Natural gas may power Nikola hydrogen hubs, fuel-cell trucks

Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel-cell truckNikola this morning revealed how it plans to create some of the hydrogen network to fuel its fuel-cell electric vehicles: with natural-gas-based hydrogen production plus a plan for carbon capture—so called “blue” hydrogen—and a plan that might make it eligible for the federal government’s top hydrogen incentives. One...

GM delays EV production ramp over battery supply

Rendering of planned General Motors Ultium Cells Lansing battery plantGeneral Motors is slowing down the its EV production ramp, but still appears committed to an EV-heavy future. The automaker originally planned to produce 400,000 EVs by the end of 2023, but has now pushed that target back to mid-2024, according to the Wall Street Journal. That move, which comes after GM reported a big increase in gasoline truck...

EV fast-charging at 100 Taco Bells: A new norm for fast food?

EV fast-charging at Taco BellMore than 100 Taco Bell restaurants are set to be “electrified” over the next year with DC fast-charging stations for electric vehicles, announced the operator Diversified Restaurant Group, earlier this month. The locations are due to be fitted with ChargeNet Stations offering what the companies said on average will amount to 100 miles...

CATL-Vinfast collaboration may mean more EVs for emerging markets

Vinfast VF 8 delivery event  -  VietnamVinfast on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with CATL laying the foundation for use of the latter's cell-to-pack battery tech and skateboard chassis designs in future vehicles. "By leveraging CATL's cutting-edge batteries, Vinfast's innovative EVs will reach new heights in terms of range, safety, and intelligent driving," CATL said in a...

Vintage Nissan Sunny electric pickup hauls with Leaf power

1987 Nissan Sunny Truck with Leaf powertrainNissan doesn't make an electric pickup truck, but a South Carolina tuner may have just created the next best thing—for Nissan itself to show. Tommy Pike Customs (TPC) took a 1987 Nissan Sunny Truck and gave it a Nissan Leaf powertrain transplant. The completed truck will be displayed at Nissan's booth at the 2022 SEMA show, the annual...

BP plans charging hubs for ride-hailing EVs, first near LAX

BP Gigahub EV charging site renderingOil giant BP plans to launch a series of large EV fast-charging "Gigahubs" aimed at ride-hailing vehicles. The first of these hubs will be built near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in collaboration with rental-car firm Hertz, and will be funded in part by a $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC), BP said in a press...

Reports: Tesla will face DOJ, SEC scrutiny over self-driving claims

2022 Tesla lineup  (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.)Multiple arms of the federal government are reportedly preparing to scrutinize Tesla—and perhaps its CEO, Elon Musk—over various statements made about its driver-assistance system, building from its Autopilot system and relating to its extra-cost Full Self-Driving functionality. On Wednesday Reuters reported that Tesla faces a criminal...

IEA: Global demand for fossil fuels will peak this decade

Mulan wind farm [CREDIT: Global Climate Budget 2018]Global demand for fossil fuels will peak this decade due in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has accelerated many countries' move to renewable energy, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The invasion of Ukraine has created an energy crisis that, while triggering higher oil prices and related economic stress, has also led...

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 cut real-world fast-charging time

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5With the 2023 Ioniq 5 hatchback arriving this fall and the upcoming 2023 Ioniq 6 sedan arriving early next year, Hyundai is introducing a battery preconditioning feature that will help set drivers up for a more consistent experience at DC fast-charging stations. The long-range versions of the Ioniq 5 and the closely related Kia EV6 have already...

Report: Light pole EV charging is the low-CO2 solution for cities

ChargeLight street-light EV chargingA company that installs EV chargers in streetlights claims this is not only a practical way to bring charging to urban areas, but also has a lower carbon footprint than conventional charging installations. That's the conclusion of a study commissioned by U.K.-based streetlight charging company ChargeLight and conducted by consultancy...

EPA directs nearly $1B for electric school buses

Lion C electric school busThe EPA on Wednesday announced $965 million in grants for electric school buses, the first of a five-year, $5 billion program for zero-emission school buses. The grants will go to 389 school districts spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several Native American tribes and United States territories, the EPA said in a press release...

Kia EVs will also be made at Hyundai’s Georgia “Metaplant”

Kia EV manufacturing in GeorgiaWith Hyundai breaking ground on its mammoth $5.5 billion “Metaplant” near Savannah, Georgia, Kia confirmed on Tuesday that it too will have upcoming electric vehicles made at the facility. That was always a fair assumption, but now it’s a confirmation. As Hyundai announced in May, it plans to make up to 300,000 EVs annually at...

Mercedes CEO talks efficiency, 800-volt future, and electric G-Wagen

Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is changing. For the German luxury brand that popularized the four-stroke combustion engine, the shift to electrification and carbon neutrality is about much more than propulsion. Like every other established and startup automaker, the industry faces an unprecedented crossroad where digitization, electrification, energy, and...