Blink Charging and dfYOUN EV Fleet Management & Home Chargers
Blink Charging Co. has partnered with logistics firm dfYOUNG to offer a turnkey EV fleet management and home charger installation service for corporate salesforces nationwide. Under the collaboration, Blink’s EV chargers will be pre-kitted, RFI-activated, and installed at sales reps’ homes by dfYOUNG, which will also manage delivery logistics, compliance, and job completion. The initiative includes 24/7 Blink customer support and real-time fleet tracking, providing organizations with full visibility and reduced administrative burden. This partnership advances Blink’s goal of simplifying EV adoption for corporate customers.
ChargerHelp Spins Out SmarterHelp for Workforce Dev.
ChargerHelp has officially launched SmarterHelp, a newly independent workforce development company formed from its former Learning & Development division. Led by CEO Kianna Scott and COO Dr. Jessica Hutcheson, SmarterHelp aims to scale equity-centered, certification-based training for high-demand technical careers—starting with its EVSE Reliability Technician Training program. The initiative responds to the growing need for skilled clean energy workers, as the U.S. anticipates 6 million new green jobs by 2035 despite a global shortage in green skills. With a focus on underserved communities, SmarterHelp will expand training into smart grid, micromobility, and sustainable infrastructure. The company will outline its national impact strategy during a public webinar on September 15, 2025.
Faraday Future Trial Production of FX Super One at Hanford Factory
Faraday Future (NASDAQ: FFAI) has begun trial production of its new First Class EAI-MPV, the FX Super One, at its Hanford, California facility. The trial phase will focus on validating workflows, production processes, and quality assurance, while staff undergo specialized training. The FX Super One, unveiled in Los Angeles on July 17, features the Super EAI F.A.C.E. interface and Embodied AI Agent 6×4 Architecture, and is designed to compete with luxury MPVs like the Cadillac Escalade. Full engineering and safety validation will follow. The company has invested $300 million in its 1.1 million-square-foot FF ieFactory California, which could scale to produce over 30,000 vehicles annually. Backed by a recent $105 million financing commitment, Faraday Future is positioning the FX Super One to set a new standard in intelligent electric mobility.
2025 Should Set New Record for EV Fast Charger Deployment
A new industry report by Paren, State of the Industry Report: U.S. EV Fast Charging – Q2 2025, indicates that the U.S. is on track for a record-breaking year in DC fast charger installations. The report projects a 19% increase in year-over-year deployment, with an estimated 16,700 new fast-charging ports expected in 2025. This growth builds on a record-setting 2024 and reflects an accelerating push to expand electric vehicle infrastructure. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, approximately 4,242 new ports across 784 stations came online, bringing the nationwide total to nearly 59,700 fast-charging ports.
The report highlights a shift toward “Charging 2.0,” a new phase of infrastructure development characterized by larger charging hubs featuring 8, 10, or more high-speed chargers per site. These next-generation stations are designed to deliver faster charging and accommodate increasing EV adoption. Reliability is also improving, with Paren’s U.S. Reliability Index showing a 5.3% improvement year-over-year, as aging and less dependable chargers are gradually retired.
Despite the deployment surge, charger utilization rates are showing a slight decline—from 16.6% in Q1 to 16.1% in Q2—suggesting that charger buildout may be outpacing EV adoption in some regions. The report notes that underutilization risks are emerging in states where EV penetration remains low. At the same time, the national average charging price has decreased to $0.48 per kilowatt-hour, down from $0.50 the previous quarter, partly due to a growing number of stations using time-of-use pricing models. However, some regions, such as California, have experienced modest price increases.
Honda, Mitsubishi, & Tokuyama Hydrogen-Powered Data Center Reused Fuel Cells
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., in partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and Tokuyama Corporation, has launched a pioneering demonstration project in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, that aims to power a distributed data center using by-product hydrogen and stationary fuel cell (FC) systems repurposed from fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This innovative project, which officially commenced operations following an opening ceremony, was selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) under Japan’s initiative for advancing a hydrogen society and promoting regional hydrogen utilization.
The project centers on a stationary FC power station developed by Honda, which repurposes FC systems recovered from its FCEVs. The electricity generated is fueled by hydrogen—a by-product of Tokuyama’s salt water electrolysis operations—and is supplied to a data center operated by Mitsubishi. The aim is to validate how second-life fuel cells can be deployed for stationary energy needs, potentially lowering costs for customers and contributing to decarbonization goals by leveraging clean, stable hydrogen sources.
As data processing demands continue to grow—driven by technologies like generative AI and autonomous vehicles—this project serves as a test case for low-carbon energy solutions in digital infrastructure. By combining reused vehicle components and industrial by-product hydrogen, the companies hope to support the green transformation (GX) of energy-intensive sectors and accelerate digital transformation (DX) in regional communities.
BMW Next-Generation Electric Engines Producing
The BMW Group has officially commenced series production of its sixth-generation electric engine (Gen6) at the Steyr plant in Austria, marking a significant step in the company’s transition toward electrification. The Gen6 e-drive is the first fully electric powertrain to be produced at the site, which has a 40-year history of manufacturing internal combustion engines. This launch represents BMW’s commitment to blending legacy expertise with future mobility technology and signals a major investment—over one billion euros through 2030—to expand electric drive production capacity at Steyr.
The new electric engine features advanced technologies, including an 800-volt architecture and silicon carbide semiconductor-based inverters, which together reduce energy loss by 40 percent, cut costs by 20 percent, and lower weight by 10 percent compared to the previous generation. These improvements contribute to a roughly 20 percent increase in overall vehicle efficiency and enable extended electric driving ranges—up to 800 kilometers in the BMW iX3 50 xDrive, the first Neue Klasse model to feature this drivetrain. Core components like the rotor, stator, transmission, and inverter will be manufactured at Steyr, while aluminum housings will be cast at BMW’s Landshut facility and assembled on two new production lines.
BMW’s modular production approach allows flexibility to produce various derivatives of the Gen6 electric drive across the Neue Klasse model range, supporting scalability and cost efficiencies. The Steyr plant will continue producing combustion engines alongside e-drives, with up to half the workforce expected to focus on electromobility by 2030. The initiative underscores BMW’s strategy of “technology openness” to secure future competitiveness and jobs while driving forward Europe’s leadership in electric vehicle manufacturing.
Nissan NISSAN ENERGY Marketplace
Nissan, in partnership with Electrum, has unveiled the NISSAN ENERGY Marketplace—a comprehensive platform designed to help customers research, purchase, and install home energy products such as EV chargers, solar panels, and battery storage systems. The marketplace connects users with Electrum’s Energy Advisors, who assist in comparing bids from vetted contractors nationwide, identifying incentives, and customizing energy solutions tailored to individual homes and budgets.
This initiative reflects Nissan’s broader commitment to supporting EV adoption and a cleaner energy future, enhancing the ownership experience of its electric vehicles, including the upcoming 2026 Nissan LEAF. By easing access to home electrification, the NISSAN ENERGY Marketplace aims to help customers seamlessly integrate clean energy infrastructure, reduce their carbon footprint, and embrace a fully electrified lifestyle.
The launch complements Nissan’s existing NISSAN ENERGY programs, such as the NISSAN ENERGY Charge Network, which offers EV drivers expansive access to public charging, reinforcing the company’s vision to create smarter, more sustainable energy ecosystems for its customers.