Author: Alexander Reed

Leapmotor, the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer backed by Stellantis NV, reported record October deliveries of 70,289 vehicles, an 84.1% increase from a year earlier, marking its sixth consecutive month of record-breaking performance. The company said October deliveries also rose 5.5% from September’s 66,657 units. From January to October, Leapmotor delivered a total of 465,805 vehicles, representing a 120.7% year-on-year increase. See also: Leapmotor CEO Predicts China’s EV Dominance as Company Posts First Half-Year Profit Leapmotor aims to deliver between 580,000 and 650,000 vehicles in 2025 and said it plans to challenge the one-million-unit mark in the following year.…

Suzuki has officially launched its fully electric e Vitara in the United Kingdom, following the first customer deliveries earlier this month. The battery-electric SUV is offered in 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery variants, with an optional ALLGRIP-e all-wheel drive system available on higher trims. The e Vitara comes in Motion and Ultra grades, with three power configurations. The base model delivers 106 kW of power, while the mid-range version produces 128 kW. The top-spec dual-motor variant combines a 128 kW front motor and a 48 kW rear motor, producing up to 300 Nm of torque. The other two versions…

The United States and Abu Dhabi governments will jointly invest $1.8 billion with private equity firm Orion Resource Partners to develop mining and refining projects around the world, in a move designed to secure Western access to critical minerals such as lithium, rare earths, copper, and uranium. The investment comes as major economies seek to reduce reliance on China, which dominates global supply chains for critical minerals. The new Orion Critical Mineral Consortium, backed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corp (DFC), Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ, and Orion, will each contribute $600 million to the initiative. See also:…

Nissan will display the Ao-Solar Extender, an extendable roof-mounted solar system, on its Sakura electric vehicle (EV) at the Japan Mobility Show 2025. The system is capable of generating enough solar electricity to provide up to 3,000 km (1,864 miles) of driving annually, according to the automaker. The solar array operates while the vehicle is parked or in motion. A fixed panel collects sunlight during driving, while a second extendable panel increases surface area when the vehicle is stationary. See also: Nissan Forms CO₂ Pool with BYD to Meet 2025 EU Emission Targets The system can generate up to 500…

Tesla said it plans to introduce a “light” version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) 14 software for Model Y vehicles equipped with Hardware 3.0 (HW3), allowing earlier customers to benefit from new autonomous features and potentially join the company’s Robotaxi platform starting in 2026. Most Teslas currently on the road use the older HW3 computer and camera system, which cannot support the latest FSD 14 version that powers the automaker’s autonomous Robotaxi units. Instead of retrofitting HW3 vehicles with the newer HW4 (AI4) hardware, Tesla plans to adapt FSD 14 to run on existing systems. See also: Musk Signals Tesla…

Rivian has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by shareholders who alleged the company misled investors about vehicle pricing during its 2021 initial public offering, according to a court filing on Thursday. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused Rivian of concealing that it had underpriced its vehicles during the IPO, resulting in steep and unpopular price increases shortly afterward. The Irvine, California-based company’s share price plunged 39% over a 10-day period after it raised the R1S SUV’s price from $70,000 to $84,500 and the R1T pickup’s price from $67,500 to $79,500 in March 2022, prompting…

Korean Air and U.S.-based Archer Aviation have signed an agreement to introduce and commercialize Archer’s Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in South Korea. The collaboration will initially focus on government applications, with plans for Korean Air to purchase up to 100 Midnight aircraft as part of the rollout. The partnership combines Archer’s next-generation eVTOL technology with Korean Air’s decades of expertise in aircraft operations and maintenance. Together, the two companies aim to accelerate the adoption of advanced air mobility solutions in South Korea, positioning the country as a regional leader in the emerging urban air mobility (UAM)…

Zeekr, the premium electric brand under Geely, has opened pre-sales for its new Zeekr 7X on October 20, featuring more powerful electric motors and larger battery options. The model introduces three trim levels — two rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and one all-wheel-drive (AWD) — each equipped with advanced battery technology and Geely’s latest driver-assistance systems. The lineup includes a 75 kWh RWD Max variant powered by a 370 kW (496 hp) motor, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and delivering a 620 km CLTC range using Geely’s Golden Brick battery. See also: Zeekr Launches Updated 001 Shooting…

Ford said it has appointed Jim Baumbick, its vice president of advanced product development, cycle planning, and program, as president of Ford Europe effective Nov. 1, as the automaker continues restructuring efforts in the region amid shifting market conditions. Baumbick will lead Ford’s strategic direction in Europe, working with regional leaders to oversee product development, strengthen cost efficiency, and support the company’s commercial vehicle-focused transformation. His appointment comes as Ford scales back its passenger car operations in Europe while advancing its electrification and connected-vehicle strategies. He will report to Ford Vice Chair John Lawler. See also: Ford Shifts Autonomous Strategy…

The Mobility House and Itron have partnered on a new project in New York State that aims to accelerate the electrification of vehicle fleets through advanced smart charging technology. Supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the initiative will use intelligent load management to help utilities accommodate more EV chargers without costly grid upgrades or prolonged infrastructure delays. See also: Mercedes-Benz and The Mobility House Partner to Launch Smart Charging Services Across Europe The collaboration integrates Itron’s IntelliFLEX Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) with The Mobility House’s ChargePilot® charge management platform. The combined system…

Transdev Nederland has placed a new order for 55 battery-electric buses from Solaris, expanding its zero-emission fleet in the Netherlands. The order includes 42 Urbino 9 LE units and 13 double-articulated Urbino 24 buses, with deliveries scheduled for the second half of 2026, the Polish bus manufacturer said. The contract was commissioned by the Province of Gelderland to support public transport operations in Arnhem, Nijmegen, and the Foodvalley region. Transdev Nederland, which currently operates 50 bus lines and carries around 30 million passengers annually, aims to fully transition its fleet to zero-emission vehicles in the coming years. The Urbino 9…

Spanish electric vehicle maker Silence has opened 14 battery swap stations in Paris, allowing users to replace depleted batteries in about 30 seconds, with plans to expand across the French Riviera before the end of 2025. The rollout follows trials announced earlier this year by Silence’s parent company, Acciona, in partnership with Nissan. The network mirrors a similar operation in Spain, where Silence runs over 160 swap stations. In France, the initial sites are located in Paris and surrounding metropolitan areas, with future expansion planned for Nice and Cannes. See also: PandaGo, Silence Partner to Deploy 3,000 Electric Scooters for…