VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis and other Vatican officials will soon be driving electric vehicles provided by Volkswagen AG.

SELMER, TN—GE Appliances is using an autonomous truck to deliver air conditioners and refrigerators from its assembly plant here to a nearby warehouse.

BURLINGAME, CA—Volvo Group has acquired the battery business of Proterra Inc.

LONDON—YASA Ltd. has received the Royal Automobile Club’s Dewar Trophy for its axial-flux electric motor, which is smaller and lighter than traditional devices.

MINNEAPOLIS—General Motors and Niron Magnetics have formed a strategic partnership to develop sustainable electric motor magnets.

HAYWARD, CA—Lithos Energy Inc. has opened a new facility here to produce modular lithium-ion batteries for use in “demanding environments” such as agriculture, construction, defense, marine and mining applications.

MUNSTER, Germany—New product and production technologies will make battery manufacturing more energy-efficient in the future.

SOUTHFIELD, MI—SME has developed an Electric Vehicle Fundamental certification program to help educate people involved with the production of electric cars.

LIBERTYVILLE, IL—EVBox has started to assemble charging stations at its new 50,000-square-foot factory here. 

METHUEN, MA—Factorial Inc. has opened a new $50 million facility here to produce solid-state batteries for electric vehicles.