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In China. I didn’t want to bury the lede too far. Today, NIO and Changan Automobile announced the two companies had agreed to develop a joint standard for swappable EV batteries. NIO is the largest operator of swappable passenger EV batteries in the world, with over 2,000 battery swap stations in its home market of China, along with a small network in Europe. But today’s news is an important milestone for battery swapping regardless.

The companies have provided no timeline on when this cooperation will begin bearing fruits, but the two plan to work on swappable battery designs and the development of a network of shared battery swap stations. Changan currently doesn’t have any swappable battery EVs, but it’s China’s third or fourth-largest automaker (depending on the quarter), selling well over a million vehicles annually. NIO, meanwhile, is the world’s most mature operator in the battery swapping space, and says it has completed over 30 million battery swaps for its EV customers to date. Of course, it’s not clear how far the cooperation will extend — i.e., if Changan plans to adapt NIO’s battery designs for its own EVs, or merely if Changan’s future batteries will be designed to be compatible with NIO’s swap infrastructure.

Today’s cooperation news between Changan and Nio isn’t really about the technical details, but about carmakers doing something we quite rarely see: Agreeing to build interchangeable (or at least interserviceable — a word I’ve just invented) parts and service infrastructure. In an industry where in-house engineering is as much a marketing asset as it is a technological one, it’s unusual when competitors come together to standardize major components for the benefit of customers. (In fact, ICE manufacturers have long gone out of their way to obscure that their vehicles may share common technical underpinnings — a practice that reached its zenith in the “badge engineering” era of the 1980s.)

Battery swapping has real advantages for drivers, with NIO’s NIO Power stations completing the process in just 3 minutes. The company is even testing using its battery swap facilities to send power back to the grid — something that could seriously up the value potential of this kind of infrastructure at a societal level.

Read the press release from the two companies here.

Electrek’s take

Imagine a world where every brand of ICE car had to use a filling station owned by the vehicle OEM, even though every one of them still supplied the same basic formulation of gasoline. This is the nightmare that battery swapping poses. Granted, it’s for far more technically defensible reasons; namely, designing interoperable swappable batteries across car manufacturers is not a small challenge. But scaling battery swapping in a way that would make it sustainable almost certainly demands some form of interoperability.

The fact this is happening in China, of all places, is far less surprising. While China may be home to some of the world’s most aggressively expansionist and competitive EV brands, the country’s domestic market still operates in a highly regulated, quasi-centrally-planned economy. It’s also a highly price-sensitive market, and anything that could better distribute the costs of electrification is likely to be considered.

Changan is the country’s oldest carmaker and is wholly owned by the Chinese state. Having its cooperation here could theoretically initiate a domino effect in which other Chinese OEMs begin to unify around a common battery-swapping framework — especially if there begins to be a consensus the government could mandate such a thing in the future (and that seems far from inconceivable). And if China’s automakers were to broadly unify around such a standard, it could provide its entire EV industry a substantial competitive advantage globally.

Still, there’s no guarantee a cooperation announcement ends in two brands of EV using the same battery swap station — things can and do fall apart. But the concept here is an appealing one, and China is far and away leading the charge (no pun intended) on swappable battery EVs.

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New ‘world’s lightest, most efficient’ e-bike motor lands on another model

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New 'world's lightest, most efficient' e-bike motor lands on another model

Last week, we reported that the e-bike world had a new motor claiming to be the lightest and most efficient. Now, we’re already seeing TQ’s new TQHPR40 motor proliferate on more road and gravel e-bikes, including the recently announced E-ASTR from Ridely.

Ridley’s new E‑ASTR brings lightweight electric assistance to its already impressive ASTR gravel platform, powered by the cutting-edge TQ HPR40 mid-drive system. Unlike bulkier e‑bike setups, this system adds just 1.17 kg (2.6 lb) at the crank and a discreet 1.46 kg (3.2 lb) and 290 Wh battery hidden within the downtube, keeping the frame’s silhouette nearly identical to the non-electric version of the same bike. According to BikeRumor, riders looking closely might spot only a slightly fatter downtube, internal cable routing, and a handlebar-end LED indicator, giving visual clues without shouting “electric bike.”

What the E‑ASTR gives up in sheer power from the petite motor, it gains in ride feel. The HPR40 is said to deliver a modest 40 Nm of torque and up to 200W of assist, or enough to smooth out climbs or offer a tailwind on gravel without overpowering the rider. With support cut off at 25 km/h (15.5 mph), pedal responsiveness remains natural and fluid. Combined with the ASTR’s race-inspired geometry, the bike looks to offer sharp handling and comfort suited to the rigors of modern gravel routes.

