally codenamed E29, follows the original P7 launched in 2020 and aims to strengthen Xpeng’s position in the premium EV market. The company began teasing the redesigned P7 in May, announcing that the model would enter the market in the third quarter of 2024, targeting a price point of around RMB 300,000 ($41,820). The upcoming sedan is designed not only for China but also for international markets, with Xpeng stating that…

Geely’s commercial vehicle unit Farizon has unveiled the X-Van, an all-electric camper van based on its modular SuperVAN platform, with initial prices starting at 269,900 yuan ($37,200). The vehicle, aimed at China’s growing outdoor lifestyle market, is currently available in a single variant. The X-Van measures 5.02 meters in length, 1.98 meters in width, and 2.14 meters in height, making it slightly taller than Farizon’s existing seven-seat Super Van passenger model. The increase in height is due to the inclusion of a motorized pop-up roof tent. The X-Van and Super Van both share the same GMA-based SuperVAN platform, designed for…

Stellantis reported a net loss of €2.3 billion for the first half of 2025, down sharply from a €5.6 billion profit in the same period last year, as the automaker contends with macroeconomic pressures and weakening performance in North America and Europe. The company posted net revenues of €74.3 billion, a 13% decline year-on-year, and adjusted operating income (AOI) dropped to €0.5 billion from €8.5 billion. The results included €3.3 billion in net charges excluded from AOI. Industrial free cash flow came in at negative €3.0 billion, reflecting subdued earnings and ongoing investments in capital expenditures and R&D. Despite the…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio said it has delivered its 10,000th vehicle under the Firefly sub-brand, about three months after its market debut. The milestone marks a promising start for the company’s new premium compact car offering. The Firefly brand, officially launched at Nio Day on December 21, 2024, introduced its first and only model to date on April 19. Priced competitively, the vehicle is offered in two trims starting at RMB 119,800 ($16,710) and RMB 125,800, inclusive of the battery. Firefly expanded its appeal further in late June with the introduction of a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) option, lowering the initial…

Glīd Technologies has raised $3.1 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round to accelerate development of its autonomous freight technology designed to improve first-mile container transport by bridging road and rail systems. The round was led by Outlander VC, with support from Draper U Ventures, Antler, The Veteran Fund, M1C, and climate- and infrastructure-focused angel investors. The funding supports Glīd’s effort to streamline logistics through its proprietary dual-mode vehicles—Glīders—which eliminate the need for terminals or cranes by transferring containers directly between road and rail systems. These innovations are targeted at reducing congestion, cutting emissions, and simplifying multimodal transport, particularly in…

Dongfeng Motor’s premium electric off-road brand M-Hero has begun pre-sales for its new M817 SUV, the first model developed under its strategic partnership with Huawei. The company launched pre-orders at an event held on July 19, offering two configurations—Pro and Max—priced at RMB 329,900 ($45,950) and RMB 359,900, respectively. The M817 is a plug-in hybrid off-road SUV with dimensions of 5,100 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width, and up to 1,919 mm in height. It features a 1.5-liter engine combined with electric motors, delivering a total output of 505 kW and torque of 848 Nm. The SUV can accelerate…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Zeekr has launched an internal investigation following reports that it had recorded vehicle sales using insured but unsold units, a practice known in the industry as selling “zero-mileage” used cars. In a statement issued on Sunday, Zeekr said the vehicles referenced in recent media reports were used for exhibitions and had been insured but were neither sold nor officially registered. The company said it has formed a dedicated team to examine the situation and improve internal processes, reiterating its opposition to the sale of zero-mileage used cars. The response follows reports from Reuters and the China…