Author: Derick Munoz

French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci is advocating for a comprehensive aid package to bolster Europe’s car industry, calling for coordinated EU-wide purchase premiums for electric vehicles (EVs) and revisions to emissions targets for manufacturers. Ferracci, speaking to Germany’s Handelsblatt, emphasized a subsidy model similar to France’s existing program, which adjusts support based on a vehicle’s CO2 emissions in production, a model that excludes EVs from China. Ferracci proposed extending the subsidies across the EU, focusing especially on the electrification of commercial fleets. “The principle is that we – just like our trade competitors do – favour European cars when it…

The Oslo city council has firmly rejected the taxi industry’s request to delay the mandatory transition to electric taxis until 2027, maintaining its commitment to a November 1, 2024, deadline for eliminating emissions from combustion engines. The only exception to this regulation will apply to taxi journeys that extend beyond Oslo’s borders. Norway has experienced a notable rise in battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations within the taxi sector, achieving an impressive 88% BEV market penetration last year, surpassing the 82.4% rate for new car registrations overall. In 2023, Bergen and Stavanger saw all new taxis registered as electric, while Trondheim…

New Flyer has announced two new orders from Ottawa’s OC Transpo for 51 Xcelsior CHARGE NG 40-foot battery-electric buses, building on a framework agreement with the Toronto Transit Commission. Backed by the Canada Infrastructure Bank and federal support from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, this purchase marks a step toward decarbonizing OC Transpo’s network by 2036. The deal follows a successful 2021 pilot program, which deployed four Xcelsior CHARGE buses for OC Transpo’s network, covering over 480 square kilometers across Ottawa and parts of Quebec. New Flyer’s electric buses have collectively covered more than 195 million EV miles in North…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Nio has introduced a suite of incentives for November, aiming to drive sales during the competitive year-end period. The company’s latest offer, valued at up to RMB 65,000 ($9,130), includes a range of discounts and service perks available to customers until the end of the month. The incentives feature an option fund up to RMB 20,000, a coupon for heat shielding film worth RMB 2,979, and three years of complimentary Navigate on Pilot Plus (NOP+), a service valued at RMB 13,680. Compared to September’s offer, Nio has extended NOP+ usage from two to three years and…

In the shift toward touchscreen-centered designs, in-car minimalism is gaining momentum across the automotive industry. Tesla’s Model 3, with its stripped-back interior, set the stage for this trend, but EV startup Rivian aims to take minimalism even further, replacing physical buttons with voice controls. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, shared his view that buttons are becoming obsolete, and voice control is the future. “Physical buttons are becoming an anomaly in modern cars,” Bensaid remarked, emphasizing Rivian’s commitment to a digital-first approach. This philosophy aligns with the company’s decision not to include Apple CarPlay, favoring instead…

Tesla has introduced its self-serve test drive program to Europe and the Middle East, showcasing the ease of trying out its electric vehicles in a new short advertisement. Posted through Tesla’s official account on X (formerly Twitter), the 44-second video emphasizes the convenience of locating and unlocking a test drive vehicle solely through the Tesla app, allowing users to “drive a Tesla, talk to no one.” Drive a Tesla, talk to no one Locate & unlock a vehicle near you for a test drive, entirely via the Tesla apphttps://t.co/6ggJITsOYJ pic.twitter.com/Ly0RVCclRd — Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) October 31, 2024…

Polestar has begun delivering its first U.S.-built Polestar 3 SUVs to North American customers, with units now being supplied from its South Carolina facility. This marks a key development in Polestar’s evolution from a single-model brand to a more diverse lineup, now including the Polestar 2, Polestar 3, and the upcoming Polestar 4. “From our retail partners to our employees, I’m extremely proud and excited for the delivery of U.S.-built Polestar 3’s making their way to customers,” stated Anders Gustafsson, Head of Polestar North America. He emphasized that the Polestar 3 is “an SUV designed for the North American market,…

Xpeng announced record-breaking deliveries for October 2024, achieving its highest monthly performance for the second month in a row. Xpeng delivered 23,917 vehicles in October, marking a 20% year-on-year growth and a 12% increase over the previous month. Throughout the first ten months of 2024, Xpeng has delivered a total of 122,478 vehicles, a 21% rise compared to the same period last year. October also saw over 10,000 units of the Xpeng MONA M03 delivered, underscoring demand for the brand’s offerings. In line with its advancements in urban driver assistance technology, Xpeng reported an 86% active user penetration rate for…

Mopar, the tuning brand under Stellantis, has revealed an all-electric muscle car at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. Dubbed the “Plymouth GTX Electromod Concept,” the model is based on a classic 1967 Plymouth GTX, with its original V8 engine replaced by an electric drivetrain. Designed to illustrate the potential of battery electric vehicle (BEV) conversion kits, the GTX Electromod Concept houses an electric drive system generating 250 kW (approximately 335 horsepower) and a range of 250 miles (roughly 400 kilometers) powered by four battery packs totaling 73 kWh. Mopar reports that the torque is directed…

Mercedes-Benz is facing significant challenges in its electric vehicle (EV) segment, with third-quarter sales plummeting 31% compared to the same period last year. The luxury automaker sold just 42,544 EV units in Q3, a drop of 19,077 vehicles from the previous year. This downturn raises questions about the company’s ambitious electric lineup, which includes models like the EQA, EQB, EQE, EQE SUV, EQS, EQS SUV, and the newly introduced electric G-Class. The situation is not improving year-to-date, as Mercedes has reported a 22.1% decline in EV sales, with total units sold dropping from 174,471 in the first nine months of…

Camouflaged Tesla Model Y vehicles have been sighted in China, potentially indicating an anticipated design refresh for the electric crossover, which follows the recent updates to the Model 3. Reports surfaced last year that Tesla was planning a 2024 Model Y update, internally known as “Project Juniper.” Tesla has previously downplayed the likelihood of a redesign within 2023, with CEO Elon Musk stating that no Model Y refresh was planned for this year. The emphasis on timing led some analysts to speculate that a revamp might still be on track for early 2024. https://twitter.com/BMKrpwgS8UoeWKY/status/1849415118960132131 Recent sightings of the camouflaged Model…

Bavarian electric air taxi developer Lilium announced plans to file for insolvency for two main subsidiaries, Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH, following an inability to secure additional funding. This decision, disclosed in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday, follows the recent refusal by the German government to provide state aid to the startup. Lilium stated that despite continued fundraising efforts, it has been unable to secure the necessary capital to sustain its subsidiaries’ operations, leaving the companies “over-indebted and unable to meet due liabilities.” The filing will be made to the Weilheim district…