Coke Canada Bottling has added seven Volvo VNR Electric trucks across two provinces, bringing its total Canadian electric fleet to nearly 40 vehicles. Three trucks have arrived in Quebec City; four more are set for delivery this spring in Vancouver.

The VNR Electric runs a six-battery configuration covering up to 440 km (275 miles) on a single charge, enough for several daily round trips between distribution centers and customer locations. To support the expansion, the company installed one 180 kW Heliox Flex charger with three dispensers in Quebec City and two 180 kW Heliox Flex chargers with six dispensers in Vancouver.

The family-owned company launched its electric pilot in Montreal in 2023. Its fleet now spans vans, on-road trucks and yard tractors, all on local and regional distribution routes where predictable, high-frequency operations suit battery-electric technology. The new Volvo trucks serve Coke Canada’s Lower Mainland and Quebec City regions.

“Coke Canada Bottling has taken what they learned early on and turned it into a practical, multi-region deployment,” said Matthew Blackman, managing director, Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “When you see electric trucks running predictable, high-frequency routes like these, it shows how well the technology fits into everyday fleet operations.”

Source: Volvo Trucks North America

Lots of things go better in the open air: picnics, concerts, sports. But battery farms?

At a pilot program near Reno, battery recycling pioneer Redwood Materials has mounted rows of second-life battery packs in the open air on above-ground cable trays.

Spreading packs out in the open air helps avoid the need for active refrigeration, and eliminating moving parts like fans and filters minimizes potential malfunctions. Keeping the wiring above ground and limiting the size of each modular component minimizes the need for large equipment.

This innovative battery-farm design is part of a pilot program to power four data centers, operated by Crusoe. Redwood installed a 20 MW solar system and 12 MWh of repurposed batteries. Following the successful pilot, Crusoe agreed to the installation of similar systems at 20 more data centers.

Redwood runs the battery packs at only a fraction of their original power capabilities—this development decision sacrifices maximum output in favor of safety, longevity and easier thermal management—it’s one of the keys to avoiding having to run an active refrigeration system, even in hot Nevada summers.

Redwood has developed a proprietary pack management technology that lets it communicate with and control batteries of different voltages, protocols, and states of health. The pack manager is a universal adapter for EV batteries, performing power conversion into a unified DC stream that can work with any standard inverter. The site controller aggregates many packs into one coherent storage system, balances state of charge across packs, and intentionally “unbalances” some based on their health—older packs are cycled more gently, while fresher packs get worked harder. The battery algorithms team is continually updating models to track the health of each pack from receipt through its repurposed life, and eventually to recycling.

Source: Latitude Mediavia CleanTechnica

Samsung Electro-Mechanics is mass-producing a new set of ultra-high-voltage multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) rated from 1000 V to 1500 V, extending its C0G and X8G temperature-stable series to cover 800 V EV inverter systems and next-generation onboard chargers.

All four devices share a 1210 package (3.2×2.5 mm) and hold capacitance within 0±30 ppm/°C across the operating range—C0G specified from –55 to 125 °C, X8G from –55 to 150 °C. Capacitance runs from 1.2 nF at 1500 V to 33 nF at 1000 V. Three of the four carry a fail-safe design designation.

The target applications are the resonant tank circuits (CLLC topology) in EV charging systems and snubber capacitors for suppressing switching transients in inverter power modules. As next-gen OBC output power climbs beyond 22 kW, component voltage and capacitance requirements rise with it—higher-voltage, stable-dielectric MLCCs let designers maintain power density without sacrificing reliability.

C0G and X8G dielectrics deliver near-zero capacitance drift over temperature. That matters in resonant converter designs because capacitance directly sets the resonant frequency; any drift shifts the operating point and affects efficiency. Extending this level of stability to 1000–1500 V is what the 800 V powertrain generation demands.

The parts are in mass production. Samsung Electro-Mechanics offers technical support and samples for customer-specific designs.

