Author: Shaun Williams

Mini has upgraded the drivetrain technology of its electric Countryman SUV, pushing the model’s driving range beyond 500 kilometres for the first time under the WLTP standard, as the brand builds on rapidly rising global electric vehicle sales. The Mini Countryman Electric, first unveiled at the IAA motor show in 2023 and in series production since March 2024, will receive a technical update from March 2026, Mini said. The changes focus on efficiency improvements rather than visual redesigns, two years after production began at BMW Leipzig Plant. See also: Electric Mini Cooper Named Euro NCAP’s Safest City and Supermini Car…

Irish energy management specialist Eaton plans to spin off its Mobility Group into a standalone publicly listed company, separating its vehicle and e-mobility operations from the rest of the group, Eaton said. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. Eaton, which has been publicly listed for more than a century, said the planned spin-off is intended to be tax-free for shareholders under U.S. federal income tax rules, with the new Mobility Group expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This structure suggests existing Eaton shareholders are likely to receive shares in…

Rad Power Bikes has agreed to sell its business to Life Electric Vehicles Holdings for about $13.2 million, according to bankruptcy filings, just over a month after entering Chapter 11 proceedings. Court documents show that five parties participated in an auction for Rad Power’s assets on Jan. 22. The opening bid was $8 million, with subsequent bids increasing until Life Electric Vehicles was selected as the highest bidder. Including assumed liabilities, the total value of the transaction is about $14.9 million, the filing said. Another e-bike manufacturer, Retrospec, submitted the second-highest bid at $13 million and has been designated as…

Nio has opened its first distributor-operated showroom in Hungary, the company said, as part of its ongoing European operations. The Nio AutoWallis showroom in Budapest began operations on Jan. 22 local time. With the opening, AutoWallis started sales and service activities for Nio and Firefly vehicles in the country. See also: Nio Says It Will Press Ahead in Europe as EU Signals Shift From Tariffs to Pricing Plan Customers in Hungary can currently view and purchase four Nio models: the ET5, ET5 Touring, EL6 and EL8. The EL6 and EL8 correspond to the ES6 and ES8 models sold in China.…

Nissan’s NissanConnect services enable electric vehicle owners to remotely manage cabin climate settings and monitor key vehicle data, expanding connected features across the company’s electric lineup that includes the Ariya, Leaf, Micra and Townstar van. The smartphone-based NissanConnect system allows drivers to preheat or cool the cabin before entering the vehicle, addressing comfort and visibility issues during extreme weather. The service also provides access to vehicle location, battery state of charge and charging history, supporting day-to-day EV use and trip planning, Nissan said. See also: 2026 Nissan LEAF Named WWCOTY Best Compact Car Beyond remote access, NissanConnect integrates in-vehicle connectivity…

Ford Motor plans to integrate a new artificial intelligence assistant across Ford and Lincoln vehicles by 2027, expanding the role of AI in infotainment and vehicle-related tasks as automakers increasingly compete on software-driven features. The system, referred to by the company as Ford AI, is designed to function as an “intelligent thread” rather than a standalone voice assistant, according to Ford. The company said the technology will be capable of understanding the specific vehicle it is embedded in and adapting to individual owner preferences, enabling a more personalized driving and ownership experience. See also: Ford Motor Targets 2028 Launch for…

China’s BYD is targeting overseas vehicle sales of about 1.3 million units in 2026, its branding and public relations chief said, underscoring the automaker’s push to expand its global footprint after a sharp rise in exports last year. Li Yunfei, general manager of branding and public relations at BYD, disclosed the target during a media briefing in Shanghai on Saturday, describing it as representing roughly 24% growth from 2025 levels. See also: China NEV Rankings 2025: BYD Holds 27.2% Share as Tesla Slips to 4.9%, CPCA Data Show BYD exported 1,046,083 new energy vehicles in 2025, including passenger cars and…

Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most bike-friendly cities, is planning to ban oversized electric “fatbikes” from its main city park following a rise in high-speed crashes and injuries that authorities say are linked to reckless riding. The proposed ban would apply to Vondelpark, a busy green space used daily by cyclists, pedestrians and tourists. City officials say some electric fatbikes are capable of travelling at speeds of up to 50–60 kilometres per hour on narrow paths, far exceeding the legal assisted cycling limit of 25 kph. The move was welcomed by road safety advocates but has drawn criticism from some riders…

A German court has ordered bike-sharing operator Nextbike to withdraw its rental bicycles from public streets in Berlin, siding with city authorities in a dispute over the commercial use of public space, Der Spiegel reported. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg ruled in expedited proceedings that Nextbike may not continue operating its service in the German capital for the time being. The decision upholds a lower court ruling requiring the immediate removal of around 6,500 rental bicycles from public streets. The case stems from a conflict with the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, which…

BMW will unveil the iX3 Long Wheelbase at the Beijing Auto Show in 2026, introducing the first long-wheelbase all-electric sports activity vehicle built on the company’s new Neue Klasse architecture. Developed primarily for China, the model will enter production in the second half of 2026 before expanding to other Asian markets including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and India. The iX3 Long Wheelbase marks BMW’s first application of the Neue Klasse platform in an extended-wheelbase format, with the distance between the axles stretched by 108 millimetres compared with the standard model to improve rear-seat comfort. The vehicle adopts an 800-volt electrical architecture,…

Turkish electric vehicle maker Togg plans to raise production to at least 60,000 vehicles in 2026, building on output of about 40,000 units last year, as the company advances its first phase of international expansion following its market entry in Germany. The production targets and delivery milestones were disclosed by Fuat Tosyalı, chairman of the board, in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Tosyalı said the manufacturer has delivered more than 100,000 vehicles since launching its first model, the T10X electric SUV, in spring 2023. “Our goal for 2026 is to produce 60,000 units or more,”…

Volvo on Wednesday revealed full design and technical details of its upcoming EX60 electric sport utility vehicle, positioning the model in the upper-middle segment of its EV lineup with what the company says are class-leading range, charging performance and a lower carbon footprint enabled by new manufacturing technology. The EX60 will be Volvo’s longest-range and fastest-charging electric vehicle to date. The automaker said the SUV can add up to 173 miles of range in about 10 minutes when connected to a 400-kilowatt, 800-volt fast charger. In the United States, the EX60 will be the first Volvo vehicle to come standard…