Saturday, 25 July 2026

The European Commission presented its High-Speed Rail Plan in November 2025, aiming to accelerate the development of high-speed rail across the European Union, according to CleanTechnica.

A position paper on the plan states that the EU Parliament can enhance the ambition of the plan's implementation, but that some additional risks in it need to be addressed, according to CleanTechnica.

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a statewide micromobility framework that would classify vehicles by their top speed capability rather than by vehicle type, according to Electrek. The proposal would cover everything from e-bikes and e-scooters to higher-speed electric motorbikes capable of reaching 30 mph, 40 mph, and beyond.

Electrek reports that electric vehicles capable of speeds between 21 mph and 30 mph would be classified as Speed Tier 1. Under that tier, riders could use bike lanes but would be prohibited from sidewalks and shared-use paths.

Faster machines face tighter rules. According to Electrek, Speed Tier 2 covers vehicles capable of up to 40 mph and Speed Tier 3 covers those exceeding 40 mph. Both tiers would be barred from bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared-use trails, and would instead operate alongside other roadway traffic.

The bill would set statewide safety requirements, according to Electrek. It would establish a minimum operating age of 16 for powered devices and make helmets mandatory for riders on vehicles capable of exceeding 20 mph.

Human-powered devices sit at the bottom of the structure. Electrek reports that traditional bicycles and devices such as motor-free kick scooters would fall under Speed Tier 0 and would continue to be allowed on sidewalks.

The Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis (GZM) has taken delivery of 73 battery-electric buses paired with 45 charging units, electrive reported.

The order was worth close to PLN 305 million (about EUR 70.5 million). Most of that sum came from Poland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO).

Solaris supplied 42 of the vehicles under an order placed last October, while Irizar delivered 31 ie units. Of the Irizar batch, 16 are articulated 18-metre vehicles and 15 are standard 12-metre buses.

PKM Świerklaniec drew the biggest share at 49 buses and 30 chargers, electrive reported. PKM Katowice received nine buses and five chargers, PKM Sosnowiec eight buses and six chargers, and PKM Gliwice seven buses and four chargers.

After this round, PKM Gliwice runs a fleet of 219 buses, of which 28 are battery-electric and 47 hybrid.

Funding for the three KPO-backed projects topped PLN 257 million (about EUR 59.5 million), covering on average more than 94% of eligible costs.

"Seventy-three new electric buses are a real change that residents will see on the streets," said Leszek Pietraszek, Chairman of the Management Board of GZM.