The government of India has said that it will reopen the window for applying to its 760 billion Indian rupees (about $9.22 billion) semiconductor manufacturing plan as the three applications it had received under the previous window in 2022 have run into hurdles in setting up their respective plants, according to a report published by The Indian Express on June 1. The first application period for the program was started by the government in January 2022 and concluded in 45 days. The...

The US Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would require automatic emergency braking (AEB) and pedestrian AEB systems on passenger cars and light trucks, according to a press release dated May 31. The proposed rule is expected to dramatically reduce crashes associated with pedestrians and rear-end crashes.   The proposed rule is a key component of the department’s Natio...

US automaker General Motors (GM) will receive $300 million in government incentives and grants for setting up a cathode active materials (CAM) plant in Bécancour, Quebec, Canada, according to a news report published by Automotive News Canada on May 29. The news report cited the Canadian and provincial governments, which disclosed the financial assistance provided to the carmaker. GM, along with its South Korean battery-materials partner Posco, is constructing a battery CAM manufacturing plan...

Pony.ai will start offering unmanned transport services with Jin Jiang International Holdings' taxi unit in Shanghai, according to a report published by Yicai Global on May 30. Pony.ai stated on WeChat that its company and the subsidiary of the state-owned operator of Jinjiang Hotel and Peace Hotel, are now eligible to conduct demo operations of a robo-taxi service in the eastern metropolis. Nearly 1,100 km of open roads in Shanghai's Jiading area will be used for the tests. ...

The US Department of Energy (US DOE) has announced new funding opportunities for companies and startups to work with National Laboratories on strengthening the domestic battery-manufacturing ecosystem in the US, according to a news report published by the Green Car Congress on May 27. The "Lab Call" has been made by the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) for developing innovative manufacturing processes for solid-state and flow batteries. AMMTO plans to adva...

The US government has announced the $51 million Joint Office of Energy and Transportation's (Joint Office's) Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity to further accelerate the transition to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) while catalyzing the private sector investments in clean transportation, according to a note published by the Joint Office on May 18. The Joint Office was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to leverage the combined expertise of the US Departmen...

The US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office), which leverages expertise between the US Department of Energy (US DOE) and the US Department of Transportation (US DOT) to ensure progress on zero-emission transportation infrastructure, has launched the National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX Consortium), Joint Office said May 18. Led by US DOE's national laboratories, the ChargeX Consortium will work to rapidly develop solutions that ensure a reliable a...

The US Department of Transportation’s (DOT's) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing updates to its flagship vehicle safety consumer-information program, the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), according to a press release May 22. NHTSA is issuing a request for public comment on new pedestrian-crashworthiness tests that measure how well vehicles protect those outside the vehicle, which can reduce pedestrian fatalities. The proposed changes wil...

US automaker Ford Motor Co. has joined the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to launch the National Charging Experience Consortium, which is aimed at rapidly developing the electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the US, Ford said May 9. The effort is led by US Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories that will work to rapidly develop solutions to ensure a reliable and frictionless EV charging experience. Commenting on the development, Bi...

Ford Motor Co. will keep AM radio in all 2024 Ford and Lincoln models and restore it on two electric vehicles via an over-the-air (OTA) software update, according to a Twitter post by Ford’s CEO Jim Farley on May 23. Farley said that the decision was made “after speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system.” The company removed AM radio from the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning and planned to discontinue it on all...

According to a May 19 press release, the UK has announced that it will invest £1 billion in its semiconductor sector over the next decade as part of a long-awaited strategy. The new strategy aims to boost the UK’s strengths and skills in design, research and development (R&D), and compound semiconductors while helping to grow domestic chip firms across the UK. Chipmakers around the world have poured billions of dollars into the sector in recent years, with the US and Europe b...

A Reuters report dated May 19 said the US telecom regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), on May 18 voted to expand the use of vehicle drone and other short-range radar operations. The decision by the FCC will support technologies to detect children left behind in hot cars and driver-assistance features such as pedestrian detection and lane-departure warnings, as well as detecting the breathing of premature infants in intensive care units. The decision...

Stellantis and its battery supplier LG Energy Solution (LGES) have suspended the construction work of their US$3.7 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Canada as the government has failed to provide the promised support, according to a news report published by Reuters on May 16. Citing a company spokesperson, the news report said, “Effective immediately, all construction related to the battery module production on the [Windsor, Ontario, Canada] site has sto...

