In the USA, Polaris donated more than $135,000 to off-road and snow organisations through its spring T.R.A.I.L.S. Grants. In total, Polaris has donated more than $3.1m to ATV, off-road and snowmobiling organisations across the U.S. and Canada through its ongoing twice annual T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Programme. "Polaris is committed to promoting responsible riding practices and advancing stewardship initiatives that help protect and care for the outdoors".
BRP is marking the 50th anniversary of Can-Am with a special collaboration with The Shoe Surgeon "that pushes again the limits of what's possible to celebrate inclusivity, its heritage and the thrill of the ride" with three custom Can-Am Ryker 3-wheel vehicles and three styles of Can-Am-inspired riding shoes. This will be followed by "revolutionary new Can-Am product updates and models, staying true to its trailblazer nature". Retail sales of Can-Am products are said to have more than doubled in the last four years, and building on its motorcycle legacy, "Can-Am is also changing the power dynamic with two new electric motorcycles".
Electric motorcycle manufacturer Verge Motorcycles (Finland) recently opened a flagship store in central Monaco. The company plans to open more stores in major European cities throughout 2023.
Harald Schlarb, former Planning Lead of the Tesla Giga-Factory Berlin-Brandenburg, has joined eRocket AG, the Brandenburg-based e-mobility company, as an advisory board member for infrastructure and production.
ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot has been announced as the keynote speaker for 'Riding Future Technologies 8.0' Ricardo Motorcycle Conference in Milan on Monday November 6, 2023. Key topics and discussion points throughout the conference will cover hydrogen small engines and mobility; the benefits and challenges of electrified motorcycles; a new simulation model for motorcycle motion; advanced rider assistance systems; software and its future role in the motorcycle industry; industrial design and its future role in leveraging sustainable materials; future emissions legislation for motorcycles and motorcycle racing - the MotoE experience.
London based Zapp has been granted twin European patents for its "sector-transforming" i300 Electric Urban Motorcycle ahead of customer deliveries that are slated to start later this year. The patents are for Zapp's unique Z-shaped exoskeleton and removable front fenders. "Exoskeleton endows i300 with a unique combination of step-through scooter convenience and motorcycle performance and handling, whilst enhancing sustainability and manufacturability. Removable fenders unlock near-unlimited colourway personalisation options".
The Bologna based FIVE Group (Fabbrica Italiana Veicoli Elettrici) has announced Italian market comeback distribution of the Chinese Tromox brand of electric motorcycles - including the brand's flagship UKKO S (and UKKO S lite) with a nominal 4 kw mounted motor, which reaches a peak of 8 kw, the UKKO S reaches a maximum speed of 90 km/h and has a range of up to 130 km. FIVE Group is a network of some 60 retailers in the motorcycle and scooter market segment.
Ducati has announced a Web3 digital collectible programme in partnership with Web3Pro and the XRP Ledger - "a new opportunity to extend the experience of Ducatisti around the world and reach new fans, the programme includes the release of a sequence of digital collectibles dedicated to telling the history of Ducati and the company's present, while keeping an eye on the future".
Energica has announced 'MyWays' as a new dealer in Luxembourg. The government in Luxembourg is funding the construction of 672 additional charging points for electric cars, 44 of which are fast chargers, with more than € 4.5m. In Latvia, Energica has signed Rock Distribution (Sigulda) as its new importer. Latvia's power network distributor and other state institutions have plans to develop more than 2,000 public electric vehicle recharge points nationwide. In Austria, Energica has signed Projekt31 2Rad GmbH (Strasshof) as a new dealer. Revenue in the Electric Vehicles market in Austria is projected to reach €4.50bn in 2023 and is expected to show an annual growth rate (2023-2027) of 23.57%, resulting in a projected market volume of € 10.49bn by 2027. In France, Energica has signed Stand41 (located in Blois, Centre-Val de Loire) as a new dealer. Centre-Val de Loire is developing a strong emission reduction strategy, with over 6,000 public charging points planned by 2025.
Seven Automakers are uniting to create a leading high-powered charging network across North America. BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will create an "unprecedented new charging network joint venture that will significantly expand access to high-powered charging in North America". The stated target is to install at least 30,000 high-powered charge points in urban and highway locations using renewable energy "to ensure customers can charge whenever and wherever they need. With a focus on delivering an elevated customer experience, the network will provide reliability, high-powered charging capability, digital integration, appealing locations, various amenities while charging". The network will be accessible to all EV customers, offering both Combined Charging System (CCS) and North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors. The first stations are scheduled to open in the summer of 2024. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as of July 2023, there are 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the United States for use by 2.3 million electric vehicles, a ratio of 72 vehicles per charger. The NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) estimates that 182,000 DC fast chargers will be needed to support 30-42 million plug-in vehicles expected on the road by 2030. U.S. electric vehicle sales are expected to exceed 50% of total U.S. sales by 2030.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com
