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In another highly visible failure for hydrogen in the real-world, all 25 of the fuel cell-powered buses in the Poznan, Poland fleet failed at the same time yesterday morning, forcing the city to scramble diesel buses into action.

The City of Poznań, Poland deployed the first two of its hydrogen-powered Solaris in 2023. The deployment of these HFC buses was part of a larger, 25 unit order placed by the city back in in October 2022 — and, for a time, it seemed like the deployment was largely successful. That is, until all 25 buses broke down at once early Monday morning.

A spokesperson for MPK Poznań, the city’s bus operator, reportedly told Hydrogen Insight that the onboard computers on each bus signaled the failure at once, and that the issue was being investigated with help from Solaris, the bus manufacturer, and the hydrogen fuel supplier.

The company also told the the Sustainable Bus news site that, “the most likely cause of the malfunctions in several hydrogen buses in Poznań is poor fuel/hydrogen quality,” while another (?) spokesperson told local paper Wyboecza that the hydrogen purity must reach 99.97%. “This means that the hydrogen can only have 0.03% of other gases.”

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378 fuel cell buses were registered in the EU in 2024, up 82% YOY, with Solaris controlling 65% of the HFC bus market. For context, approximately 49% of all new city buses sold in the EU in 2024 were ZEVs. Given that the total number of city buses registered in the EU in 2024 was around 35,000, this translates to approx. 17,150 zero-emission city buses, which puts the score at 378 HFCEVs to 16,750 BEVs (give or take 378).

Electrek’s Take

FCEV early adopter's operational concerns come to life
Now-defunct Nikola HFCEV semi; via Hyla.

When MAN Trucks’ CEO said it was impossible for hydrogen to compete with battery electric in the transportation segment, it was frankly shocking how many people refused to listen. Now that the residents of Poznań are stuck breathing diesel fumes again, maybe they’ll pick the much more practical, predictable, and undoubtedly cleaner battery option next time around.

SOURCES | IMAGES: Hydrogen Insights, Sustainable Bus, Wyboecza.

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One of South Dakota’s largest wind farms just got the green light

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One of South Dakota's largest wind farms just got the green light

South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved a 260-megawatt (MW) wind farm that will become one of the largest in the wind-friendly state.

Invenergy is developing the 68-turbine South Deuel Wind Energy Center on 29,000 acres in Deuel County in the state’s northeast. When it comes online in Q4 2026, it will be capable of powering more than 103,000 US households. Construction is expected to begin late this summer.

In 2021, Invenergy completed the 109-turbine Deuel Harvest Wind Farm (pictured), six miles north of South Deuel, which it sold to Atlanta-based Southern Power.

Invenergy says the new South Dakota wind farm will pump $78 million into landowner payments over the next 30 years, while local governments will see $38 million in property tax revenue. On the jobs front, the project is expected to create 243 construction jobs and support eight long-term operational roles.

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South Dakota is one of the most wind-friendly states in the US. In 2023, wind provided 55% of South Dakota’s total electricity generation, a larger share than any other state except Iowa, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Wind exceeded hydropower’s contribution to South Dakota’s in-state electricity generation for the first time in 2021, and it generated nearly three times as much electricity as hydropower in the state in 2023. In the same year, renewables generated 77% of South Dakota’s total in-state electricity net generation (including small-scale solar).

Read more: Offshore wind roars back in 2025 with 19 GW of additions and China in the lead


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Elon protests turn violent as arsonists set fire to Tesla cars, Plus: 2026 Chevy Spark

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Elon protests turn violent as arsonists set fire to Tesla cars, Plus: 2026 Chevy Spark

On today’s fiery episode of Quick Charge, it’s all bad news for Elon as Tesla sales continue to plunge in Europe, the pump fails to stop the TSLA stock price slide, and people set fire to dealers. Plus: BMW takes the top two spots in the J.D. Power EV owner satisfaction survey.

Tesla shareholders were hoping today’s claims of 10x growth in the coming years would help goose TSLA stock prices, but they slid instead as BMW took the top two spots in the J.D. Power EV owner satisfaction survey and GM launched an all-new, affordable Chevy Spark EUV.

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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Kia EV4 GT looks like the affordable electric sports car we’ve been waiting for [Video]

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Kia EV4 GT looks like the affordable electric sports car we've been waiting for [Video]

Less than a week after Kia unveiled the EV4, we are already getting our first look at the sporty GT model. When it arrives, the GT variant is expected to be one of the most affordable electric sports cars and what could be Kia’s most powerful vehicle yet. But can it keep up with the Tesla Model 3 Performance?

The EV4 is Kia’s first electric sedan and hatchback. During its EV Day last week (see our recap), Kia showcased four EV4 models, two sedan and two hatchback trims.

Each had a standard and GT-Line model. Now, we are getting our first look at the high-performance GT version. Remember when the EV6 GT arrived in 2022 as “the most powerful Kia production vehicle ever?”

With 576 horsepower, the sporty EV6 GT can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. That’s faster than your average Ferrari or Lamborghini, and it’s about half the cost starting at just over $60,000.

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Well, the EV4 GT will likely be an even bigger hit with an expected lower price tag and what could be even more power.

After Kia’s electric sports car was spotted in public for the first time, we are learning a few upgrades you can expect to see. The video, courtesy of HealerTV, shows a camouflaged model testing in Korea. However, the orange light on the side of the bumper indicates it is actually an export model.

First look at the Kia EV4 GT electric sports car

At a quick glance, it looks just like the EV4 GT-Line. Looking closer, you can see Kia upgraded the EV4 with sporty wheels (what appears to be 20″), giving it a similar look to the K8.

The interior will feature Kia’s new ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit), which includes dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment screens with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Kia EV4 spotted for the first time in Korea (Source: HealerTV)

You can expect to see the most significant differences in the interior and in performance. Like Kia’s other GT models, the EV4 is expected to feature a dual-motor AWD powertrain, but exact specs will be revealed closer to its official launch.

The upgraded EV6 GT, launched in Korea in November, now packs 641 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque (when Launch Control is active), thanks to improved front and rear electric motors.

It also gets redesigned front and rear bumpers, suede-trimmed sport bucket seats, and a heat pump (standard on all AWD trims).

Like Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 N, the new EV6 GT includes a Virtual Gear Shift (VGS) that simulates the sounds and feel of a sports car engine. We got a look at it in action in December after HealerTV got their hands on one to try it out.

Kia-EV4-interior
Kia EV4 interior (Source: Kia)

We’ll have to wait for the official word on prices, but with the EV4 slotted below the EV6 in Kia’s lineup, the GT model will likely cost around $50,000 to $55,000. That’s much less than your average sports car. The standard EV4 is expected to hit the market later this year, starting at around $35,000 to $40,000.

In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD starts at $54,990 with 510 horsepower, good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 2.9 seconds.

Would you buy Kia’s electric sports car for around $50,000? Drop us a comment below and let us know what features and specs you’d be looking for. Check back soon for more. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.

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