The BMW Group has won the Belgian company Umicore as a further partner for developing a battery supply chain in North America. Umicore will supply cathode active battery materials from a new plant in the Canadian province of Ontario to BMW’s battery cell partner AESC. Read more…
Category: Electrive
EU states want to weaken CO2 targets for city buses
The EU states are entering the current legislative process with their own ideas for CO2 standards in the truck and bus sector. For city buses, for example, they want to postpone the de facto end of combustion until 2035. In the Commission’s original draft, the target was 2030. Read more…
Smart to release #1 with smaller battery
Smart has announced a new basic version of the #1. The new variant is called #1 Pro and costs 5,000 euros less than the previous entry-level model #1 Pro+ – in Germany, 37,490 euros to be precise. In terms of technology, however, the difference is much greater than the ‘+’ in the model name. Read more…
Kia considers second plant for electric taxis and ride-hailing vehicles
According to a media report, Kia plans to build a second plant in South Korea for electric “Purpose Built Vehicles” (PBV), special vehicles for taxi services and ride-hailing providers. It still depends on an agreement with the trade unions whether cars will be built there from 2028 or not. Read more…
Kia opens order books for EV9 in the US
Kia’s new electric SUV EV9, which has room for up to seven passengers and a range of up 304 miles, can now be ordered in the US. The EV is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms before the end of the year. Read more…
New Flyer buses to come with batteries by ABS next year
American Battery Solutions (ABS) has signed a battery supply contract with bus manufacturer NFI Group. ABS will deliver custom battery packs for NFI subsidiary New Flyer’s latest battery-electric buses. Read more…
Quantron & Electromin deliver 50 electric trucks to Saudi Arabia
Quantron has delivered 50 light electric trucks with partner Electromin in Saudi Arabia. The Qargo 4 EV Light Truck vehicles have been earmarked for use by customers such as PepsiCo and Red Sea Global. Read more…
ALD Automotive and Leaseplan launch mobility brand Ayvens
ALD Automotive and Leaseplan have unveiled a new global mobility brand called Ayvens, which unites the two companies under a “common identity”. The background is the acquisition of Leaseplan by former competitor ALD Automotive, which was completed this year. Read more…
EHang’s uncrewed passenger drone gets license to fly in China
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has declared EHang’s uncrewed passenger drone fit to fly in commercial operations, making it the first eVTOL to obtain such approval. Ehang considers the license an ”epoch-making milestone” for commercial UAM operations and is likely correct. Read more…
DCS & Volvo announce charging cooperation
Digital Charging Solutions (DCS) is cooperating with Volvo Cars. Through this partnership, Volvo Cars customers will have access to over 590,000 charging points in Europe. The joint offer is scheduled to be launched in mid-November. Read more…
Vingroup launches Green SM service in Laos with 1,000 Vinfast EVs
Vietnam’s Green and Smart Mobility (GSM) is about to launch its electric taxi service, Green SM, in Laos. Vingroup owns green SM and plans to introduce 1,000 electric cars by their subsidiary Vinfast this year. It has plans for broader services and more markets. Read more…
Stellantis & Leapmotor are negotiating potential cooperation
Stellantis is reportedly close to signing an investment agreement with Chinese electric car manufacturer Leapmotor. According to a media report, in addition to the financial participation, it is also about access to an electric car platform. Read more…
California allows electric school buses only from 2035
State Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a corresponding bill to transitins the state’s school bus fleets to zero-emission. California estimates that it will cost five billion dollars over the coming years. Read more…
Gothenburg now boosts 2.8 MW system made from old Mercedes EV batteries
Sweden’s largest battery storage system was commissioned in Gothenburg. Stena Recycling’s subsidiary Batteryloop installed its BLESS III system, storing 2.8 megawatts in reused Mercedes EV batteries and already helping power a whole new neighbourhood. Read more…
Siemens invests in Skeleton Technologies
Siemens is investing an unknown amount in the Estonian supercapacitor company Skeleton Technologies. Both sides are already cooperating on the construction of a large production factory – near Leipzig, Germany. Read more…
EU Court decides that Pedelecs are not motor vehicles
In Europe, Pedelecs are not covered by compulsory motor vehicle insurance because they are not exclusively mechanically driven. This was decided by the Court of Justice of the EU. The ruling came after an accident in Belgium. Read more…
USA: Ford cuts 700 jobs in Michigan
Since supply chain issues are still putting a damper on production, the US automaker will temporarily cut one shift at the EV production plant where it builds its Ford F-150 Lightning. But that is only part of the truth. Read more…
Nio starts delivering the ET5 Touring in Europe
The EV maker kicked off deliveries of its newest EV in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Norway. It is not clear exactly how many units have been delivered so far. Read more…
Volkswagen ramps up EV production again
After lowing production in Zwickau and Dresden in the first two weeks of October, the carmaker is again producing in full-shift operation. However, it could cut jobs long-term, as demand is still dwindling. Read more…
Interview with Ekoenergetyka Co-Founder Maciej Wojenski
We spoke with Ekoenergtyka co-founder Maciej Wojenski about Poland’s challenging e-mobility and infrastructure market, where Eko’s positioning is taking on a whole new spin lately. Just this much – buses won’t be the company’s primary business for much longer. Read more…
