Author: Sibley Presley

Lightship RV has just announced the development of a new travel trailer that aims to solve the problem of range drop experienced by electric vehicles (EVs) while towing. The Lightship L1 boasts an ultra aerodynamic design, electric power plant, and 80 kWh battery pack that allows it to propel itself while being towed, preserving either the range of an EV or the fuel economy of a gas vehicle that’s towing it. According to Lightship RV, this means that “a 300-mile range EV used to tow it remains a 300-mile range EV, and a 25-mpg gas truck remains a 25-mpg gas…

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, has announced its intention to seek Indian partners to collaborate in the areas of semiconductor development and electric vehicles. The company, which is well-known for manufacturing Apple’s iPhones, has been looking to expand its operations in India after experiencing severe supply disruptions in China last year. Foxconn’s Chairman and CEO, Young Liu, stated that India’s large population provides ample opportunities to deepen partnerships and seek cooperation in new areas. During his visit to India, Liu met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and communicated the company’s desire to work closely with local governments to seek the…

Embark Trucks, the autonomous trucking company that made a splash when it went public in 2021, is now facing a major setback. The company has announced that it is cutting 70% of its workforce and shutting down two offices as it struggles to stay afloat. CEO Alex Rodrigues broke the news to employees in an email, noting that the remaining 30% of workers would focus on winding down operations. The layoffs, which were announced on Friday morning, are expected to occur in the first and second quarters. See also: Pony.ai and SANY to develop and produce autonomous trucks in new…

The European Union (EU) states were scheduled to vote on Tuesday on a ban on combustion engines in new cars from 2035, but the vote has been postponed indefinitely, following a disruptive manoeuvre by the German political party FDP. The ban had already been decided upon, and the EU states were to formally seal the decision on Tuesday. However, Germany’s Transport Minister, Volker Wissing (FDP), withdrew his approval of the decision, insisting on a proposal for the integration of e-fuels before the EU vote. As a result, Germany would have had to abstain from the EU vote, and the ban…

Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day event brought many exciting updates for the company’s future, but the most significant announcement was the commitment to reducing assembly costs by 50%. Tesla Chief Engineer, Lars Moravy, explained the company’s innovative approach, called the “Unboxed Process,” which will revolutionize car manufacturing. Traditionally, a vehicle’s body-in-white is constructed from hundreds of stamped panels that are welded together with robots. However, Tesla’s Unboxed Process will use large single-body casting and 4680 structural battery packs, bringing them together in a more streamlined process. Even the seats are raised up into position alongside the floor, mounted directly to the…

A new Model Y with updated design, enhanced powertrain, and refreshed interior decoration is expected to be released next year. Internally called ‘Project Juniper’, this mid-cycle upgrade of Tesla’s Model Y will follow the new ‘Highland’ Model 3 release in September this year. According to Sandy Munro’s analysis, the manufacturing cost of a Model Y is US$39,393, but it is expected to decrease further with the release of the 2024 Model Y upgrade. Tesla is reportedly working on a new body design, interior decoration, and powertrain upgrades for this upgrade, following the example of the ‘Project Highland’ Model 3 refresh.…

SK Innovation, the battery supplier for Ford’s F-150 Lightning, has confirmed that the fire incident that caused a production halt at the automaker’s Dearborn factory earlier this month was not due to a fundamental design flaw in the battery. The company stated that the incident was a rare occurrence and that it is implementing a fix to address the issue. “We believe this was a rare occurrence, not a fundamental issue with the technology of the battery cells or our overall manufacturing systems… Working with Ford, SK On identified the root cause of the issue and implemented measures of improvement…

Rivian has announced that they will be adding a new R1S variant to their lineup this fall. According to CEO RJ Scaringe, the new model will feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive system and a max battery pack, offering a range of 390 miles (628 km). Despite retaining its seven-seat configuration, the new R1S variant is expected to outperform its predecessors, including the current quad-motor version with a large battery pack, which has an EPA range of up to 321 miles (517 km). Additionally, the new model will travel much further than the projected 260+ miles (418 km) of the R1S…

Stellantis, the world’s third-largest automotive group by sales, announced on Monday that it had invested $155 million to purchase a 14.2% minority stake in McEwen Copper, a subsidiary of Canada’s McEwen Mining, which owns the Los Azules copper mine in Argentina. The move is part of Stellantis’ global strategy to secure raw materials for its electric vehicle (EV) batteries. With this investment, Stellantis becomes the second-largest shareholder in McEwen Copper, along with Rio Tinto. The Los Azules project is expected to produce 100,000 tons per year of cathode copper with 99.9% purity, a crucial component in EV batteries, starting in…

Tesla has recently announced that it will no longer be deploying Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta software to new buyers or subscribers due to a recent recall by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada. This decision was made after the two regulatory bodies published recall notices covering over 380,000 Tesla cars in the US and Canada, citing four scenarios where the “operational characteristics” of FSD Beta could potentially infringe upon local traffic laws. According to the NHTSA recall notice, the fix for these issues is a software update, but there is currently no timeline for its release.…

