Author: James Bryant

Subaru of America announced pricing and key specifications for the all-new 2026 Trailseeker, its latest battery-electric sport utility vehicle, as the automaker expands its presence in the U.S. electric vehicle market. The Trailseeker will begin at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $39,995 for the entry-level Premium trim, excluding destination charges, and is scheduled to reach U.S. retailers in early 2026. The model will be Subaru’s second all-electric SUV after the Solterra and will adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS), giving access to more than 25,000 fast-charging stations across the country. See also: Subaru Solterra Earns Five-Star Euro NCAP…

Kia Canada has opened online reservations and confirmed pricing for its new EV5 electric sport utility vehicle, which will be offered exclusively in Canada for the North American market, with first customer deliveries expected early next year. The 2027 Kia EV5 will start at C$43,495 for the entry-level Light front-wheel-drive trim. Prices rise through the Wind and Land variants, each offered with front- or all-wheel drive, up to the range-topping GT-Line Limited AWD at C$61,495, Kia Canada said. See also: Kia EV5 Secures Five-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating Two battery options will be available. The Light version will use a…

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has identified at least 80 instances in which Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software may have violated traffic laws by running red lights or crossing into incorrect lanes, according to a new letter sent to the automaker this week. The agency said the total includes 62 complaints submitted by Tesla drivers, 14 self-reports from Tesla and four media accounts. The latest figure marks an increase from about 50 cases cited in October, when NHTSA first disclosed it was examining the behavior. See also: Musk Says Tesla’s Latest FSD Update Allows Texting…

Alphabet’s Waymo said it will file a voluntary software recall with U.S. safety regulators related to how its autonomous vehicles operate around stopped school buses, following scrutiny from federal officials and complaints from local school districts. The company said the recall will be submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) early next week. Waymo added that it had already deployed a software update on Nov. 17 after identifying the issue, and said the fix has significantly improved vehicle performance in school bus interaction scenarios. See also: Waymo to Launch Autonomous Ride-Hailing Service in London by 2026 The action comes…

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) said on Wednesday it plans to expand the use of its battery technology from inland and coastal waterways to full ocean-going vessels, as it deepens its push into marine electrification. CATL’s marine battery business currently serves vessels operating on inland rivers, lakes and coastal waters, and is now advancing toward applications in open seas, according to Su Yiyi, head of the company’s marine division. See also: CATL Begins Mass Shipments of Next-Generation Energy Storage Battery Cells “In the near future — perhaps within the next three years — we will achieve pure-electric vessels navigating…

U.S. startup Autolane has raised $7.4 million in new funding to develop digital and physical infrastructure aimed at managing how autonomous vehicles enter, stop and depart from private properties, as robotaxi deployments from companies such as Waymo and Zoox expand across major U.S. cities. Backed by investors including Draper Associates and Hyperplane, the Palo Alto-based company plans to focus initially on coordinating pickup and drop-off zones for robotaxi operators at privately owned locations. Autolane has signed its first commercial agreement with retail real estate owner Simon Property Group to manage autonomous vehicle arrivals and departures at selected shopping centres in…

DiDi Autonomous Driving has launched round-the-clock, fully driverless ride-hailing trials in designated pilot zones in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, marking a step toward commercial-scale deployment of autonomous transport services. The service began operating on Dec. 1 in Guangzhou’s Huangpu district, a major residential and commercial area with high daily travel demand. Users ordering rides through the DiDi app may now be matched with a vehicle operating without an in-car safety driver, following the company’s earlier deployment at the 15th National Games, where it provided autonomous shuttle services around key venues. See also: DiDi Forms Strategic Partnership with ADIO…

Ford Motor’s electric vehicle sales in the United States fell sharply in November following the expiration of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, underscoring the challenges facing the automaker’s battery-electric business as it shifts toward lower-cost models and tighter spending discipline. Ford sold 166,373 vehicles in the U.S. in November, down 0.9% from a year earlier. While hybrid vehicle sales rose 13.6% to 16,301 units, fully electric vehicle sales plunged 60.8% to 4,247 units, compared with more than 10,800 vehicles sold in the same month last year. See also: Ford to Expand BlueCruise Hands-Free System to More European Models by…

BYD said cumulative sales of its Dolphin compact electric hatchback have surpassed one million units, making it the third model in the company’s Ocean lineup to reach the milestone after the Song Plus and the Seagull. The milestone was disclosed on social media by Zhang Zhuo, BYD’s Ocean series sales chief, who said the Dolphin is China’s fastest A0-segment sedan to reach one million units. The model was launched in China on Aug. 29, 2021, as the first vehicle based on BYD’s e-platform 3.0 architecture. See also: BYD Sells 480,186 New Energy Vehicles in November, Highest Monthly Total in 2025…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr has signed dealer agreements to enter the South Korean automotive market, becoming the latest Chinese EV brand to expand into the country following the entry of rivals such as BYD. Zeekr said it signed agreements at its Hangzhou headquarters with four South Korean distributors — ZK Mobility, Iron EV, H Mobility ZK and KCC Mobility — marking the formal foundation of its retail and service network in the country. The company said its partners have experience in distributing luxury imported vehicles and have established local sales and aftersales capabilities. See also: Zeekr Group Posts Record…

Bollinger Motors, once viewed as a promising electric vehicle startup in Michigan, has closed its operations after years of financial difficulties, unpaid wages and mounting legal disputes, according to internal company communications obtained by the Detroit Free Press. The company ceased operations on Nov. 21, marking the end of Bollinger’s decade-long effort to commercialise rugged electric trucks. In an internal email to employees, Human Resources Director Helen Watson confirmed the closure had taken effect immediately. “We received word late last night that the day has arrived, we are to officially close the doors of Bollinger Motors, effective today, November 21st,…

New electric vehicle registrations in Norway surged to 19,427 units in November, pushing the electric share of total new passenger car sales to 97.6% and marking one of the strongest months on record for the country’s auto market, data from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV) showed. Total new passenger car registrations reached 19,899 vehicles, leaving only a few hundred non-electric cars added to Norwegian roads last month. The November electric vehicle total was up by 8,575 units from October and 8,487 higher than the same month a year earlier, highlighting the widening gap between battery-electric vehicles and all…