May 17, 2016 - 09:28 am LG, Apple, Peugeot Design Lag, Scania.
LG does business in Iran: LG International Corp. has signed a tentative agreement with the Iranian government to help develop electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in the country. According to local media, the deal includes the development of 20 EVs for manufacturer Iran Khodro by 2018, as well as to set up charging stations in Tehran and produce a total of 60,000 EVs by 2023.
mehrnews.com, greencarcongress.com
Apple invests in ride service: Apple has invested 1bn dollars in Chinese Uber competitor, Didi. Apple will help build up the platform, which already services 11m riders a day. Moreover, if Apple is already working with Didi on an IT level, it could make sense for them to include the iCar in its fleet once it hits road.
bloomberg.com, hybridcars.com
Powered by the sun: Peugeot Design Lab has designed a solar energy charging station for EVs, called the DRIVECO Parasol. The wooden structure is fitted with 88 solar panels and Li-ion batteries to store extra energy. Up to seven vehicles can charger there simultaneously. Paris has already commissioned one DRIVECO Parasol, and Ajaccio will likely commission another.
automotive-business-review.com
Delivery for Madrid: Volkswagen Group’s Scania will begin delivering 51 hybrid buses to Madrid starting in June. The buses meet EU suburban and short distance Class II regulations and will be used by seven operators, including Alsa, Samar, Avanza, and DBlas.
greencarcongress.com
May 13, 2016 - 08:59 am Montreal, Canada, LAPD, CliperCreek, ChargePoint, COMO Connect, Uber.
Montreal on a mission: The Canadian city pursues a programme to introduce a 1,000 EVs to share by 2020. For starter, control over parking lots with EV charging stations will be transferred from the districts to the city, enabling electric carsharing to flow freely. Around 50 such park and charge spots shall go up next month with a further 1,000 due by 2020. The measures include pure EV zones to be designated in downtown Montreal by the end of the decade.
cbc.ca, auto123.com (EV only)
Future ready: Canada confirms its EV and FCV infrastructure policy as it intends to spend 62.5m dollars. 16.4m dollars have been earmarked for rapid charging, hydrogen and natural gas units. Another 46.1m dollars to be invested in “next generation” infrastructure, i.e. wireless and even faster charge spots.
evfleetworld.co.uk, news.gc.ca
Tesla police cruiser: The LAPD has been testing two Model S for a year but is not ready to order. Police fear the event of a massive power outage and is also concerned about cost. Still, it expects prices for EVs to decrease and will continue to keep “learning [from] and contributing” to electrification.
cnbc.com, autoblog.com
Access restricted: CliperCreek has unveiled ChargeGuard for its HCS charging station series. Access is controlled via a key. ChargePoint meanwhile employs an RFID card/smartphone reader for authentication and also offers a Fleet Card that can be used at public stations. Both solutions were designed with fleets and depots in mind.
chargedevs.com (ClipperCreek), cleantechnica.com (ChargePoint)
Electric bus fleet: COMO Connect has been testing a BYD electric bus. Successfully, it seems, as the firm from Columbia, Missouri, now purchased three all-electric transit buses, which are due to go into operation next month. Range is given at 144 miles, while charging takes two to three hours.
automotive-business-review.com, greencarcongress.com
Uber goes green: Since the beginning of the week, Uber users in Johannesburg can hail a BMW i3 or Nissan Leaf when choosing the UberGreen option in the app. The company is testing its UberGreen service until June 3rd during daytime and is working with both carmakers.
techcentral.co.za
May 12, 2016 - 08:54 am Delhi, Hyperloop, battery swapping, Amazon, Go Ultra Low, Proterra.
Delhi welcomes electrification: The Indian capital has reduced VAT on hybrid and electric cars as well as e-rickshaws from 12.5 to 5 percent with immediate effect. Delhi’s government further decided to launch 25 electric buses, which will likely be procured by July.
indiatimes.com (VAT), hindustantimes.com (electric buses)
Hyperloop hype: One of the start-ups hoping to make very high speed trains a reality has issued a global call for applications. Regions, projects, and really anyone is invited to make a case for the first Hyperloop location. Hyperloop One just collected 80m in funding. Germany’s railway company Deutsche Bahn is among the investors.
electrek.co, hyperloop-one.com (Global Challenge)
Battery swapping comeback? BAIC BJEV trials a strategy of replacing batteries rather than just charging them. It sees the idea as particularly useful for electric taxi applications, but also rental EV fleets. A first such swapping station has been erected in Beijing.
autonews.gasgoo.com
Electric delivery: Amazon expanded its electric cargo bike delivery service to Berlin. Prime customers can now receive their orders within one or two hours. The couriers ride pedelecs by Bullit and shall mainly deliver perishable goods in time.
ebike-news.de (in German)
Go Ultra Low Company is a new status awarded by the UK government initiative of the same name. Among the first 11 organisations to be recognised for their commitment to electrify up 5 percent of their fleet by 2020, were Microsoft, the London Fire Brigade, and the Environment Agency.
fleetnews.co.uk
Though testing: Proterra’s Catalyst electric bus has undergone rigorous testing in the King County Metro Transit fleet. The electric bus was in service 24/7 for 106 days, transporting the equivalent of 97 passengers and driving an average 325 miles a day with stops at the rapid-charger in between.
insideevs.com (with video)
May 11, 2016 - 08:55 am Nissan, Germany, fuel cell, Tesla, ITM Power.
