Ten More eEconic Vehicles for Frankfurt
Frankfurt's waste‑management firm FES has placed an order for ten additional Mercedes‑Benz eEconic trucks, bringing its electric low‑floor fleet to 34 units. The vehicles share a 291 kWh battery pack (97 kWh usable per pack) that supports a full day of collection routes without mid‑day charging. Configured for street cleaning and winter maintenance, the trucks use regenerative braking to extend range and are charged overnight at the depot. The expansion follows a successful pilot that began in 2022 and underscores Frankfurt’s commitment to a zero‑emission municipal fleet.
Safety Agency Opens Probe Into Startup Avride’s Autonomous Crashes in Texas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 16 crashes involving Avride’s autonomous vehicles operating in Dallas, Texas. NHTSA says the vehicles displayed excessive assertiveness, unsafe lane changes, and failure to avoid obstacles, raising possible traffic safety...
Henkel Adds Specialty Tapes and AI-Powered Adhesive Simulation to Its EV Battery Portfolio
Henkel unveiled two new products for electric‑vehicle batteries at Battery Show Europe 2026: Loctite Specialty Tapes, a water‑based, low‑VOC tape line for bonding, insulation and thermal management, and Loctite Solve, an AI‑driven platform that simulates adhesive formulations virtually. The tapes...
Influencers Are Introducing US Web Surfers to Chinese EVs
U.S. influencers are showcasing Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to American audiences, generating millions of views and a surge in curiosity. A Strategic Vision survey found one‑third of prospective U.S. car buyers would consider a Chinese‑built EV, despite a 100% tariff...
Heliox Pilots Its New Flex Pro 480 kW DC Fast EV Charger with King County Metro
Heliox, a Siemens business, is piloting its new Flex Pro 480 kW DC fast charger with Seattle‑area transit agency King County Metro. The compact 12‑sq‑ft unit supports CCS1 and high‑current pantograph charging, delivering up to six simultaneous charging sessions. Operators can choose...
Kodiak AI and Bosch Test Hardware Components for Autonomous Trucking Platform
Bosch has begun supplying camera and actuation hardware to Kodiak AI, integrating early‑prototype sensors into the company’s SensorPods and testing Bosch’s camera samples for its autonomous trucking platform. The partnership, announced in January 2026, has moved from strategic alignment to joint...
Automotive Connectivity and Efficiency: Seizing the Wi-Fi 7 Opportunity—Download the Guide
Murata’s new whitepaper highlights Wi‑Fi 7 as a transformative technology for automotive connectivity, offering up to 16 spatial streams and 320 MHz channel widths. The high‑bandwidth, low‑latency link is positioned to meet the massive data demands of advanced driver‑assistance systems (ADAS) and...
Uganda Targets Fossil-Fuel Free Public Transport by 2030
Uganda announced a $1.7 billion public‑transport electrification plan aiming to replace all buses and boda‑bodas with electric models by 2030. The initiative, part of the Fourth National Development Plan and the National E‑Mobility Strategy, has already secured $800 million in funding commitments....
The New Chevy Bolt EV Delivers Nearly 300 Miles of Real-World Range for Under $30,000
Chevrolet has revived the Bolt EV for 2027, offering an EPA‑rated 262‑mile range that translated to nearly 300 miles in real‑world testing. Priced at $28,995, it becomes the most affordable EV approaching a 300‑mile range in the U.S. market. The...
India Light Vehicle Market Hits New Record in March
India’s light‑vehicle market posted a record March 2026, with total wholesales reaching 512,000 units – a 6% month‑on‑month and 17% year‑on‑year rise. Passenger‑vehicle sales climbed to 441,000 units, up 16% YoY, while light‑commercial‑vehicle volumes hit 70,000, a 20% YoY gain....
The Achilles’ Heel of China’s Supply Chain Strategy: New Technology
Chinese EV leader BYD reported its weakest first‑quarter performance in six years, with profit plunging 55% to ¥4.1 billion (about $570 million) and revenue falling 12% to ¥150 billion (roughly $21 billion). Deliveries slipped 30%, underscoring a broader slowdown in China’s new‑energy‑vehicle (NEV) market...
