FUSO delivers eCanter electric trucks to Spain’s postal service

Daimler Truck brand FUSO, headquartered in Japan, has delivered 22 of its eCanter trucks to Spain-based logistics provider Planway Logística. The vehicles are operating in the fleet of Spain’s postal service provider, Correos.

The 8.55-tonne trucks are produced for the European market at the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck Europe plant in Tramagal, Portugal. They are designed for such applications as urban distribution and postal deliveries. Each features a 4,450 mm wheelbase, a 129 kW electric motor and an L-size battery pack that delivers a range of up to 200 km.

“The all-electric light-duty truck is ideal for inner-city distribution traffic,” said Florian Schulz, Head of Sales, Marketing and Customer Services at FUSO Europe. “The eCanter’s charging flexibility as well as its comparatively high payload and the load volume of 15 euro-pallets makes this transition quite easy.”

Source: Daimler Truck

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After the Northvolt fiasco, is the future of Europe’s EV battery industry bound up with China?

Northvolt, the battery startup founded in 2017 by two Tesla alums, was the Great European Hope that was supposed to free the Continent from dependence on Chinese EV battery production. And for a while, things were really rolling—the company raised billions and formed partnerships with several automakers. It managed to get a couple of facilities up and running, and had more in development.

Alas, all was not well up north—the company went belly-up in 2024, done in by bureaucratic roadblocks, production problems and slower-than-expected demand, plus a dose of good old-fashioned mismanagement. In the end, the failure was probably down to a simple inability to compete with more experienced and deep-pocketed Chinese players such as BYD and CATL.

Northvolt’s fall has caused some investors to sour on other battery projects. Reuters reports that at least eight companies postponed or abandoned European EV battery projects in 2024, and that Europe’s projected battery pipeline capacity for 2030 is a fraction of what it was at the beginning of the year.

Europe’s dream of developing its own EV batteries is far from dead, but it seems that “Wir schaffen das” has been replaced by “If you can’t beat ‘em…”

A dozen executives, investors and analysts told Reuters that the future of Europe’s battery industry may lie in joint ventures with Chinese companies.

Slovakian startup InoBat got a much-needed leg up last year when Chinese battery maker Gotion bought a 25% stake and signed onto a joint venture to build European gigafactories. More recently, InoBat raised 100 million euros ($104 million) in Series C funding, taking its total raised to 400 million euros.

Battery startups are “just not the flavour of the month,” said Lacie Midgely, a research analyst at UK investment bank Panmure Liberum. “Institutional investors are looking for strategic investors before they’ll get on board.”

In 2023, Hefei-based Gotion had around 150 gigawatt hours (GWh) of nominal battery capacity—far more than all of Europe’s current capacity.

The involvement of Chinese giants with proven track records reassures investors, Vikram Gourineni, Executive Director at Indian battery maker Amara Raja, a lead investor in InoBat’s Series C round, told Reuters. “It made a big difference that InoBat has a partner like Gotion on board.” Automakers are now demanding proven scale “because they don’t want to risk their EV programs.”

The formula certainly seems to be working for InoBat, which has a pilot production line making EV batteries in Voderady, near Bratislava. The company will be Gotion’s “European face” for larger gigafactories, said InoBat CEO Marian Bocek. “Investors look at us and see our big brother [Gotion] will ensure our cells get produced,” Bocek told Reuters.

Other China/Europe tie-ups include a recent agreement between Stellantis and CATL to form a JV for a for a large-scale LFP battery plant in Spain

Other projects are proceeding without the Chinese—for now. France’s Verkor, backed by customer Renault, is building a 16 GWh gigafactory in Dunkirk that is to be completed around 2028. CEO Benoit Lemaignan acknowledged that his company will have to prove it can deliver to Renault before it wins other automakers as customers. “They are happy to interact with us, but they want to see the product first.”

