General Motors and EVgo say they want to install “hundreds” of EV charging stations for use with GM’s Maven car sharing service. The growing numbers of gig drivers using the Chevy Bolt EV will now get a dedicated DC charging network across the States.
Weiterlesen
The ride-share provider Uber has now added a new tool to their case: The American ride-share company Jump Bikes, that is currently active in San Francisco and Washington D.C. The bikes are already available via the Uber app.
Weiterlesen
Ride hailing app provider Uber has launched its EV-only suite in Romania’s capital. 20 Renault Zoe have become available to book in cooperation with charging infrastructure firm ElDrive. The service is available in selected European capitals.
Weiterlesen
A draft for a new law in California may force ride-share programs such as Uber and Lyft to switch to all-electric fleet by 2028. The government aims to facilitate the process by offering subsidies valued at a total of 300 million dollars.
Weiterlesen
The Uber of China, DiDi Chuxing has gathered 12 carmakers to set up an electric car sharing service together. The partnership includes BYD, local partners of Ford and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance among mayor others.
Weiterlesen
The ride share conglomerate is reportedly considering expanding into electric bicycles. In San Francisco a pilot project is to start offering the rental and sharing of ebikes in cooperation with the bike-sharing company Jump Bikes, whose 250 Pedelec electric bicycles can be rented through the Uber app.
Weiterlesen
With its versatile concept e-Palette put on display at CES, Toyota is giving an idea of its vision of future mobility. The adaptable vehicle – of course all-electric and autonomous – can be transformed into a lot of different vehicle types. An alliance shall help to develop the vehicle.
Weiterlesen
Ride-hailing provider Uber accelerates efforts to replace human drivers in its fleet and states that it will purchase 24,000 Volvo cars designed for autonomous driving between 2019 and 2021. The chosen model is obviously Volvo’s XC90 plug-in hybrid.
Weiterlesen
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.
WeiterlesenUber electrifies UK fleet: In less than two years, Uber wants drivers to have at least a hybrid if not all-electric car if they offer their services in London as UberX. By 2025, they must have an EV in order to do so and the app-based company has thus set up its Clean Air Fund. The aim is to have an 100% electrified fleet by 2022 on the Isles. Uber drivers will receive up to 5,000 pounds to buy such a car and are also offered money if they scrap their diesel. To refinance the measure, fares will increase.
engadget.com, venturebeat.com
FCV sharing in Hamburg: CleverShuttle is a ride sharing service partially owned by Deutsche Bahn and active in Berlin, Leipzig and Munich. Now Hamburg has gotten into the app and here, hydrogen vehicles, namely ten Toyota Mirai collect passengers going into the same direction, just like Uber Pool. Another ten FCV shall follow before the year’s end, co-funded with 200,000 euros through the NIP scheme (National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Tech.)
hamburg.de (in German)
Charging for cabs: Wolverhampton plans to install a minimum of 24 charging points in the city centre over the next three years. The stations will firstly be used by electric taxis that the council wants to introduce thanks to a government grant of 478,000 pounds.
expressandstar.com
1m for 15 EV charging stations: The state of Washington will spend 1m dollars to help install 15 EV charging stations along some of the busiest highways.
seattletimes.com
India’s rapid electrification continues and is still state-driven. The Ministry of Power and New and Renewable Energy plans to buy 15,000 electric buses over the next 15 months and also purchase 50,000 three-wheeled EV by November. Bloomberg’s report relies on a principal advisor to the ministry.
bloombergquint.com
Click tip: Tesla is working on special delivery centres to manage the increasing demand for its Model 3 reportedly. The first such centre has now opened in Californian Culver City and is anything but small.
electrek.co
Video tip: The future is near and will see autonomous electric boats hover above the Seine in Paris as reported. This video shows the so-called SeaBubbles in action for the first time albeit still a prototype.
theverge.com
Uber triples electric fleet in London: The car hailing service is to add another 100 Nissan Leaf to its existing fleet of 50 electric cabs in the British capital. Uber, that usually acts as digital agent for private drivers, said so far the climate-friendly taxis had been requested over 35,000 times. To keep them going, the company also plans to set up a network of fast-charging stations as a lack of infrastructure is what keeps most people from buying electric cars, according to a study by the Energy Saving Trust.