The government officials of US and Canada have announced a first ever US-Canada alternate-fuel corridor, Transport Canada said May 16. The said cross-border corridor will include an electric vehicle charging infrastructure installed every 80 km and will have at least one DC fast charger installed with combined charging systems (CCS) or CCS ports, it said. The proposed cross-border EV charging corridor will run from Kalamazoo, Mich., to Quebec City. According to the official not...

The European Commission has approved a €837 million Spanish scheme to support the production of batteries for electric and connected vehicles as the country prepares to transition to a net-zero economy, the commission said in a media announcement May 11. Spain’s plan to transition to a net-zero economy, like other European countries, is aligned with the continent’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. Europe has chalked out a plan to become climate neutral with an economy that has ...

Swedish battery-maker Northvolt AB (Northvolt) plans to set up a 60 GWh gigafactory in Germany and will be supported by the German federal government in this initiative, according to a joint press release published May 12 by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and Northvolt. “The German [federal] government as well as the Schleswig-Holstein [state] government stand ready to support the establishment of a gigafactory for battery cells in [Heide, Germany] ...

UK government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) is investing £77 million in seven automotive research and development (R&D) projects with a goal of decarbonizing the transportation system and achieving net zero in the automotive supply chain, APC said May 9. The total investment of £77 million comprise £38.4 million from the UK government and a further £38.7 million from the automotive industry. “The seven projects, each involving a group of companies working in part...

Be Charge, a leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator in Europe, expects to receive a grant of about €100 million from the European Commission and the Italian Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) to build one of the largest high-speed charging networks across the continent by 2025, Be Charge’s parent company Plenitude (Eni SpA) said on May 5. “The transaction’s objective is to encourage the development of infrastructure dedicated to electric mobility and accelerate the ...

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and New York Power Authority (NYPA) have agreed to jointly build up to 13 electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging hubs at municipal parking facilities across the city, the NYC DOT said on May 1. Collectively, the 13 EV charging hubs will feature roughly 50 fast-charging plugs. While this investment is expected to further accelerate the adoption of EVs across the city, the plan is part of Mayor Eric Adams administration's target of ensu...

Australian state Queensland has doubled incentives for electric car buyers in an attempt to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, according to a news report published by The Guardian on April 21. The report said that the drivers will now be eligible for A$6,000 subsidy under the Zero Emission Vehicle Rebate Scheme when they buy an EV priced up to A$68,000. Notably, the incentive of buying an electric car under this scheme when it was first launched in July 2022 was A$3,000. Citing Que...

UK’s EV charging companies have come together to form a new trade association called ChargeUK, according to a press release issued by the new lobby body representing the charging network operators on April 28. Interestingly, ChargeUK brings together 18 of the largest EV charging companies that have been installing the charge points needed to enable the UK’s switch to EVs and achieve Net Zero. Between the members of ChargeUK, the lobby announced that they will invest over £6 billion in...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a request by U.S. state agencies, some automakers, universities, and others to use the spectrum to deploy connected vehicle technology to prevent crashes, especially at intersections, according to a Reuters report dated April 24. The 5.9 GHz spectrum block was reserved in 1999 for automakers to develop technology for vehicles to communicate with each other to avoid crashes but has so far gone largely unused. The waiver request to use s...

David Zuby, Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer at IIHS wrote the following, urging NHSTA to act on IRA rules to put alcohol detection and lock-out devices in all new vehicles, according to a press release by IIHS on April 20. Recent action by Congress opens the door to something much bigger. One of the most persistent highway safety problems ‘impaired driving’ can be resolved and prevent more than 9,000 deaths a year. Tucked into the sprawling bipartisan infrastructure...

Volkswagen announced on April 19 that all model year 2023 ID.4 models that will be delivered to the customers this 2023 in the US will be eligible for the full tax credit of $7,500, complying with the mandate defined under the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). According to VW, full tax credit will make the variants of ID.4 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) affordable and competitive in the US market. Commenting on the eligibility of the VW ID.4 electric vehicles (EVs), Pablo Di...

According to a report published by Automotive News Europe on April 19, EU negotiators agreed on a final version of a €43 billion plan to make Europe a key player in a global race to ramp up the production of semiconductors. Following supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and rising geopolitical tensions between the US and China, countries throughout the world are investing billions in their local semiconductor sectors. Governments are tightening export controls on the ...

