European Union approves sales ban on new petrol and diesel cars

It takes effect in 2035.

The European Union has approved a proposal to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 as part of a package of measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. The proposal, known as “Fit for 55,” is a comprehensive plan to cut the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The ban on petrol and diesel car sales is a significant step towards reducing emissions from the transport sector, which is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Frans Timmermans, the EU’s climate chief, emphasized the importance of this move, stating, “We are going to need a massive transformation of our transport sector. It’s a huge challenge, but it’s also a huge opportunity. If we do this right, we can create jobs and we can make our economies more sustainable and more competitive.”

The “Fit for 55” package also includes other measures such as tightening emissions standards for new cars, increasing the use of renewable energy, and introducing a carbon border tax on imports of certain goods from outside the EU.

Continue reading… “European Union approves sales ban on new petrol and diesel cars”

Wireless Charging for Autonomous Electric Buses — World 1st

How many buzzwords can you fit into one story or title? Wireless charging for autonomous electric buses is about as good as it gets. (Perhaps we could squeeze “AI” in there somewhere.) Well, it certainly caught my attention. The news comes from WiTricity, which calls itself “the leader in wireless EV charging.” Unsurprisingly, the setting for this news is China. WiTricity partnered with YuTong Bus, the largest bus producer in China (and presumably the world), to charge up YuTong’s autonomous electric buses.

The article discusses a world-first demonstration of wireless charging technology for autonomous electric buses in Oslo, Norway. The project is a collaboration between public transport company Ruter, electric vehicle infrastructure company Momentum Dynamics, and bus manufacturer Volvo.

Arild Hermstad, Vice Mayor for Environment and Transport for the City of Oslo, emphasizes the importance of electric and autonomous buses in achieving cleaner, quieter, and more efficient public transportation. “Wireless charging technology will make it even easier to operate these buses, and we are excited to be a part of this groundbreaking project,” Hermstad notes.

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Ford CEO: Future EVs will be “radically simplified,” use smaller batteries

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently shared his perspective on the future of electric vehicles in an interview with CNBC. According to Farley, the future of EVs will be characterized by “radically simplified” technology and smaller battery sizes.

In the interview, Farley discussed how Ford’s new electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E, was designed with a focus on simplicity. He stated, “It’s not about a lot of software features that people can’t use. It’s about the ones they can use.” Farley believes that EV technology will become more simplified as automakers focus on creating vehicles that are easy to use and understand for customers.

Regarding battery size, Farley stated that smaller battery sizes will become the norm in the future of EVs. He stated, “We don’t need the range that’s in the market today, we just need to right-size it for the use case. And that’s what we’re doing.” Farley believes that automakers should focus on creating EVs with the appropriate battery size for their intended use, rather than trying to create vehicles with the longest range possible.

Continue reading…Ford CEO: Future EVs will be “radically simplified,” use smaller batteries

Auto Expo 2023: Liger Mobility Unveils World’s First Self-Balancing Scooters

The company says that the Liger X and Liger X+ are fitted with its patented self-balancing system and will be launched in India by end-2023. 

Engineering and Tech start-up Liger Mobility has unveiled the world’s first self-balancing electric scooters – the Liger X and Liger X+. While self-balancing technology isn’t new to the two-wheeler space developments in the technology have been focused on the motorcycle space with brands having previously showcased prototypes of the same.

Liger says that its self-balancing system (AutoBalancing technology) allows riders to ride the scooter and low speeds and even come to a full stop without requiring to place their leg on the ground. Additionally, the system works in conjunction with a reverse gear allowing users to reverse the scooter without needing to use their feet for balance. The scooters will additionally be offered with a learner mode restraining the top speed.

Speaking on the occasion Ashutosh Upadhyay, Co-founder of Liger Mobility said, “Liger Mobility’s team of passionate engineers have worked hard over the last several years to make our AutoBalancing technology for two-wheelers, technically and financially viable. All aspects of Liger X and Liger X+’s AutoBalancing technology, including the hardware and software, have been developed in-house, further underlining India’s ambition, determination and quality of engineering talent.”

