While the European market is growing at a phenomenal rate – the European electric bus market is forecast to grow from 2,114 units registered in 2020 to more than 12,760 units in 2030 - the market in Asia really accounts for the lion share of the electric city bus market, stated Rueben Scriven - Senior Analyst at Interact Analysis, during an on-line presentation at the Sustainability Bus conference last month.

Electric vehicle builder, Lightning eMotors, formerly headquartered in Loveland, Colorado has combined its business operations with Private-to-Public Equity (PPE) technology company, GigCapital3 Inc of Palo Alto, California to become listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

The assembly of KAMAZ-6282 electric buses has begun at the Sokolniki Tram Car Repair and Construction Plant (SVARZ) in Moscow, a facility owned by the city public transit organization, Mosgortrans, which has been converted partly to complete the manufacture of up to 500 buses a year.

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc of Detroit, Michigan, a supplier of drive axles and metal forming technologies, and ‘electric skateboard chassis builder,’ REE Automotive of Tel Aviv, Israel, have agreed to develop jointly a new electric propulsion system for commercial vehicles.

Tyre manufacturer, Michelin of Clement-Ferrand, France, has launched its first range of dedicated electric bus tyres with the introduction of the new Michelin X InCity EV Z for the original equipment and replacement markets.

Electric commercial vehicle manufacturer, Lightning eMotors of Palo Alto, California, and specialist vehicle, REV Group Inc of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are to co-develop zero-emission, all-electric ambulances with Leader Emergency Vehicles of South El Monte, California - a REV Group subsidiary.

Hino Motors Ltd of Hino-shi and ‘electric skateboard chassis builder,’ REE Automotive (REE*) of Tel Aviv, Israel, have signed a strategic business alliance agreement to realise their shared vision of “providing new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility.”

ZF Group of Friedrichshafen has launched a new Energy Management System (EMS) software designed to control the entire flow of energy in the electrified commercial vehicle.

Renault Trucks SAS of Lyon, a Volvo Group subsidiary, is planning to offer electric trucks in each market segment from 2023 – covering distribution, construction and long distance. To support these developments and be able to offer a complete and competitive Renault Trucks range on the market, the company is setting up an organisation dedicated to electric mobility.

Fuso Truck & Bus Australia of Huntingwood, NSW has launched Daimler Trucks’ series-produced Fuso eCanter in Australia.

Chelmsford-based Tevva Motors Ltd, a developer of long-range zero emission trucks and Vattenfall Network Solutions of London, UK, a division of Sweden-based energy company, Vattenfall AB, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-operate over helping businesses switch to zero-emission vehicle fleets and reduce the overall carbon impact of their operations.  

Toyota Motor Corporation of Toyota, Japan, together with the Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital in Kumamo, as of March 2021, has started testing of what it claims is the world’s first fuel cell electric vehicle mobile clinic that uses hydrogen to generate electricity for patient treatments during times of emergency and natural disasters.