The German government is planning to set up a state fund of up to €2 billion to support mining activities of critical raw materials that are necessary for the country’s green transition, according to a news report published by Bloomberg on April 19. The plan also aims to cut down dependency on China, which currently dominates in the mining and processing of several critical materials such as graphite, magnesium and rare-earth elements, among others. With a size of anywhere between �...

Japan is taking steps to become self-reliant as well as diversify its supply network to secure raw materials such as lithium and rare-earth metals that are vital to electric vehicle (EV) batteries and motors. The country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry decided to subsidize up to half the cost of mine development and smelting projects of important minerals by Japanese companies, Nikkei Asia said in a report dated April 23. Presently, Japan is dependent on countries such as China fo...

South Korean battery manufacturers LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On are the battery suppliers to about 8 out of 10 electric vehicle models that have qualified for the tax credits under the US Inflation Reduction Act, according to a news report published by The Korea Herald on April 20. The report cited industry sources behind these observations. It said that 17 EV models out of the 22 approved models have installed South Korea-made batteries, with LG Energy Solution topping the list ...

Australia has announced a new A$70 million round of grant funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to accelerate EV adoption in the country, it said on an official website on April 19. The funding, which would be delivered through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has come soon after the Australian government released the National Electric Vehicle Strategy. In its official note, the Ministry for Climate Change and Energy said that the A$70 million funding round ...

On March 31, the US Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed guidance on the new clean vehicle provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was signed into law in August 2022. Aimed at incentivizing the domestic production of electric vehicles (EV) and batteries and reducing dependency on foreign supply chains, the proposed guidance, according to the US government, intends to provide clarity and certainty to manufacturers on the IRA requiremen...

Governor of the New York state Kathy Hochul announced a grant of over $8.3 million to 70 municipalities to install about 250 new public electric vehicle (EV)-charging stations, according to a press release issued by the office of the governor on April 13. Notably, the announcement was made at the New York International Auto Show. It includes an EV infrastructure plan to build of more than 1,300 charging stations in support of a full transition to a zero-emission state fleet. “New York ha...

Germany has witnessed a significant jump of 35% in the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the country. This surge in number surpasses the rate of increase needed to keep up with the rollout of battery EVs in the country, the Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft (BDEW) energy industry association said, according to a Reuters report dated April 18. In October 2022, the German government approved a plan to spend €6.3 billion over three years to rapidly scale up the n...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), has taken a step toward the future of autonomous cars with regulations that will control the use of driverless cars in the Gulf country. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and ruler of Dubai, has issued a new law that will govern the use of self-driving cars in the country. The law outlines how Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will regulate the use of driverless vehicles in the emirate, including the issuing of licenses and transfer of o...

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed sweeping emissions cuts for new cars and trucks through 2032, a move it said could mean two out of every three new vehicles automakers sell will be electric within a decade. The proposal, if finalized, represents the most aggressive US vehicle emissions reduction plan to date, requiring 13% annual average pollution cuts and a 56% reduction in projected fleet-average emissions over 2026 requirements. The EPA is also proposing...

US automaker Ford Motor Company has confirmed that following the release of the additional guidance on EV tax credits from the US Treasury Department, all three of its popular battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – F-150 Lightning pickup, Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit – are eligible for the incentives defined under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the company said on April 5. Ford has also confirmed that some of its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) will be able to qualify for the...

Tesla will add a data-privacy warning in its "sentry mode" that records a car’s surroundings, following consumer group vzbv suing the manufacturer for failing to mention this in advertising, according to a report published by Automotive News Europe on April 5. The company claimed that cameras were to protect against theft or damage but officials fear it will lead to unauthorized recording. The vzbv lawsuit, launched in July 2022, claimed that the automaker misled cu...

In order to make road transport sustainable, Spain plans to float two tenders simultaneously by July 2023 to select two companies for local electric vehicle (EV) and battery production initiative, according to a report published by Reuters on March 27. The shortlisted companies will receive €2 billion in government funding to accelerate local EV and battery production ecosystem, the report said, citing a senior government official. The funds would be allocated from the EU pandemic reli...

The European Commission is working on rules to ensure fair access to car data for companies but did not disclose a timeline for introducing the rules, Reuters reported on April 3. The European auto industry is wary of unfair competition from US and Chinese tech companies. “The Commission is working on the preparation of a sector-specific proposal on in-vehicle data. It will aim to complement the proposal for a Data Act, published in February 2022. At this stage we cannot prejudge the c...

