In the USA, the engine manufacturer Cummins is investing in the battery developer Sion Power. Together, the two sides intend to further develop Sion’s lithium metal battery technology called Licerion for applications in electric commercial vehicles. Under the agreement, Sion Power will participate in a multi-year programme to develop large-format lithium metal battery cells for […] More…

Skoda Transportation Group presented its new E’City trolleybus at the CzechBus show in Prague. The all-electric bus can carry 69 passengers, 28 seated, and builds on chassis from Skoda’s Turkish partner Temsa. Their first customer is the Prague City Transport Authority (DPP). DPP had ordered 14 E’City buses from Skoda Transportation Group and will use […] More…

Valmet Automotive has introduced a modular battery platform for the electrification of off-highway and commercial vehicles. The Modular Power Pack is said to be suitable for all vehicles in agriculture, forestry, construction and mining. It is also suitable for the truck and bus segment as well as industrial applications. The battery platform of the Finnish […] More…

According to a recent analysis by BloombergNEF, prices for lithium-ion battery packs fell by a further six per cent in 2021 compared to the previous year, to an average of 132 US dollars per kilowatt-hour. In the electric vehicle segment, prices were even lower than this market average. Accordingly, battery pack prices for an electric […] More…

Gaussin announced the acquisition of a worldwide license (outside France) from Bolloré subsidiary Bluebus for its 6 meter, 22 passenger electric bus, equipped with LMP batteries. The vehicle will be renamed Cit-e and manufactured through Gaussin’s current and future network of licensees. The Cit-e itself is marketed as a “transport solution for private or public […] More…

The VW plant in Osnabrück has a chance of producing an electric convertible, as Group CEO Herbert Diess has now announced. According to Diess, not only the Volkswagen brand but also Audi is considering the possibility. The plant, which currently mainly produces the open-top version of the T-Roc, is very competent as a “niche convertible […] More…

After the market launch of the five-door version of the new Astra, Opel/Vauxhall has now also shown the estate version. The Astra Sports Tourer will also be available as a plug-in hybrid right from the start. As is well known, the new Astra will be available as a battery-electric version from 2023. Briefly, Opel presented […] More…

Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis have taken a stake in Factorial Energy, a US developer of solid-state battery cells. In addition to their financial participation, both carmakers have also agreed on development cooperations with Factorial Energy. Mercedes wants to launch a small series of batteries by the end of 2026. Exactly how much Mercedes-Benz and the Stellantis […] More…

After its European debut in Norway, the Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng also plans to launch in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands next year. It is not yet known when Xpeng also plans to come to the UK or the USA. The three other markets were announced by Xpeng President Brian Gu in an interview […] More…

Skoda is now testing two electric tractors for internal transport in Mlada Boleslav, in the Czech Republic. These will replace tractor units with diesel engines on their respective routes by May next year. The purchase of further electric trucks is planned. The two tractor units have already been in test operation since 1 October, as […] More…

Charging provider Fastned has opened its first four fast-charging locations in France. Five more will follow in the next few weeks. The nine stations are to start small but will be expanded in the future. The Fastned sites now open are located at the following service stations: Gevrey-Chambertin Ouest (A 31, Dijon), Écot (A 36, […] More…

A number of national, regional, state and city governments in the US, Canada, Mexico and the UK have made a commitment to convert their fleets to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. This involves a total of 121,355 vehicles, almost a third of which are medium- or heavy-duty vehicles. The first governments participating have made the voluntary […] More…

German electric air taxi developer Volocopter has cancelled its planned SPAC IPO in the US, according to a media report. This apparently emerges from investor letters that investors are said to have received a few days ago. With the cancellation of the deal, the approximately 750 small investors could all but go away empty-handed. Consequently, […] More…

Several French aviation and transport industry players have opened a test centre for sustainable urban air mobility at the Pontoise-Cormeilles airfield just outside the French capital Paris. Trials of eVTOLs from several manufacturers are now beginning there. The on-site tests are to be realised together with the French civil aviation authority. The declared goal of […] More…

Akasol has presented the third generation of its battery systems. The new AKASystem 9 AKM 150 CYC is said to have a particularly high energy density and is suitable for fully electric long-distance applications such as coaches or trucks. As Akasol announced on the occasion of the presentation at the Battery Show Europe (until 2.12.2021), […] More…

The logistics service provider DB Schenker has pre-ordered almost 1,500 electric trucks from Volta Trucks. As part of the partnership, DB Schenker will use the first prototype of the Volta Zero under real distribution conditions in the spring and summer of 2022. The findings from these tests will be incorporated into the series production of […] More…

With the Concept XM, BMW M has presented a preview of the most powerful car ever built in series by BMW’s performance brand, the production of which will start at the US plant in Spartanburg at the end of next year. The BMW XM will be available exclusively as an M and exclusively as a […] More…

With the Concept XM, BMW M has presented a preview of the most powerful car ever built in series by BMW’s performance brand, the production of which will start at the US plant in Spartanburg at the end of next year. The BMW XM will be available exclusively as an M and exclusively as a […] More…

The Chinese battery manufacturer Farasis Energy and the Turkish electric car manufacturer Togg have sealed a 50:50 joint venture called Siro. Siro will develop and produce batteries that will be used in Togg’s entire product range. While Siro’s headquarters are in Bilisim Vadisi in northwestern Turkey, series production of the batteries will take place in […] More…

The Canadian battery recycler Li-Cycle is cooperating with the British electric vehicle developer Arrival. The aim is to recycle old batteries from Arrival’s e-vehicle fleets in the USA and Europe. The cooperation between the two innovative companies is not only about recycling the lithium-ion batteries from Arrival’s (planned) vehicles, they also want to work together […] More…