Author: Lukas Schneider

Audi plans to bring its Audi Concept C to production within two years, positioning the electric model as the successor to the discontinued Audi TT as the German automaker accelerates development timelines under a new strategy inspired by China’s automotive industry. The concept, first unveiled in September, is expected to enter the market within a relatively short development cycle of about three years from initial design to production. The model will fill the gap left after Audi ended production of the TT and the Audi R8, leaving the brand without a two-door sports car in its lineup. See also: Audi…

Germany has exceeded the two-million mark for battery-electric passenger cars, according to new data from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). As of 1 January 2026, a total of 2,034,260 fully electric cars were registered nationwide. The milestone marks continued expansion of the country’s electric vehicle fleet, which has grown from 34,022 units in 2017 to more than two million within nine years. The one-million threshold was first crossed in 2023. See also: Germany and Canada Sign Pact to Deepen Automotive and Mobility Cooperation In 2025 alone, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) fleet increased by 382,617 units, up from 1,651,643 vehicles at the beginning…

Audi has announced a series of management changes in China and North America, as the German carmaker seeks to reinforce its position in two of its most significant foreign markets. The Ingolstadt-based company described the move as a “coordinated management rotation” intended to ensure continuity and align leadership with its strategic priorities. Audi said it plans to “consistently” continue its product offensive in both regions this year, with several new model generations tailored for China and a comprehensive update of its SUV portfolio in the United States. See also: Audi Appoints Rouven Mohr as CTO After Geoffrey Bouquot’s Departure Effective…

Volkswagen has delivered its two-millionth battery-electric vehicle, the company said, marking a milestone in its rollout of fully electric models under the ID brand. The milestone vehicle was an ID.3 produced at Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant and handed over at the Gläserne Manufaktur delivery center in Dresden. Production of the ID.3 at the Dresden facility ended in December, making the anniversary unit among the final vehicles assembled there. See also: Volkswagen Group Appoints Andreas Mindt as Head of Design Volkswagen entered the battery-electric market in 2013 with the e-Up!, followed by the e-Golf. Its current electric lineup ranges from the compact…

Germany’s Stellantis-owned brand Opel has announced plans to broaden its portfolio of fully electric high-performance models under the GSE badge, confirming that a new Corsa GSE will be unveiled soon and available to order later this year. While technical specifications have not yet been disclosed, Opel said the performance variant will be based on the current generation of the Corsa, which has been Germany’s best-selling small car for five consecutive years. The company indicated the model will feature distinctive sporty styling cues typical of GSE vehicles and deliver strong all-electric performance. A teaser image shows signature black, white and yellow…

BMW plans to discontinue its Level 3 highly automated driving system and refocus on advanced Level 2 driver assistance technologies, according to a report by Germany’s Automobilwoche, highlighting industry doubts about the commercial viability of higher automation levels. The Munich-based automaker is expected to phase out its “Personal Pilot L3” system, introduced in 2024, as part of the facelift of the BMW 7 Series scheduled for late April 2026. The system allowed the vehicle to take full control on motorways at speeds of up to 60 kph in traffic jams or slow-moving conditions, managing steering, speed and distance while the…

Artificial engine sounds emitted by electric vehicles could soon receive formal regulatory approval, as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) considers new rules governing exterior sound enhancement systems. Electric vehicles have been required since 2019 to produce artificial warning sounds at low speeds through Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS), which operate below 20 km/h to alert pedestrians and cyclists. At higher speeds, tyre and road noise are considered sufficient for safety purposes. Beyond these mandatory alerts, some manufacturers have introduced additional sound profiles to give electric vehicles a more emotional or performance-oriented character. These sounds have traditionally been…

Audi said its planned production version of the Concept C electric sports car remains on schedule, seeking to dispel speculation that the project could be affected by uncertainty surrounding Porsche’s electric successors to the 718 Boxster and Cayman. The Concept C, unveiled at the IAA Mobility show last September, showcased a fully electric two-seat sports car and introduced a new design direction, including a “vertical frame” front inspired by the 1936 Auto Union Type C. Audi described the concept as a preview of a future production model but disclosed few technical details at the time, aside from confirming a mid-battery…

