France has announced an auto industry bailout package worth some 8 billion euros ($8.8 billion), and it includes substantial support for electrification. The new funds are in addition to a 5-billion-euro loan guarantee being considered for struggling Renault, and the many millions already spent on temporary unemployment payments to auto workers. According to Le Monde,… Read more »
IRP Systems, a provider of electric powertrain products, has raised $17 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Chinese venture capital firm Fosun RZ Capital. Other investors include JAL ventures, Entrée Capital, Tal Capital, Union Tech Ventures, Cendana Capital and Champion Motors. IRP Systems was originally founded as an aerospace powertrain company,… Read more »
EVs may experience minor hiccups, but they shouldn’t suffer much more than the rest of the auto industry. It’s the question everyone has to ask: How will the Covid-19 pandemic affect my business? For those in the electric-car world, the question is more pointed: Will the pandemic hurt the growth of electric vehicles over the… Read more »
Chinese EV powerhouse BYD has big plans to sell EVs in Europe. The first move will be the introduction of the second-generation Tang electric compact SUV to the Norwegian market. The BYD Tang EV600 features permanent all-wheel drive, and a 373-mile NEDC range. Pricing will be announced later this year. BYD is already selling electric… Read more »
A Tesla boat? Not yet, but marine electric drive maker Torqeedo has won a Tesla exec as a customer. Dr. Charles Kuehmann is Head of Materials Engineering for Tesla and its sister company Space X. He recently bought a new Elan GT5 43-foot sailboat, and had it fitted with a Torqeedo Deep Blue 25 kW… Read more »
Many auto brands can be described as EV laggards, but Lexus has gone beyond that, and positioned itself as an active EV opponent. Although Lexus has been producing a wide range of hybrids for years, it has aired not one, but at least two ad campaigns that ridicule plug-in vehicles. A third campaign made such… Read more »
Tesla may have decided on the site of its anticipated Cybertruck plant, and it intends to waste no time. Electrek, citing “a reliable source familiar with the matter,” reports that the next Tesla Gigafactory (excuse me, make that “Terafactory”) will be built in the vicinity of Austin, Texas. (The AP is reporting that the list… Read more »
Volkswagen’s ID.3 will be a milestone vehicle—the company’s first EV based on the new MEB platform. Unfortunately, deliveries have been delayed by software problems, and are now expected to take place in a big batch this summer. It’s also unfortunate that VW has no plans to sell the small electric hatch in North America, but… Read more »
Tesla has been champing at the bit to restart production at its Fremont factory. Now the state of California is lifting the lockdown, but Alameda County’s shelter-in-place order is scheduled to remain in place until the end of May, and county officials say Tesla cannot resume vehicle production yet. In response, Tesla has filed a… Read more »
Last year, 85% of all new medium- and heavy-duty buses (over 3.5 tons) registered in the European Union were fueled by diesel, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, a trade group that represents 16 major European car, truck and bus makers. “Alternatively-powered vehicles” (including natural gas, hybrid and electric) combined accounted for 15% of… Read more »