Source: Samsung Electro-Mechanics

cellcentric, the fuel cell joint venture of Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group, has officially named its next-generation heavy-duty system the BZA375 and launched it at Hannover Messe. The system delivers up to 375 kW of continuous net power—more than 500 hp—from a single package, replacing the twin-system approach previously required with its predecessor, the BZA150.

Compared to BZA150, the improvements are substantial across every metric. Fuel consumption drops 20%, putting a fully loaded 40-ton truck under 6 kg of hydrogen per 100 km under real-world conditions and enabling ranges beyond 1,000 km. Waste heat at 300 kW net power falls 40%, enabling more compact cooling systems. Power density rises 40%. Component count drops 40%. Weight comes in under 500 kg, keeping payload at diesel-equivalent levels. The system is dimensioned to fit engine compartments designed for conventional 13-liter diesel engines. Service life holds at 25,000 hours—equivalent to 10 years in a heavy-duty truck—maintained from BZA150.

Moving to a single system is the key architectural change. BZA150 required two units running in parallel to meet heavy-duty truck power demands. BZA375 handles the full load alone, reducing integration complexity and giving OEMs more flexibility in vehicle packaging.

Beyond trucks, cellcentric positions BZA375 for coaches, rail, mining and stationary power generation under a one-product strategy, using volume across applications to drive costs down.

“BZA375 is custom tailored for the needs of heavy-duty, long-haul trucks,” said Nicholas Loughlan, CTO of cellcentric. “At cellcentric, we are deliberately set up as an independent Tier 1 supplier and open to partnering with any OEMs that are driving the decarbonization of their portfolios.”

“Two key technologies will lead the way on our path to decarbonize transport: battery-electric and hydrogen,” said Karin Rådström, President and CEO of Daimler Truck AG.

Prototype systems are now available to customers for testing and validation. Before series production begins, larger volumes of mature prototypes will be made available for initial fleet applications. Series production is being prepared for the turn of the decade.

Source: cellcentric

AYK Energy’s 6 MWh battery system has passed sea trials aboard the Svitzer Balder, a harbor tug built by Uzmar shipyard in Türkiye, now heading to the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden. AYK describes it as the world’s most powerful electric escort tug and the first battery-methanol harbor tug ever built.

The ABS-certified AriesA battery packs 6 MWh with a rated lifespan of around 10 years. The vessel is designed for both harbor work and near-open ocean operation. Its battery is backed by dual-fuel methanol engines for backup and range extension. In service, it’s expected to run more than 90% of its towing and docking operations zero-emission. The Svitzer Balder will be the fifth Svitzer vessel AYK has supplied batteries to.

The battery chemistry is LFP—lithium-iron-phosphate—rather than NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt). AYK says it was the first manufacturer to earn type approval for a marine battery using LFP, and argues the chemistry delivers the energy density the industry needs at lower cost than NMC and with better fire safety.

“This project again shows that LFP can provide the energy density and horsepower the industry demands for significantly less cost and it is much safer than the more combustible NMC chemistry,” said Chris Kruger, AYK Energy founder.

The system was built at AYK’s 5,000 sqm automated facility in Zhuhai, China, which opened in 2023. The plant runs at 300 MWh per year of production capacity, expandable to 1 GWh.

Source: AYK Energy

Swedish/Swiss energy optimization specialist Energy Bank is now installing 200 bidirectional chargers in Sweden, connecting multiple grid operators with EV drivers.

Energy Bank tested its V2G technology at the Stenberg Housing Association in Hudiksvall, Sweden over a period of 15 months, and is now scaling up to a larger pilot program that it calls “the next step toward a commercial offering.”

Working with Swedish electric utility Vattenfall, Volkswagen, and installation partner Transtema Charge, Energy Bank will enable some 200 EV owners (both private households and businesses) to provide grid services for compensation. The V2X pilot is based on DC charging using the CCS standard.

Volkswagen’s MEB and MEB Plus platforms support bidirectional DC charging. Energy Bank acts as the technical aggregator, pooling flexibility from all connected vehicles and delivering it via its API integration to Vattenfall.

