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Wallbox Unveils Supernova PowerRing
Wallbox (NYSE: WBX) announced the launch of Supernova PowerRing, a next-generation modular fast-charging system delivering up to 400 kW per vehicle and 720 kW total shared capacity. Designed for public and semi-public sites, PowerRing intelligently distributes power across connected Supernova chargers to optimize uptime and efficiency while minimizing space and installation costs. The system supports scalable configurations of 240, 480, or 720 kW, allowing operators to expand as demand grows. Future upgrades will introduce advanced power-sharing between connectors and across entire sites. Set to debut in Q1 2026 across Southern Europe, Benelux, and the UK/Ireland, PowerRing will later expand globally, including to the U.S.
Aptera Begins Builds Validation Vehicle Assembly Line
Aptera Motors Corp. (NASDAQ: SEV), a solar mobility innovator, has started constructing its validation vehicle assembly line at its Southern California facility—a major milestone toward scalable production. The new setup transitions Aptera from prototype builds to a structured, repeatable assembly process using precision fixtures for its Body in Carbon (BinC) to ensure accuracy and consistency. With components now arriving from suppliers, engineers and technicians are assembling validation vehicles while refining tools and procedures for future production. This phase will help optimize every stage of vehicle assembly and prepare for low-volume manufacturing, which Aptera estimates will require $65 million in additional funding.
Toyota Opens $14 Billion NC Battery Plan
Toyota has launched production at its new $14 billion battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, North Carolina—its first battery facility outside Japan and eleventh U.S. plant overall. The massive 1,850-acre site will create up to 5,100 new jobs and produce up to 30 GWh of lithium-ion batteries annually to power Toyota’s expanding lineup of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric vehicles.
The investment marks a major step in Toyota’s multi-pathway electrification strategy. The company also announced an additional $10 billion investment in its U.S. operations over the next five years, bringing total U.S. investment close to $60 billion. Batteries built in North Carolina will support models such as the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV, and a new three-row all-electric SUV to be built in the U.S.
Federal and state officials, including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Governor Josh Stein, praised the project as a major economic boost for the Piedmont Triad region. Beyond manufacturing, Toyota is investing in workforce and STEM education, donating $2.7 million to expand its “Driving Possibilities” program in local schools.
Once fully operational by 2030, the facility will include 14 production lines and team member amenities such as on-site childcare, healthcare, and fitness facilities—underscoring Toyota’s long-term commitment to U.S. innovation, clean energy, and community development.
PowerFlex Surpasses 500 MW of Solar and 50,000 EV Chargers
PowerFlex, a leading North American provider of onsite clean technology solutions, has achieved major milestones—installing over 500 MW of commercial solar, deploying 50 MWh of battery storage, and managing more than 50,000 EV chargers. Operating across nearly 1,000 sites, PowerFlex’s network has enabled 170 million electric miles, delivering enough clean energy annually to power more than 100,000 U.S. homes and offset 460,000 metric tons of CO₂.
These achievements highlight the success of the company’s adaptive energy management platform, PowerFlex X, which unifies solar, storage, and EV charging to optimize costs, reduce emissions, and enhance energy resilience for commercial and industrial clients. CEO Raphael Declercq emphasized that PowerFlex’s integrated approach delivers immediate savings and sustainability benefits while paving the way for future digital grid solutions.
Supported by EDF Power Solutions, PowerFlex continues to advance its mission of accelerating reliable, customer-centric clean energy adoption across North America.
JOLT Acquires Volta Media Network
JOLT, a global leader in digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising and electric vehicle (EV) charging, has signed an agreement to acquire a substantial portion of Shell’s Volta Media Network, marking its official entry into the U.S. market. The acquisition, expected to close on January 1, 2026, will add thousands of charging and media sites across 34 states and 64 major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth.
