Europe

The European Parliament adopted a set of rules today to improve the EV charging experience, focusing on easier payments, charging speed, and availability. In a separate move, the UK government is also currently proposing new rules for easier payments and charging station reliability.

Both sets of rules stand to improve the EV charging experience for Europeans and possibly the rest of the world.

SAIC Motor, a Chinese state-owned automaker, is doubling down on its EV strategy in Europe following encouraging sales so far this year. The massive automaker recently shared plans to erect a new EV production facility overseas, to help deliver models to its growing audience in the market.

Nearly six months to the day after revealing ambitious plans to enter new markets in Europe this year, ZEEKR has launched pre-orders for two of its three current EV models. The Chinese EV automaker will launch in two EU countries to begin as it shares a timeline to expand to even more of Western Europe.

CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, looks to continue its dominance in its given market by expanding its existing battery recycling program to new continents outside of China. The company is in talks with a specific partner to erect multiple battery recycling facilities across Europe and may soon be doing the same in North America.

A couple months after confirming certification in Europe, Chinese automaker HiPhi has begun sales of its first two models overseas – the HiPhi X SUV and HiPhi Z GT. The automaker shared pricing of these first two models, which will soon be joined by a radical-looking third EV you can see below.

ADS-TEC Energy and JOLT Energy are rolling out battery-buffered, ultra-fast EV chargers in city centers in the US and Europe over the next 18 months.

Two years after announcing an initial partnership to implement EV battery swap stations together, NIO and Shell have opened their first station in Europe. The new location joins several swap stations already implemented in China, as both parties look to expand their footprint together on two separate continents.

Fisker Inc. has just confirmed regulatory certification in Europe that will allow sales and deliveries of the first Ocean SUVs to reservation holders. Fisker has taken a unique dual homologation process for both Europe and the US simultaneously, and while deliveries overseas appear just over a week away, reservation holders in the US might have a wait quite a bit longer.

Booming luxury EV brand ZEEKR is celebrating production milestones while simultaneously setting its sights on its next phase of expansion into Europe. The Geely-backed automaker recently rolled its 100,000th EV off its assembly line in China, a mere 18 months after flagship production began. For ZEEKR, however, it’s all part of a much larger set of goals and its pace is only getting faster.

The BYD Dolphin hatchback has the potential to become the Chinese automaker’s most popular EV model in Europe as it will now enter major markets overseas this year. At a starting price of around 30,000 euros ($33K), the Dolphin will also arrive at BYD’s most affordable electric option.

VW brand chief Thomas Schäfer said that recent discussion over an e-fuel exception to EU’s 2035 gas car ban is “unnecessary noise” and that “by 2035 [combustion engines] are over anyway,” in a recent interview with Automotive News Europe.

Following talks that carried late into Friday evening, representatives from both the EU and member state Germany have relayed that an agreement has been reached in the proposed 2035 ban of new combustion vehicle sales that will now include exceptions for e-fuels. After 2035, some combustion vehicles can still be sold, as long as they run entirely on carbon-neutral fuel alternatives.

According to a draft proposal recently seen by the media, the European Commission has reportedly added an amendment to its 2035 combustion vehicle ban that allows for the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles after the expiry, as long as they run entirely on climate-neutral e-fuels. This move is the latest chapter in a saga to ban ICE vehicles in the EU that has recently been stifled by countries insisting on the additional e-fuel exceptions, led by automotive juggernaut, Germany.

Following a meeting amongst transport ministers from several EU countries on Monday, Germany has now formed an alliance with Italy and additional territories in Eastern Europe in opposing the commission’s proposed ban on combustion cars by 2035 until exemptions are added for vehicles propelled entirely by carbon-neutral e-fuels. The saga continues.

Just over a month after announcing customer orders for over 300 of its flagship Zero electric trucks, commercial EV startup Volta Trucks announced it has secured the necessary certification to produce and sell its vehicles in Europe. This is welcomed news as the company is still aiming for a start of series production of the trucks next quarter.

The saga of getting the EU’s proposed ban on sales of new combustion cars by 2035 continues, and more details are in limbo than ever. Following Germany’s abrupt opposition to the ban ahead of its final vote (a mere formality) last week, the EU Commission has declared plans to include a role for e-fuels in the future with hopes it will be enough to regain Germany’s blessing. Here’s the latest.

Volkswagen Group is reportedly pausing previously laid out plans for battery plants across Europe as it awaits the EU’s response to the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, which could offer the Group up to $10.5 billion in incentives. For now, Volkswagen will continue it progress in choosing a location of a US battery plant while it awaits what sort of conditions and/or incentives will come into play in what is being called the “EU Green Deal.”

Volkswagen Group has announced a revised target for its EV sales goal for Europe by 2030. The revised target builds upon the Group’s 2021 Accelerate electrification strategy and pertains specifically to its Volkswagen passenger car marque to help expedite the pace of EV adoption.

Chinese EV automaker NIO has begun operations of its first EV battery swap station in the country of Denmark. The centrally located station will offer battery swap access to new NIO drivers in several European countries and brings NIO’s station total to twelve throughout the continent.

Germany has unexpectedly objected to the EU’s planned vote to officially ban combustion vehicles by 2035, questioning its support for the law and how it will affect the industry, particularly by not properly explaining how the use of e-fuels will be regulated.

The pace of clean technology rollout is set to put the EU at 45% renewable energy by 2030, according to new analysis from energy think tank Ember.