Author: Alexander Reed

Polestar is offering a $17,000 incentive on its 2025 Polestar 3 in the United States, reducing the monthly lease rate to $399. The promotion runs through September 30. The offer applies to the Long Range Single Motor variant and is structured around a 27-month lease. It combines a $15,000 Clean Vehicle Incentive, double the standard federal EV tax credit, with a $2,000 “Long Range Single Motor Noncash Promotion.” Customers must provide a $5,000 down payment, excluding the first month’s installment, and meet Polestar Financial Services’ credit requirements. No security deposit is necessary. Priced from $67,500 before destination and delivery fees,…

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL expects its new factory in Hungary to begin operations as early as the end of this year or the beginning of 2025, its top European executive said, accelerating its timeline for what will become the company’s largest overseas facility. The 7.3 billion euro ($8.55 billion) plant, located in the eastern city of Debrecen, will supply automakers including BMW, Stellantis and Volkswagen as they expand electric vehicle production in Europe. Designed with an annual capacity of 100 gigawatt-hours and a workforce of up to 9,000, it will significantly surpass CATL’s existing European production site in Thuringia, Germany.…

Geely Automobile’s new energy vehicle (NEV) brand Galaxy has unveiled the Xingyao 6, a compact plug-in hybrid sedan that draws on the design of the automaker’s fifth-generation Emgrand model. The Xingyao 6 features a traditional three-box sedan profile with a chrome-detailed grille, five-spoke alloy wheels and a small rear spoiler. Inside, the model combines a 14.6-inch touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument panel with physical buttons and air vents, alongside a flat-bottom steering wheel. The vehicle measures 4,806 mm in length, 1,886 mm in width and 1,490 mm in height, with a 2,756 mm wheelbase. Power comes from an EM-i plug-in…

Japanese equipment maker Komatsu said it will begin series production in October of its new PC20E-6 electric mini excavator, designed to operate for up to four hours on a single charge. The compact excavator is powered by a 23.2 kWh battery paired with an 11 kW high-torque electric motor, giving it an operating weight of 2,190 kg. The company said the runtime covers the needs of most customers, citing data gathered from more than 40,000 workdays of diesel-powered machines. “This defined the target for the required, reliable working time with the excavator,” Komatsu noted in its product statement. “This result…

Ford Motor is offering a lease deal on its 2025 F-150 Lightning electric pickup, pricing the XLT trim at $237 per month for 24 months with up to $12,250 in incentives, as the automaker looks to boost demand for its flagship battery-powered truck. The lease terms are based on a $6,624 down payment or 10 percent of the capitalized cost, with additional credits including $12,250 in EV RCL Cash and $500 in summer sales bonuses. Ford said the security deposit is waived for qualified customers, and trade-in values could further reduce monthly payments depending on dealer assessment. The offer runs…

A cybersecurity researcher has identified more than 1,300 publicly accessible TeslaMate dashboards, which allow Tesla owners to log and visualize data from their vehicles, potentially exposing sensitive information including vehicle locations and trip histories, as reported by TechCrunch. Seyfullah Kiliç, founder of cybersecurity company SwordSec, said the exposed dashboards were likely made public by mistake, allowing anyone to access detailed data without a password. TeslaMate is an open-source data logger that enables users to track aspects such as battery health, charging sessions, and vehicle temperature, along with more sensitive information like speed and location. Kiliç scanned the internet for public-facing…

Xiaomi has introduced its Electric Scooter 5 Plus in the United Kingdom, expanding its lineup between the existing Electric Scooter 5 Pro and Electric Scooter 5 Max models. A wider European rollout is expected in the coming months. The Electric Scooter 5 Plus is priced at £459.99, slightly higher than the 5 Pro and lower than the 5 Max. The scooter features 12-inch tires, dual-spring front shock absorption, a taller handlebar, and a larger deck, which the company says improves ride comfort and stability across varied surfaces. The model is powered by a 400 W motor with a maximum output…

VinFast has announced plans to build 150,000 battery-swapping stations for electric two-wheelers across Vietnam by 2028, in a move it says will accelerate the country’s transition to electric mobility. The Vietnamese carmaker said the rollout will begin in October with the installation of the first 1,000 stations, expanding to 50,000 outlets by the end of this year. “Our network will be many times larger than the number of fossil-fuel stations in the country,” VinFast said, adding that widespread availability would help address charging wait times and encourage petrol scooter owners to switch to electric models. The company’s battery-swappable scooters will…

Finnish electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy platform provider Virta said it has acquired Scandinavian fleet software specialist Northe, in a move it says will establish Europe’s most comprehensive platform for EV fleet, charging and energy solutions. Helsinki-based Virta said Northe’s software will complement its existing services, with the combined company forming the largest B2B EV driver platform in the Nordics. Virta said the platform already supports more than 100,000 active EV drivers. Northe, founded in Sweden as Charge4go AB, has rapidly grown its presence in Scandinavia, working with some of the region’s largest leasing companies and fleet operators. Its…

Tesla said it will announce a new offering for Australia and New Zealand on Friday, without providing details on whether the reveal will involve a new vehicle, technology or service. The company informed local media outlet Drive that the unveiling will take place on August 29 but did not elaborate on what will be presented. The move comes as Tesla looks to strengthen its position in the region, where sales have been under pressure this year. The announcement follows Tesla’s recent launch of the Model Y L, a long-wheelbase, six-seat version of its best-selling crossover, though that model is currently…