Morocco plans to set up a network of 2,500 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations over the next three years, according to a news report published by Afrik21 on March 30. The report stated that in Morocco, the companies in the power and automotive sectors have given a go-ahead to the intersectoral professional association for electric mobility (APIME) to install 2,500 charging stations across the country by 2026. It further added that the EV charging network is slated to be distributed across...

Tritium DCFC Limited, a leading manufacturer of direct current (DC) fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its first product offering for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and is now accepting orders for the same, the company announced on March 30. The EV charging system aimed at the NEVI program comprises four of Tritium’s 150kW, PKM150 charging stations, along with two power rectifiers. Tritium’s NEVI-compliant EV charging system delive...

The US Treasury Department released proposed guidance on the new clean vehicle provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, an official press release on March 31 read. The rationale is to lower costs for consumers, improve manufacturing in the US and strengthen supply chains in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. “Today, Treasury is taking an important step that will help consumers save up to $7,500 on a new clean vehicle and hundreds of dollars per year on gas, while creating Amer...

According to a report published by Reuters on March 29, South Korea's SK Hynix will ask the US for a year's further exemption from chip curbs against China, the CEO said. Chief Executive Park Jung-ho said at the annual general meeting of stockholders in South Korea that the business will request the exemption after the present grace period expires in October 2023. In October of 2022, SK Hynix announced that it had obtained permission from the US Commerce Department to supply chip...

In an official statement on March 28, the government of India announced that it has sanctioned 8 billion Indian rupees (about US$97.3 million) to public sector oil marketing companies Indian Oil (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) for setting up 7,432 public fast-charging stations across the country. It has already released 70% of the sum which amounts to 5.60 billion Indian rupees as the first installment. The installations are expected to be complet...

The European Union is set to give final approval to a law preventing sales of new carbon dioxide (CO2)-emitting cars in 2035, Reuters reported on March 28. This comes after Germany won an exemption for cars running on e-fuels. E-fuels are produced by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen produced using CO2-free electricity. Most countries in the bloc are likely to back the law but Italy and Poland are set to oppose, with Romania and Bulgaria expected to abstain. The EU law will req...

The US Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is releasing a notice of proposed rulemaking for the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (CHIPS ITC) established by the CHIPS Act of 2022, according to a press release on March 21. By providing clear guidance for qualifying taxpayers to utilize the CHIPS ITC, Treasury is mobilizing key tax incentives for investments in facilities that manufacture semiconductors or semiconductor manufacturing equipment — ...

Germany and the EU are set to resolve a dispute over the planned phaseout of vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs) by 2035, a Reuters report quoting EU leaders read on March 23. Germany's Transport Ministry has wanted assurances over new ICE cars being sold beyond 2035 if they run on e-fuels. “Negotiations are progressing. There is a will on both sides to resolve this topic. I am confident that soon we will find a good solution,” said European Commission head Urs...

In October 2022, EU lawmakers agreed on a new carbon dioxide (CO2) fleet regulation for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, adopting the target of zero CO2 emissions by 2035. As CO2 emissions are measured exclusively at the tailpipe, this decision is effectively a ban on vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs). Although a final rubber-stamp vote by EU member states was scheduled for earlier this March, a coalition of EU countries (led by Germany) is now looking to oppose th...

European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) called on European Union leaders to speed up action to secure the EU’s industry competitiveness, the group said in a press release on March 21. The comments were made by the association members in the light of changing regulations due to cutting down emissions. “A major challenge for the automotive sector over the last years has been the sheer volume of new legislation, spanning from tailpipe carbon dioxide-emissions reduct...

The Michigan House panel has approved a combined USD585 million in state incentives to three major battery-manufacturing projects, The Detroit News reported on 15 March. The approvals came from the Michigan House Appropriations Committee. The panel approved transferring USD175 million for a project for Gotion, USD200 million for an Our Next Energy project in Van Buren Township, Michigan, US, and USD210 million for a Ford Motor project in Marshall, Michigan, US. The transfer requests must...

The US government opened applications for a new multi-billion-dollar program to fund electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure in communities across the country, according to an official statement on 14 March. The new Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program will provide USD2.5 billion over five years to a wide range of applicants, including cities, counties, local governments, and Tribes. “By helping bring EV charging to communiti...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was opening a preliminary investigation into 120,000 Tesla Model Y vehicles after it received two reports of steering wheels falling off the vehicle while driving, according to a Reuters report dated 8 March. The auto safety regulator said the steering wheels in both 2023 model year vehicles, which had low mileage, completely detached. The vehicles that were delivered to the owners were missing the retainin...

