Author: James Bryant

MG has entered the commercial vehicle market with the debut of MG COMMERCIAL, its new division dedicated to medium and large-sized electric buses. The launch took place at the BusWorld Brussels event, where the company unveiled the iEV12 all-electric city bus and the B12E all-electric chassis, marking a significant step in MG’s push toward sustainable public transport solutions. The new MG COMMERCIAL brand is positioned to serve the premium segment of Europe’s new energy commercial vehicle market. Built on MG’s next-generation electric drive platform, the iEV12 and B12E feature modular battery systems, intelligent vehicle architecture, and advanced connectivity technologies. These…

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD will discontinue production of its popular Song Plus SUV, marking the end of the only model in its Ocean series named after a Chinese dynasty, as it seeks to streamline its product lineup. Reports of the model’s impending withdrawal recently surfaced on Chinese social media, prompting BYD to confirm the move. The company described the discontinuation as a normal product transition, noting that the newly launched Sealion 06 will serve as the Song Plus’s successor, according to a report by 21jingji on Friday. See also: BYD Plans Domestic Launch of Shark Hybrid Pickup After Overseas…

Polestar has unveiled a new walkaround film for the Polestar 5, a four-door performance Grand Tourer derived from the brand’s 2020 Precept concept. The feature, starring actor Alexander Skarsgård, highlights the vehicle’s blend of advanced engineering, sustainable design, and high-performance electric powertrain. Produced entirely by Polestar’s in-house creative team, the cinematic presentation offers an in-depth look at the flagship model that embodies the company’s future vision of electric performance. See also: Polestar 5 to Feature SK On’s High-Performance EV Batteries Built on Polestar’s bespoke bonded aluminum platform, the Polestar 5 delivers supercar-level torsional rigidity while reducing overall weight. Its dual-motor…

South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES) said on Monday its third-quarter operating profit likely rose 34% from a year earlier, driven by a rush in U.S. electric vehicle (EV) sales ahead of expiring government incentives at the end of September. The world’s second-largest EV battery maker, which supplies Tesla and General Motors, estimated an operating profit of 601 billion won ($420 million) for the July–September period, up from 448 billion won a year earlier. The preliminary figure exceeded the 528 billion won profit forecast from LSEG SmartEstimate, which places greater weight on historically accurate analysts. See also: Tesla Increases Model…

Kia Europe has begun publicly testing a digital battery passport at the cell level for the first time as part of preliminary research, using a Kia EV3 produced in South Korea and equipped with a Dukosi battery cell monitoring system. The vehicle, shipped to Germany for the trial, can collect and transmit live data for each battery cell and upload it to a digital passport. “Kia aims to set a new standard for customers regarding battery transparency and performance,” said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe. “Through testing cell-level battery passports, we gain insights on what ownership benefits…

DS Automobiles has unveiled a major update to its compact hatchback, reintroducing it as the DS N°4 — a rebranded and restyled version of the DS 4. The model now includes a fully electric variant, the E-Tense, for the first time. Built in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the electric DS N°4 shares its platform and technology with the Opel Astra Electric and is available to order starting at €45,900. While DS refers to the N°4 as a new model, it is effectively a facelift of the second-generation DS 4 introduced in 2021. The redesign is part of the brand’s strategy to elevate…

Leapmotor UK has announced local pricing for its new B10 electric SUV, confirming that sales will begin later this month. The model will start at £29,995, including a £1,500 “LEAP-GRANT” available to all retail customers. The B10 was first introduced in Europe in July at a list price of €29,900, and while the UK version is nearly €5,000 more expensive after conversion, it remains positioned as one of the most competitively priced electric SUVs in its class. The single-trim configuration helps maintain affordability and simplicity in pricing. See also: Leapmotor Launches Self-Funded Rebates Ahead of UK Government EV Subsidy Rollout…

Astra Mobility Meta, a subsidiary of Robo.ai Inc., has signed a commercial agreement with Dubai-based W Motors Automotive Group to co-develop and produce 30,000 smart electric and autonomous vehicles (AEVs) over the next five years. The partnership marks a major step toward advancing connected and sustainable mobility solutions in the Middle East. Under the agreement, Astra will lead product design, development, and systems integration, while W Motors will oversee local manufacturing and vehicle customization at its Dubai Silicon Oasis facility. The collaboration covers end-to-end development, from prototyping and validation to safety certification and after-sales support. Production is expected to begin…

German testing and certification firm Dekra has entered into a strategic partnership with Sphere Energy, a company specialising in artificial intelligence for battery development. As part of the collaboration, Dekra will acquire a stake in Sphere, though the size of the investment has not been disclosed. The partnership aims to create an end-to-end battery validation ecosystem, combining AI-based simulations from Sphere with Dekra’s global testing and certification expertise. The companies will collaborate to support clients across the full battery development cycle — from early cell research to validation of complete battery systems used in vehicles and energy storage. Sphere’s Battery…

Vietnamese automaker VinFast showcased its first electric bus models for international markets, the EB 8 and EB 12, at Busworld Brussels. The company said both models meet European standards, with the 12-meter EB 12 city bus now available for order as VinFast seeks to expand its presence in Europe beyond passenger cars. The EB 12 is a 12.11-meter low-floor electric bus capable of carrying up to 90 passengers, powered by two 125 kW wheel hub motors for a total output of 250 kW. It features a 422 kWh LFP battery supplied by CATL and Gotion, offering a range of over…

Charging cable theft has become a growing problem across Europe, and the United Kingdom is no exception. In response, British fast-charging operator InstaVolt has announced the introduction of live GPS tracking technology in collaboration with Trackit247, aiming to combat the surge in stolen charging cables at its stations. InstaVolt said the initiative marks the industry’s first deployment of real-time GPS tracking for EV charging cables. The system works by embedding GPS devices into the cables, which send location updates every three seconds. See also: OVO Partners with InstaVolt to Offer Discounted EV Charging via OVO Charge App Each cable is…

Uber said it has acquired Belgian startup Segments.ai, a move aimed at expanding the company’s artificial intelligence data-labeling division, Uber AI Solutions. Segments.ai, backed by Y Combinator, specializes in labeling training data from cameras and sensors used in autonomous driving technology. The entire Segments.ai team, including founders Bert De Brabandere and Otto Debals, will join Uber’s AI Solutions unit. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Uber said the acquisition will allow it to strengthen lidar and multi-sensor data annotation services, an area it has developed over nearly a decade for autonomy and safety-related projects. By integrating Segments.ai’s expertise…