May 23, 2022
Mercedes has unveiled a design study guiding the electrification strategy for its performance brand AMG. CEO of Mercedes-Benz Ola Källenius also announced that the brand would move away from lower-margin models and reap more profitability from luxury models. With sleek lines and a long profile, the Vision AMG takes several cues from the Mercedes EQXX, […]
May 20, 2022
The Swedish energy company Vattenfall is building a wind turbine that produces hydrogen in front of Scotland’s coastline. According to the company, this is a world’s first. An electrolyzer placed on an existing wind turbine produces the hydrogen. To realize the project, Vattenfall has been awarded £ 9,3 million (approximately € 11 million) in innovation […]
May 20, 2022
The European Commission wants the EU to faster accelerate its endeavor to gain energetical independence. Energy use must be more efficient, the energy supply must be diversified, and the energy sources must become sustainable. The whole plan has been presented this week under the REPowerEU name. The war in Ukraine has once again emphasized the […]
May 19, 2022
Mercedes is joining forces with Sila Nanotechnologies, who developed an innovative battery with a much higher density (+30 to 40%) than what we see today in lithium-ion EV batteries. The first of these would be for the future electric G-Class. Alternative to hydrogen Sila Nanotechnologies is a start-up from Silicon Valley in California that uses […]
May 19, 2022
Under development for many years, the airless tire for cars is still at a prototype stage, but some heavy-duty equipment already makes good use of it. Advantages include the complete resistance to puncture, lower maintenance, and easier recycling. However, this do-it-all tire is still facing issues with road noise and suspension. Goodyear is currently developing […]
May 19, 2022
In a press release, the American EV manufacturer announced that also in Belgium, certain Tesla superchargers would be made available to electric vehicles of other brands. This means that 141 additional fast-charging points will now be available in Belgium. Tesla drivers are not complaining Tesla announced last year that it would open up its charging […]
May 19, 2022
BMW Group has become the most important investor in Mangrove Lithium through its venture capital arm, BMW i Ventures. The Canadian company has developed a process to transform virgin and recycled raw lithium into battery-grade material. “Mangrove’s modular, feedstock-flexible technology has attracted serious investors who see that our technology gets global refining capacity much closer […]
May 18, 2022
For months now, Renault has been thinking of separating its activities into electric and thermic ones. The Renault bosses met with their Alliance partners Nissan and Mitsubishi in Japan yesterday. The message was clear: Both Japanese partners could decide whether and when to join the electric pole. They can jump on the running train whenever […]
May 18, 2022
At the IAA 2021, Porsche lifted the curtain on the Mission R, the electric version of the Cayman. Today, the South German sports car manufacturer indicates which direction the electrically powered coupé will take, as Porsche shows the first prototype with stunning specifications. The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is the base for this concept […]
May 18, 2022
Volvo Trucks has inaugurated a factory for battery assembly in Ghent, aside from its plant for truck assembly to support its electrification program. The site will not complete cells but put together packs supplied by Samsung SDI. Volvo Trucks already has several all-electric heavy-duty vehicles in its portfolio with the FH, FM, FMX, FE, and […]
May 17, 2022
SOLiTHOR, a spin-off of the Leuven-based research company Imec, will develop and market solid-state batteries under the brand name SOLiTHOR. These batteries should also be usable in automotive applications within five to ten years because they are safer, weigh less, and, above all, are cheaper than the current generation of batteries. Ten years of research […]
May 16, 2022
The Afro-European startup NamX has presented a fuel cell SUV designed by Pininfarina set for market launch in 2025. The highlight of this Hydrogen Utility Vehicle (HUV) lies in its hydrogen storage. NamX’s patented technology combines a fixed hydrogen tank and six removable capsules as secondary tanks. These tanks were of primary concern also to […]
May 13, 2022
During the announcement of the latest quarterly figures, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse confirmed that ‘die Neuse Klasse’, the new New Class platform planned for 2025, will first be used in the 3 Series segment. Zipse did, however, also somewhat limit the future use of the platform. Shortly after Zipse’s statement, the next strategic shift is […]
May 12, 2022
Following the market launch (2019) of the LiveWire One, the first electric-powered Harley Davidson, today, the manufacturer announced that there will be a second model, the ‘S2 Del Mar’, which will be positioned below the LiveWire One. It is expected to hit the market in mid-2023 and will cost less than 15 000 euros. The […]
May 12, 2022
CMB-Tech, the tech daughter of Belgian shipping giant Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB), and another daughter, Dutch Windcat Workboats, have presented the ‘Hydrocat’, the world’s first hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV) of this size. It’s 25 meters long, 7,3 m wide, and can cruise at a speed of 30 knots (55 km/h). The Hydrocat, with a […]