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Rollo introduces electric delivery fleet in Las Vegas, Nevada

A Rollo delivery van.

The launch marks the first test market for the company, which plans to expand the service to other metropolitan areas.

US-based shipping service provider Rollo has launched an electric vehicle (EV) delivery fleet in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The company will offer free collection for legacy carriers, tracking via global positioning systems (GPS) and same-day deliveries for packages within the city.

The launch marks the first test market for Rollo, which plans to expand it into other metropolitan areas.

Rollo will use an entirely electric delivery fleet as part of its efforts to make its last-mile deliveries more efficient.

The service will be available for all customers using the Rollo mobile app. It does not require a Rollo printer or shipping materials.

Rollo founder and CEO Kevin Faro said: “We are bringing legacy shipping into the 21st century, which of course includes using electric vehicles to prove that shipping can and should be painless for everyone, including the environment.

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Denver gave out huge rebates on electric bikes. Now it’s making the bike lanes they need


By Micah Toll

Denver grabbed headlines earlier this year when it launched an ambitious program to help city residents replace cars with e-bikes. Now the city is struggling to ensure it can provide sufficient cycling infrastructure to support the influx of electric bikes.

The program initially offered generous rebates from $400 to $900 off the price of a new e-bike depending on the style of bike, with cargo e-bikes receiving higher incentives. 

Low-income city residents were offered even higher incentives of $1,200 toward the price of an electric bike.

Unlike mail-in rebates or e-bike tax credits, Denver’s program used point-of-sale rebates that were applied instantly, making it easier for new riders to afford what can often be expensive electric bikes.

The goal of the program was to help get more of these car-replacing electric bikes out onto Denver’s streets to cut down on traffic and reduce emission-spewing vehicle use.

Nearly 5,000 electric bikes have been purchased as part of the program, with around half of those e-bikes going to low-income riders.

It’s been widely praised as a successful model for increasing the adoption rate of low-impact alternative vehicles. But it’s also shined a light on another issue surrounding personal EVs like e-bikes and e-scooters: that they require investment in infrastructure to make riders feel safe using them.

Continue reading… “Denver gave out huge rebates on electric bikes. Now it’s making the bike lanes they need”

Creating an identity for the world’s first fully electric high-speed ferry

A positive user experience is the basis for good design. When it comes to this electric high-speed ferry, the aim is that passengers shall feel that they are traveling in a transport system of the future, and enjoy it.

By Håvard Egge

Scientists have now found out how to optimize the functional and aesthetic character of the world’s first fully electric high-speed ferry. The aim is to persuade passengers to opt for fossil-free transport.

The world’s first fully electric high-speed ferry has arrived. It was launched only recently in Stavanger in south-western Norway, where it will be transporting the inhabitants to and from the islands that lie north of the city. The ferry can carry 147 passengers and 20 bicycles and has a cruising speed of 23 knots.

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Flywheel energy will help charge rental EVs in New York

Chakratec flywheel-based Kinetic Energy Storage systems for EV charging, grid-balancing

By STEPHEN EDELSTEIN

Zooz Power will use its flywheel technology to charge electric rental cars at New York City’s LaGuardia airport, the Israel-based company formerly known as Chakratec announced earlier this month.

Zooz recently announced a memorandum of understanding with an unnamed car rental company to pilot flywheel energy charging at LaGuardia beginning in the second quarter of 2023.

The partner rental company “is operating thousands of car rental sites in over 100 countries,” Zooz said in a press release, adding that more sites will be considered if the 12-month New York pilot program is successful.

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Flywheel energy will help charge rental EVs in New York”

Hyundai Set To Open Hotel Powered Exclusively By EVs

Reservations for Hotel Hyundai are now open. 

By Ben O’Hare

Hyundai has announced plans to open a luxury pop-up hotel powered solely by its electric vehicles. The hotel will consist of a cabin, a restaurant, and a cinema and will be located in Essex, England. 

