EU wants 30 million EVs on the road by 2030 to meet emissions targets Infrastructure expansion To facilitate the switch to zero-emission vehicles, the first of more than 100 planned electric forecourts across the UK was launched by energy firm Gridserve in Essex today as part of a £1 billion (US$1.33 billion) five-year plan. The solar-powered super-fast electric forecourt will deliver 350kW of charging power – enough to add 200 miles of driving range in 20 minutes – to up to 36 cars at a time....

In a first-in-human study, a minimally-invasive brain implant has elicited a sense of touch in the fingertips of two people. Researchers have previously electrically stimulated folds of the brain, called gyri, to restore some generalized sensation to the hand. The new technique targets the harder-to-reach grooves, known as sulci, to evoke feelings in the fingertips. Study co-author Chad Bouton, a professor at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, said the approach could help people with paralysis and neuropathy:...

We seen many great examples of social media in the real world, and now we have a truly great campaign to share with you – this time coming from Europcar. The company has just launched a live digital outdoor campaign, to raise awareness of its new FreeDeliver service, which offers customers free delivery and pickup of hired cars. To celebrate the fact that this essentially gives people an hour of their time back, they’ve introduced a digital billboard that features a livestream of tweets using the hashtag #myextrahour, where people share what they are going to do with the extra hour they got back, thanks to Europcar....

Theshortage of semiconductor chipshas exposed the vulnerability of European high-tech manufacturers that rely heavily on chip imports from Asia. The automotive sector alone, traditionally a European high-tech stronghold, isexpected totake a US$110 billion (£79 billion) hit over the coming years as a result. In 2020, high-tech productsrepresented approximately 20%of total exports from the European Union by value, with other major sectors including pharmaceuticals, telecoms, aerospace, and armaments. Enjoying annual growth rates upward of 10% before the semiconductor shortage and employing more than 3....

As EV sales are surging, Europe is trying to enhance its capacity to produce batteries domestically, instead of fully relying on Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, which are currently the major global manufacturers. As of May 2021,38 battery cell gigafactories are being built or planned in Europe and the UK, according tothe latest reportby the non-governmental organization Transport & Environment. Out of the 38 projects, 17 have secured funding so far, estimated to be up to $30 billion between them....