May 11, 2022
South Korean carmaker Hyundai is investing $20 million in a new design and development center for future robotic vehicles, like ‘walking cars’, located in Montana State University’s Innovation Campus at Bozeman (US). It will employ a team of some fifty highly specialized engineers-scientists. Hyundai’s New Horizons Studio (NHS), a unit focused on developing Ultimate Mobility […]
May 09, 2022
Taiwanese scooter manufacturer Kymco has plans to bring its range of electric scooters to Europe. The two-wheelers will be sold through the ionex brand and use battery swap. The arrival of an electric scooter of Kymco origin is not big news, as the manufacturer is already present in our market. However, the appearance of an […]
May 09, 2022
We were allowed a sneak preview in a black box in Barcelona last week, but now it’s here for the whole world to see: Ford’s second all-electric van, the one-ton E-Transit Custom. Besides the exterior looks, there is still little specific information, except for the 380 km range of the EV and the ability to […]
May 09, 2022
Anglo-American Mining has put its first hydrogen-powered mining truck on duty. This zero-emission behemoth is poised to replace the mining giant’s diesel-powered fleet and kickstart an entire carbon-free ecosystem if the trial goes well. The gargantuan dump truck, running on six tires the size of a bungalow, can transport 290 tons of ore and has […]
May 09, 2022
Next month, BMW will launch the i3, but only on the Chinese market. It’s an extended version of the 3-Series marketed in Europe. This i3 eDrive35L will also be built locally at the Chinese BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and will be offered with a 100% electric drive. For the time being, there are no plans […]
May 05, 2022
According to news agency Bloomberg, insiders report that LG Chem has set its eyes on Antwerp-based materials handler Umicore to quench its thirst for expansion abroad. Umicore is an appealing candidate for the South-Korean battery manufacturer because it needs to secure its materials supply line in the wake of the explosive global growth of EV […]
May 05, 2022
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn invests 1,5 million euros in buying three tram simulators. So tram drivers no longer have to attend their practical training lessons alone in real trams and traffic situations. In the future, part of the training will be given virtually. De Lijn trains about 200 tram drivers annually. Some […]
May 03, 2022
On Monday, Stellantis announced a new plan to invest 3,6 billion Canadian dollars to secure the future of its two manufacturing facilities in Canada. The new capital injection will help the Windsor assembly plant add a flexible multi-energy vehicle architecture to its product portfolio. In contrast, the Brampton assembly will be upgraded to build all-electric […]
May 02, 2022
On Friday, the RATP, the Autonomous Management of Parisian Transport, temporarily removed 149 electric buses from circulation as a precaution. The reason is two recent fires in such vehicles in the middle of the street in the French capital. The vehicles involved are from the Bolloré Bluebus 5SE series. On Friday, an e-bus running on […]
May 02, 2022
Indian car group Tata has unveiled the Avinya, a mold-breaking and fast-charging EV concept that preludes a production version scheduled for 2025. In contrast to the overwhelming majority of futuristic studies, the Avinya has a completely screen-less interior. According to the carmaker, less screen time is the way forward. While Tata’s reputation isn’t one of […]
April 29, 2022
Wiesmann is a small and eccentric German manufacturer that builds refined and British-looking roadsters and relies on proven BMW engines for its drive. However, the manufacturer is switching to an electric Thunderball model that combines classic looks with a super-modern electric drive. The German manufacturer disappeared from the market for a while but seemed to […]
April 29, 2022
On the eve of the sixth E-Prix in Monaco, which will take place next weekend, the third generation of Formula E cars has just been presented. These new racing cars will be seen on the inner-city streets of major cities from 2023 onward. The vehicles will be faster, lighter, and more efficient. The future of […]
April 28, 2022
Belgian materials group Umicore has struck a deal with Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the battery joint venture between Mercedes, Stellantis, and TotalEnergies. Umicore will supply the battery factories from ACC with next-generation high-nickel cathode material through its Polish factory. The Belgian company now has three major auto groups in its portfolio since it has already […]
April 27, 2022
At an event presentation for the new 2023 Volkswagen Amarok, a board member mentioned that the commercial brand is looking into an electric version of the still-to-be unveiled pick-up truck. Considering the PHEV’s pure electric range as too short, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle has already begun development on the platform the Amarok shares with Ford’s new […]
April 25, 2022
One of the first helicopters in the world powered with a fuel cell on hydrogen might take off as soon as 2023; a lightweight CoAX2D from German EDM Aviation. The latter, the first ultralight helicopter with a German Type Certificate, would be empowered with an 80 kW fuel cell from California-based green energy start-up HyPoint. […]
