Author: James Bryant

U.S. car imports fell sharply in May following the imposition of sweeping tariffs by President Donald Trump, signaling mounting disruption across the auto industry and a potential surge in used car prices. According to Automotive News, U.S. vehicle imports dropped by 72.3% in May 2025 compared with May 2024, marking one of the steepest year-over-year declines in recent history. The report, shared via InsideEVs, links the collapse to Trump’s 25% tariff on imported new cars, which took effect in April, and a further 25% tariff on auto parts that followed on May 3. Although used cars are not directly subject…

Apple on Monday introduced new updates to CarPlay during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), unveiling enhancements that include widgets, live activities, and improved messaging features, alongside a refreshed user interface aligned with its new “Liquid Glass” design language. Among the notable additions, CarPlay users will be able to interact with real-time widgets and select tapback responses for incoming messages. The platform will also allow users to pin favorite conversations, mirroring functionality found in iMessage on iOS. Apple also showcased a redesign of the incoming call interface. Instead of occupying the full screen, incoming calls will now appear in a smaller…

A car carrier sailing from China to Mexico caught fire in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Alaska on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of its crew and highlighting the growing risks associated with shipping electric vehicles (EVs). The vessel, Morning Midas, was carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles, including 800 EVs, when smoke was first seen rising from a deck loaded with electric cars, according to Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s London-based management company. All 22 crew members evacuated safely after efforts to extinguish the blaze failed. The Liberia-flagged carrier departed from Yantai port, China, on May 26, bound for Lazaro Cardenas,…

BASF has started operations at its black mass production facility in Schwarzheide, eastern Germany, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to establish a closed-loop battery value chain in Europe. The plant, one of the largest of its kind on the continent, will process up to 15,000 tonnes of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap annually, which is equivalent to the battery material from around 40,000 electric vehicles. The facility complements BASF’s existing production lines for cathode active materials and its prototype metal refinery on the same site. Originally scheduled to begin operations in early 2024, commissioning of the…

Tesla reported its strongest monthly sales performance of the year in Australia in May, with the Model Y accounting for the majority of deliveries as demand rebounded following a production line switchover earlier this year. The electric vehicle (EV) maker delivered 3,897 vehicles in May, up 9.3% from the same month last year, according to sales data. The Model Y made up 3,580 of those sales, marking a 122.5% year-on-year increase and the model’s best month since June 2024. See also: Tesla’s European Sales Slide for Fifth Month Despite Norway Surge, Faces Political Blowback and Stiff Competition It was also…

Volkswagen is reportedly reconsidering plans to shift production of the Cupra Born electric compact car from its Zwickau factory to the company’s main plant in Wolfsburg, according to local media reports. The potential reversal comes amid internal concerns that the Zwickau facility—already operating below capacity—could face a major underutilization crisis if both the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born are relocated as originally planned. The proposed relocation was part of a December 2024 labor agreement between Volkswagen and the IG Metall union, intended to consolidate production of the ID.3 and Cupra Born at Wolfsburg and shift ID.5 production to Emden. If…

Circle K has opened its first European electric vehicle (EV)-only charging station in Gothenburg, marking its largest EV charging site globally and the first fossil fuel-free location in Scandinavia. Located in the Gårda neighbourhood along the Swedish E6 motorway, the new facility includes a 100 square meter convenience store and a high-capacity charging system installed by Kempower. The system features two 600 kW Power Units dynamically distributing electricity across ten individual outlets, each capable of delivering up to 400 kW. This allows ten vehicles to be charged from zero to 80% in approximately 15 minutes while customers shop onsite. The…

Infineon Technologies will provide silicon carbide (SiC)-based power modules, microcontrollers, and power management integrated circuits (ICs) to Rivian for its next-generation R2 electric vehicle (EV) platform, with series production expected to begin in 2026. The German semiconductor manufacturer said it will supply power modules from its HybridPACK Drive G2 family, which includes both SiC and traditional silicon (Si) components, designed for the traction inverters of Rivian’s upcoming platform. The R2 platform aims to underpin a more compact and affordable electric SUV targeted at a wider consumer base compared to Rivian’s existing R1 models. Infineon will also deliver microcontrollers from its…

Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, has reached a global fleet of 1,000 robotaxis, the company said on Tuesday, marking a key milestone for the Chinese tech giant’s push into self-driving mobility. The announcement came during Baidu’s first-quarter earnings call, where CEO Robin Li highlighted the company’s strategic plans to expand internationally following significant growth in China. “Looking ahead, we will deepen our presence in existing markets while strategically entering new ones, capturing broader growth opportunities worldwide,” Li said. Apollo Go provided more than 1.4 million rides in the first quarter of 2025, a 75% increase year-on-year, according to Baidu’s…

China’s BYD on Wednesday unveiled its latest electric vehicle for the European market, the Dolphin Surf, at a launch event in Berlin. The model, a slightly reworked version of its top-selling Seagull EV in China, marks BYD’s tenth vehicle offering in Europe and reinforces its strategy of targeting the continent’s entry-level electric vehicle segment. The Dolphin Surf will be available at three price points, starting at €22,990 ($26,100) for a 322-kilometre range version, and rising to €24,990 for the 507-kilometre range model. It enters a market where European automakers are under increasing pressure to deliver competitively priced EVs as consumers…