V2G testing: Nissan and Enel have started the V2g trial first mentioned at COP21. 100 British Leaf and e-NV200 drivers get the opportunity to sell energy back to the utility when charging outside peak time. Furthermore, the Japanese present the xStorage home energy storage unit together with Eaton.
cityam.com, youtube.com, nissan-europe.com, automotiveworld.com (xStorage)
Drive electrically, fund locally: The German government handed 7.1m euros to municipalities to boost electric mobility in the country. The money is destined for 96 projects ranging from EV infrastructure over electric bendy buses to electric carsharing and taxi services. Overall, the projects are funded with 17m euros from both federal and local sources.
bmvi.de (in German)
Fuel cell boost: The British government launches a 2m pound programme for FCV fleets. The money will cover up to 75 percent of cost of new hydrogen vehicles. The Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Fleet Support Scheme starts from April 2017 and includes operating expenses.
gov.uk
Tesla hire at Heathrow: White Car will deliver a Model S to your door at the tap of your finger from August this year. The app-controlled car hire service intends to start with a fleet of five Tesla to be used to drive to and from London’s main airport. The firm is still looking for crowdfunding.
businesscarmanager.co.uk
A new hydrogen station went up in London this week. ITM Power intends to build another two in the UK as part of the European HyFive project. ITM teamed up with renewable electricity provider Good Energy Group to inquire how to best power its H2 stations with clean energy.
lse.co.uk
May 10, 2016 - 09:02 am ChargePoint, Singapore, Farmdrop, Florida, Nebraska.
EV infrastructure expense: ChargePoint has secured 50m in funding. The money will be used to expand the company’s EV charging station network in the U.S., where it already operates 28,000 charging spots. Siemens and BMW iVentures are among the investors. Meanwhile, competitor EVgo scored a “major investment” from Vision Ridge Partners. Together with funding from NRG, EVgo currently disposes over 100m dollars.
insideevs.com, forbes.com
Islandwide e-carsharing: Singapore plans to install about 2,000 EV charging points that will primarily serve an e-carsharing programme. Details of which have yet to be disclosed but proposals are in the final stages of evaluation.
straitstimes.com
Electric farm food fleet: Ten hybrid vans have been replaced with fully electric ones as Farmdrop cleans up its food delivery act in London. The fresh produce is now picked up with Nissan e-NV200 and brought to homes and grocery stores in the British capital emission-free.
standard.co.uk
Free electric shuttle: The city of Sarasota in Florida, U.S. is considering to introduce a shuttle service with electric six-seaters in the downtown area. The city set aside about half a million dollars for the next two years to kick start the programme that ultimately aims to reduce traffic.
heraldtribune.com
Rejoicing the EV market: Lincoln in Nebraska, U.S. plans to install ten EV charging stations. The dual-port stops result in a total of 24 plug-in opportunities in a town that so far counts only 50 electric cars. The grant programme intends to change that.
journalstar.com
May 9, 2016 - 09:14 am California, New Zealand, South Korea, Leicester City, UPS.
Cleaner transportation: The newly presented Draft California Sustainable Freight Action Plan calls for the deployment of more than 100,000 zero emission vehicles by 2020 and maximisation of near ZEVs. Moreover, the state earmarked 23.6m dollars for the development of and a demonstration project using electric drayage trucks at ports.
greencarcongress.com, electriccarsreport.com (drayage trucks)
New Zealand pushes EVs: The government says it is looking to implement incentives to get more electric cars on their roads. The goal is to double the current number of EVs to 64,000 by 2021, extend and introduce new Road User Charge exemptions for electric cars, integrate more electric vehicles into government fleets, and fund promotions as well as further studies.
newshub.co.nz
Seoul networks: The South Korean capital has launched the second stage of their carsharing network, aiming to increase electric vehicle usage. The number of carsharing locations will grow from 1,262 to 1,600, and another 1,749 vehicles will be added to the fleet. Seoul expects to have more than 2,400 carsharing locations by 2018.
koreaherald.com
Victory Mercedes: Leicester City players will be receiving a Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Model from club chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after winning the English Premier League Title. That will be 30 vehicles in total, each priced at 32,670 pounds.
carscoops.com
UPS E-GEN: UPS has updated their 125 Workhorse E-GEN hybrid electric delivery trucks to achieve extended range and better fuel economy. Working with Workhorse Group, they integrated a new drive system and swapped out a four-cylinder engine for a two-cylinder motor. The vehicles will provide up to four times better fuel economy than that of a gasoline-powered vehicle.
electriccarsreport.com, trucks.com
May 4, 2016 - 08:30 am GOFAST, Lübeck, Hydro-Quebec, Tesla, Aspen.
Fast-charging Switzerland: Company GOtthard FASTcharge, short GOFAST, wants to install a fast charging network with 150 kW and more in Switzerland. Some 150 stations are planned, with the first location along the Gotthard motorway said to open this summer. The goal is to set up at least 100 locations in the next two and a half years.
gofastcharge.com
Germany’s North electrifies: The German city of Lübeck is looking to replace all 200 of its buses with electric ones by 2035. Depending on availability, the first buses could be swapped as early as next year. The Hanseatic city currently only counts 10 hybrid busses that are actually not as efficient, as planned. Some blame the driving style of local bus drivers.
ln-online.de (in German)
Connecting Quebec: Hydro-Québec is looking to erect 22 EV charging stations in eastern Ontario, making it easier for motorists to get to Quebec. These will also be the utility’s first EV stations outside of the Canadian capital.
cbc.ca
No direct sales: Tesla again failed to push a bill that would allow it to sell directly to customers in Connecticut. The EV maker now wants to play its last ace up its sleeve and offer to build a distribution centre in the U.S. state. That could mean 150 new jobs – if direct sales were allowed.
electrek.co
Electric Aspen: This summer, the small town in Colorado, U.S., is offering free electric taxi rides. The on-demand service features five Polaris Gem E6 that can be booked via an app. While the drive is free, tips are not frowned upon.
aspentimes.com
May 3, 2016 - 08:52 am Kreisel Electric, Tesla, BIG HIT, Lidl, Hexagon Lincoln.