According to a report published by Pandaily on 3 March 2023, He Xiaopeng, chairman of Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng put forward suggestions on accelerating the systematic guarantee of autonomous driving. He stated that due to flawed laws and regulations in the creation of intelligent networked cars and automated driving technology, it was difficult to determine who was liable for a mishap and what were the compensation guidelines. In contrast, nations such as the...

The US government announced the next steps to bolster its electric vehicle (EV) charging industry and infrastructure, a government statement on 15 February read. The next steps include publishing minimum standards for federally funded EV infrastructure, finalizing the Build America, Buy America initiatives for EV charging equipment, and announcing that cities, towns, Tribes, and states will soon be able to apply for the first round of USD2.5 billion in competitive grants to build EV charging sta...

US senators have urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant some automakers to use the 5.9 GHz spectrum to deploy cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies, Reuters reported on 13 February. Senators Gary Peters and Cynthia Lummis called on the FCC to approve waiver requests to enable deployment aimed at preventing crashes. The senators noted 42,915 people died in traffic crashes in 2021, the deadliest year on American highways since 2005. Significance: I...

The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced during her presentation of the Union Budget 2023 that the subsidies on electric vehicle (EV) batteries will be extended for an additional year, making EVs cheaper in India, according to a report published by The Times of India on 1 February 2023. EV battery subsidies extension for another year is anticipated to accelerate the adoption of EVs in the country. The government introduced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program f...

UK-based solid-state battery (SSB) technology company Ilika Technologies Ltd has announced on 25 January 2023 that it is leading a 24-month, GBP8 million (USD9.9 million) Faraday Battery Challenge collaboration project. The project, which is codenamed ‘History’, is slated to start on 1 February 2023 and will focus on integrating high silicon content electrodes into Ilika’s Goliath solid-state batteries developed for electric vehicles (EVs), to enable automotive level performance. Ili...

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) said that Mercedes-Benz can deploy advanced automated driving systems on its roads after it completed a self-certification, according to a report published by Reuters on 5 January 2023. The Nevada DMV has approved the application and is developing the certificate of compliance that will be provided within the next two weeks. The "SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving" system allows the driver to legally take his or her eyes off ...

Colorado-based solid-state battery technology company Solid Power announced on 12 January 2023 that the company has received notification of an award from the US Department of Energy (DoE) ARPA-E group to continue its development of nickel- and cobalt-free solid-state battery cells. The battery maker, which is known for developing all-solid-state rechargeable battery cells by replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte used in a conventional lithium-ion battery with a proprietary sulfide-...

A China-based autonomous driving startup WeRide has announced that its Level 4 driverless electric shuttle officially obtained an autonomous driving road test license from the Office of Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area, according to WeRide's WeChat platform press release on 18 January 2023. The license allows WeRide's autonomous shuttle vehicles to operate on public roads inside a 60-square-kilometer region within the Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstratio...

The Japanese government plans to relax regulations on the installation of fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) stations with an aim to support the country’s EV charging infrastructure, according to a news report published by the news agency Nikkei Asia on 4 January 2023. It is known that the currently, the EV chargers with an output of more than 200 kW are subject to strict safety measures along with other regulations, which translates into high installation costs. According to the report, i...

In a press release statement on 4 January 2023, Mobileye said that it has obtained a permit recommendation from TÜV SÜD, an independent third-party for testing, certification, auditing, and advisory service in Germany, enabling Mobileye to operate its autonomous vehicle (AV) technology on German streets. The permit makes way for Mobileye to expand the pilot phase in Germany and operate Mobileye Drive™-equipped NIO ES8s with a responsible safety driver on all roads in Germany. Mobiley...

According to a report published by San Francisco Chronicle on 22 December 2022, Tesla will effectively be banned from advertising its vehicles as full self-driving (FSD) under a new law ‘SB1398’ signed this legislative session. One of the many new state regulations that will go into effect in 2023 is Senate Bill 1398, which targets the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer's promotion of software included in certain Tesla models but not all of them, which implies that the car can fully drive...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday it has opened two new special investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles with the advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) suspected to have been active, according to a report published by Reuters on 22 December 2022. According to a police report, one of the new crashes under investigation was an eight-vehicle incident on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco on 24 November in which the driver of a 2021 Tesl...

