The French state agency Ademe has granted ten million euros to local carrier Jacky Perrenot to purchase 168 new electric lorries and 90 charging stations. JP targets a 250-strong zero-emission fleet by 2025 and is also part of various hydrogen advances. Read more…

DAF Trucks is getting its dealers ready to support operators in their uptake of electric vehicles. All 34 sales centres in the UK have agreed to become certified Electric Truck Centres with charging infrastructure, trained technicians and fully equipped workshops to service and repair electric trucks. Read more…

Iveco Bus says it has received a significant order for over a hundred ZEBs from Milan’s public transport operator ATM. Specifically, the company has commissioned Iveco to supply 153 electric buses and provide maintenance over ten years. Read more…

Panasonic has declined an offer by Oklahoma to build a battery factory in the state. Local media reports show that the Japanese manufacturer turned down a nearly $700-million incentive package by lawmakers without giving much reason. Read more…

Norway’s development agency is funding charging stations for heavy-duty electric vehicles. Sixty million kronor (€5.3 mn) will go to five companies, all local in the field, and already active. Read more…

Canada has finalised its new Electric Vehicle Availability Standard to ensure that only zero-emission vehicles will be sold in the country from 2035. The rules published this week follow an earlier draft and gradually increase EV sales quotas for passenger cars and light electric vehicles. There is also a renewed credit system. Read more…

The South Korean battery cell manufacturer has started constructing its battery factory in Tennessee. The Clarksville plant is set to become the largest in the USA, even after LG Chem scaled back its investment and building plans. Read more…

Volkswagen has finalised its cost-cutting programme for the VW brand. Following intensive negotiations, the company and employee representatives have agreed on key points paper for the ‘Accelerate Forward/ Road to 6.5’ plan announced in June. Read more…

The harmonisation organisation SAE International published a corresponding document which turns Tesla’s de-facto standard into a NACS connector standard. The development prompted the US Department of Transportation to look into adding NACS to its funding requirements, and Volkswagen has now also come on board. Read more…

Autocraft EV Solutions, a company specialising in EV battery testing, repair, and remanufacture, has opened a new centre in the Dutch city of Arnhem. Staff will expect to service over 1,300 EV batteries a year there. Read more…

Trevor Milton, the founder of US electric truck manufacturer Nikola who resigned in September 2020 following allegations of fraud, has now been sentenced to four years in prison. Read more…

The Vietnamese electric car manufacturer VinFast is joining forces with the Japanese trading and investment group Marubeni to realise the connected use of its electric car batteries in stationary energy storage systems. The aim is to establish a circular economy. Read more…

Geely’s latest electric car brand, Galaxy, has started pre-sales of the first model in China. The purely electric Galaxy E8 is a 5-metre, coupé-style saloon with prices starting from 188,000 yuan, that is below 25,000 euros. Read more…

Acura has opened its reservation books for its first all-electric model, the Acura ZDX in the USA. The 2024 ZDX A-Spec is expected to start in the $60,000 range with a single-motor (rear-wheel-drive) powertrain, Read more…

Gogoro and Uber Eats Taiwan announced a scheme to help delivery drivers switch to electric scooters. The two-year deal is worth nearly 30 million dollars and funded by both partners.  Read more…

Be.EV has partnered with Decathlon to provide the sporting goods chain with ultra-rapid charging at stores across the UK. The deal is Decathlon’s first partnership with a public charging network. Sites are already in the pipeline. Read more…

Asia’s first large-scale production facility for silicon-based anode material for electric vehicle batteries will start commercial operation in South Korea early next year. The silicon-carbon anode material SCC55 will be produced by Group14. Read more…

Appian Capital Advisory has committed USD 230 million to battery materials producer US Strategic Metals (USSM) for the completion of its cobalt and nickel mine and a hydrometallurgical battery materials recycling plant in the US state of Missouri. The latter is scheduled to go into operation at the end of next year. Read more…

TPS, the parts business of Volkswagen Group UK, is bringing electric vehicles into its delivery fleet. The company opted for the Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID. Buzz and is rolling out the new EVs to service centres across the UK and Northern Ireland. Read more…

The EU Parliament and Council have agreed on a new Euro 7 emissions standard, provisionally, before the final approval. So far, the new rules remain watered-down to the point that NGOs consider it a greenwashing measure. Read more…