200 kW from 2017? Austrian specialist Kreisel Electric is working on a DC fast-charger with charging capacity of 200 kW, and which uses a battery as buffer storage. The company hopes that by cooperating with infrastructure manufacturers, its charging solution could be implemented as early as next year.
green.wiwo.de (in German)
Tesla supports Chinese standard: The California EV maker implemented the “Tesla Charging Partner Program” in China to promote the recently agreed upon Chinese charging standard. Working together with the China Quality Certification Centre (CQC), the goal is implement said standard and help partners get certified.
electrek.co
H2 from wind: The project BIG HIT hopes to use excess wind energy from the Orkney islands in Scotland to produce hydrogen that in turn could be used to power ten electric vans with fuel cell range extenders. It is funded by the EU’s Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) with 5m euros.
businesswire.com
Lidl electrifies: The supermarket chain announced that it will invest 1.2m Swiss francs in setting up charging infrastructure at its stores in Switzerland. Power could be supplied by the locations’ own solar panels and the fast-chargers will most likely be free of charge for customers. A first multi-standard ABB charger has already been installed near Zurich.
blick.ch (in German)
Possible H2 alliance: U.S.-based company Hexagon Lincoln is looking to team up with Misui & Co. from Japan. Together, they want to manufacture and sell carbon fibre reinforced high-pressure hydrogen cylinders in the Asian country; a leader in terms of hydrogen technology, says Hexagon.
hydrogenfuelnews.com, journalstar.com
May 2, 2016 - 08:44 am Ontario, Delaware, California, Bonn.
Updating Ontario: The province of Ontario will spend 20m dollars to build nearly 500 new electric vehicle charging stations around the province next year. Working with 27 private and public partners, the project will span over 250 different locations. Highways, inner cities, workplaces, condominiums and public areas are possible sites.
cbc.ca
100 rebates: The U.S. state of Delaware has allocated 100 more rebates for electric and plug-in vehicles purchased or leased in the state. The rebates are valued at 2,200 dollars each and are now available.
doverpost.com
Growing network: The California charging network got another nine stations, all located in Humboldt county, including one at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka. Stations were built using grants from the California Energy Commission with matching funds from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority. There are now 14 total charging stations in the northern county.
krctv.com
Bonn bus: As part of the EU’s Zero Emission Urban Bus System project, the German city of Bonn has implemented six new electric buses. The move to switch all of the city’s buses to electric could theoretically be completed by 2030.
nahverkerhs-praxis.de (in German)
Apr 29, 2016 - 08:05 am Belgium, Delaware, Ontario, Tesla.
Can all taxis be electric? Belgian taxi operator association GTL launched a study to see if all cabs could be electric by 2020. For starters, two electric taxis are now in operation in Antwerp. The theoretical side is taken care of by MOBI Research Centre of the Flemish University of Brussels (VUB) and The New Drive (TND) consultancy.
icvue.eu
BEV bus funds: Delaware is seeking 3m dollars in federal funding to acquire six electric buses. The bus agency competes with others across the country to get a bit of the 55m dollar fund set up by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
delawareonline.com
EV charging funds: Simcoe County in Canada’s Ontario province received 267,350 dollars to install EV charging stations at three locations. The initial request included five sites, two of which were turned down. The spots are mainly aimed at travellers rather than commuters.
barrietoday.com
Tesla holiday package: The Ritz-Carlton of Half Moon Bay in California offers a ‘Tesla Driving Experience Package’. It includes access to all fitness and spa facilities, as well as a Model S for the length of the stay. They can even request to be picked up from the airport in the EV.
drivingthenation.com
Apr 28, 2016 - 08:37 am California, Xcelsior XHE60, SLAM, wireless charging wanted, Cumbria.
EV charging centre: California has opened the largest EV charging facility to date. Located in Santa Clara, it features 48 Level 2 chargers and one DC Fast Charger in a six-storey parking garage. The centre includes 370 kW photovoltaic installation and on-site energy storage. Funding came from local businesses and institutions, as well as a grant of 393,000 dollars from the California Energy Commission.
greencarcongress.com, cleantechnica.com
18 metre fuel cell bus: New Flyer presented the Xcelsior XHE60, America’s first 18 metre bus powered by hydrogen. The propulsion system was developed together with Siemens, while the fuel cells come from Ballard. The bus carries up to 120 passengers and if testing succeeds it will be operated by the California’s Alameda County Transit (AC Transit) for 22 months.
greencarcongress.com, insideevs.com
Golden Test Device: As part of the German EV infrastructure project SLAM, Volkswagen has shown a testing device prototype. The so-called Golden Test Device is to quickly test compatibility of EV and charging station of different makes. It shall also serve as internationally accepted testing reference.
greencarcongress.com
Wireless charging wanted: Antelope Valley Transit Authority in Southern California is looking for a provider of induction charging for its electric buses. Its request for proposals seeks to acquire up to 15 charging stations with a minimum requirement of 200 kWh and installation over the next two years.
ngtnews.com
Go charge in Cumbria: The British region has commissioned nine sites for electric vehicle charging. EV charging stations are now open to the public. 75 percent of the 438,000 GBP where provided by the UK Government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles.
cumbria.gov.uk
Apr 27, 2016 - 08:34 am Shanghai, Tesla, Spain, Caltech, Vector.
Shanghai on track: The Shanghai Transportation Trade Association confirms that electrifying the city’s public buses remains a priority. They aim to have nearly 1,500 new-energy buses, making up half of their entire fleet, in operation by the end of 2016. Sixteen bus depots will also be fitted with electric charging stations.
shanghaidaily.com
Tesla grand opening: Tesla is opening a third Australian store in Sydney later this year. The two-level showroom will house all of Tesla’s cars and let customers both customise and order the vehicles. However, no on-site Superchargers will be available. Meanwhile, first the Supercharger in Russia is now live.
gizmodo.com (Australia), insidedevs.com (Russia)
Funded by Movea: The Spanish city of Murcia has purchased its first electric car as well as four more hybrids. They hope to have 20 alternative energy vehicles in their fleet by 2020. Purchases were encouraged by regional government subsidies under the “Movea” scheme,” which provides between 6,000 and 20,000 euros.
murciatoday.com
New at Caltech: The California Institute of Technology is getting an EV charging network on campus. A research group installed 54 electric vehicle charging stations to be used by Caltech and JPL personnel and guests. All are free to use. The charging network was developed by computer science and electrical engineering professor, Steven Low.
caltech.edu.
