bp pulse, the global electric vehicle charging division of bp, has officially introduced its most significant EV charging facility in the United States.

Key Highlights

• 48 Ultrafast Charging Bays: Equipped with 400 kW and 150 kW DC fast chargers, supporting CCS and NACS connectors.
• Convenient Amenities: Features a lounge, vending machines, restrooms, and free Wi-Fi, opening to the public soon.
  Prime Location: Situated just two miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), serving ride-hail drivers, local EV owners, and rental car users.
• Funding Support: Backed by a $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC).
• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Included remarks from bp pulse leadership and key stakeholders.
• Expansion Strategy: Part of a collaboration with Hertz to develop additional hubs near airports and high-demand areas.

As per the David Hochschild, Chair of the California Energy Commission quote, he praised the project as a milestone in California’s push for clean transportation. He noted its value as a model for public-private partnerships, driving innovation, job creation, and improved air quality.

Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, said that starting July 1, 2026, all gasoline and diesel vehicles will not be allowed in the city center. In 2027, this rule will cover even more parts of the city. Later, Hanoi will also stop gas and diesel cars, but the exact date for this is not clear yet.

Vietnam plans to stop all gas and diesel motorcycles across the whole country by the year 2045. Many people in big cities like Hanoi use motorcycles and scooters that run on fuel, which cause a lot of air pollution and noise. These new rules are to help reduce that pollution and make the air cleaner and streets quieter.

Because of this, hundreds of thousands of people in Hanoi will need to buy electric vehicles or scooters by next July. This will increase the sales of electric vehicles. But it will also be a big money problem for many people, since the average monthly wage in Vietnam is about 512 euros.

The government hopes the streets will become quieter and the air will get better. But so far, they have not said if they will give any financial help to people to buy electric vehicles. They are looking into some options, but nothing has been announced yet.

Two companies that will benefit from this change are VinFast, which makes electric cars and electric motorcycles, and Selex, which also makes electric scooters. Selex has a special battery swapping system that might help solve the problem of not having many charging stations in Vietnam.

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The head of MG, Chen Cui, just told everyone that their updated MG4 electric car will be the first regular car you can buy that uses a new type of battery called semi-solid-state. The car will come out on August 5 and will have other improvements too.

The biggest change is definitely the battery. The MG4 will use a battery made by a company called QingTao Energy. This battery only has 5% liquid inside it (most batteries have way more liquid). They tested it really hard to make sure it’s safe, even poking holes in it from all sides.

This new battery works 13% better when it’s cold outside (around 19°F below zero). The car can go 537 kilometers on one charge according to Chinese testing rules. The battery holds 70 kWh of power and stores about 180 Wh per kilogram – that’s about the same as the regular batteries most electric cars use now.

Even though the MG4 will probably be the first normal car you can buy with this semi-solid-state battery, it’s not the first car to try it. Another company called Nio tested it in their ET5 car and got 958 kilometers from a much bigger 150 kWh battery, which isn’t that great. Since the MG4 gets 537 kilometers from a 70 kWh battery, it looks like this new battery technology still needs a lot of work.

Besides the new battery, the MG4 will have a completely new entertainment system that MG made with Oppo (the phone company). You can control it by talking to it, making hand gestures, or connecting your phone. In China, the MG4 will probably cost between 80,000 and 120,000 yuan (that’s about €9,400 to €14,000), depending on which version you buy.

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