E-Mobility

Speaking at the Australian Clean Energy Summit, the current Tesla Inc. Chair Robyn Denholm advised that there is no technology whose development is more important than batteries. In order 'to meet the challenge of climate change this entire industry needs to scale at sprinting pace,' she added, and apparently Australia's miners hold the key to mass EV battery production.

Despite the comparatively high mileage and the owner’s frequent use of Superchargers, the 2017 Tesla Model X 100D only lost about 10% of its original battery capacity, which once again proves that electric cars and their energy storages are quite durable and can have a long lifespan.

The German automaker’s new electric SUV won’t necessarily replace the venerable Porsche Cayenne, but it will be more luxurious and probably also more expensive than the current top-of-the-line sports utility vehicle.

Engaging Camp Mode at remote locations and able to find Superchargers all along the grueling route, two Tesla drivers managed to reach Mount Everest base camp on the Tibetan side without issues. The Model Y and Model X climbed the 17,000 feet height averaging 160 miles on a charge in the freezing temperatures.

Xiaomi Automotive is one of the OEM's latest divisions, and has been backed to reveal its inaugural prototype some time in the third quarter of 2022. Now, the latest leak on the subject purports to confirm that this event will take place in August of this year. The OEM is also now said to have picked up a new design partner to help it target specific price-tiers once it is in the car market.

Despite that a Model X driver was using the Autopilot against Tesla's guidelines, a court in Europe has ordered the company to refund them most of the price of the US$112,885 electric SUV. She reported random braking while driving with the Autopilot on and trouble with construction yard object recognition.

As expected, the all-electric performance SUV and Porsche Cayenne competitor will be anything but affordable. According to the automaker's CEO, the price of the top-of-the-line Polestar 3 will most likely exceed the US$100,000 threshold.

Vanpowers has launched a new e-bike, the City Vanture. The bike has an assembled frame, which the company claims is a world first for an e-bike. The pedelec weighs 34 lbs (~15.5 kg) thanks to the aluminum frame. You can ride for up to 80 miles (~130 km) on a single charge at up to 25 kph (~40 kph).

Hyundai’s new hybrid concept car called the "N Vision 74" is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell as well as a regular EV battery, and its exterior is supposed to pay an homage to a similarly designed pony car from the 1970s. Its high performance and the ability to refuel the hydrogen cell in 5 minutes should also make it a suitable hybrid race car.

Despite the somewhat annoying camouflage, these latest pictures of the electric Porsche Macan prototype allow another look at the potential exterior design of the sporty SUV from Germany.

Teslas have climate control ingenuity built in them both on the physical side, like an air vent running the width of a Model 3 dashboard, and on the software side of things. With the recent heat waves scorching Texas, Elon Musk promises an OTA software update solution to the cabin temperature problem.

Shimano has announced multiple new drivetrain components for e-bikes, the EP6 motor for example offers the same power as the well-known Shimano EP8 at a lower price, while the new Di2 groupsets with "Free Shift", "Auto Shift" and automatic gear changes can provide a particularly comfortable ride on commuter bikes and electric MTBs.

Volkswagen has unveiled its new "charging park", located at one of the company's plants in Saxony, Germany. It is made of electrical storage units, each made of 96 batteries reclaimed from pre-production ID. 3 and ID. 4 cars. Therefore, Volkswagen asserts that its new "PSC" car-charging infrastructure is sustainable as well as practical and forward-looking.

Geely has announced a new lifestyle vehicle brand, Radar. The company also confirmed that Radar would focus on electric pickup trucks, SUVs and ATVs, revealing that the first model will be the RD6 pickup. The vehicle will be based on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture, allowing for external charging features built into the truck bed.

Volkswagen has announced that the ID. Buzz electric MPV will start from £57,115 (~US$67,590) in the UK. The prices have been revealed for three models: ID. Buzz Life, ID. Buzz Style and ID. Buzz 1st Edition. The EVs have a maximum power output of 150 kW and a 77 kWh battery providing up to 258 miles (~415 km) of range.

Hyundai has released more information about its all-electric sedan, the IONIQ 6. The EV has a 610 km (~379 miles) range thanks to a 77.4 kWh battery and an aerodynamic design. An AWD variant can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (~62 mph) in 5.1 seconds. Plus, the car is expected to be efficient, consuming less than 14 kWh per 100 km (~62 miles).

The new cell-to-chassis EV battery packs will make fixing a bad unit a replacement rather than repair game. Repairability of the new Model Y 4680 structural battery pack is 'essentially zero,' according to Cory from Munro & Associates whose teams took two days just to get into the battery.

