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Northvolt is going forward with building its EV battery plant in Germany after the EU ups its subsidies game to compete with US incentives.

In November 2022, Northvolt paused its plan to build Northvolt Drei, a gigafactory in Heide, Germany, due to rising energy costs in Europe caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Jesper Wigardt, a Northvolt spokesman, said in November (via Automotive News Europe):

Given what is happening in North America and what is happening in Europe on the other hand, with energy prices not the least, we are during next year going to decide what to prioritize.

Wigardt said at the time that a US decision would have delayed the German plant “a bit.” However, it’s now all systems go for Northvolt’s gigafactory in Heide, as long as EU subsidies are approved. The Heide gigafactory will be located near an abundance of wind power.

Automotive News Europe reported today that “Northvolt could invest around 3-5 billion euros ($8.8 billion) in the plant and receive [more than] half a billion euros in German subsidies”:

The subsidies for Northvolt’s battery plant, if approved, would be the first granted by Germany under the European Union’s Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, developed to support green industrial projects as Europe scrambled to provide a competitive offer to US subsidies provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Europe now has to compete with the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act incentives that are wooing a lot of companies to launch factories in the US. European automakers want to make batteries domestically in order to reduce dependency on manufacturing abroad, even though they still have to rely on raw battery materials from Asia. There are also a number of Asian companies planning to build battery factories in Europe.

Production is expected to start in 2026, and Northvolt Drei will have up to 60 gigawatt hours of capacity. That’s enough to supply around 1 million EVs with battery cells annually.

Read more: Scania and Northvolt’s new EV battery can power a truck for 1.5M km

Photo: Northvolt


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The Porsche Taycan EV just secured its fourth Guinness World Record [Video]

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The Porsche Taycan EV just secured its fourth Guinness World Record [Video]

How far can an EV drift? Porsche proved it can be pretty far. Porsche’s all-electric Taycan set a new Guinness World Record for the longest drift by an EV. The electric sports car now has four World Records. Check out the video below to see the Taycan in action.

Porsche Taycan sets another Guinness World Record

After launching the Taycan in 2019, Porsche’s electric sports car has been on a Guinness World Record-breaking spree.

In 2020, it set its first record after drifting 210 laps, covering over 242.171 km (26 miles) at the Porsche Experience Center in Germany in just 55 minutes.

The second came in 2021, when race driver Leh Keen took the Taycan to new heights, hitting 165.1 km/h in an exhibition hall in New Orleans, the fastest speed ever driven in an enclosed building. The third came in 2023 when the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo conquered the greatest altitude change by an EV (5,573 meters).

On January 14, 2025, the Porsche Taycan officially secured its fourth Guinness World Record title. The Taycan GTS drifted 132 laps in controlled oversteer, covering 17.503 km (10.87 miles) in just 46 minutes.

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Porsche Taycan GTS Guinness World Record attempt at its Experience Center in Finland (Source: Porsche AG)

The event took place at the Porsche Arctic Center in Levi, Finland, and Carl Saville, an official adjudicator from Guinness World Records, was present.

Porsche created a 59-meter-diameter drift circle for the attempt. The Taycan was fitted with a GPS device for an exact measurement.

Porsche Taycan GTS sets a Guinness World Record for longest drift by an EV (Source: Porsche AG)

“With the new Taycan GTS, we have one of the most powerful electric vehicles on the market. So we were pretty confident that we could break the world record,” Christian Lehwald, Managing Director of the Porsche Arctic Center, boasted.

The new record comes after Porsche launched the upgraded Taycan last February. Porsche revamped the EV with a longer driving range, faster charging, and even more performance. The new Taycan Turbo GT is the fastest road-legal Porsche ever.

With up to 1,092 hp, the GT model (equipped with its Wiessach Package) can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds.

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New York’s largest solar farm is a go with $950 million in funding

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New York's largest solar farm is a go with 0 million in funding

Clean energy investment manager Greenbacker Renewable Energy has secured $950 million to build what will be New York State’s largest solar farm.

Greenbacker acquired the 500-megawatt (MW) Cider project from renewable energy developer Hecate Energy. Construction started in October, and the project is expected to come online in 2026.

“Greenbacker has called New York home for 14 years, and we’re proud to be both the owner of the largest solar energy project in the state’s history and a driving force in accelerating its ambitious clean energy goals,” said Charles Wheeler, CEO of Greenbacker.

Cider will sit on approximately 2,500 acres of land in Genesee County, east of Buffalo, where it began construction in late 2024. The project is expected to generate enough annual clean electricity to power around 120,000 New York households.

Greenbacker’s Cider project is one of 23 large-scale clean energy developments awarded contracts in December by the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA). New York has set a goal of sourcing 70% of its electricity from clean energy by 2030.

The Solar Energy Industries Association ranks New York 8th nationally for solar capacity. With 6,493 megawatts, it has enough solar to power 1,127,865 homes. It’s expected to move to 5th place in five years.

Read more: No other energy source came close to matching solar’s rate of growth in 2024 – in numbers


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Genesis kills off gas-powered cars in the UK for EVs and hybrids

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Genesis kills off gas-powered cars in the UK for EVs and hybrids

Genesis is officially killing off its gas and diesel-powered vehicles in the UK to become “a fully electrified brand” in 2025. Once current gas models are sold, Genesis will only sell EVs in the UK — at least until new hybrids join the lineup.

Genesis UK drops gas cars for EVs and hybrids

The luxury automaker launched its first vehicle in the UK in 2021. Since then, Genesis has made clear its plans to become a leading premium EV brand.

Although initial plans called for all new Genesis vehicles to be fully electric by 2025, the company confirmed it would introduce new hybrids.

Genesis already offers three EVs in the UK: the GV60, the Electrified G80 sedan, and the Electrified GV70 SUV. All three models have been updated with revamped interiors, more driving range, added features, and improved styling.

Once the current gas and diesel-powered G70 saloon, G70 Shooting Brake, GV70, and GV80 models are sold this year (some already are), Genesis will only sell EVs in the UK.

Genesis will introduce new all-electric models in the coming years, including its first high-performance EV, the GGV60 Magma. The luxury brand said its lineup “will be enhanced with hybrid tech.”

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Genesis Electrified GV70 updated model (Source: Hyundai Motor)

According to Auto Express, hybrids are not expected to launch until 2027. The GV70 and G80 would likely be candidates for a hybrid variant. Genesis could use new plug-in hybrid tech from the new Hyundai Sante Fe, the luxury brand’s parent company.

Genesis-new-Electrified-GV70-interior
The interior of the updated Genesis Electrified GV70 (Source: Hyundai Motor)

Electric vehicles accounted for about 80% of Genesis sales last year. The GV60, its first dedicated EV based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, was the top seller, followed by the Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80.

Genesis said the new EVs and hybrid models will be tailored for European customers as it expands beyond its current UK, German, and Swiss businesses.”

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