August 28, 2024
Xpeng is looking for a European production site because of the additional EU tariffs on imported electric cars from China. In addition, the Chinese start-up is intensifying its ongoing cooperation with Volkswagen. Xpeng’s CEO, He Xiaopeng, told Bloomberg that the company is initially selecting a production site in the EU and planning to set up […]
August 27, 2024
Volt Mobility, a commercial electric vehicle leasing company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has ordered 3,000 Class 1 and Class 3 EV cargo vans and trucks from Mullen Automotive, a US-based company. The vehicles are meant to electrify last-mile delivery services in the Gulf Cooperation Council region (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, […]
August 27, 2024
SAIC Motor Corporation, the owner of the MG brand, which is currently the best-selling Chinese EV in Europe, is hatching a plan to export its popular MG4 model straight out of its Thai manufacturing plant to sail around the EU’s maximum 46.3% (36.3 % + 10%) import tax. According to Thai media, the factory was […]
August 27, 2024
Canada will implement a 100% surtax on all EVs made and imported from China from 1 October. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel-cell vehicles are also included on the list. The list is long and includes any vehicle with at least an “electric motor as the motor for propulsion,” whether a bus, a truck, or a […]
August 26, 2024
Neta has officially launched the S Kombi, an all-electric estate made in China. It is offered in both range extender and full-electric versions. In the wake of the launch, the company announced that the 800-volt version would be built around the platform by battery manufacturer CATL. Despite its practical estate style, Neta has no plans […]
August 26, 2024
Chinese Build Your Dreams (BYD) jumped over Japanese carmakers Honda and Nissan in Q2 2024 to the seventh spot in the top ten of the world’s biggest car manufacturers. According to data from the automotive industry portal Marklines, it sold 980,000 units, a 40% growth, partly thanks to overseas sales. It tripled this year to […]
August 26, 2024
The global automotive industry is weakening, with German carmakers experiencing a continued decline in earnings during the first half of the year, according to a study by auditing and consulting firm EY released on Friday. German car giants Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz collectively earned €25.9 billion in operating profit (EBIT) from January to June, marking […]
August 23, 2024
A Honda executive has confirmed that the NSX supercar will soon get an electric successor. It will be built on Honda’s 0 Series EV platform, which aims to be as low-profile and light as possible, two essential characteristics for a sports car. Honda global executive vice president Shinji Aoyama told a round table of journalists […]
August 23, 2024
China’s automotive sector overcapacity is the root of its current trade tensions with the West. Though Beijing denies beefing up its production stock, a new German study has sized the capacity, highlighting the souped-up growth. And contrary to what one might think, the leading brand in production isn’t BYD. China’s automotive industry has rapidly expanded […]
August 22, 2024
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz was introduced to the U.S. market last year, and there is already a proposition for a camper conversion. At the same time, VW itself is hesitating to launch an ID. Buzz California camper version in Europe for fear of lack of demand. On the contrary, an American converter, Peace Vans, already […]
August 22, 2024
DSV, one of the largest transport companies in the world, based in Denmark, has ordered 300 electric trucks and 500 diesel and gas trucks from Volvo Trucks. This marks one of the largest orders of Volvo e-trucks to date, and the trucks will be delivered between 2024 and 2026. DSV is a Danish multinational specializing […]
August 22, 2024
Zeekr, Geely’s luxury electric car spin-off, has announced it will introduce a hybrid flagship to its line-up starting next year. Zeekr CEO Andy An confirmed the shift to combustion engine technology. It’s a watershed decision as the brand’s focus has been exclusively on battery electric vehicles until now. The trend of hybridized drivelines gaining more […]
August 22, 2024
Ford is recalibrating its electrification strategy yet again, canceling plans for a fully electric sport utility vehicle in a shift that may cost the carmaker around $1.9 billion. In addition to scrapping an all-electric three-row SUV that had already been delayed, Ford will postpone a next-generation electric pickup and reduce spending on EVs to 30% of […]
August 22, 2024
The EU Commission has presented the draft for the final additional tariffs on imported electric vehicles from China. The logic of the planned tariffs remains basically the same, but the respective tariff rates have been lowered slightly, and regulation is now also known for Tesla. Meanwhile, China has already reacted by opening an inquiry on […]
August 21, 2024
Chinese luxury car brand Denza, a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, has officially launched its new Z9 GT. The flagship model, which takes the shape of a shooting brake, has up to 1,000 hp and 630 km of range. This new model will be critical in Denza’s international sales, as it should come to […]
