Yamaha Motor has completed the planned takeover of Torqeedo. Its previous owner, the German company Deutz, sold Torqeedo for “a figure in the high double-digit millions of euros.” Read more…
Author: electrive.com
Last Smart Fortwo rolls off the production line in Hambach
Mercedes-Benz has ended production of the Smart Fortwo after more than 25 years. The last model, an all-electric Fortwo Cabrio, rolled off the production line at the Hambach plant in France at the end of March. Read more…
Swiss authority ESTI approves Easee documentation
After Easee electric car chargers, distributed by Simplee, were taken off the market by several European authorities, the Swiss market supervisory authority ESTI has now successfully checked the documentation and product safety of the Easee wallboxes Home and Charge, certifying that Easee wallboxes meet the requirements applicable in Switzerland. Read more…
EMT Madrid expands electric bus depot
In Spain, EMT Madrid has significantly expanded the charging infrastructure for its electric buses at the depot in the Carabanchel district. Read more…
BMW kicks off construction work at the battery assembly plant in Straßkirchen
On Wednesday, the first excavators moved into gear on the construction site of BMW’s new battery assembly plant in Straßkirchen, Germany. According to a German media report, the manufacturer had submitted an application to the local district office for an early start of construction, which was approved last week. Read more…
IKEA supports Drive Electric with $100 million
A global initiative to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles has received $100 million in funding from the IKEA Foundation to help developing countries move away from gasoline-powered vehicles and directly to electric vehicles. Read more…
CMA CGM joins EV transporter JV Flexis
Logistics company CMA CGM is now officially the third partner in the joint venture Flexis, recently established by Renault and the Volvo Group for new electric vans. CMA CGM remains the smallest shareholder with a ten per cent stake. Read more…
UK: Equipmake delivers 12 retrofitted buses to York
The British conversion company Equipmake has delivered twelve retrofitted to public transport operator First York. The former diesel buses are now fitted with an electric drivetrain and a 274 kWh battery. Read more…
Kenya launches green plate scheme and draft e-mobility policy
Kenya’s Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced the introduction of special green-coloured number plates for EVs. This is part of Kenya’s first electric mobility draft policy that has just been launched in Nairobi. Read more…
Ballard announces record order for FC modules from Solaris
Ballard Power Systems has announced its largest order to date.
It comes from Polish bus manufacturer Solaris and comprises 1,000 fuel cell modules, which will be delivered for fuel cell buses for the European market by the end of 2027. Read more…
Fenecon opens factory for second-life battery storage systems
Fenecon has opened its CarBatteryReFactory. The factory in Iggensbach, Lower Bavaria (Germany), produces large-scale stationary storage systems from new, disused electric vehicle batteries. Read more…
Ultium Cells delivers first battery cells from Tennessee factory
Ultium Cells, the battery cell joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, has delivered the first cells to GM from its Spring Hill plant in the US state of Tennessee. Two and a half years after the ground-breaking ceremony, the first battery cells have been produced in series. Read more…
Renault to cut development time for new electric Twingo
Renault’s EV division Ampere has begun development of the new electric Twingo. According to an agency report, the design has been finalised, and series production will start in Slovenia in 2026. The company is thus giving itself just three years until the electric Twingo hits the road. Read more…
Rivian produces less – but sticks to 2024 production target
The US electric carmaker Rivian produced significantly fewer EVs in Q1/2024 than in the previous quarter. Nevertheless, the company is sticking to its most 2024 production target of 57,000 vehicles. Read more…
Vauxhall launches special edition Mokka Electric Griffin
The British carmaker Vauxhall has released a special edition of the all-electric Mokka in the UK, called the Mokka Electric Griffin. It is the cheapest variant to date, starting at 29,495 pounds. Read more…
Xiaomi delivers first SU7 in China
Xiaomi has started deliveries of its first electric car. The first SU7s were handed over to selected owners at the factory in Beijing, while deliveries also started at Xiaomi branches in 28 Chinese cities. Read more…
Dogs-body gets a car
April Fools Day brought out a number of references to electric vehicles this year. It seems carmakers have a thing about dogs. Read more…
Intelligent Energy develops new fuel cell system for passenger cars
British fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy has developed a smaller, more powerful fuel cell system. If brought to series production, it should cost around 100 pounds per kW. Read more…
Tesla production declines in the first quarter
Tesla has presented its production and delivery figures for the first quarter. With roughly 500,000 units at the start of 2024, the US carmaker could not match the record set in Q4 2023. That is partly due to the Red Sea conflict and an arson attack on the factory in Grünheide. Read more…
Servotech and Electra EV want to make Chinese EVs compatible with CCS2
Indian EV charger manufacturer Servotech Power Systems and electric vehicle powertrain solutions company Electra EV want to develop their own charger technology. It would allow vehicles with the Chinese charging standard GB/T to also use CCS to fast charge. Read more…
