Polestar’s incoming Phone spotted on Google Play’s list of supported devices
A few months after sharing initial details and images, Polestar’s flagship smartphone, developed by Meizu in China, has been spotted on Google’s API website as a device compatible with the Play Store. Details of the incoming Polestar Phone remain relatively light, but we can confirm it will run on Android and support Google Play.
During a media event in China last fall, Geely and Volvo-owned (at least for now) EV brand Polestar ($PSNY) shared it was following the likes of NIO and releasing its own branded phone to support drivers of its new Polestar 4 crossover.
The initial images showcased a white exterior with a flat metal frame and a triple-rear camera housing a 23mm equivalent focal length and f/1.9 aperture primary lens, a 70mm focal length telephoto lens, and an ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.4 aperture.
The Polestar Phone is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 processor and was designed and built with the help of Chinese smartphone developer Meizu – a fellow subsidiary under the Geely umbrella.
Considering all of Meizu’s smartphones run on Android, it should come as little surprise that the Polestar Phone will follow suit, but now we have official confirmation, according to Google.
Upcoming Polestar Phone will be Google Play compatible
Per the list of compatible devices from Google, the Polestar Phone will operate using Android and utilize apps from the Google Play Store. That being said, we learned during the unveiling that the new smartphone will utilize Polestar’s OS, built from Meizu’s Flyme OS.
The Google spreadsheet also confirms the Meizu smartphone will, in fact, be called the Polestar Phone, with no numeric nomenclature visible beyond this point. EV competitor NIO was upfront about plans to release a new model every year, similar to Apple, but Polestar has yet to make such promises.
Meizu will manufacture the phones for Polestar, and at this point, they are expected to arrive in the Chinese market only. There has yet to be a word on whether other markets will be able to get their hands on one. Given that the Polestar 4 is already being sold in markets outside of China, it could go global.
The question, however, is whether there is an appetite for an unproven auto-centric smartphone outside of China. Per the initial release presentation, the Polestar Phone is expected to reach customers in China next month.
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European logistics firm Contargo is adding twenty of Mercedes’ new, 600 km-capable eActros battery electric semi trucks to its trimodal delivery fleet, bringing zero-emission shipping to Germany’s hinterland.
With over 300 miles of all-electric range, the new Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck was designed for (what a European would call) long-haul trucking. Now, after officially entering production at the company’s Wörth plant in Bavaria last month, the eActros 600 is reaching its first customer: Contargo.
With the addition of the twenty new Mercedes, Contargo’s electric truck fleet has grown to 60 BEVs, with plans to increase that total to 90. And, according to Mercedes, Contargo is just the first.
The German truck company says it has plans to deliver fifty (50) of the 600 kWh battery-equipped electric semi trucks to German shipping companies by the close of 2024.
Contargo’s 20 eActros 600 trucks were funded in part by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport as part of a broader plan to replace a total of 86 diesel-engined commercial vehicles with more climate-friendly alternatives. The funding directive is coordinated by NOW GmbH, and the applications were approved by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility.
Electrek’s Take
Electric semi trucks are racking up millions of miles in the US, and abroad. As more and more pilot programs begin to pay off, they’re going to lead to more orders for battery electric trucks and more reductions in both diesel demand and harmful carbon emissions.
We can’t wait to see more.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Contargo, via Electrive.
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Isuzu is giving Red Bull electrified wings – the iconic drinks company is officially the first to put the production version of its new-for-2025 Isuzu NRR-EV medium duty electric box truck to work in North America.
Deployed by Red Bull North America, these first-ever customer Isuzu NRR-EV medium duty trucks are busy delivering cans of Red Bull products throughout Southern California with zero tailpipe emissions, marking the first time the best-selling low-cab/cabover box truck brand in the US can make such a claim.
“Today marks a major milestone for the industry and for us. Watching the NRR-EV evolve from a concept to a viable operating product is a big deal,” explains Shaun Skinner, President of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “Our teams and our clients have put so much time and effort into making this happen, and it speaks to our teamwork and dedication to more sustainable transportation solutions. It is no longer just a plan, we have zero-emission trucks serving our customers’ needs!”
The NRR-EV is available with a number of different battery configurations, ranging from three 20 kWh battery packs (60 kWh total) up to nine 20 kWh battery packs, with five and seven pack options in between. The nine-pack version is good for up to 235 miles of range with a 19,500 lb. GVWR. The batteries, regardless of configuration, send power to a 150 kW (200 hp) electric motor with 380 lb-ft. of torque available at 0 rpm.
For “Red Bull” duty, the Isuzu trucks ship with a 100 kWh total battery capacity, and are fitted a lightweight, all-aluminum 6-bay beverage body, the vehicle’s design maintains its cargo capacity. The NRR-EV’s 19,500 lb. GVWR (Class 5) chassis, combined with the lightweight body and “big enough” battery spec provides Red Bull’s delivery drivers a hefty, 9,000 lb. payload.
Isuzu began assembling NRR-EV trucks at its Charlotte, Michigan assembly plant in August 2024. Customer deliveries are set to begin nationally in Q1 of 2025.
Electrek’s Take
Isuzu’s N-series trucks are everywhere – and for good reason. They’re dependable, they’re affordable, and they have a nationwide network of GM dealers supporting them. I am a huge fan of these trucks, and can’t wait to sample the electric version from behind the wheel.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Isuzu.
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