Rapid Kiwis: Two rapid charging stations points have arrived in Silverdale, New Zealand, further consolidating the area as the first viable EV region in the country. Vector installed six points in Auckland and plans for 15 more by the end of 2016. They are currently scouting areas around Wellsford and the Matakana area.
stuff.co.nz
Apr 26, 2016 - 08:18 am Tesla, Beijing, CCSplus, Utah, Ohio.
Destination Europe: Tesla has officially launched their Destination Charging programme in Europe, starting with 150 new chargers. Locations are listed on their website. Tesla is also accepting applications from other businesses at convenient locations that could receive two chargers free or heavily discounted.
electrek.co, teslamotors.com
Beijing upgrades: To accommodate the requirement that taxi drivers must use alternative energy vehicles by 2020, Beijing will be setting up 435,000 EV chargers. The electric vehicle market in the Chinese capital is expected to reach 600,000 units by 2020, and the city hopes to have “one post per one vehicle” in private the private sector.
autonews.gasgoo.com
Rapid charging: Phoenix Contact is presenting the rapid charging system CCSplus at the Hanover Fair this week. The system includes an integrated cooling system that could achieve up t0 350kW. They hope to reach a charging time of 3-5 minutes for 100 km in the future.
voltumim.de (in German)
Utah Transit Authority: UTA and the University of Utah are using 5.4m dollars from the Low-No grant to purchase five New Flyer electric buses. They will include an electric-powered air compressor, as well as electric conditioning and heating systems. For especially cold conditions, the passenger cabin can be warmed with a small amount of renewable bio-diesel.
greencarcongress.com
Drink up: Ohio’s first hydrogen bus showed consumers that the vehicle’s energy was so clean, they could drink it (and they did). A second bus is on its way, and eight more will be delivered in the next two years. They hope the programme will encourage fuel cell research and production.
insidedevs.com (with video), cleveland.com
Apr 25, 2016 - 08:08 am Eakay, Proterra, LA, FirstElement Fuel, Colombia.
Eakay expands: Chinese electric auto rental service Eakay concluded a successful two year trial in Wuhu and will open branches in 50 cities in the next two years. Cars can be rented via an app and dropped off at predetermined locations. Eakay intends to grow its fleet from 1,100 cars from locally-based Chery Automobile to 3,100 by the end of the year.
china.org.cn
Low-No orders: Several companies receiving funds from the U.S. Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Grants (we reported) have set their hearts on Proterra. Funds from SEPTA, Foothill Transit and King County Metro will go towards 33 Catalyst electric buses and charging infrastructure. In total, Proterra has now received order for a total of 155 vehicles from across the U.S.
greencarcongress.com
LA orange line: Los Angeles has received 4.3m dollars in federal grants to purchase five electric buses and eight charging stations for their orange line. The intended supplier has not yet been named. Many suspect that the city will choose BYD, after the manufacturer filled orders for the Metro’s fleet last year.
sfvbj.com
Real hydrogen network: Start-up FirstElement Fuel intends to establish a hydrogen charging network of unprecedented size in the U.S., called the True Zero Network. The company already opened 15 True Zero stations on the West Coast. Four more will follow this year, contracted to Black & Veatch. The network is funded largely by grants, as well as partnerships with Toyota and Honda.
prnewswire.com, ngtnews.com
Mandatory chargers: The Quebec government considers a mandate that would require every newly built home in the Canadian province to be outfitted with a 240V EV charging station. Results of a relevant impact study are expected to be published this summer. It is already known that the chargers would only raise the cost of new homes by about 400 dollars.
autoblog.com
Travel Colombia: UQM Technologies and Colombian EV integrator Creatti Labs SAS are working on EV transportation systems for South American markets, currently setting up an electric transit bus platform for Colombia’s Cali, Medellin and Bogota. A UQM PowerPhase HD250 motor/controller system with two speed EV transmission has already been shipped to the country.
businesswire.com
Apr 22, 2016 - 08:54 am China, BYD, Wrightspeed, Romania, Streetplug, Gogoro.
Chinese charging offensive: State-owned utility State Grid has issued a tender for the installation of 6,600 EV charging stations by the end of the year. The company is ready to invest 650m yuan in 2016 alone (9.3m dollars).
gasgoo.com
Slow delivery: The first 20 of 417 BYD K7 electric buses have been delivered to the Chinese city of Chengde. The order had been placed almost one year ago.
gasgoo.com
Bid deal: Wrightspeed, the start-up belonging to Tesla co-founder Ian Wight, has landed its biggest order to date. It will deliver its heavy-duty range-extended electric powertrain retrofitting technology to New Zealand’s urban bus operator NZ. The deal is worth 30m dollars.
greencarcongress.com, bizjournals.com
Romania ups incentives: Citizens and companies purchasing an all-electric car can now qualify for up to 6,000 euros in subsidies, including a scrappage fee. For hybrids, they can get as much as 5,000 euros. Moreover, Romania plans to financially support companies setting up EV infrastructure.
romania-insider.com
Charging from down below: Dutch company Streetplug has developed a clever charging system for electric vehicles that can be embedded in the ground. It is currently being tested in Venlo should become available from October for 2.600 euros.
streetplug.nl
Selling point: Gogoro has added supermarket chain Carrefour to the list of vendors of its electric two-wheeler in Taiwan. Customers can test drive and buy the Smartscooter at three Carrefour in Taipei, increasing the Gogoro’s selling network in the country to 15 locations.
thenewslens.com
Apr 21, 2016 - 09:05 am FTA, Shanghai, Communauto, Taxi Diamond, E-Wald, Wirecard.