April 21, 2022
After Toyota showed several electric models in recent months, it is up to Lexus now, its luxury subsidiary, to unveil the first EV of its future lineup developed from the start as a 100% electric-powered model. This RZ is an SUV model based on the e-TNGA platform it shares with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru […]
April 21, 2022
The British Department for Transportation (DfT) has proposed an update to the Highway Code, making it possible for drivers of autonomous cars to watch movies while the vehicle’s ‘autopilot’ has taken over control. The update also concludes that insurance companies are liable in the case of an accident with these types of cars and not […]
April 20, 2022
French carmaker Renault announced it would unveil its hydrogen concept car on May 19th at the ChangeNOW summit to be hosted between the Grand Palais Ephémère and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, expecting 400 delegations from 120 countries. It looks like Renault is carefully following the hydrogen path for the passenger car of Toyota, Hyundai, […]
April 20, 2022
After the Grandsphere luxury limo and Skysphere grand tourer, Audi has unveiled its third vision of the future’s electric car. The Urbansphere has been specially designed for traffic-dense Chinese megacities, emphasizing interior and personal space. The concept benefits from 400 hp, four-wheel-drive, 270 kW fast charging, and level 4 autonomous drive based on the PPE […]
April 19, 2022
During a media tour at the Rivian factory in Illinois, CEO RJ Scaringe warned that battery supply for the EV transition would be a much steeper mountain to climb than the current semi-conductor crisis. He pinpoints that manufacturers who don’t take these signs seriously will risk challenging times ahead. Rivian’s factory is running at a […]
April 19, 2022
Volvo Cars has invested StoreDot, an Israeli company developing extreme-fast charging battery technology for electric cars. The investment was made through the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, its venture capital arm. StoreDot is working on a pioneering technology that, according to the company, should result in batteries that can charge to 160 km of pure electric […]
April 15, 2022
American electric carmaker Lucid Motors, the brainchild of ex-Tesla S Chief Engineer Peter Rawlinson, is warming up Europe for the brand crossing the Atlantic in 2022 with a direct approach to potential clients. People who have shown interest get a ‘personal advisor’ assigned who helps them online in a 3D-car configurator called Lucid Studio Live […]
April 15, 2022
Dutch start-up Lightyear, the manufacturer of the world’s first commercial solar car, is starting production of its first batch of customer vehicles. At the same time, the company announces a price hike of nothing less than 100 000 euros for the One. With 250 000 euros, their solar car is now more costly than some […]
April 14, 2022
Like many manufacturers, Porsche is working on a bidirectional V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) charging system. This means the vehicle can store electricity in its battery, but it can also feed power back into the grid at peak times to balance the grid. The question is whether this system offers a structural solution, or is it just a […]
April 14, 2022
Together with Portuguese oil firm Galp, Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt wants to construct and exploit the biggest factory for lithium conversion in the EU. The two partners have set up the Aurora joint venture to reach that ambition. According to both companies, the lithium conversion process will be the most sustainable in the industry. When […]
April 13, 2022
Porsche is sticking to its ‘Road-to-X’ strategy, whereby the manufacturer believes that by 2025 half of all new Porsches will be electric, and by 2030 that figure will be 80%. As more electric vehicles leave the showroom, the need to prepare the workshops for these vehicles also increases. Contrary to what is often claimed, an […]
April 13, 2022
General Motors is following the example of Tesla and has struck a deal with Anglo-Swiss mining giant Glencore to stock up on cobalt, in most cases, an indispensable metal for the production of EV batteries. The mined material will be used in GM’s Ultium battery cathodes. The two companies have reached a multi-year agreement. General […]
April 13, 2022
After three seasons in Formula E, Nissan takes its former partner and French racing team e.dams under its wing. With this acquisition, the newly formed official Nissan team will continue to race as planned in Season 8. In addition, commitment to the Formula E Gen3 era, from Season 9 to the end of Season 12, […]
April 12, 2022
At its first ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) Conference, Mercedes presented an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions by more than half, Well to Wheel (WTW), being thus over the entire life cycle of each car, by the end of this decade. In addition, 70% of the energy used must be renewable. There needs to […]
April 12, 2022
Japanese car manufacturer Honda is investing €37 billion in developing and producing EVs. By 2030, it wants to have 30 EVs on offer, representing a total annual production of two million vehicles per year. Last year, the manufacturer announced that it would not sell ICE cars anymore as of 2040. “Honda is striving to be […]
