Carrie Hampel

The North American fast-charging joint venture Ionna, formed by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Toyota, has announced an investment of more than US$250 million in charging infrastructure in California over the next three years.

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in the UK are testing whether electrifying heavy-duty goods vehicles (HGVs) could require larger fleets. The research is using real DHL fleet data to model the London–East Midlands Airport corridor and assess whether heavier batteries and longer charging stops mean hauliers need more vehicles to move the same amount of freight.

Uganda has revealed an ambitious public transport electrification strategy of electrifying all public transport by 2030. The strategy of converting the country's public transport system of buses and boda-bodas, which are motorcycle taxis, supports its push to further its automotive manufacturing sector.

In the UK, public transport provider First Bus has launched a smart charging trial that will coordinate charging times so the company's electric buses charge when there is the most surplus renewable energy. Charging electric buses during periods of high renewable energy production helps the grid absorb more energy and alleviates periods of high demand.

MAN Truck & Bus has received an order for 112 fully electric Lion's City E city buses for Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. The public transport operator Vilniaus viešasis transportas (VVT) has signed two contracts for the delivery of 84 12-meter-long solo buses and 28 18-meter-long articulated buses. According to MAN, this is the largest electric bus procurement in Lithuanian history.

Toyota and Nikola fueling station spinoff Hyroad are joining forces to scale hydrogen-powered transportation with integrated fueling, vehicles, and logistics support in Southern California. Toyota Motor North America and Hyroad Energy will collaboratively deploy 40 new hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 trucks in the region.

While the production of electric cars is being pulled back in the US, there is nothing as certain as death and taxes, and making that final journey in silent luxury has retained consistent appeal. General Motors is providing a rear-wheel-drive Liriq platform for hearse applications. In Florida, Wolf Coach Builders is offering the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq in two hearse formats.

Blink Charging is teaming with Emobi to connect its portfolio of fleet and public charging infrastructure into Emobi's unified roaming and JustPlug ecosystem. The partnership is intended to provide seamless roaming and an automated charging experience to one of the largest electric car charging networks in North America.

Brisbane-based shipbuilder Aus Ships Group is building an electric ferry in collaboration with Swedish marine and industrial engine manufacturer Volvo Penta, which is due to be commissioned by the end of the year. Further down Australia's east coast, the New South Wales government has given, another Australian shipbuilder the green light to begin building a trial 24-metre battery electric ferry later this year.

UK electric vehicle charging provider Pod Point, a subsidiary of EDF, has announced the acquisition of EO Charging. The newly acquired company is a specialist provider of EV fleet charging and end-to-end depot charging software solutions, and entered administration a few weeks ago.