Author: Todd Gilbert

Volkswagen’s mobility subsidiary Moia has ceased its ridepooling operations in the German city of Hanover, effective immediately, as the company redirects its focus toward Hamburg and its emerging autonomous mobility strategy. Moia launched its Hanover service in July 2018 and gradually expanded operations to cover the entire city by 2019. From August 2020, it operated exclusively with gold-yellow, fully electric vehicles. However, service was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in mid-2021 with a significantly lower profile. The sudden termination of the Hanover service was confirmed on Friday, when users were notified via the Moia app that bookings were…

Yasa, the British electric motor specialist owned by Mercedes-Benz, has developed a prototype motor it claims sets a new benchmark for power density in electric propulsion. The axial flux motor reportedly delivers 550 kilowatts of output while weighing just 13.1 kilograms, achieving a power density of 42 kW/kg. The figures were shared by Yasa’s Chief Technology Officer Tim Woolmer in a recent LinkedIn post. Although no formal statement has been issued by Yasa or Mercedes-Benz, Woolmer described the performance as “a new world record,” noting that the feat was achieved “unofficially (and a little accidentally!)” during internal testing. According to…

Hankook Tire & Technology said it will supply original equipment tires for Porsche’s first all-electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Macan, using its EV-specific Ventus S1 evo3 ev tire. The electric Macan, a model introduced as part of Porsche’s electrification strategy, offers a maximum output of 360 horsepower, a driving range of up to 474 kilometers per charge, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. Hankook’s Ventus S1 evo3 ev was selected to meet the vehicle’s performance demands, having passed Porsche’s standards for EV tire technology. The Ventus S1 evo3 ev is designed to minimize rolling resistance…

Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, will ban all fossil fuel-powered motorbikes and scooters within Ring Road 1 from July 1, 2026, as part of a sweeping initiative to curb air pollution and shift to cleaner transportation. A large-scale subsidy program will support the transition, alongside major investments in charging infrastructure and electric public transport. The city’s Department of Transport confirmed that a second phase of the initiative will begin in 2028, when restrictions on combustion-engine vehicles will gradually be extended to additional areas, including private cars. By 2030, a full Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is expected to be in effect up to…

Autonomous driving technology firm WeRide has launched what it describes as Southeast Asia’s first fully driverless Robobus service at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore. The autonomous shuttle operates without a safety officer onboard, following regulatory approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA). The service is the result of a one-year trial during which the Robobus operated with a safety driver and completed thousands of trips without incident. According to WeRide, the vehicle is equipped with a range of sensors, including LIDAR and cameras, providing a 360-degree field of view and obstacle detection capability of over 200 meters. “This launch…

Alphabet’s self-driving division Waymo said on Thursday it has expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin, Texas, to 90 square miles, up from 37 square miles previously, as it looks to maintain its lead in the city’s growing robotaxi market. The expansion brings new neighborhoods like Crestview, Windsor Park, Sunset Valley and Franklin Park into Waymo’s coverage area. With over 100 vehicles already operating on Uber’s platform in Austin, the company is aiming to strengthen its presence as rivals, including Tesla, attempt to gain traction in the space. https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1945861048134701167 Waymo, considered a leader in the autonomous vehicle industry, operates approximately…

Via, the transit software company known for powering on-demand shuttle services in cities worldwide, has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, marking its renewed effort to enter public markets after years of preparation. The filing leaves key details undisclosed, including the number of shares and price range. Originally launched in 2012 as a consumer-facing ride service, Via has since pivoted to become a behind-the-scenes technology provider for public transit systems. Its core product is an algorithm-driven platform that uses real-time data to route shared vehicles dynamically, aimed at improving efficiency and coverage for transit agencies. The system is currently…

BMW has formed a partnership with Chinese autonomous driving firm Momenta to develop a smart driving system designed specifically for the Chinese market, both companies confirmed on Sunday, highlighting growing efforts by global automakers to localize innovation in the world’s largest car market. The system will be implemented in several of BMW’s domestically produced next-generation models. It is intended to offer full-scenario, point-to-point navigation-assisted driving capabilities, covering both highway and urban environments. BMW’s decision to work with Momenta follows similar collaborations between the Chinese startup and global carmakers including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Nissan. Founded in 2016 and based in Suzhou,…

Tesla has expanded its robotaxi service area in Austin, Texas, just three weeks after its initial launch, significantly enlarging its operational footprint while raising the flat fare from $4.20 to $6.90 per ride. The company made the changes public late Sunday through an updated service map in its mobile app. The new geofence now covers downtown Austin, the University of Texas campus, and areas north of downtown. This expansion roughly doubles the original coverage in South Austin, making Tesla’s service area appear larger than that of rival Waymo, which also operates autonomous vehicles in the city. See also: Tesla Begins…

UK bus operator First Bus has unveiled First Charge, a new initiative to open its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to commercial fleet operators and the general public. The programme will initially include 15 depots across Scotland and England, starting with a public launch at its Caledonia depot in Glasgow. The Caledonia site now serves as an ultra-rapid charging hub capable of accommodating up to 34 vehicles at a time. Public access is available between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at an introductory rate of £0.39 per kWh. This marks the first time First Bus has allowed general public use…

Stellantis no longer sees a viable market for its hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicles in the UK, citing inadequate infrastructure and a lack of national subsidies, a company official said this week. “It is not the right time to push hydrogen,” said Fedele Ragusa, Product Manager at Stellantis, in comments to Fleet News. “There is no investment in incentives and infrastructure, so we are not pushing it commercially.” The statement marks a significant reversal from previous company forecasts. In April, Jean-Michel Billig, head of Stellantis’ hydrogen programme, had projected that hydrogen-powered vans could account for up to 40% of the market.…

UK operator First Bus will convert 30 Wrightbus Streetdeck diesel buses to battery-electric operation, following a successful pilot vehicle developed in partnership with electric repowering firm KleanDrive. The project is part of First Bus’s wider decarbonisation strategy and will be carried out at its subsidiary Ensignbus’s facility in Purfleet. The pilot vehicle, currently in assembly, will serve as the benchmark for the full conversion programme. The process involves removing the diesel engine and related components and fitting a modular battery-electric drivetrain within the existing engine bay. Each bus will be equipped with KleanDrive’s electric drive system, 352kWh of lithium iron…