Author: Jacob Sullivan

Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast plans to resume construction of its North Carolina plant in 2026 and begin production in 2028, while significantly scaling back its expected workforce, according to company disclosures and local media reporting. The company reaffirmed its timeline in an earnings report accompanying its latest financial results, despite multiple delays since the project was first announced in 2022. “VinFast also expects to resume construction of the North Carolina manufacturing facility in 2026, with a planned SOP in 2028,” the company said in its business outlook statement. The planned facility, located in Chatham County, North Carolina, was originally…

Volvo Cars will discontinue sales of its compact electric SUV EX30 in the United States after the 2026 model year, citing changing market conditions and financial considerations, according to statements reported by automotive outlet The Drive. The decision follows a series of challenges for the EX30 in the U.S., including shifting trade policies and the expiration of federal electric vehicle incentives. Volvo said the move comes after “a thorough evaluation of our business and operational strategies,” describing it as a “direct response to shifting market conditions and financial factors.” See also: Volvo EX30 Black Edition Priced From £40,060 as It…

Chinese-owned sports car maker Lotus plans to enter the Canadian market under a newly introduced reduced tariff scheme for Chinese electric vehicles, according to chief executive Feng Qingfeng. The move follows a decision by the Government of Canada to allow up to 24,500 electric vehicles imported from China to enter the country at a 6.1% tariff rate during the next six months, significantly lower than the 106.1% tariff previously imposed. “We will be the first Chinese brand to enter Canada (under the new tariff). The Canadian market opportunity is too precious to miss. Since we’ve taken the lead, we must…

Scout Motors has received more than 160,000 reservations for its upcoming Terra pickup and Traveler SUV, with about 87% of customers choosing extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions rather than the originally planned battery-electric variants. The reservation data highlights a stronger-than-expected preference for range-extender technology among prospective buyers. Chief executive Scott Keogh had previously expected a roughly 60/40 split in favor of the EREV models. Scout Motors was revived by Volkswagen in 2022 as a purely electric brand inspired by the historic Scout off-road vehicles. However, the company later adjusted its strategy to include EREV models as growth in the U.S.…

Ford Motor Chief Executive Jim Farley said the company misjudged market conditions when launching its first generation of electric vehicles, including the Ford F‑150 Lightning, after pandemic-era demand created what he described as misleading signals for automakers. Speaking in an interview with Car and Driver, Farley said the surge in vehicle demand during the COVID-19 period led the company to overestimate long-term market dynamics. See also: Ford CEO Discussed Possible US Joint Ventures With Chinese Automakers “I totally would’ve done it differently. I mean, look, we didn’t know what we didn’t know… COVID totally was a false signal,” Farley said.…

Rivian said its upcoming R2 electric sport utility vehicle has been engineered for high-volume production, with its manufacturing facility capable of producing up to 155,000 units per year as the company prepares to expand into a broader market segment. The U.S. electric vehicle maker described the R2 as a new platform designed from the outset to balance performance, cost, manufacturability and long-term serviceability. The model is expected to play a key role in increasing sales volumes beyond Rivian’s current premium offerings. “We made R2 so easy to build, our plant is capable of producing 155,000 R2 units annually,” the company…

Volkswagen Group is expected to delay the relaunch of its Scout brand in the United States, with production of the first vehicles now projected to begin in mid-2028 rather than 2027, according to German media reports. The revived brand will also reportedly debut with range-extended electric vehicles instead of fully battery-electric models. Manager Magazin had earlier reported that the first Scout vehicles—a pickup and a sport utility vehicle—would initially use range-extender technology. Such vehicles are driven by an electric motor but include a small combustion engine that acts as a generator to recharge the battery rather than directly powering the…

Ford Motor Chief Executive Jim Farley discussed a potential framework with senior officials in the Trump administration that could allow Chinese automakers to build vehicles in the United States through partnerships with American companies, according to a media report. The concept, outlined last month, would enable Chinese manufacturers to establish joint ventures with U.S. automakers while ensuring that American partners retain controlling stakes, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. The structure would aim to share profits and technology between the two sides while maintaining domestic oversight of operations. Farley raised the idea during meetings with U.S. Trade Representative…

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. said it has finalized a set of agreements with Hebei Huanzhou Automobile Sales Co., Ltd. to support development and mass production of its upcoming FX Super One electric vehicle for the United States. The seven-document package covers areas including parts procurement for large-scale manufacturing, engineering services, intellectual property arrangements, product liability and after-sales responsibilities, the company said. Faraday Future described Hebei Huanzhou as a “bridge strategy partner” that will provide technical support through the production phase and early delivery period of the FX Super One. The agreements are intended to establish a stable supply chain…

Ford Motor reported a $4.8 billion operating loss in 2025 for its battery-electric vehicle division, Model e, marking a slight improvement from the $5.1 billion loss recorded a year earlier, as the company moves to reduce its exposure to electric mobility. The Model e division includes battery-electric passenger vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Ford F-150 Lightning, production of which was permanently halted in the second half of 2025. It also covers the electric Ford Explorer and Ford Capri, introduced in Europe in 2024 and manufactured in Cologne, Germany. Electric commercial vans such as the E-Transit and…

