To mark the 40th anniversary of their joint venture agreement, Volkswagen and SAIC have extended their cooperation until 2040. The partners are focussing on an accelerated electrification strategy – including, for the first time, range extender models. Read more…

The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) at RWTH Aachen University is working on a new type of hybrid drying process – for the production of lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells and electrolysers – in the two-year government-funded research project ‘HyDry.’ Read more…

In order to serve the growing market for off-highway vehicles, BYD has presented three special battery packs for electric construction machinery. These are intended to enable different drive configurations – and will debut in vehicles manufactured by XCMG. Read more…

Renault apparently wants to reduce its stake in Nissan, putting the Japanese company under pressure: Nissan is therefore looking for a new anchor investor. According to insiders, the Japanese car manufacturer is anticipating a ‘decisive year’ that needs to be ‘survived’. Read more…

Mahindra held one of the most significant EV launches in India for the year this week, releasing not one but two electric SUV coupes – the BE 6e and the XEV 9e. The company designed and engineered these EVs from the ground up, making them a rarity in the country’s e-4W space. Read more…

The UK government is under pressure. On one hand, it wants to stick to the combustion engine phase-out for 2030 and electric car sales targets for UK manufacturers for the coming years. On the other, it faces criticism and consequences from the latter – and might now budge. Read more…

Canadian electric bus and truck maker Vicinity Motor is officially in receivership following a court order after failing to repay its loans. The entire board and most senior management have resigned, and the company is no longer listed on NASDAQ. Read more…

Led by the Argonne National Laboratory, a consortium of research laboratories called ‘Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage’ (LENS) will utilise $50 million to develop long-lasting, high-energy sodium-ion batteries using safe, abundant and inexpensive materials and reduce U.S. dependence on limited and strategic essential elements. Read more…

Ridesharing company Uber and carmaker BYD are working on getting EVs on the road. The focus is now on South Africa as part of a pilot programme that will see Uber launch BYD electric vehicles on the streets of Johannesburg in 2025. Read more…

Fiat Professional has started production of the new version of the E-Ducato. This will take place at the Stellantis plant in Atessa, Italy. The production facility can build up to 1,200 vehicles per day. Read more…

Munich-based European charging infrastructure operator Qwello has taken over the Spanish joint venture previously operated together with Acciona Energía. Meanwhile, the CPO has installed its first 100 charging points in France. Read more…

Daimler Buses has been confirmed by Hamburger Hochbahn as the sole supplier for up to 350 fully electric city buses. The new solo and articulated buses are to be delivered to the northern German metropolis by 2030. Read more…

The 2025 Audi e-tron GT range has launched in the US, and with some technical upgrades, the car’s starting price has jumped significantly. The models are available to order through Audi retailers, with deliveries to start next year. Read more…

EV charging management software provider Ampeco has closed its Series B funding round, raising 26 million dollars. The company will use the capital to expand its presence in key markets and accelerate product development. Read more…

Volkswagen and Stellantis will purchase synthetic graphite for the anodes of electric car batteries from battery materials company Novonix. Read more…

BYD could introduce a new generation of its Blade battery – its in-house LFP battery – next year. It should only offer a higher energy density compared to the current version and also be smaller and lighter. Read more…

Singapore has become the first market where CEP provider FedEx will deploy custom-built Mercedes-Benz eVito 112 panel vans for last-mile logistics. The company wants to purchase only EVs from 2030. Read more…

German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and his deputy Robert Habeck (Greens) want to prevent potential EU climate penalties for car manufacturers that could cost billions in the coming year. However, the European fleet limits will not be changed. It is more about creating a “pragmatic transition.” Read more…

US electric carmaker Rivian has received a conditional loan commitment from the US Department of Energy (DOE). The more than 6 billion dollars will help finance the company’s production facility in Georgia. Read more…

As US President-elect Donald Trump is looking to cut the federal EV tax credit programme, which offered a 7,500-dollar incentive for the purchase of an electric car, California is looking to re-instate its own subsidy programme. But at least one carmaker would not benefit from the move. Read more…