Renault will unveil the new Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept on 18 May at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris. The vehicle combines the playful and cheerful elements of a beach buggy and a pick-up truck and recalls historic R4 derivatives from past decades. Read more…

Dutch fast-charging provider Fastned is issuing another bond for investors in Belgium and the Netherlands. The company aims to use the targeted sum to help finance its expansion across Europe. Read more…

Kia has begun exporting the PV5 to Japan, marking the final stage of preparations for the model’s sales launch in the country. The South Korean automaker is set to enter the Japanese market with its first purpose-built vehicle (PBV) later this spring. Read more…

Chinese automaker BYD has started formulating plans for the overseas launch of the second-generation Yuan Plus, which it unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show in April. The company plans to market the model as the ‘Atto 5’ overseas. Read more…

The UK government will remove a range of regulatory barriers for larger electric vans from June 2026, bringing vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes broadly into line with their diesel and petrol counterparts. The reforms remove HGV testing and tachograph requirements, reducing costs and administrative burdens for fleet operators switching to zero-emission vans. Read more…

Scania and its partners Unicon and Liebherr, have developed a battery-electric truck with a fully integrated electric concrete mixer system. The Swedish company does not want the project to be seen as a mere pilot but rather a model for scalable deployment. Read more…

The TGM is MAN’s all-rounder in medium-duty distribution transport. Starting next year, the truck will also be available with an electric drive. The Traton subsidiary just unveiled the eTGM in Milan. We were able to examine the electric 16-tonne truck up close in advance. Read more…

Blink Charging is teaming with Emobi to connect its portfolio of fleet and public charging infrastructure into Emobi’s unified roaming and JustPlug ecosystem. The partnership is intended to provide seamless roaming and an automated charging experience to one of the largest electric car charging networks in North America. Read more…

Chinese automotive conglomerate BYD has commissioned six electric buses in Japan. With this deployment, the company now has 500 electric buses operating on Japanese roads. Read more…

Tesla aims to hire more than 1,500 employees for battery cell production in Grünheide. According to plant manager André Thierig, nearly 250 million US dollars will also be invested to create the conditions for an annual production of 18 GWh of 4680-format battery cells on-site. Read more…

The Chinese battery market leader has started assembling battery modules in a newly constructed facility in Debrecen, Hungary. The company also plans to begin test production of battery cells in the new factory shortly. Read more…

A new research project, called RoB@t2Cell, aims to develop a novel method for the safe disassembly and targeted discharge of battery cells for recycling and reuse. The project partners are led by Belgian multinational materials technology company Umicore and German research institute Fraunhofer IPA. RoB@t2Cell should make it possible to fully discharge only those cells that are unsuitable for second-life applications. Read more…

India’s government has approved 4,874 public EV chargers under the PM E-Drive scheme with funding of ₹503.86 crore (about €44 million). The rollout also includes plans for the Unified Bharat eCharge platform, designed to integrate charging access and payments across networks nationwide. Read more…

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is testing the extent to which recycled materials can be used in the production of an eEconic model. The concept vehicle will be put to the test in the second half of 2026 and aims to provide insights for increasing the use of secondary raw materials in series production—not just for the eEconic, but across all trucks from the manufacturer in the future, regardless of drivetrain. Read more…

The fully electric Jeep Avenger now qualifies for the UK government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG), reducing prices by £1,500. The compact electric SUV is now available from £28,499. Read more…

Toyota and Nikola fueling station spinoff Hyroad are joining forces to scale hydrogen-powered transportation with integrated fueling, vehicles, and logistics support in Southern California. Toyota Motor North America and Hyroad Energy will collaboratively deploy 40 new hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 trucks in the region. Read more…

While the production of electric cars is being pulled back in the US, there is nothing as certain as death and taxes, and making that final journey in silent luxury has retained consistent appeal. General Motors is providing a rear-wheel-drive Liriq platform for hearse applications. In Florida, Wolf Coach Builders is offering the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq in two hearse formats. Read more…

Driivz has partnered with Duracell E-Charge to support the rollout of an ultra-fast EV charging network across the UK. The software platform will provide charging operations, billing, roaming and remote diagnostics. Read more…

Indian automaker Mahindra has announced plans to launch six new passenger EVs over the next five years. The company will also increase its production capacity by 50 per cent to support the expanded line-up. Read more…

Iveco Bus will deliver electric buses and the associated infrastructure for the transport network of the metropolitan area of Limoges in France. The Italian manufacturer has received two separate orders, covering both electric articulated and solo buses. Read more…