August 21, 2024
Polestar’s SUV coupé 4 has finally hit the European streets. After presenting the model in the Spring of 2023, followed by the launch of production back in November and the sales launch in China, European customers are now getting their hands on Polestar’s latest model, expanding the model range up to three choices. 2024 didn’t […]
August 20, 2024
According to the Detroit News and Reuters, General Motors Co. is laying off more than 1,000 salaried employees globally in its software and services organization, including more than 600 employees working at its Global Technical Center in Warren (Michigan), to streamline its operations under new leadership. The layoffs represent about 1.3% of the company’s global […]
August 20, 2024
The Chinese car manufacturer Dongfeng Motor launched a new low-cost EV in Europe. Starting at around €23,000, the Dongfeng Nammi Box EV is one of the cheapest EVs in Europe at the moment. Dongfeng is one of China’s oldest and largest automakers. It was the second state-owned auto brand established following FAW. Dongfeng builds Nissan […]
August 19, 2024
Electric sports car manufacturer Rimac recently presented the hyper-GT Nevera and wants to develop a hyper-sports car based on it. Rimac has pursued this idea in the further development of its first Nevera model. The R model is even more powerful and, above all, equipped with a more dynamic chassis. And… it is strictly limited […]
August 19, 2024
According to data from South Korean market watcher SNE Research, hydrogen car sales are dropping fast worldwide. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) experienced a marked decline in the first half of 2024, with sales falling by 34.1% compared to last year. The challenges for the FCEV industry keep growing. SNE Research says only 5,621 hydrogen […]
August 19, 2024
Lamborghini’s plan to become the first sports car brand with an entirely electrified line-up went live at the prestigious Monterey Car Week 2024, where the brand launched the Temerario. This all-new entry-level sports car replaces the Huracán. It aims to combine higher performance and higher sustainability with a plug-in hybrid driveline. Following the introduction of […]
August 19, 2024
Porsche is responding to the slower electric ramp-up. Following the recent changes in the production of the electric Taycan, the production of the combustion-powered Cayenne is also being extended. Meanwhile, it has acquired 32% of the shares of battery specialist Varta. Porsche has cautiously adjusted its target that more than 80% of cars delivered in […]
August 16, 2024
Acura, Honda’s premium North American brand, has unveiled the Performance EV Concept at Monterey Car Week. The electric SUV coupé previews a production model coming in 2025, built on Honda’s own EV platform and produced in Ohio at the Japanese manufacturer’s new EV Hub. It’s no secret that Honda has some catching up to do […]
August 16, 2024
A fire incident with an EV caused the South Korean Ministry of Transport to ask carmakers to disclose the names of their battery suppliers. Earlier this month, a fire broke out in the underground car park of an apartment complex in Incheon, South Korea. The fire was apparently caused by a Mercedes EQE. While the […]
August 16, 2024
While Mercedes is fully concentrated on launching the all-electric G-Class EV, the engineers from Arcade Cars are feasting on a throwback to the seventies. The London firm unveiled a GE230 featuring no tailpipe emissions through the conversion to battery power. But old habits die hard. The all-electric G-Class, officially known as the G580 with EQ […]
August 16, 2024
Alarm bells are ringing on both sides of the Atlantic over the free fall of used EV prices. Studies indicate these are up to 40% lower than a comparable gasoline car. Facing surging pressure on their profits, some leasing companies are threatening to exit EV adoption and return to the drivelines that keep their business […]
August 16, 2024
The BMW Group has entered into a strategic alliance in Mexico with Vemo, an operator of public charging stations. As part of the partnership, BMW is investing in constructing 144 new charging stations in the country. Other alliances in different South American countries will follow. The new charging points in Mexico are to be installed […]
August 16, 2024
American EV manufacturer Tesla removed the basic version of the Cybertruck, which costs $60,990, from the US configurator before the first deliveries of this variant began. Therefore, the new entry-level price for the electric stainless steel pickup is $99,990. Tesla CEO Elon Musk once promised the Cybertruck with a base price of $39,990, but it […]
August 14, 2024
Mazda’s EZ-6, considered an electric successor to the six saloon, will finally go on sale as a global model. The Changan-developed model was initially only meant for the Chinese market, but Mazda is also looking to expand its electric offering in Europe. The Japanese manufacturer has not fully developed the Mazda EZ-6. Mazda solicited the […]
August 14, 2024
Hyundai has unveiled the first pictures of its new Santa Fe. The future mid-size SUV looks wildly different from its predecessor, with a boxy design accompanied by a modern light signature and large wheels. In contrast, the interior opts for technology, with a large curved display and, according to Hyundai, more refinement. The current generation […]