Israel’s wireless service provider Electreon will be deploying its in-road wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging technology for commercial and passenger EVs in Germany as part of a first-ever public wireless road project in Europe’s largest automobile market, the company announced on 15 December 2022. Electreon will collaborate with EnBW, a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure for EVs in Germany, for the project, which is aimed at powering the publicly used electric bus. ...

The US safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether General Motors’ autonomous robo-taxis Cruise can stop too quickly or unexpectedly quit moving, potentially stranding passengers, according to a report published by The Associated Press on 16 December 2022. According to the NHTSA, the investigation was sparked by three rear-end crashes that allegedly happened when Cruise automated vehicles applied heavy braking. Human safety drivers used t...

Mahindra & Mahindra has announced that its new Scorpio-N model has become the first body-on-framesport utility vehicle (SUV) to secure a 5-star rating in the Global New Car Assessment Programme’s (GNCAP) new crash test protocols, it said in a press release on 12 December. The protocols came into effect from 1 July this year. “Achieving best-in-class safety performance for the All-New Scorpio-N is a demonstration of our unique product development approach towards body-on-frame vehicles...

California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved an investment of USD2.9 billion toward the development of zero-emission transportation infrastructure, CEC announced in a press release 14 December. Among other areas, the investment will go toward light- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) manufacturing, and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. The funds will become available over the next four years and distributed to projects throu...

The US Department of Energy (DoE), through its Loan Programs Office (LPO), has loaned USD2.5 billion to Ultium Cells LLC to finance the company in constructing new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, DoE said on 12 December 2022. Ultium Cells, a joint venture between US carmaker General Motors and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution, plans to expand electric vehicle (EV) battery production capacity to address the growth in demand amid ...

Redwood Materials, a battery company founded by former Tesla executive JB Straubel, has received an approval for over USD105.6 million in US tax incentives for its battery recycling and materials processing plant in Northern Nevada, according to a news report published by the Reno Gazette Journal on 1 December 2022. The report stated that Redwood Materials was awarded tax credits and multiple abatements on by the state of Nevada in exchange for USD1.1 billion in capital investments ...

Europe’s largest carmaker Volkswagen has signed an agreement with the government of Canada to jointly look for potential sites for VW’s planned battery cell factory in Canada, the company announced on 1 December 2022. The arrangement is part of VW’s larger strategy of accelerating the build-up of its global EV battery business under PowerCo SE by setting up a network of gigafactories worldwide. The company said on Thursday that VW CEO Oliver Blume and the Canadian Minister for Innovatio...

The French government has rolled out a new funding program to support the country’s expanding network of fast EV charging stations, according to a news report published by electrive.com on 30 November 2022. The report cited an announcement by the French government. It stated that the funding program, which has a budget of EUR10 million (USD10.36 million), will support the installation of fast DC charging stations at the smaller gas filling stations located in the rural regions of the countr...

On 9 November 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal to implement Euro 7 emission norms in Europe for new light duty vehicles (cars and vans) from 1 July 2025 and for heavy-duty vehicles (lorries and buses) from 1 July 2027. Succeeding Euro 6 norms, which was implemented in 2014, the Euro 7 mandate is going to be the final set of regulations for the internal combustion engines (ICEs), before new gas-powered cars and vans are phased out from production and sales by 2035 in Europe. ...

The Beijing Municipal Government issued a permit to Baidu Apollo on unmanned autonomous driving to conduct unmanned autonomous vehicle tests in Beijing, mainland China, according to Baidu’s WeChat account on 22 November 2022. Baidu Apollo's total testing mileage has surpassed 36 million km, and Apollo Go, a Baidu autonomous driving mobility service platform, has launched commercial autonomous driving mobility services in Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan of Hubei, Changsha of Hunan, Hefei of Anhui,...

The Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone has granted permission for second-phase (front-row unmanned and rear-row manned) tests of unmanned autonomous driving, with Pony.ai among the first batch of approved enterprises, according to Pony.ai’s WeChat account on 22 November 2022. Pony.ai's ten unmanned test vehicles will begin testing in a 60-square-kilometer core area of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (also known as E-town) that covers E-town urban hig...

In a press release announcement on 22 November 2022, 'Invest in Spain' announced that the Spanish government is preparing a Sustainable Mobility Law. The draft expresses a strong commitment to emerging technologies, ranging from autonomous vehicles to on-demand transportation and shared mobility. It will also improve the financing of urban public transportation. The new legislation also supplements the 2030 Sustainable, Safe, and Connected Mobility Strategy as well as the Recovery, Trans...

