Author: James Bryant

Volvo Buses’ partner MCV has inaugurated a new 10,000-square-metre production line for electric buses near Cairo, Egypt, aimed at supplying vehicles to European markets. The plant will manufacture the Volvo 7900 Electric, 7900 Electric Artic and 8900 Electric, enhancing the Swedish manufacturer’s electrification strategy with increased capacity and flexibility. MCV, which began producing complete Volvo electric buses in 2024 while the facility was under construction, has already delivered its first units to European customers. The first rollouts from the new site are expected this autumn. “The business model to collaborate with body builders for the bus body is well established…

BMW Group has entered the final stage before rolling out its first Neue Klasse model, with series production of the BMW iX3 scheduled to begin in late October at the company’s Debrecen plant in Hungary, BMW said on Wednesday. “The start of series production for the BMW iX3 signals a new era of automotive manufacturing. Our new plant in Debrecen has been designed and built fully in line with our strategic vision of the iFACTORY,” said Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “Digital from the very beginning, the plant will offer a…

Suzuki Motor Corporation said on Tuesday it will begin sales of the E Vitara, its first global battery electric vehicle (BEV), in Japan on January 16, 2026. The E Vitara, first unveiled in Milan in November 2024 and later displayed at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in India this year, is based on Suzuki’s eVX concept model and built on the newly developed HEARTECT-e platform designed specifically for BEVs. The automaker describes the model as an “Emotional Versatile Cruiser,” combining advanced electric technology with the strength of an SUV. Equipped with a lithium iron-phosphate battery for enhanced safety and reliability,…

Stelato, the electric vehicle brand jointly developed by Huawei and Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC Group), has launched its new S9T wagon with a starting price of RMB 309,800 ($43,580), below the pre-sale level of RMB 328,000. Deliveries will begin on Sept. 21, the company said. The S9T is Stelato’s second model after the S9 sedan and will be offered in four versions, including two extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) models and two battery electric vehicle (BEV) models. Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) said the S9T secured more than 5,000 firm orders within the first hour after Tuesday’s launch event. The…

Fastned has inaugurated its largest charging stations to date in Belgium, with twin “Gentbrugge” facilities on the E17 motorway connecting Ghent and Antwerp. The sites feature fast-charging points for both electric cars and trucks, alongside restaurants, shops, and fully electric amenities. The Gentbrugge stations, located on either side of the motorway, each offer 16 drive-through chargers for electric cars capable of delivering up to 400 kW under Fastned’s solar tree canopies, as well as two dedicated chargers for electric trucks. Additional facilities include a 24/7 self-service shop, hot showers, outdoor picnic areas, a family playground, and clean toilets developed in…

The 2025 Tesla Cybertruck received diverging safety results from two U.S. testing bodies, highlighting both strengths and shortcomings in the electric pickup’s performance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency responsible for official crash ratings, awarded the Cybertruck its highest overall mark, with five stars in front and side crash tests and four stars in rollover resistance. By NHTSA’s criteria, the truck ranks among the safest models in its segment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Or1b9ZZ0E4&ab_channel=IIHS By contrast, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent nonprofit, withheld its top honors after identifying several issues. The truck earned “good” ratings in…

BMW has postponed the European rollout of its direct sales, or agency model, until 2027, extending the timeline from its initial 2026 target, the company told Automotive News Europe. The German carmaker emphasized that the delay does not reflect a change of strategy, pointing to encouraging results from its MINI brand’s switch to direct sales in several European countries last year. “We’re honestly even more convinced than before that that is the right approach,” BMW board member Jochen Goller said in an interview. Under the agency model, automakers retain ownership of the vehicles and set fixed prices, while dealerships serve…

Uber Freight has partnered with Tesla to launch a program aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric heavy-duty trucks in U.S. supply chains, the companies announced Tuesday. The Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program, unveiled at the Deliver 2025 conference, offers companies subsidized pricing on Tesla Semis alongside dedicated freight contracts, reducing upfront costs and ensuring immediate fleet utilization. “This first-of-its-kind buyer’s program is designed to make electric freight more affordable and accessible by addressing key adoption barriers,” Uber Freight said. A two-month pilot on California routes showed promising results, with Tesla Semis covering 12,377 miles over 394 hours of operation…

Bradshaw Electric Vehicles and autonomy firm Oxa on Monday unveiled the Bradshaw T800, an autonomous electric tow tractor designed to transform industrial logistics with advanced automation and sustainability features. Equipped with Oxa’s self-driving software, the T800 can tow up to eight tonnes and is aimed at high-demand environments such as airports, warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities. The companies said the vehicle enables 24/7 operations, real-time integration with enterprise systems, and advanced safety capabilities. The vehicle combines a robust electric design with cost savings from reduced labor, fuel and maintenance. “By integrating Bradshaw’s manufacturing expertise with Oxa’s autonomy platform, the…

General Motors’ 2026 Chevy BrightDrop will no longer offer the translucent cargo area roof option, according to GM Authority. Previously priced at $500 under RPO code CC4, the feature allowed additional natural light into the van’s cargo area. The 2026 model will revert to a standard metal roof. When production resumes in November 2025 at GM’s CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, the BrightDrop will include roof rack reinforcement (RPO code FRR) as standard. The reinforcement adds mounting brackets capable of supporting up to 350 pounds, facilitating the installation of ladders or other work-related accessories and expanding vocational fleet possibilities.…

