Author: Ivan Popov

BYD officially launched the Seal 06 EV, its newest affordable electric sedan, at the Chongqing auto show, further broadening its popular Seal family under the Ocean series. The Seal 06 EV, positioned as a sister model to the Qin L EV from BYD’s Dynasty series, offers three variants priced from RMB 109,800 ($15,270) to RMB 129,800. All versions feature BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) blade batteries with capacities ranging from 46.08 kWh to 56.64 kWh, delivering CLTC ranges between 470 km and 545 km. Measuring 4,720 mm long with a 2,820 mm wheelbase, the midsize sedan is rear-wheel drive with…

China is considering implementing safety regulations for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), as more domestic automakers introduce such features to appeal to consumers in the highly competitive auto market. A notice published Wednesday on China’s national standards database showed that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has proposed formulating national safety requirements for driving assistance systems. The proposal is open for input until July 4. Dongfeng Motor and tech firm Huawei are among the parties involved in drafting the proposed standards, according to the notice. The move follows a surge in automakers promoting ADAS capabilities as selling points,…

Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) has hauled over one million tonnes of limestone for Norwegian mining company Brønnøy Kalk, highlighting the increasing viability of autonomous vehicle technology in the mining and quarrying industries. The milestone was reached at Brønnøy Kalk’s Velfjord site, where a fleet of seven Volvo FH trucks equipped with V.A.S.’s proprietary virtual driver technology navigates a demanding five-kilometre route that includes steep gradients and tunnels. The autonomous fleet has covered over 220,000 kilometres in total, equivalent to more than five times around the Earth’s equator. Implemented through Volvo’s Autona/earth platform, the solution is delivered via a Transport as…

Mitsubishi Motors is reportedly preparing the eighth generation of its Colt small car as a purely electric vehicle (EV), based on the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric platform, according to a report by French publication L’Automobile Magazine. The new Colt is slated for launch in 2027 and will use technology already underpinning the Renault 5 E-Tech, which serves as the basis for the Alpine A290 and Nissan’s new Micra. This move continues the longstanding product collaboration within the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance despite growing economic divergences among the partners. Mitsubishi has ceased developing its own European models, relying instead on Renault-based vehicles for…

Halifax Transit has deployed 60 battery-electric buses from Nova Bus, fulfilling a 2022 order with the Volvo subsidiary as the Canadian transit agency pushes ahead with its fleet electrification strategy. The Nova LFSe+ buses, which began arriving in December 2023 for testing and training, are now fully commissioned and operating on public routes. The vehicles replace aging diesel models and mark Halifax Transit’s most significant move yet toward decarbonising its operations. “This is a big milestone for Halifax Transit,” said Anthony Edmonds, project manager of fleet electrification, in an interview with CBC. “We’ve been working towards this for a long…

A one-kilometre test track is being constructed along Germany’s A6 motorway to trial inductive charging for electric vehicles while driving, with testing set to begin as early as late July, according to local broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk. The charging section will be located between Amberg-West and Sulzbach-Rosenberg, in the direction of Nuremberg, as part of a broader 5.7-kilometre road renewal project near the ‘Oberpfälzer Alb Nord’ service area. While not the first such project in Germany, it will mark Bavaria’s debut in inductive charging on a motorway. The initiative involves ElectReon, an Israeli company specialising in dynamic wireless charging systems. The…

Canadian startup Envgo has introduced its first electric hydrofoil speedboat, the NV1, featuring a top speed of 43 knots, an 80 kWh battery, and autonomous navigation features. The luxury vessel will premiere on May 31 in Bracebridge, Ontario, following a demonstration in Toronto Harbour. Measuring 8.3 meters in length, the NV1 can accommodate six passengers and utilizes hydrofoil technology to lift its carbon fiber hull above water, significantly reducing drag and increasing range. Powered by two electric motors, the boat delivers 125 kW continuous and 245 kW peak output. It offers a cruising speed of 40.7 km/h and supports DC…

Nissan has officially revived its once-popular Micra compact car, unveiling an all-new sixth-generation model that will be available exclusively as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV). The launch marks the Japanese automaker’s return to the European B-segment and kicks off what it describes as a major product offensive in the region, following a production gap of nearly four years. The Micra has long been a cornerstone of Nissan’s global lineup, with more than six million units sold worldwide since the model first debuted in 1983. However, the company has not had a presence in the B-segment since 2022, when production of the…

Luminar Technologies Inc., a lidar technology company recently shaken by executive leadership changes, has initiated a new round of layoffs starting May 15, according to a recent regulatory filing. The company did not disclose the number of employees affected in this latest reduction. This latest workforce cut follows extensive layoffs in 2024, when Luminar reduced its staff by roughly 30%, resulting in an estimated $4 million to $6 million in additional cash charges. Some of those layoffs extended into the first quarter of 2025, with a total of 212 employees let go during that period. The new round of layoffs…

British Columbia has paused its Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program, which offered income-based rebates ranging from CAD $500 to $4,000 for the purchase or lease of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The programme was officially suspended on May 15, 2025, as the provincial government begins a review to determine the future of the incentive scheme. The rebate programme had been structured around household income and vehicle type. Residents earning up to CAD $80,000 were eligible for the full $4,000 rebate for battery-electric or long-range plug-in hybrids, and up to $2,000 for short-range hybrids with an electric range under 85 kilometres. Those…

DLL, the Netherlands-based financial services provider, plans to acquire a 51 per cent majority stake in GATE, a subsidiary of the Iveco Group that specialises in rental services for low- and zero-emission commercial vehicles. The Iveco Group will retain a 49 per cent shareholding in the company, the two parties announced this week. GATE – short for Green & Advanced Transport Ecosystem – was launched in July 2023 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Iveco. The company offers long-term rental solutions for electric commercial vehicles based on a pay-per-use model, initially centred on the eDaily electric van. The partnership with…

Volvo Buses has launched series production of its fully electric BZRT bus chassis at its manufacturing facility in Curitiba, Brazil. Developed for high-capacity Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, the articulated and bi-articulated variants are now available for export to global markets, marking a major step in the company’s push toward zero-emission public transport solutions. The electric BZRT chassis, a variant of the BZR Electric platform introduced earlier in 2024, is powered by two 200 kW electric motors delivering a combined 400 kW through a two-speed automated transmission based on Volvo’s I-Shift technology. Each chassis supports up to eight battery modules,…