By integrating Volta’s assets, JOLT will expand its combined EV charging and advertising network, enhancing its data-driven platform that enables brands to reach consumers in high-traffic locations like retail centers, restaurants, and travel hubs. The move solidifies JOLT’s position as the world’s largest integrated EV charging and DOOH network, serving top global advertisers such as McDonald’s, Amazon, Toyota, Target, and American Express.
CEO Doug McNamee said the deal accelerates JOLT’s mission to make EV adoption easier while ensuring the continued operation of the Volta network. The expansion reflects the growing intersection of clean mobility and digital media, providing measurable value for drivers, advertisers, and property partners across North America.
GreenPower Issues Forward-Looking Statement Notice
GreenPower Motor Company, a manufacturer of purpose-built all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, provides contact information for its executive team and an overview of its product lineup, which includes transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans, and cab-and-chassis models. The company uses a clean-sheet, zero-emissions design approach and partners with global suppliers to support maintenance and warranty needs.
The release includes standard forward-looking statements noting that expectations around production acceleration, operational optimization, revenue recognition, and Nasdaq listing status involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ due to various factors outlined in the company’s public filings. GreenPower does not commit to updating these statements as circumstances change.
The notice appears alongside other recent company updates, including announcements regarding preferred share financing and voluntary delisting from the TSX Venture Exchange.
Terawatt Commercial EV Charging Hub in Rialto
Terawatt Infrastructure has launched its newest commercial EV charging hub in Rialto, California, strategically positioned along the eastbound I-10 to support heavy freight traffic moving from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The site is part of Terawatt’s expanding connected network designed to keep electric fleets operating efficiently across major logistics routes.
The Rialto facility offers 18 pull-through 350kW fast chargers, 55 bobtail parking stalls, a driver lounge with Wi-Fi and restrooms, automated entry via license plate recognition, solar canopies, and 100% renewable energy for every charging session. Enhanced security includes 24/7 monitoring and gated access.
Terawatt emphasizes reliability, security, and high uptime—critical for commercial EV fleets. The new hub joins other California heavy-duty charging sites such as Rancho Dominguez, supporting fleet decarbonization without requiring companies to build their own charging depots.
Kia Establishes Major PBV Production
Kia marked a major milestone in its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) strategy with the completion of the Hwaseong EVO Plant East and the groundbreaking of the EVO Plant West in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The ceremonies, held at Kia’s AutoLand Hwaseong site, drew 200 attendees including Korea’s Prime Minister, regional officials, and top Hyundai Motor Group executives.
Kia is investing KRW 4 trillion and has secured nearly 300,000 square meters for its PBV-dedicated complex. Once both plants are operational—EVO Plant West is slated for 2027—the combined annual production capacity will reach 250,000 units. The Hwaseong EVO complex will serve as a global strategic hub for advancing Kia’s PBV business, with a focus on electrified light commercial vehicles.
Leaders emphasized the significance of the investment for Korea’s mobility future, highlighting opportunities in electrification, autonomous technologies, and AI. Kia’s global CEO reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustainable mobility and to positioning PBVs as a core pillar of its long-term growth.
PG&E, Nissan, and Fermata Energy V2X Microgrid Demo
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Nissan, and Fermata Energy have launched an industry-first demonstration integrating electric vehicles and bidirectional chargers into a multi-customer microgrid at the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid (RCAM) in Humboldt County, California. Using two 2020–21 Nissan LEAFs, four Fermata FE-20 bidirectional chargers, and Fermata’s V2X optimization platform, the project showcases how EVs can provide automated grid frequency response, support local energy resilience, and reduce energy costs.
The system enables EVs to charge and discharge intelligently, supporting solar and battery balancing within the microgrid and participating in California’s Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP), generating savings and revenue for Humboldt County. Advanced control technology from the Schatz Energy Research Center allows the EVs to stabilize the microgrid during islanded operation.
PG&E says the project demonstrates how Vehicle-to-Microgrid (V2M) and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technologies can enhance grid reliability amid increasing renewable energy adoption. Nissan and Fermata emphasize the potential for EVs to act as distributed energy assets that strengthen statewide grid stability.