Britain’s Ilika says it will provide test battery cells in 2025 to 17 automakers and battery makers. Rather than building its own factory, Ilika plans to pursue licensing agreements to mass-produce its solid-state batteries.

Michael Rae, a clean-tech Fund Manager at M&G, told Reuters that Ilika could become an investment candidate, but it needs to prove itself to major automotive customers.

For startups hoping to survive the Valley of Death, capital is always the big issue, and Chinese battery firms have it. Will more European companies like Verkor and Ilika end up looking to the East?

Source: Reuters

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European logistics firm Contargo adds 20 Mercedes eActros electric semi-trucks to its fleet

European logistics firm Contargo has become one of the first customers to take delivery of the new Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi-truck. The company is adding 20 units to its trimodal delivery fleet. Contargo’s battery-electric fleet now numbers 60 trucks, and that number will soon increase to 90.

Contargo’s electric trucks were funded in part by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport as part of a plan to replace some 86 legacy diesel vehicles.

The eActros 600, which officially went into production at the Mercedes’s Wörth plant in Bavaria last month, is equipped with a 600 kWh battery pack, and boasts 300 miles of all-electric range. Daimler had delivered around 50 units as of the end of 2024.

Source: Electrek

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San Francisco’s curbside EV charging pilot program advances to a new phase

There’s a growing consensus that curbside charging is the solution to the challenge of drivers who have no option of installing chargers at their homes. San Francisco is evaluating curbside charging solutions from three EV charging providers, and Mayor London Breed recently announced the next phase of the program.

San Francisco’s Curbside EV Charging Pilot Program, a collaborative effort between various city departments, is gathering data from the charging providers to monitor usage, demand and other key metrics. This information will guide the development of a comprehensive citywide policy for curbside EV charging as the city installs a select number of chargers over the next couple of years.

In the next phase of the pilot program, the three prospective EV charging providers—Urban EV, itselectric and Voltpost—will refine their proposals, demonstrating feasibility and effectiveness prior to formally applying for the necessary permits and public hearings.

San Francisco-based Urban EV collaborates with multifamily and commercial property owners to develop “tailored EV infrastructure solutions that enhance amenity profiles while improving operational revenue.” Urban EV’s proposal focuses on integrating user-friendly charging stations with existing urban infrastructure. “As a local company, we are deeply committed to advancing sustainable transportation and addressing the unique challenges of urban electrification,” said founder Alex Grant.   

Brooklyn-born itselectric (see our recent feature article) partners with property owners to use untapped electricity supplies, enabling installation without extensive street work or direct utility connections, while offering property owners a passive income stream. The company’s custom-designed compact chargers work with detachable cables, minimizing street clutter. “Our community-requested charger approach allows us to meet drivers where they are, removing the biggest barrier to EV adoption—access to public charging,” says COO Tiya Gordon.

Voltpost, based in San Francisco and New York, retrofits existing lamp posts with a modular Level 2 charging platform. This approach requires no construction or trenching, and seamlessly integrates into cityscapes. Voltpost is developing prototypes of the lamppost charging platform at Humanmade in the Design District, and plans to commercialize the platform on Howard Street in SoMa. “Our lamppost retrofit technology demonstrates how urban spaces can be transformed to meet the demands of a cleaner transportation future,” said co-founder and COO Luke Mairo.

In this next phase, the pilot will begin the permitting process to advance proposals to deploy charging stations in Duboce Triangle and the Dogpatch. This is expected to expand to other neighborhoods in the coming weeks.

“From our historic cable cars to the autonomous vehicles on our streets, San Francisco’s spirit of innovation is visible all around us,” said Mayor London Breed. “Soon, curbside charging will be yet another example of how we are leading the way. By partnering with cutting-edge charging providers, we are not only providing a new service but also paving the way for scalable solutions that can serve communities across the city.” 