Ridley is currently offering the E‑ASTR in three spec levels: a value SRAM Apex XPLR AXS build €7,199 (or approximately US $8,500), a mid-range SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 1×13 version for €8,199 (or approximately US $9,700), and a top-tier Shimano GRX 2×12 Di2 model for €8,899 (or approximately US $10,500). Each features high-end drivetrains, integrated cockpit options, carbon wheels, and industry-standard gravel brakes and tires. With its race-ready frame and stealthy, lightweight e‑assistance, the E‑ASTR is positioning itself as a high-performance gravel machine that stays true to its roots, delivering help when needed, without overshadowing the rider.

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Wait, you’re telling me that’s an electric bike?!

Ultra-lightweight motors like the TQHPR40 are quietly reshaping the e-bike industry by making electric assistance almost invisible, both in looks and in feel. As systems shrink and integrate more seamlessly into traditional bike frames, they’re opening the door to new categories of performance-oriented e-bikes that preserve the ride dynamics of analog bikes while offering just enough support when it counts.

For riders who value a natural pedaling experience but still want a little help on climbs or longer days, and especially for aging riders who want to maintain their riding habits despite father time taking an impact on joints and muscles, these minimalist systems are proving that you don’t need a bulky battery or a massive motor to get the benefits of going electric. The result is a wave of stealthy, high-performance e-bikes that are less about replacing effort and more about enhancing the ride.

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Tesla, Trump alliance falls apart – but there’s BIG news for electric semi fleets

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Tesla, Trump alliance falls apart – but there's BIG news for electric semi fleets

After a month off trying to wrap our heads around all the chaos surrounding EVs, solar, and everything else in Washington, we’re back with the biggest EV news stories of the day from Tesla, Ford, Volvo, and everyone else on today’s hiatus-busting episode of Quick Charge!

It just gets worse and worse for the Tesla true believers – especially those willing to put their money where Elon’s mouth is! One believer is set to lose nearly $50,000 betting on Tesla’s ability to deliver a Robotaxi service by the end of June (didn’t happen), and the controversial CEO’s most recent spat with President Trump had TSLA down nearly 5% in pre-morning trading.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Hyundai is about to reveal a new EV and it could be the affordable IONIQ 2

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Hyundai is about to reveal a new EV and it could be the affordable IONIQ 2

Hyundai is getting ready to shake things up. A new electric crossover SUV, likely the Hyundai IONIQ 2, is set to debut in the coming months. It will sit below the Kona Electric as Hyundai expands its entry-level EV lineup.

Is Hyundai launching the IONIQ 2 in 2026?

After launching the Inster late last year, Hyundai is already preparing to introduce a new entry-level EV in Europe.

Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Europe, confirmed that the new EV will be revealed “in the next few months.” It will be built in Europe and scheduled to go on sale in mid-2026.

Hyundai’s new electric crossover is expected to be a twin to the Kia EV2, which will likely arrive just ahead of it next year.

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It will be underpinned by the same E-GMP platform, which powers all IONIQ and Kia EV models (EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, and EV9).

Like the Kia EV3, it will likely be available with either a 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh battery pack option. The former provides a WLTP range of 267 miles while the latter is rated with up to 372 miles. All trims are powered by a single electric motor at the front, producing 201 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque.

Kia-EV2
Kia EV2 Concept (Source: Kia)

Although it may share the same underpinnings as the EV2, Hyundai’s new entry-level EV will feature an advanced new software and infotainment system.

According to Autocar, the interior will represent a “step change” in terms of usability and features. The new system enables new functions, such as ambient lighting and sounds that adjust depending on the drive mode.

Hyundai-IONIQ-2-EV
Hyundai E&E tech platform powered by Pleos (Source: Hyundai)

It’s expected to showcase Hyundai’s powerful new Pleos software and infotainment system. As an end-to-end software platform, Pleos connects everything from the infotainment system (Pleos Connect) to the Vehicle Operating System (OS) and the cloud.

Pleos is set to power Hyundai’s upcoming software-defined vehicles (SDVs) with new features like autonomous driving and real-time data analysis.

Hyundai-new-Pleos-OS
Hyundai’s next-gen infotainment system powered by Pleos (Source: Hyundai)

As an Android-based system, Pleos Connect features a “smartphone-like UI” with new functions including multi-window viewing and an AI voice assistant.

The new electric crossover is expected to start at around €30,000 ($35,400), or slightly less than the Kia EV3, priced from €35,990 ($42,500). It will sit between the Inster and Kona Electric in Hyundai’s lineup.

Hyundai said that it would launch the first EV with its next-gen infotainment system in Q2 2026. Will it be the IONIQ 2? Hyundai is expected to unveil the new entry-level EV at IAA Mobility in September. Stay tuned for more info. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.

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