Ford has unveiled a new mid-size electric SUV called Explorer. The BEV will be built in Cologne and is supposed to be nothing less than the first of a “new wave of bold, iconic electric vehicles that are steeped in Ford’s American roots and designed for Europe.” The electric drive, however, is not made by […] More…

The British government confirmed funding of £3 million to First Bus for 18 new zero-emission buses in Leicester today. Wrightbus will manufacture the e-buses in Northern Ireland. This latest investment means all diesel buses at First Bus’s depot in Leicester will be electric. First bus will run 86 electric buses funded by the Zero Emission […] More…

BMW and Continental become investors in electric drive specialist DeepDrive. The Munich-based start-up has developed a radial flux dual rotor motor including power electronics that can be installed as a central drive as well as a wheel hub drive in production vehicles. DeepDrive raised a total of €15 million in its Series A financing round. […] More…

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies, the fuel cell joint venture between ElringKlinger and Plastic Omnium, has received an order from a “global automotive manufacturer” to supply mass-produced bipolar plates for the latter’s future fuel cell system. As usual, the name of the automaker is not disclosed. The contract covers an initial term of five years from […] More…

Kia has unveiled its plans for electric cars in the Chinese market. First, the Kia EV6 will be imported and sold there from August 2023. In November, the EV5, which Kia just unveiled as a concept, will follow. The production version of the EV5 will be built in China – while the EV6 (and probably […] More…

Energica Motor Company is getting ready for takeoff. The Italian motorbike manufacturer, a subsidiary of the US group Ideanomics, wants to develop “all-electric solutions for ultra-light and light aircraft.” To that end, Energica is teaming up with Phenix Air Corp and Pure Flight. In case of the former, Energica’s powertrain will first power an aeroplane […] More…

Mercedes is investing heavily to make its production network fit for the new platforms introduced from 2024. According to a German media report, the manufacturer will start converting its plant in Rastatt this summer. It is where Mercedes will build its first model based on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA). And Rastatt is not the […] More…

From the north of Cyprus comes a new electric car manufacturer called Günsel. The manufacturer has been working on a compact electric car since 2016 – which will go into series production. The Günsel B6 is a two-door compact model with 140 kW of power and a 52.6 kWh battery integrated into the vehicle floor. […] More…

According to a German media report, the all-electric VW ID.2 will start at less than €25,000 when it launches in 2025. And the carmaker allegedly has plans for an even cheaper EV, currently referred to as the ID.1, which could launch in 2027 and start at less than €20,000. Automobilwoche spoke to VW brand boss […] More…

South Korean chemical company LG Chem has a clear message for its competitors: It wants to “dominate” the global market for advanced EV batteries and – if it has to – enforce its patent rights for cathode materials with a high nickel content in court. LG Chem said it acquired more than 40 patents related […] More…

The charging network operator PoGo has announced a new agreement with Kew Green Hotels to build 40 charging hubs at hotel brands including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, voco and Courtyard by Marriott. After the British charging infrastructure provider Swarco Smart Charging announced the development of an HPC charging network throughout England, Scotland and Wales […] More…

Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng is preparing to launch its already anticipated coupe-like electric SUV – but not under the name G7, as initially planned. Instead, the new EV will be called G6. Regarding looks and dimensions, the model resembles the Tesla Model Y. At the end of January, a published letter from the company’s […] More…

India’s government-owned oil and gas company Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) has announced the launch of 30 kW EV charging stations on six highways in Western India. Four of the highway sections included surround the city of Pune, covering the stretches to Aurangabad, Solapur, Nashik and Kolhapur. The other two stretches lie between Mumbai and Nashik, […] More…

Swedish tech company Candela has secured an additional 210 million Swedish Krona ($20 million) to bring its hydrofoil water vessel to mass production. The P-12 is said to launch this summer. Candela is working on a low-energy use water shuttle as hydrofoil. “This new investment will unlock the potential of underutilized waterways for climate-friendly, high-speed […] More…

Electrify America has opened its first DC fast-charger on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The station has four charging points and can deliver up to 150 kW. Electrify America says its stations are now available in 47 of 50 US states. The VW subsidiary operates about 800 DC charging stations with a total of 3,500 […] More…

DAF Trucks is planning to sell at least 75 electric trucks to the UK. The British truck rental company Asset Alliance ordered a total of 1,500 new trucks from the Dutch manufacturer, and while the majority diesel trucks, at least 75 are to be electric. Deliveries are due to start this year. The electric trucks […] More…

Forsee Power, Blue Solutions and Bluebus, both subsidiaries of the Bolloré Group, join forces. Together, they want to develop a solid-state battery made in France, which should be ready to launch in 2026. Specifically, the deal concerns a new generation of battery cells (GEN4) to be developed by Blue Solutions and integrated by Forsee Power […] More…

In Spain, parcel delivery company SEUR, part of the DPD Group, is partnering with oil company Repsol to install and operate more than 150 charging points for electric vehicles at 55 branches nationwide. SEUR plans to integrate 3,000 electric vehicles into its fleet by 2030. As an interim step, the parcel delivery company aims to […] More…

Hexagon Purus has signed an agreement with Hino Motors Sales USA under which Hexagon Purus will produce battery-electric heavy-duty trucks for the US market, sold exclusively through dealers in the Hino network. The BEV trucks will be based on Hino’s XL 4×2 chassis and equipped with Hexagon Purus electric drive systems and battery systems. The […] More…

When it comes to extracting lithium for EV batteries from geothermal brine, Vulcan Energy Resources is getting competition from France. Lithium de France, a company founded in October 2020 and based in Bischwiller, Alsace, has announced the closing of a €44 million Series B financing round. Lithium de France aims to extract geothermal lithium, particularly […] More…