Author: Floyd Hawkins

Scout Motors, the electric vehicle brand spun out of Volkswagen, is facing a legal challenge from a group of Volkswagen and Audi dealerships over its plan to sell vehicles directly to consumers, bypassing traditional dealerships. The lawsuit, filed this week in Miami-Dade County’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, seeks to block Scout’s direct-to-consumer retail model, which has become a contentious issue in the automotive industry. Dealerships, particularly those affiliated with established car manufacturers, have historically opposed the direct sales model, notably against EV startups like Tesla, which has faced similar legal hurdles. See also: Scout Confirms Extended-Range Electric Vehicles with Over…

Volvo Cars cautioned on Thursday that 2025 will be a turbulent and competitive year, with the automaker potentially struggling to match its 2024 sales and profitability. The warning sent Volvo’s shares down 9.2% after it reported a lower fourth-quarter profit. “We’re going to see more turbulence,” CEO Jim Rowan told Reuters. “We’re going to see more hyper-competition, China will remain very, very competitive, and we’ll start to see more competition in Europe.” See also: Volvo Rolls Out Plug & Charge and Infotainment Updates for Upcoming EV Models The Swedish-based automaker, majority-owned by China’s Geely, is facing similar headwinds as other…

Nissan is leaning toward stepping back from merger discussions with rival Honda, two sources said on Wednesday, casting doubt on a potential $60 billion deal that could have created the world’s third-largest automaker. The talks have been complicated by widening differences, multiple people familiar with the matter said. A key sticking point emerged when Honda proposed making Nissan a subsidiary, a departure from what was initially framed as a merger of equals, one person noted. See also: Renault Seeks to Maximize Nissan Stake Value Ahead of Honda Merger It remains unclear whether the merger could still be salvaged, as sources…

Volkswagen’s luxury brand Porsche plans to part ways with Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke and Chief Sales Officer Detlev von Platen, citing a possible shake-up in its executive leadership. The company’s supervisory board has tasked Chairman Wolfgang Porsche with negotiating an “amicable early termination” of their contracts, according to a regulatory statement released on Monday. The company did not disclose the reasons behind the decision, but industry analysts suggest it may be linked to Porsche’s recent financial performance. While 2024 was projected as a transitional year due to model revamps across four of its six vehicle series, reports indicate that…

The European Union should uphold its 2025 CO2 emission targets and introduce incentives for electric vehicle (EV) purchases instead of waiving fines for automakers that fail to meet the targets, European industry group E-Mobility Europe said on Monday. Citing research from British firm New Automotive, the group said that the 2025 rules could drive a nearly 65% increase in fully electric vehicle sales across the EU this year. Without the regulations, EV sales would likely rise by only 33%. See also: Battery Electric Vehicles Outpace Diesel Cars in Europe for Second Consecutive Year “With targets in place, there will be…

ChargePoint has signed an agreement with AAA to become a preferred supplier of charging stations and services. The partnership allows AAA clubs and their service providers to access ChargePoint’s charging solutions at discounted rates, aiming to enhance the availability of reliable and affordable EV charging infrastructure across North America. Under the agreement, more than 12,000 service providers affiliated with 27 AAA clubs in the U.S. and Canada’s CAA clubs will benefit from preferred pricing on ChargePoint chargers and services. See also: ChargePoint Introduces Cut-Resistant Cables and Alarm System to Address Vandalism at Charging Stations Eligible businesses include towing companies, auto…

Fiat has announced UK pricing for the battery-electric variant of its Grande Panda, starting at £20,975, though orders are not yet open. In Germany, the vehicle can now be configured online, with a starting price of €24,990. Fiat had previously stated in December that the model was available for order in Germany, but the online configurator was delayed due to software issues, according to InsideEVs. Stellantis, Fiat’s parent company, has not commented on the delay in its latest press release. See also: Fiat to Permanently Attach AC Charging Cables to Future Electric Vehicles The Grande Panda, unveiled in July 2024,…

The Tata Ultra E.12 is an electric truck designed for the intermediate light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment, with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating of 11.9 tonnes. Developed by Tata Motors, the Ultra E.12 is aimed primarily at e-commerce businesses that require efficient and sustainable transportation solutions. The truck is available in a range of deck length options, including 17 ft., 20 ft., 22 ft., and 24 ft., allowing businesses to choose the most suitable configuration based on their specific needs. See also: Everything You Should Know About Tata Prima E.55S The Ultra E.12 is powered by a 250 kW…

Chinese company U Power is expanding its UOTTA battery swap solution into Europe and South America, beginning with markets in Portugal and Peru. The company has entered into partnerships within the taxi sector, where its compact battery exchange stations will provide a space-efficient alternative to traditional charging infrastructure. For its European expansion, U Power will deliver a new eight-slot, compact battery exchange station to the Portuguese taxi association ANTRAL in the first half of 2025. The station, with a footprint of just 90 square meters, is designed for dense urban areas and aims to handle 30 to 50 battery swaps…

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle unit of Alphabet Inc., plans to begin testing its self-driving vehicles in 10 new cities this year, starting with Las Vegas and San Diego, according to a report by The Verge. However, the company clarified that these tests will not involve fully autonomous operations, nor will they immediately lead to commercial services in these locations. Waymo told The Verge that it will deploy fewer than 10 vehicles to each city, where they will be manually driven to gather data on local driving conditions. The move is part of Waymo’s strategy to expand its understanding of diverse…

Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Toyota have announced plans to release a jointly developed battery electric vehicle (BEV) mini-commercial van by fiscal 2025. This collaboration aims to cater to the delivery industry’s need for practical and sustainable transportation options, supporting carbon neutrality initiatives. The mini-commercial van will combine Suzuki and Daihatsu’s experience in designing compact vehicles with Toyota’s advanced electrification technology. It will feature a BEV system specifically designed for the demands of mini-commercial vehicles, ensuring efficiency in last-mile logistics. Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) has also been involved in the planning process to develop a vehicle with optimal specifications for…

The Tesla Model 3 has emerged as the most cost-effective vehicle to operate among the 50 best-selling cars in the United States, according to a recent study conducted by Self Financial. The study, which analyzed data from 2022 to 2024, examined expenses including fuel or energy, maintenance, insurance, and annual fees. While the average annual operating cost for a best-selling car in the U.S. is $6,462, with significant costs for fuel, maintenance, and insurance, the Tesla Model 3 stands out with an annual operating expense of $5,061. This is nearly 22% lower than the average, largely due to the Model…