Author: Shaun Williams

Norway set a new monthly record for electric vehicle adoption in April, with battery-electric vehicles accounting for 98.6% of all new passenger car registrations, according to data released by the Road Traffic Information Council (OFV). Out of 11,103 newly registered passenger vehicles during the month, 10,952 were fully electric. The latest result follows previous records of 98% in February and 98.4% in March, further tightening Norway’s grip as the world’s most advanced electric vehicle market. See also: Norway to Launch Europe’s First Autonomous Bus Service Without Safety Driver The OFV said battery-electric vehicles exceeded a 95% share of new registrations…

U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is expanding plans for its second U.S. production facility in Georgia, increasing the site’s planned annual production capacity to 300,000 vehicles from an earlier target of 200,000. The California-based company, which partners with Volkswagen, currently operates a manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, producing the EDV electric delivery van, R1 models, and the recently introduced R2 midsized electric SUV. The Illinois facility has a total annual production capacity of 215,000 vehicles. See also: Rivian Details Launch Package for R2 Performance as Production Begins Rivian broke ground on the Georgia site near Atlanta in September, although work…

Moto Hospitality said it plans to significantly expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across its UK sites, targeting a fourfold increase in charging bays over the coming years while developing dedicated hubs for electric freight vehicles. The company, the UK’s largest motorway service station operator with more than 60 locations nationwide, said the expansion forms part of a broader £500 million investment programme aimed at upgrading its network to support growing demand for electric mobility. Its sites, traditionally offering fuel, retail, and rest services, have increasingly become key charging points for long-distance EV travel. Moto said it has already installed…

Rivian has provided additional details on the Launch Package for its Rivian R2 Performance variant, outlining a set of features included at no additional cost for early customers. The automaker said the package will be available for a limited time and is intended to offer added value to initial buyers. Among the included features is a standard tow package, enabling the R2 Performance to tow up to 4,400 lbs (1,996 kg). This compares with the Jeep Recon, which has a lower stated towing capacity. See also: Rivian R2 Named 2026 Electric Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal…

Audi is recalling 96,180 units of its Audi e-tron quattro and Audi Q8 e-tron models worldwide due to a potential issue with the brake pedal mechanism that could affect deceleration performance. The recall includes both SUV and Sportback variants built between February 2018 and June 2024. According to report from Germany’s Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), 14,601 vehicles in Germany are impacted. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said 18,853 vehicles are subject to recall for inspection. See also: Audi Begins China Pre-Sales of A6L E-Tron Electric Sedan The issue stems from a potentially faulty screw connection on…

Porsche has agreed to sell its stake in Rimac Group and the joint venture Bugatti Rimac to a consortium led by HOF Capital, backed by the Sawiris family, marking the end of a multi-year partnership in the high-performance electric vehicle sector. Porsche first invested in Rimac in 2018, acquiring a 10% stake that was later increased to 21%, and deepened the relationship in 2021 by contributing the Bugatti brand into a joint venture controlled by Rimac. Under that structure, Rimac held a 55% majority stake and operational leadership. The decision to divest comes amid shifting strategic priorities. “In setting up…

Audi has discontinued production of its smallest internal combustion engine models, the A1 and Q2, as the company accelerates its transition toward battery-electric vehicles, the automaker said. Production of the A1, previously built at the Martorell plant operated by Seat, has come to an end after nearly 1.4 million units were produced since its launch in 2010. The model was initially manufactured in Brussels before being relocated to Spain following the conversion of the Belgian facility for electric vehicle production and its subsequent closure. Meanwhile, the Q2 compact SUV, assembled at Audi’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, has also ceased production after…

Porsche Motorsport has unveiled its interpretation of the upcoming Gen4 regulations for Formula E, presenting the 975 RSE prototype ahead of the 2026/27 season. The electric racing series’ next-generation cars, first introduced in November, are expected to deliver what organizers describe as the largest performance leap in the championship’s history. Under the Gen4 framework, core components—including the chassis, battery, and most suspension elements—remain standardized across all teams. Manufacturers retain freedom to develop key areas such as software, rear powertrain, rear suspension, and electric motor systems. Porsche has already taken its 975 RSE to the track for initial testing and promotional…

Hyundai Motor is recalling certain Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedans and several other models in the United States after identifying a potential defect involving front seat belt anchor attachments, according to a filing with U.S. safety regulators. The recall covers 35,149 model year 2023–2025 Ioniq 6 vehicles produced between Dec. 14, 2022 and May 16, 2025 for the U.S. market, according to the filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The broader recall also includes 2023–2026 Genesis G90 sedans and 2024–2026 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid sport utility vehicles, bringing the total number of affected vehicles to…

Bosch and Qualcomm Technologies have expanded their automotive partnership to include advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), broadening a collaboration previously centered on cockpit computing as the companies target new vehicle launches in East Asia beginning in 2028. The companies said newly awarded ADAS production programs have secured design wins with automakers in East Asia, with the first vehicles incorporating the technology expected to enter the market in 2028. The expanded partnership will center on Bosch’s ADAS integration platform built on Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride platform, enabling functions ranging from entry-level driver assistance features such as lane keeping and adaptive speed…