cityam.com, engadget.com
Now it is clear what the 100m euros the grocery webstore Picnic received recently will be used for: the company plans to buy 2,000 electric vehicles, build 5 new warehouses and 70 distribution centres as well as employ 2,000 new employees this year alone in the Netherlands. Until now, Picnic used the ‘E-Worker’ van from French firm Mega, now rebranded Goupil, but the model has been discontinued. Plus, its 110 km range is not sufficient for rural areas so it may well be Picnic will shop for its new electric carriers elsewhere.
cleantechnica.com, logistiek.nl (in Dutch)
The Dutch mail service PostNL follows Picnic albeit unknowingly in its electrification attempts by adding zero emission delivery vans to its fleet through Voltia. After a successful pilot, PostNL is now employing an electric Citroen Jumper and two Nissan eNV200 Maxis to achieve its goal of decarbonising its entire operation eventually.
driveev.net
Smart EV charging: AeroVironment and eMotorWerks partnered up to integrate eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet smart-grid platform into AeroVironment’s line of consumer and OEM EV charging solutions. The aim is to provide increased charging capabilities to customers and electric demand load aggregation for utilities.
insideevs.com, greencarcongress.com
BMW Australia has opened 40 EV charging bays at 10 selected Westfield malls in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Use of the stations is free of charge and they can be located via the ChargePoint app.
practicalmotoring.com.au
Serious dreaming: Uber means it. The ride sharer is indeed working to build a network of flying electric cars (Will it be called haili?). It has now onboarded Mark Moore, an expert from NASA. He will lead development at Uber Elevate, where he will look into finding functioning VTOLs realistically.
bloomberg.com, theverge.com
EV cab in Mexico: Giant Motors is to cooperate with Moldex as they strive to make an electric car in Mexico. The model shall serve as taxi in Mexico City. A prototype is due for presentation at the end of this year and manufacture and sales shall start by 2018 already.
forbes.com
Hybrid chemical tanker: Norwegian Rederiet Stenersen AS ordered two chemical tankers with hybrid drive. The propulsion system comes from WE Tech, while Canadian Corvus Energy is to supply the Li-ion batteries called Orca ESS. Delivery of the first vessel is scheduled for Q2 this year.
electricvehiclesresearch.com
EcoTrain: Recuperation now exists in hybrid trains thanks to research by Deutsche Bahn and institutes in Dresden and Chemnitz. Of eight tested train concepts, the best was a diesel-electric series hybrid concept. It entails a brake control system by Knorr-Bremse that recovers energy from braking. The aim is to save up to 30% in fuel and DB scheduled 13 Desiro trains to utilise the concept.
knorr-bremse.de
3,000 EV charger by 2020: British InstaVolt received 12m GBP from Zouk Capital. With the addition of government funds, the infrastructure provider plans to erect 3,000 EV charge points in Great Britain before the decade’s end.
insidermedia.com, businesscloud.com, zouk.com
Uber with Tesla in Madrid: The taxi service launched a Tesla fleet with licensed drivers in Madrid. The 20-strong electric fleet was introduced after the Spanish city banned Uber until March because of its unlicensed drivers. Its expansion is restricted still.
theverge.com
Upcycling: Austrian operator A1 has opened its 25th electric vehicle charging station reutilising a public pay phone booth in the centre of Herzogenburg. E-cars, e-scooters or e-bikes can be recharged for free.
telecompaper.com
VW in Rwanda: Volkswagen signed a MOU with the Rwanda Development Board to build a production plant in the country. The plan includes a concept for app-based mobility solutions such as car sharing and ride hailing with electric cars in the mid-term.
rnanews.com
BMW is to enter the Formula E, as it revises its international motor sport strategy. Close cooperation for engineering and procedures with Team Andretti is set for the next two years. Season 2018/2019 will see its own BMW team however, given the electric racing series remains as strong as it is. The German carmaker hopes to increase battery capacity in particular.
autocar.co.uk, electricautosport.com
Flying Uber taxis? Hailing a passenger drone via app may be a reality in just ten years time, the ride-hailing service Uber reckons. It is looking into vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) craft, which would most likely fly electrically. Details remain scarce though.
recode.net, ibtimes.co.uk
Speeding up H2 developments: Volkswagen is to accelerate its fuel cell development, which currently resides at Audi. Partner Ballard Power Systems broke the news. This also means a tighter schedule for series models under the HyMotion label due by 2019.
greencarcongress.com
To prove autonomous driving, Renault is constructing a driving demonstration zone with two partners in Chinese Wuhan. By November, a first self-driving EV will run up and down a 2 kilometre test track.