Hubject has joined the French government’s Advenir Program, which funds and promotes the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across France, to provide its eRoaming services, the company announced on 22 November 2022. Notably, Hubject is known as the facilitator of the largest international EV charging eRoaming network. According to the official note, the French government has made EV charging eRoaming services a priority in its national strategy to promote zero-emissi...

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated a funding of about USD74 million to advance technologies and processes for EV battery recycling and reuse, the DOE said in its official release on 16 November 2022. It said that the funding would be part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will be provided to 10 projects operating in the EV battery recycling and second-life applications. The department estimates that the surging demand for critical battery minerals, suc...

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced on 17 November 2022 that it is adopting a five-year, statewide, USD1 billion transportation electrification program to ensure California meets its ambitious climate and electric vehicle (EV) goals. Calling it a groundbreaking investment, CPUC said that the decision to make a focused investment provides a unified policy-driven funding structure for utility transportation electrification efforts through 2030, and prioritizes investment...

The European Commission has presented a proposal to implement Euro 7 emission norms for new cars and vans from 1 July 2025 and new heavy-duty vehicles such as lorries, trucks, and buses from 1 July 2027, according to a media note released by the Commission on 10 November 2022. Besides the tailpipe emissions, the Euro 7 proposal also includes emissions from brakes and tyres and therefore also covers electric vehicles too in its purview. The battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also still caus...

The first batch of expressways for autonomous driving in Shanghai was officially opened, specifically 21.5 km of the G1503 Beltway in Jiading District, 19.5 km of the G2 Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, and 303 surface roads with a total length of 459.6 km in Jiading district, according to a report published by Shanghai Pudong New District's WeChat on 8 November 2022. Shanghai will have completed over 800 km of intelligent expressways and intelligent urban roads, as well as more than 500 intellig...

Euro NCAP has released its new Vision 2030, a Safer Future for Mobility that outlines a path for safer vehicles and offers greater certainty for European consumers, according to a press release on 9 November 2022. In addition to presenting the role that Euro NCAP will play in the context of the future mobility environment, this roadmap establishes the emphasis on vehicle safety for the European industry over the following ten years. Euro NCAP also pledges under this roadmap to promote vehicle...

The newly introduced electric vehicle (EV) tax credits in the US could deter further investment by the Japanese companies, Japan's government warned in a response submitted to the US Treasury Department, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 5 November 2022. The report stated that the Japanese government has raised several concerns about the pre-conditions set to qualify for the tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. It is known that the US IRA 2022 is desi...

EV charging solution provider Charge+ announced on 2 November 2022 that the company has won the Singapore government’s large- scale tender for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to install, operate, and maintain about 4,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points. These EV charging points are expected to be installed in the carparks of the housing and development board (HDB) in the Central and West regions of Singapore. Commenting on the new tender, Goh Chee Kiong, CEO at Charge...

The Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional political agreement on adopting the stricter carbon dioxide (CO2) emission performance standards for new cars and vans, according to a media release issued by the the Council of the European Union on 27 October 2022. The press release mentioned that pending a formal adoption, the co-legislators agreed to a) 55% CO2 emission reduction target for new cars and 50% for new vans by 2030 compared to 2021 levels b) 100% CO...

UK-based battery technology company Britishvolt has managed to secure enough funds to stay afloat in the short to medium term, according to a news report published by the BBC on 1 November 2022. The news cited unnamed sources who are aware of the matter at Britishvolt. The news report also did not provide details of the new sources from where the company has secured emergency funds. Earlier on 31 October 2022, the Financial Times reported that Britishvolt was on the brink of bankruptcy aft...

XPENG has announced that it has successfully obtained the Guangzhou Intelligent Connected Vehicle Road Test Permit, making XPENG G9 the first unmodified commercial vehicle to qualify for autonomous driving tests on designated public roads in China, according to a press release on 1 November 2022. The Industry and Information Technology Bureau, the Public Security Bureau, and the Transport Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality granted XPENG the Permit on 31 October. Without any hardware reconfigura...

The Luxembourg government has selected 29 EV charging infrastructure projects for granting financial aid in order to accelerate the electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the region, the government communique released on 27 October 2022 said. “Following the first call for projects granting financial aid to companies investing in charging infrastructure projects for electric vehicles, 29 projects were selected,” Luxembourg government said in its official statement Thursday last week. It adde...

