MIT, Gigafactory, BAIC, Toyota.

Autonomous MIT trike trial: The Persuasive Electric Vehicle was launched in Taiwan, swiftly following the previous concept. The tricycle weighs only 40 kilos and is said to roam for 40 km on one charge. In a first round of testing, 50 pieces at 6,000 dollars each will be distributed to Hamburg, Singapore, Taipei, and two cities in the U.S.
eco-business.com, taiwantoday.tw

Second Gigafactory? Tesla might erect a battery factory in South Africa, Timeslive reports, as the EV maker appoints South African Evan Rice as business development manager in the country. The tip of Africa would lend itself for Tesla Powerwalls, as energy distribution is often scarce.
timeslive.co.za, electrek.co

Second BAIC R&D: Detroit saw the opening of a second U.S. testing centre built by the Chinese automotive corporation. The new R&D centre will serve BAIC in gathering information on the overseas market, building brand value, and obtaining EV technology. The firm recently opened its first research facility in Silicon Valley and expects synergies.
prnewswire.com

Star-studded future: Toyota presents a research vehicle with satellite communications function by Kymeta at NAIAS in Detroit. The concept is based on the fuel cell Mirai. Kymeta’s flat antenna uses software and liquid crystal technologies instead of mechanical components.
greencarcongress.com