Author: Shaun Williams

Lucid has expanded its European Gravity electric SUV lineup to four variants while reducing the starting price in Germany by €5,000 to €94,900. The revised range adds the Gravity Touring Plus and Gravity Grand Touring Ultimate, while standard equipment has also been expanded across the lineup. The new variants are available to order immediately, with the first European customer deliveries expected in autumn 2026. Lucid continues to offer two powertrain configurations across the range. Four Gravity Variants Now Available The entry-level Gravity Touring starts at €94,900 in Germany and produces 418 kW from an 89 kWh battery. Its combined WLTP…

SEG Automotive will present its aftermarket product portfolio at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026, including remanufactured electric drive units, commercial vehicle components, 48V mild-hybrid systems and starter batteries. The company will exhibit at booth C20 in Hall 3.0 during the event, which is scheduled to take place in Frankfurt from September 8 to 12. Redrive Range to Add Hyundai and Kia Applications SEG Automotive will use the event to provide an update on its redrive range of remanufactured high-voltage drive components. https://evmagz.com/easelink-and-seg-automotive-partner-to-industrialise-matrix-charging-technology/ The company introduced a replacement solution for the Large Drive Unit used in the Tesla Model S under the redrive…

eTrucker has released a major update to its charging navigation app for electric trucks, adding break planning, charging card recommendations, pricing information and trailer-detachment times to its route planning functions. The app was developed by electromobility entrepreneur Tobias Wagner and his team after Wagner drove more than 200,000 kilometres across Europe in battery-electric heavy goods vehicles and identified difficulties in finding suitable charging locations for electric trucks. App Adds Break and Route Planning The updated eTrucker app allows drivers to incorporate breaks into their overall route plan, covering stops from 45 minutes to nine hours. Users can select a starting…

Volt Quads, a UK company producing quad bikes for farmers and landowners, has launched the Volt Quads VQ, an electric ATV that the company says was designed and manufactured in the UK. The VQ was designed by Fred Chugg, a farmer with decades of experience using quad bikes on his farm in southwest England. According to the company, that experience influenced the vehicle’s development, including its handling of uneven terrain and changing surface conditions. Volt Quads is initially targeting farmers and landowners, while also identifying potential applications in areas including forestry, conservation, estate management and public services. The company says…

General Motors is ending Chevrolet’s retail operations in China after nearly 21 years, while continuing to manufacture Chevrolet vehicles in the country for export markets. GM confirmed the change to National Business Daily on Aug. 10, saying its joint venture with SAIC will continue producing Chevrolet vehicles but will shift the brand’s focus toward international markets outside the United States. Existing Chevrolet customers in China will continue to receive after-sales support, with dealers remaining operational and parts and maintenance services continuing. https://evmagz.com/saic-gm-wuling-launches-fifth-generation-hongguang-mini-ev-to-defend-market-lead/ Chevrolet Shifts Focus to Export Markets GM said Chevrolet’s current product portfolio is better suited to international markets…

Pony AI and Uber plan to expand their robotaxi partnership across Europe with a target of more than 2,000 autonomous vehicles operating in five cities, including Zagreb. The companies have not yet identified the four additional cities or provided a timetable for reaching the planned fleet size. The expansion follows the launch of the partners’ first commercial robotaxi service in Europe in Zagreb in spring 2026, where they work with Croatian mobility company Verne. The service is also expected to become available for booking through Uber’s platform. Partnership Moves Beyond Initial Zagreb Deployment Pony AI and Uber began working together…

CATL, the world’s largest power battery maker, said its aviation battery system for passenger eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft has passed a verification test without thermal runaway propagation after two adjacent cells were intentionally triggered. The company said the result makes the system the world’s first aviation battery using prismatic cells with an energy density of up to 350 Wh/kg to pass such a test. During the verification, CATL simultaneously triggered two adjacent cells at different locations within the battery pack, including cells positioned in the middle and at the corners. The company said no thermal runaway propagation…

CATL and BYD maintained their positions as the two largest electric vehicle battery suppliers globally in the first half of 2026, although CATL strengthened its lead while BYD’s market share declined. Global EV battery installations reached 608.5 GWh during the first six months of the year, an increase of 20% from the same period in 2025, according to data from South Korean market research firm SNE Research. CATL accounted for 242.7 GWh of installations, up 25.3% year on year. Its global market share increased to 39.9%, compared with 38.2% a year earlier, although it was slightly below the 40.2% share…

Strabag has tested a partially electric construction site in Oberhausen, Germany, using 11 fully electric construction machines and a mobile battery storage system as part of the refurbishment of an existing soil treatment plant. The trial was designed to evaluate the performance of battery-electric construction equipment under real-world operating conditions and identify practical requirements for broader electrification of construction sites. 11 Electric Machines Used At Oberhausen Site The project involved the redevelopment of a soil processing facility that recycles demolition waste into materials used for road construction. Once the upgrade is completed, the plant’s annual processing capacity is expected to…

South African company Thula Solutions has introduced a purpose-built electric safari vehicle designed to provide quieter and emission-free wildlife tours at Kruger National Park. Unlike electric vehicles adapted from conventional off-road models, the Thula was developed from the ground up specifically for safari operations, with a focus on reducing noise and emissions during wildlife observation. Electric Vehicle Designed For Safari Operations The battery-electric off-road vehicle is equipped with a 65 kWh battery and has an estimated driving range of about 200 km. Thula Solutions said the range could support roughly three days of typical safari operations before the vehicle needs…