Nio sub-brand Onvo said its upcoming updated L90 electric sport utility vehicle will use the automaker’s in-house developed Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip, extending Nio’s proprietary semiconductor technology to its sub-brands. The 2026 Onvo L90 is scheduled to officially launch at the brand’s event on April 21, Onvo said in a post on WeChat on Saturday. The move marks a further step in Nio’s transition away from chips supplied by Nvidia, after the company adopted the Shenji NX9031 across all models under its main Nio brand. Onvo said the Shenji NX9031 is built on a 5-nanometer automotive-grade process and was…

China’s wholesale sales of new energy vehicles rose modestly in March as record exports helped offset a sharp decline in domestic demand, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed on Friday. Wholesale NEV deliveries, including domestic sales and exports, totaled 1.252 million units in March, up 1.2% from a year earlier and 63.7% from February, according to CAAM. The increase lifted NEVs’ share of total new vehicle sales in China to 43.2% in March from 42.4% in February. Domestic NEV sales fell 18.3% from a year earlier to 882,000 units, despite rebounding 82.4% from the previous month, indicating…

Tesla posted a sharp rebound in China sales in March as demand in the world’s largest auto market recovered from February’s slowdown, while exports from its Shanghai factory also rose strongly. Tesla sold 56,107 China-made vehicles in the domestic market in March, up 46.9% from February, though down 24.3% from a year earlier, according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association on Thursday. Exports from Tesla’s Giga Shanghai plant rose to 29,563 vehicles in March, up 528.9% from a year earlier and 45.0% higher than in February. Combined domestic sales and exports brought Tesla China’s wholesale deliveries for…

Dongfeng Nissan has launched the NX8, its first model to offer extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology, as the automaker intensifies efforts to compete in China’s rapidly evolving EV market. The mid- to large-size SUV, introduced on Wednesday, is available in both battery electric (BEV) and EREV variants. Official prices range from 159,900 yuan ($23,380) to 209,900 yuan, with a limited-time promotional starting price of 149,900 yuan. The pricing strategy appeared to drive early demand, with the company reporting 8,423 orders within 30 minutes of launch. Deliveries of the BEV versions began immediately on April 8, while EREV variants are scheduled…

Intel is joining the Terafab initiative, a large-scale semiconductor manufacturing project led by companies associated with Elon Musk, including Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, according to company statements and media reports. The Terafab project, unveiled in March, aims to construct and operate two chip fabrication plants in Texas with an estimated investment of between $20 billion and $25 billion. The facilities are intended to deliver a combined computing output of one terawatt per year—roughly double the current annual semiconductor production capacity of the United States. One of the planned plants will focus on producing chips for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, its…

Volkswagen will postpone the introduction of new battery-electric models from its core brand in the United States until the end of the decade, prioritizing its current offerings and a next-generation vehicle platform, the company said. Speaking at a media roundtable in New York, U.S. chief Kjell Gruner said the automaker will continue to emphasize the Volkswagen ID.4 and Volkswagen ID. Buzz in the near term, while seeing limited demand for smaller electric vehicles such as the upcoming ID. Every1 in the U.S. market. The company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg later confirmed the strategy to Automobilwoche. The report attributed the delayed rollout…

Jaguar has begun a new phase of winter testing for its upcoming all-electric four-door grand tourer, as engineers finalize key systems ahead of a planned global debut later this year. Prototypes are undergoing validation in Arctic Circle conditions in northern Sweden, where temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius. The test program is part of Jaguar’s most extensive development cycle to date, involving around 150 prototypes covering hundreds of thousands of miles across extreme climates and virtual simulations. The vehicle will feature a tri-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain producing more than 1,000 PS, making it the most powerful production model in…

Certification filings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, first identified by users on the Rivian Forums, show that the 2027 Rivian R2 will feature an 86.8 kWh battery pack capable of delivering more than 300 miles of driving range. The documents indicate a usable battery capacity of 86.8 kWh, exceeding earlier expectations for the company’s dual-motor platform. The system supports peak DC fast charging of up to 210 kW, according to the filings. Range performance varies depending on wheel configuration. Models fitted with 21-inch all-season tires are rated at up to 335 miles, while versions equipped with 20-inch all-terrain tires…

Volkswagen Group introduced a series of electric vehicle concepts and a China-specific platform at its Group Night event in Beijing, underscoring its push to localize technology and accelerate development in the world’s largest EV market. The company unveiled the China Main Platform (CMP), a new architecture aimed at entry-level electric vehicles, alongside the Volkswagen ID. CODE, a concept model featuring Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities and AI-powered user interaction systems. The announcements form part of Volkswagen’s “In China, for China” strategy, which emphasizes localized research and development to better compete with domestic EV manufacturers. The automaker said it has established…

Tesla has launched a seven-seat configuration for the Model Y in the United Kingdom, reintroducing the three-row option exclusively on the Long Range all-wheel drive variant. The model is priced from £54,490, with the additional third-row seating available for a £2,500 premium over the standard five-seat version. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in May 2026, in line with the five-seat Long Range variant. The seven-seat layout reduces the WLTP driving range from 391 miles to 372 miles, reflecting the added weight. The configuration remains limited to the Long Range all-wheel drive version, with no confirmation on availability for other variants.…