The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany has established an organization that aims to teach companies experienced in manufacturing combustion engines how to transition their skills to EV technologies. The Transformation Hub Electric Mobility, which will target small to medium-sized companies, has been funded with €2.6 million from the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The… Read more »
European fast charging network operator Fastned has partnered with German supermarket chain REWE for a pilot that will test the interest of EV drivers in fast charging while shopping for groceries. The partnership will start with a pilot at four REWE Region Mitte supermarkets around Frankfurt, and the companies intend to expand it to additional… Read more »
The European Parliament has voted to mandate a 20% cut in CO2 emissions from new cars and vans in 2025 and a 40% reduction in 2030. The EU’s elected chamber rejected the European Commission’s more modest proposal of a 30% cut in 2030 compared to 2021 emission levels. The Parliament’s plan includes penalties for automakers… Read more »
It has gradually become apparent that Big Auto’s reluctance to embrace EVs is not due to mere Luddism or fear of the future. There are several reasons to believe that electrification will take a major bite out of industry profits, as Daimler execs acknowledged in March. Now Volkswagen has warned that its stated plan to… Read more »
Volkswagen plans to launch an electric car sharing service in several major cities under its We Share brand. The first fleet of vehicles will be rolled out in Berlin, and will include 1,500 e-Golf when the service begins operating in the second quarter of 2019, with an additional 500 e-up! to follow later. VW says… Read more »
Are German Model S buyers eligible for the government’s €4,000 EV incentive? Well, it’s complicated. Back in 2016, when Germany introduced its current purchase incentive program, it excluded vehicles with a starting price over €60,000. The details of the program were negotiated by the government and German automakers, who are providing some of the funding…. Read more »
The German government has announced €50 million ($58 million) in new funding for 31 municipal electric mobility projects under its aptly-named “Clean Air 2017-2020 Emergency Program.” Under this fourth phase of the program, municipal vehicle fleets (e.g. waste disposal vehicles and buses), as well as taxi and car-sharing companies will receive subsidies of from 40… Read more »
European fast charging network operator Fastned has opened its first station in Germany. The new station is located along the A3 highway at Limburg an der Lahn, and features several 350 kW DC chargers. The roof of the station is equipped with solar panels. According to Fastned, all the energy delivered by its network comes… Read more »
A German government program that offers subsidies to EV buyers became the center of controversy over the eligibility of Tesla buyers. Only vehicles with a base price of under 60,000 euros are eligible for the awards. The program was designed in collaboration with German automakers, who are providing part of the funding, and some observers… Read more »
Charging network operator Allego has deployed what it calls Europe’s first “ultra-fast” charging station, at Kleinostheim near Frankfurt, Germany. The station includes four charging points, each with a capacity of 175 kW using the CCS standard. The company told Charged that the CCS chargers are backwards compatible and there’s also a charger available that is suitable for… Read more »