Mitsubishi’s new Eclipse Sportback EV to go on sale in North America this year

Mitsubishi Motors North America has released the first images of the 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback, a new battery-electric subcompact SUV.

Working with partner Nissan, Mitsubishi will introduce the Eclipse Sportback EV to the North American market as a 2027 model in the second half of 2026. The Eclipse Sportback EV is based on the next-generation Nissan LEAF, but it will feature cosmetic design changes that “differentiate the two vehicles and make the model distinctively Mitsubishi.” No more details are on offer at the moment.

Mitsubishi’s electrification efforts began in the 1970s with some experimental electric vehicles in Japan. The i-MiEV, one of the world’s first mass-produced EVs, went on sale in 2009 and arrived in the US and Canada in 2011. Partners Citroen and Peugeot released rebadged versions (the Peugeot iOn and the Citroen C-ZERO), which can still be seen on European streets. A racing version, the i-MiEV Evolution, made a respectable showing at the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The Outlander PHEV, a far more advanced vehicle, arrived in North America in 2018.

Source: Mitsubishi Motors

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Forsee Power and Wabtec to integrate lithium titanate batteries for electric locomotives

Forsee Power and Wabtec have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to integrate Forsee Power’s PULSE PLUS RAIL battery system into Wabtec’s battery-electric locomotive platforms.

Wabtec, a global provider of both freight rail and mining truck powertrains, launched a battery-electric freight locomotive in 2021.

The PULSE PLUS RAIL system is built on Toshiba’s lithium titanate (LTO) cells. It operates at up to 1,500 VDC, and boasts an expected lifespan of up to 20 years. Liquid thermal management is designed to extend battery life under extreme temperatures and demanding duty cycles. The architecture incorporates LOTO electrical isolation for maintenance safety, and provides accessible routing to electronic and electromechanical components.

LTO chemistry is well-suited to heavy rail applications in which replacement downtime is expensive, Forsee Power explains. Lithium titanate anodes support exceptionally high cycle counts, fast charging rates and stable performance at temperature extremes—all relevant for locomotive duty cycles that may involve regenerative braking recovery and overnight fast charging.

The electrical architecture is designed to be suitable for both freight and passenger applications.

Forsee Power manufactures in Ohio, so the PULSE PLUS RAIL system is Buy America-compliant—a practical requirement for US freight and transit rail procurement.

Source: Forsee Power

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H55 delivers certified propulsion battery modules for Pratt & Whitney flight demo

H55 has delivered its Adagio propulsion battery modules to Pratt & Whitney Canada in support of the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator, marking the Swiss company’s first delivery of production-conforming systems to an active aerospace integration and flight-test program.

The modules were produced in a regulator-approved facility as production-conforming systems, not engineering prototypes, which is the threshold aerospace OEMs require before integrating supplier hardware into a certified flight program. H55 claims to be the first company to complete regulator-required propulsion battery certification testing, a milestone that preceded this delivery and forms the basis for its commercial positioning.

H55’s battery architecture was developed specifically for the certification constraints of electric and hybrid-electric propulsion—redundant safety architectures, independent cell characterization, incoming screening, and worst-case failure scenario testing aligned to regulator requirements. The company says it has accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours across multiple aircraft programs with zero battery-related incidents, a safety record it describes as a core competitive asset for OEM qualification discussions.

“H55’s ability to deliver aviation-grade battery systems within a rigorous certification and production framework plays a crucial role in demonstrating hybrid-electric technology in flight,” said Jean Thomassin, Executive Director, New Product and Service Introduction at Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Source: H55

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Kautex to supply its Pentatonic battery enclosure for a new hybrid vehicle platform

Kautex Textron has secured an agreement to supply its Pentatonic battery enclosure system to an unnamed automotive OEM for a multi-vehicle hybrid platform. North American production is scheduled to begin in 2028.

The agreement includes the full battery enclosure system—top cover, bottom tray and thermal management—which is manufactured using what Kautex describes as a highly automated production concept.

The Pentatonic line is Kautex’s thermoplastic composite and composite-metal hybrid battery enclosure portfolio, developed for scalable production across multiple vehicle programs on a shared platform.

“Through advanced automation and production, we are driving efficiency, quality and innovation to support our customers’ electrification strategies,” said Joerg Rautenstrauch, President and CEO of Kautex.

