Author: Shaun Williams

Fiat has unveiled its first all-electric three-wheeler, the TRIS, targeting last-mile delivery in urban areas across Africa and the Middle East. Designed for small businesses and independent workers, the vehicle is being introduced exclusively in the MEA region, with a potential European rollout under consideration. The TRIS was developed at Fiat’s Centro Stile in Italy and is manufactured in Morocco. It comes in three variants – flat-bed, pick-up, and chassis-cabin – allowing for customisation based on logistics needs. All configurations share a compact 3.17-metre frame, a 6.9 kWh battery (the same used in the Fiat Topolino), and a 9kW peak-output…

Lexus has officially introduced the latest generation of its ES sedan to European audiences, confirming the inclusion of two all-electric models, the ES 350e and ES 500e. The launch marks the first time the luxury sedan will be available as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) in the region, with sales set to begin in spring 2026. Building on its global debut at Auto China in April, Lexus has now released additional technical specifications for the European market. Contrary to earlier expectations, the ES 350e and ES 500e will feature slightly different battery capacities. The front-wheel drive ES 350e houses a…

Rivian has begun real-world testing of its upcoming R2 compact SUV, marking a significant milestone ahead of the vehicle’s scheduled 2026 launch. Production-intent prototypes are now undergoing trials across public roads and rugged terrain throughout North America, as the electric vehicle maker collects data to refine performance, durability and user comfort. Source: Rivian’s Upcoming R2 Model Features Streamlined Body Harness to Cut Costs and Boost Efficiency While pre-production vehicles are typically camouflaged to conceal final design elements, Rivian is taking a creative approach with nature-inspired wraps that double as both concealment and brand expression. “We wanted to wrap the R2…

Volvo Cars said on Friday that steep U.S. tariffs could severely impact its ability to sell one of its most affordable electric vehicles in the American market, as trade tensions between Washington and Brussels threaten to escalate. Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson told Reuters that a proposed 50% tariff on European Union goods, recently floated by former U.S. President Donald Trump, would likely price the Belgium-made EX30 electric vehicle out of the market. “That would of course be almost impossible,” Samuelsson said, referring to the effect such a tariff would have on U.S. imports of the model. “The EX30 is very…

Northvolt, the Swedish automotive battery maker that filed for bankruptcy in March, will shut down its remaining battery cell production in Sweden by the end of June, the company’s bankruptcy trustee said on Thursday. Mikael Kubu, the court-appointed trustee overseeing the case, said in a statement that battery cell manufacturing at Northvolt Ett, the company’s flagship facility in Skellefteå, will be wound down due to the lack of a viable buyer willing to take over operations in the near term. “A gradual wind-down of battery cell production in Northvolt Ett will be initiated, with the objective of ceasing production by…

Chinese automaker BYD outsold Tesla in Europe’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) market for the first time in April, marking a notable shift in the regional electric vehicle (EV) landscape, according to new data from market research firm Jato Dynamics. BYD registered 7,231 BEVs in Europe during April, a 169% increase year-on-year, placing it 10th among the top BEV brands on the continent. Tesla’s European registrations fell by 49% to 7,165 units, dropping the American EV maker to 11th place. Jato’s analysis includes vehicle registration data from 28 European countries. See also: BYD Introduces Low-Cost Dolphin Surf EV in Europe, Starting…

The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) said on Tuesday that autonomous vehicles in the United States have now logged over 145 million miles on public roads, a figure that has doubled since April 2024. The milestone was announced in AVIA’s newly released 2025 State of AV report, which calls for urgent federal policy support to maintain the sector’s momentum. The report highlights accelerating commercial deployments, including robotaxis, long-haul autonomous trucks, and zero-occupancy vehicles. AVIA said the growing adoption of AVs is creating jobs, enhancing safety, and expanding mobility access across both urban and rural communities. “AVs are proving their value…

Lidar technology company Luminar Technologies has reached a funding agreement with Yorkville Advisors Global and an undisclosed investor that could provide up to $200 million through the sale of convertible preferred stock over the next 18 months, according to a regulatory filing made Wednesday. Under the terms of the deal, Luminar will immediately issue $35 million in convertible preferred stock. The company may issue additional tranches of up to $35 million every 60 days, priced at 96% of the stock’s stated value. However, Luminar is not obligated to issue the full amount. “Today’s transaction provides us with additional financial flexibility…

Just 16 months after launching its Smart Charge network, Sainsbury’s has installed more than 650 ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging bays across over 75 store locations, positioning itself as one of the UK’s fastest-growing retail charge point operators. The £25 million investment underscores the supermarket’s commitment to supporting the country’s transition to zero-emission road transport. Since its UK rollout began in January 2024, the Smart Charge network has enabled over 60 million miles of electric driving, which Sainsbury’s says equates to a reduction of 10.71 million kilograms of CO₂ compared to petrol or diesel vehicles. The charging bays operate at…

Amazon-backed autonomous vehicle company Zoox will begin testing its self-driving technology in Atlanta, Georgia, later this summer after completing initial mapping of the city’s streets, the company told TechCrunch on Tuesday. Atlanta becomes the seventh U.S. city where Zoox is deploying its autonomous vehicle program, signaling the firm’s steady expansion of its robotaxi initiative. The announcement comes just a day after rival Waymo, in partnership with Uber, said it would begin offering limited robotaxi rides in Atlanta as it gears up for a broader public rollout. Zoox is employing a phased approach to introducing its self-driving vehicles. In new cities…

