Sales in India of light-duty trucks (GVW ≤ 7.5t) grew by 19.0% to 148,890 units in Q4 of FY2021-22 (January to March 2022), up from 125,160 units in same period last year.

Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford Motor Co has received an order from Penske Truck Leasing for 750 units of its E-Transit cargo van. Initially, Penske’s E-Transit vans will be made available in Southern California, with other locations in the US to be phased in later in the year.

First Hydrogen Corp, based in Vancouver, Canada, has announced its hydrogen strategy for the UK market. The firm plans to build four hydrogen production facilities across the UK, each featuring a refuelling station to serve commercial vehicles.

The camshaft manufacturer is developing electrification kits tailored towards retrofitting vehicles in India’s sub-three tonne segment, built at a plant either in Pune or Solapur.

Pinnacle Mobility, a new entrant in EV manufacturing, is investing up to USD261.5m to make 9m and 12m electric buses and electric mini-trucks to cater to the booming last-mile mobility space.

The EV components supplier has formed a strategic partnership with Enedym to develop magnet-less next-generation switched reluctance motors (SRM), electric propulsion, and electrified powertrains for the Indian market - with the aim of beginning series production in 2023.

The E-Tech Master OptiModale is a battery-electric box truck with two compartments which open to reveal storage and charging spaces for an electric cargo bike and a parcel-carrying drone.

Osman Boyner, CEO and founder of London-based electric powertrain developer BEDEO, has stated that he believes EV incentives are too focused on passenger cars and must be adjusted to focus on the commercial vehicle sector if governments want to make meaningful change.

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency concludes from the reports that significant portions of these segments are currently electrifiable, largely due to their use in repeatable routes that support overnight depot charging, reducing their dependence on sparce public charging infrastructure.

The Quantron Qargo 4 EV, unveiled at a press event at its headquarters, is a 4.5t truck with a 3.3m wheelbase, giving it greater manoeuvrability and a smaller turning radius for last-mile applications in inner-city areas.

Amerit will become an Authorized Service Partner of ZEV, meaning that its staff will be trained and certified to carry out vehicle conversions on Class 2-4 commercial vehicles across the USA.

The new ‘Blue Arc’ brand of electric delivery vans by The Shyft Group will be powered by batteries supplied by Proterra Inc, following a multi-year agreement struck between the two companies.