Author: Ivan Popov

Audi is weighing plans to build a manufacturing facility in the United States to offset the impact of rising tariffs on vehicle imports from the European Union and Mexico, according to German business daily Handelsblatt. One option reportedly gaining support is constructing a “twin plant” next to Volkswagen’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The proximity to Volkswagen’s site, which has been operational since 2011 and currently produces the all-electric ID.4, could allow Audi to tap into established planning, logistics, and supplier networks, reducing both construction costs and time. This approach appears to align with earlier reports from Spiegel suggesting that Audi…

Great Wall Motor’s Tank brand will begin pre-sales of its updated Tank 500 sport utility vehicle on August 11, featuring expanded intelligent driving capabilities, hybrid powertrains, and upgraded comfort features. The refreshed Tank 500 maintains the same exterior dimensions as its predecessor, measuring 5,078 mm in length, 1,934 mm in width, and 1,905 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,850 mm. The model will be available with two plug-in hybrid systems: the Hi4-T, aimed at off-road driving, and the Hi4-Z, designed for family use. The Hi4-T uses a 2.0‑liter engine and a single 120‑kW electric motor paired with a…

Mini has introduced Monochrome editions for its Cooper Electric and Aceman electric vehicles, offering fixed specifications with deliveries scheduled to begin in January 2026. The new variants are available in two exterior colors — Midnight Black or Nania White — and feature body-colored roofs for a uniform appearance. The Cooper Electric Monochrome is fitted with 17-inch U-Spoke Grey alloy wheels, while the Aceman Monochrome receives larger 18-inch Night Flash Spoke Grey alloys. Standard equipment on both models includes heated front seats, cruise control, driving and parking assistance, a rear-view camera, Mini Navigation with head-up display, wireless device charging, and LED…

Gatik, a provider of autonomous freight solutions for regional logistics, has introduced a new in-house simulation platform called Arena™ to advance the development and validation of autonomous vehicle (AV) systems. The tool, which integrates NVIDIA’s Cosmos World Foundation Models, creates high-fidelity, physics-informed virtual environments designed to reduce reliance on real-world testing. The company said Arena™ can produce photorealistic synthetic data for complex driving scenarios, including adverse weather, road construction, and unpredictable traffic conditions. The platform supports closed-loop testing, enabling real-time interaction with Gatik’s AV software stack. By combining real-world logs with sensor-accurate simulations, the system allows for scalable training and…

PlusAI said it has achieved 86% Safety Case Readiness (SCR) and 98% Autonomous Miles Percentage (AMP) in the first half of 2025, marking progress toward the planned 2027 commercial launch of its SuperDrive™ autonomous trucking system. The company aims to debut operations in the Texas Triangle before expanding across U.S. and European freight corridors. The SCR metric, up from 75% in the second half of 2024, reflects the maturity of PlusAI’s Safety Case Framework, which is modelled on safety standards from industries such as aviation. “By publicly sharing these performance metrics, we’re demonstrating our commitment to safe deployment,” CEO David…

A major charging park with 40 operational charging points officially opens on August 1 in Amstetten, Lower Austria, as part of a broader effort to expand the region’s electric vehicle infrastructure. The facility, located on a 3,000 square metre site, will eventually offer up to 50 charging bays, 38 of which are equipped with ultra-fast charging stations delivering up to 400 kW of power. The project is operated by a subsidiary of the local municipal utility and features a unique multi-operator model, with parking spaces leased to Ionity, Tesla, and regional energy provider Energieversorgung Niederösterreich (EVN). As one of Austria’s…

Hyundai Motor has issued a safety advisory for a limited number of 2025 model year Ioniq 5 electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States due to a battery-related defect that could increase the risk of fire. The automaker identified an issue involving improperly tightened bus bars—metal connectors used to distribute electrical current within the battery pack. According to Hyundai, a malfunction in a torque tool controller at the Battery System Assembly (BSA) supplier led to some bus bar bolts not being secured to required specifications. The issue was discovered during routine battery inspections. Although the recall affects only 10 vehicles,…

U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid Group has begun rolling out new hands-free driving features for its Air luxury sedan, the company said on Wednesday, as it continues to expand the capabilities of its advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). Starting this week, Lucid Air owners can access Hands-Free Drive Assist and Hands-Free Change Assist on compatible divided highways through an over-the-air (OTA) software update. The update is part of a broader upgrade to Lucid’s DreamDrive Pro system, which is available as an optional package priced at $950 plus tax. See also: Lucid Taps Timothée Chalamet as First Global Brand Ambassador “These features…

Electric vehicle leasing enquiries in the UK surged nearly 30% in the week following the launch of the government’s new Electric Car Grant (ECG), with automakers such as Leapmotor and Renault rapidly adapting their pricing strategies to match the incentive and stimulate consumer demand. Data from Leasing.com shows a 29.8% rise in EV leasing enquiries in just seven days, as manufacturers responded to the grant with their own offers. According to CEO Mike Fazal, the increase reflects how closely aligned incentives and pricing can impact adoption. “We saw a spike in interest almost immediately after the grant was announced,” he…

German truckmaker MAN and logistics company Dettendorfer have initiated a four-week field trial to demonstrate the feasibility of electric freight transport over the Brenner Pass, one of Europe’s busiest Alpine routes. The trial, running through July and August, explores the operational, environmental and economic advantages of electric trucks in mountainous terrain. The pilot involves MAN’s new series-production eTruck, which began rolling off the assembly line in Munich in June. On the test route between Munich and Verona, the vehicle operates overnight and includes a planned charging stop, allowing a daily range of up to 800 kilometres. This makes it possible…

Lamborghini’s long-anticipated first electric vehicle may not arrive as a fully electric model after all, as the Italian luxury automaker reconsiders its EV strategy due to slower-than-expected adoption rates. The Lamborghini Lanzador, first unveiled in 2023 as a sleek, high-riding 2+2 GT concept, was originally slated to debut as the brand’s inaugural EV in 2028 before being delayed to 2029. Now, CEO Stephan Winkelmann says its final form is still undecided. “We have made two decisions so far based on the fact that the acceptance curve of electric cars worldwide and globally, not only in our type of segment, is…

Chinese carmaker GAC has announced plans to enter the UK passenger electric vehicle (EV) market through a new partnership with Jameel Motors, with first customer deliveries expected by the end of the first quarter in 2026. The move comes as electric vehicles continue to gain traction in the UK, where one in every four new cars sold in June was electric. Under the partnership, GAC and Jameel Motors will launch two all-electric models in the UK: the AION V, a C-segment SUV, and the AION UT, a compact B-segment hatchback. The AION UT, which debuted in China earlier this year,…