Genesis is developing its own dedicated vehicle platform for future electric and hybrid models, a senior executive said, as the premium marque seeks greater technical and dynamic separation from its parent group’s mass-market brands. The new platform is expected to debut in a Genesis model as early as 2027, according to Autocar, which cited comments from Peter Kronschnabl, who has led the brand’s European operations since last year. The initiative is intended to reinforce Genesis’s positioning as an independent premium brand within the Hyundai Motor Group. See also: Genesis Expands European Footprint With Entry Into Italy Using Three Electric Models…

Rivian said its upcoming R2 electric SUV has entered final validation testing, marking the last major development phase before production ramps up and customer deliveries begin later this year. The company confirmed on Monday that validation vehicles are now undergoing intensive real-world testing, following the completion of Manufacturing Validation Builds in January. Rivian said those builds demonstrated that its factory in Normal, Illinois, and the newly expanded R2 production line were ready to support production-intent vehicles. See also: Rivian Adds Apple Watch App Support to R1 Vehicles With 2026.03 Software Update Rivian first disclosed on Jan. 16, 2026, that Manufacturing…

Audi will introduce a range of hardware and software updates to its A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron electric model families for the 2027 model year in the United States, with availability expected from the second quarter of 2026. The upgrades focus primarily on comfort, digital functionality and driving efficiency. Changes include a redesigned multimedia interface, a revised steering wheel that brings back a physical scroll wheel, and a new “Power Nap Mode” designed to create a more relaxing cabin environment during charging stops. See also: Audi Signals Return to Traditional Model Names After EV Numbering Experiment Backfires Audi has also…

Canada will abolish mandatory electric vehicle sales quotas and replace them with stricter emissions standards and renewed purchase incentives, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, marking a major shift in the country’s automotive and climate policy as Ottawa seeks to stabilise the industry amid trade pressures from the United States. Under the new national automotive strategy, the government will drop requirements introduced in 2023 that would have forced manufacturers and importers to ensure electric vehicles accounted for 60% of new car sales by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The targets, set under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, included battery-electric vehicles as…

Rivian has rolled out an expanded package of financial incentives for U.S. customers, combining lease contributions, ultra-low financing rates and third-party discounts in a bid to accelerate deliveries of its 2026 R1 vehicles ahead of the end of the first quarter. The electric vehicle maker is offering a $6,500 lease contribution on select 2026 R1T and R1S Dual Motor models equipped with the Large or Max battery pack and the Performance Upgrade. The incentive applies to 24- and 36-month leases and is deducted directly from the amount due at signing, reducing upfront costs for customers. See also: Rivian Struggles to…

Electric truck startup Slate Auto is preparing to begin vehicle production later this year at its manufacturing facility in Warsaw, Indiana, after repurposing a historic printing plant that once ranked among the world’s largest of its kind. The site occupies the former campus of R.R. Donnelley & Sons, later operated by LSC Communications, which specialised in rotogravure printing. At its peak, the facility played a central role in large-scale commercial printing before operations were wound down. See also: Slate Auto Says EV Truck Reservations Top 150,000 as Pricing Outlook Shifts Construction of the plant’s original West facility began in 1958,…

U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid has issued another recall related to rearview camera functionality, affecting both its Air sedan and the newly launched Gravity electric SUV, according to regulatory filings in the United States and Canada. The recall covers more than 14,000 vehicles in total after the company determined that, under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may fail to display when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. Filings with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada show that the issue is linked to software behavior rather than hardware faults. See also: Lucid Assembles First Prototypes of Mid-Size SUV…

General Motors is recalling more than 80,000 Chevrolet Equinox EVs in the United States after determining that the vehicles do not emit sufficient pedestrian warning sounds at low speeds, a requirement under U.S. safety regulations, the automaker said. The recall covers 81,177 units of the Equinox EV after National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that the electric crossover’s pedestrian alert system was improperly calibrated during production. Federal rules require electric vehicles to generate an audible warning below 6.2 miles per hour (10 km/h) to alert pedestrians in environments such as parking lots and residential areas. See also: GM Recalls Nearly…

Rivian has pledged financial support to a citizen-led initiative aimed at opening Washington State to direct-to-consumer electric vehicle sales, stepping into state-level politics as it seeks to challenge long-standing dealer franchise laws. The proposed ballot initiative would reverse a Washington statute that bars most automakers from selling vehicles directly to consumers. Under the current framework, Tesla is the only manufacturer granted an exemption, leaving Rivian, Lucid and other EV brands reliant on third-party dealerships or out-of-state sales. See also: Rivian Struggles to Fully Fix Battery Calibration Issue in Some R1 Vehicles According to the Washington Coalition for Consumer Choice and…

Rivian is still working to fully resolve a battery calibration issue affecting some second-generation R1 vehicles, months after the problem was first acknowledged, as inaccurate range estimates continue to frustrate owners despite multiple software updates. The issue emerged in November, when several Rivian drivers reported their vehicles shutting down unexpectedly even though the dashboard indicated a relatively healthy state of charge. In some cases, vehicles dropped from more than 20% charge to zero with little warning, leaving drivers stranded. Rivian later said the problem was not related to battery chemistry or degradation, but to a software calibration issue affecting how…