Author: Harding Greenwood

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Leapmotor has officially launched operations in Hong Kong, opening its first local store and marking a milestone as its 1,500th store worldwide. Company founder, chairman, and CEO Zhu Jiangming described the Hong Kong entry as both symbolic and strategic. “Although Hong Kong’s annual vehicle market is just 40,000 to 50,000 units, it serves as an international window for our brand and a bridge for global capital to better understand Leapmotor,” Zhu was quoted as saying by local media outlet Jiemian. Market expansion in Hong Kong and Macau will be managed by the company’s mainland China…

Battery manufacturer AESC has commenced production at its new 10 GWh gigafactory in Douai, France, a key milestone in France’s push to bolster domestic electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. The facility will supply lithium-ion batteries for Renault and is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs as operations ramp up. French President Emmanuel Macron attended the official start-of-production ceremony and praised the initiative as central to France’s ecological and industrial transformation. “The inauguration of the AESC gigafactory—launched as part of Choose France in 2021—is the culmination of eight years of determined effort,” Macron said. “This flagship project reflects a uniquely French…

Toyota GAZOO Racing has introduced its GR LH2 Racing Concept, a prototype vehicle powered by liquid hydrogen, at the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The vehicle is being exhibited at the H2 Village, organized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, as part of Toyota’s continued efforts to explore alternative propulsion technologies in motorsports. The GR LH2 Racing Concept builds on Toyota’s recent work in hydrogen combustion engine development. This began with the use of gaseous hydrogen in the Japanese Super Taikyu Series in 2021 and later progressed to a liquid hydrogen-powered variant in 2023. Toyota has…

Kodiak Robotics, a provider of autonomous vehicle technology, has delivered two additional driverless trucks to Atlas Energy Solutions, expanding the company’s autonomous fleet to four vehicles. The trucks, equipped with Kodiak’s AI-powered Driver system, have now begun operating in a near-continuous 24/7 service model, pausing only for refueling and maintenance. The deployment forms part of a broader order for 100 trucks placed by Atlas and reflects its ongoing strategy to automate its logistics operations. Since the launch of the autonomous service in December 2024, the fleet has delivered more than 800 loads and logged over 1,600 hours of driverless service…

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign three resolutions on Thursday aimed at halting California’s aggressive clean vehicle mandates, according to industry and congressional aides. The move marks a major rollback of Biden-era environmental policies and a significant win for automakers and industry groups that have pushed back against strict emissions rules. Trump’s action, taken under the Congressional Review Act, targets California’s plan to phase out gasoline-only vehicles by 2035—a policy adopted by 11 other states and covering roughly one-third of the U.S. auto market. The signing ceremony is expected to include auto industry executives, though the White House…

The United Kingdom has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the deployment of self-driving vehicles, aiming to deliver wide-ranging economic, safety, and social benefits while establishing the country as a leader in autonomous technology. The initiative includes a framework to permit pilot commercial self-driving services starting in 2025, with ambitions to launch fully autonomous passenger services by 2026. The government said the move could contribute up to £66 billion in economic value and support 342,000 jobs by 2040. The Department for Transport said the framework builds on the recently passed Automated Vehicles Act and is supported by trade associations, safety…

Tesla’s robotaxi initiative took a visible step forward as a recent video shared online captured what appeared to be a driverless Model Y navigating Austin streets, reinforcing expectations of an imminent robotaxi rollout in the Texas capital. The video, posted on X by user @TerrapinTerpene, shows a Tesla Model Y making a smooth turn without anyone in the driver’s seat. A separate vehicle followed behind, suggesting the presence of a manned chase car — a common safety measure during autonomous vehicle tests. The Model Y was adorned with a subtle robotaxi logo on its front doors, giving a first glimpse…

Chinese automaker Geely Holding will not pursue new production facilities in Europe or the United States, citing global overcapacity and reduced appetite for global expansion in the current geopolitical climate, according to company founder and CEO Li Shufu. In a recently released internal video, Li told company executives that building new plants overseas is not strategically viable. “We should avoid building production facilities – that is, purchasing land, constructing plants, acquiring equipment and hiring staff,” said Li. “Given the global overcapacity in vehicle production, this is not the optimal approach.” See also: Geely Chairman Warns of Global Auto Overcapacity, Halts…

Xiaomi announced on Monday that its flagship electric sedan, the SU7 Ultra, will be featured in the PlayStation 5 racing simulation Gran Turismo 7, marking the first appearance of a Chinese car in the franchise’s history. Alongside this, Xiaomi revealed plans to collaborate with the game’s developer, Polyphony Digital, to create a Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo concept car within the virtual racing environment. Gran Turismo, which launched in 1997 under producer Kazunori Yamauchi, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading racing simulators. The franchise includes licenses from numerous major automotive manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota,…

Tesla’s expansion across the Asia-Pacific region is gathering pace, with new vehicle registrations surging in markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, and South Korea, company data and regional reports show. In Thailand, Tesla vehicle registrations jumped 1,035% from April to May 2025, following a 59% quarter-on-quarter increase in Model Y deliveries during the first quarter of the year. The Model Y — the world’s best-selling SUV — remains the company’s flagship model in the region, drawing demand for its range, performance, and advanced features. Malaysia also recorded a 403% year-on-year rise in Model Y registrations in May. Orders…

China confirmed that its ongoing negotiations with the European Union over a price commitment mechanism for Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) have entered the final stage, though both sides must continue work to finalize a resolution, according to a statement released Saturday by the Ministry of Commerce. The update follows a meeting held last week in Paris between Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic. The two officials held detailed discussions on the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs, which has been a source of friction since Brussels imposed higher tariffs in 2023.…

Rivian, once hailed as a potential rival to Tesla, is struggling to gain traction with a key demographic in the U.S. electric vehicle market: Asian-American buyers. A new study by S&P Global reveals that while Asian households accounted for 7.2% of total new car registrations in the first quarter, they represented a striking 27.2% of Tesla’s sales during the same period. Rivian’s numbers tell a different story. Only 13.7% of its sales go to Asian households, and the disparity becomes sharper when looking at the pickup segment. Just 2.3% of full-size pickup sales in the U.S. go to Asian buyers—problematic…