“Other V2G aggregators package flexibility and decide how it is used. Energy Bank does the opposite,” says the company. “We aggregate capacity from connected EVs and hand control to the grid owner or electricity supplier.”

“This project shows that EVs can become an active and valuable part of the energy system,” said Klas Boman, co-founder of Energy Bank. “This is an important step toward a new market where mobility and energy meet, and where the EV owner helps drive the energy transition.”

“Our collaboration explores how aggregated EV batteries can contribute flexibility and support system balance and stability,” said Magnus Berg, Manager Customer Products and Solutions, Vattenfall. “If the battery can support the power system and generate revenue, it is a way to improve the economics of owning an EV and contribute to further electrification.”

“Volkswagen MEB platform vehicles are ready for bidirectional charging today,” said Derek von Rönn, Business Owner, Charging, Volkswagen. “With fast response times and the ability to deliver multiple grid services, our EVs are not just means of transport—they are mobile energy assets.”

Source: Energy Bank

Whenever oil prices go up, the mainstream press responds with a spate of articles about EVs. However, it’s not at all clear whether this corresponds to any substantial increase in EV sales.

The link between oil prices and EV sales has always been tenuous—and temporary. As Viet Nguyen-Tien, Gavin D. J. Harper and Robert Elliott point out in a recent article in The Conversation, media interest in EVs was kindled during the 1973 oil embargo, only to disappear when oil prices returned to “normal” levels. The cycle has been repeated several times since.

However, the writers argue that this time may be different. The main reason that high oil prices don’t cause EV sales to spike has been the substantially higher purchase price of EVs, and that price differential is steadily dwindling.

Battery costs have fallen 93% since 2010, The Conversation reports. EV industry cognoscenti have long predicted that a pack-level battery price of $100 per kWh would be the tipping point for widespread adoption. Battery prices in the US are now very close to that price (and far cheaper in China).

Technological improvement is not the only driver of plummeting prices—economies of scale and network effects have also played important roles. More battery production leads to lower costs, which leads to more production, in a virtuous cycle.

“This loop does not need an oil crisis to keep spinning,” write Nguyen-Tien and colleagues. In most markets, EVs reached total cost of ownership parity with legacy vehicles some time ago. Now they are approaching purchase-price parity.

And there are several advances on the horizon that could soon make going electric an offer vehicle owners can’t refuse. Chinese EV-maker BYD says its latest Blade battery delivers a range of 450 miles, and can be charged in 10 minutes. The company is already selling its moderately-priced EVs in Europe, and will enter the Canadian market this year. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which could turn car ownership from a money pit into a source of incremental income, is making the transition from pilots to commercial deployments.

However, the Conversation writers argue, “The deeper reason this wave will not fade is not technical—it is economic. An EV is a platform. Its value grows as the network around it grows. Every charger built makes the next EV more attractive. Every software update raises the value of every car already on the road. Every recycled battery feeds back into the supply chain that makes the next one cheaper.”

The EV transition is underway—it doesn’t need high gas prices, and it no longer needs government subsidies. (Just ask Harbinger Motors—sales of its electric trucks have steadily grown since federal subsidies expired in 2025.)

The electrification of transport is making vehicles cheaper, cleaner, quieter and more fun to drive. One thing it won’t do, alas, is eliminate geopolitical risk. Today, EV supply chains mostly run through China, and neither governments nor automakers are doing much to rectify that situation. In the three traditional centers of the global auto industry—the US, Europe and Japan—denial, delay and downright delusion remain the norm.

Buckle up.

Source: The Conversation

Everrati Automotive is a UK-based conversion shop that repowers classic cars as EVs. Now the company is branching out into next-generation mobility platforms such as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which also require advanced electric propulsion technologies.