Source: Kautex

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Optimus Energy Solutions acquires South Carolina EV charging network

Optimus Energy Solutions has acquired an EV charging network in South Carolina. Originally developed through a Duke Energy pilot program, the network includes 52 DC fast chargers at 26 locations throughout the state, many of them located along major travel corridors.

As Duke Energy’s pilot program reached its planned conclusion, Optimus Energy Solutions assumed ownership and operation of the infrastructure, and the stations were migrated to the ChargePoint network.

This transition illustrates an interesting dynamic that’s playing out in various regions as the public EV charging industry matures. In the early days, some private charging operators objected that public utilities shouldn’t be allowed to operate charging networks, arguing that their monopoly status gave them an unfair advantage. In the event however, utilities’ rollout of charging networks doesn’t seem to have discouraged automakers (IONNA), retailers (Walmart) and independent operators from getting into the game. In some cases, utilities have used ratepayer money to build large networks, then handed them off to private companies.

Headquartered in Central Florida, Optimus Energy Solutions has spent a decade building and supporting EV charging and renewable energy projects across Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama and the Carolinas.

“We are dedicated to expanding and maintaining the US’s critical energy infrastructure,” said Ben Pauluhn, President of Optimus Energy Solutions. “This acquisition demonstrates our commitment to and long-term investment in EV charging access. These stations provide charging access across South Carolina, particularly in rural areas where reliable infrastructure is essential for EV drivers.”

Source: Optimus Energy Solutions

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Chase credit card adds EV charging to its list of 5% cash-back categories

In time for the summer travel season, financial giant Chase has announced that its Freedom and Freedom Flex cardmembers can earn 5% cash back on gas, EV charging, public transit and selected live entertainment purchases.

Hurrah! Yet another perk of driving electric. But before we start planning a transcontinental road trip, let’s look at the fine print. Chase Freedom cardholders already earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and the special 5% goodie only applies from July 1 through Sept. 30 of this year.

Furthermore, as our ICE-driving friends are probably tired of hearing, charging up an EV isn’t that expensive anyway. A round trip between Tampa and New York might cost me around $400 in public charging fees (tops), in which case Chase’s generous summertime special would save me a whopping $14.

No, the significance of Chase’s announcement is the fact that the company saw fit to include EV drivers in its marketing scheme. A few years ago, when EV drivers were thin on the ground, most marketers wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of courting us. As public charging sites proliferate along the highways, EV drivers are becoming more visible, and businesses that cater to travelers are taking notice.

Also, as every marketing maven knows, it isn’t the amount of savings, but rather the warm glow of getting a special deal that really matters.

“When cardmembers earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases, like filling up the tank, hopping on the subway or catching a live concert, it can feel really meaningful,” said Wittney Rachlin, General Manager of Chase Freedom. “That’s the idea behind our Q3 categories: we want to reward routine spending cardmembers are already doing this summer so they can put more toward the moments that make the season special.”

Source: Chase

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GM’s bidirectional EV charging system enables vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid features

Bidirectional EV charging, which supports vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functions, is gradually moving from the pilot stage to commercial availability. EVs from automakers including Ford and Kia now offer bidirectional features.

GM’s Chevrolet Equinox EV, GMC Sierra EV and Cadillac Lyriq now offer bidirectional capability, and the automaker recently released a primer on how it works.

As GM explains, its vehicle-to-home (V2H) feature can turn a compatible GM EV into a source of backup power. In case of an electrical outage, the vehicle can send electricity to a properly equipped house to operate appliances and other electrical loads.

Enabling these nifty features isn’t as simple as plugging an EV into a wall socket.

Using V2H requires a compatible GM EV and the GM Energy V2H system, which includes the GM Energy PowerShift Charger and GM Energy V2H Enablement Kit, as well as a suitable grid interconnection. The system needs to be installed by a licensed electrician.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology connects an EV to the local electrical grid through participating utility programs, where available, allowing the vehicle to send energy back to the grid.

V2G can help EV owners reduce electricity costs by charging an EV’s battery from the grid during off-peak times (late at night), then releasing energy to the home during peak usage periods (evening get-home-from-work time), if the local utility offers time-of-use pricing. In some regions, participating utilities may compensate customers for supplying energy from their EVs to the grid during periods of high demand. As GM notes, such programs remain limited.

Source: GM

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