Volkswagen is releasing significant facelifts for its existing MEB models. Now, the Wolfsburg-based automaker is also bringing the ID.3 successor out of the shadows—though only slightly. It will celebrate its world premiere in mid-April with a new name and new features. The company remains tight-lipped about the drivetrain technology. Read more…
Author: electrive.com
Scandlines puts electric freight ferry ‘Baltic Whale’ into service
Scandlines, the ferry operator, has put the world’s currently largest electric freight ferry, named ‘Baltic Whale,’ into operation. Measuring 147.4 meters in length, it features a massive battery system with a total capacity of 10 MWh. Thanks to high-performance systems, the batteries of this electric vessel can be charged in just 12 minutes. Read more…
Honda cancels three planned EVs for the US Market
Honda is another automaker facing consequences from the Trump administration’s anti-EV policies in the USA. The Japanese company is canceling the highly anticipated electric models Honda 0 SUV, Honda 0 Sedan, and Acura RSX for the US market. Additionally, Honda expects losses of up to €13.5 billion due to this strategic shift. Read more…
Smart recalls nearly 18,000 EVs in China
Smart is issue a China-wide recall of certain units of its electric models, the Smart #1 and Smart #3, due to a fire risk originating from the batteries. Given that its sister brand Zeekr initiated a similarly worded recall just a few weeks ago, the issues are likely related. Read more…
DCB Energy builds truck charging network in Benelux
Dutch energy company DCB Energy is building a public truck charging network in the Benelux countries. The technology for this is being provided by Finnish manufacturer Kempower. Initially, eight locations are planned – seven in the Netherlands and one in Belgium. Read more…
Average price of electric cars falls for first time since 2020
An analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that the average price of electric vehicles in the EU has fallen for the first time since 2020. The reason for this is the EU Commission’s CO2 targets for passenger cars, which are prompting automakers to introduce more affordable models to the market. Read more…
February slowdown for China’s NEV market
In February, China recorded its first year-on-year decline in sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids in nearly two years – suggesting that the domestic market is weakening. However, exports continue to grow. Read more…
Nio, Momenta and CATL invest in truck startup Zeron
Chinese startup Zeron, which specialises in heavy electric trucks, has secured a capital injection of over €150 million euros. The funding comes from EV manufacturer Nio, battery giant CATL, and Momenta, a provider of autonomous driving solutions. Read more…
MAN puts its battery-electric coach through rigorous winter endurance tests
MAN has sent its upcoming electric coach bus for winter testing in northern Sweden and Erzurum, Turkey. Four units of the Lion’s Coach E covered thousands of test kilometres in cold and snowy conditions. The trials are considered one of the final major endurance tests before the series launch this year. Read more…
Electric truck charging: Booking across technical interfaces
Electric trucks need reliable charging to keep pace with tightly scheduled logistics operations. In the Truck Charging project, several industry players spent six months developing a booking system designed to work across manufacturers and operators. Read more…
Airbus partners with RWTH Aachen on fuel cell for regional aircraft
The ‘GENtwoPRO’ project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, is dedicated to developing a scalable fuel cell system for regional aircraft with up to 100 seats. Participants include the PEM Chair of RWTH Aachen University, Airbus, and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Read more…
South Korea imposes multi-million fine on Mercedes-Benz
South Korea’s competition authority has fined Mercedes-Benz the equivalent of €6.5 million for misleading consumers. The focus of the authority: an officially undisclosed battery supplier for the premium electric models EQE and EQS. Read more…
Ballard receives large fuel cell follow-up order for New Flyer hydrogen buses
Canadian fuel cell specialist Ballard Power Systems has received a new order for 500 fuel cell modules with a total capacity of 50 MW from North American bus manufacturer New Flyer. Read more…
Raymond Wittmann succeeds Nedeljković as BMW production head
The BMW Supervisory Board has appointed current Strategy Chief Raymond Wittman as a new member of the Board of Management. At the Annual General Meeting in May, he will take over the Production division when current Production Board Member Milan Nedeljković assumes the position of Chairman of the Board. Read more…
Enel installs over 3,700 new charging points in Italy
Enel has installed 3,730 new charging stations in Italy, completed as part of the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Enel aims to increase this number to approximately 5,000 charging stations through two additional PNRR tenders in the future. Read more…
Bosch unveils new fuel cell power module FCPM C100 for buses
Bosch unveiled a new fuel cell system at the mobility move trade fair in Berlin that is particularly suitable for city buses. The hydrogen fuel cell system called FCPM C100 is designed for roof-mounted installation on 12- and 18-meter buses. Read more…
Researchers develop improved NMC battery pack for electric buses
In the European research project SIERRA, participants are developing a battery pack specifically designed for buses based on nickel-rich NMC cells. The overall system is to be validated up to Technology Readiness Level 6 within the project, thus preparing it for future industrialisation. Read more…
More senior managers leave Tesla
Three long-standing top executives from Tesla have left the company in recent days: finance expert Sendil Palani, software specialist Thomas Dmytryk, and Cybercab program lead Victor Nechita. Palani had the longest tenure, having been with Tesla—with a brief interruption—since 2009. Read more…
Charing infrastructure expands in Pennsylvania with NEVI
Major roadways in Pennsylvania, USA, will be equipped with new electric vehicle charging stations through 12 projects funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). This follows the Shapiro government’s legal challenges to the Trump administration, which were successful in reinstating the public infrastructure program. Read more…
Ford Explorer with LFP battery starts at €39,990
Ford Europe has now provided more details about the improved version of its electric SUV model, the Explorer, announced in January. At the same time, order books are opening, and the new variant with LFP battery is available in Germany from a list price of €39,990. Read more…
