Scooter Doll

Following confirmation of a new brand catered to battery swaps, CATL subsidiary CAES officially unveiled its EVOGO swap solution. In addition to implementing swap stations across ten Chinese cities to begin, CAES and EVOGO have also introduced modular battery blocks inspired by chocolate bars, and a coinciding app.

EV technology company Proterra continues to expand its rolodex of commercial EV customers, as Nikola Corporation has recently joined the fold. As part of a new multi-year supply agreement, Proterra will provide its proprietary battery technology to power Nikola’s Tre BEVs and FCEVs.

Chinese eVTOL developer AutoFlight is showcasing its global expansion by officially entering Europe. The company has set up shop at Augsburg Airport in Germany, as it now seeks to to achieve certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its “Prosperity I” eVTOL taxi. The certification program will begin this year and is expected to be completed by 2025.

Infant eVTOL racing league, Airspeeder, has publicly announced its first three pilots ahead of its remotely operated EXA Series of Grand Prix taking place in 2022, followed by a crewed racing series in 2023. The first three eVTOL pilots come from different racing backgrounds and represent a new future of “flying car” racing.

Electric boat designer and manufacturer Magonis is celebrating its flagship Wave e-550 boat and most powerful electric motor hitting 22 knots at open sea off the coast of Italy. According to Magonis, the trials exemplify the Wave e-550’s quality of design and hull lines, opening the door for expanded possibilities of use for its electric boat customers.

China’s leading battery manufacturer CATL recently shared news it is entering the market of battery swap technology for EVs, with a new brand called EVOGO, set to launch Tuesday. CATL has been teasing the new battery swap brand on its social media, ahead of the upcoming launch event in China.

Volvo Trucks Corporation has announced the next generation of its all-electric, Class 8 VNR trucks for the North American market, including upgrades to battery size, range, and charging speeds. Furthermore, Volvo Trucks has introduced two additional configurations for its commercial fleets customers to choose from.

Kenworth Truck Co. recently shared news of tremendous growing interest in its lineup of all-electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, noting that orders have tripled the last 90 days as fleets look to take advantage of sweet incentives for zero-emission vehicles.

The US branch of Chinese automaker NIO continues to make interesting moves in North America, as the company signed a ten year lease on a building in San Jose, CA. The new 200,000+ sq. ft. US headquarters is more than double the size of NIO’s current footprint, signaling that a long speculated entry into the North America could be one stop closer to becoming reality.

French automaker Renault has joined the all-electric party in Europe, as its CEO recently shared news that the brand would become 100% electric by 2030. While the announcement is welcomed progress, its timing also correlates with current climate proposals in the UK and EU that will limit ICE by 2030, and require 100% EV sales by 2035. Conversely, another Renault exec has openly spoken out against the ICE ban.

EV startup Bollinger Motors just announced it is pausing development of its two flagship EVs – the B1 sport utility truck and B2 pickup, to focus instead on the commercial market. Bollinger has been working to deliver these two consumer EVs since 2015.

Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. recently stated it is still undecided on where to manufacture EVs in the United States, questioning the country’s demand despite soaring sales numbers from competitors miles ahead in their own electrified transitions.

American Zero-emission vehicle manufacturer Nikola Motors recently shared news that its Tre BEV semi truck has received eligibility from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to be classified as a Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) in the state, thus qualifying for an incentive of $120,000 per truck.

EV technology company Proterra has announced a large, multi-year agreement with commercial EV manufacturer Vicinity Motor to provide battery systems to hundreds of future commercial vehicles. As part of the supply agreement, a minimum of 600 Vicinity Motor EVs will be powered by Proterra battery systems through 2024, including transit buses and Class 3 to 5 commercial trucks.

American robotics company Nuro has just introduced the third version of its autonomous, zero-occupant last-mile delivery vehicle as it enters pre-production. Together with the help of BYD North American, Nuro hopes to manufacture the first zero occupant autonomous vehicle to be produced at scale this year. This third-generation EV comes with some cool features too. Do I smell pizza?

EV charging nonprofit Adopt A Charger has announced a collaboration with American automaker Rivian to provide free Waypoint chargers to the public in Yosemite National Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).

Site plans uncovered by a member of Rivian Forums reveal that the American automaker’s second manufacturing facility in Georgia is going to be huge. In fact, the current plans account for nearly 20 million square feet across nearly 2,000 acres – over five times the size of Rivian’s plant in Normal, Illinois.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Unless it pertains to EV fires, as that’s more smoke and mirrors. There is an ongoing flow of misinformation publicized by the less informed (or downright malicious) purporting that electric vehicles and their battery chemistry are more prone to fires than their gasoline counterparts. Aside from the obvious argument that gasoline vehicles operate via combustion, a new study shows how much more prevalent gas vehicle fires are compared to EVs.

Efforts by automakers and legislators overseas appear to be paying off, as a new study found that consumers’ transition to all-electric vehicles in the EU and UK is “inevitable.” Due to commitments from automakers, tighter regulations on CO2 emissions, and a decline in overall costs of EVs, sales across Europe are expected to surpass those of ICE vehicles in the next three years.

Volvo Cars has announced it will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 3rd generation digital cockpit technology to help power its infotainment system. Together with Google’s Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS), this upgrade will mean a faster infotainment system offering an ecosystem of features for future drivers of the Polestar 3, Volvo’s forthcoming electric SUV, and other upcoming EVs.

Following the recent opening of a unique Audi charging hub in Germany, Volkswagen Group chairman of the board of management Herbert Deiss shared his visit. Audi’s “world first” charging hub concept represents a future in charging station design focused around comfort and function, rather than convenience and sweaty hot dogs like many current gas stations.

Rail freight manufacturer Wabtec Corporation has announced its latest customer is Rio Tinto, one of the largest metal and mining companies on the planet. Rio Tinto’s order for four of Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives will support its effort to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

As we eagerly slam the book shut on 2021 and look toward a promising year of further EV adoption in 2022, it’s important to look back and assess how far the global market has come during this most recent trip around the Sun. From there, we can compare 2021’s numbers to the year prior and gain an idea of the trajectories many of the major EV automakers may travel on into 2022. We will begin with EV deliveries in China, a rich mecca of EV production and innovation with many companies now expanding to other markets around the globe.

Geely-owned EV sub-brand ZEEKR continues its ambitious entry into electrified markets by sharing ambitious delivery goals for China this year. Furthermore, ZEEKR now plans to enter the EU market next year, joining previously announced plans to enter North America as well.