Las Vegas, NV, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ACT Expo, The Leading Fleet Technology Show, today announced that John Smith, incoming president & CEO of FedEx Freight, will deliver the opening keynote at ACT Expo 2026, taking place May 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. His keynote will kick off four days where the entire commercial transportation ecosystem gathers to evaluate the technologies, strategies, and investments shaping fleet performance in the years ahead. In his leadership role at FedEx F ...

Group 1: Joint Development Agreement - Ampere, Renault's electric vehicle and software division, has entered a joint development agreement with Basquevolt to accelerate the development of lithium metal-based batteries for future EVs [1] - The collaboration aims to meet Pre-A prototype requirements for EV applications, which is an early validation stage before full vehicle integration [1] Group 2: Battery Technology and Performance - Basquevolt's technology combines a polymer electrolyte with an advanced anode architecture, designed to deliver higher energy density than conventional liquid-electrolyte lithium-ion batteries [2] - This design is expected to support lighter and more compact battery packs with improved thermal stability and faster charging capabilities [2] - After over a year of collaboration, Basquevolt is demonstrating very high energy density while lowering overall battery pack costs [3] Group 3: Manufacturing and Cost Efficiency - The polymer electrolyte enables a simpler cell manufacturing process, potentially reducing capital expenditure per GWh in a conventional gigafactory by about 30% and cutting energy consumption per kWh produced by a similar amount [4] - The agreement is intended to support the commercial deployment of lithium metal battery technology in EVs [4] Group 4: Strategic Developments - Basquevolt's CEO stated that entering this next phase with Ampere marks a significant milestone in bringing polymer electrolyte technology closer to the mass market [5] - Renault Group has secured long-term financing and industrial support to accelerate the development and production of next-generation fully electric light commercial vehicles [6] - Krishnan Sundararajan has been appointed CEO to lead the project's next phase starting from February 23, 2026 [6]

Renault Group is to acquire full ownership of Flexis SAS, the joint venture established by the three companies - Renault Group, Volvo Group and CMA CGM Group - in 2024 to create a new generation of electric vans. Renault also said it has secured long-term financing and industrial backing to accelerate the development and delivery of ‘next-generation’ fully electric light commercial vehicles (LCVs). Alongside this, Krishnan Sundararajan has been appointed CEO, effective 23 February 2026, to lead the next p ...

Core Viewpoint - Isuzu Motors is relocating heavy-duty truck production from Fujisawa to Ageo as part of a domestic manufacturing reorganization to enhance efficiency and capacity in preparation for the 2028 launch of a new medium heavy-duty truck platform with UD Trucks [1][2][5] Group 1: Production Relocation - The production transfer is set to begin in June 2026, with full operations at the Ageo site expected to start in 2028 [1] - The Ageo Plant will become the primary manufacturing base for heavy-duty trucks, while the Fujisawa Plant will focus on medium- and light-duty models [2] Group 2: Investment and Capacity - Isuzu plans to invest approximately Y40 billion ($260.64 million) in the transition, which includes building a new paint shop and upgrading existing facilities [1][3] - The annual production capacity at Ageo is projected to reach about 25,000 units, transitioning from a single-shift to a two-shift operation [2] Group 3: Employment and Facility Details - As of March 31, 2025, the Fujisawa Plant employs 6,004 people and spans 1,013,648 square meters, with a total floor space of 660,503 square meters [3] - The Ageo Plant, operated by UD Trucks Corporation, employs 2,084 people and covers 419,723 square meters, with a total floor area of 275,560 square meters [4] Group 4: Strategic Goals - The reorganization is part of Isuzu's mid-term plan, "ISUZU Transformation – Growth to 2030," which aims for sales of over 850,000 new vehicles and revenues exceeding Y5 trillion by fiscal 2030 [4][5] - The plan includes developing a supply chain capable of supporting one million units and leveraging technologies from the Volvo Group for the joint development of the medium heavy-duty truck platform [5]

Renault plans to acquire the remaining stake in Flexis, ending the joint venture structure created in April 2024 with Volvo Group and CMA CGM. The French automaker and Volvo Group together hold a combined 90% stake in the commercial vehicle venture, with each owning 45%. French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM owns the rest. The commercial vehicle venture was set up to develop battery-electric vans using a centralised computing platform. French newspaper Le Monde reported that tensions emerged fol ...