just-auto.com
EU funded V2G research: Five European cities, namely Amsterdam, Hamburg, Oslo, Leicester, and Belgian Leuven, will take part in the SEEV4-City EU project. It looks at storage of excess solar power in batteries of electric cars and bi-directional charging. Amsterdam University (HvA) takes the lead in the research effort that is funded with 2.5m euros from the EU Commission over three years.
hva.nl (in Dutch)
Electric buses for Luxembourg: Volvo will deliver four electric buses to Sales-Lentz. The public transport provider from Luxembourg will put the Volvo 7900 Electric into service in the town of Differdange by mid-2017. Sales-Lentz already operates 36 hybrid buses by Volvo.
businesswire.com
PHEV unlimited: California removed the cap on green stickers, which entitle plug-in hybrids to use the HOV lane. The state will resume handing out access to the carpool lane until Jan 1, 2019 when the scheme ends. White stickers for electric cars were never limited.
greencarreports.com
ChargePoint takes over the charging network in Hampshire and Cornwall. The 51 chargers thus become integrated into the firm’s GeniePoint Network that allows for easy access. ChargePoint also wants to grow the number of fast-chargers in the region.
fleetnews.co.uk
All-electric Uber: Singaporean start-up S Dreams started an EV fleet to be booked via Uber. BYD is on board and will deliver the first six of 30 e6 by next week. By 2018, the fleet shall be a 1,000 electric cars strong. S Dreams pays its drivers a fixed revenue but collects all fares.
straitstimes.com
Pre-pay the Supercharge: It becomes more and more evident that Tesla will charge those opting for the Model 3. The MyTesla pages ask for credit card payment, while an in-depth look at the CCS section reveals “supercharger-payment” and “supercharger credits in kWh” sections.
ev.network, insideevs.com
Uber electric: More than 50 Nissan Leaf and BYD e6 will soon be available to hail via the Uber app in London. A trial has already started. By autumn, another British town is to profit from the offer and the ride hailing service says “hundreds” of electric taxis shall be bookable by 2017.
businessinsider.de, engadget.com, metro.co.uk
4m euros for 1,000 EV chargers: The Hungarian Ministry of Economy opened a 3.9m euro fund for EV charging infrastructure. The Eastern European country aims for a 1,000 stations and has asked towns and communities with at least 15,000 residents to apply.
kormany.hu (in Hungarian) via emobilitaetonline.de (in German)
Electric airport shuttle: Sydney Airport launched its first electric bus. It is the first of five Blu Emu buses to follow before the years’ end. They replace an ageing diesel shuttle fleet. Delivered by Carbridge in a JV with BYD, the Toro model can carry up to 70 passengers. Meanwhile, Perth is testing the autonomous electric RAC Intellibus that transports up to 11 guests at an average speed of 25 kph.
airport-world.com, sydneyairport.com.au, zdnet.com
Autonomous EVs hit the road: General Motors and Lyft apparently already started testing self-driving prototypes of the Chevy Bolt in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Uber announced that it will soon put (partially) electric autonomous cars on the road in Pittsburgh. The ride service is betting on the Ford Fusion Hybrid as a base model.
autoblog.com (GM), electrek.co (Uber)
Wheel hub motors from China: Protean Electric announced that it will kick off production of electric wheel hub motors in Tianjin in the second half of 2016. The so-called Protean Drive is said to “radically change drivetrain configurations” of EVs and hybrids “and revolutionise electric drive systems across the automotive industry.”
prnewswire.com
Victory eyes finish line: Victory Motorcycles will enter this year’s Ile of Man TT Zero motorcycle race on its newly developed Victory RR. The electric motorcycle boast 130 kW and 240 Nm of torque.
autovolt-magazine.com, motorsportsnewswire.wordpress.com
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
Uber and National Geographic have a special offer for New Yorkers. Those who enter the code BREAKTHROUGH when hailing an Uber car will be picked up by the likes of a BMW i8, a Tesla Model S, various solar-powered prototypes, or even the hybrid McLaren P1 super car.
mashable.com
Reading tip: Uber won the right to continue growing unfettered in New York and the city now faces its own ambitious goals in emissions reductions with an expanding taxi and car service fleet running on gasoline. Could electric taxis be the solution for New York to solve the Uber problem?
