Author: Jonathan Collins

Audi Australia has decided not to introduce the all-electric A6 e-tron and S6 e-tron models, citing a “strategic realignment” and subdued local demand for large luxury electric sedans. The decision marks a shift in the brand’s regional electrification strategy as it seeks to prioritise models that align more closely with current market conditions. An Audi Australia spokesperson told CarExpert that after a careful review, the company chose not to proceed with the launch of the A6 e-tron or S6 e-tron “at this time.” The spokesperson explained that the move reflects market realities, with the upper-large luxury EV segment remaining small…

South Korea’s automotive industry has raised unified concerns over the government’s 2035 National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target (NDC), warning that the current approach could harm the sector if pursued without sufficient transition measures. In a statement issued on November 10, the Korea Automobile & Mobility Industry Association (KAIA) said, “The target has been set without clearly resolving the problems caused by rapid transition,” adding that the government should “pursue goal achievement through bold demand creation policies rather than regulation-only approaches, so as to minimize industry shock and respond flexibly to market conditions.” See also: South Korea to Require 50% Zero-Emission…

Verge Motorcycles has presented the next evolution of its TS Pro electric motorbike at the EICMA 2025 motorcycle show, showcasing the newly developed Donut Motor 2.0, a lighter and more efficient version of its signature in-wheel motor. The second-generation Donut Motor delivers the same 102 kW of power and 1,000 Nm of torque as its predecessor but is now 50 per cent lighter, reducing the total motorcycle weight to 230 kg. The lower unsprung mass improves handling, stability, and efficiency. The patented rim-integrated design, developed by Verge’s subsidiary Donut Labs, retains the futuristic “empty rear wheel” look that has become…

The UK’s Labour government is considering introducing a pay-per-mile tax for electric vehicles (EVs) as fuel duty revenues continue to decline, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is said to be preparing the measure, which would charge EV owners around 3 pence ($0.04) per mile to help replace billions in lost fuel tax income. Based on the proposed rate, a typical driver covering 8,000 miles (12,900 km) annually would pay around £240 ($315) per year. The government is expected to argue that EV owners would still be paying less overall than petrol and diesel drivers,…

Polestar has introduced a sweeping set of incentives on its 2025 Polestar 3 electric SUV in the United States, offering up to $18,000 in lease discounts as the company seeks to accelerate sales and compete more aggressively with Tesla and other premium EV brands. According to pricing data reported by CarsDirect, customers leasing a 2025 Polestar 3 through Polestar Financial Services are eligible for an $18,000 “Clean Vehicle Noncash Incentive,” which equates to roughly 25% off the model’s base price. The SUV starts at about $67,500 for the Long Range Single Motor version and rises to around $79,400 for the…

A new startup called Evotrex has emerged from stealth mode with plans to launch a hybrid RV trailer powered by both an electric motor and an integrated gas engine, joining a growing number of companies reimagining the recreational vehicle market. The hybrid trailer, which will debut at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, will feature an onboard battery pack to power the living quarters and electronics, while the gas engine will recharge the battery and extend travel range. Evotrex co-founder Alex Xiao said the setup is designed for travelers seeking to go farther off-grid than conventional RVs allow. “These customers want…

Blink Charging has been selected as the electric vehicle (EV) charging collaborator for Karbon Homes, a major social housing provider that owns and manages around 34,000 homes across the Northeast of England and Yorkshire. As part of its broader sustainability strategy, Karbon Homes has committed to equipping all new developments with renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, heat pumps, and battery storage systems. The partnership with Blink will enable the integration of EV charging infrastructure into these developments, supporting Karbon’s transition toward greener housing solutions. “Working with Blink as a singular provider will increase the degree of oversight…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the automaker expects to secure full regulatory approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in China early next year, marking a key step toward expanding its driver-assistance technology in one of the world’s most competitive electric vehicle markets. “We have partial approval in China, and hopefully we’ll have a full approval in China around February or March or so,” Musk told shareholders at Tesla’s annual general meeting. See also: Tesla to Return to China’s Import Expo with Cybercab Robotaxi Debut China remains a critical market for Tesla, but the company’s market share has dropped to…

China continues to lead global electric vehicle adoption, serving as the primary growth engine for the e-mobility sector, while Europe shows strong but uneven progress across markets, according to the latest Electromobility Report from the Centre of Automotive Management (CAM) in Germany. The United States, meanwhile, is experiencing slower growth, with market dynamics shifting increasingly in favour of Chinese automakers. Between January and September 2025, around 12.8 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold across China, Europe, and the United States — a 30% year-on-year increase. China accounted for nearly 8.9 million of these so-called New Energy Vehicles (NEVs),…

Rivian Automotive’s latest shareholder letter offers fresh insights into the next-generation battery technology powering its upcoming R2 compact SUV, underscoring the company’s continued focus on innovation and efficiency. The R2 will feature an all-new battery pack built around Rivian’s proprietary 4695 cell, which delivers six times more energy than the 2170 cells used in current R1 models. The battery pack also uses the R2’s floor as its structural lid, a design choice that reduces overall weight and improves energy efficiency. See also: Rivian R2 Spotted With Native NACS Port at Tesla Supercharger in Arizona Rivian confirmed that all R2 battery…