Tesla has recently started to roll out its Magic Dock adapter, which enables non-Tesla electric vehicle (EV) owners to charge at its charging stations. The development is part of a deal between Tesla and the US government, which saw the former agree to make parts of its supercharger network available to non-Tesla EV owners. This required Tesla to create an adapter that would work with the CCS plug standard used by almost all non-Tesla EVs. The Magic Dock adapter was Tesla’s solution to this challenge. The charging process with the Magic Dock adapter is straightforward. Non-Tesla EV owners must have…

Antonio Felix da Costa emerged victorious in the inaugural Cape Town ePrix, the fifth race of the current Formula E season, with some daring overtaking maneuvers on Saturday. Da Costa, who started the race in the 11th position, secured his first win of the campaign and climbed to fourth overall in the standings, lifting the 2019-20 champion’s spirits. Meanwhile, Pascal Wehrlein, Da Costa’s Porsche teammate and championship leader, failed to score any points due to a collision on the first lap. Jean-Eric Vergne finished second for DS Penske, while Nick Cassidy secured the third position for Envision Racing. However, the…

Düsseldorf, the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany, is set to receive 20 new zero-emission buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells. These buses will be operated by Rheinbahn, the regional public transport service provider, and will run on line 732, which connects the port, main station, and district of Eller. The hydrogen will be produced by electrolysers from Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, the regional utility company. The first ten buses are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks, with the remaining ten currently in the ordering process. Test operation is set to begin in the second quarter of 2023, and…

The global shift towards renewable energy sources and decarbonization has led to an increasing demand for low-carbon hydrogen. As a versatile fuel that can be used across a wide range of industries, hydrogen is seen as indispensable in achieving the goals of the energy transition. According to data from GlobalData, green hydrogen production capacity reached over 109 kilotons per annum (ktpa) worldwide in 2022, representing a 44% growth compared to 2021. In addition, there was a significant increase in deals related to hydrogen in 2022, with over 393 deals closed compared to 277 in the previous year. This shows a…

Ford’s recent agreement with China’s CATL to construct a $3.5 billion battery factory in Michigan has raised concerns among senior Chinese officials. The deal could provide Ford with access to CATL’s cutting-edge technologies, resulting in an unfair advantage over its competitors. However, tensions between the US and China are already running high, and the Chinese government is now investigating the extent of Ford’s agreement with CATL, which is currently under review. The Blue Oval Battery Park Michigan, set to begin production in 2026, will be the first battery factory in the US to produce lithium-ion phosphate batteries, providing Ford with…

Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 is the latest addition to the automaker’s EV-dedicated line-up, and has already secured a five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The Ioniq 6 is set to go on sale for the first time in Australia on Wednesday, alongside the Ioniq 5, and is already creating buzz for its record-breaking performance. ANCAP announced that the Ioniq 6 had achieved high scores across all four assessment categories, with a record high 97% in the Adult Occupant Protection category, matching only the Tesla Model Y. The Ioniq 6 also performed well in the Child Occupant…

Porsche, the renowned German automaker, is challenging the popular one-pedal driving feature that many electric vehicles offer today. Instead, they suggest a more efficient method to increase the range of an electric car – coasting. By disengaging the electric motors and reducing drag, the car can carry on without using much energy, making it a more natural process. One-pedal driving, on the other hand, recuperates energy first and only then converts it back into propulsion, resulting in twice the losses. Porsche claims that coasting is a more efficient way of driving as it keeps the kinetic energy in the vehicle,…

British electric vehicle (EV) fleet solutions provider, EO Charging, has secured approximately $80 million in equity investment from Vortex Energy and Zouk Capital to fund its US expansion. The company is known for its stronghold in the UK market, with clients including Amazon, DHL, Uber, and Tesco, and has been listed among the fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times. EO Charging says it has deployed over 80,000 chargers to businesses and consumers globally, and it takes a leading position in the UK. See also: Einride received total $500 Million in funding to Accelerate deployment of sustainable freight mobility Founded in…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, Nio Inc, is planning to build a new factory in Chuzhou city in China’s Anhui province, to produce affordable electric vehicles (EVs) under a new brand, for export to Europe as early as next year. The move comes as EV sales in China, the world’s largest auto market, have weakened significantly following the end of state subsidies for EV purchases. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Nio intends to expand its product line-up and overseas sales with a series of new affordable EVs, to be developed under projects codenamed “Firefly” and “Alps”, and launched under…

Tesla has significantly reduced the price of the CCS Combo 1 (CCS1) charging adapter in the United States and Canada. This adapter allows Tesla drivers to charge their cars at CCS1 chargers operated by third-party charging networks. The adapter was launched in September 2022 in the US (and in October 2021 in South Korea), priced at $250. However, Tesla has now lowered the price to $175, a 30% reduction that will likely prompt more Tesla drivers to order one as a backup for using CCS1 chargers. See also: Tesla add new CCS Combo 1 Adapter, allowing access fast charging stations…