cheatsheet.com
Video tip: CNET On Cars took the Mercedes S-Class Plug-in hybrid out for a spin and was not too thrilled about it. Brian Cooley concludes: “An S-Class that the world wasn’t looking for, but that California and other state regulators where.”
youtube.com
Uber will be delivering ice cream to customers in Singapore via EVs and drones. Just like the cars, scoops can be ordered and paid for using the app. Let’s just hope the ice cream doesn’t melt while high in sky – or Singaporeans may experience rain with strawberry or chocolate flavour.
mumbrella.asia
South African charging union: Nissan and BMW will connect to install a network of charging stations across South Africa until 2017. Both CHAdeMO and CCS standards will be supported. How many fast-charging stations there will be remains yet to be seen.
electriccarsreport.com, iol.co.za
Uber in China: Online hire service Uber now started a new cooperative approach in Chinese Wuhan. There, UberGreen consists of ten hybrid cars called Trumpchi GA5 REV by Chinese manufacturer Guangzhou Auto. Meanwhile, the city of Guangzhou has banned the conventional Uber cabs and announced to open its own app-based service instead based on the city’s existing cab companies.
carnewschina.com (Wuhan), cnbc.com (Guangzhou)
New Zealand update: The Charge.Net.NZ initiative that had just announced its plan to install 75 fast-charging stations across New Zealand has taken its first action. Already, 23 Veefil DC fast-charging devices have been ordered from Australian provider Tritium.
chargedevs.com, reneweconomy.com.au
Electric delivery in Moscow: DHL Express has started to electrify its Russian courier fleet with the deployment of two electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Moscow. The cars will be used for last-mile assignments in both the city centre and the outskirts and will be charged at the company’s facilities.
evfleetworld.co.uk
Free charging in Canada: The city of Brampton just unveiled the first of a total of 32 EV charging stations, which will be installed in municipal parking lots across the Canadian town by 2016. The stations are free to use while regular parking charges apply.
bramptonguardian.com
Uber electrifies: The car service and BYD will work together on a pilot project in Chicago. BYD’s e6 will be available for sale or lease through the dealership Green Wheels USA. While some 25 Chicago drivers currently use an e6, the two companies hope it will be a couple of hundred by the end of the year.
electric-vehiclenews.com, jalopnik.com
Ford-sharing uncovers trend: Ford launched a new carsharing experiment in London including 25 Fiesta as well as 25 Focus Electric and unveiled its first experiences: While most users start off with a gasmobile, they quickly switch to an electric vehicle and never go back to gas.
cleantechnica.com
Solar EV chargers for homes: Real estate company Carleton Management from San Diego has placed an order for solar powered EV ARC charging stations by Envision Solar. The exact number was not revealed, but Carleton says it wants to “exceed the expectations” of it clients in terms of infrastructure.
pv-magazine.com
Free installation for renters: In the scope of its Take Charge programme, NRG eVgo will install EV charging stations at qualified apartment complexes in California at no cost. Moreover, the company will put on live events in cities across the state to promote driving and owning electric vehicles.
electriccarsreport.com
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Free electric bike trial: In Newcastle and Gateshead, a new rental e-bike scheme is proving extremely popular. The project is part of the ‘Go Smarter’ campaign by the ‘Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority’ and aims to get employees of participating companies to switch their car for a pedelec.
thegreencarwebsite.co.uk, gosmarter.co.uk
Blackpool tests electric cab: Premier Cars has got the council licensing a Nissan Leaf as a taxi for a two-weeks trial. If the electric car proves suitable as a cab, the taxi company will look into buying up to six cars soon with more to follow in the future.
blackpoolgazette.co.uk
EVs for Scotland’s car clubs: Transport Scotland is giving one million pounds (1.7m dollars) to the Carplus charity. The money will be spend on purchasing about 40 EVs for Scottish car clubs and is supported by the ‘Developing Car Clubs in Scotland’ (DCCS) programme.
thegreencarwebsite.co.uk
Subsidy lottery: To foster its goal of becoming an all zero emission vehicle island by 2030, the South Korean Jeju Island is holding draws for EV purchase subsidies. The latest lotterie saw 226 residents selected out of 1,654 hopeful applicants.
insideevs.com
Tesla taxi for a day: Together, Uber and Tesla will be promoting electric cars in Shanghai this Wednesday for a day. When booking a cab with the taxi app, a few lucky costumers will be picked up in a Model S and offered a 15-minute test drive. To top it off, the journey will be free as well.
cnet.com