U.S. funds e-bus development: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has selected seven projects that will receive a total of 22.5m dollars for research and development pertaining to all-electric and fuel cell buses, as well as the corresponding infrastructure.
greencarcongress.com
Charging Shanghai’s airports: Shanghai’s airports Honggiao and Pudong will be fitted with a total of 1,500 charging points; the first 100 will be erected before the end of the year. Moreover, the airports want to invests in hundreds of new electric and hybrid vehicles like shuttle buses and set up an EV hiring service at Shanghai-Pudong.
shanghaidaily.com
Electrification to share: Carsharing operator Communauto says it will add a total of 600 all-electric and hybrid vehicles to its fleets in Québec, Ottawa, Halifax and Montreal. The first 275 cars are said to hit the road in Montreal by the end of the week.
journaldemontreal.com (in French)
Electrification to hire: The above mentioned carsharing scheme will join Taxi Diamond’s 110 hybrid cabs on the streets of Montreal. The taxi company says that it wants to replace most of its 1,100 vehicles with electric and hybrid cars by 2020.
cbc.ca, newswire.ca
E-Wald joins Hubject consortium: The Bavarian charging network is the 200th partner to join the international consortium. It adds 600 new chargers to the intercharge network.
hubject.com
Pay by smartphone: Mobile payment service provider Wirecard and Austrian IT start-up Enio teamed up to enable cash-free payments via an app at EV charging stations. The option is said to be rolled out across all EU countries where Enio is active before the end of summer:
prnewswire.co.uk
Apr 20, 2016 - 08:54 am Stuttgart, France, Fastned, Supercharger, Washington, Seattle.
Stuttgart electrifies: The local government decided to replace 45 of its old combustion engine cars with electric ones and announced that all new vehicles added to the city’s fleet will be fully electric. Of course, Stuttgart will also set up the charging infrastructure needed for its initiative. The German city already raised an alert due to particulate matter on more than one occasion this year.
stuttgarter-zeitung.de, stuttgart.de (articles in German)
Charging France: Some 117 municipalities in the French Département Bouches-du-Rhône will install a total of 200 chargers by the end of next year. That is 400 charging points with 22 kW each. 80 chargers are said to go online this year. Half of the 2m euro bill is footed by the Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Énergie (ADEME).
avere-france.org (in French)
Fastned cooperates with Dutch railway: Fastned has signed an agreement with Dutch railway operator NS (Nederlanse Spoorwegen) to install EV charging stations in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Den Haag. The locations are all property of the Dutch railway.
nltimes.nl
Superchargers plough ahead: The announced expansion of the fast-charging network is already well underway. Some eleven new locations with some 90 parking stalls have been confirmed since the unveiling of the Model 3. In some cases, installation already kicked off. The new Superchargers are located across the globe in i.e. China, Australia, the U.S., the Czech Republic and Germany.
electrek.co
Washington adjusts incentives: Washington state, USA, expanded its sales tax break in order to include news EVs like the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3 in the scheme. From July, the tax break applies to the first 32,000 dollars of the selling price. Moreover, electric cars with an MSPR of 42,500 dollars now qualify.
opb.org
Tripe the fast-chargers: Moreover, the state’s capital Seattle is looking to install another ten rapid-chargers within the next year. These will be located on city as well as some privately owned grounds. Seattle currently has five fast-chargers. The city is also looking to kick off an in-home charging pilot programme, were EV drivers can rent chargers for their garage on a monthly basis.
king5.com
Apr 19, 2016 - 08:48 am H2 Logic, XL Hybrids, Cape Town, Dubai, Car2Go, Belarus.
More efficient H2-station: H2 Logic has presented its new hydrogen fuelling station, the CAR-200, available from the second half of 2016. Compared to current stations, it is said to have triple the capacity, while using only a third of the space.
greencarcongress.com
Cloud-based analysis: XL Hybrids has introduced a new cloud-based analytics tool that measures i.e. CO2 reduction and fuel-efficiency of hybrid fleet vehicles equipped with XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive Systems. Moreover, the company says its system does not hinder other telematics devices or services.
greencarcongress.com
Electric tuk-tuks for Cape Town: The South African government wants to improve public transport and issued a tender for the three-wheeled taxis. Electric variants will be favoured, authorities say. Some 80 tuk-tuks could hit the road as early as September.
bdlive.co.za
Charging Dubai: The city now has seven new EV charging stations, which were installed at exiting petrol stations. Another two will follow. Dubai’s very first EV charger went online just one year ago.
gulfnews.com, emirates247.com
Car2Go without electric drive: The carsharing scheme kicked off in the Chinese city of Chongqing – the operator’s first on the continent. Some 400 Smart are already in service, and another 200 will follow. Only all cars have a conventional drivetrain, even though China is pushing hard to get more EVs on the road.
chinadaily.com.cn
E-bus with supercaps: The Belarussian capital Minsk will test two locally build electric buses from December. The vehicles from Belkoounmasch are fitted with supercaps. Another 18 buses will follow in the first quarter of 2017.
belta.by
Apr 18, 2016 - 07:58 am AZRA Networks, BYD, Arizona, Blink, Florida.
Coming to Canada: AZRA Networks will be investing 40m dollars over the next 18 months to deploy 8,000 electric charging points and get the Renault Twizy on the road in Canada. This will be Renault’s first 100% electric vehicle in the country and will be available for lease at 99 dollars per month.
greencarcongress.com, twizycanada.com
BYD bids: BYD put in a bid for the “2016 Shenzhen Eastern Bus Co., Ltd. Solution to Upgrade 3,024 Battery Electric Buses Project,” and was named first ranked supplier. It appears that Shenzhen is not only planning to purchase 3,024 electric buses, but that BYD will be providing the majority.
autonews.gasgoo.com
Arizona upgrades: More than 2,100 traditional cars, SUVs, and trucks in the Arizona Public Service will be replaced with electric vehicles. ATVs and bucket trucks will also be replaced, but a completion date for the project has not yet been set.
bizjournals.com
Gone in a Blink: Blink is ending its free Level 2 Charging under Nissan’s “No Charge to Charge” programme. The abrupt announcement comes without any further details. Inside EVs suspects the change may be related to the company’s pending insolvency. Blink is, however, still offering free access to its fast chargers.
insidedevs.com
Touring Tampa: The city of Tampa, Florida, is investing 560,000 dollars in a free electric shuttles in the downtown area, aiming to cut down on unnecessary drives and cars. The shuttle service could begin operating in mid- to late summer and will include nine low-speed EVs that can be hailed on the street or arranged via an app.
tampabay.com
Apr 15, 2016 - 08:29 am California, eMotorWerks, London, 4EV, Maryland.