U.S.-based SWTCH and Canadian charging operator FLO have formalised a roaming agreement that allows their customers to use either company’s charging network through existing mobile apps and payment systems, the companies said on Monday. The deal means SWTCH and FLO users can access charge points across Canada and the United States without needing new accounts or payment methods. FLO members will now be able to use more than 110,000 public charge points, while SWTCH users gain access to over 70,000, the firms said. The agreement also includes trip-planning visibility and relies on existing protocols to ensure interoperability without additional hardware…

Italdesign has unveiled a new electric SUV concept, the EVX, in digital form at the IAA Summit in Munich, aiming to showcase the design and technical flexibility of Volkswagen Group’s updated MEB+ electric vehicle platform. The EVX is a compact, three-door 2+2 coupe measuring 4.23 metres in length, 1.82 metres in width and 1.49 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 2.6 metres. While Italdesign describes the vehicle as a design study, it differs significantly in style and proportions from current small EVs on the MEB+ platform such as the ID. Polo, Cupra Raval, ID. Cross and Skoda Epiq. Compared…

Tesla plans to step up production at its German factory for the rest of 2025 after seeing stronger-than-expected demand, the plant’s head told Germany’s DPA news agency on Sunday. “We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards,” said André Thierig, manager of the Gruenheide facility near Berlin. He added the company was registering improvements outside its home market. “We supply well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” he said. See also: Tesla to Open European Development Centre in Berlin, Expanding Material and Vehicle…

The European Commission is holding firm on its 2035 target to end sales of new combustion engine cars, despite lobbying efforts by parts of the automotive industry to delay or soften the measure, according to a draft concept paper seen by German magazine Der Spiegel. The policy, adopted in 2022, requires that from 2035 only new vehicles producing zero grams of CO2 per kilometre will be permitted in the EU, effectively ending sales of petrol and diesel cars. Industry executives, particularly from Germany, have argued that the ban risks jobs and competitiveness, while calling for more flexibility to include hybrids,…

Kodiak Robotics, a U.S.-based autonomous truck developer, said on Friday its manufacturing partner Roush Industries has delivered the first production-line truck equipped with its Kodiak Driver system, marking a step toward scaling deployment of driverless technology for freight operations. The inaugural vehicle was delivered in August to Atlas Energy Solutions, which has an order for 100 autonomous trucks. Atlas has so far received eight units as part of its fleet expansion in the Permian Basin. The milestone follows the launch of a dedicated production line at Roush’s facility in Livonia, Michigan, where conventional trucks are being upfitted with Kodiak’s modular…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday moved to dismiss its case against Trevor Milton, founder and former CEO of Nikola Corp., a maker of electric and hydrogen-powered trucks. The 2021 case alleged Milton had misrepresented the company’s technology, claiming Nikola had built an electric- and hydrogen-powered pickup from scratch and developed batteries in-house, when in fact they were sourced externally. In a filing with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the SEC said it “believes dismissing the case is appropriate.” Milton, who received a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump earlier…

Mercedes-Benz is preparing to launch an all-electric version of its C-Class in 2026, the German automaker said, as it accelerates its transition to a fully electric lineup. The new model, which will be built on the proprietary MB.EA platform, will feature a driving range of about 497 miles (800 km) on a single charge and ultra-fast 400 kW charging enabled by an 800V system. The C-Class EQ, first unveiled at the Munich Motor Show, will mark the second Mercedes model to feature the company’s “Iconic Grille” design, following the GLC EQ. The grille differentiates the brand’s electric vehicles from their…

Microsoft and LG announced at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich on September 9 that Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) will be integrated into select internet-connected vehicles through LG’s webOS Automotive Content Platform (ACP). The move allows passengers to stream hundreds of Xbox Game Pass games directly from the cloud on compatible car infotainment systems. Christopher Lee, Xbox’s vice president of marketing, said the collaboration reflects the company’s goal of “meeting players wherever they are, bringing the joy of gaming into even more places and experiences.” He added that the initiative introduces “a new way to bring more of what players love…

Moon Five Technologies, a clean energy startup, has received a $3.4 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to install more than 450 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at multifamily housing sites in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The funding, awarded under the REACH 3.0 program, aims to improve access to charging infrastructure in disadvantaged communities. The company’s renter-focused charging model, known as Horizon, connects directly to a tenant’s electrical meter, reducing costs and avoiding the lengthy utility upgrades often associated with EV charging installations. Moon Five says the process can be completed in as little as two weeks. “EV…

Lucid Motors is developing plans to build electric motors that avoid the use of rare earth materials, interim Chief Executive Marc Winterhoff said at the European debut of the company’s Gravity SUV this week. The U.S.-based automaker is preparing to expand its line-up with three new models, including an off-road vehicle, as it ramps up production of the Gravity. The first of these will launch late next year on Lucid’s new mid-size platform. Asked about alternatives to permanent-magnet motors, Winterhoff confirmed the company is pursuing similar efforts to European suppliers. “Well, yes, the answer is yes. We’re working on it,”…