Author: Thomas Schmidt

Zeekr is set to challenge perceptions of the humble minivan with the introduction of the 009 Grand, a four-seat marvel of luxury and innovation. This new model, slated for unveiling on April 19, promises to revolutionize the minivan segment, traditionally associated with soccer moms, by offering a blend of opulence and functionality. Details are scant, but Zeekr has teased some key features of the 009 Grand. The exterior boasts subtle enhancements, including additional chrome trim and striking 20-inch “forged disc” wheels with black center caps and an “enchanting laser-etched finish.” https://twitter.com/ZEEKRGlobal/status/1778345820708114642 The real magic happens inside, where the 009 Grand…

Swedish electric vehicle (EV) maker Polestar reported a 40% decrease in first-quarter deliveries, reflecting the broader struggles of the sector with slowing demand, the company said on Thursday. While automakers and suppliers continue to invest in capacity and technology development for EVs, sales growth has slowed, putting pressure on companies to cut costs. Polestar delivered 7,200 vehicles in the first quarter, down from 12,076 in the same period a year earlier. CEO Thomas Ingenlath noted that a ramp-up in deliveries of its Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 luxury SUVs will contribute to revenue in the latter part of the year.…

A new report from the European Commission reveals that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) produce significantly more emissions in real-world conditions than previously believed, by an average of 3.5 times more than lab tests indicate. PHEVs are designed to offer the advantages of both electric and gasoline-powered vehicles, with a battery for short trips and a combustion engine for longer journeys or when charging is unavailable. Despite being considered a transitional technology towards fully electric vehicles, PHEVs often fail to operate as expected. Studies conducted in Europe and California have shown that PHEVs emit higher levels of pollutants due to…

Peugeot has unveiled the new e-5008, an electric seven-seater SUV that promises an impressive range of up to 660 kilometers on a single charge. The e-5008 shares the Stellantis STLA Medium platform with the smaller e-3008 and boasts a host of features aimed at providing a comfortable and efficient driving experience. While Peugeot has not explicitly stated the exact size of the e-5008’s battery, it is believed to be similar to the 98 kWh battery used in the e-3008 Long Range variant. This battery is produced by the Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture of Stellantis, Total, and Mercedes-Benz,…

Ford’s Saarlouis plant in Germany, known for producing the Ford Focus, has come to a standstill since Friday due to a strike at five nearby suppliers, causing significant financial losses for the automaker. The Saarlouis facility typically produces around 600 Focus models daily. However, Ford has already announced plans to cease Focus production at the plant as it transitions to manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe. See also: Ford Transit Celebrates a Decade in Market with Enhancements to E-Transit Range and New Charging Solutions An Automotive News Europe report last month indicated that Ford intends to end Focus production in Saarlouis…

Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has handed over an all-electric refuelling vehicle, based on the Mercedes-Benz eEconic, to service provider Skytanking at Stuttgart Airport. The vehicle will be used to fill the tanks of airplanes with kerosene, marking a significant step towards sustainable ground handling operations. The manufacturer collaborated with tank body specialist Esterer to design the vehicle, which features a 40,000-litre refuelling tank. The energy for the refuelling pump is sourced directly from the vehicle’s batteries, providing an environmentally friendly refuelling solution. “The development of a high-performance commercial vehicle with a total weight of over 50 tons was a special challenge…

Audi has announced that its new entry-level electric model, first announced approximately a year ago, will be produced at its headquarters in Ingolstadt. Gernot Döllner, Head of Audi, revealed this information during a staff meeting at the main plant. This new electric vehicle (EV) will be positioned below the Q4 e-tron in Audi’s electric lineup. The Q6 e-tron, the first model based on Audi’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE), is already in production at the main plant and is set to be unveiled on March 18. Additionally, the A6 e-tron, Audi’s first electric saloon, will also be produced in Ingolstadt on…

Nio has announced that its NOP+ (Navigate on Pilot Plus) feature now covers 99 percent of the cities in mainland China, totaling 726 cities. This marks an increase of 120 cities since February, according to a statement released today on Weibo by the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. The company stated that NOP+ has completed over 1 million kilometers of road verification to date. Harry Wong, Nio’s head of intelligent driving products and experience, clarified in a retweet that the 726 cities refer to those where road verification has been completed, excluding “Unlimited Mode.” See also: Nio Expands NOP+ Driving Feature to…

Germany has witnessed a significant surge in the number of electric cars on its roads, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority. The latest data from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) reveals a 39.1% increase in electric vehicles (EVs) compared to the previous year, with a total of 1,408,681 electric vehicles counted as of January 1, 2024. This growth builds on earlier figures from July last year, when 1.17 million electric cars were already registered in Germany. The addition of 326,000 new electric vehicles between July and December further boosted the EV fleet to over 1.4 million at the beginning of 2024.…

Daimler Truck reported robust performance in 2023, with a 1% increase in worldwide sales of trucks and buses compared to the previous year. The company sold a total of 526,053 units, up from 520,291 units in 2022. The strong sales were buoyed by a significant surge in zero-emission (ZE) vehicles, with Daimler Truck selling 3,443 ZE trucks and buses, marking a remarkable 277% increase from the 914 units sold in the previous year. The group’s revenue also soared to new heights, reaching €55.9 billion in 2023, a 10% increase from €50.9 billion in the previous year. This impressive growth was…

