According to reports, a noteworthy first batch of the new Kona Electric compact CUV has been produced by South Korean automaker Hyundai, and export of the vehicle have also been commenced by the company.

The reports are noteworthy because the Kona Electric compact SUV is one of the few all-electric vehicles to be launched in 2018 with mass-market target by South Korean automobile giant.

With Hyundai having commenced the production and exports of the Kona Electric CUV, reports have revealed that just over 1,000 units of the vehicle have been delivered by Hyundai in South Korea, while an additional 1,120 units have been exported by the company. Most of the exports of the Kona Electric will initially go to the European markets because the US launch of the vehicle has been scheduled for later this year.

The Kona Electric CUV will be available in two versions --- a ‘Short-range’ battery pack version equipped with a 39.2 kWh battery pack for 300 km range; and a Long-range’ battery pack version featuring a 64 kWh battery pack for nearly 470 km range.

Hyundai has not yet released the pricing details for the Kona Electric CUV in all the markets. However, it is being projected that the cost of the vehicle will start in the low $30,000s, with the Long Range version to be priced at approximately $40,000.

In a move which marks the launch of Toyota’s second-generation zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 electric truck, the automaker has recently unveiled Kenworth T680 prototype truck in Traverse City, Michigan.

The introduction of the new zero-emissions Class 8 electric truck by Toyota underscores a noteworthy advance by the automaker towards the creation of a fully environmentally-friendly electric vehicle which can reduce the levels of air pollution, particularly around the ports in the US.

The second-generation version -- Version 2.0 -- of the zero-emissions Class 8 electric truck by Toyota is called ‘Beta.’ The first-generation model of the truck, which has been under testing by the automaker for over one year, is called ‘Alpha.’

With Toyota already having logged approximately 10,000 miles for the Alpha version during its testing at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the automaker is now planning to commence a similar testing of the Beta version as well, in the coming months.

According to the details shared by Toyota about the Beta version of the new zero-emissions Class 8 electric truck, the truck is equipped with two electric motors capable of delivering 675 horsepower and 1,327 pound-feet of torque. The truck boasts a 12-kilowatt-hour battery pack, along with the addition of a Kenworth T680 low-roof 40-inch sleeper cab and a redesigned hydrogen-fuel cabinet combination for increased cab space.

In a move which will enable US automaker Ford to gain a competitive edge in the newly emerging mobility industry, the automaker has recently launched a new autonomous vehicle subsidiary called Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC.

The launch of the new subsidiary will apparently give Ford the ability to emerge as a potential leader in electrified, autonomous ride services. The move underscores the automaker’s change over to a new business model, after its emphasis chiefly on trucks and SUVs, as compared to passenger cars, in the recent times.

In announcing its new Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC subsidiary to achieve its targeted 2021 launch of a self-driving car network, Ford said that it is investing $4 billion in the new unit which will oversee all its AV research. The mentioned investment will include an amount of $1 billion earmarked for Argo AI.

According to the details shared by Ford, the company’s Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC subsidiary will have several employee teams dedicated to AV research and advanced engineering as well as self-driving systems integration, AV transportation-as-a-service network development, business strategy, user experience, and business development.

The new Ford subsidiary -- which will allow the automaker to capitalize on new market opportunities and speed up its AV business -- will be spearheaded by its CEO Sherif Marakby, who is presently Ford’s Vice President of Autonomous Vehicles and Electrification.

Japanese automaker Nissan has recently enhanced its electric vehicle (EV) line-up with the addition of a new vehicle --- the Nissan LEAF NISMO.

The sporty LEAF NISMO is a new offering from Nissan’s in-house tuning group, Nismo. The vehicle is the LEAF’s spiced-up version, with a sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, Continental ContiSportcontact 5 tires, retuned ABS and traction control systems, and a notably more aggressive computer tuning which makes the vehicle a lot more exciting to drive in terms of acceleration.

However, despite the enhancements, the LEAF NISMO essentially retains all the staple features of the LEAF, including the vehicle’s ProPilot assist semiautonomous driving system as well as the e-Pedal braking system which enables drivers to use maximum regeneration on braking.

So far as the hardware is concerned, the LEAF NISMO does not unfold any substantial changes over the LEAF; with the battery pack and the motor layout of both the EVs being the same. However, there are some notable changes made to the interior of the vehicle, including the ultra-suede wrapping of the steering wheel, a change in the electronic shifter, and a more profound accent stitching.

The new Nissan LEAF NISMO is scheduled to go on sale in Japan at the end of July 2018. However, Nissan has not made any official statement about the possible availability of the vehicle in international markets.

In a move which marks EVgo’s latest efforts to push energy storage innovations forward in the electric-vehicle (EV) space, the company has recently deployed a new energy storage system powered by “second-life” BMW i3 battery packs at its Union City, California, fast-charging station in the US.

The deployment of EVgo’s new energy storage system brings to the US the increasingly popular technology related to installation of stationary energy storage projects which draw power from ‘used’ battery packs of EVs.

The new energy storage system has been deployed by EVgo at its already-operational fast-charging station located at 3960 Smith Street in Union City. The deployment is the outcome of EVgo’s successfully completed pilot program for “second-life battery systems” at University of California San Diego (UCSD).

With EVgo already operating two 50-kilowatt (kW) DC fast chargers at its Union City site since summer 2017, the newly-deployed energy storage system comprises two “second-life” 22 kWh BMW i3 battery packs put together as a single unit. The battery packs unfold a 30 kW/44 kWh energy storage system when combined with a 30 kW inverter.

The new energy storage system deployed by EVgo is essentially capable of demand charge management at the company’s Union City site. It can reduce grid load, as well as costs, when both the fast chargers at the site are being used simultaneously.