Charged recently chatted with Fredrik Tjernström from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) to learn about the OEM’s electrification journey. Tjernström detailed Volvo CE’s gradual and strategic progression in electrifying its equipment lineup, starting four years ago with compact machines such as fully electric compact excavators and wheel loaders. He highlighted recent advancements, including launching electric… Read more…

The “Ford Power Promise” focuses on drivers who can most easily charge at home—still the low-hanging fruit for EV sales. It’s working. Selling electric vehicles was always going to be a challenge, especially for established U.S. brands like Ford and Chevrolet. They require a lot of explanation by salespeople unfamiliar with EVs; not every shopper… Read more…

The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) at RWTH Aachen University in Germany has completed a project to develop a laser-based drying process for battery production. The project, “Implementation of Laser Drying Processes for Economical & Ecological Lithium-Ion Battery Production” (IDEEL) involved PEM as well as the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell… Read more…

Orange EV, a manufacturer of Class 8 all-electric terminal trucks, has announced that ABF Freight, a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier, has placed an order for five additional Orange EV terminal trucks. ABF Freight received its first four terminal trucks from Orange EV in 2022, and currently has nine in its fleet. It will receive and deploy… Read more…

Fleet-management software company BetterFleet, with US headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has completed a Series A funding round of $15 million. The round was led by venture firms Aligned Climate Capital, Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF) and Remarkable Ventures Climate (RVC). The funding will fuel BetterFleet’s expansion across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, which will focus… Read more…

Liebherr, a German-Swiss equipment manufacturer based in Bulle, Switzerland has introduced a new permanent magnet electric motor specifically for use in off-highway equipment. The motor offers the same power density as a hydraulic version, but the use of a permanent magnet electric motor will eliminate the need for the installation and maintenance of multiple hoses… Read more…

Upfit UTV, a Fox Factory subsidiary that produces purpose-built custom vehicles, and OMI, a specialist in electric powertrain engineering, have partnered to introduce off-highway vehicles with OMI’s Fusion-Drive hybrid powertrain. This collaboration combines Upfit UTV’s distribution network with OMI’s three decades of expertise in automotive electromechanical innovation. “OMI Fusion-Drive pairs the power and range of… Read more…

Using a combination of advanced imagery and ultra-thin coatings, University of Missouri (Mizzou) researchers are looking to develop protective coatings for solid electrolytes to make safer batteries. Using four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D STEM), the researchers examined the atomic structure of a battery without taking it apart to gain an understanding of the chemical… Read more…

Scania, a major Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer and a unit of Volkswagen, has announced that it will acquire bankrupt Northvolt’s Industrial Division, which manufactures battery systems for off-highway and heavy industrial vehicles. The acquisition will include production capabilities, a research and development center and approximately 260 employees, with operations in two locations, namely a leased… Read more…

Emporia Energy has launched the new Emporia Pro, “a meticulously engineered Level 2 EV charger.” The Emporia Pro’s intelligent system is designed to optimize the use of a building’s available electrical power, reducing the need for panel upgrades. According to Emporia, nearly 50% of all US households face expensive electrical panel upgrades—often costing thousands of… Read more…

Page Trucking, a specialty hauler that operates a fleet of some 500 trucks, has signed on as the first fleet customer for ReVolt Motors’ hybrid truck. ReVolt will initially deliver five Peterbilt 579 trucks equipped with ReVolt’s hybrid powertrain, and an additional 15 units are set to follow. Page has also “invested significantly” in the… Read more…

Dana Off-Highway Drive and Motion Systems, a designer and manufacturer of propulsion and energy management systems, has announced various new products intended to enhance efficiency and sustainability across its Spicer drivetrain solutions during the bauma 2025 trade fair in Munich. The company is now offering fully electrified drivetrains alongside its hybrid and internal combustion models…. Read more…

Finnish Minerals and Chinese battery materials producer Beijing Easpring Material Technology have started construction of a plant in Kotka, Finland to produce cathode active material (CAM) for lithium-ion batteries. The plant’s first-stage capacity will be 60,000 tons of CAM per year. The plan targets commercial production in 2027 and includes the possibility of expanding production… Read more…

Minviro, which provides lifecycle assessments (LCAs) for businesses in the energy transition, has found that the SINANODE silicon anode technology developed by OneD Battery Sciences for EV batteries can reduce carbon emissions and resource consumption compared to conventional anode materials. When SINANODE-enhanced graphite is processed in North America or Europe, it can improve anode performance… Read more…

Rocsys, a pioneer of autonomous hands-free EV charging solutions, has demonstrated hands-free charging of an electric and self-driving truck supplied by DAF, at APM Terminals Maasvlakte II, part of the massive seaport complex in Rotterdam, Holland. The Demonstrator 9 Automated & Electric Trucking project is one of ten demonstration projects under the MAGPIE initiative, which… Read more…

US-based low-voltage battery manufacturer Clarios has produced its one-millionth 12 V lithium-ion battery for EVs. Clarios manufactures lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells in Michigan and assembles systems in Europe, close to its customers. It also produces low-voltage lithium-ion batteries in Hanover, Germany. The company has also produced six million 10 Ah LTO prismatic power cells… Read more…

Sponsored by Hioki. Energy efficiency is vital for the development of electric vehicles, especially in inverter and motor design. Even marginal efficiency gains, such as precise 0.1% improvements, can significantly enhance vehicle range and overall performance. However, developers face challenges with traditional power analyzers, including inaccuracies due to discrepancies between simulations and actual data, prolonged… Read more…

Japanese manufacturer TDK Electronics has expanded its ADL3225VF series of wire-wound inductors for automotive power-over-coax (PoC). The company started mass production of the new components in March 2025. In standard configurations, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) cameras require two separate lines for power and signal transmission—a power line connected to the vehicle’s battery and a signal… Read more…

Japan-based FCL Components, which markets and distributes electronic and system components and sub-systems, has released a new series of signal-switching relays for power monitoring in EVs. Conventional signal relays have often been used to switch signals for on-board charging equipment in EVs, but EV batteries typically use 300-400 VDC, which exceeds the expected usage range… Read more…

ChargePoint has announced what it calls “a generational leap in AC Level 2 charging technology.” The new product architecture will feature bidirectional charging and maximal charging speeds. Models sold across North America and Europe will be based on the new architecture, and the company will offer variants for commercial, residential and fleet applications. “ChargePoint’s next… Read more…