Follow PSR’s ongoing global coverage of eMobility across a wide range of segments, including electric cars, commercial vehicles, electric motorbikes and e-buses.
On March 31, EU ministers met to discuss the global shortage of around 11million barrels of oil per day. At the meeting, European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen urged nations to outline measures to reduce the use of oil and gas, particularly in transportation. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused panic within Europe. As a result, the EU has been advised to consider biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Unlike America, Europe is struggling to find sources of oil that are either not in Russia nor the Middle East. As a result the European Union has been advised to look again at Biofuels.
The April 2026 issue of the Alternative Power Report produced by Power Systems Research and authored by Guy Youngs, features articles on problems with biofuels in Europe and how drivers consider EVs again. Read these articles and more in the April 2026 issue of Alternative Power Report today. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
Ashok Leyland’s move to develop and assemble its own battery packs marks one of its most strategically significant announcements in recent years. As India transitions toward a cleaner, multi-fuel commercial mobility ecosystem, this decision places the company at the center of the country’s electric commercial vehicle (ECV) transformation. The implications extend across technology, cost structure, competitive positioning, and long-term industry dominance.
At the core, battery packs account for 35–45% of an electric vehicle’s total cost, making them the single most influential factor in pricing and margins. By internalizing battery pack development, Ashok Leyland is aiming to break its dependence on third-party suppliers, reduce bill-of-materials cost, and secure tighter control over the EV value chain. This is crucial as global cell prices fluctuate and supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical shifts. In-house pack assembly gives the company cost stability, greater design flexibility, and freedom to optimize packs specifically for Indian duty cycles—ranging from stop-and-go urban e-buses to long-haul e-LCVs and future heavy-duty platforms.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has launched a generator engine that runs on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. It can operate using a hydrogen blend of up to 30% by volume relative to natural gas. This is the world’s first product of its kind to be launched.
The newly launched ‘Hydrogen-Blended Gas Engine’ is based on existing natural gas-fueled power generation engines. Due to the explosion risk posed by hydrogen, it is equipped with safety devices and mechanisms to remove residual hydrogen from piping. The engine can also run on a fuel blend of city gas and hydrogen.
When blended with 30% hydrogen, an 18-cylinder model operating at 50 Hz has a power output of 7,800 kilowatts. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is expanding its product range to include hydrogen supply network products.
PSR Analysis: Using existing natural gas power generation facilities while transitioning to hydrogen utilization is expected to reduce customer investment risk. This approach is likely to attract the attention of infrastructure companies and local governments in domestic and international energy transition markets, particularly in Asia and Europe. It aligns with Japan’s policy of promoting a ‘hydrogen society’, and its adoption in public projects is anticipated.
However, resolving challenges in the fuel supply network, such as hydrogen cost and stable procurement, will be key to the speed of adoption.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries will enhance its brand value across the entire shipbuilding, power generation and hydrogen supply chains, thereby strengthening its position as a comprehensive energy company. In the medium to long term, market expansion is anticipated as a stepping stone towards full hydrogen combustion. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
Iveco has unveiled the Daily Multifuel concept, a light commercial vehicle capable of operating on ethanol, CNG, or biomethane. It’s positioned as a low-emission alternative to diesel for urban cargo transport. Tested in 3.5- and 7.2-ton versions, the model uses the FPT Industrial F1C 3-liter Otto-cycle engine, rated at 100 kW (136 hp) and 35.7 kgfm of torque. The engine integrates dual fuel-injection systems — one for liquids such as ethanol and another for gaseous fuels — and was developed in cooperation with Unesp, UFPA, and UNIFEI.
The rising demand for zero-emission mobility goes beyond the nice idea of preventing a catastrophic climate crisis. EVs are a better fit for the connected, electrified lifestyle of the 21st century; they offer more opportunities for convenience, they are more useful for weathering power outages and climate-connected emergencies, and they are more adaptable to the needs of fleet managers, among other advantages.
However, while some researchers note that “salt batteries” are not quite ready for prime time, other stakeholders — including industry leader CATL — are already laying plans for mass production. Last month, CATL also burned up the Internet when it announced a suite of two sodium-ion batteries ready for full volume production by the end of this year.
According to CnEVPost, Chinese automaker Changan claims it has developed a solid-state battery that will allow electric cars to travel up to 1500 kilometers without needing to be recharged. That’s a massive 932 miles.
Changan says its batteries will be in production by the end of this year, with verification and calibration procedures taking place next year. By 2027, it expects production cars using its solid-state batteries to be on the road in China.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, have developed a new electrolyte system for magnesium anodes, which they claim demonstrates a potential alternative to lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries through superior performance.
The team suggests halide-free Mg batteries surpass previous batteries in terms of safety, efficiency and stability. The aging effects of energy storage are also apparently mitigated with magnesium, which the team claimed would lead to a longer lifespan of the battery.
US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imported automobiles (again), and one reaction from the UK is to reconsider its policy on electric vehicle subsidies, especially since it is providing so much money to Tesla buyers.
“Tesla has benefited from £188m in UK taxpayer subsidies in nine years,” The Independent writes.
After imposing a 25% tariff on automobiles exported from the UK to the US, it’s quite natural for British people in the auto industry and politicians to say, “Hey, we’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars to subsidize your cars, and now you want to slap a tax on ours? Let’s reconsider how our EV policies work….” UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government is reviewing its electric vehicle transition rules, amid calls for reciprocal tariffs on Tesla imports,
PSR Analysis: The backlash against the Trump tariffs is slowly starting to take shape and a lot of this is directed at Tesla because of Elon Musk and his support for Trump. Given that Tesla put an end to the myth that Europeans won’t buy American cars, it’s a very odd place for Tesla to be in and they probably will remain there until such time as the dump Musk or go bankrupt. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
KG Motors, which manufactures and sells the ultra-compact “mibot” EV, is moving toward mass production of the units. It will start mass production in October 2025 at an assembly plant it has built near its headquarters. The company plans to produce 300 units in FY2025, 3,000 units in FY2026, and 10,000 units in FY2027.
The mibot is a one-person vehicle designed for short-distance travel, with a range of 100 kilometers per charge. The planned price at the time of mass production is 1.1 million yen ($7,700 USD), including consumption tax.
The assembly plant in Higashi Hiroshima City consists of a single production line with a main line of seven processes and a subline of four processes. Since there are only a few parts, the number of processes is less than that of a normal automobile production line.