Chinese Domestic Demand Slumps but Production Anchored by Export Surge
China’s light‑vehicle market contracted sharply in March, with overall sales down 22% YoY to 4.9 million units and passenger‑vehicle sales falling 19% YoY. Production slipped only 4% YoY to 1.6 million units, highlighting a widening gap between output and domestic demand. Export...
Hyundai Pins Hopes on New SUV Launches in FY27 to Regain Lost Ground
Hyundai Motor India’s FY26 sales slipped 2.3% to 584,906 units, dropping to fourth place in a market that grew 8% overall. To reverse the trend, the automaker will launch two high‑volume SUVs in FY27—a compact electric SUV (Inster EV) and a...
Ola Electric Gets Nod for Mass Market Scooter From ICAT
Ola Electric’s mass‑market S1 X+ scooter has received certification from the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), a government‑approved testing body under India’s Central Motor Vehicle Rules. The 5.2 kWh model features an 11 kW mid‑drive motor, a top speed of 125 km/h and...
Malaysia Tightens Norms for Imported EVs
Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry announced that from July 1 2026 only franchise‑approved permit holders may import fully built electric vehicles (CBU) with a CIF value of at least RM200,000 (about $44,000) and a powertrain output of 180 kW. The rule...
Chinese EV Maker Leapmotor Taps Stellantis’ Spanish Plant for EU Production
Leapmotor, backed by a 21% stake from Stellantis, will add a production line at the Stellantis‑owned Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza to build Opel‑branded electric SUVs and its B10 model for Europe. The joint venture, Leapmotor International, gives Leapmotor a 49%...
ITS ISTANBUL: Swedish C-ITS Safety Paper Takes Top Technical Award
At the 17th Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in Istanbul, three awards recognized excellence in connected‑vehicle research and deployment. A Swedish team won the Technical Paper Award for their study on robust and safe C‑ITS deployment in Sweden. The IET‑sponsored...
ITS ISTANBUL: Chief Rapporteur Eric Sampson Delivers Congress Report Remotely
The 17th Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in Istanbul underscored a decisive shift from siloed ITS solutions to fully integrated, data‑driven mobility ecosystems. Professor Eric Sampson delivered the post‑congress report remotely, while ERTICO CEO Joost Vantomme presented findings on resilience,...
REALLY Quick Charge: The Mobility House, V2G, and Building up the Grid
The Mobility House and Wallbox installed the first residential bidirectional charger in San Diego County, linking a Kia EV9 with a Quasar 2 unit. The system received utility interconnection approval, enabling the vehicle to export power back to the grid via Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G)...
China Is Transforming Brazil’s Car Market
Chinese automaker BYD became Brazil's best‑selling car brand in April 2026, signaling a shift in consumer perception after an aggressive product‑placement campaign. Chinese investment in Brazil's auto sector hit nearly $1 billion last year, supporting BYD's new Bahia manufacturing hub that...
US Hybrid-Car Sales Soar, Along with Gas Prices
U.S. hybrid vehicle sales surged 37% in the two months after the Iran conflict began, outpacing overall auto market growth of 15%. By contrast, fully electric car sales rose only 11% and remain below last year’s levels, hampered by the...
Hunan Yuneng Plans Cathode Material Factory in Spain
Chinese battery material maker Hunan Yuneng announced a €800 million ($872 million) investment to build a lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cathode plant in Mérida, Spain. The first phase will cost €125 million ($136 million) and deliver 50,000 tonnes of cathode material annually, with a later expansion to...
MCV Delivers 35 Hydrogen-Electric Intercity Buses to ÖBB Postbus in Villach, Austria
MCV has supplied 35 hydrogen‑electric C127 FC LE buses to ÖBB Postbus, marking Austria’s largest hydrogen bus fleet. The handover in Villach on 6 May 2026 coincided with the opening of the region’s first hydrogen refuelling station. The vehicles, capable of up to...
Instavolt Unveils Plan to Install Battery Storage Systems Across Charging Network
Instavolt announced a £2.5 million (≈ $3.2 million) investment to install battery energy storage systems across its EV charging network, starting with five sites and targeting at least 20 more before year‑end. The BESS rollout aims to smooth demand spikes, enable faster charging...
FlixBus Ties up with Green Drive Mobility to Launch Electric Intercity Buses on Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam Route
FlixBus has partnered with Indian EV operator Green Drive Mobility to launch electric intercity bus service on the Vijayawada‑Visakhapatnam corridor. The first phase will deploy four battery‑electric coaches equipped with the company’s digital ticketing and route‑management platform. The service targets high‑traffic,...
