Author: Floyd Hawkins

BYD’s  ultra-premium sub-brand Yangwang has officially begun deliveries of its high-performance U7 sedan, the brand said on Thursday via Weibo, following the model’s official debut in late March. The U7, which carries a starting price of RMB 628,000 ($87,370), is now arriving at Yangwang stores across major Chinese cities. While the company did not disclose delivery volume or regional breakdowns, the start of deliveries marks a key milestone for Yangwang’s expansion in China’s growing high-end electric vehicle market. Unveiled on March 27, the U7 is the third production model from Yangwang after the U8 off-road SUV and the U9 electric…

Cyclic Materials announced plans to invest $25 million to establish a North American Centre of Excellence for rare earth recycling in Kingston, Ontario. The 140,000-square-foot facility will support both commercial-scale production and advanced R&D efforts, with operations expected to begin in early 2026. The new centre will house Cyclic’s first commercial-scale ‘Hub’ unit, designed to process up to 500 tonnes of magnet-rich feedstock annually using its proprietary REEPure technology. The process recovers key rare earth elements—Neodymium, Praseodymium, Terbium, and Dysprosium—from recycled materials for use in electric vehicles, wind turbines and electronics. “With this Centre of Excellence, we’re advancing our core…

German eMobility entrepreneur Günther Schuh is preparing to unveil his third electric vehicle project, the StreetRunner UpVan, on June 24 in Düren, near Cologne. This new electric light commercial vehicle marks a return to the segment Schuh first explored with the original StreetScooter, and comes after his more recent foray into compact electric cars with e.Go Mobile. The UpVan is being marketed as a fully electric, modular delivery vehicle optimised for last-mile logistics. Built on the ‘UP Super Board’ platform by China’s U Power Tech, the UpVan will be adapted for the German market by StreetRunner GmbH. “Especially for companies…

MAN Truck & Bus will debut its updated Lion’s City 10 E electric bus at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Hamburg, showcasing a new battery generation manufactured in-house at its Nuremberg plant. The 2025 model-year eBus will be presented from June 16–18 and features improved range, energy density, and passenger capacity. The latest version of the 10.5-metre midibus will be equipped with four new NMC-based battery packs, totaling 356 kWh of installed capacity. The new lithium-ion battery technology, originally developed for MAN’s eTruck, allows for extended range and reduced weight while offering more interior space. “With up to…

U.S. electric vehicle startup Dacora Motors has revealed its first all-electric model, a retro-inspired luxury car that fuses 1930s Streamline Moderne aesthetics with modern electric performance. With a starting price of $500,000, the debut model could become one of the most expensive consumer EVs on the market. Founded by MIT-trained engineers Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll and Eric Corrèll, Dacora describes itself as the first female-founded and led automaker in history. The company is also positioning its new car as the first ultra-luxury EV to be both designed and manufactured in the United States in nearly a century. The vehicle—currently unnamed—was created in…

FAW Toyota, Toyota Motor’s joint venture in China, launched its latest electric vehicle on Tuesday as part of an effort by foreign automakers to reestablish their position in the country’s fast-evolving EV market. The newly introduced bZ5, a mid-size electric coupe SUV, is available in four variants with starting prices ranging from RMB 129,800 ($18,070) to RMB 159,800 ($22,240). Built on Toyota’s e-TNGA EV platform, the model mirrors the design language of the earlier bZ3 sedan and incorporates BYD’s blade battery technology. The bZ5 offers a CLTC-rated driving range of up to 630 kilometers, depending on the battery configuration. The…

Citroen has introduced a new variant of its ë-Jumper electric van, adding a lightweight box body option to its existing lineup. The expansion is aimed at enhancing the model’s versatility for professional users, the French automaker said in a statement on Friday. The new box body configuration joins the existing ë-Jumper versions, which include panel van, platform truck, tipper and chassis variants. Citroen and its parent company Stellantis had launched the updated generation of the ë-Jumper in October 2023 alongside electric versions of sister models from Fiat, Opel and Peugeot. That upgrade saw the vehicle receive a significant performance boost,…

The BYD Seal 06 EV has recently debuted in China, offering a compelling all-electric alternative to the successful Seal 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid model. Priced competitively from 109,800 yuan (about 15,270 USD), this new electric variant aims to further boost BYD’s presence in the mid-size sedan market following the DM-i’s impressive sales of over 251,000 units since its May 2024 launch. Exterior and DimensionsBuilt on BYD’s advanced e-Platform 3.0 Evo, the Seal 06 EV features a modern and aerodynamic design distinguished by a closed, grille-less front end, narrow headlights, and a trapeze-shaped air intake. Sleek touches like flush door handles…

Kia has opened domestic orders for its first electric van, the PV5, marking the start of its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business as the automaker expands its electric commercial offerings. The launch follows the model’s initial reveal at CES 2024, and comes ahead of a broader global rollout. Built on Hyundai Motor Group’s new E-GMP.S EV architecture, the PV5 is designed for versatility, with the ability to adapt to various business and personal use cases. The first two available variants are Passenger and Cargo models, with further configurations such as refrigerated trucks, campers, and luxury versions expected in the coming…

American interest in fully electric vehicles (EVs) has declined to its lowest level in years, with more buyers turning to hybrid alternatives, a new study from the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows. According to the survey of 1,128 U.S. adults, only 16% said they were “likely” or “very likely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle, down from 25% in 2023. This marks the lowest figure recorded by AAA since 2019 and reflects growing consumer hesitancy amid concerns over price, infrastructure, and long-term ownership costs. The percentage of respondents who said they would not consider an EV rose to…

At least five of Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles were set on fire during violent unrest in Los Angeles over the weekend, potentially representing as much as 5% of the company’s local fleet, according to eyewitnesses and local reports. The destruction came amid large-scale protests following U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the area last week. While the demonstrations were mostly peaceful, some turned violent, with clashes reported between protestors and police. President Trump authorized the deployment of the National Guard in response to the escalating unrest. https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1931875366307815645 In one incident, multiple Waymo vehicles were allegedly called…

Dutch charging infrastructure provider PowerGo said on Friday it is expanding its ultra-fast charging network across several European countries, with new installations planned in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain. The expansion includes charging points capable of delivering speeds ranging from 240kW to 480kW. In Denmark, PowerGo has been awarded a contract by the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet) to install 10 charging points across three highways. The new chargers will be deployed at locations including Rute 21 near Torkilstrup on Sjælland, the E45 near Aalborg in the north, and a site in southern Jutland near the German border. In Belgium,…