Source: City of San Francisco

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Molabo brings 48 V electric drives to off-highway and industrial EVs

German firm Molabo is introducing its new ISCAD (Intelligent Stator Cage Drive) motor technology to the off-highway, industrial and commercial vehicle markets.

According to Molabo, most electrified off-highway vehicles are built on high-voltage automotive platforms. Molabo’s ISCAD motors operate at just 48 V, and can deliver 25-200 kW peak power and up to 150 kW continuous power.

The company’s first off-highway application of this technology is the ONOX, an electric tractor for light farming or homesteading applications that’s equipped with a battery-swapping system. The tractor integrates four 50 kW Aries 50 motors—two main drives and two power take-offs (PTOs), which can power farming implements such as balers, disc harrows, mowers, diggers or grinders. The ONOX tractor is currently in its final approval and testing phases.

“There were several reasons why we chose to partner with Molabo,” said Daniel Hornung, project manager for ONOX. “The motor delivers approximately 40% more power than our previous generation at just 48 volts. The motor is also quite compact in design and has an integrated motor controller for simplicity.”

“After successful entries in the recreational and commercial marine segments, we’re thrilled to offer our low-voltage electric drive systems to the off-highway, industrial, agricultural and commercial segments,” said Adrian Patzak, COO of Molabo. “In the past, low-voltage drives were only available up to 30 kW. Thanks to our patented ISCAD technology, OEMs can now develop powerful emission-free vehicles and equipment that are easy to certify, service, and maintain.”

Source: Molabo

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Joby Aviation electric air taxi begins final phase of FAA certification program

Joby Aviation, a maker of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has announced that its new electric air taxi has entered Type Inspection Authorization, the final phase of Federal Aviation Administration certification, and has completed the first phase of the FAA testing program to receive TIA.

The first tests took place in the cockpit of the company’s electric air taxi. FAA pilots used FAA-conforming hardware in Marina, California, to conduct the tests, the company said.

TIA, the fifth phase of the FAA’s certification process, includes tests of conceptual design, requirements definition, compliance planning, implementation and post-certification.

The recently-completed tests measured pilot workload under various expected flight conditions and the physical ergonomics of the flight deck, as well as other human aspects of aircraft safety. Four FAA test pilots completed three days of TIA testing as part of the program.

Earlier this month, Joby completed static load testing on an FAA-conforming tail structure for the aircraft, marking the first time the eVTOL maker had tested a major aerostructure for FAA credit. The company is the first eVTOL manufacturer to have completed three of the five stages of the FAA-type certification program.

“As well as continuing the for-credit testing of components, aerostructures and systems that is already underway, we are targeting the start of TIA flight testing in 2025 with our first FAA-conforming aircraft, which is currently being built at our facility in Marina, California,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby Aviation.

Source: Joby Aviation

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Hitachi ZeroCarbon powers COBUS electric shuttle bus fleet with battery analytics

Hitachi ZeroCarbon, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Hitachi that provides technology for decarbonizing fleet vehicles, is supplying its battery management system to German airport shuttle bus manufacturer COBUS Industries.

Hitachi will equip 100 e.COBUS Extended Range (ER) buses worldwide with its ZeroCarbon BatteryManager by 2025. BatteryManager will analyze the health and performance of the company’s EV battery assets. COBUS and its customers will receive detailed data insights into each EV battery, minimizing the risk of degradation, optimizing route planning and enabling early intervention before a fault occurs. This includes proactive battery alerts that support preventative maintenance.

“When we discuss fleet electrification with managers and operators, many ask how EV batteries can cope with the demands of different operational environments. With COBUS, we are not only demonstrating how to effectively manage and retain the long-term value of EV battery assets, but how these assets can perform in different locations and climates,” said Ram Ramachander, CEO of Hitachi ZeroCarbon. “We will gather and provide insights on how these assets can withstand a variety of conditions, from climate to terrain, to show how they can reduce operational risk and deliver robust fleet management.”

Source: Hitachi ZeroCarbon

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