The fact that countless car manufacturers in North America, including Mazda, rely on the NACS charging standard developed by Tesla is nothing new. However, the Japanese car manufacturer has now concluded an agreement with Tesla that new electric Mazdas in Japan will also use NACS from 2027. Read more…
Author: electrive.com
Spain extends PERTE subsidy for another year
Spain’s government has announced the fourth funding round of its eMobility programme PERTE. This programme will have a budget of 1.25 billion euros. Read more…
Munich researchers accelerate lithium-ion diffusion in solid-state batteries
Scientists at the Technical University of Munich have reported progress in their research into solid-state batteries. They say they have succeeded in developing a new material made of lithium, antimony and scandium that is able to conduct lithium ions over 30 per cent faster than any previously known material. Read more…
Circontrol presents new HPC with 400 kW
The Spanish charging station manufacturer Circontrol just presented its new Sonic One HPC station for electric cars with up to 400 kW power, as well as the further developments of its best-selling AC solutions, at Power2Drive conference in Munich, Germany. Read more…
German consortium advances the development of self-driving commercial vehicles
The ATLAS-L4 research project involved twelve partners who pioneer the use of autonomous commercial vehicles on German roads and motorways. The consortium is the first to make use of German regulations on autonomous driving with their hub-to-hub routes with trucks. Read more…
Aurora launches autonomous heavy goods vehicles in Texas
A fully automated truck service between Dallas and Houston is going into operation in the USA. Not a pilot project, but a commercial endeavour. The initiator is the company Aurora Innovation, which wants to bring its Level 4 automated driving solution into series production with supplier Continental from 2027. Reason enough to take a look across the ocean. Read more…
President Macron gains first all-electric official car
DS Automobiles delivered a new vehicle, the Presidential DS No.8, to the French President for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. It’s the first time a president of a republic has had a fully electric official state vehicle. Read more…
Polytron to launch Indonesia’s first domestic electric car
Polytron, an Indonesian consumer electronics manufacturer, has forayed into the electric car business with the G3, a mid-size electric SUV. The G3 is also the first EV from an Indonesian brand. Read more…
Milence opens Netherlands’ first megawatt charger
Milence has just opened its second public charging hub in the Netherlands – with the country’s first Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The truck charging hub is located in Zwolle, with direct highway connections to major Dutch cities and German industrial regions. Read more…
MAN Charge&Go truck charging opens to public
A new truck charging service for MAN eTruck drivers is now available to the public at charging sites across Europe. Around 650 eTruck standard-ready locations are currently open, with this set to rise to 1000 by the end of 2025. Read more…
Nissan scraps plans for Japanese LFP battery plant in struggle for survival
Nissan has cancelled its plans for an LFP battery plant in Kitakyushu, Japan. The financially troubled carmaker says its decision was made as it takes “immediate turnaround actions” and explores “all options to recover its performance.” Read more…
BYD aims to achieve 50 per cent of its sales outside China by 2030
China’s leading electric car manufacturer BYD is reportedly aiming to sell half of its vehicles abroad by 2030. Last year, the foreign share was only around ten per cent, but is now set to grow rapidly, while overall sales are also set to increase further. Read more…
Mercedes-Benz reveals UK pricing and specs for new CLA
The new CLA is now available to order in the UK with first deliveries expected in Q3 2025. It’s initially launching as an electric model but a version with a hybrid drivetrain is on the way. Read more…
VinFast announces new dealership contracts in Germany & France
Just in time for the end of its own showrooms, the Vietnamese car manufacturer signed new dealership agreements in France and Germany. Astrada Simva will be the brand’s first official dealer in France, while Schachtschneider Automobile will also be selling the vehicles in Germany. Read more…
Allego uses fast battery chargers from Kreisel Electric
The Dutch fast charging network operator Allego has entered into a strategic partnership with the Austrian battery specialist Kreisel Electric. Under the terms of the agreement, Allego will use the Kreisel Chimero fast charger with integrated buffer battery in its network. Read more…
Allego uses fast battery chargers from Kreisel Electric
The Dutch fast charging network operator Allego has entered into a strategic partnership with the Austrian battery specialist Kreisel Electric. Under the terms of the agreement, Allego will use the Kreisel Chimero fast charger with integrated buffer battery in its network. Read more…
Over 100 electric buses now in Nuremberg
VAG Nuremberg has just hit a milestone of operating 100 electric buses in the city, following the delivery of a new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G bus. It’s one of 31 articulated buses of this model set to be delivered to the public transport firm by the end of the month. Read more…
Over 100 electric buses now in Nuremberg
VAG Nuremberg has just hit a milestone of operating 100 electric buses in the city, following the delivery of a new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G bus. It’s one of 31 articulated buses of this model set to be delivered to the public transport firm by the end of the month. Read more…
VW ID. Buzz GTX: Between sense and nonsense
As nobody really needs 250 kW of power in a family van, the ID. Buzz GTX overshot the mark here. Nevertheless, the top-of-the-range variant with all-wheel drive also offers practical features such as the highest towing capacity of all MEB models. The question of whether this is sense or nonsense runs like a red thread through almost the entire vehicle, as our test shows.
VW ID. Buzz GTX: Between sense and nonsense
As nobody really needs 250 kW of power in a family van, the ID. Buzz GTX overshot the mark here. Nevertheless, the top-of-the-range variant with all-wheel drive also offers practical features such as the highest towing capacity of all MEB models. The question of whether this is sense or nonsense runs like a red thread through almost the entire vehicle, as our test shows.
