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Tesla has taken another step towards opening up its Supercharger network to other automakers’ EVs. Last October, Tesla launched a “Non-Tesla Supercharger pilot” at 10 locations in the Netherlands. Now the company has applied for grants from the state of Texas to install Supercharger stations with CCS connectors, which would be a first in the

Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has assembled the first battery cell at its Northvolt Ett gigafactory in northern Sweden. According to Northvolt, the prismatic cell is “the first to have been fully designed, developed and assembled at a gigafactory by a homegrown European battery company.” The company developed the cell at its factory in Västerås, Sweden,

If you were wondering if size matters, Toyota’s GRMN Yaris is here to show you that the answer is a resounding no. The latest generation of the high-performance subcompact hatch was unveiled on Friday at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, and sadly it’s exclusive to the Japanese market. Deliveries start in the spring and just

Magna’s new all-electric connected powertrain, the EtelligentReach, consists of two electric motors, inverters and gearboxes, and uses software to maximize vehicle range and driving dynamics. It will be deployed on “a new entrant vehicle in 2022.” Magna says “eDrive technology advancements and the holistic vehicle development approach of the EtelligentReach” can achieve a range increase

Free To X, a new Italian charging provider, has partnered with eRoaming provider Hubject in order to extend access to its high-power DC charging sites to all EV drivers within Hubject’s intercharge network. Free To X aims to deploy 100 public fast charging stations by 2023, covering 2,900 km along the main Italian highways. Each

Commercial EV builder Lightning eMotors (NYSE: ZEV) has introduced an all-new rolling chassis purpose-built for commercial EV applications. The Lightning eChassis, which was developed in collaboration with Mexican automotive supplier Metalsa, will be available for Class 4 and Class 5 commercial electric chassis cab, stripped chassis and cutaway chassis configurations. The design accommodates different battery

Charing station manufacturer Wallbox (NYSE: WBX) has introduced a new generation of its bidirectional home charger for the North American market. In service areas that offer time-of-use rates, EV owners can schedule charging sessions at times when rates are low and discharge their car battery to power their home when rates are high. Users with

Porsche will no longer build an electric vehicle on the basis of the so-called Artemis Project technology platform spearheaded by fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi. Audi started the Artemis Project in 2020 with the aim of developing a platform designed for highly efficient EVs. Under the original plan, the platform was to spawn models for

Eaton has acquired US-based Royal Power Solutions for $600 million. “Growth opportunities tied to the electrification of our economy are accelerating, and Eaton is fully participating through our mobility and electrical businesses. The addition of Royal Power Solutions enhances our ability to capitalize on this secular growth trend across our eMobility, aerospace and electrical businesses,”

Chinese battery cell manufacturer Gotion High-Tech reports that it has agreed to supply 200 GWh of LFP battery cells to an unnamed “large US automaker” between 2023 and 2028. Initially, the cells will come from China, but the agreement also envisions establishing LFP battery cell production in the US. Gotion wrote in a filing on

Canada-based lithium producer Sigma Lithium announced that it will receive 64.2 million Canadian dollars ($50.1 million US) from funds and accounts managed by asset and investment company BlackRock as part of a larger 136.7-million Canadian dollar ($106.6-million US) investment in a production plant and mine at its Grota do Cirilo lithium mine site, and for

Porsche has teamed up with an unlikely bedfellow, perhaps as a signal of how the automaker will keep its engine building operations thriving in an era of electrification. Top Gear has learned that Porsche, specifically Porsche Motorsport North America, will supply tuning firm Singer with bespoke engines for use in its restomodding business. Some of

Commercial vehicle manufacturers Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and the Traton Group have agreed to create a joint venture to build and operate a high-power public charging network for heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. The planned JV, which will be equally owned by the three firms, is scheduled to start operations in 2022. The

The Ford F-150 Lightning is one of the most hotly-anticipated EVs yet—and not only by EV journalists, but by truck buyers. Ford has revised its planned production numbers upward several times now. CEO Jim Farley recently told Automotive News that demand for its new EVs has turned out to be two to three times what

Taiga Motors, a startup that makes electric off-road vehicles, has produced its first customer-ready electric snowmobiles, and is working to secure the necessary approvals to begin deliveries in early 2022. “Today represents [our] vision…coming to life as the first snowmobiles come off the production line,” said Sam Bruneau, Taiga CEO and co-founder. “With the sleds