BMW has started series production of the new all-electric BMW i3 at its main plant in Munich, marking the launch of the second model based on the automaker’s Neue Klasse vehicle architecture. Series production officially began on August 6, with BMW preparing for a rapid production ramp-up to meet strong demand for the electric sedan. The company said interest in the model has been high since pre-orders opened ahead of its market launch. BMW Prepares For Rapid i3 Production Ramp-Up The BMW i3 follows the electric BMW iX3 as the second Neue Klasse model and represents the next stage of…

Kia has launched a global recall for the first-generation e-Niro to address a battery management system issue that could allow the high-voltage battery to overheat and increase the risk of fire. The recall covers 14,117 vehicles produced between May 19, 2020 and March 18, 2022. Of those, 11,331 are located in Europe, including 1,791 vehicles in Germany. Battery Management System Under Review The recall concerns insufficient monitoring logic in the battery management system (BMS), which controls and monitors the high-voltage battery. Under certain operating conditions, the system may lose control of battery monitoring, potentially allowing battery cells to overheat. The…

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) reached record market shares in both the UK passenger car and light commercial vehicle markets in July, as registrations continued to grow despite broader challenges facing the automotive industry. Data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that BEV registrations increased by 44.5% year-on-year in the passenger car segment and by 74.1% in the van market. However, the industry body warned that electric vehicle adoption remains below the pace required to meet the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Passenger Car Registrations Reach New High The UK registered 156,571 new passenger cars in…

SAIC Motor and General Motors have renewed their long-standing joint venture agreement in China, extending the partnership behind SAIC-GM for another 20 years through 2047 as the companies accelerate their transition toward new energy vehicles (NEVs) and intelligent mobility. The agreement was signed in Shanghai on August 5 during a ceremony attended by senior municipal officials, reaffirming the companies’ commitment to the Chinese automotive market amid rapid industry transformation. Partnership Extended Through 2047 The renewed agreement builds on nearly three decades of cooperation since SAIC-GM was established in June 1997 as a 50:50 joint venture between SAIC Motor and General…

Chinese automaker Chery has agreed to invest US$75 million in South Korea’s KG Mobility (KGM), strengthening a strategic partnership aimed at expanding vehicle development, manufacturing cooperation and international sales. The investment, which will be made through convertible bonds, could give Chery a stake of around 10% in KGM if fully converted. Strategic Investment in South Korea The agreement was signed in Seoul on 2 August during a ceremony attended by executives from both companies, including Chery Chairman Yin Tongyue and KG Mobility Chairman Kwak Jae-sun, as well as senior government representatives. KGM said the investment marks another step in its…

Cellcentric has appointed long-serving Volvo Group executive Lars Ljungström as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the executive management team, strengthening the fuel cell company’s leadership as it advances the commercialisation of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty transport solutions. Ljungström succeeds Niklas Ekström, who stepped down at the end of July 2026 after returning to Sweden to become Chief Financial Officer of the Manufacturing Intelligence business unit at Hexagon. https://evmagz.com/toyota-plans-to-join-cellcentric-fuel-cell-venture-with-daimler-truck-and-volvo-group/ Experienced Volvo Group Executive Ljungström joins Cellcentric after more than 20 years with the Volvo Group, where he held a variety of finance, strategy and business development positions, primarily in…

Devon County Council (DCC) and Torbay Council have appointed Believ, char.gy and Wenea to install nearly 3,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points across Devon and Torbay as part of a major infrastructure programme backed by public and private investment. The rollout, supported by £8 million from the UK Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund and approximately £30 million in private sector investment, is scheduled to begin within the next few months. Public Charging Network Expansion The charging infrastructure will be installed over the coming years across communities, public car parks, residential streets and existing street lighting columns. Under…

US electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive reported a 27% increase in second-quarter revenue while significantly narrowing its net loss, supported by growth in its software business and the launch of deliveries for its new R2 electric vehicle. The company generated revenue of US$1.658 billion during the second quarter of 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier. Software Business Drives Growth Automotive revenue rose 23% year-on-year to US$1.143 billion, while Rivian’s Software & Services division recorded a 37% increase in revenue to US$515 million. https://evmagz.com/rivian-raises-2026-delivery-forecast-on-strong-r2-suv-and-commercial-van-demand/ The company said approximately US$308 million, representing 60% of Software & Services revenue, was…

Great Wall Motor (GWM) posted modest sales growth in July as record overseas deliveries continued to offset declining demand in its home market. The Chinese automaker sold 108,067 vehicles during the month, up 3.54% from a year earlier and broadly unchanged from the 108,080 units delivered in June. Overseas Business Drives Growth International markets remained GWM’s primary growth engine. The company sold 62,015 vehicles overseas in July, representing a 50.93% increase from a year earlier and a 3.07% rise from June. Overseas deliveries accounted for 57.39% of total monthly sales, the second-highest proportion in the company’s history, behind only the…

Huawei-backed Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) delivered 45,046 vehicles in July, down 4.92% from a year earlier and 11.02% from June, marking its second consecutive month of year-on-year delivery declines. The alliance delivered 50,624 vehicles in June. Deliveries Decline After Strong 2025 July was the first time since May 2025 that HIMA recorded year-on-year delivery declines for two consecutive months. From January through July, HIMA delivered 286,000 vehicles, representing a 13.7% increase from the same period last year. Cumulative deliveries across all HIMA brands have surpassed 1.48 million vehicles. The alliance noted that it continues to rank among China’s fastest-growing…