In a concerted rebranding campaign, the three German premium vehicle manufacturers Audi, BMW and Mercedes want to adapt their labelling to the electric mobility of the future. The brand-new designs are exclusively available to our industry service electrive so far. Happy April Fools! 

A visit to the CES technology trade fair in Las Vegas confirmed an already growing impression: The car of the future is a bubble-like pod vehicle, and most exhibitors also agreed that these small shuttle buses will one day rule the city; and by the by, universal adoption of the electric drive is simply a […]

Due to potential short circuit and fire hazards, Toyota has recalled more than one million hybrid vehicles across the globe. The recall concerns all Toyota Prius of the current generation, including the plug-in version, as well as the hybrid version of the C-HR that were manufactured up to May of this year.

Finnish charging infrastructure operator Fortum Charge & Drive has acquired all shares of PlugSurfing and owns the company now to a 100 percent. The Berlin-based startup had specialised in unifying charging with one solution for multiple suppliers early on as it developed a particularly smart billing solution working across a range of payment systems.

After two and a half years, Swiss Micro Mobility Systems has taken the wraps off the pilot production version of its Microlino in Zurich. The company received already more than 4,600 pre-orders for the BMW Isetta based Microlino EV. Now ‘production hell’ is waiting.

The future of charging is becoming a reality at Danish Aabenraa, where the first charging facility of the high-power charging network IONITY is being installed at present. We paid the promising site next to a gas station a visit.

Tritium is from Australia but its Veefil EV charging solutions are expanding their territory fast. At the electrive.com studio powered by P3 at the EVS30 in Stuttgart, Paul Sernia reveals that they are thinking 500kW already.

The Tesla Model S is not eligible for the EV grant in Germany any longer as Tesla is suspected of subsidy fraud. One could say the EV maker creatively trimmed the Model S basis version to fit into the price bracket of the EV subsidy. Following an investigation into the very existence of such a “basic” Model S, Tesla had now to agree to stop advertising it.
Continue reading on electrive.com, automobilwoche.de (in German)

30 Renault Zoe have arrived in the Swedish capital where cab provider Taxi Stockholm is working to electrify its fleet. The entire charging infrastructure has been provided by utility E.On and includes the provision of electricity from renewables.
eon.com

German workshop chain A.T.U. and infrastructure provider Allego have teamed up and want to install fast-charging stations at 40 garages located close to motorways in Germany.

After Volkswagen’s initial tender calling for cobalt at a fixed price failed to attract any bidders, the company has changed strategy and invited producers and dealers to come to its Wolfsburg HQ to talk, reports Bloomberg.

The Bavarian carmakers wants to centralise its battery cell competence in a new centre in Munich and has just broken ground. Officially called BMW Group Battery Cell Competence Centre, it is to drive battery cell innovation starting in 2019 and to introduce hi-tech production processes.

In the electrive.com Studio powered by P3 at the EVS30, we spoke with Gilles Normand from Renault. As Senior Vice President Global Electric Vehicle Business he leads all things electric mobility and drives the Group’s electrification offensive.

As part of a pilot project, ABB supplies the first fuel cell system for a cruise liner to shipping company Royal Caribbean. Currently, the 100 kW system made by ABB and Ballard is on display in New York.

Approximately 7.3 seconds are passing until the Audi TT (construction year 2000) accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h. Tesla enthusiast Bjørn Nyland felt pity and put the tired Audi on a trailer – and fixed it to its powerful Tesla Model X…
insideevs.com

Dutch LeasePlan is about to launch an EV pilot programme to motivate its clients to switch to low-emission vehicles. The project allows fleet operators to choose how many EVs form part of their pilot and offers help regarding the installation of charging infrastructure solutions.

BMW leasing subsidiary Alphabet Germany extends its fleet through acquisition of new fuel cell vehicles: 30 Toyota Mirai models are expected to arrive before the year’s end and shall serve as company and car pool vehicles in some of Alphabet’s major clients’ fleets over a three-year period.

The German manufacturer is currently putting its electric compact tractor e100 Vario on display at the Agritechnica in Hannover. Ahead of the model’s market launch in the upcoming year, Fendt has released a video clip of the tractor and gives some technical details.

German manufacturer Akasol has opened a battery plant with a potential production output of 600 MWh annually in Langen, close to its headquarters in Darmstadt. The company says it will be capable of manufacturing storage systems for up to 3,000 electric buses per year. All in all, Akasol invested 10m euros into the implementation of its semi-automatic production line.
electrive.net (in German)

Tesla has unveiled the Semi and this electric truck appears the most ambitious EV from the Californians to date. A range of up to 800 kilometres supported by autonomous driving and a Megacharger are features designed to distinguish Tesla from any competitors even more clearly than expected.

At least 20 new electric models by 2023, among them two EVs based on the Chevy Bolt and due in the next 18 months – that is what General Motors promised in a recently published announcement. Now, GM states that the majority of its upcoming EVs will be based on a new platform scheduled for […]

5,000 hire electric bicycles will be rolled out in the Swedish capital in 2018 and 2019 after the current contract for the 1,200 regular rental bikes will finish this year. The pedelecs are marketed as “Hybrid Bikes” not only for their muscle-electric propulsion system but also because their batteries can be removed.

McLaren celebrates the fifth birthday of its super sports car P1 with zero-emission equivalents that on top cost much less. They are electric- respective muscular-powered, but – well – attract first of all children.
gearsofbiz.com, carthrottle.com (with video)

Uber has closed a cooperation deal with U.S. space agency NASA to realise tests of its “flying cars” also above Los Angeles. As reported, Uber extends its project called Uber Elevate in order to create a network for its planned on-demand service.

The city’s parliamentarians approve the installation of 100 EV charging points throughout Liverpool, but that’s not all: The city council also partners with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to calculate the costs to establish a Clean Air Zone, which shall be completed by March 2018.
airqualitynews.com

The city council of Birmingham has paved the way for a hydrogen bus trial scheduled to start in March 2019. 20 buses shall be deployed on key routes. The 13.4m pounds project is backed by several grant contributors such as the Office for Low Emission Vehicles or the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. Potential operators for the scheme can still respond to an open tender.
smmt.co.uk, hydrogentoday.info

The BMZ Group (Germany) and Eurabus have signed a long-term master agreement with a volume of 150m euros. The contract includes the supply of more than 1,000 battery systems for electric buses within the next two to three years.

Siemens and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) inaugurated a 1.6 km test track with an overhead catenary system made by Siemens. The eHighway stretches out in the Californian city of Carson, close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Both carmakers signed an agreement to manifest their planned joint venture, first announced in August. Ford and Zotye intend to jointly develop and produce all-electric cars for consumers in China.

Chinese EV start-up Nio (before: NextEV) is said to have raised additional 1bn dollars in its latest financial round, lifting the estimated firm’s value to 5bn dollars.