Tesla has had its trademark applications for the term ‘Robotaxi’ for its vehicles turned down by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), who said the term is too generic. The USPTO is still examining an application by Tesla to use ‘Robotaxi’ for its ride-hailing service that’s set to launch in June. Read more…
Hamburger Hochbahn gears up to launch autonomous shuttles
In the ALIKE project, Hamburger Hochbahn, Holon, the VW subsidiary Moia and other partners want to test around 20 autonomous electric shuttles in the Hanseatic city. A depot for the vehicles is to be built over the next few months. Read more…
High-ranking drive developer Vineet Mehta leaves Tesla
Vineet Mehta, Director of Battery Technology and Drive Architecture at Tesla, has left the company after 18 years. As he announced on LinkedIn, he had his last day of work at Tesla on 2 May and will “take a break.” Read more…
EU Parliament waves through softened CO2 targets
The EU Parliament has given its nod to the softening of the CO2 fleet targets for 2025 requested by the Commission. The proposal received 458 votes in favour, 101 against and 14 abstentions. Now all that remains is for the Council to give its approval, which is probably a mere formality. Read more…
Sources state BYD is targeting half its vehicle sales to come from outside China by 2030
We’ve said it before and will say it again: Build Your Dreams (BYD) is coming. The Chinese automaker continues to gain momentum in global NEV sales and does not expect to hit the brakes anytime soon. According to multiple sources, BYD aims to have half of its vehicle sales come from other markets outside China within the next five years. Read more…
Nissan Ariya 70-MPH Highway Range Test: Can It Reach 250 Miles?
This particular Ariya is the top-spec trim with the large battery pack and 20-inch wheels. Its highway EPA rating is 249 miles. Read more…
Solar-Powered Hoverboard Looks Like Sketchy Fun
It’s not exactly a road-tripping machine, but it is free transportation. Read more…
Tesla abandons Cybertruck range extender, offers refunds
Tesla pulled the plug on its planned range extender for the Cybertruck, leaving some early buyers who paid for the upgrade eligible for a full refund. The option to reserve the range extender disappeared from the company’s website not too long ago, suggesting trouble for the much-awaited accessory. The range extender was introduced as a solution to the Cybertruck’s far-lower-than-expected… Read more…
Lucid reduces quarterly loss
The US electric car manufacturer Lucid Motors achieved a turnover of 235 million US dollars in the first quarter. Lucid was able to reduce its net loss – and has also confirmed its forecast for the full year 2025. Read more…
Tesla Cybertruck Range Extender Is Officially Dead
Tesla quietly killed off the Tesla Cybertruck’s $16,000 Range Extender and refunded reservations. Read more…
BYD & Tsingshan pull out of Chile lithium projects
The Chinese EV maker BYD and the metals group Tsingshan have announced that they will no longer be involved in the construction of lithium cathode plants in Chile, following a drop in lithium prices. The companies had previously announced separate plans to make multi-million dollar investments in the country. Read more…
CATL launches Tener Stack energy storage system with massive 9 MWh capacity
Tener Stack is capable of charging around 150 EVs or powering an average home for six years.
It is the world’s first production-ready 9 MWh ultra-high-capacity energy storage system solution.
Poland lures Ascend Elements battery recycling with a grant worth millions
Poland’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology has offered the US EV battery recycling specialists, Ascend Elements, the equivalent of up to 290 million euros in funding to support the construction of a production facility for recycled cathode material in Poland. Read more…
Geely wants to delist Zeekr from the stock exchange again
The Chinese automotive group Geely has announced that it will delist its electric car subsidiary Zeekr from the New York Stock Exchange. Just one year after the successful stock market debut of Zeekr, Geely is planning to buy up the shares of the other shareholders and consolidate its automotive activities. Read more…
BYD aims for half of its sales to come from outside China by 2030, report says
BYD now believes it has the right products to replicate its success in China in overseas markets, according to Reuters.
This growth will be driven by expansion in Europe and Latin America.
Arriva adds new electric buses to London routes
Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis has delivered the first of 30 new electric buses to Arriva London, which will operate them on Transport for London (TfL) routes across the city. They’ll initially be deployed on the SL6 Superloop route, which connects the outskirts of London with the city centre. Read more…
NYC could soon kick electric bikes out of Central Park
After going car-free on Central Park’s main drives in 2018, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation has been preparing to wrap up a study on electric bike usage in Central Park. The results will help decide whether those electric bicycles will still be permitted inside the park. Read more…
China NEV retail at 922,000 in Apr, up 37% year-on-year, preliminary CPCA data show
China’s NEV penetration at retail stood at 52.3 percent in April and 48.31 percent year-to-date.
Wholesale sales of NEVs in April were 1.142 million units, up 41 percent year-on-year and up 1 percent from March.
BYD launches hybrid Sealion 07 DM-i, starts at $23,460
The Sealion 07 DM-i is a sister model to the all-electric Sealion 07 EV and the fourth model in BYD’s Sealion family.
The Sealion family sold 26,220 units in April, up 44.66 percent from 18,125 in March.
17 US states sues against the federal government’s charging subsidy stop
Legal resistance has formed in the USA against the Trump administration’s freeze on the nationwide allocation of new funding for charging infrastructure. California and 16 other states have now filed a lawsuit against the US government – with the aim of having Trump’s directives declared unlawful. Read more…
