Volvo, Daimler + BAIC, Einride, Torqeedo, Hyundai.

All to be electrified at Volvo: From 2019 every Volvo will be electrified to a varying degree. Starting with the mild-hybrid as new base motor, plug-ins and all-electric variants will complete the palette. Five pure EVs can be expected by 2021 with three running under Geely’s Swedish flagship and the other two bearing the Polestar label. The latter is about to be remodelled as electric brand under the guidance of Volvo’s former head of design, Thomas Ingenlath (we reported). With the new strategy under way, ICE will see a phase out that is likely to be completed by 2023 following Volvo’s five-year product lifecycle.
autocar.co.uk, autonews.com, carscoops.com

Daimler and BAIC expand their JV operation with 5bn yuan (735m USD) to flow into EV production in China by 2020 including the infrastructure. A three-digit million euro sum of that investment is destined to build a new battery factory by Beijing Benz Automotive Co. (BBAC) in the People’s Republic.
reuters.com

Hybrid autonomous system: Swedish Einride has unveiled its first full-scale prototype. The T-Pod is a remote-controlled electric truck and with a cabin for a driver missing, it looks futuristic, or a bit odd. It can transport 15 euro pallets and travel 124 miles on one charge. Charging stations are being worked on as well and Einride hopes to have a first full version of the T-Pod ready by autumn.
engadget.com

BMW batteries take to life on sea as Torqeedo is using i3 power packs for energy storage in its Deep Blue electric drive systems for motorboats. The batteries are new and not recycled though and come with the full capacity of 30.5 kWh.
greencarcongress.com

On sale Hyundai PHEV: British drivers will get their hands on the Hyundai Ioniq plug-in hybrid this month. It is priced from 24,995 pounds, including the £2,500 Plug-In Car Grant.
electriccarsreport.com

Straddling bus a fraud: Police in China have arrested 32 people for illegal fundraising for a scrapped project to create a “straddling bus“. The idea to lift commuters above congestion caught a lot of attention but was finally scrapped shortly after the first test run of the TEB-1, or Transit Elevated Bus.
bbc.com, nytimes.com