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Volvo, Daimler, Traton join forces to build electric truck charging network

Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and Volkswagen's AG heavy-truck business the Traton Group announced on Monday a non-binding agreement to build a network of high-performance public charging stations for electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and buses around Europe. The news was first reported by Reuters. The three major European automakers will invest ˆ500 million (~$593 million USD) to install and operate 1,700 charging points in strategic locations and close to highways. They intend to finalize the agreement by the end of this year and start operations next year, with the hopes of increasing the number of charge points significantly as the companies seek additional partners for the future joint venture. The venture is meant to be a catalyst to prepare for the European Union's goals of carbon-neutral freight transportation by 2050. One of the main deterrents for both individuals and freight companies for switching to EVs has historically been a lack of charging infrastructure. By building that infrastructure, Volvo, Daimler and Traton can also expect to boost their own sales of electric trucks and buses. “It is the joint aim of EuropeÂ’s truck manufacturers to achieve climate neutrality by 2050," Martin Daum, CEO Daimler Truck, said in a statement.  "However, it is vital that building up the right infrastructure goes hand in hand with putting CO2-neutral trucks on the road. Together with Volvo Group and the Traton Group, we are therefore very excited to take this pioneering step to establish a high-performance charging network across Europe.” The partnership between Volvo and Daimler isn't unprecedented. In May, the two competitors teamed up to produce hydrogen fuel cells for long-haul trucks to lower development costs and boost production volumes. This latest venture is another signal that major companies are banding together to solve climate-related issues in the industry. European car industry association ACEA has called for up to 50,000 high-performance charging points by 2030. Traton CEO Matthias Gruendler told Reuters that roughly 10 billion euros would be needed to build out Europe's infrastructure to be fully electrified by 2050. According to a statement released by Volvo, this venture is also a call to action for others with a stake in the industry, like automakers or governments, to work together to ensure the rapid expansion needed to reach climate goals.

Mercedes-AMG teases 2016 C63 Coupe [w/video]

Mercedes-AMG says it has "something fast" on the way. We now know it's the C63 Coupe, which will be unveiled to the world at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. The carmaker teased its hot new two-door on Facebook, with a series of elusive photos showing a camouflaged C63 at the track. Something fast, indeed. We just drove the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S sedan and found it to be absolutely wonderful. It's no slouch, either – the four-door will run 0-60 in under four seconds. We expect the same from the upcoming coupe, thanks to the incredibly powerful, 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 under the hood. The C63 sedan produces 503 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in S guise. The coupe should do the same. The AMG C63 will debut with the rest of the C-Class Coupe range at the Frankfurt show, or possibly even a bit earlier. We can't wait. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Brabus 850 6.0 Biturbo Coupe is an extroverted, 217-mph Mercedes S63 AMG

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a prime example of handsome, restrained design. It's classy but not shouty, stylish without trying too hard. Of course, Brabus can address that um, problem, for you, without much issue. Meet the Brabus 850 6.0 Biturbo Coupe, an extensively modified version of the S63 AMG Coupe. Larger intakes and lots of carbon fiber typify the front end, while the tail sports a new diffuser and rear spoiler, both of which are finished in carbon fiber. Meanwhile, Brabus is offering a variety of wheel designs, ranging in size from 18 to 22 inches, and with the customer's choice of Continental, Pirelli and Yokohama rubber. The most questionable changes, though, happen in the cabin, where black Mastik leather is finished with copper stitching and piping. Brabus then takes 219 different interior trim pieces and lines them in Shadow Gold paint, just like the Monoblock wheels featured on the vehicle above. Of course, Brabus does much, much more than just offer its own take on the normally conservative Mercedes aesthetics. There's a bit of tweaking to the powertrain. Despite the "6.0" in its name, the donor S63 AMG's 5.5-liter, biturbocharged V8 has been enlarged to just over 5.9 liters (5,912 cc, to be precise), thanks to a larger cylinder bore and a longer stroke, the latter of which comes from a Brabus-spec crankshaft. While Brabus may be exaggerating about the size of its new coupe's engine, the tuning firm is not overstating said powerplant's output. A stout 850 horsepower is teamed with an electronically limited 848 pound-feet of torque. There's more to this modded Mercedes than that, though, as Brabus claims the 5.9-liter is actually capable of turning out a silly 1,069 lb-ft, but that it needed to be limited "in the interest of the longevity of the entire powertrain." All this extra oomph comes from a pair of "special" Brabus turbochargers, as well as new exhaust manifolds and a stainless steel exhaust system. A new intake module also helps breathing, while the engine's ECU has been updated for extra performance. Aside from a new set of paddle shifters, the S63 AMG's seven-speed gearbox was left unaltered, as was the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Oh, and if you live in Europe and really want to scare yourself, Brabus will offer the same engine treatment to the rear-drive S63 AMG that we don't get Stateside.