Genesis, HyCoFC, Kia, BMW, Seat, Ford, LichtBlick and more

South Korean luxury brand Genesis plans to fully electrify its product portfolio in Europe starting this year. The existing all-electric models, the Electrified G80, Electrified GV70, and GV60, will be launched later this year with larger batteries, expanded features, and other upgrades. New hybrid models are also planned to expand the lineup. Traditional combustion models like the G70, G70 Shooting Brake, and G80 will be phased out of the European market, though they may still be in stock for a while. The flagship G90 will remain available in Germany and Switzerland until mid-year.

As part of the HyCoFC project, industry and research partners are working to develop hybrid compound bipolar plates for fuel cells specifically designed for heavy-duty applications. By combining a metallic carrier foil with a conductive compound film, the plates are expected to offer high electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, and corrosion resistance. The goal is to increase the lifespan of fuel cells to about 30,000 hours while reducing production costs. Partners include Thyssenkrupp Steel and the Fraunhofer Institutes ILT and UMSICHT.

BMW has announced improvements for the 2025 model year i5 and i5 Touring electric vehicles. Using silicon carbide semiconductors in the power electronics and low rolling resistance tires on aerodynamic lightweight wheels, the range is expected to increase by up to 47 kilometers. Depending on the model, the range currently varies between 472 and 627 kilometers. The introduction of silicon carbide semiconductors (SiC inverters) and the use of particularly low rolling resistance tires on aerodynamically optimized wheels will play a key role. The 19-inch Aerodynamic Wheels 1056 Bicolor will also be available for the i5 eDrive40 for the first time.

Ford, in partnership with home energy system provider E3/DC, has enabled bidirectional charging for its MEB platform-based electric models, the Capri and Explorer. Owners of these vehicles can now store excess power, such as from a photovoltaic system, in the vehicle battery and feed it back into the home grid when needed. This Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology enables more efficient use of renewable energy and provides additional domestic storage capacity.

Swiss electric aircraft startup H55 has partnered with UK-based Aerovolt, which specializes in charging infrastructure for electric airplanes. Together, they plan to expand charging infrastructure and develop standardized charging software. They also aim to introduce fully electric training programs for private pilot licenses, including providing charging infrastructure at regional and local airports.

A research team at Kempten University is working on the DynaviL project, which is developing an inductive charging solution for electric vehicles while in motion. The system is based on a matrix coil arrangement aiming to extend the charging area over a larger surface, not limited to a single lane. The goal is to efficiently supply vehicles with energy on variable driving paths. During the project phase, two scenarios will be demonstrated: one with autonomous e-shuttles using low-voltage batteries and another with industrial vehicles using either low-voltage or high-voltage batteries. While the e-shuttles will only be dynamically charged, industrial vehicles will undergo both static and dynamic charging without cables. The project is expected to run until 2027.

Chinese company U Power is expanding its UOTTA battery swap system into Europe and South America. The first markets are Portugal and Peru, where U Power has entered partnerships in the taxi sector. In Portugal, a compact battery swap station with eight slots and 90 square meters of space will be installed, enabling 30 to 50 swaps per day. In Peru, U Power is collaborating with Treep Mobility to provide battery swapping solutions for two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles. A successful pilot project also includes two operational battery swap stations, an E-tricycle, and ten E-scooters.

US company Boom Supersonic has successfully broken the sound barrier with its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. During a test flight on January 28, 2025, over the California Mojave Desert, the XB-1 reached Mach 1.1. This is the first time a privately developed aircraft, not funded by a government or large corporation, has achieved this milestone. Boom plans to build a passenger aircraft called Overture, which will carry 64 to 80 passengers and be capable of flying up to twice as fast as current commercial jets.

Spanish ferry company Baleària plans an all-electric ferry route between Tarifa, Spain, and Tanger, Morocco. In the next two years, electric catamarans capable of carrying 800 passengers and 225 cars will be built at the Armon shipyard in Gijón. With a battery capacity of 11,500 kWh, the ferries will be able to travel the approximately 30-kilometer route emissions-free. Charging times at the ports will be around 40 minutes.

Electric motorcycle provider Spiro has partnered with US-based ACE Green Recycling to create a sustainable battery ecosystem in Africa. ACE will recycle Spiro’s old batteries and production waste. Plans include setting up recycling centers near Spiro’s collection points to ensure responsible disposal and reuse of the batteries.

Porsche has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest continuous drift by an electric vehicle on ice with the Taycan GTS. Instructor Jens Richter drifted the vehicle for 132 laps in Lapland, covering 17.5 kilometers in 46 minutes. The record attempt took place on a specially prepared ice track at the Porsche Arctic Center in Levi, Finland. Richter highlighted the excellent handling of the Taycan GTS even under extreme conditions.