After the long-range model of the Kia EV6 didn’t get off to a good start in a recent range test, the more expensive all-wheel drive variant of the popular EV from South Korea has now also struggled to reach its official EPA range at highway speeds of around 70 mph.

The so-called Magic Dock adapter that will let non-Tesla EV owners to top up at Superchargers in the US has appeared in leaked schematics and it looks like the Magic Docks in South Korea, just with the reverse purpose. Tesla's goal is to be prepared for the upcoming US government mandate on charging infrastructure compatibility in the US.

The Garmin Edge Explore 2 bike computer has been released. The gadget provides GPS navigation with safety features such as Incident Detection. The device can last up to 16 hours, and you can buy the Garmin Edge Power Mount accessory to charge it on the go. Plus, you can pair the Edge Explore 2 with various e-bikes for additional insights.

Panasonic’s Chief Technology Officer, Shoichiro Watanabe, has told Reuters that the company is planning to increase the energy density of its batteries by 20% by 2030. The Tesla supplier explained that new additives would help it to achieve enhanced performance. This technology could add over 100 km (~62 miles) range to a Tesla Model Y.

OKAI has revealed the NEON LITE ES10 e-scooter, which will shortly be available to pre-order in Europe. The vehicle weighs 15 kg (~33 lbs) and has a range of 30 km (~19 miles). A 300 W motor is fitted to the device, though the scooter's top speed is currently unknown. Other features of the device include color lighting and a smartphone mount on the handlebars.

Brompton has released a new e-bike in the UK, the Electric P Line: Urban. The lightweight pedelec weighs 15.6 kg (~34.4 lbs) and can fold to make it easier to carry. The e-bike has a range of up to 45 miles (~70 km) and a top assistance speed of 16 mph (25 kph). A smartphone mount is fitted to the handlebars, and the bike has an accompanying app.

A crowdfunding campaign for the ENGWE X26 all-terrain e-bike is currently live. The bike has fat tires and is billed as having the longest range on the market at 62 miles (~100 km). The e-bike has a higher top assistance speed than other models at 31 mph (~50 kph). Plus, you can fold the bike, which weighs 90 lbs (~41 kg).

Samsung has been a market leader in making cylindrical batteries for a while now, even before Panasonic or LG jumped in. Besides the 4680 battery for Tesla, it is developing longer, harder to produce cells with higher capacity.

The Triumph TE-1 is supposed to convince sporty riders with its respectable performance and comparatively long range, but the British motorcycle maker has yet to share any details regarding the release date and price of its upcoming all-electric two-wheeler.

OKAI has unveiled the Ranger, a new fat-tire e-bike. The pedelec is billed as a cheaper, all-terrain bike, with 4-in thick tires for extra comfort when off-roading. The bike has a top speed of 28 mph (~45 kph) and can travel up to 45 miles (~72 km) on a single charge. Plus, you can use the built-in touchscreen and accompanying app to configure the bike's settings.

The Thömus Lightrider E Ultimate e-mountain bike is now available to pre-order. The pedelec weighs 14.6 kg (~32 lbs) thanks to a lightweight motor and carbon frame. The maxon BIKEDRIVE AIR drive train produces over 30 Nm torque with a top assistance speed of 25 kph (~20 mph). The bike is available with battery sizes up to 426 Wh.

Tesla's new Model 3 Performance version from 2022 managed to not only beat its predecessor in terms of electricity consumption efficiency, but also to top the rankings in the 1000km challenge. It is currently trailing only a PHEV used as a reference and most EVs in the top ranking are now Teslas.

According to a recently released teaser picture and an unofficial render image, the performance-oriented model variant of the brand-new electric sedan from South Korea could sport an enormous rear spoiler as well as a special paint color, which would clearly set it apart from the Hyundai Ioniq 6 base model.

Despite being briefly overtaken by the Chinese from BYD in the number of "new energy vehicles" shipped last quarter, when it comes to purely electric cars Tesla still got the lion's share of sales. Not only that, but it has the bestselling luxury vehicles so far in 2022.

Ducati has added two new e-bikes to its range, the SCR-X and SCR-E GT. The folding pedelecs are equipped with a 48 V motor, with a top speed of 25 kph (~16 mph). Both bikes have up to 80 km (~50 miles range). The SCR-X is designed for urban riders, while the SCR-E GT has a built-in shock absorber for off-roading.

Honbike has teased the Uni4 e-bike, which will be unveiled in full on July 13. The urban pedelec is a cheaper model, starting from £1,599 (~US$1,909). The Uni4 has a 432 Wh battery that allows you to travel with assistance for up to 62 miles (~100 km) on a single charge. The top speed of the bike is unknown, though Honbike will likely cap it at ~16 mph (25 kph) to comply with EU rules.