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport has announced the final funding decisions for 186 electric buses, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to promote sustainable transportation. Under the program, eleven operators and two districts will share 53.4 million euros to procure the vehicles and corresponding infrastructure. The funding program is part of Germany’s 2030 climate protection program, aimed at meeting the country’s 2050 climate targets and stimulating economic growth. Additional funding comes from the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) through the European Recovery and Resilience Facilities (ARF) in the Next Generation EU recovery instrument. See also: Germany allocates €270…

Apple’s decision to terminate its electric vehicle program, known as “Project Titan,” has surprised many industry observers, but insiders suggest that the move was inevitable. Sources within the company reveal that Apple had limited interest in the automotive sector from the project’s inception. In 2014, senior Apple engineers, fresh from their work on the company’s smartwatch, were eager for a new challenge in the burgeoning electric car and autonomous mobility space. This enthusiasm led to the creation of the “iCar.” See also: Analyst Suggests Apple Pivot to EV Market with Rivian Acquisition After Apple Car Cancellation However, according to reports from…

In Germany, a development partnership known as XProLas has been initiated to investigate the use of compact X-ray sources to enhance the durability and performance of electric car batteries. Led by machine manufacturer Trumpf, the project involves collaboration from a network of 12 companies and institutes. The XProLas partnership aims to produce the first demo systems by 2026. The systems under development are expected to allow manufacturers to monitor the charging and discharging of batteries in real-time and identify impurities in the battery with exceptional precision. Electric car battery manufacturers could utilize the compact X-ray sources being developed for X-raying…

ZF, a global technology company, has unveiled its inaugural “zero-emission factory” following a conversion period of nearly one and a half years at its production site for power electronics in Klášterec, Czech Republic. This location, home to the Electrified Powertrain Technology division, is heralded as a blueprint for all ZF plants worldwide. A fundamental aspect of these “zero-emission factories” is not only to provide the plants with clean electricity but ideally with self-generated electricity as well. In Klášterec, approximately 3,400 solar modules installed on roofs and a green area adjacent to the hall complex generate PV electricity, covering approximately 20%…

Tesla Inc has parted ways with its lead interior designer, Peter Blades, known for his work on the interiors of popular Tesla vehicles such as the Model 3 and Model Y. Blades, who had been with Tesla for nearly a decade, played a significant role in shaping the interior design of several key Tesla models. He was the principal design lead for the Model 3’s interior and also contributed to the interior designs of the Tesla Semi and the next-generation Roadster. See also: Tesla Model Y Performs Well in Stringent Crash Tests, Compared to Traditional ICE Vehicles Most recently, Blades led…

Logistics company NFI has incorporated 50 new heavy-duty electric trucks into its fleet, marking a significant milestone in the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI). The North American supply chain solutions provider has received delivery of 30 Freightliner eCascadia and 20 Volvo VNR Electric trucks, which will be used for drayage tasks between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and NFI’s Ontario facility. See also: Canadian Retailer Loblaws Expands Electric Truck Fleet, Adds Freightliner eCascadia Trucks The deployment of these electric trucks was part of a larger initiative announced in 2021, which included the purchase of the vehicles from…

Italy has been engaging in discussions with Tesla and three prominent Chinese carmakers as part of its efforts to attract another manufacturer and achieve an annual output target of 1.3 million vehicles, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso revealed on Wednesday. “We’re having positive feedback,” Urso stated during a parliamentary hearing regarding the ongoing talks. See also: Italy Unveils 2024 Eco-Bonus, Allocating €950 Million to Incentivize Clean Vehicle Adoption Stellantis, the parent company of Fiat and Alfa Romeo, stands as Italy’s primary automaker, producing approximately 750,000 vehicles in the country last year, including 520,000 passenger cars and 230,000 vans. Urso noted that Rome…

Luminar Technologies saw a 10% decline in its shares on Wednesday following the release of its fourth-quarter results, which fell short of estimates due to a delayed production schedule for Volvo Cars’ new EX90 electric SUVs. The company had redirected its manufacturing and engineering resources to prepare for the production start of the cars, which was moved from late 2023 to mid-2024, impacting sales of its sensors. “The EX90 production delay is likely to last until mid-2024. Volvo is targeting customer deliveries of the EX90 in late 2024,” explained Jaime Perez, an analyst at R.F. Lafferty Equity Research. See also: Volvo’s…

BMW Group Thailand has announced plans to construct a battery factory in Rayong, Thailand, this year, in a move aimed at bolstering its electric car and plug-in hybrid sales. The decision is also driven by the escalating activities of Chinese companies in the region. “We decided to invest in battery manufacturing because China is expanding its EV investment and supply chains in Thailand,” said Alexander Baraka, head of BMW Group Thailand. He also noted that tensions in the Red Sea were causing delays in shipping some auto components to Asia, impacting BMW Group Thailand’s operations. See also: Thailand Introduces Incentives to…