The municipality of São Paulo, Brazil, is set to receive a $248.3 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to support the electrification of its public bus fleet. The funding, recently approved by the IDB, will enable the deployment of approximately 2,200 electric buses as part of the city’s broader transition to cleaner public transport. São Paulo has already integrated 527 electric buses into its network, but the new financing marks a major boost to its electrification ambitions. The loan will also support operational enhancements under SPTrans, the city’s public transport authority, which oversees a fleet of more than…

Stellantis brand DS Automobiles has launched the updated DS N°4 compact hatchback, introducing a fully electric E-Tense model with a 450-kilometre range alongside a refreshed plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant. The new DS N°4 is slated to arrive in Germany by late September, with UK deliveries expected in early 2026. Focusing heavily on technological advancement, DS Automobiles highlights efficiency and performance improvements across both electrified powertrains. The electric DS N°4 E-Tense is powered by a 213hp (157kW) motor delivering 343Nm of torque, paired with a 58.3 kWh nickel-enriched battery that enables a WLTP combined range of up to 450 km. The…

Dearborn Public Schools, Michigan’s third-largest school district, has expanded its student transportation fleet with 18 new electric school buses, marking a significant step toward cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable travel for its students. The new buses, Blue Bird All American Type D models, were supplied by Highland Electric Fleets and will serve daily routes across the district. Each bus can travel up to 120 miles on a single charge and recharges overnight within 6 to 8 hours. With a passenger capacity of up to 84 students, these buses use 155 kWh NMC battery cells and have a gross vehicle weight…

Mitsubishi Motors has announced plans to launch a new all-electric C-segment SUV, the Eclipse Cross, in Europe, with customer deliveries expected to begin at the end of 2025. The model will be produced at Renault’s Douai plant in northern France and is based on the Renault AmpR Medium platform. The vehicle marks Mitsubishi’s first fully electric launch in Europe since the i-MiEV in 2010, which was the world’s first mass-produced electric car. While Mitsubishi later shifted its focus to plug-in hybrid vehicles, the new Eclipse Cross signals a return to battery-electric vehicles in the region. “I can confirm that Mitsubishi…

At the Power2Drive trade show in Munich, Sungrow Charging unveiled its latest fast-charging solution—the compact IDC480E-C—designed to meet the increasing demand for high-performance electric vehicle charging across Europe. The new system builds on Sungrow’s charging technology portfolio and introduces a modular, high-efficiency charger featuring the company’s proprietary insulated air cooling system. At the heart of the IDC480E-C is a 40 kW power module that achieves an efficiency of over 97 percent. The system’s modular architecture allows for flexible scaling, enabling customers to configure output capacities ranging from 240 kW up to 480 kW. The charger is aimed at logistics companies…

Yamaha Motor’s subsidiary Enyring is set to debut a new e-bike series in Berlin and Amsterdam in the fourth quarter of 2025, offering a battery subscription model integrated with a city-wide battery swapping network. The initiative will introduce four distinct e-bike models, supported by a standardized 480Wh, 48V swappable battery system. Enyring, established by Yamaha in early 2024, aims to deliver flexible, sustainable battery solutions for compact electric vehicles, particularly e-bikes, through a subscription-based approach. In its upcoming rollout, the company will install around 40 battery swap stations in Berlin and 20 in Amsterdam, all within a 2-kilometre radius in…

A team of European white hat hackers has demonstrated the ability to remotely seize control of a 2020 Nissan LEAF , exposing serious vulnerabilities in the vehicle’s communication systems, including privacy and safety risks that experts say could have real-world consequences. The cybersecurity researchers at PCAutomotive, based in Budapest, revealed how they were able to track the vehicle’s location, intercept messages and conversations inside the cabin, broadcast media through the car’s audio system, and — most alarmingly — manipulate the steering wheel while the vehicle was in motion. See also: Next-Gen 2026 Nissan LEAF to Provide Over 300-Mile Range, Faster…

Rivian is pushing ahead with plans to produce its more affordable R2 electric SUV, targeting a mid-2026 production start despite growing trade uncertainties and newly imposed tariffs on imported auto parts, CEO R.J. Scaringe said during the company’s earnings call this week. The R2, first unveiled in March, is designed to offer over 300 miles of range and a base price of approximately $45,000. It will also feature an optional tri-motor all-wheel-drive version. Seen as critical to Rivian’s long-term viability, the R2 aims to compete directly with the Tesla Model Y and broaden the startup’s customer base beyond its premium…

Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast has signed new dealership agreements in France and Germany, marking a strategic pivot from its direct sales model just as it prepares to close its own European showrooms and service centres. Astrada Simva will serve as VinFast’s first authorised dealer in France, with a showroom in Aix-en-Provence slated to open in June. In Germany, Schachtschneider Automobile has been appointed as a new sales partner and will open three authorised showrooms. The announcement follows news from last week that VinFast will shutter all of its European retail locations as of May 9 and transition fully to…

Lion Electric, a Canadian electric vehicle manufacturer known for its electric school buses and commercial vehicles, is facing imminent liquidation after the Quebec government withdrew its support for a public bailout. The decision to cease funding comes despite the regional government’s significant prior investments in the company. A court-appointed administrator indicated that the likelihood of liquidation is extremely high, following the provincial government’s refusal to invest additional funds into the struggling company. Jean-François Nadon, a restructuring expert with Deloitte, called the government’s decision a “shock wave” for Lion Electric, further exacerbating its dire financial situation. Premier François Legault of Quebec…