August 14, 2024
The Volkswagen Trinity was once regarded as the VW Group’s first upcoming electric flagship and was due to be launched in 2026. The launch seems to have been postponed to 2032, and the first VW product on the new SSP platform could be the full electric Golf. It was already clear that the 2026 date […]
August 14, 2024
The struggling Chinese premium electric car brand HiPhi has filed for bankruptcy. Due to a lack of sales, it is unable to pay suppliers. Human Horizons, the brand’s manufacturer, has filed for restructuring in Yangcheng, China. Founded in 2018 with grand ambitions, HiPhi wanted to push the EV envelope with two models with more than […]
August 13, 2024
The Italian government under Giorgia Meloni has been looking for a new local car manufacturer to boost the Italian auto industry. According to Reuters, the government has entered “advanced talks” with the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng to build a new auto plant in the country. The deal would also include support from the government and other […]
August 13, 2024
The international insurance company Allianz Trade warns that the fall in prices of critical metals, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, is hindering the global energy transition. According to the credit insurer, price drops create uncertainty and deter investors in sustainable energy. The postponement of investments is bad news for Europe. Brussels wants to catch […]
August 13, 2024
In an interview with the German newspaper Der Welt, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has strongly supported the European Union’s planned ban on combustion engines by 2035. Blume affirmed that electric mobility is the clear path forward for the automotive industry and emphasized a niche role for e-fuels. In the interview, Blume aligned himself with […]
August 13, 2024
The new Smart #5 is the brand’s largest model yet and its most powerful, putting out more than 450 kW/600 hp in its most potent form. Smart is 50/50% owned by Mercedes and Geely and builds its cars in Xi’an, central China. It has its world premiere in Australia at the end of August and […]
August 12, 2024
Milan Nedeljkovic, BMW Group board member responsible for production, says that fully electric vehicles must have their own dedicated lane on highways. In an interview with the German newspaper Münchner Merkur, Nedeljkovic explained that this would make the possession and use of an EV far more attractive. “When EVs are constantly overtaking you while you […]
August 12, 2024
Sources familiar with the matter said on Sunday that Mitsubishi was in talks to join the Nissan-Honda alliance to play catch-up with foreign rivals in developing electric vehicles and advanced technology for next-generation vehicles. The deal has now been officialized. Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn says this is a ‘disguised take-over’ by Honda. The three […]
August 12, 2024
Chargemap is the first EV charging platform to gain compatibility with Tesla’s supercharger network. Users of the Chargemap Pass can now charge directly at almost every Supercharger in Europe with the same account they use for any other charger, but there are some caveats. After an initial trial run in France, Chargemap extended the compatibility […]
August 12, 2024
China is challenging at the World Trade Organization (WTO) the provisional European import tariffs on Chinese electric cars decided by the European Commission in July. In doing so, Beijing calls on the EU to “immediately stop the bad practices.” It denounces a “serious” violation of WTO rules and argues that the duties compromise the fight […]
August 09, 2024
BYD’s mid-range electric sedan, the Seal, gets a facelift for the 2025 model year and was presented on Thursday. The BEV is offered in China in four variants with a starting price of 175,800 yuan (€22,417), up to 239,800 yuan (€30,475). Like the Sea Lion 07, the 2025 Seal will be built on BYD’s upgraded […]
August 08, 2024
The new Fiat Grande Panda was unveiled nearly two months ago. However, most of us missed its most brilliant feature. Behind the Fiat logo on the front fascia of the electric crossover hides an integrated charging cable that comes out like on a vacuum cleaner. The electric Grande Panda is the first, but it won’t […]
August 07, 2024
The BMW Group is experimenting with humanoid robots in a real production environment in its plant in Spartanburg, US. The latest generation of robots, ‘Figure 02’, made by the Californian robotics company Figure, has been successfully tested in the production unit. Both partners collaborate to prepare the robots for future production applications and continue developing […]
August 07, 2024
German consulting firm P3 has published a whitepaper comparing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of battery-electric trucks to traditional diesel trucks in regional and long-haul transport scenarios. In conclusion, electric trucks are already cheaper to run in both scenarios, but with a few asterisks. P3 used an “industry average” in their calculations for the […]
August 07, 2024
Italian luxury electric brand Aehra has revealed the final names chosen for its first two models. The electric SUV will be called Impeto, while the electric saloon will be known as Estasi. Both share a platform with three electric motors, 805 hp, a 120-kWh battery, and more than 800 km range. Aehra also announced that […]