The pop-up hotel aims to demonstrate the Ioniq 5’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities and will be open for three weeks next year. The cabin suite features an EV charger, a shower, and a kettle – all of which will be powered by an Ioniq 5. Furthermore, the restaurant will only serve locally sourced food meanwhile the coffee lounge will provide espressos that are brewed using energy from an Ioniq 5. 

The hotel’s cinema area will consist of a projector, speakers, and popcorn machine all powered by (you guessed it) an Ioniq 5.

It appears the hotel will consist of only one cabin and therefore will only cater for one party at a time. Those interested in staying in the hotel can enter a competition to win a free trip.

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Airspeeder completes ‘world’s first electric flying car race’ during inaugural EXA eVTOL event

By Scooter Doll

Nascent eVTOL racing league Airspeeder has successfully completed what it is calling the “world’s first electric flying car race” during its inaugural EXA Series event. Two EXA team pilots went head to head in South Australia using remotely operated eVTOLs, kicking off a development league that will eventually feed into global Grand Prix series. Check out the video recap of this historical event kicking off electric flight racing.

Airspeeder is an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) racing league headquartered in London that was first announced in November 2021. The league exists as an entity of Alauda Aeronautics – an electric aviation company based in Adelaide, Australia, where the league’s technical HQ is located, alongside its testing grounds. Alauda designs, engineers, and builds the league’s eVTOL racing aircraft called “Speeders.”

Airspeeder successfully completed its first remote-piloted eVTOL drag race in 2021 as one of its first big steps toward building a competitive league that will consist of multiple teams competing around the globe. These remote-piloted races will comprise Airspeeder’s flagship EXA Series to begin, and will eventually evolve into a series of Grand Prix taking place in the air above different countries.

The pilots themselves have forgone over 270 test flights and hours of simulator races in preparation for this initial flying car race, kicking off the league’s inaugural EXA circuit race. Following the arial event across a 1 km digital sky-track, Airspeeder has crowned the winner of the “world’s first electric flying car race” – Zephatali Walsh.

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Uber Is Expanding EV Rides, Commits to an EV-Only Fleet by 2030

Uber’s Comfort Electric option is expanding to 25 cities throughout North America. The option allows users of the app to request electric vehicles specifically. 

BY JACK FITZGERALD

  • Uber’s Comfort Electric service, which lets customers request EVs, is expanding from operating solely in California to 25 cities throughout North America. 
  • Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi reaffirmed in an interview with CBS News that he wants all Uber fleet vehicles to be electric by 2030.
  • Drivers with gasoline-powered vehicles at that time will be forced to either switch to an electric vehicle or stop driving for the company. 

Uber has expanded its Comfort Electric service from operating solely in California to 24 cities throughout the United States and in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The Comfort Electric service within the app allows users to specifically request electric vehicles over traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

The Comfort Electric service separates itself from Uber Green (another electrification effort) by requiring vehicles to be fully electric. Uber Green is less stringent, allowing both EVs and hybrids to qualify for the service. Uber specifically singles out Tesla, Polestar, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E as the “premium” electric vehicles available with Comfort Electric. 

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Air Canada-Backed Startup Launches New Electric Airplanes! Here’s the New Heart Aerospace ES-30

Air Canada is ordering 30 units of the new zero-emission aircraft.

By Griffin Davis

The Air Canada-backed startup, Heart Aerospace, launched a new electric airplane. The giant airline company announced that it had already ordered 30 units of the new zero-emission aircraft. 

Now, it seems like they are getting the attention of major airlines across the globe. This can be seen in the latest investment made by Air Canada in Heart Aerospace.

Air Canada-Backed Startup Launches New Electric Airplanes!

According to Electrek’s latest report, Heart Aerospace unveiled the new ES-30, the successor of the recent ES-19 model.

Continue reading… “Air Canada-Backed Startup Launches New Electric Airplanes! Here’s the New Heart Aerospace ES-30”
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