Two of the world’s largest electric-vehicle battery-makers have hired top Washington insiders to hold near-daily meetings with the Biden administration in a battle that could affect the electrification plans of Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG.

With Europe expected to lead the world in electric-car sales for a second straight year, an epic rush to build a battery-supply chain from scratch is playing out across the continent.

Battery maker Microvast Inc. will go public via a merger with blank-check company Tuscan Holdings Corp. in a deal that values the combined company at $3 billion.

According to a survey conducted by BloombergNEF, electric vehicle makers soon will be producing models that are as affordable — and as profitable — as comparable combustion-engine models.

Oak Park, Mich.-based electric-vehicle startup Bollinger Motors on Oct. 15 said it will produce its own battery packs for its vehicles according to a new design it developed and for which it has submitted a patent.

Tesla Inc. plans to manufacture a car that will cost $25,000 in about three years’ time, fulfilling an elusive long-term objective to sell a cheap mass-market electric vehicle, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said Sept. 22.

Tesla Inc. is planning to expand a battery-research facility in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Midtronics Inc. announced its DSS-5000 HD Battery Diagnostic Service System is available for commercial truck and fleet applications.

Germany and France set out a blueprint for a giant battery factory, advancing Europe’s bid to rival the capacity of Tesla Inc. China to supply the key part for electric vehicles.