Author: Jonathan Collins

Ford has shared new information on the 2026 Puma Gen-E, confirming that the refreshed compact electric crossover will receive a battery update enabling more than 400 km of range. The company also highlighted a significant software upgrade, as the model will adopt Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driver assistance system for the first time. While Ford says the Gen-E will become “even better,” the announcement leaves several technical details undisclosed. The current 43 kWh pack has been redesigned to push WLTP range from 376 km to above 400 km, with Ford additionally claiming an urban range of more than 550 km. The…

Renault has presented the production version of the Trafic E-Tech Electric at the Solutrans 2025 transport exhibition in Lyon, marking the company’s first model based on Ampere’s flexible software-defined vehicle (SDV) architecture and its first use of 800-volt technology in a Renault-branded vehicle. The electric van is scheduled to reach the market at the end of 2026, with additional body styles to follow. Renault confirmed that the Trafic E-Tech will offer a 150-kW electric motor producing 345 Nm of torque, paired with either an NMC battery for up to 450 km of WLTP range or a lower-cost LFP pack targeting…

NewPower has secured its first contract to repower an existing fleet of electric buses, marking a shift from its previous focus on diesel-to-electric conversions. The agreement covers 28 first-generation Metrodecker electric double deckers, which will receive new batteries, drivelines, axles, powertrains and HVAC systems as part of a wide-ranging upgrade programme. The company said the initiative responds to rapid advancements in electric bus technology and aims to help operators extend the usefulness of early battery-electric models facing range or reliability limitations. The upgrade is designed to deliver performance improvements without requiring operators to purchase new vehicles. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of…

WeRide and Grab announced on November 13 that they have secured approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) to conduct autonomous fleet trials in the Punggol district. The upcoming pilot will deploy vehicles developed under the joint Ai.R (Autonomously Intelligent Ride) program, marking a significant step toward introducing commercial self-driving mobility services in Singapore. Early testing of WeRide’s GXR robotaxi began in Punggol in mid-October, representing the district’s first exposure to the model. With the LTA’s approval, both companies plan to scale up the initiative, targeting a fourfold increase in trial operations along designated feeder routes by late 2025. See…

Nio has stopped producing its 150 kWh semi-solid-state battery packs after building only a few hundred units, CEO William Li said in a recent interview, citing insufficient demand from customers despite the technology’s ability to deliver driving ranges exceeding 1,000 km under China’s CLTC standard. The company began series production of the packs in April 2024 using semi-solid-state cells supplied by WeLion, following several delays. The batteries were marketed as advanced, gel-electrolyte units intended to significantly extend range but came with substantially higher costs. Li said customer interest in upgrading their vehicles from standard 75 kWh or 100 kWh packs…

Stellantis Chairman John Elkann on Monday urged the European Commission to grant carmakers greater flexibility in meeting upcoming emissions targets, saying the bloc should allow the industry to comply with its 2030 climate goals by averaging performance over multiple years. In an interview with Politico, Elkann said the industry should be able to meet targets “over a five-year period from 2028 to 2032,” mirroring an arrangement the Commission adopted earlier this year that allows the 2025 targets to be averaged across 2025–2027. See also: Over 150 European EV Executives Urge EU to Keep 2035 Zero-Emission Target He said the approach…

Xpeng reported its smallest quarterly net loss in five years as strong delivery momentum and rising service revenue lifted its third-quarter performance. The company posted a net loss of RMB 380 million in the July–September period, marking a 78.93 percent reduction from a RMB 1.81 billion loss a year earlier and a 20.28 percent improvement from the second quarter. See also: Xpeng Unveils X9 Ultra with Triple Turing AI Chips and Up to 2250 TOPS Computing Power It also marked the eighth consecutive quarter of year-on-year loss reduction, with the company reiterating its goal of achieving quarterly profitability in the…

Volkswagen will introduce a NACS-to-CCS charging adapter for ID.4 and ID. Buzz owners in North America, enabling access to Tesla’s Supercharger network and other fast-charging providers adopting the North American Charging Standard. The rollout aligns Volkswagen with a growing list of automakers offering NACS compatibility for existing EV models. For vehicles produced before the 2026 model year, the adapter will be available beginning November 18 at Volkswagen dealerships or through the company’s website for $200. See also:  Volkswagen Aims for €12 Billion Savings in 2026 Amid Pressure on U.S. EV Plans Volkswagen said that original owners of 2025 model-year ID.4…

China is considering introducing new safety regulations that would restrict the default acceleration performance of passenger vehicles immediately after startup, aiming to reduce accidents linked to unintended operations amid the growing popularity of high-performance electric vehicles (EVs). The proposal, outlined in the draft national standard “Technical Specifications for Safety of Power-Driven Vehicles Operating on Roads” released by the Ministry of Public Security on November 10, would require vehicles to default to a state where acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour takes more than five seconds each time the vehicle starts. Public feedback will be accepted until January 10,…

Polestar reported a wider loss for the third quarter on Wednesday and announced plans to carry out a reverse stock split to maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements, after its shares fell below the minimum $1 threshold. The electric vehicle maker, majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding and chaired by Li Shufu, saw its stock drop as much as 17% in early New York trading following the announcement. The company posted a net loss of $365 million for the quarter, compared with a $323 million loss in the same period a year earlier. See also: Polestar 5 Set to Join Gran…

Waymo said on Wednesday it will begin offering robotaxi rides that include freeway driving in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, marking a major expansion for the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company. The move will allow faster travel across metropolitan areas, with ride times expected to be cut by up to 50%, according to the company. The new capability will enable rides between suburban areas and cities, as well as trips to key destinations such as San Francisco International Airport, where testing is already underway. Initially, freeway rides will be available only to selected Waymo riders who opt in via the…

Vector has introduced the vCTS.performance, a new hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test system designed to validate charging communication between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, including the emerging Megawatt Charging System (MCS). Developed in partnership with EA Elektro-Automatik, the system aims to support high-performance and scalable testing for next-generation EV charging technologies. See also: Germany’s Vector Begins Production of Megawatt Charging Controller for Heavy-Duty EVs According to Vector, the vCTS.performance can deliver up to 3.84 megawatts (MW) of scalable DC charging power, enabling both load and endurance tests that simulate real-world charging conditions. The system supports multiple global charging standards, including MCS, CCS,…