Author: Harding Greenwood

Porsche said on Tuesday that 38.5% of all vehicles it delivered globally in the first quarter of 2025 were electrified, with fully electric cars making up over a quarter of sales, despite an overall decline in deliveries driven by market challenges in China and Germany. The German sports car maker handed over 71,470 vehicles between January and March, down 8% from the same period a year earlier. Of those, 25.9% were battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and 12.6% plug-in hybrids, Porsche said in a statement. See also: Porsche Launches Pilot Project to Recycle High-Voltage EV Batteries The all-electric Macan SUV led the…

Alphabet’s self-driving division Waymo said Thursday it will begin testing its vehicles on public roads in Tokyo next week, marking the company’s first such effort outside the United States. The company will deploy 25 electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, operated by human drivers, to collect data and map parts of the city. “It’s important for us to understand the difference in driving environment, what makes the driving here unique,” said Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of business development and strategic partnerships, during a media event in Tokyo. See also: Waymo’s Draft Privacy Policy Suggests Use of Rider Data, Interior Camera Footage for…

Mercedes-Benz Group reported a 14% decline in electric car sales for the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, citing model transitions and the phase-out of the electric Smart range in Europe. The company sold 40,700 battery-electric cars in the first three months of the year, down from 47,500 units in Q1 2024. At the group level, including both passenger cars and vans, total electric vehicle (EV) sales reached 45,500 units, down from 50,500 in the same quarter last year. The decline comes as the company prepares to introduce a new generation of electric models, starting…

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD  has projected significant growth in its first-quarter net profit, supported by expanding new energy vehicle (NEV) sales and increased overseas deliveries, even as results fell short of its record fourth-quarter performance. The Shenzhen-based company said in a stock exchange filing on Tuesday it expects net income for the January–March period to be between 8.5 billion yuan ($1.16 billion) and 10 billion yuan, an increase of 86.04% to 118.88% compared to the same quarter a year earlier. Basic earnings per share are forecast to rise to between 2.91 yuan and 3.42 yuan, up from 1.57 yuan…

China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) and BYD remained the two largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers globally in the first two months of 2025, amid rising demand for EVs and continued expansion by Chinese firms, according to data from South Korea’s SNE Research. Global EV battery usage reached 129.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in January and February, up 40.3% from 92.6 GWh a year earlier, the market research firm said. See also: CATL in Talks to Acquire Controlling Stake in Nio Power  CATL retained its position as the world’s largest battery supplier, installing 49.6 GWh during the period, an increase…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced changes to the country’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) targets, easing requirements on automakers and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles through 2035 in response to global trade uncertainties, including tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. While maintaining the 2030 deadline to phase out new petrol and diesel vehicles, the UK government will allow continued sales of full and plug-in hybrids—such as the Toyota Prius and Nissan e-Power—for five additional years. The updated policy also exempts low-volume manufacturers, including McLaren and Aston Martin, from the ZEV mandate in an effort to protect Britain’s luxury automotive…

Japanese semiconductor manufacturer Rohm Co Ltd and automaker Mazda Motor Corp have announced a joint initiative to develop automotive components based on gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors, a next-generation technology that promises improved energy efficiency and compactness for electric vehicles. The two companies plan to produce a demonstration model by 2025, with the goal of integrating GaN-based components into production vehicles by 2027. GaN semiconductors offer faster switching speeds and reduced energy losses compared to traditional silicon chips, making them especially attractive for EV applications. See also: Rohm and TSMC Partner to Advance Gallium Nitride Power Devices for EVs “As…

Polish electric bus maker Solaris has received a significant new order from Swedish public transport operator Nobina for 89 units of its Urbino 15 LE electric buses. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2026 and will be deployed across the greater Stockholm area, the company announced. The Urbino 15 LE electric, a 15-metre low-entry model, was first launched in 2020 and is tailored to meet the specific requirements of Scandinavian markets, where demand for this bus length is higher than in other European regions. The model is equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries and powered…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s updated 25% auto tariffs, effective from May 3, are set to cover more than $460 billion worth of vehicle and auto parts imports annually. This includes nearly 150 new categories of auto parts, ranging from critical components like engines and transmissions to more affordable parts such as tires and brake hoses. A Reuters analysis of the U.S. federal register notice revealed these changes, which follow a similar update to last week’s tariff proclamation. The updated tariff codes will impact components essential to modern vehicles, including lithium-ion batteries and automotive computers, which are integral to both conventional…

Daimler Buses has acquired nearly half of German software solutions company Sinos, reinforcing their collaboration in intelligent charging and fleet management software, the companies announced. Daimler Buses and Sinos have been working together since 2022, with Daimler offering Sinos’ software to customers transitioning to electric bus fleets. “More than 20 transport companies in Europe have already successfully implemented Sinos solutions in their fleet in collaboration with Daimler Buses,” the company said in a statement. See also: Daimler Buses Offers Free Digital Service Package for New Electric and Diesel Models Sinos’ software includes charging and load management solutions as well as…

Lucid Motors is witnessing a significant increase in orders from former Tesla owners, with the company attributing the trend to changing consumer sentiment. Interim CEO Marc Winteroff stated in an interview with Fox Business that over the past two months, approximately 50% of Lucid’s new orders have come from previous Tesla customers. See also: Lucid Gravity SUV Gains Access to Tesla Supercharger Network Without Adapter “We’ve seen a dramatic uptick over the past two months,” Winteroff said, noting that Tesla owners have “always been a source” of customers for Lucid. However, recent months have brought a more pronounced shift, with…

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has underscored China’s dominance in the electric vehicle (EV) market, attributing its leadership to rapid innovation, expanded consumer options, and vertically integrated technology. Speaking at a fireside chat with NVIDIA’s automotive VP Rishi Dhall, Scaringe contrasted China’s EV adoption with that of the United States, where electric models made up just 8% of new car sales last year compared to 45% in China. See also: Rivian Spinoff Also Secures $105 Million to Develop Compact Electric Vehicles “One of the biggest reasons is the lack of options in the U.S.,” Scaringe said, noting that affordable EV choices…