Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), the Japanese automaker’s joint venture in India, has launched the Urban Cruiser Ebella as its first EV. It is the same zero-emission sub-compact SUV marketed as the Urban Cruiser globally. Read more…

UK charging provider EZO has secured a £176 million contract to deploy and operate EV charging infrastructure across four Midlands councils. The 15-year project will add 250 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers and support more than two million residents. Read more…

Portuguese charging infrastructure manufacturer i-charging has introduced its new All-in-One 500 (AiO 500) charging system with up to 500 kW of charging power. The station supports CCS, NACS and GB/T standards, covering the most widely used international charging formats. According to the company, the optional liquid-cooled charging cables also enable regular charging for electric trucks. Read more…

Seat has announced the start of production for the Volkswagen ID. Polo and the Cupra Raval in Martorell, Spain. For the VW Group, the two compact electric models are among the most important launches of the year. Initially, both vehicles will be built with the larger battery version, while lower-cost variants are set to follow later. Read more…

UK clean energy and battery technology company Palmer Energy Technology (PETL) has acquired the business and assets of UK electric bus repower specialist Kleandrive through administration. The deal is intended to preserve British engineering capabilities in heavy-duty vehicle electrification and retrofit solutions. Read more…

As part of the GaN4EmoBiL project, Fraunhofer IAF and Ambibox have developed a power electronic module based on gallium nitride for bidirectional DC charging systems with 800 volts. A demonstrator will be presented next week at the PCIM trade fair in Nuremberg. Read more…

Several EU commissioners have reportedly complained that their electric service cars cannot complete the regular trip between Brussels and Strasbourg without stopping to charge at a rest area in Luxembourg. Apparently, the rest area on the 440-kilometer route has now become a frequently used charging spot for politicians. Read more…

Berlin-based Hubject has added another partner to its Intercharge eRoaming platform. The new partner is Dutch software provider Road, which specialises in processing transactions in the electric vehicle charging sector. Read more…

UK electrification specialist Amphos has commissioned Scotland’s first megawatt-scale charging hub for battery-electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) for logistics provider Russell Group. Located in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, the project was designed for high-power charging for 42-tonne trucks. Read more…

Tata Motors has confirmed plans to license Chery JLR (CJLR)’s new platform, primarily developed for the new Freelander brand. The Indian automaker will use the platform for EVs under its new Avinya brand. Read more…

A study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) shows that plug-in hybrids in Europe emit, on average, five times more CO₂ than official test values suggest. According to the study, the gap between real-world and certified emissions is particularly large for plug-in hybrids compared to other powertrain types — and continues to widen. Read more…

Ride-hailing platform Uber and Chinese autonomous driving specialist WeRide plan to launch their first joint project in Europe, with robotaxis set to begin operating in Madrid later this year. Formally, the initiative will run as a pilot project in cooperation with the regional government of Madrid. Read more…

Rolls-Royce has updated the Spectre, its first and currently only electric model. The Spectre Series II offers up to 18 per cent more range, reaching a maximum of 628 kilometres according to the WLTP standard. Rolls-Royce also says the electric coupé now supports faster charging. Read more…

Orange EV has announced record order volumes for its electric terminal trucks, including a single order for 600 vehicles. The deployment of the latter has already begun, with full rollout scheduled for 2026. Read more…

African electric mobility company Spiro has raised $215 million in an equity funding round. The money will be used to accelerate the expansion of its electric vehicle and battery-swapping infrastructure across the African continent. Read more…

German battery recycling company Cylib and Norwegian battery material specialist Vianode plan to collaborate on recycling graphite from batteries. A recently signed letter of intent provides for the development and testing of recycled graphite for potential use in next-generation batteries. Read more…

ChargePoint is increasingly shifting its attention towards Europe as the charging provider seeks growth opportunities outside its home market in the US. CEO Rick Wilmer says the company expects Europe to account for half of its revenue in the long term, supported by new charging products and continued government backing for electrification. Read more…

Tesla has registered 42 robotaxis in Texas, well below Elon Musk’s earlier target of 1,000 vehicles within months of launch. Most of the autonomous fleet currently operates in Austin, with smaller deployments in Dallas and Houston. Read more…

The Australian renewable energy firm Amber is set to expand its V2G scheme to 1000 homes – marking the country’s largest rollout of residential V2G to date. This builds on an initial 50-home pilot scheme first announced in October. Read more…

Until now, MAN had at least one advantage over Daimler Truck: the Lowliner, a crucial configuration for automotive logistics. However, following in the footsteps of the MAN eTGX, the Mercedes-Benz eActros Lowliner is now set for launch next year. Read more…