Toyota Takes US$4.3bn Iran Hit as Disruptions Batter Industry
Toyota warned that the Iran‑Israel conflict will cost it about $4.3 billion in the current fiscal year, driven by higher aluminium, resin and rubber prices and logistics delays. The automaker is absorbing these cost spikes across its supplier network, further squeezing...
Omoda 7 UK Deliveries Begin as Brand Continues Model Line-Up Expansion
Omoda 7 has begun deliveries in the United Kingdom, priced from £29,915 (≈ $38,000) for petrol models and £32,000 (≈ $40,600) for the SHS plug‑in hybrid. The mid‑size SUV slots between the Omoda 5 and Omoda 9 and offers a 700‑mile total range, up to...
Tesla Model Y First to Pass NHTSA’s Eight-Point ADAS Test
Tesla’s 2026‑model Year Model Y became the first vehicle to clear all eight criteria of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s revamped Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) benchmark. The test suite adds four new evaluations—pedestrian automatic emergency braking, lane‑keeping assistance, blind‑spot...
How the 'Wrong' Tyres Are Sabotaging Your Car’s MPG
Tyres, often overlooked, can consume 20‑30% of a vehicle’s fuel or electricity through rolling resistance. Continental estimates that a 30% rise in rolling resistance adds 3‑5% to fuel use, while Michelin confirms similar impacts for EV range. The industry is...
Can Ford Revive Its Struggling EV Program? – This Week in Cleantech
The latest "This Week in Cleantech" roundup spotlights a proposed 21‑gigawatt solar‑plus‑storage project in California that could become the world’s largest renewable installation. It also examines how the Iran‑Israel conflict is underscoring the strategic risks of continued fossil‑fuel dependence. A...
Malaysia’s EV Import Curbs to Protect Local Car Sector Criticised for Inconsistency
Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry announced that from July 1 only imported electric vehicles with a CIF value of at least 200,000 ringgit (US$51,000) and a power output of 180 kW will be allowed to sell, effectively barring most Chinese‑made...
Rocsys Launches ‘Next-Generation’ Hands-Free Charging System for Heavy-Duty Electric Fleets
Rocsys has introduced the S2, its next‑generation hands‑free charging system for heavy‑duty electric fleets, now available for ports, distribution hubs and logistics facilities. The first unit has been delivered to a large‑scale port customer, and the solution comes in a...
Automotive Trade Groups Urge US to Extend USMCA over Bilateral Deals
President Trump has reduced tariffs on automotive imports, setting a 15% rate for Japan, the European Union and South Korea and a 10% rate for the United Kingdom. Seven leading automotive trade associations—including GM, Volkswagen, Tesla, Toyota and Hyundai—have written...
Inside Torc Robotics: How Autonomous Trucking Is Moving Toward Commercial Reality
Torc Robotics, a veteran autonomous‑driving firm founded in 2005, is advancing Level 4 self‑driving trucks on the Freightliner Cascadia platform in partnership with Daimler. The company has broadened public‑road testing to Texas, Virginia and Michigan, gathering data across diverse weather and...
Kia Appoints Cycle & Carriage as Key Dealer in Malaysia
Kia Sales Malaysia has appointed the Cycle & Carriage Group as a key authorized dealer, replacing Bermaz Auto after the latter's partnership ended in November 2025. The move is part of Kia’s manufacturer‑driven strategy to tighten control over sales and...
Hyundai Mobis Unveils New 160-kW Electric Drive System for BEVs
Hyundai Mobis unveiled a new 160‑kW (215 hp) Power Electric drive system for battery‑electric vehicles, marking its first fully in‑house developed drivetrain. The system combines a motor, inverter and reduction gear in a modular architecture that can be shared with its...
Mitsubishi Reins in 2026/27 Guidance Due to Middle East War
Mitsubishi Motors announced it is lowering its 2026/27 earnings guidance as the ongoing Middle East conflict threatens material and logistics costs. The company posted a net profit of ¥21.2 bn (about $152 m) for 2025/26, a 58.2% drop from the prior year....
