Author: Ivan Popov

Hyptec, the premium new energy vehicle brand under China’s GAC Group, has disclosed regulatory images and technical specifications for the S600 SUV-coupe, an updated and more performance-focused derivative of the Hyptec HL launched in 2023. Images released in December by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) show the S600 with redesigned front and rear styling, giving it a sportier appearance with more prominent spoilers, sharper lighting elements and a roof-mounted lidar sensor. The visual changes signal a shift toward a more dynamic positioning within Hyptec’s high-end product portfolio. See also: GAC Group Reports 56,422 NEV Sales in November,…

Autonomous mobility company Beep has received Frost & Sullivan’s 2025 North American Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition, as industry deployments increasingly shift from small pilot projects toward permanent public transit infrastructure. The award highlights Beep’s AutonomOS™ platform, which centralizes fleet management, safety monitoring, and operations for autonomous shuttle services. The system is currently used across a range of environments including airports, university campuses, business districts, and mixed-use urban developments. See also: Beep to Launch Karsan Autonomous e-JEST Vehicles in Atlanta and Altamonte Springs by 2026 “The combination of strong financial backing, repeatable customer acquisition, lean operations, and proven expansion strategies positions…

Electric vehicle registrations in Europe rose sharply in the first ten months of 2025, outpacing the broader car market and lifting battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) to a record share of total new-car sales, according to a new study from the Center of Automotive Management (CAM). From January to October, more than 2.02 million new BEVs were registered across Europe, including the European Union, the UK and EFTA states, representing growth of 26.2% from a year earlier, the CAM “Electromobility Report” showed. By contrast, overall passenger car registrations rose by just 1.9% to around 11 million vehicles over the same period. As…

Canadian electric mobility startup Beachman has introduced the ’64 Street Spec, a new urban-focused electric café racer priced from $5,750, as it expands its portfolio beyond the off-road-oriented Scrambler model. The new model adopts styling inspired by 1960s café racers and is built on a modular vehicle architecture that allows it to be configured to meet multiple regulatory classifications. Depending on specification, the ’64 Street Spec can be registered as an e-bike, moped or light motorcycle in different markets. Power is supplied by a removable 2.8 kWh lithium battery as standard, providing a claimed range of about 55 miles. Buyers…

Rivian will introduce native Digital Key support for its second-generation vehicles through a software update scheduled for release later this month, according to a company executive. The feature will allow vehicle access through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet, expanding the automaker’s use of smartphone-based controls. Wassym, Rivian’s chief software officer, said the functionality will arrive with the company’s 2025.46 over-the-air update. “Digital Key support is officially coming to Gen 2 vehicles with the 2025.46 OTA update later this month,” he said. See also: Rivian R1T Quad-Motor Matches Supercar Acceleration in Independent Performance Test https://twitter.com/WassymBensaid/status/1996654306372862247 The system will use…

British autonomous driving startup Wayve has launched GAIA-3, a new large-scale generative world model aimed at improving how self-driving systems are evaluated through realistic simulation rather than relying solely on live road testing. GAIA-3 features 15 billion parameters, roughly double the size of its predecessor, and has been trained on about 10 times more data spanning multiple continents, vehicle types and weather conditions. Wayve said the system is designed to generate safety-critical “what-if” scenarios, support evaluation across different vehicle platforms and test system robustness under changing visual conditions. See also: Wayve Showcases Global Scalability of AV2.0 Embodied AI with Rapid…

BMW Group and energy software firm Kaluza have launched a direct application programming interface (API) link between BMW and Mini electric vehicles and Kaluza’s optimisation platform, enabling real-time smart charging without the need for additional hardware across the UK. The integration connects with BMW’s Remote Charging Control system and allows charging sessions to automatically respond to grid conditions. Electricity demand can be shifted to periods of lower cost and higher renewable availability, helping to support grid stability and reduce charging costs for drivers without requiring manual scheduling. See also: Stellantis Partners with Kaluza for Direct-to-Vehicle Smart Charging Services BMW said…

China’s GAC has officially entered the Greek market with the launch of its AION V electric SUV, extending its European expansion as the automaker pursues a twin strategy of overseas manufacturing and next-generation battery development. The Greece debut marks GAC’s fourth European market after launches in Finland, Poland and Portugal. Sales and aftersales operations in Greece will be supported through a distribution partnership with Inchcape, giving the Chinese automaker access to established dealer and service infrastructure in Southern Europe. The AION V offers a driving range of up to 510 kilometres under the WLTP test cycle and supports rapid charging…

Uber has launched a commercial robotaxi service in Dallas in partnership with autonomous vehicle startup Avride, allowing riders to be matched with self-driving electric vehicles operating with a human safety driver and within a limited operating area. The service begins about a year after Uber announced a partnership with Avride to expand its network of autonomous technology providers for both ride-hailing and food delivery. The Dallas fleet consists of all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles equipped with Avride’s self-driving system and currently operates across a nine-square-mile section of the city that includes downtown. Uber plans to expand both the service area…

Solar electric vehicle startup Aptera Motors has released its first detailed update since listing on the Nasdaq, unveiling progress on its validation vehicle assembly line, on-site battery module production and early efficiency testing as it moves closer to low-volume manufacturing. The update follows Aptera’s recent debut on Nasdaq under the ticker SEV, alongside a share sale that gave the company access to up to $75 million in financing, providing a lifeline after a prolonged period of financial strain. The company said the funding allowed it to accelerate hiring across engineering, operations and manufacturing in preparation for production. See also: Aptera…

Stellantis Chief Executive Antonio Filosa on Monday welcomed Germany’s call to soften European Union car emissions rules, saying Berlin’s proposals align with industry demands to revive growth in a sector struggling with weak demand, slow electric vehicle (EV) adoption and intensifying competition from China. The European Commission is due to unveil a broad automotive support package on Dec. 10, which is expected to include a review of carbon-emission targets and the bloc’s planned 2035 phaseout of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Governments and manufacturers across Europe have been urging Brussels to adopt a more flexible approach that could allow…

South Korean battery materials manufacturer EcoPro BM has begun operations at its cathode material plant in Debrecen, Hungary, a facility designed to supply enough materials for the high-voltage batteries of about 600,000 electric vehicles per year. At the opening ceremony, EcoPro BM said the plant will initially operate with an annual capacity of 54,000 tonnes of cathode materials. The company plans to expand output to 108,000 tonnes in a later phase, which would be sufficient for batteries used in roughly 1.35 million electric vehicles annually. The site will also produce 8,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year and generate 16,000…