Scooter Doll

Swedish EV automaker Polestar has shared an official EPA range of 270 miles for its long-range, single motor Polestar 2 sedan, the company’s longest range to date. This is a huge jump compared to previous versions of the Polestar 2, and is joined by OTA updates for the dual motor version as well.

EV startup REE Automotive announced a strategic agreement with Hitachi America Ltd. to help accelerate commercial fleet EV adoption. Together, the companies plan to co-create a scalable platform that can offer both Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) and Analytics-as-a-Service (AaaS) to support a new generation of connected commercial EVs.

During a congressional sprint to pass legislation before holiday recess, the US Senate is reportedly planning to put a pin in President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Build Back Better bill to focus on other acts it hopes to pass before 2021’s end. Unfortunately, any delays to the Build Back Better bill means a delay in the proposed revisions to federal tax credits for EV automakers and moreover, US consumers.

EV manufacturer Proterra has announced a new battery factory coming to Greer, South Carolina, to keep up with demand for its EV battery systems. The new factory comes with a commitment from Proterra to invest at least $76 million and create over 200 new jobs.

To meet increasing market demand, lithium-ion battery resource recovery specialists Li-Cycle has announced plans to increase the processing capacity of an upcoming New York facility by 40%. In addition to expanding its US battery recycling footprint, Li-Cycle has also entered into a letter of intent with LG to create a closed-loop battery ecosystem.

Chinese EV automaker NIO announced it will reveal a new model later this week during its NIO Day 2021 event in Shanghai. The annual event is normally when NIO introduces new models, and a teaser image from the company may confirm rumors that the public will get its first glimpse of the ET5 later this week.

Mobility software developer Apex.AI has announced a hefty sum of Series B funding to the tune of $56.5 million, bringing its total funding to $74 million raised to date. The Series B round was led by international investment firm Orillion, among several new ventures added to Apex.AI’s investor list.

Following a successful pilot program in Africa, Uber and EV developer Opibus have entered into a strategic partnership to promote EV adoption across the continent. As part of the agreement, Opibus will provide 3,000 of its unique electric motorcycles to support Uber’s growing demand for emissions-free drivers across the continent.

Manufacturing juggernaut Magna International has shared details of its EtelligentReach EV powertrain, set to debut on a new entrant vehicle in 2022. The new powertrain technology joins a growing list of electrification components Magna is developing and implementing into OEM vehicles to help further accelerate EV adoption.

Hyundai has shared pricing for its much anticipated Ioniq 5 EV ahead of its launch in North America in 2022. Additionally, Hyundai has announced a Standard Range RWD trim for the Ioniq 5, which includes a 58 kWh battery pack and 220 miles of range for under $40,000.

As Rivian’s flagship EV continues to be delivered to its first customers around the US, Electrek got another opportunity to experience the R1T close up and tinker with all of its unique features. Additionally, I got a chance to test drive the Rivian R1T for the first time on both an airport tarmac and some rocky SoCal terrain.

The Biden administration announced an executive order today focused on reestablishing the US federal government as a leader in sustainability. The sections within the executive order tackle major global issues like climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and net-zero carbon electricity production. Furthermore, the President has set a 2027 deadline to make all light-duty government fleets zero emissions.

The Volkswagen Group has announced three separate, yet simultaneous partnerships with companies specializing in battery development. These agreements include materials technology group Umicore, battery specialists 24M Technologies, and lithium producer Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. Volkswagen looks to utilize these new partnerships to further the development of its own in-house EV battery cells.

EV automaker Arrival has announced plans to build a $11.5 million High Voltage Battery Module (HVBM) assembly plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. The new battery facility will add 150 jobs and join two Arrival facilities already established in the US city.

Regulators from the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) have requested documents from Lucid Group Inc. relating to the investigation of its SPAC merger with Churchill Capital Corp. IV (CCIV) earlier this year.

During a recent media event in Brussels, Toyota Europe outlined a plan for a 100% CO2 reduction in all-new vehicle sales in the market by 2035. This “goal” will be preceded by a sales mix of at least 50% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in Western Europe by 2030. On a broader scale, Toyota Motor Corporation continues to dig in its heels as one of the few major automakers that has yet to set an expiry for gasoline vehicle production.

According to a statement from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), Tesla Shanghai filed a recall plan for 21,599 Model Y EVs manufactured in the country. The automaker cited issues pertaining to the strength of front and rear steering knuckles, stating they may not meet the automaker’s design requirements.

During a live event at the Classic Car Club in Manhattan, Polestar has shared its three-year business plan that includes the launch of three new EVs, including two SUVs and the Polestar 5 sports sedan. Furthermore, the Swedish automaker shared its 2021 revenue, alongside promising sales projections for 2025.

At its Futures event in Yokohama Japan, Nissan unveiled an electric lunar rover co-developed alongside the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The prototype features AWD technology that will soon be featured on certain trims of 2023 Nissan Ariya.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) developer Volocopter announced a joint venture with the sustainable development of NEOM in Saudi Arabia to design, implement, and operate the world’s first bespoke public eVTOL mobility system. The initial order is for 15 Volocopter aircraft that will begin initial operation in the next two to three years.

General Motors announced a joint venture alongside POSCO Chemical to erect a new factory in North America to process Cathode Active Material (CAM). CAM will be vital to GM’s production of its proprietary Ultium EV batteries, as the legacy automaker looks to establish a larger presence in US EV production.

Classic EV developer Zero Labs Automotive has shared new details of its third-generation EV platform, on which its vehicle conversions will now sit. With close to 2,000 proprietary upgrades compared to its previous platform, Zero Labs has begun to deliver new EV versions of classic ICE vehicles to customers, and has shared further details about its future plans.

Factorial Energy, a US-based solid-state battery developer, has announced not one, but two new investments from automakers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Each looks to jointly develop EV solid-state batteries with Factorial, joining previous investors Hyundai and Kia.

According to a recent research study by Morgan Stanley, Ford Motor Company is on pace to outsell General Motors (GM) in the EV market for 2021. The research compares Ford’s EV sales through the first 10 months of this year against GM’s, while noting the latter’s halt to Bolt production.