Vauxhall to Launch New SUV Developed with Leapmotor
Vauxhall (Opel) will co‑develop and launch a new electric C‑segment SUV with Chinese EV start‑up Leapmotor, targeting an early 2028 debut. The model will combine Leapmotor’s core electric architecture with Vauxhall‑engineered design, chassis and interior experience, and will be assembled...
Ford E-Tourneo Courier
Ford unveiled the 2026 e‑Tourneo Courier, an electric version of its compact commercial MPV, priced at £29,940 (≈ $38,300) after the UK £3,750 grant. It packs a 43.6 kWh nickel‑manganese‑cobalt battery delivering a WLTP‑rated 178 mi (about 135 mi real‑world) range and a 134 bhp...
Kyodo News Digest: May 8, 2026
Toyota Motor Corp. posted 50.68 trillion yen ($32.3 bn) in FY 2025 sales, the first Japanese firm to break the 50‑trillion‑yen barrier, but its net profit fell 19% to 3.85 trillion yen due to higher U.S. tariffs. Sony Group’s FY 2025 net profit slipped 3.4%...
Infrared LEDs Support In-Cabin Sensing for Vehicle Safety
ams OSRAM introduced its OSLON Black IR:6 C‑Series infrared LEDs, a 940 nm high‑power solution designed for camera‑based in‑cabin driver and occupant monitoring. The LEDs suppress the visible red‑glow effect, delivering low‑visibility illumination that works across changing lighting conditions. By targeting...
Autoliv to Wind Down Türkiye Production by 2028
Swedish safety‑systems supplier Autoliv announced it will wind down production of airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels in Turkey, completing the shutdown by the first half of 2028. The move will affect roughly 2,200 workers and shift output to other EMEA...
Europe’s First Robotaxi Service Is Underway in Croatia at $2.33 a Ride
Verne, a Croatian startup, has rolled out Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, deploying a fleet of ten electric Arcfox Alpha T5 SUVs equipped with Pony AI’s autonomous software. Rides are priced at a flat €1.99 (approximately $2.33) within a 35‑square‑mile...
Porsche to Shut Three Subsidiaries, Cut 500-Plus Jobs
German automaker Porsche AG announced it will wind down three subsidiaries—Cellforce Group, Porsche eBike Performance, and software developer Cetitec—as part of a strategic refocus on its core sports‑car business. The closures will affect more than 500 employees, with roughly 50...
Volkswagen Readying 282bhp ID Polo GTI Clubsport
Volkswagen is developing a high‑performance Clubsport version of its ID Polo GTI, boosting power from 223 bhp to about 282 bhp. The upgrade will add a mechanical limited‑slip differential and software‑driven paddle‑shift simulation that mimics traditional gear changes. A lower chassis and...
Dauch Nearly Doubles Q1 Sales on Dowlais Deal
Dauch Corporation reported first‑quarter 2026 sales of $2.38 bn, nearly double the $1.41 bn a year earlier, after completing the Dowlais acquisition and rebranding from American Axle & Manufacturing. The deal added GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy, driving the sales surge but also...
Kodiak Takes Autonomous Trucks to Canadian Forests
Kodiak AI is deploying its autonomous trucking system to West Fraser Timber's logging operations in Alberta, marking the company's first overseas rollout and entry into the timber sector. The pilot will transport raw timber from remote forest sites to West...
New Faster, Cheaper Tesla Model to Come with New LFP Battery Pack
Tesla has introduced a new, lower‑priced Model 3 for the Canadian market, priced under A$43,000 (about $28,000 USD). The vehicle uses a 62.5 kWh lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery supplied by Sunwoda, replacing the CATL packs previously used in rear‑wheel‑drive versions. The LFP pack delivers...
ZF to Present Retrofit SolarBoost Solar Panels for Urban and Coach Fleets at Milan’s Next Mobility Exhibition / Transpotec
ZF will debut its SolarBoost retrofit solar panel system for buses at the Next Mobility Exhibition in Milan, running May 13-16, 2026. The plug‑and‑play kit fits 24 V urban buses and coaches with batteries of at least 150 Ah, adding roof‑mounted panels...
China’s Move to Cut EV Payment Cycles May Push Weaker Carmakers Out: S&P
Beijing has tightened oversight of price competition by forcing EV makers to shorten supplier payment cycles, cutting average terms from up to 300 days to around 50 days. S&P Global Ratings warns that the tighter cash‑flow regime will increase borrowing...