The Schwinn Healy Ridge e-bike is currently on offer at Amazon in the US. The company is offering US$150 off the 26-in bicycle, which has a top speed of 20 mph (~32 kph) and up to 25 miles (~40 km) range. The discount also applies to the smaller 24-in model, which has a slower top speed and shorter range.

The Diamant 365 e-bike has been released in Germany and Austria; the lightweight bicycle has an aluminum frame, with the vehicle weighing 17.5 kg (~38.6 lbs) overall. The bike has up to 60 km (~37 miles) range and can assist you at speeds up to 25 kph (~16 mph). Both the battery and cables are hidden inside the frame. Plus, the bike has a small control panel on the handlebars.

MUJI and Honda have unveiled the jointly developed MS01 e-bike, now available in China. The bicycle has a top assistance speed of 25 kph (~16 mph) with up to 65 km (~40 miles) range. The MS01 has a keyless unlock feature, an LCD screen and LED lighting. The bike’s design allows for an upright seating position with a motorcycle-style padded seat.

A detail-oriented YouTuber has carefully examined the small differences between a Tesla Model Y that has been manufactured in the new Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany, and a unit which was made in Tesla's established production site in Shanghai, China.

Instead of adding autonomous driving software as a US$12,000 extra to your electric vehicle when ordered, Volkswagen wants it available as a metered service payable only for the time it's been in use. The add-on strategy is Tesla's with its Autopilot mode, while Volkswagen says you can set the car on self-driving for the next 50 miles and only pay for that stretch.

Volkswagen could become the world's largest EV producer in a short while and it just took a big step towards that prediction by establishing a battery department called PowerCo. The new division broke ground to Volkswagen's first battery cell factory in Salzgitter, Germany.

The Äike T e-scooter has launched in Europe, with a 583 Wh battery providing up to 40 km (~25 miles) range. You can recharge the battery via a charger or USB-C, which the company claims is a unique feature. The vehicle has a top speed of 25 kph (~16 mph) and weighs 19 kg (~42 lbs). A mount between the handlebars allows you to fix your phone to the scooter for directions on the go.

The world's second biggest electric vehicle maker Tesla benefited less from the Chinese government 's sustainable transportation credits than the largest EV manufacturer BYD. The Buffett-backed carmaker scored half a billion dollars, while Tesla netted US$437 million.

Tesla has released the newest software update for its EVs. The update (2022.20) brings with it a new feature that allows eligible cars to scan the road for potholes and adjust the height of the car automatically. The feature will only work for vehicles with adjustable suspensions.

LG and Samsung are looking at the potential of the so-called metalenses for making much smaller, low-power electric vehicles cameras that can be used in autonomous driving sets. LG, in particular, is researching a metalens with nanoparticles that has 1/10,000th of the regular glass or plastic lens thickness.

Before SpaceX was allowed to sell Starlink satellite Internet for moving vehicles, Tesla lugged a peculiar trailer with deployable solar panels to a German innovation expo. The trailer contraption sports both a Starlink Kit and solar power, all stamped with the Tesla brand seal of approval

BYD is now the world’s biggest electric vehicle manufacturer after landing more sales than Tesla in the first six months of 2022. The Chinese EV brand saw around 77,000 more purchases and a 300% increase year on year. BYD has also overtaken LG energy to become the second-biggest EV battery producer. The BYD Tang is the first EV from the company to reach Europe.

Ducati has unveiled a prototype of its MotoE electric motorcycle, the V21L; the vehicle will race in the 2023 FIM MotoE World Cup. The bike has a top speed of 275 kph (~171 mph) and weighs 225 kg (~496 lbs). An 18 kWh battery pack provides enough range for the required seven circuits of a Grand Prix race and can recharge to 80% in about 45 minutes.

Mokwheel is currently crowdfunding for its Basalt and Basalt St Power Station e-bikes. The vehicles have a top speed of 28 mph (~45 kph) and a range of up to 80 miles (~129 km). The motor permits both pedal assistance and twist-throttle power. With the compatible inverter, you can use the bike’s battery to power or charge devices such as smartphones and lights.

While Samsung has pegged 2025 as the year it will start preparations for mass-producing solid-state EV batteries, BMW is trying to source components and equipment from other Korean companies to make its own. The BMW solid-state EV battery pilot line will be located in Fasdorf, Germany, and has already gotten 170 million euros of initial investment.

Bugatti has released the 9.0 e-scooter built in partnership with Bytech, first unveiled at CES 2022. The two-wheeler has a top speed of 18.5 mph (~29.8 kph) and up to 22 miles (~35 km) of range. The scooter has headlights, indicator lights, and a rear logo projection light. Plus, the vehicle has a dual braking system, including a rear E-ABS brake.