ZF Friedrichshafen, a German-based automotive driveline and chassis manufacturer, is set to invest €800 million in the electrification of its transmission technology. Over the next four years, ZF will put the investment into its primary transmission plant located in Saarbrücken, Germany. “The share of hybrid drives in production will increase tenfold over the next few… Read more »
The California Air Resources Board will conduct a public hearing in February to consider a proposed Zero-Emission Airport Shuttle regulation. The regulation would require airport shuttles serving California’s 13 largest airports to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. It would apply to public and private fleets, including operators of parking facilities, rental car… Read more »
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has authorized electric utility Consumers Energy to launch a charging infrastructure pilot program that includes rebates and a time-of-use rate plan. Consumers Energy’s PowerMIDrive program, a three-year, $10-million effort, includes a Nighttime Savers Rate to encourage EV drivers to charge their vehicles between 7 pm and 6 am. Residential… Read more »
Hell announced an unprecedented coat of frost this week, as Harley-Davidson began taking orders for the LiveWire, its first electric production motorcycle. The 2020 LiveWire is now available for US dealer pre-orders at a starting MSRP of $29,799. Deliveries to the US are expected to begin this fall. The LiveWire, which Harley calls “the perfect… Read more »
The dream of a Tesla racing series is rapidly becoming a reality. The Electric Production Car Series (originally called Electric GT), has been officially sanctioned by the FIA, the governing body for world motorsports. The EPCS will be the second FIA racing series for electric cars, joining the Formula E series, which recently kicked off… Read more »
Toshiba is removing its SCiB battery business from the Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions (TISS) subsidiary, and making it an independent business unit within Toshiba. By positioning the business as an independent operation, Toshiba says it hopes to remove layers of management and allow for more rapid decision-making. TISS will continue to handle business operations… Read more »
Hyundai and Kia have released a video featuring a proposed system that would relocate fully charged EVs from charging stations and allow waiting vehicles to charge. Here’s how the Automated Valet Parking System (AVPS) works: the driver tells the vehicle to charge using a smartphone app, and the vehicle automatically cruises to a vacant wireless… Read more »
Erik Prince, founder of the controversial private military company Blackwater, has launched a fund to invest in metals used in EV batteries, he told the Financial Times. The fund aims to raise up to $500 million, and will invest in deposits of metals such as cobalt, copper and lithium, largely in Africa and Asia. Prince… Read more »
Elon Musk joined the mayor of Shanghai and other local government officials for a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of Tesla’s new Chinese plant. Tesla plans to invest around $2 billion in the facility, which is expected to have a capacity of about 500,000 vehicles per year. The company hopes to finish initial construction this… Read more »
Toyota has got the hybrid powertrain down pat. Having honed its hybrid technology over the last 22 years of building the Prius, which has sold over 10 million units and is now in its 4th generation, the Japanese giant now offers seven different hybrid models, and its luxury brand Lexus offers six more. Charged recently… Read more »
