Author: Lukas Schneider

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the all-electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, marking the first fully electric AMG model developed from the ground up on the company’s dedicated AMG.EA platform. The new high-performance EV is positioned to compete with premium electric performance models including the Tesla Model S Plaid, Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Lucid Air Sapphire. Mercedes-AMG said the top-spec GT 63 version uses a three-motor configuration featuring two axial-flux electric motors mounted at the rear axle and one at the front axle. The system produces up to 1,153 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, enabling acceleration from zero to 60 miles…

Audi has unveiled a camouflaged prototype of the upcoming Audi A2 E-Tron as the company continues testing ahead of the model’s planned debut in autumn 2026. The A2 E-Tron will serve as Audi’s new entry-level electric vehicle and marks the expansion of the brand’s battery-electric portfolio into the compact segment. Audi first confirmed the model during its annual press conference in March, stating that the vehicle would be produced at the company’s Ingolstadt plant in Germany. The automaker described the A2 E-Tron as a fully electric premium compact vehicle aimed at making electric mobility more accessible within the Audi lineup.…

Volkswagen has largely completed its planned reduction of more than 700,000 units of annual vehicle production capacity in Germany, while Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng confirmed discussions with Volkswagen regarding possible manufacturing capacity in Europe. The capacity reductions stem from an agreement reached between Volkswagen and Germany’s IG Metall union at the end of 2024 following months of labour tensions over proposed plant closures and restructuring plans. Under the agreement, Volkswagen committed to cutting around 35,000 jobs by 2030 while reducing domestic production overcapacity without shutting down major factories. According to Volkswagen brand chief executive Thomas Schäfer, most of the…

FES Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH has ordered ten additional Mercedes-Benz eEconic vehicles for municipal operations in Frankfurt, expanding its battery-electric truck fleet to a total of 34 units. According to Daimler Truck, the newly ordered vehicles will be deployed across multiple waste management applications, including street cleaning and winter maintenance. The trucks are equipped with different body configurations but share the same electric drivetrain setup. Each eEconic uses three battery packs with a combined gross energy capacity of 336 kWh and a net usable capacity of 291 kWh. Daimler Truck said the vehicles are designed to complete FES’s typical…

Mercedes-Benz has opened orders in Germany for its new all-electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class around two weeks after unveiling the model, with pricing for the C 400 4MATIC starting at 67,711 euros including VAT. The launch price places the electric C-Class below the similarly powered Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 4MATIC, which starts at 71,281 euros in Germany. See also: Mercedes-Benz Unveils China-Specific GLC L EV With Extended Wheelbase Mercedes said the electric C-Class uses the company’s new MB.EA-M platform with an 800-volt electrical architecture. The sedan shares its drivetrain technology with the electric GLC, including a 94-kWh battery pack, charging capability of up…

Porsche will stop production of the combustion-engine Porsche Macan at its Leipzig plant in the summer of 2026, although deliveries in some markets may continue into 2027 as demand for the gasoline-powered model remains strong. The timeline was confirmed by Jochen Breckner, chief financial officer of Porsche, during the company’s earnings call this week. See also: Porsche Debuts Cayenne Coupé Electric With Faster Charging and Extended Range “Production will be stopped in summer 2026 and during the last month that we have, we [will] produce as much as we can,” Breckner said. “Of course, our capacity is one factor there,…

Volkswagen has dismissed reports suggesting that BYD is in talks to acquire part of its Gläserne Manufaktur facility in Dresden, rejecting the claims as unfounded. The former showcase factory, located in Dresden, previously produced models including the VW Phaeton and later electric vehicles, but has ceased car production as part of a restructuring plan finalised in late 2024. Volkswagen is now repurposing sections of the site into an innovation centre in collaboration with the Free State of Saxony and TU Dresden, while the former production halls remain unused. See also: Volkswagen ID.3 Becomes Germany’s Top-Selling EV as Market Growth Accelerates…

The Volkswagen ID.3 has overtaken the Tesla Model Y to become the most widely registered battery-electric vehicle in Germany, reflecting stronger sales momentum for Volkswagen models during 2025, according to new data from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). Germany’s electric vehicle fleet surpassed two million units for the first time, reaching 2,034,260 vehicles as of January 1, 2026. Within that total, the ID.3 accounted for 116,053 units, representing 5.7% of all battery-electric vehicles in the country. See also: Volkswagen to End ID.4 Production at Chattanooga Plant, Shift Focus to Atlas SUV The change in ranking follows a year of stronger growth for…

ZF Friedrichshafen has appointed Peter Holdmann as its first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), creating a new executive board position to centralize technology and development across the group, the company said. ZF said the newly established role is intended to underscore the growing importance of innovation, software, and advanced engineering capabilities to its long-term competitiveness. Until now, research and development activities were managed within largely independent divisions, without centralized oversight at board level. The company said the immediate objective is to align R&D “across all divisions of the company even more effectively, efficiently, and competitively with customer needs,” although it did…

Stellantis is facing extended delivery delays for long-range electric vehicle variants of certain Opel and Peugeot models in Germany, according to dealers cited by Automobilwoche. The delays affect long-range versions of the Opel Grandland and Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008, with some deliveries now expected in the first or second quarter of 2027, the report said. Other dealers have not yet received binding delivery dates, according to Automobilwoche. The affected models are equipped with a larger 97-kWh battery pack, compared with the standard 73-kWh battery, and are priced roughly 5,000 euros higher. A Stellantis spokesperson cited strong demand from business customers…