Renault plans to buy out stakes held by Volvo Group and shipping firm CMA CGM in their electric van joint venture Flexis, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Monday, following a review of the busine... ...

Core Viewpoint - Volvo Group reported weaker fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results due to tariffs and softer regional demand impacting performance [1][3] Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter net sales decreased by 11% to Skr123.8 billion ($14.07 billion), with revenue remaining flat year-on-year when excluding currency effects and the SDLG divestment [1] - Income for the fourth quarter was Skr9.61 billion, down from Skr10.81 billion in the same period last year [1] - For 2025, net sales declined to Skr479.2 billion, and annual income was reported at Skr34.70 billion, a decrease from Skr50.57 billion the previous year [3] Operating Income and Profitability - Currency shifts reduced operating income by Skr2.1 billion, while both adjusted and reported operating profit reached Skr12.8 billion, resulting in a margin of 10.3% [2] - Adjusted operating income fell to Skr51.2 billion, and reported profit decreased to Skr48.5 billion, with margins narrowing to just over 10% [3] - Earnings per share dropped to Skr4.73 for Q4 and Skr16.94 for the full year [2][3] Cash Flow and Dividends - Operating cash flow in industrial operations dropped to Skr19.3 billion for Q4 and halved to Skr21.8 billion for the full year [2][3] - The board proposed a total dividend of Skr13 per share, consisting of an ordinary dividend of Skr8.50 and an extra dividend of Skr4.50 [4][5] Regional Performance - Regional performance in Q4 was mixed, with Europe seeing a 1% increase, while North America, South America, and Asia experienced sharp declines [4] - Vehicle and service sales both declined, and truck orders and deliveries weakened year-on-year [4] Future Outlook - Volvo anticipates negative currency effects of about Skr2 billion on first-quarter 2026 operating income, alongside a full-year research and development impact that is net positive but weaker than in 2025 [5]

Toronto-based Waabi announced Wednesday that it closed an oversubscribed $750 million Series C funding round. The autonomous vehicle technology company secured an additional milestone-based investment from Uber, bringing total available capital to $1 billion. The funding, the largest fundraise in Canadian history, will fuel continued advancement of Waabi’s Physical AI Platform. The platform will accelerate the Canadian trucking technology maker’s commercial progress and support the company’s expansion int ...

Core Viewpoint - Volvo Group reported a smaller than expected decline in fourth-quarter operating profit and proposed a below-forecast total dividend of 13 Swedish crowns per share [1] Financial Performance - The decline in fourth-quarter operating profit was less than anticipated, indicating a potentially stronger performance than market expectations [1] Dividend Proposal - The proposed total dividend of 13 Swedish crowns per share is below market forecasts, which may affect investor sentiment [1]

Core Insights - Volvo Trucks North America will deliver three zero-tailpipe-emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks to City Harvest in 2026 as part of the Bronx is Breathing project, supported by a $10 million award from the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program [1][9][16] Group 1: Project Overview - The Bronx is Breathing initiative aims to reduce noise and emissions in South Bronx neighborhoods, which are near a busy freight corridor [1][5] - City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization, will utilize the electric trucks for food rescue and delivery operations across all five boroughs [2][17] - The project includes a broader deployment of eight Volvo Group vehicles to support food distribution and local deliveries in Hunts Point [6] Group 2: Environmental Impact - The Volvo VNR Electric trucks are designed for urban operations, providing zero-tailpipe emissions to improve local air quality and reduce noise pollution during deliveries [3][4] - City Harvest's operations are expected to prevent over 25 million kilograms of carbon emissions this year while delivering food to those in need [7] Group 3: Infrastructure and Support - City Harvest will initially charge the electric trucks at a new installation at the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative, with future operations shifting to a public charging hub being developed by MN8 Energy [2] - The charging hub will feature 32 DC fast chargers and 10 Level-2 chargers, operational by 2029 [2] Group 4: Community and Economic Benefits - The Bronx is Breathing project demonstrates scalable strategies for commercial vehicle electrification, aiming to reduce diesel emissions in neighborhoods with high asthma hospitalization rates [5] - Investments in electric trucks and charging infrastructure are expected to strengthen the local economy and support cleaner freight operations [4]