Author: Joshua Morris
One of the UK’s largest bus operators, First Bus, has inaugurated the region’s first electric bus depot in Weston-Super-Mare, backed by a €17.7 million (£14.9 million) investment. The initiative, supported by the national Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) program, includes the introduction of 24 fully electric buses to serve North Somerset and Bristol. The new fleet will operate on key routes, including the X1 (Weston to Bristol) and X4 (Portishead to Bristol), as well as several inner-city services in Bristol. With this addition, a third of First Bus’ fleet in Weston-Super-Mare will be electrified. The double-decker buses, which can…
The MG4 EV is undergoing a significant redesign just three years after its initial release, with a larger body, new styling, and a revised electric drivetrain. The updated model is 11 cm longer than its predecessor, featuring a 4.5 cm longer wheelbase, and incorporates a new electric powertrain. According to leaked specifications from Chinese regulatory filings, the revamped MG4 EV measures 4,395 mm in length, 1,842 mm in width, and 1,551 mm in height, making it larger in all dimensions than the current MG4 Electric. The vehicle’s weight has also been reduced to 1,485 kg, down from 1,620 kg. The…
Xiaomi’s smart electric vehicle (EV) business generated RMB 16.3 billion ($2.25 billion) in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking a 71.58% increase from the RMB 9.5 billion recorded in the previous quarter, the company reported in its latest earnings release. The company’s broader innovative business segment, which includes EVs, contributed RMB 16.7 billion in revenue for the quarter, with EV sales accounting for RMB 16.3 billion. The segment’s gross margin improved to 20.4%, up from 17.1% in the third quarter. Xiaomi reported an adjusted net loss of RMB 700 million in Q4, a significant improvement from the RMB…
Xiaomi EV, the electric vehicle arm of Xiaomi, has increased its 2025 vehicle delivery target to 350,000 units as it scales up production capacity, company founder and CEO Lei Jun announced on Weibo. The revised target represents a 16.67% increase from the previous goal of 300,000 units. Lei said Xiaomi EV has been making strides in boosting output, with the company recently reaching the milestone of 200,000 cumulative deliveries. It took 229 days to deliver the first 100,000 units, while the second 100,000 were completed in just 119 days. See also: Xiaomi Expands EV Ambitions in Europe with Key BMW…
The government of British Columbia (BC) will exclude Tesla products from its EV charger rebate program as tensions escalate in the US-Canada trade dispute, a move that has drawn criticism over potential inconsistencies in its application. The provincial program, which covers up to 50% of the cost of a Level 2 EV charger and includes incentives for backup power solutions, has until now included Tesla chargers, inverters, and the Powerwall home battery. However, Tesla products will no longer be eligible for rebates, with the government stating that the change aims to prioritize Canadian-made goods over US-manufactured products. See also: Tesla…
The European Union has launched the HyLiST research project to advance solid-state battery technology, a breakthrough expected to deliver higher energy densities, faster charging times, and longer service life compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. HyLiST, short for Hybrid Lithium Metal-based Scalable Solid State Battery Manufacturing, is led by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and involves a consortium of 13 partners from nine countries. The project seeks to develop a new generation of solid-state batteries that will be more durable, efficient, and environmentally friendly, with potential applications in electric vehicles and aviation. Over the next 36 months, HyLiST aims to…
Xiaomi EV, the electric vehicle unit of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, marked its 200,000th vehicle delivery, underscoring rapid growth in the competitive EV market. The milestone vehicle, a Xiaomi SU7 in a special red edition, was delivered to a young couple, the company announced on Weibo. Xiaomi EV took 229 days to deliver its first 100,000 vehicles, while the second 100,000 units were delivered in just 119 days. See also: Xiaomi Expands EV Ambitions in Europe with Key BMW Hires Xiaomi officially launched the SU7 electric sedan on March 28, 2024, positioning it as a rival to Tesla’s Model 3.…
Li Auto reported fourth-quarter revenue of RMB 44.3 billion ($6.1 billion), aligning with analysts’ expectations and within its previously guided range of RMB 43.2 billion to RMB 45.9 billion. This represents a 6.1% increase from a year earlier and a 3.3% rise from the third quarter of 2024, according to the company’s unaudited earnings report released on Thursday. Vehicle sales revenue totaled RMB 42.6 billion for the quarter, up 5.6% year-on-year and 3.2% sequentially. The increase was driven by higher deliveries, though partially offset by lower average selling prices due to interest subsidies provided to customers. Li Auto delivered 158,696…
The European Union is investigating whether China provided unfair subsidies to support BYD’s planned electric vehicle (EV) plant in Hungary, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The European Commission is in the early stages of a foreign subsidy probe into the BYD facility, the report said. If the investigation finds that the Chinese automaker benefited from undue state support, the EU could require BYD to divest assets, scale down production, reimburse subsidies, or face penalties for non-compliance, according to the Financial Times. See also: BYD Europe Aims to Triple Market Share, Targets Leading Position…
Volkswagen is in discussions with Chinese digital cockpit system developer Ecarx to incorporate its technologies into vehicles sold in developed markets such as Europe and the United States, Ecarx CEO Shen Ziyu said on Wednesday. The German automaker already collaborates with the Geely-backed firm in Brazil and India, where its Antora 1000 digital cockpit system is featured in smart vehicles. This system integrates proprietary chips and software, offering functions such as voice recognition and navigation. The companies are now looking to extend their partnership to Skoda-branded cars in Europe and are also exploring the integration of Ecarx’s technologies into Volkswagen…
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast plans to install 100,000 charging stations across Indonesia, the country’s investment minister said on Tuesday, following a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and company representatives. Minister Rosan Roeslani also confirmed that VinFast’s $200 million EV assembly plant in West Java is on track to begin operations next year, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 vehicles. The facility, which broke ground in 2023, is part of Indonesia’s broader strategy to position itself as a regional EV manufacturing hub by capitalizing on its vast nickel reserves, a key component in EV battery production. See also: V-Green…
The UK government is poised to ease its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires automakers to meet rising annual sales quotas for electric vehicles, following similar moves by the European Union. The shift comes amid warnings from the automotive industry, including Nissan, that strict EV production targets could threaten manufacturing operations. Nissan, which operates the UK’s largest vehicle plant in Sunderland, has expressed concerns that the current requirements pose risks to its operations. In response, UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told The Times that a “substantial change of policy” had been agreed upon. “We will do everything we can…