Cali chargers: The California Energy Commission has approved almost 9m dollars to install DC fast chargers along major freeways and highways. Chargepoint, EV Connect, NRG EV Services and Recargo were given grants. 61 chargers will be installed at 41 sites, and 40 sites will include on Level 2 charger.
greencarcongress.com
Juicy tech: eMotorWerks has released the JuiceCord, a WiFi connected 5 kW portable charging cable. The cable can be controlled through mobile devices and costs 449 dollars, available worldwide. They also released the Juicebox Pro 75, a charging station that reaches up to 18 kW and 75 amps.
insidedevs.com, bizjournals.com
Hammersmith & Fulham: London boroughs Hammersmith and Fulham have installed seven electric charging points, with 13 more planned for August. By 2017, the councils hope residents will have access to a charging point in every square kilometre.
airqualitynews.com
Fleet lease: British online business 4EV will begin leasing EV charger cable for fleets. Fleet managers will be able to lease the tools required and return or exchange them as needed. The company is currently seeking fleets to be part of a pilot programme.
evfleetworld.co.uk
Maryland buses: Five electric buses will be added to the TransIT services fleet in Frederick County, Maryland. They will be the first fully refurbished all-electric buses on the East Coast. If the buses perform well, they plan to add more electric buses over the following four years, as funding allows.
ngtnews.com
Apr 14, 2016 - 07:28 am Tesla, Montpellier Airport, ITM Power, Queensland, Z Energy.
Connector upgrades: Tesla has released their new Tesla Wall Connector. Like the previous model, it is rated at up to 80 amps, but now starts at 500 dollars – down from 750 dollars. The charging station also features a power sharing option, whose single circuit breaker can service four wall connectors.
electrek.co
Solar airport: A 4.5 MW solar power system was installed at French Montpellier Airport, spanning 1,800 parking stalls. 16,000 solar power modules will soon be generating about 6.2m kWh of clean electricity per year. EVs can use part of that energy when charging at one of two solar-powered EV chargers, also installed on the premise.
pv-magazine.com
Hydrogen agreement: UK industrial gas supplier BOC has signed an agreement with ITM Power, providing infrastructure for ITM’s new electrolyser-based hydrogen refuelling stations for passenger vehicles. This is one step in ITM’s bid to become the predominant hydrogen fuel supplier in the UK.
itm-power.com
Free top-ups: The University of Queensland, Australia, has installed four fast-charging solar-powered EV chargers at its campuses, and will offer free top-ups to EV drivers. Chargers are powered by two solar photovoltaic systems. Two will use a 164 kW rooftop solar PV system, and two will be supplied by a 3.3 MW solar farm.
energymatters.com
Installation complete: Z Energy (we reported) is looking to shift from traditional fuel to the electronic charging business, starting with the promise to install five charging stations throughout New Zealand. Those stations, located in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, have now been successfully installed.
nzherald.co.nz
Apr 13, 2016 - 09:27 am Geek Squad, Alliant Energy, Kentucky, AddÉnergie, Hangzhou.
Geek Squad EV: Best Buy’s Geek Squad employees will no longer be travelling in VW Beetles. Instead, the teams will be using the 2016 Toyota Prius C. A total of 1,000 new vehicles will be entering the fleet, the first 700 starting immediately. The Geek Squad “agents” travel some 12.6 m miles annually, and the new cars are expected to reduce emissions by 50 percent.
worldcarfars.com
Employee incentives: Alliant Energy in Wisconsin, USA, has set up charging stations outside their headquarters both for employees and the general public. They also announced a 500 dollar rebate for customers installing a home fast-charging station to encourage customers to go electric. The initiative is part of a 5m dollar collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute.
jsonline.com
Kentucky chargers: U.S. Officials have approved a proposal from Louisville Gas & Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in Kentucky from 30 to 50 units. These may be placed in public spaces, like car parks, or non-residential areas, like shopping malls.
wral.com
Energy in Quebec: Quebec city-based AddÉnergie has received a 12.8 m dollar investment to expand its charging solutions across Canada. The company currently operates 2,000 stations, and hopes to add another 8,000 over the next five years. They also offer area-specific products, catering to workplaces, car fleets or public areas.
betakit.com
Perks in China: China’s tourism hotspot Hangzhou will see new traffic restrictions. In the West Lake area and downtown, cars will be required to follow the odd-even control scheme during rush-hours; electric and hybrids, however, are exempt. And new electric car purchasers will receive a Hangzhou license plate for free.
shanghaidaily.com
Apr 12, 2016 - 08:25 am Fuso, AMT, South Korea, Xinjiang Uygur, Toyota.
Testing Fuso: The German city of Stuttgart and logistics company Hermes will be testing five battery-powered Fuso Canter e-cells from Daimler. The 6-tons e-cells will be tested over twelve months in tough, everyday environments. Two will be deployed in road construction and landscaping, two in furniture transport and waste disposal, and one will make deliveries for Hermes.
automotiveworld.com
Electric fleet: AMT vehicle rental invested 200,000 pounds to add Nissan Leaf and a Tesla Model S to its fleets in Leeds, Stockport and London. Nearly 10 percent of AMT’s rental fleet is now made up of electrics and hybrids.
evfleetworld.co.uk
From free to fees: EV owners in South Korea will now have to pay to charge their car. While automakers argue that charging should remain free to help build the industry, owners will now pay roughly 27 cents per kWh at all of the 337 charging stations in the country. Many were not aware of the subsidy change, and worry that the future of EVs in Korea is now in question.
koreajoongangdaily.com
EVs for the underprivileged: One region in China hopes to introduce 100,000 low-cost EVs by 2020. The cars will be aimed at poorer regions and come with a significantly smaller price tag ranging from 4,600 to 7,700 dollars. This measure is part of a larger programme that hopes to make 50 percent of new vehicles electric in pilot areas.
shanghaidaily.com
Senior transportation: A collaboration between Toyota and Nagoya University is testing a carsharing service to help elderly citizens find rides. An undetermined number of Toyota’s super compact COMS EV will also be available for rent. The programme is currently being tested in the city of Toyota in the Aichi Prefecture and is expected to integrate automated driving in its third year.
japantimes.co.jp
Apr 11, 2016 - 07:22 am ReachNow, Bolloré, Air Liquide, Westward Industries, Australia.