Alphabet’s autonomous ride-hailing unit Waymo has completed 10 million paid trips, co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said on Tuesday, as the company doubles down on expanding operations and fending off emerging competition from Tesla. Speaking at the Google I/O developer conference, Mawakana said the milestone reflects broader adoption of the company’s autonomous driving technology across key markets. “These are all paid trips, and they represent people who are really integrating Waymo Driver into their everyday lives,” she told CNBC. The 10 million figure includes rides completed in Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Phoenix metropolitan area. Waymo is currently delivering over…

Volkswagen plans to phase out the “ID” branding used for its electric vehicles beginning in 2026, as the German automaker seeks to simplify its product lineup and reduce consumer confusion. The decision marks a shift in strategy for one of Europe’s largest carmakers as it repositions itself in the increasingly competitive EV landscape. The move will see Volkswagen abandon the alphanumeric “ID” prefix—originally launched in 2017 with the ID.3 concept and subsequently used across models such as the ID.4, ID.5, and ID.7—in favor of more traditional model names. “The cars will get proper names again,” said Martin Sander, Volkswagen’s board…

UK transport operator Stagecoach has announced its first fully electric bus fleet and depot, to be based in Stockton-on-Tees, North East England. The facility will host a new lineup of electric vehicles, including Yutong E12 buses and Stagecoach’s first Yutong electric double-decker (DD), as the company continues efforts to decarbonise its national fleet. While Stagecoach has previously introduced electric buses alongside conventional diesel and petrol vehicles, the Stockton depot will be the company’s first location to run an entirely electric fleet. Stagecoach has not disclosed the number of EVs to be deployed at the site but confirmed that the fleet…

Xpeng announced plans to launch its next-generation P7 coupe sedan in China between July and August, aiming to capture the mid-to-high-end sedan market domestically and overseas. Internally codenamed E29, the new P7 will replace the existing P7i model, with a target price around RMB 300,000 ($41,600), the company said in a statement. The P7, Xpeng’s first sedan, debuted at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2019 and launched in April 2020, quickly gaining popularity for its sleek design. It delivered over 60,000 units in 2021 and nearly 60,000 in 2022, making up a significant portion of Xpeng’s sales in those…

Chinese tech giant Baidu is preparing to introduce its Apollo Go robotaxi service to Europe, expanding its presence beyond Hong Kong, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal citing sources familiar with the matter. Baidu is reportedly in discussions with PostAuto, a subsidiary of Swiss Post responsible for public bus services, to collaborate on deploying Apollo Go in Switzerland. The company plans to establish a local entity in Switzerland in the coming months and aims to begin testing the autonomous driving technology by the end of 2025. Baidu also has plans to roll out Apollo Go in Turkey.…

Waymo is recalling more than 1,200 of its self-driving vehicles to address a software issue linked to collisions with roadway barriers, such as gates and chains, the company said on Wednesday. The move follows an ongoing investigation by U.S. auto safety regulators into the performance of its automated driving system. The recall affects 1,212 vehicles equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving software. According to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Alphabet-owned firm identified 16 incidents involving contact with fixed roadside objects between 2022 and late 2024. No injuries were reported. See also: Waymo to Build…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD plans to set up a European centre in Hungary as part of its strategy to expand its presence on the continent, according to company officials and Hungarian authorities. The new facility will create approximately 2,000 jobs and serve as a base for sales and after-sales services, vehicle testing, and the development of locally tailored models. See also: BYD Launches Sealion 7 SUV in Hungary Amid Overseas Expansion The announcement was made during a joint news conference held in Budapest with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. BYD, which already operates an electric bus assembly plant in…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD has overtaken Toyota to become the best-selling car brand in Singapore so far this year, government data showed, marking a significant milestone in the company’s overseas expansion strategy. From January through April 2025, BYD sold 3,002 vehicles in Singapore, accounting for 20% of total car sales, ahead of Toyota’s 2,050 units and well above Tesla’s 535 units during the same period. Toyota had previously dominated Singapore’s auto market, delivering 7,876 vehicles in 2024 compared to BYD’s 6,191 units. However, BYD’s rapid growth highlights the Chinese automaker’s push to expand globally amid intensifying competition and…

Hyundai has introduced a lease offer and financing incentives for its upcoming 2026 Ioniq 9 electric SUV, positioning the three-row vehicle as a strong contender in the growing electric vehicle market. According to dealer communications cited by CarsDirect, the new Ioniq 9 S can be leased for $419 per month over 36 months with $4,999 due at signing, based on a 10,000-mile annual limit. The effective monthly cost stands at $558. See also: Hyundai Launches ELEXIO Electric SUV in China with 700 km Range and 800V Fast-Charging While slightly higher than the newly introduced Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel…

BorgWarner has announced a significant contract with a leading global automaker to supply its advanced 400-volt high-voltage coolant heater (HVCH) technology for a range of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The deal, set to begin production in 2027, marks a major step forward for the company in the growing hybrid vehicle sector. The HVCH technology will be integrated into popular vehicle types, including mid-size pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans. This contract represents BorgWarner’s largest HVCH deal for PHEVs in North America. The HVCH is designed to maintain optimal battery and cabin temperatures, crucial for ensuring performance and comfort, especially in…