Author: Todd Gilbert

BYD Europe and Shell EV Charging Solutions have joined forces to provide at least 100,000 BYD customers in Europe with discounted access to DC and HPC charging on the Shell Recharge network. Platinum membership to the Shell Recharge network will be given to customers who purchase a BYD all-electric car or plug-in hybrid from a BYD dealer, providing them with reduced rates at Shell’s fast and ultra-fast charging stations. The offer is activated via the Shell Recharge app after the dealer transmits the Platinum membership and charging card. This cooperation between BYD Europe and Shell is part of a larger…

Dubai is on track to launch a fleet of self-driving taxis later this year, following extensive testing of five Cruise-owned Chevrolet Bolts in the Jumeirah 1 area of the city. The vehicles have been busy collecting data on Dubai’s roads, familiarising themselves with signage, traffic signals and drivers’ behaviour, in preparation for the launch of the ride-hail service. A small fleet of robotaxis will be available to hire in the Jumeirah area by the end of the year. The vehicles will initially cover almost five miles of roads, with plans to expand the service further. Cruise, a subsidiary of General…

Aerofugia, a subsidiary of Geely, a Chinese automaker, has commenced type certification for its AE200 air taxi. According to a report by global media outlet globalsky.media, the first board meeting was held in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in Southwest China. The meeting included over 20 experts, and the company signed a Project Specific Certification Plan (PSCP) with the China Civil Aviation Southwest Area Management Bureau to advance the development and certification process of the AE200. The AE200 is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and the largest of its kind to complete a maiden flight in…

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed rule that would require significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the country. According to the proposal, car emissions are to be reduced by 56% by 2032, a target that could likely only be met through the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. The proposal represents the most aggressive vehicle emissions reduction plan ever proposed in the US, requiring an average annual pollution cut of 13%, according to reports. The EPA estimates that it would cost about $1,200 more per vehicle to meet the proposed…

The city government of Rzeszow has recently placed an order for six 9-meter, low-entry electric buses from Solaris Bus & Coach. The vehicles will be accompanied by a complete package of turnkey e-mobility solutions, including the design and construction of charging infrastructure. The Urbino 9 LE electric buses are expected to be delivered by the end of 2023 and will be added to the city’s existing fleet of 12-meter electric buses, which have been operating since 2019. The new buses are part of Rzeszow’s climate-neutral policy, which aims to reduce emissions and improve air quality. The city’s mayor, Konrad Fijołek,…

The BMW Group, one of the world’s leading car manufacturers, announced significant growth in sales of fully-electric vehicles for the first quarter of 2023. The company delivered 64,647 BMW and MINI electric cars to customers globally, an increase of 83.2% compared to the same period last year. The BMW brand, in particular, more than doubled its sales of fully-electric vehicles to 55,979 units, a surge of 112.3% from Q1 2022. The strong demand for electric vehicles drove the BMW Group’s electromobility ramp-up and is expected to be a primary growth driver in 2023, along with models from the high-end premium…

Cycling enthusiasts have something new to look forward to as the ASYNC A1 electric bicycle begins its crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in the US. Boasting a powerful 1200 W motor, this e-bike can reach a top speed of 35 mph (~56 kph), making it an excellent option for anyone looking for a thrilling ride. The ASYNC A1 also features a carbon belt drive that reduces the need for frequent maintenance, saving riders both time and money. Additionally, its removable 1920 Wh battery can provide up to 150 miles (~241 km) of range between charges for the Pro model, while the…

Con Edison and Orange & Rockland have teamed up with global electric vehicle (EV) charging software company, ev.energy, to launch the largest EV charging program in the U.S. SmartCharge New York, powered by ev.energy, will offer cash incentives to EV drivers who charge their vehicles in Con Edison and Orange & Rockland’s service areas. The program is expected to play a significant role in helping New York State achieve its clean transportation goals following its 2035 ban on combustion-engine vehicle sales. The transportation sector is responsible for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in New York. Con Edison and…

Ford Motor Company announced exciting news for its customers in the United States, as the US-based carmaker announced that all of its electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) qualify for the US Inflation Reduction Act tax credit. This comes after the US Treasury Department issued new guidelines at the end of March, outlining the conditions for EVs to qualify for these incentives. According to the new guidelines, 40% of the battery’s critical minerals must be extracted, processed or recovered in the US or in a country with which the US has a free trade agreement, and at…

General Motors’ autonomous driving unit, Cruise, recently issued an over-the-air (OTA) recall of 300 of its robotaxis, following a low-speed collision with a municipal bus in San Francisco. Although the collision resulted in no injuries, the incident was a cause for concern, and the company has taken steps to rectify the problem and prevent future incidents from happening. According to Cruise, the robotaxi incorrectly predicted the movement of the articulated bus, which behaves differently from standard buses in certain situations, as it left a bus stop on March 23rd. As a result, the robotaxi collided with the bus at low…

The Fraunhofer Institute IWU and its partners have developed an open-source construction kit for electric vehicles that contains particularly durable and reusable modules. The project, known as KOSEL, has created a light electric utility vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes, whose components are entirely modular. The three main modules – front end, battery box and rear end – are connected via fixed interfaces so that they can be exchanged with little effort. The KOSEL mobility concept primarily addresses fleet vehicles with a middling number of units, and the project initiators intend to present a demonstrator at the…

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its latest all-electric vehicle, the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric, at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. The company claims that the compact SUV will have an estimated range of up to 260 miles, along with advanced safety and convenience features. The Kona Electric model was first introduced by Hyundai in 2018 and quickly became popular among the public and media. However, with new electric vehicles entering the market, such as the Chevy Bolt EUV and the Tesla Model Y, the Kona Electric began to lose ground. See also: Everything You should know about Kia…