Reaching the future now: BMW debuted a new carsharing service in Seattle. ReachNow includes 370 BMW and Mini vehicles of which one fifth are electric. The app-operated car club includes a chauffeur and delivery service, while i3 or Mini owners will be able to rent out their own cars in the future. Parking is free within the city and the scheme could expand to three more cities within this year.
seattletimes.com, greencarcongress.com
Future delayed: Bolloré’s London electric carsharing is running behind schedule as negotiations with the British capital’s 33 boroughs are taking longer than expected. The company is adamant to get the same charge deal for the Source London network in all districts, even if that means a one or even two years delay. Bolloré initially planned to have 3,000 BlueCity EVs running by 2018.
reuters.com
H2 fueling stations: The California Energy Commission earmarked 17.3m dollars for the installation of publicly accessible hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. Projects that will cover existing gaps have priority. Meanwhile, Air Liquide released the locations of its first four of 12 H2 stations in north-eastern USA: Hartford, Connecticut, Braintree and Mansfield in Massachusetts and the Bronx in New York.
greencarcongress.com (CALEnergy), greencarcongress.com (Air Liquide)
Parking enforced on EVs: Santa Monica, California, will buy 23 electric three-wheelers for 1m dollars. The GO-4 EV trikes by Westward Industries (also used by the NYPD) are made for parking enforcement agencies and security patrols, as they are just over a metre wide and have a range of up to 75 miles. Approval of the plan will be on the city council’s agenda tomorrow.
surfsantamonica.com
Fleet electrification: Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has further electrified its fleet. 36 hybrid vehicles are now joined by two Nissan Leaf and two e-bikes. Another eight EVs are lined up for purchase and solar panels for charging are currently being installed.
csiro.au, insideevs.com, evfleetworld.co.uk
Apr 8, 2016 - 08:29 am BeeZero, Nissan, BMW, Romania, Mumbai, Tritium.
Fuel cells to share: Under the name BeeZero, German company Linde wants to offer carsharing with some 50 Hyundai iX35 in Munich from this summer. If successful, the scheme could be implemented in other cities, as well as include FCVs from different manufacturers.
gasworld.com, the-linde-group.com
No more CHAdeMO? Inside EVs found a Twitter conversation between emobility insider Chelsea Sexton and Barry Koval, Senior Project Engineer at Nissan Technical Center North America, that hints that Nissan could move away from the Japanese standard. As batteries get bigger, Koval says “CHAdeMO won’t work.”
insideevs.com
BMW invests in mobility service: BMW i Ventures is investing in RideCell, a company offering mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) software solutions for i.e. car- and ridesharing that automates end-to-end business operations. This could mean BWM is not only moving forward with its DriveNow business, but also rumoured Uber competitor (we reported).
greencarcongress.com, electriccarsreport.com
Romania update: As reported, German retailer Kaufland wants to install EV fast-chargers at some of its locations in the Eastern European country. The first of ten planned stations has no gone online. Moreover, Kaufland added 18 e-Golf to its fleet.
romania-insider.com
Electrifying Mumbai: The Indian city wants to add 25 to 30 all-electric buses to its fleet in the coming months, converting some if its diesel-buses to EVs. It already received a grant from the central government to fund its undertakings.
indiatimes.com
Queensland plugs in: The Australian University of Queensland has installed four Tritium fast-chargers. The latter are powered by the sun and are free of charge. All four fast-chargers have an output of 50 kW.
reneweconomy.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au
Apr 7, 2016 - 08:41 am Tesla, Shanghai, Nissan, Ford.
Tesla joins CCS initiative: The CharIn initiative found a new prominent member as the Californian EV maker got on board. If that means Tesla will offer an adapter or adapt to the European standard is unclear. However, CCS is a likely option for the Model 3, esp. as the economy Tesla comes with Supercharger “capabilities,” but not necessarily with a free charging. Meanwhile, Tesla is working on an option to show Supercharger availability in its navigation system.
insideevs.com, teslarati.com, charinev.org, fool.com (Supercharging Model 3), electrek.co (Supercharger navigation)
10 times more EV chargers: Shanghai will increase the number of charging points from 21,700 to 210,000 by 2020. A new infrastructure plan sets the ratio of charging stations to EVs at 1:7 and the Chinese city currently counts 57,000 new energy vehicles on its roads.
chinadaily.com.cn
All EV fleet on campus: Manchester Metropolitan University just added two Nissan Leaf pool cars and three e-NV200 vans to its fleet. But that is only the beginning, as the Uni plans to replace its entire 18 vehicle strong fleet with electric substitutes once they are up for renewal.
evfleetworld.co.uk, nissaninsider.co.uk
Electric Ford fleet: Canadian Victoria and Saanich municipality have teamed up to acquire 13 electric vehicles with a rebate of 8,000 dollars per EV from the Canadian province of British Columbia. Victoria purchased nine electric Ford Focus, while the District of Saanich got four.
vicnews.com
Apr 6, 2016 - 09:03 am Romania, Ola, Uno-X, Z Energy, LightMotion.