“Electric propulsion is no longer just about cars,” said Rhodri Darch, Co-CEO of Everrati. “The technologies powering the EV revolution—from advanced motors to battery integration and software-defined capability—are becoming fundamental to unmanned and autonomous systems. UGVs are the natural first move for a company like ours: the technology transfer is close to a lift-and-shift, with a different set of operating requirements. UAVs follow, introducing additional constraints around weight and airspace, and demanding a more aerospace-focused engineering discipline.”

“Batteries are a key enabling technology. In UAVs and advanced mobility, everything comes back to energy density, weight and control,” said Dr Andy Palmer, founder of Palmer Automotive. “If you can package more usable energy into less mass, and manage it intelligently, you unlock range, payload and reliability in one move. That’s exactly where electrification expertise translates—we’ve spent the last decade learning how to make batteries not just powerful, but predictable, scalable and safe. Apply that to UAVs, and you move from niche capability to operational utility.”

Everrati focuses on developing advanced electric propulsion systems for integration into specialist platforms, rather than designing entire vehicles. Through its Powered by Everrati division, the company works with a specialist partner ecosystem that includes motor manufacturer Helix, manufacturing specialist DASIS, McLaren subsidiary Motion Applied and bespoke battery builder Raeon.

Tom Brooks, COO, Raeon: “The demand for battery-powered mobility is hitting a development barrier. Software can improve in weeks, but battery development is still taking years. Our FloLock and AnyVolt technologies allow us to deliver bespoke battery systems in as little as 12 weeks, ensuring partners across defense, marine, robotics and EV platforms remain resilient and scalable.”

Leighton King, Chief Commercial Officer, Helix: “High power density in a compact, lightweight package is an operational necessity in UAV and advanced mobility applications. Our motor and inverter development is grounded in environments where these demands are absolute—motorsport, aerospace, defense. Working with partners like Everrati, who lead propulsion architecture and integration at a system level, allows that specialist expertise to be deployed where it creates the most value.”

Source: Everrati Automotive

Transport agency De Lijn, which serves the Flanders region of Belgium, has commissioned its 1,000th electric bus, and is steadily ordering more. In 2025, De Lijn ordered more than 650 new e-buses, which will be deployed in phases in the coming years.

By 2035, the company plans to phase out diesel buses entirely. This will require a fleet of 3,800 e-buses, representing major investments not only in new vehicles, but also in charging infrastructure, energy supply, software, training and maintenance.

“The 1,000th electric bus is a clear signal that Flanders is moving forward towards sustainable and future-oriented public transport,” said Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder. “The Flemish Government provided a turbo investment of 400 million euros for the purchase of electric buses.”

De Lijn is investing heavily in software and employee training during this transformation. In 2025, some 1,400 drivers received specific e-bus training, and 176 technicians received training in electromechanics.

Electric buses require less mechanical maintenance than diesel buses, and lend themselves to a different, more data-driven approach, De Lijn has found. Maintenance is increasingly shifting towards prevention and monitoring, reducing the need for urgent repairs and increasing the reliability of service.

“The enormous behind-the-scenes transformation that many people are involved in is now fully visible on the road with modern, quiet and fuel-efficient vehicles,” said De Lijn Director-General Ann Schoub. “For the traveler, that means more comfortable transport today, and tomorrow completely emission-free public transport throughout Flanders, with a positive impact on air quality, noise and livability.”

Source: De Lijn

French multinational electric utility Engie has won a public contract to install and operate 2,926 EV charging points in the Belgian region of Wallonia.

The new AC charging stations, each with a capacity of 22 kW per charging point, will be distributed across 242 municipalities in Wallonia. Installation will take place over the next two years, and Engie, through its dedicated brand Engie Vianeo, will manage operations for a period of ten years.

This contract follows a similar agreement signed in March for the Brussels-Capital Region, covering 1,640 charging points.

Currently, Engie operates nearly 7,000 charging points across Belgium, located in Flanders and Brussels. (Belgium is roughly divided into three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.)

Looking ahead, Engie aims to deploy 12,000 charging points across Belgium by 2028. Engie supplies electricity to 27 countries in Europe and 48 countries worldwide.

Source: The Brussels Times