Author: Harding Greenwood

Xiaomi’s electric vehicle unit posted sequential revenue growth in the first quarter of 2025, even as China’s auto sector faced a traditionally slow start to the year, the company said in its unaudited earnings report. The EV business generated RMB 18.1 billion ($2.5 billion) in revenue for the quarter ending March 31, as deliveries of the SU7 electric sedan series reached 75,869 units, up 8.86% from the 69,697 units delivered in the fourth quarter of 2024. Xiaomi said cumulative deliveries of the SU7 series had surpassed 258,000 units since its market debut. The Beijing-based technology group included its electric vehicle…

Faraday Future, the California-based electric vehicle (EV) startup, is preparing to launch a series of more affordable models in an effort to revive its sluggish sales, with starting prices expected in the $20,000 range. The company, which currently sells the ultra-luxury FF 91 priced between $249,000 and $309,000, revealed new details about its future product line at its annual Stockholders’ Day event. Attendees were offered rides in early prototypes of the upcoming FX 4, FX 6, and FX Super One models. The FX Super One, an electric minivan that Faraday Future describes as “the first First Class AI-MPV in the…

Swedish electric boat maker Candela completed a high-profile intercontinental journey with its hydrofoil vessel, the C-8 Polestar Edition, crossing 24 nautical miles from Sotogrande, Spain, to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa in just one hour. The electric hydrofoil, developed in collaboration with EV car brand Polestar, matched the speed of conventional fast ferries while consuming only 40 kWh of electricity—equivalent to around 8 euros—compared to an estimated 90 euros in fuel used by similarly-sized fossil-fueled boats. “It functions much like the flight controller of a modern jet fighter, and works very well. We couldn’t feel the waves,…

A new round of highway range testing conducted by Consumer Reports shows that many electric vehicles (EVs) are now delivering driving ranges closer to, or even exceeding, their official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates—though inconsistencies remain among models. The publication, which has tested 30 EVs by driving them from 100% charge to full battery depletion at highway speeds, noted improved consistency in real-world range performance. “Most vehicles that fell short only missed their EPA estimates by a handful of miles,” Consumer Reports said. See also: Global EV Sales Surge Past 20%, Set to Top 40% of Market by 2030 —…

China has begun issuing export licenses for rare earth shipments, allowing limited resumption of deliveries to select Western firms, but the move has left Indian automakers warning of imminent production halts due to unfulfilled orders and depleted inventories. According to Chinese business outlet Caixin, three major rare earth magnet producers confirmed they have received export licenses from the Ministry of Commerce under a new “one batch, one license” framework, which requires a separate approval for each shipment based on varying material composition. German carmakers have reportedly begun receiving supplies, while their Indian counterparts have yet to secure any export permissions.…

Volkswagen and its partners have launched the next phase of a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) pilot project in Hudiksvall, Sweden, deploying 200 electric vehicles and 200 bidirectional chargers to select customers. The expansion marks a key step toward the commercial rollout of V2G services in the region, expected later this year. The pilot, which includes private households, Volkswagen dealerships, and corporate clients, builds on two years of development and testing. It is led by Volkswagen in cooperation with Swedish energy provider Vattenfall, charger manufacturer Ambibox, and software developer Energybank. The V2G technology enables electric vehicles to not only charge…

Nissan has released new details and images of the third-generation LEAF, signaling a significant transformation of its iconic electric vehicle ahead of its official launch later this month. The next-gen LEAF departs from its familiar hatchback silhouette in favor of a more aerodynamic, family-friendly crossover design. Built on the CMF-EV platform shared with the Ariya SUV, the new LEAF boasts a drag coefficient as low as 0.25 in Europe (0.26 for U.S. and Japan models), a notable improvement over the 0.28 Cd of the outgoing version. See also: Next-Gen 2026 Nissan LEAF to Provide Over 300-Mile Range, Faster Charging “Every…

Volkswagen Group has completed the “architecture freeze” of its upcoming Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), a modular electric vehicle (EV) system intended to serve as the foundation for a broad range of future electric models across the Group, according to German publication Automobilwoche. The architecture freeze, akin to a design freeze in vehicle development, marks the point where the fundamental technical and structural specifications of the platform have been finalized, setting the stage for supplier contracts and component sourcing. “The scope of services and the number of possible variants have been defined and backed up with economic key figures,” the report…

BMW announced a series of upgrades to its electric vehicle lineup for summer 2025, focusing primarily on the i4 model range. The update includes efficiency improvements for two rear-wheel drive variants and introduces a more powerful top-tier i4 M60 xDrive variant. Starting July 2025, the i4 eDrive35 and eDrive40 models will feature new power electronics, switching their inverters from traditional silicon semiconductors to silicon carbide (SiC) components. BMW said the SiC inverter is more efficient, leading to approximately 4.5% reduced energy consumption, which translates to up to 22 kilometres of additional driving range depending on the vehicle’s configuration. BMW’s communication…

Hyundai Motor has denied reports that it plans to raise vehicle prices in the United States beginning June 2, following speculation that the company would adjust pricing in response to newly imposed U.S. auto tariffs. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Hyundai was considering raising prices across its lineup, including electric vehicles, by as much as 1% to help offset rising costs from a 25% tariff implemented on April 3. Citing unnamed sources, the report suggested price increases could take effect as early as Sunday. See also: Apple Launches CarPlay Ultra With Aston Martin as First Partner, Hyundai and Kia to…

Stellantis is ending its three-year effort to co-develop an in-car software platform with Amazon, as the project fails to meet its 2024 launch goal. The move marks a major pivot in Stellantis’ broader push to generate $22.5 billion in annual software-related revenue by the end of the decade. The decision, first reported by Reuters, comes after Amazon reassigned or lost key personnel assigned to the collaboration, according to sources cited in the report. Stellantis has since opted to use an Android-based system for its upcoming software platform. See also: Stellantis Appoints Antonio Filosa as CEO, Succeeding Carlos Tavares “Amazon remains…

Tesla is preparing to launch its highly anticipated Robotaxi platform and begin autonomous vehicle deliveries in June, marking a significant milestone in the electric vehicle maker’s long-standing ambition to deploy fully self-driving technology. Chief Executive Elon Musk said the company intends to roll out the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 12, with approximately 10 Model Y SUVs initially operating in the city. The pilot will expand as the vehicles demonstrate consistent safety performance. Musk also announced that Tesla vehicles will begin delivering themselves to customers, bypassing the need for traditional showroom pickups. See also: Tesla Model 3 Earns…