Global mobility technology provider ECARX posted its first-ever quarterly net profit in the third quarter of 2025, marking a major milestone since its public listing. Revenue for the period reached $219.9 million, up 11% year-on-year and 41% from the previous quarter, supported by strong shipment growth and improved gross margins. See also: ECARX and Victory Giant Technology Partner to Develop Next-Generation Automotive Computing Platforms Total shipments climbed to about 667,000 units in Q3, an increase of 51% from a year earlier. This included a record 196,000 units from the Antora series, powered by SiEngine’s SE1000 system-on-chip. The company also ramped…

Hubject has announced two new partnerships to expand its Plug&Charge and eRoaming capabilities across Europe, collaborating with fast-charging provider Electra and Icelandic platform operator eONE. The initiatives aim to simplify electric vehicle (EV) charging by enabling seamless authentication and payment without apps or cards. Under the agreement with Electra, Hubject will integrate the French company’s high-power charging network into its intercharge eRoaming platform. This will enable ISO 15118-based Plug&Charge functionality, allowing drivers of compatible vehicles to automatically start and stop charging sessions simply by connecting their EVs. Electra currently operates over 500 charging stations and 3,000 charging points across nine…

Mirattery, the battery asset operator for Nio, also known as Wuhan Weineng, has completed a 670-million-yuan ($94.2 million) Series C equity financing round. The round included new participation from two state-owned enterprises: Haining Economic Development Zone Industrial Park Development & Construction Co and Hainan Chengmai Development Holding Group Co, alongside additional investments from founding shareholders. The funding is intended to support battery asset operations and technological R&D, enabling Mirattery to expand its services and further develop its technology. See also: Nio-Backed Mirattery Secures Further Investment from Founding Shareholder in Series C Round Founded in August 2020 as a joint venture…

Smart has introduced its first plug-in hybrid model, the Smart #5 EHD, featuring DeepRoute.ai’s production-ready assisted driving system. The collaboration marks an expansion of intelligent driving technology into hybrid platforms, highlighting progress in safety, scalability, and autonomous capability. The system was selected for its human-like driving behavior and readiness for large-scale production, according to the companies. During a demonstration drive, DeepRoute.ai CEO Maxwell Zhou and Smart Global CTO Yang Jun completed a 30.9 km urban test without any manual intervention. The vehicle navigated real-world traffic, construction areas, and unmarked roads using DeepRoute.ai’s map-free system, which relies on real-time perception and…

France’s relaunched social leasing scheme for electric cars has once again drawn strong public interest, with 41,500 applications submitted just four weeks after opening, according to government data. The programme, capped at 50,000 applications, is expected to reach its limit soon, prompting authorities to prepare a waiting list for potential cancellations or ineligible entries. The initiative, officially known as “leasing social de voitures électriques”, provides subsidised leases to make electric vehicles more affordable for lower-income households. Its first edition, launched in early 2024, saw similar enthusiasm, closing within six weeks after hitting around 50,000 approved leases. The latest round, which…

Iveco Bus has secured a contract from Campania Mobility Infrastructure and Networks Agency (Acamir) to supply 87 eDaily electric school minibuses, as the Italian region moves to modernize student transport and promote sustainable mobility across urban and rural areas. The new eDaily minibuses, each under eight metres in length, will operate on extra-urban and interurban routes, serving all five provinces of Campania. The project aims to lower emissions and improve comfort and safety for students, with a particular focus on enhancing accessibility in inland and smaller municipalities where transport links remain limited. See also: Maribor Expands Electric Bus Fleet with…

Self-driving truck startup Waabi unveiled the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck on Tuesday, marking a major milestone in its partnership with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to commercialize driverless freight technology. The announcement comes eight months after Waabi, which is backed by Uber and Nvidia, revealed its collaboration with Volvo to develop a custom autonomous truck using Volvo’s autonomy platform and Waabi’s proprietary software stack. The truck integrates Waabi’s AI-based Waabi Driver, sensor suite, and compute systems, forming what the company calls an end-to-end platform for scalable autonomous operations. See also: Waabi Appoints Former Uber Freight CEO as COO Ahead of Driverless Truck…

Xpeng has reached a new production milestone with the rollout of its 200,000th Mona M03 electric sedan, underscoring the strong market performance of its entry-level model. The company announced on Weibo today that the Mona M03 has consistently ranked as China’s top-selling pure-electric A-segment sedan each month since its launch. Produced in just 14 months, the milestone highlights the model’s rapid rise in popularity. Xpeng said delivery of the 200,000th unit is expected within days, factoring in logistics. See also: Xpeng To Add Eve Energy As Battery Supplier For Mona Lineup Based on cumulative data, the milestone suggests the M03…

German charging infrastructure provider Reload-Solution has unveiled a new multi-level security system designed to prevent theft of charging cables at fast-charging stations — a recurring issue that has caused millions of euros in damage across the country. The new system, known as GridZon, is currently compatible with several Alpitronic charging models. Cable theft has become a costly problem for charging operators, often driven by the high copper content in cables. While previous countermeasures have included surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and reinforced sheaths, Reload-Solution’s GridZon introduces a more comprehensive and technology-driven approach. Originally developed for the company’s own network, the system…

The city of Palermo in Sicily is set to expand its electric bus charging infrastructure, with 44 new charging units scheduled to become operational by the end of the month. The development marks a significant step in the municipality’s plan to transition to a fully electric bus fleet in the coming years. According to city authorities, the newly installed chargers will enable simultaneous charging for up to 60 electric buses, supporting the expansion of Palermo’s zero-emission public transport system. With two chargers already in place, AMAT Palermo—the city’s public transport company—has not disclosed whether the new equipment consists of single-…