Japan has planned to allow semi-autonomous vehicles on public roads in a limited capacity starting April 2023, paving the door for services such as robo-taxis and driverless buses, according to a report published by Nikkei Asia on 28 October 2022. According to proposals disclosed last week, the National Police Agency aims to lift a restriction on Level 4 self-driving vehicles, which may function without a driver under certain situations. Japan's approach comes as local startups make effort...

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced the first set of projects that will be funded with a total of USD2.8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and the electrical grid, the US DoE said in a media note on 19 October 2022. It said that 20 companies have been shortlisted in the first round and that will receive the funding to build and expand commercial-scale facilities in 12 states to extract and pr...

Asahi Kasei Plastics Singapore Pte Ltd (APS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei has announced that it acquired International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate (ISCC) PLUS accreditation for its polyphenylene ether (PPE) as a sustainable product, it said in a press release on 18 October.   PPE is an engineering plastic that is modified by blending it with other resins such as polystyrene and polyamide (m-PPE). Xyron m-PPE from Asahi Kasei is widely used in automotive parts among...

China has released the first international standard for scenario-based testing of autonomous vehicles, according to a report published by CGTN on 14 October 2022. The new standard is titled "2022 Road vehicles – Test scenarios for automated driving systems – Vocabulary." According to Wang Zhao, director of the Standardization Institute of China Automotive Technology & Research Center, in an interview with CCTV said, “The standard clarifies fundamental terms and elements of automated...

Lumen Freedom, which is a leading manufacturer of wireless EV charging systems, demonstrated its wireless charging for electric taxis (WiCET) project in real-time in Nottingham, UK, the company said on 12 October 2022. The project went live using Lumen Freedom WEVC technology on 27 September 2022. The WiCET project is funded by the UK’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and delivered through Innovate UK, to assess the commercial and technical viability of deploying wireless charging ...

Brussels has ordered that all the car parks must install a number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2025 to better serve the EV customers in the city, according to a news report published by The Brussels Times on 7 October 2022. Quoting a recent study, the news report said that the people of Brussels are more likely to go electric than in any other part of the country, with 18% of motorists driving an electric car, which is 10% more than the national average. The move by the city au...

California's new zero-emission requirements, which bans the sale of gas-powered cars from 2035, will be hard to meet, Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda said, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 30 September 2022. Nikkei Asia credited Reuters as the original source of the story. "Realistically speaking, it seems rather difficult to really achieve them," the news report said, citing Toyoda, who recently spoke to the journalists during a roundtable interview. The report...

Electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions company Juice Technology has announced via press release on 6 October that it received ISO/SAE 21434 “Road vehicles – Cybersecurity engineering” certification. Christoph Erni, CEO and founder of Juice Technology AG, said, “For us, adoption of the standard is the consistent continuation of our 3-level concept for security in electromobility, which we presented at the Juice World Charging Day 2021. We are once again a step ahead of our competitor...

In an attempt to accelerate the roll out electric vehicle (EV) charging network across Europe, the members of European Parliament (MEPs) have agreed to set a target of installing EV charging stations on every 60 km and hydrogen refilling stations at every 100 km on prominent roads and highways across the continent, a press note issued by the European Parliament on 4 October 2022. “The Transport and Tourism Committee adopted a draft negotiating mandate on the deployment of alternative f...

Michigan-based EV battery technology startup Our Next Energy (ONE) plans to set up its first battery manufacturing plant in its home state with an investment of USD1.6 billion, according to a press note issued by the state government of Michigan on 5 October 2022. The planned facility, which will come up in Van Buren Township in Wayne County, will be one of the few units that will produce both LFP and anode-free cells in the US, it said. Commenting on the new development, Governor of the stat...

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) battery company Gotion High-Tech has selected the Big Rapids site to set up its battery component manufacturing plant in Michigan, US, the Michigan state government confirmed in a press note on 5 October 2022. Gotion will invest USD2.36 billion in setting up its battery plant in the US, it said. The development has come soon after the US had passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) in August 2022. The new mandate defined under the IRA 2022 aims to decoupl...

Electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment maker Tritium DCFC Limited announced on 28 September 2022 that the company will provide fast chargers for a new EV highway that will span more than 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) across the state of Western Australia. Tritium’s plan is part of a AUD43.5 million (about USD28.19 million) project that is funded by the Western Australian government. The project is focused on expanding access to EV infrastructure across the state. To launch the inves...