Weekly Roundup: 13th-19th January
- BRT Peshawar crosses 250,000 daily ridership mark
- Ford crosses $100B in market value
- EV sales surpass diesel in Europe for the first time in history
Public Transit in Focus
BRT Peshawar crosses 250,000 daily ridership mark
TransPeshawar has reported a record increase in the daily ridership number on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Peshawar. According to a spokesperson for TransPeshawar, the number of daily passengers has crossed 254,000. This is the highest ever daily commuting number for any public transport system in Pakistan. Check out the full story here.
Metro bus service for Islamabad airport to begin from March 23rd
The government has started preparations to inaugurate the new Metro bus service in Islamabad on 23rd March. The newly constructed 27-kilometer road starts from Peshawar Mor and goes to the new Islamabad airport. To oversee the management of the buses, Capital Mass Transit Authority has also been set up for the 16 billion PKR project. Read more about this news story here.
An Electrified Future
EV sales surpass diesel in Europe for the first time
The sale of electric vehicles (EV) in the European market has surpassed that of diesel cars for the first time ever. Across 18 European markets, more than a fifth of vehicles sold were electric, while diesel cars slumped to less than 19 percent in 2021. Europe has historically been dominated by the petrol and diesel car industry, but the new trend will help EV carmakers to further boost their EV plans. Read more about it here.
Volkswagen and Bosch team up to boost battery production
Volkswagen and Bosch have agreed to set up a joint venture dedicated to providing Europe with battery solutions by the end of this year. The German industrial giants aim to become self-sufficient in battery-cell production and vastly ramp up battery manufacturing in Europe. The JV is expected to help VW reach its goal to build six cell factories by 2030. Read more about it here.
Expanding Market
Ford crosses $100B in market value, gains $8.2B in Q4 from Rivian investment
Ford’s market value reached $100 billion for the first time as more investors bet on the automaker’s electrification strategy. The company’s shares, which have more than doubled in value last year, were up 3.7% after hitting an all-time high market cap. The fourth quarter results also include an $8.2 billion gain on its investment in auto startup, Rivian. Check out the complete story here.
Volkswagen overall sales hit a 10-year low in 2021, nearly doubles BEV sales
Volkswagen Group sold more than 450,000 all-electric vehicles and over 300,000 plug-in hybrids despite the challenging year. Overall, the German multinational automaker posted its lowest sales figure in 2021, as its sales dropped around 8%. The company cited the lagging supply of semiconductors as the principal factor in the latest decline. Check out the full story here.
In Other News
Ford and ADT form JV to market vehicle security products
Ford and a security company, ADT have formed a joint venture to help businesses protect vehicles and expensive equipment from theft. The first product from the venture is called Canopy and uses cameras, radar, global positioning, and artificial intelligence to spot a potential theft. The system will be offered as a security accessory on Ford and other top-selling vehicles starting next year. Read more about it here.
About Us
This week in Transport is a weekly round-up of everything happening in the transportation world; from sustainable transport initiatives to expansion plans, and implementation of an intelligent transport system. Watch this space for more sector news!