The pilot is part of PG&E’s broader V2X program, which includes residential and commercial offerings with financial incentives for customers installing bidirectional chargers and supporting grid needs.
Harbinger Raises $160M Series C; FedEx Orders 53 Electric Trucks
Medium-duty electric vehicle maker Harbinger secured $160 million in a Series C round co-led by FedEx, Capricorn’s Technology Impact Fund, and THOR Industries, bringing total funding to $358 million. FedEx also placed its first order for 53 Class 5 and 6 Harbinger electric trucks, to be delivered as chassis for upfitting by year-end.
Investors—including Tiger Global, Volkswagen-backed Leitmotif, Maniv Mobility, Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund, and others—back Harbinger’s U.S.-built, vertically integrated EV platform designed specifically for medium-duty fleets. The company’s electric stripped chassis offers competitive acquisition costs, modular battery configurations (140–200+ mile range), strong torque, tight turning radius, and advanced safety/ADAS features.
FedEx said the vehicles support its goal to fully electrify its pickup and delivery fleet by 2040. Harbinger’s technology also underpins THOR Industries’ new Embark electric motorhome, signaling growing commercial and RV-sector momentum.
ChargePoint Unveils Next-Gen Software Platform
ChargePoint has launched a fully redesigned ChargePoint Platform, a next-generation software ecosystem built to manage and optimize EV charging infrastructure of any size—from single sites to global networks. Rebuilt from the ground up, the platform integrates AI-driven optimization, dynamic energy management, advanced analytics, OCPP plug-and-play compatibility, and a streamlined, mobile-first user interface.
Designed for fleets, OEMs, commercial operators, CPOs, and energy providers, the platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze charger health, energy demand, usage patterns, and vehicle context to improve uptime, predict maintenance, and refine pricing strategies. Features include Waitlist for smart driver queuing, frictionless station activation via the Installer App, customizable dashboards, robust reporting, and real-time load balancing to reduce energy costs.
Available as turnkey CMS Suite packages or fully modular CMS Studio, the platform brings unified management across any charger model and supports global-scale scalability with secure, cloud-native architecture. Early adopters like Verizon report major gains in efficiency and usability. ChargePoint says the new platform marks a major step toward more reliable, flexible, and sustainable EV charging.
SparkCharge Launches SparkAI
SparkCharge has introduced SparkAI, an AI-powered infrastructure planning platform built specifically for commercial EV fleets. Designed to overcome widespread grid-capacity barriers—responsible for delaying over 80% of electrification projects—SparkAI performs thousands of instant energy simulations using real-world data, weather, terrain, and fleet profiles to create precise charging plans across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
The platform enables fleets to deploy scalable charging infrastructure in as little as three days, bypassing long utility upgrades and reducing deployment delays by up to two years. SparkAI also supports broader grid stability and energy-intensive sectors like AI data centers by optimizing location efficiency, load balancing, and off-grid power options using SparkCharge’s mobile battery trailers.
By right-sizing systems and avoiding costly overbuild, SparkAI reduces infrastructure and operating costs by 15–30%, boosts utilization, and expands electrification into rural, industrial, and grid-constrained regions. The launch follows a year of momentum for SparkCharge, including major fleet deployments and a $30.5 million capital raise.
VW & Rivian Working Together
Volkswagen and Rivian have launched a $5.8 billion joint venture to co-develop next-generation electric vehicle architecture and software. The new company will be led by Rivian’s head of software and VW’s chief technical engineer, with initial engineering efforts starting in Palo Alto and expanding into Europe and North America. VW’s investment includes upfront funding and equity tied to performance milestones through 2027.
The collaboration will leverage Rivian’s modular hardware and software to power future EVs for both Rivian (including its upcoming smaller models) and VW’s brands. For Rivian, the deal delivers vital capital and a broad customer base; for Volkswagen, it accelerates its transformation into a “software-defined” automaker with a modern EV platform.