April 11, 2022
At Ford’s Otosan production site in Turkey, production of the 100% electrically powered Transit will get started. Ford has big plans to electrify its commercial vehicle fleets, and the market is also responding positively, with 5 000 orders already in the Ford Pro order book. Ford is running a broad pilot project with pre-production models […]
April 11, 2022
Mercedes’ Chief Technical Officer Markus Schäfer, talking to the American magazine Road&Track, says, “there’s still a significant initial cost penalty to a battery-electric vehicle over an internal combustion car.” According to Schäfer, that’s not going away anytime soon. EVs may not get much cheaper over the next few years, and batteries could even increase in […]
April 08, 2022
The first Volvo with Northvolt cells will be the next-gen XC60, an important step for the carmaker and battery supplier to form an end-to-end battery value chain. The new model is expected for 2024, though it doesn’t necessarily mean Volvo will no longer offer the ICE versions. Ghent was also in the running, but in […]
April 08, 2022
Inaugurated by the Cyber Rodeo event, Tesla has opened its new factory in Austin, Texas, not far from its new headquarters. With the recently opened Gigafactory in Berlin, the American electric car brand is ready to double its output and grow to 2 million vehicles annually. And yes, as usual, Elon Musk made some bold […]
April 08, 2022
There’s a big chance that in 2026, F1 race cars will also be driven by Audi and Porsche engines/motors. If all goes as predicted, Porsche will be delivering to Red Bull and Audi to McLaren; other racing teams may follow. This is excellent news for the new owner of the ‘F1 circus’, American Liberty Media, […]
April 07, 2022
Chinese electric carmaker NIO has upgraded its car rental service in several Chinese cities by offering a decremental fee for the monthly subscription and adding four free battery swaps. It’s an attempt to breathe new life into the subscription model that isn’t very popular with the Chinese, who rather want to buy a car as […]
April 07, 2022
The affordable car is almost gone, and electrification is another big hurdle for the species. Some manufacturers want to do something about this, preferably spreading the risk and working together. Now joining the movement are GM and Honda. General Motors and Honda are expanding their cooperation into developing a range of affordable electric cars based […]
April 07, 2022
Two French industrial companies aim to replace all freight diesel locomotives on the non-electrified parts of the French rail network. Train manufacturer, Alstom, is set to develop a heavy-load fuel-cell locomotive, while energy provider Engie will produce and supply emission-free hydrogen from renewable energies. The new train’s first runs are scheduled for 2025. “Our ambition […]
April 07, 2022
Porsche has invested an additional $75 million in the international developer of electric fuels, HIF Global. The German carmaker wants to import climate-neutral e-fuel from their plant in Chile to keep the internal combustion engine alive in the 911 and make racing sustainable. There’s no denying it. While Porsche is at the forefront of developing […]
April 07, 2022
German ‘green’ energy supplier RWE Renewables intends to build Europe’s biggest grid backup battery with a 200 megawatts capacity in Rotem (Dilsen-Stokkem) in Belgium. To compare: Belgium’s largest backup battery so far is the Terhills ‘Virtual Power Plant’ (VPP) in Eisden, delivering 18,2 MW with 140 big Tesla batteries. RWE initially was going to build […]
April 06, 2022
Mercedes announced today that it has reached the milestone of 25 000 pure electric vans. It’s an important goal for the German manufacturer because it is determined to become a leading manufacturer in the field of fully electrically powered vans. “At the end of 2021, we were the market leader in the midsize and large […]
April 05, 2022
Rolls-Royce has completed its winter testing of the first electric model, the Spectre. About a quarter of the 2,5 million test kilometers planned for the battery-electric car has to be driven in (very) cold circumstances. The first rumors about the actual drive system are also popping up, like having four electromotors instead of the more […]
April 04, 2022
Taiwan’s biggest motorbike, scooter, and quad manufacturer Kymco has launched a concept to offer cities a backup power solution for the most crucial traffic lights and street lights in case of grid power failure: integrated scooter battery swapping stations. By incorporating an Ionex swap station into urban street lights and traffic lights, eventually charged by […]
April 04, 2022
China’s second-biggest independent automaker next to Geely, BYD or Build Your Dream in English, announced on Sunday that it had stopped ultimately making cars with only an internal combustion engine (ICE). BYD will only continue to produce smaller ICE engines for its plug-in hybrids, next to battery-electric models, the sole focus left. On Twitter, BYD […]
March 30, 2022
The EV9 on display today previews the next EV from Kia and shows the design language of future Kia models. The EV9 is expected in dealerships as early as 2023 and will be positioned above the existing EV6. What stands out is a very angular design with a massive, straight front, a fairly upright windshield […]