August 06, 2024
Geely has launched the second electric model in its new Galaxy lineup, following the E8 electric saloon. The Galaxy E5 is a mid-size electric SUV with an affordable price tag, modern tech on board, and the company’s newest Aegis Short Blade Battery, which promises a 1 million-km lifespan. The Geely Galaxy E5 challenges other China-built […]
August 06, 2024
According to CNEVPost, the German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has been given the go-ahead to test Level 4 (L4) autonomous vehicles in Beijing, following approval for L3 testing in the Chinese capital city late last year. To our knowledge Mercedes is one of the few manufacturers to have obtained the permission to use Level 3 […]
August 06, 2024
Chinese carmaker Geely has invested another 120 million pounds, or almost 140 million euros, in LEVC, the British manufacturer of London’s famous black cabs. The investment is the latest signal of growing Chinese involvement in the British EV market. The Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which, in addition to Volvo, owns car brands such as Zeekr, […]
August 06, 2024
Samsung is upping the stakes in the race to commercialize solid-state batteries. At the SNE Battery Day 2024 event in Seoul, South Korea, the tech company announced that its pilot production line is now fully operational, with plans to transform into mass production by 2027. Early customers have already returned feedback on their solid-state oxide […]
August 06, 2024
According to a media report, a mid-size SUV will follow shortly after the new CLA four-door Mercedes, which is set to launch soon. This X174 model (internal codename) should be on the market at the end of 2025 and is labeled as ‘a Tesla Model Y fighter’. The news comes from Automotive News, which cites […]
August 05, 2024
Several media outlets speculate about a possible Chinese takeover of the Audi factory in Forest (southwestern part of Brussels). The factory’s future as an Audi outlet looks dark, and Chinese companies looking for a solution to the import tariff war started by the EU could bring a solution. Currently, the Brussels factory is idle because […]
August 02, 2024
According to figures from the sector federation Febiac and the federal mobility and transport authority, the car market in Belgium and Luxembourg decreased by 7.3% despite the fact that July counted 3 more working days in 2024 compared to 2023. 32,151 new car registrations were noted in July. The total for the first seven months […]
August 02, 2024
The difficult car market leaves deep traces in the supplier sector, with a large failure round plaguing the companies involved. Big names like seat maker Recaro and wheel forger BBS filed for bankruptcy this week, while French supplier Valeo and German counterpart ZF are facing heavy restructuring strategies. Bracing for the new automotive era comes […]
August 02, 2024
The Dutch electric city bus specialist is in big financial trouble after noting a €64.7 million loss in the first six months of 2024. The company struggles to build its e-buses on order, causing rifts with its customers, while investors also pull the plug. If more money is not found, the end is likely near. […]
August 01, 2024
The British oil and gas giant BP is joining the Belgian dredging company DEME’s prestige hydrogen project in Oman. The company reported the latest news in a press release on Wednesday. DEME previously agreed with the Egyptian government to build a green hydrogen factory in Egypt. BP will become an equity partner and developer of […]
August 01, 2024
Last week, the Stellantis Group published its results for the first half of 2024, and they weren’t good. The net benefit for H1, € 5.6 billion, decreased by 48% compared to the record-breaking performance last year. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is confronted with delivery problems for its new, long-awaited enlargement of its electric portfolio. Turnover for […]
August 01, 2024
In the second quarter of 2024, BMW Group saw its earnings drop a bit due to a weak Chinese market and the investment costs for the ‘Neue Klasse’. On the other hand, the Munich-based carmaker was successful in selling more EVs. BMW is not the only one struggling with a demand slowdown in China. The […]
July 31, 2024
Number one car manufacturer Toyota’s global sales fell over 5% last month and decreased by 4.7% for the first half of 2024. This is mainly due to the decline in sales in Japan (-32%) and in China (-10.8%). The good figures for the U.S. and Europe couldn’t compensate for the ‘Asian’ loss in sales. Worldwide, […]
July 31, 2024
First Hydrogen, a Canadian start-up based in Montreal and London, UK, is building a third hydrogen fuel cell-powered van for trials in Europe. The company hopes to benefit from the European Commission’s hydrogen incentives to develop its own zero-emissions light commercial vehicle platform. The Canadian start-up has built two hydrogen fuel cell-powered vans since 2022, […]
July 31, 2024
There were already Huawei and Xiaomi, but now a third Chinese smartphone manufacturer is planning to enter the electric car business. Meizu, owned by the Geely Group, wants to launch its first electric car this year, and it will be based on the Geely SEA platform. At the ChinaJoy 2024 trade fair, Liao Qinghong, Meizu’s […]