In December of 2021, Swiss energy storage specialist Leclanché consolidated some of its business into a new Swiss entity called Leclanché E-Mobility, and plans to merge it with a US-listed SPAC. Leclanché plans to add to the SPAC’s $140 million by raising capital from a Private Investor in Public Equity (PIPE). The company says that

Chrysler used the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show on this week to debut the Airflow concept. The electric crossover previews the design and technology pegged for Chrysler’s future vehicles, which from 2028 will be exclusively electric. Cadillac Halo InnerSpace concept General Motors is almost at the stage where it’s self-driving technology will be able to handle

The New Jersey State Senate has approved legislation that would require the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to develop and implement an electric school bus program. The bill would provide funding for three years for the purchase of new electric school buses and charging infrastructure in at least 18 New Jersey school districts.

Swiss power electronics company Schaffner has introduced a new EMC filter product line for EV fast charging. The new FN2220 meets the IEC/EN 61851-23 standard for EV conductive charging systems, as well as the UL 2202 EV charging system equipment standard. The company says meeting these standards will save charging station designers time and resources,

International non-profit The Climate Group has issued a Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) pledge calling on government organizations to shift 100% of their owned or leased fleets to ZEVs. The Climate Group’s ZEV pledge calls for buses and two- and three-wheelers to be converted by 2030, light-duty vehicles by 2035, and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2040.

US-based battery cell manufacturer EnPower is planning to open a customer qualification facility for batteries in Indianapolis in 2022. The company plans to produce batteries with its proprietary multilayer anodes at the facility. “A customer qualification facility is critical to scale production, optimize cell geometries, complete comprehensive cell testing and secure sales agreements,” said EnPower

Porsche has only just launched the new GT3 based on the 992-generation 911, but the more hardcore GT3 RS variant is already nearing the final stage of testing. A prototype has been spotted again at the Nürburgring and on some of the German racetrack’s surrounding roads, and it gives us a number of clues about

The DOE has awarded power management company Eaton $4.9 million for a program to reduce the cost and complexity of deploying DC fast-charging infrastructure. Under the three-year program, Eaton will develop and demonstrate a compact turnkey fast-charging solution that is anticipated to reduce costs by 65% through improvements in power conversion and grid interconnection technology,

GM has announced plans for electric versions of the Chevy Equinox and Blazer SUVs. Speaking at CES 2022, CEO Mary Barra noted that the compact and midsize SUV segments are growing in the US market. SEE ALSO: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV unveiled Few details of the proposed new EVs have been offered. The Equinox EV

Power electronics distributor PPM Power has developed cold plates that offer integrated cooling of power modules, DC link capacitors and busbars for power conversion systems. The new cold plates have been designed to meet specific customer requirements for thermal performance and pressure drop. Customers can choose from a range of standard Power Ring capacitors and

GM has announced a plan to work with global materials firm POSCO Chemical on a battery material processing facility in North America, which is scheduled to open in 2024.  POSCO Chemical manufactures anode and cathode materials. GM plans to use the battery materials processed with POSCO for the cells it plans to produce at its

A prototype for the production version of BMW’s Concept XM has been spotted again, confirming that the two vehicles will be very similar in design. The XM is a new flagship crossover closely related to the X7, with the wheelbase common to both models. And as indicated by the name, the XM is a dedicated

Polar bears are the poster animals for the dangers of climate change, so it’s a tragic irony that taking a tour to observe them in their vanishing natural habitat means riding in a giant diesel-belching off-road vehicle. Now one tour operator in Churchill, Manitoba has taken a small step to clean up its act with

A new report from IHS Markit foresees the possibility of an electrical steel shortage, beginning in 2025, that could pose a threat to automakers’ electrification plans. Electrical steel is an iron-silicon alloy with magnetic characteristics that make it well suited for electric motors. Non-Oriented Electrical Steel (NOES) is one form that’s used to make motors.

Legacy automakers’ increasing focus on EVs is welcome news, but as long as they continue to develop new internal combustion engine technology, their commitment to electrification can only be seen as tentative. Seen in this light, Hyundai’s recent decision to close its ICE development division (reported by the Korea Economic Daily) may be considered a