In Spain, the public transport provider Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) will soon put out tenders for procuring 36 new hydrogen and 23 battery buses. TMB wants to increase locally emission-free buses in its fleet to 25 per cent by 2024. For the upcoming tenders, TMB says it has secured around 21 million euros from […] More…

A fire broke out on the car freighter ‘Fremantle Highway’ off the Dutch coast, killing one person and injuring several others. The freighter had 2,857 cars on board, 25 of them electric. While various media reports have claimed that the fire is said to have started from an electric car, there is no mention of […] More…

The Volkswagen brand has concluded a technological framework agreement for China on a long-term cooperation with the Chinese electric car startup Xpeng. The Wolfsburg-based company is also taking a stake in Xpeng, and the Audi deal with SAIC was also confirmed by the Group. With the new collaboration with Xpeng, Volkswagen wants to further advance […] More…

In Europe, Mer Germany and Mer Solutions have merged under the Mer Germany GmbH brand. In parallel, the Group is establishing Mer Austria GmbH for business in Austria. In both cases, the company intends to drive the expansion of charging infrastructure in the respective countries. In Germany until now, Mer Solutions was responsible for non-public […] More…

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume has confirmed plans for a large-scale battery cell factory. But according to further statements from the Porsche board, the carmaker does not seem to favour North America over Germany as a location. As the German publication Automobilwoche writes, Blume and his Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke are said to have substantiated the […] More…

Gridserve is borrowing more than half a billion pounds from various banks to accelerate the modernisation and expansion of its UK electric vehicle charging network. This largest debt raise for a privately-owned chargepoint operator (CPO) to date. Gridserve plans to use the fresh capital to build more than 500 new charging sites. These are to […] More…

Porsche is taking its first steps towards building its own charging network in Germany. In Bingen am Rhein, the carmaker has now commissioned a pilot location with a “brand-appropriate charging experience”. There are a few 300 kW fast chargers on site, as well as AC charging points and a dedicated lounge. The exclusive ‘Porsche Charging […] More…

Mitsubishi Fuso (MFTBS) and Ample are partnering to test battery swap technology for electric trucks. The cooperation will start with a pilot project in Japan, where a Fuso eCanter will be equipped with modular batteries that will be automatically replaced at Ample stations within five minutes. Vehicle tests on public roads in Japan are planned […] More…

Tesla has officially revealed the technical specifications of the charging power of its fourth-generation Superchargers. In a planning submission for a UK location, Tesla put the charging power of the V4 Superchargers on display at 350 kW. According to a tweet by TeslaOwnersUK, Tesla plans to build a charging park with a total of 36 […] More…

California-based battery start-up Enevate, backed by manufacturer alliance Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, has announced the construction of a US production facility for electrodes in cooperation with JR Energy Solution (JR ES), a South Korean manufacturer of battery electrodes and cells. Enevate has revealed that both companies are evaluating various potential locations for their joint plant […] More…

The US silicon battery material manufacturer Group14 wants to take over the German company Schmid Silicon. The battery specialist is mainly interested in a plant in Saxony in order to secure an important preliminary product. The takeover is said to be only the first step in its upcoming European expansion. With the acquisition of Schmid […] More…

Hyundai Motor Group has opened a joint battery research centre with Seoul National University (SNU). At the new research centre on the university’s main campus in Seoul, the car company will collaborate with leading battery experts in South Korea. Hyundai says the research teams aim to create the basis for research and development of novel […] More…

Renault will cease production of its Zoe electric car on 30 March 2024. It was already clear that there would be no new Zoe generation, but now the date has been set for the end of production at the Flins plant. Zoe has blazed a trail in her time. The electric Renault pioneer is making […] More…

The Chevrolet Bolt could make a comeback, as General Motors is planning a new edition of the electric car based on the Ultium platform. GM CEO Mary Barra made the announcement during a conference call on the latest quarterly figures. In April, it appeared that the Bolt might disappear from the road. At the time, […] More…

Iveco presented its heavy electric truck on the sidelines of the Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. The Iveco tractor unit, called Iveco Heavy Duty BEV, was probably not just developed in-house. The model has an eventful history. *** It was an unusual location for a world premiere. In the Nürburgring’s paddock, amidst motorsport trucks […] More…

The Indian state of Goa has endorsed a global agreement to reach 100% zero-emission new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales by 2040, with an interim goal of at least 30% new sales by 2030. The announcement was made at the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM14) and 8th Mission Innovation (MI-8) that was just hosted in […] More…

Automotive supplier Mahle and Taiwanese solid-state battery cell manufacturer ProLogium want to jointly develop and evaluate thermal management systems for next-generation solid-state batteries. The companies have now signed a corresponding letter of intent. Mahle states the goal is to develop competitive battery systems with high efficiency, energy density, service life and fast-charging capability. But the […] More…

Gridserve has opened its latest ‘Electric Super Hub’ in Cornwall with a new technology solution that combines the latest innovations in batteries and solar energy to supplement the existing grid connection to deliver ten times the charging power. Cornwall Services now hosts six 350kW-capable DC chargers, plus a further six 22kW-capable AC chargers for overnight […] More…

The European project SUBLIME aims to create solid-state battery cells based on sulphide solid-state electrolytes usable for widespread use in electric vehicles. The project not only focuses on the development of such cells but also their production and material procurement. The central element of the concept is the development of a comprehensive value chain, starting […] More…

The French start-up Hopium is facing bankruptcy. The company wanted to start production of its hydrogen limousine Machina in 2025. According to the company, the Paris Commercial Court opened insolvency proceedings on 19 July for a period of six months. The proceedings, which may be extended by a further six months under certain circumstances, initially […] More…