Daimler Buses is changing its battery supplier to battery system manufacturer BMZ Poland. The two companies have agreed on a strategic partnership for the development and supply of the next generation of electric bus batteries. Daimler Buses customers can expect the new “NMC4” batteries from the “middle of the decade”. Read more…

The US government has launched a grant scheme called the ‘Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program’, amounting to almost one billion dollars for the transition off polluting fuels for heavy-duty vehicles and school buses. The new grant program will support the procurement and operation of these vehicles, as well as the necessary charging infrastructure and operator training. Read more…

The Japanese technology group Asahi Kasei has unveiled plans to build a plant for lithium-ion battery separators in Canada. The plant is to be built in Ontario and start production in 2027. Japanese car manufacturer Honda is to become an important partner for the plant. Read more…

The Norwegian electricity provider Tibber is launching a new energy product called Grid Rewards in the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Grid Rewards is designed to enable customers to earn money by connecting their electric cars when they reduce the load on the grids through their controllable electricity consumption. Read more…

Together with joint venture partner Dongfeng, Nissan is presenting four vehicle concepts tailored to the Chinese market at the Beijing Motor Show, including two purely electric and two plug-in hybrids. They should soon lead to series production versions: The first new electric Nissan has been announced in China for the second half of 2024. Read more…

Siemens has revealed a functional and tested prototype for megawatt charging (MCS) for trucks called the Sicharge megawatt charging system. Read more…

At its China Capital Markets Day in Beijing, the German company presented its strategy update for the Chinese market. The Wolfsburg-based company’s main aim is to strengthen its technological expertise and reduce costs in the rapidly growing market. Read more…

Geely’s electric car brand Zeekr has unveiled the new SEA-M architecture and the first model based on it: the Zeekr Mix. The SEA-M is derived from Geely’s well-known Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) and is suitable for everything from passenger cars such as robotaxis to vans and commercial vehicles. Read more…

At Auto China in Beijing, Audi presented the first model from the new EV factory in Changchun, China. The Q6L e-tron is essentially the well-known electric SUV based on the PPE electric platform – only with a few China-specific adaptations. Read more…

Ford’s electric vehicle business posted losses of $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Turnover from the division fell by 84 per cent in the first three months of the year, which Ford justifies with “industrywide pricing pressure [that] continued to affect electric vehicles currently on the market.” Read more…

Maxus’ latest model in its electric transporter lineup completes the small to large revamp of their product range which starts with the eDeliver 3 compact van and goes up to the eDeliver 9 large van. Read more…

Shared mobility provider Bolt plans to bring a fleet of 5,000 electric motorbikes to Kenya over the next three years. In collaboration with the African financing platform M-Kopa, riders who use Bolt will be able to lease electric motorbikes from Roam and Ampersand at a reduced price. Read more…

In China, battery specialist WeLion is working with Yiwei, an EV subsidiary of car manufacturer JAC. The two companies want to develop an electric model with large semi-solid-state round cells in the 4695 format, offering a range of up to 1,000 kilometres. It is set to go into series production in 2025. Read more…

In the UK, the first bus depot to offer electric charging to the public is now open. First Bus’ new purpose-built hub at Summercourt depot in Cornwall is providing direct access for the public to rapid electric charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans. Read more…

California-based solar electric carmaker Aptera announced its expansion into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market with the limited production of the ‘Union (or Etihad) Edition’ Aptera for exclusive delivery to the UAE in 2026. Read more…

The Mobility House, a Munich-based specialist for vehicle-grid integration, has gained German energy supplier RheinEnergie as a strategic investor. The new partnership supports RheinEnergie’s goal of providing a sustainable energy supply by 2035 through the integration of vehicle batteries into the grid. Read more…

Mini already offers the Cooper and Countryman with electric drives, but both models are also available with combustion engines. With the Aceman, the British BMW brand has unveiled its first all-electric model series. We have the data from the premiere in Beijing! Read more…

The British energy service provider Mitie has added the 5,000th electric vehicle to its fleet. Two thirds of the Mitie fleet are now purely electric, and the conversion of the fleet is due to be completed by the end of 2025. Read more…

The struggling electric car manufacturer Fisker is facing bankruptcy within 30 days. The company warns of this in a notification to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. A necessary investor is still not in sight. Read more…

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the electric G-Class in the run-up to Auto China – as has become apparent, the model will not be sold as the EQG but as the “G 580 with EQ Technology”. However, nothing has changed in terms of technology compared to the EQG concept. There are four electric motors close to the wheels. Read more…