Volkswagen invests in digital specialist diconium

With diconium as a technology partner, Volkswagen is taking the next step in the development of the Volkswagen Auto-motive Cloud. This will link the fully connected vehicle, the cloud-based platform (One Digital Platform) and digital value-added services. The Volkswagen Group is investing in the German digital specialist diconium and acquiring 49 percent of the shares… Continue reading Volkswagen invests in digital specialist diconium

Tesla to cut Model X and Model S prices by 12-26% in China to compensate for trade war tariffs

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Tesla Inc is cutting the price of its Model X and Model S cars in China, the U.S. firm said on Thursday, in a shift in strategy that will see it take more of a hit from tariffs linked to a biting trade war between China and the United States. The electric… Continue reading Tesla to cut Model X and Model S prices by 12-26% in China to compensate for trade war tariffs

Toronto’s new car-share service Communauto FLEX launches November 24

First company to receive a permit under the City of Toronto’s new free-floating car-share pilot program TORONTO, November 21, 2018 – Communauto FLEX is bringing free-floating car-sharing back to Toronto under the City’s new pilot program. Beginning this Saturday, November 24, Communauto FLEX will operate in the downtown core with 200 cars servicing 50 square… Continue reading Toronto’s new car-share service Communauto FLEX launches November 24

Ford Considering use of Customer’s Personal Data as a Revenue Stream

Yahoo. Adult Friend Finder. ebay. Target. Ashley Madison. Uber. What do they all have in common? They’ve all had massive data breaches which put the population, or at least some of it, into a tizzy worrying about the safety of their personal data. The reality of life today is that just about everything we do… Continue reading Ford Considering use of Customer’s Personal Data as a Revenue Stream

Rapid Chargers Considered “Too Ugly” To Install In Some Areas

48 M BY MARK KANE Maybe it’s the right time to open a business of that makes only stylish chargers? Zipcar notes delays of expansion of the fast charging infrastructure in London, apparently caused by ‘petty’ arguments from the authorities. The car-sharing company operates 2,800 cars in the city, including 75 Volkswagen Golf GTE plug-in… Continue reading Rapid Chargers Considered “Too Ugly” To Install In Some Areas

Mahindra Signs MoU with Thane Municipal Corporation to Provide End to End Last Mile Mobility Solutions

Mahindra Signs MoU with Thane Municipal Corporation to Provide End to End Last Mile Mobility Solutions

To provide end-to-end last mile mobility solutions through deployment of Mahindra’s Electric Vehicles in Thane
100 Mahindra Electric Vehicles including Treo (electric 3-wheeler) and e-Supro (electric passenger vehicle), etc. to be deployed in initial phase of the project
Aimed at furthering the vision of a Smart City through an integrated smart mobility solution

Thane, November 22, 2018: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), a part of the $20.7-billion Mahindra Group, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to provide end-to-end last mile mobility solutions. This would be done through the deployment of Mahindra’s electric vehicles for first and last mile connectivity across Thane, including its recently launched electric three-wheeler, Treo, as well as the mass passenger carrier, e-Supro, etc. In the initial phase of the project, Mahindra will deploy 100 electric vehicles and the partnership would be active for a period of 5 years.

With a clear focus on building a full-fledged ecosystem around sustainable mobility, Mahindra and the Thane Municipal Corporation will jointly work toward building sustainable transportation for all, supported by the Eco-Cities Program of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The MoU was signed between Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and the Thane Municipal Corporation.

Dr Pawan Goenka, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “As the pioneers of electric vehicles and the EV mobility ecosystem catalyst in India, we are delighted to contribute to the sustainable development of Thane by deploying our electric vehicles for a greener, smarter future. I would like to applaud the Thane Municipal Corporation for this novel initiative of encouraging the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles. I am confident that together we will enable a major shift in the way the people of Thane commute and transition toward smart mobility and smart cities”.

Under the aegis of the MoU, Mahindra will scale up the first and last mile services through the deployment of its vehicles and daily vehicle and driver management services for an integrated smart mobility platform in Thane. It will bring different vehicle types onto one platform, available for citizens to access through bookings. The Thane Municipal Corporation will provide the requisite support in enabling the ecosystem and building up the infrastructure and space for installation of charging stations.

As part of the MoU, the Thane Municipal Corporation will also provide parking space for the electric vehicles in close proximity to the charging locations proposed by Mahindra. The TMC will also coordinate with other ecosystem players such as the power utility companies and other regulators to ensure low electricity tariff for electric vehicle charging and a seamless execution of the project.

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group is a USD 20.7 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, aerospace, commercial vehicles, components, defense, logistics, real estate, renewable energy, speedboats and steel, amongst other businesses. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 2,40,000 people across 100 countries.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise

Media contact information

Mohan Nair
Vice President (Communications)
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Landline – + 91 22 28468510
Email – nair.mohan@mahindra.com

AVL and Comau to collaborate for the future of electric mobility

AVL List, one of the global leaders in engineering, simulation and testing technology for powertrain systems, and Comau, a leading company in industrial automation products and systems, are going to jointly offer innovative, modular and flexible solutions for the electrification market. They have an open cooperation in simulation, design, assembly and testing of powertrain components for electric as well as traditional vehicles.
The agreement is intended to ensure that customers have access to robust, standard solutions on a global scale, backed by a local presence, resulting in higher quality and a shorter time to market. The initial focus of the partnership will be on assembly systems and end-of-line testing for automotive batteries. The collaboration was inspired by the fact that the electrification market requires experienced, full-turnkey, affordable suppliers able to provide powerful assembly and test solutions for electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturing.
“Our Partnership brings together two market leaders in their respective fields. With shared objectives and complementary competencies we are able to offer our Customers the best of both worlds providing the market with a unique interface for the whole assembly process from design to execution,” explains Andrew Lloyd, Automation Systems COO, Comau.
“The combination of know-how between Comau with its enhanced Industry 4.0 solutions and AVL, with design experience in the integration of powertrain components and related testing methodologies, will bring battery assembly and end-of-line testing to a new level,” states Urs Gerspach, executive vice president, AVL List.

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leap Motor raises $290m in funding

November 22, 2018 Hangzhou-based electric vehicle maker Leap Motor has raised RMB2 billion ($290 million) for its ongoing Series A round led by Shanghai Electric Group, it said in an announcement on November 21. The startup aims to raise RMB2.5 billion ($360 million) by the end of the year. Other investors that joined the round… Continue reading Chinese electric vehicle maker Leap Motor raises $290m in funding

Honda launches new all-electric Everus VE-1 for ~$25,000 in China

Honda, with its Chinese partner GAC, has launched a new all-electric crossover in China and it’s going to sell for the equivalent of just ~$25,000 USD. The Japanese automaker doesn’t have much to show for itself when it comes to electrification. It has been delivering relatively low volumes of the electric version of the Clarity and… Continue reading Honda launches new all-electric Everus VE-1 for ~$25,000 in China

Driven to safety — it’s time to pool our data

Kevin Guo Contributor Kevin Guo is the CEO and co-founder of Hive. For most Americans, the thought of cars autonomously navigating our streets still feels like a science fiction story. Despite the billions of dollars invested into the industry in recent years, no self-driving car company has proven that its technology is capable of producing mass-market autonomous vehicles… Continue reading Driven to safety — it’s time to pool our data