Romanian incentives: The Eastern European country launched a 16.6m euro incentive scheme for plug-in hybrid and electric cars. Last year, 495 such vehicles were sold in Romania, where price as well as infrastructure are a problem. The latter might be eased by German discounter Kaufland that is installing EV chargers at some of its locations.
balkaninsight.com (incentives), romania-insider.com (infrastructure)
E-rickshaw via app: Indian transportation app Ola has added e-rickshaws to its platform. Users can book from a pool of 5,100 electric trikes in the Delhi region and the scheme is to be exported to smaller towns. The e-rickshaws are being deployed together with Bhartiya Micro Credit (BMC).
indiainfoline.com, scoopwhoop.com
Nordic charging: Uno-X will install a hydrogen fuelling station in Norwegian Sandvika. The station includes on-site hydrogen production via solar power and is part of the plan to install 20 such pit stops in urban Norway by 2020.
greencarcongress.com, news.cision.com
Kiwi charging: Z Energy has installed the first fast-charger in Christchurch, New Zealand, as the oil company strives to transform itself into a transport firm. Over the following weeks, five more EV charging stations by Charge Net will be erected in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
scoop.co.nz
Smart street lamp: Dutch Lightwell and The New Motion present LightMotion, a street light that serves as EV charge point as well as a WiFi hub. Furthermore, the lantern features CCTV and sensors and is now in mass production.
worldarchitecturenews.com, lightmotion.nl
Apr 5, 2016 - 08:34 am H2 Logic, China, Ludhiana, ecar-rent, ChargeStorm.
H2 refuelling station production: H2 Logic is to purchase a factory in Danish Herning, where it will develop a large-scale production plant for hydrogen refuelling stations. Annual capacity is set at up to 300 hydrogen stations by 2017, enough to support 200,000 FCV for a year.
greencarcongress.com, businesswire.com
Crack down on e-bikes: 18,000 unregistered electric bikes and tricycles were seized by police in Shenzhen, China. The crackdown resulted in a breakdown of the delivery sector as most couriers use electric scooters. The city claims safety reasons and is to apply fines.
ecns.cn
Hail all women: Pink electric rickshaws are available in Indian Ludhiana and reserved for women only, following New Delhi’s example. Driven by female drivers, the eleven electric tricycles aim to include people from underprivileged backgrounds, while providing a hassle-free transport option for ladies.
singhstation.net
Rent a Tesla: Electric car rental company ecar-rent that operates in Germany and Austria has reserved ten Tesla Model 3. At the same time, the firm expects delivery of six Model X that will join the fleet of Model S, Renault Zoe and Mercedes B class ED.
ecar-rent.com (in German)
Park & Charge and Pay: Swedish ChargeStorm teams up with Cale Group to combine their offers of EV charging and parking solutions. The cooperation will result in a cloud solution that enables EV drivers to pay for both parking and charging the EV in one go.
parking-net.com
Apr 4, 2016 - 08:40 am StreetScooter, New York, Montreal, Colorado, California.
Serial StreetScooter: After three years of testing, the StreetScooter by Deutsche Post has gone into serial production, Focus reports. The German mail service aims to produce 2,000 of the electric vehicles this year and will successively replace its fleet of 30,000 delivery vehicles. According to electrive.com sources, the StreetScooter will become available to other companies as well, with the exception of direct competitors.
focus.de (in German)
New York electrifies: The U.S. state has launched an incentive programme that includes rebates of up to 2,000 dollars for EVs and PHEVs. Local governments receive up to 5,000 dollars. The scheme also provides for charging stations, as New York aims to have 800,000 zero-emission vehicles in on the road by 2025.
eany.org, nrdc.org, poststar.com
Montreal powered by Nissan: The Canadian city has entered a framework agreement over 2 years with Cité Nissan Gabriel SEC to deliver Nissan Leafs for the municipal fleet. The agreement is part of Montreal’s electrification strategy that includes the installation of up to a 1,000 charging stops by 2020.
greencarcongress.com, ngtnews.com
Local price breaks: Boulder County, Colorado, introduced its own EV benefits that offer discounts for the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3. With up to 12,000 dollars in federal and tax incentives and the programme’s 8,000 dollar discount the price of a Leaf is down to 12,000 dollars, while the i3 will cost only about 25,500 dollars.
timescall.com
Hybrid buses in California: Marin County Transit District purchases ten hybrid buses from manufacturer Gillig LLC for 7.7m dollars. The buses are set for delivery for next year and will join the existing fleet of 18 diesel-electric buses.
marinij.com
Apr 1, 2016 - 07:59 am Tesla, Low-No, Proterra, Spinx, Daventry.
Tesla’s lawsuit: According to The Wall Street Journal, Tesla is preparing a federal lawsuit to prevent states from banning direct-sales. Six U.S. states (18 percent of the vehicles market) won’t currently allow Tesla stores, which could hurt sales of the new Model 3. The EV maker’s legal team has been studying a case in which monk were allowed to directly sell coffins to customers to establish precedence.
wsj.com
“Low-No” programme: The U.S. Federal Transit Administration has approved 55m dollars in funding for state and government agencies to purchase low or no emissions vehicles, as well as related equipment and facilities. The funding comes as part of their Low or No Emission Programme, designed to transition the nation’s transit to energy efficient vehicles.
fta.dot.gov, greencarcongress.com
Proterra tested: King County Metro Transit in Washington state, USA, has completed accelerated durability and reliability testing for the Proterra Catalyst e-bus. The highly rigorous test consisted of simulating continuous use with a 97 passenger sized load for one year. The Proterra averaged 325 miles per day, driving 572 miles/day max. The electric bus was charged over 1,750 times during the testing period.
greencarcongress.com
Spinx in Carolina: Select Spinx locations in South Carolina will be getting Level 3 (DC) electric chargers. While Levels 1 and 2 chargers are already available, the Level 3 allows customers to load up faster. Chargers will be ready to use by May 3rd, and will cost a flat rate of 5.95 dollars plus 20 cents per minute.
greenvilleonline.com
Daventry local council: One new Nissan Leaf has joined the Daventry District Council in the UK. The EV was purchased with the help of a grant from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, and will be used by staff for business travel.
daventryexpress.co.uk
