London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has launched a new plug-in hybrid light commercial van that shares its distinctive styling with the iconic London black cab. LEVC’s VN5 van features a front end that’s similar to the company’s electric TX taxi, launched in 2018. The driver cabin, which is also shared with the TX, features an… Read more »
Volvo Trucks North America has deployed its first pilot VNR Electric truck in Southern California as part of the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project—a collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and 13 other organizations to develop a blueprint to scale up the adoption of battery-electric trucks. The first… Read more »
In these troubled days, the world is divided into two hostile camps—each faction demonizes the other, and refuses even to listen to the other side’s arguments. Families have been torn apart, and sometimes it seems people are about to come to physical violence, or even block former Facebook friends. But what if the batteries-vs-hydrogen debate… Read more »
Following a phased reopening of its Lancaster, California manufacturing plant in mid-May, BYD is back to building electric buses. The company’s first post-closure delivery completed an order of 10 battery-electric K9S buses to Link Transit in Wenatchee, Washington. The K9S 35-ft electric bus seats up to 32, has a range of 215 miles, and can… Read more »
Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) has unveiled first 21 Proterra electric buses, the first installment of 40 that it plans to deploy this year, as well as a new, purpose-built electric bus garage. ETS, which serves the capital of Alberta, Canada, with a fleet of over 900 buses, will begin putting its new electric buses into… Read more »
The BMW Group has signed a long-term battery cell supply contract worth 2 billion euros with Swedish supplier Northvolt. The cells will be produced beginning in 2024 at the Northvolt Ett gigafactory, which is currently under construction in Skellefteå in northern Sweden. Northvolt Ett in Sweden is to go on line in 2021 with an… Read more »
Global interest in plug-in vehicles continues to grow, but Big Auto continues to take only timid and halting steps toward electrification. This presents opportunities for bold new competitors to establish footholds in the auto market of the future. A new report from Guidehouse Insights identifies some of the “leading EV upstarts.” Guidehouse notes that momentum… Read more »
Croatian supercar builder Rimac Automobili has appointed Chris Porritt to the role of Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Porritt has spent over three decades in the automotive industry—previous positions include Chief Engineer at Aston Martin, VP of Engineering at Tesla, and lead at Apple’s Special Projects Group. He has overseen the development of several bespoke performance… Read more »
Rideshare vehicles are widely believed to have larger carbon footprints than personal vehicles, as they rack up additional mileage on the way to and from passenger pickups. Thus, it stands to reason that, like trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles, electrifying them would deliver greater emissions reductions than electrifying personal passenger cars. According to a new… Read more »
Even as automakers have been abandoning hydrogen fuel cells as a powertrain option for passenger cars, many believe that the technology will find its niche in the heavy-duty truck sector. Now Hyundai is moving beyond the pilot stage and beginning to deliver vehicles to customers. The company has shipped 10 units of the XCIENT Fuel… Read more »