Nissan plans to launch its new electric city car, named Wave, in early 2027 as part of a joint effort with alliance partner Renault to strengthen their small EV portfolio, according to French trade magazine L’argus. The model will be closely related to Renault’s upcoming all-electric Twingo, due in 2026, with both vehicles sharing technology, components and production facilities. The cars will be built at Renault’s Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia, underlining the companies’ strategy to leverage shared platforms and reduce costs. “Wave is new to Nissan’s line-up – only a special luxury trim of the Micra once carried it…

Scania will deliver 41 battery-electric city and suburban buses to Norwegian operator Tide Buss for services in Vestfold starting in summer 2026. The deal marks the company’s first electric bus deliveries in Norway. The buses are built on Scania’s battery-electric platform, which uses a modular system also deployed across its truck range. Each unit features five battery packs with a combined capacity of 520 kWh, four mounted on the roof and one at the rear. Power comes from a 230 kW electric motor paired with a two-speed gearbox, technology adapted from Scania’s truck operations for urban use. Service and maintenance…

U Power Limited, a provider of AI-powered solutions for energy grids and transportation systems, announced on Monday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SAIC HONGYAN Automotive Co., Ltd and UNEX EV B.V. to deploy battery-swapping compatible electric heavy trucks in Thailand, with potential expansion into other international markets. Under the agreement, the three companies will deploy 3,000 electric heavy-duty tractors for long-haul transportation and 1,200 port-specific short-distance trucks. U Power will lead the development and operation of battery-swapping stations, UNEX EV will adapt SAIC Hongyan trucks to enable battery swapping and support sales in Thailand, while…

Blink Charging reported second-quarter revenue of $28.7 million, exceeding Wall Street expectations and marking a 38% increase from the previous quarter, driven by rising demand for electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Analysts had forecast lower sales, highlighting the company’s momentum in product and service offerings. Revenue from product sales jumped 73% from the prior quarter, while service-related income grew 11%, reflecting the company’s expanding footprint in the fast-charging market. Despite the revenue gains, Blink posted a net loss of $32 million, with adjusted earnings per share at negative $0.26, falling short of analyst projections. Adjusted EBITDA came in at negative…

Hyundai Motor has filed a patent application in the United States for a method that allows copper to be used inside sulphide-based solid-state batteries, a development aimed at improving efficiency and reducing material costs. The filing describes the use of a protective coating applied to a copper anode current collector, making it resistant to sulphide corrosion. The design stacks copper with a coating layer, anode, sulphide electrolyte, cathode, and terminal collector, enabling copper to retain its conductivity and structural stability through repeated charging cycles. See also: Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Debuts with 478 kW, 770 Nm Torque and 3.2-Second 0–100…

Canyon has introduced its Citylite and Citylite:ON bicycles in the EMEA region, offering lightweight, urban-focused bikes designed for commuting and city riding. The Citylite:ON electric bike is equipped with a Bosch Performance Line 600 W motor paired with a Shimano Nexus 5-speed hub gear, delivering up to 75 Nm of torque. It features a low-maintenance Gates CDC belt drive and a removable 400 Wh battery, offering an assistance range of up to 85 km (52.8 miles) in eco mode and 40 km (24.8 miles) in turbo mode. A 250 Wh Powermore range extender is also available to increase the bike’s…

Repair costs for electric vehicles (EVs) in Germany are beginning to ease as adoption rises and service providers gain more experience, the German Insurance Association (GDV) said. According to GDV, comprehensive insurance claims for EVs were 20% to 25% higher than for comparable combustion engine models last year. That gap has since narrowed, with the average claim now around 15% to 20% higher than for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. “The more electric cars there are on the road, the less their claims differ from comparable cars with combustion engines,” said Anja Käfer-Rohrbach, deputy general director at GDV. She added…

SAIC Motor’s premium electric vehicle arm IM Motors has launched a new range extender system dubbed ‘Stellar,’ making its debut in the redesigned LS6 SUV and set to feature in the upcoming LS9. The system combines a large battery pack with a turbocharged petrol engine, giving the models a claimed total range of up to 1,500 kilometres. The LS6, which competes directly with Tesla’s Model Y, will go on pre-sale in China on Aug. 15. In overseas markets, including the United Kingdom, it is marketed as the IM6, though IM Motors has not confirmed whether the range extender version will…

Horizon Fuel Cell Group has acquired the intellectual property of U.S.-based hydrogen vehicle maker Hyzon Motors Inc., in a move to strengthen its position in the global market for hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks. The acquisition will enable Horizon to continue servicing Hyzon’s customer base in the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand while integrating its own advanced fuel cell systems into the platform. Horizon plans to deploy its VLS-IV Series 400kW fuel cell stack in future heavy-duty truck models, targeting a 15% to 20% reduction in hydrogen consumption compared with earlier designs. The company said the technology delivers diesel-equivalent performance…

A cybersecurity researcher uncovered flaws in a major carmaker’s online dealership portal that could have exposed customer information and vehicle data and allowed hackers to remotely unlock cars, TechCrunch reported. Eaton Zveare, a researcher at software delivery firm Harness, told TechCrunch the vulnerability “allowed me to create an administrator account with complete access to the system.” The portal, used by more than 1,000 dealerships in the United States, stores personal and financial data, vehicle telematics, and tools for pairing cars with mobile apps for remote functions. “The login process had insecure code that let me bypass authentication and gain ‘national…