Volkswagen has decided to further electrify its European locations as part of its new planning round. 89 billion euros will be invested in future technologies such as electromobility and digitalisation alone over the next five years.
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The VW plant in Osnabrück has a chance of producing an electric convertible, as Group CEO Herbert Diess has now announced. According to Diess, not only the Volkswagen brand but also Audi is considering the possibility.
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MAN Truck & Bus has signed a framework agreement with micro-mobility provider Tier Mobility for the delivery of up to 130 MAN eTGE battery-electric vans. The first vehicles are already in use in Tier’s logistics fleet in the UK and Germany.
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In Braunschweig, Germany, Volkswagen’s first employee charging park went into operation with 60 charging points. By 2025, 4,000 charging points are to be created at ten locations across Germany.
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Project partner ABB has given an update on the EU project ASSURED for the development of new fast-charging solutions for e-vehicles: The next phase of the project will focus on interoperability for electric buses and trucks.
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It took the utility of the town of Osnabrück over a year to decide, who may deliver 13 electric buses. But now VDL has won the tender and is gearing up to fulfil the order before the year’s end.
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Domestic smart charging: Finnsih Virta introduced its home charging unit that charges electric cars depending on tariffs. Owners can also allow others access to the charging device either for free or for a fee. Virta has recently set up shop in Berlin to coordinate its German operations.
uusisuomi.fi (in Finnish), virta.global (Berlin office)
Urban fast-charging: The Hague and Fastned opened the first of five EV fast-charging stations. The urban location completes the Dutch company’s offering that so far was concentrated along motorways.
fastnedcharging.com
More chargers in London will go up in the vicinity of Westminster council. From next January, existing charge points will be upgraded and 20 new ones installed, including rapid chargers. Operators will vary.
airqualitynews.com
Electric buses wanted: The utility of the German city of Osnabrück, Stadtwerke Osnabrück, is calling for tenders for 13 electric buses including charging infrastructure. The call is Europe-wide. The company aims to operate a fully electric line by 2018 and will make its decision in June 2017.
hasepost.de (in German)
Zero Emission Research Opportunity: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) made another 2.75m dollars of funding available for its ZERO programme. FTA is looking for nonprofit consortia to facilitate zero-emission public transportation vehicle technology and related infrastructure.
greencarcongress.com
Deal fixed: BYD will definitely expand its electric bus production in the UK to 200 units annually in cooperation with British bus builder Alexander Dennis (we reported). The firms are also in negotiations to include double decker buses, which would triple the scale of the current deal to almost 2 billion pounds.
bbc.com, bqlive.co.uk
E-buses in Germany: The city of Osnabrück plans to purchase 13 articulated e-buses to electrify a whole bus line by 2018. More routes are to follow successively, amounting to the acquisition of a total of 40 electric buses to be ordered before the end of the decade. The federal estate of Lower Saxony funds the acquisition with up to 50 percent, putting the electric buses on price parity with diesel driven ones.
noz.de (in German)
Chinese charging standards had a backlash as expert opinions are divided. Connections between electric vehicles and the actual charge point seem the most complicated part in setting a standard as it all comes down to long term compatibility, which requires cooperation.
en.yibada.com
Freeware solution: Austrian has.to.be presents its free software solution for EV charging stations providers at eCarTec. Via the ‘be.Energised community’ the charge spots can be analysed in real-time. Automatic invoicing and payments via mobile is included, too.
has-to-be-energised.com
Wind-powered e-car club: A fully electric car club has been set up in the Outer Hebrides. The island of Lewis offers nine electric Renault Zoe and one Kangoo Z.E. for hire in the town of Stornoway. The EVs by the E-Car Club are powered by a local wind farm, the largest of any Scottish island.
electriccarsreport.com, evfleetworld.co.uk