Mercedes-Benz Group increased its battery-electric vehicle deliveries by 11% in the first quarter of 2026, helped by strong demand for its new all-electric CLA, as the German luxury automaker seeks to reverse a recent decline in EV sales. The company delivered 50,400 battery-electric vehicles globally during the January-March period, compared with the same quarter a year earlier, according to company figures. That total represented about 10% of Mercedes-Benz’s overall vehicle deliveries of 499,700 units across all powertrain types in the quarter. Battery-electric passenger car deliveries rose 9% to 44,300 units, while electric van sales climbed 29% to 6,100 units. Mercedes-Benz…

Mercedes-Benz has launched steer-by-wire technology on its updated EQS electric saloon, becoming the first German automaker to bring the system to a production vehicle. The system replaces the traditional mechanical connection between the steering wheel and front wheels with electronic signals and will be offered across all EQS powertrain variants in combination with the model’s 10-degree rear-axle steering system. Mercedes-Benz said the setup is designed to eliminate road surface vibrations from reaching the steering wheel while maintaining steering feel through model-based calculations of tyre-road interaction. The system is paired with a flattened, more compact steering wheel, which improves driver display…

BMW said it will begin series production of its Neue Klasse i3 electric sedan at its Munich plant in August 2026, as part of a broader plan to convert the facility into a fully electric production site by 2027. The company has invested around €650 million ($750 million) to modernize the 104-year-old plant, including the construction of a new body shop, assembly systems and logistics infrastructure covering approximately 200,000 square meters. From 2027, the Munich site is expected to manufacture only all-electric vehicles, making it the first existing BMW plant to fully transition to EV production. The new i3 will…

German automaker BMW has expanded its electric SUV lineup with the introduction of the iX3 40, a rear-wheel-drive variant positioned as a more affordable alternative within its new-generation platform. The iX3 40 is priced from €63,400 in Germany, undercutting the all-wheel-drive iX3 50 xDrive by €7,500. Despite the lower price point, the model offers a WLTP range of up to 635 kilometres. Market launch is scheduled for summer 2026, with production set to take place at BMW’s Debrecen plant in Hungary. Built on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, the iX3 40 features a sixth-generation electric motor delivering 235 kW and 500…

An analysis of around 50,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids by TÜV Nord and Carly shows that battery health in most vehicles is stronger than expected, though degradation accelerates significantly at higher mileage. The study found a median State of Health (SoH) of 96% across vehicles built between 2016 and 2026, indicating that half of the analysed batteries retained more than 96% of their original capacity. The authors did not disclose an average value. Battery condition was generally better in newer vehicles, but the analysis also showed that older models from brands such as Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz often still…

Mercedes-Benz has recorded nearly 25,500 registrations of its all-electric Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric across Europe through February, with demand led by its home market of Germany, while sales in China remain comparatively subdued. The CLA, built on the company’s new MMA platform, marks the first model in what the automaker describes as its largest product offensive, with around 40 new or updated vehicles planned by 2027. Initially launched as a fully electric model, the CLA is also expected to be offered as a hybrid variant at a later stage. According to data compiled by Dataforce for Handelsblatt, Germany accounted for more…

Germany’s Federal Court of Justice has dismissed a climate lawsuit brought by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) against BMW and Mercedes-Benz, ruling that carmakers cannot be legally compelled to end sales of combustion-engine vehicles before existing regulatory deadlines. The decision marks the final stage of a legal effort launched in 2021, when DUH and Greenpeace sought to force automakers to align more closely with climate targets. While Greenpeace pursued claims against Volkswagen Group, DUH focused on BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The lawsuits had already been rejected by lower courts in Munich and Stuttgart. The Federal Court of Justice, acting as the final instance,…

BMW is preparing to phase out the BMW i4 as it introduces the next-generation BMW i3, reflecting a shift toward its latest electric vehicle platform and technology. The newly unveiled i3, presented in Munich by outgoing CEO Oliver Zipse, is built on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture and represents a significant upgrade over the i4 in terms of performance and efficiency. The i3 50 xDrive variant features a 345 kW all-wheel-drive system and is expected to offer a range of up to 900 kilometres, although final certification figures are pending. The model also introduces an 800-volt system capable of charging from…

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe is progressing with the construction of two new electric bus depots, marking a key step in the German capital’s transition to zero-emission public transport. At the Säntisstraße site in Berlin’s Marienfelde district, BVG recently held a topping-out ceremony, following a similar milestone at its second depot project in Treptow three months earlier. Construction at the Marienfelde site began in mid-2025 and is scheduled for completion in 2026. The Marienfelde depot, spanning approximately 6.6 hectares, is designed exclusively for battery-electric buses and will accommodate up to 220 vehicles. Together with the Treptow facility, the two depots will provide capacity…

BMW is set to revive the i3 nameplate as a fully electric version of its core 3 Series lineup, marking a shift from its earlier experimental EV approach to a mainstream, high-volume model built on its new Neue Klasse architecture. The original BMW i3, launched under the company’s “Project i” initiative, was a pioneering electric vehicle featuring a dedicated platform and carbon-fibre construction. According to outgoing chief executive Oliver Zipse, lessons from that programme have helped position BMW competitively in the transition to electric mobility. The new i3, however, is designed as a central pillar of BMW’s product range rather…