Author: Shaun Williams

BMW has started trial production of its Neue Klasse electric vehicles at its manufacturing base in Shenyang, signaling progress toward the start of full series production in China in 2026, according to a report by Xinhua. The first pre-series units of the long-wheelbase BMW iX3 have been built at the Shenyang facility since shortly before Christmas 2025, Xinhua reported. BMW has not disclosed a specific start date for mass production, saying only that series output is planned to begin sometime in 2026. See also: BMW Completes Final Tests at Munich Plant Ahead of Neue Klasse EV Production BMW announced in…

XING Mobility will present a range of high-voltage immersion-cooled battery systems at CES 2026, including what it says is the world’s first immersion-cooled 800-volt backup battery unit designed for high-power applications such as artificial intelligence data centers. The Taiwanese battery technology company said the new system builds on its IMMERSIO™ immersion cooling platform, which has been developed and validated through more than a decade of automotive-grade testing. At CES, XING Mobility plans to demonstrate applications spanning electric vehicles, energy storage systems and data center power infrastructure under the theme “A Decade of Immersion Cooled Innovation.” See also: Xing Mobility and…

U.S. electric bicycle maker Rad Power Bikes has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the company said on Monday, weeks after warning employees that it could shut down operations without securing new funding. The company will continue operating while the bankruptcy process unfolds and is seeking to sell the business within the next 45 to 60 days, a spokesperson told TechCrunch. “This step allows us to keep operating in the ordinary course of business while we pursue the best possible outcome for the people who rely on Rad every day,” the spokesperson said. “Our goal is to keep the company…

General Motors has begun rolling out a native Apple Music app for select Cadillac and Chevrolet vehicles, offering owners expanded in-car music access as the automaker continues to phase out Apple CarPlay across more of its lineup. GM said the Apple Music app is becoming available starting Monday on select 2025 and newer models, with deeper integration into the vehicles’ infotainment systems rather than relying on smartphone mirroring. See also: GM Cuts Lease Prices on Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Blazer EV as Automakers Offset Loss of Federal Tax Credit The initial rollout includes Cadillac CT5 (2025–2026) and electric models such…

Fiat has delayed customer deliveries of its Grande Panda model in the UK until March 2026, almost a year later than originally planned, citing stronger-than-expected demand for left-hand-drive versions in other markets. The delay was first reported by British automotive magazine Autocar, which quoted a Fiat spokesperson as saying: “The Grande Panda is enjoying significant demand in the left-hand-drive markets where it has been launched to date, impacting the start of production for the right-hand drive-cars for the UK.” See also: Stellantis Starts Fiat 500 Hybrid Production at Mirafiori Plant The setback affects a model that was unveiled in July…

Austrian charge point operator da emobil has integrated more than 2,600 electric vehicle charging points into the Cariqa ecosystem, as operators across Europe seek greater control over pricing and payments amid rapid expansion of charging networks. Cariqa, a payments and billing platform for EV charging, said the partnership brings one of Austria’s largest charging networks onto its system, enabling da emobil to manage tariffs directly, receive faster settlements and operate high-power charging infrastructure without relying on traditional reseller models. See also: Austria Opens Large-Scale Charging Hub in Amstetten with 40 Fast Charging Points The integration includes ultra-fast chargers delivering up…

A study by the University of Leeds has found no significant difference in pedestrian casualty rates between electric vehicles (EVs) and conventional petrol or diesel cars in the United Kingdom, easing concerns that battery-powered vehicles pose greater risks due to their weight and low operating noise. The research analysed collision data covering about 250 billion miles driven annually in the UK between 2019 and 2023. It found average pedestrian casualty rates of 57.8 per billion miles for EVs and 58.9 for non-electric vehicles. Out of 71,979 recorded pedestrian casualties involving cars, taxis and private hire vehicles, electric vehicles were linked…

DHL has begun rolling out its first dedicated high-power charging hubs for battery-electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) at its German parcel centres, commissioning six fast-charging points at its Aschheim facility near Munich, the logistics group said on Thursday. The Aschheim site marks the first completed location under an 18-month collaboration between DHL and utility group E.ON to expand fast-charging infrastructure for electric trucks across Germany. The newly installed chargers, supplied by Italian manufacturer Alpitronic, can deliver up to 400 kilowatts each, with power shared when two trucks charge simultaneously on the same unit. See also: DHL Express Expands U.S. Fleet…

A German research and industry consortium has launched a multi-year project to develop scalable megawatt charging stations for electric vehicles, aiming to address the growing power demands of heavy-duty transport and motorway charging hubs. The initiative, known as the ReNew Project, brings together the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE with industrial partners including Infineon, Siemens, STS Spezial-Transformatoren-Stockach, and engineering firm Gruner. The project is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and targets the first full system concepts by mid-2028. At the center of the project is the development of a medium-voltage direct current (DC)…

CaoCao Inc., the mobility services arm of Geely Holding Group, on Tuesday outlined a long-term strategy to scale up its autonomous-driving business globally, setting out a decade-long roadmap aimed at commercial Robotaxi deployment across 100 cities. The plan was presented by Chief Executive Gong Xin at a strategy event in Hangzhou, where the company also unveiled a prototype of what it calls a future mobility hub, the “Green Intelligent Transit Island.” Under its so-called “Ten Years, One Hundred Cities, One Hundred Billion RMB” strategy, CaoCao plans to establish five global operations hubs, expand Robotaxi services to 100 cities and generate…

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked Alphabet-owned Waymo for detailed information on its self-driving system after reports that its robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses at least 19 times this year in Austin, Texas. In a Dec. 3 letter first reported by Reuters, regulators requested technical data on Waymo’s fifth-generation autonomous driving system, two months after opening a formal investigation into how its vehicles behave around stopped school buses. See also: Waymo to Launch Autonomous Ride-Hailing Service in London by 2026 The inquiry followed video footage from Atlanta showing a Waymo robotaxi driving around a school…

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will introduce a long-wheelbase version of its electric ID. Buzz Cargo from 2026, pairing the extended body with the larger 86-kWh battery as the German manufacturer continues to broaden its electric commercial vehicle lineup. The battery-electric van has so far only been offered as a short-wheelbase model. The company said detailed technical specifications and pricing for the extended version will be announced at a later date. “Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will announce the technical details and prices of the extended ID. Buzz Cargo as soon as they are finalised,” the Hannover-based unit said in a statement. See also:…