BMW will begin test drives of the new iX3 on March 7, marking the first market introduction of its Neue Klasse generation of vehicles, with chipmaker Infineon supplying key components for the model’s electrical and electronic architecture. BMW board member for development Joachim Post described the Neue Klasse as the “beginning of a new era,” as the automaker prepares for initial customer deliveries following dealership availability. The new platform is designed around software-defined vehicle principles, emphasizing centralized computing, digital services and improved energy efficiency. Infineon said it plays a central role in the vehicle’s architecture by providing technologies for computing…

Mercedes-Benz is preparing a high-voltage battery replacement programme for certain electric models in Germany after earlier software fixes proved insufficient, according to reports. The move follows global recall actions affecting the Mercedes-Benz EQA and Mercedes-Benz EQB, which have already seen battery replacements in North America and China. Information first reported by the Mercedes-focused site mb.passion indicates that workshops were notified of an upcoming replacement campaign for the EQA 250+ and EQB 250+ variants. These models use a 70.5 kWh battery pack containing cells supplied by Farasis Energy and mounted beneath the vehicle floor. See also: Mercedes-Benz to Recall Nearly 20,000…

Volkswagen Group is preparing a new cost-reduction programme targeting savings of around €60 billion—roughly 20% of its cost base—by the end of 2028, according to a report by Manager Magazin. The measures could affect staffing levels, operations, and possibly manufacturing facilities. The magazine said Chief Executive Oliver Blume and Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz presented the plan to about 120 senior executives during a retreat in mid-January. “We must lower the break-even point,” Blume reportedly told attendees, outlining a goal of reducing costs across all brands and subsidiaries. Specific measures were not detailed, but participants understood that savings would be…

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a new battery-electric variant of its entry-level Mercedes-Benz CLA in Germany, expanding the model range with a mid-capacity battery option positioned between existing versions. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 fills the gap between the entry-level CLA 200 and the long-range CLA 250+. While the CLA 200 uses a 58 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the 250+ features an 85 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) pack. The new model adopts an NMC battery with 71 kWh of usable capacity, delivering a WLTP driving range of up to 674 kilometres. For now, the variant is available only in…

A European research consortium has launched a multi-year project to develop electric vehicle powertrains operating far above today’s 800-volt architectures, with the goal of dramatically improving charging performance and efficiency. The initiative, called ODYSSEV (Optimised DYnamics of High-Voltage Powertrains: Developing Sustainable Systems for Electric Vehicles), brings together academic and industrial partners including Dortmund University of Applied Sciences, University of Bremen, and automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen. The 42-month programme is funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe framework through the 2ZERO Partnership and recently held its kickoff at the CIRCE Institute in Zaragoza, Spain. Electric vehicles traditionally used 400-volt electrical systems, but…

BorgWarner said it has secured a contract from a premium European automaker to supply an 800-volt Integrated Drive Module (iDM) for a new range-extended electric vehicle platform scheduled to enter mass production in 2029. The system combines propulsion and power-generation functions into a single electric machine, consolidating two key components typically used in range-extended vehicles. BorgWarner said the design reduces packaging complexity while maintaining performance and efficiency. The iDM integrates an inverter, dual clutches, a dual-mass flywheel and the customer’s internal combustion engine. In addition to generating electricity to extend driving range, the unit can also provide traction and support…

Tesla has filed a criminal complaint against an external representative of Germany’s IG Metall trade union following an incident at its Giga Berlin factory, escalating a long-running dispute between the automaker and labor organizers weeks before works council elections. The episode occurred during a works council meeting on Tuesday, where Tesla accused the union official of secretly recording a confidential session. Police were called to the facility, detained the individual and seized a laptop as potential evidence, authorities said. Prosecutors will determine the next steps in the investigation. Andre Thierig, managing director of Tesla’s German plant in Grünheide, described the…

Mercedes-Benz will launch a successor to the A-Class in 2028, reversing earlier plans to discontinue the model as part of a revised entry-level strategy, a senior executive said. In 2023, Chief Executive Ola Källenius outlined a compact-car roadmap built around four models based on the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), including the CLA, a CLA shooting brake, and two SUVs positioned as successors to the EQA and EQB. The A-Class and B-Class were not included, as the company shifted focus toward higher-margin sedans and sport utility vehicles. See also: Mercedes-Benz Taps Nvidia, Momenta and Uber to Launch S-Class Robotaxi Network However,…

Volkswagen Group said it has produced a cumulative total of five million electric drive units worldwide, marking a manufacturing milestone as the company scales up its electric powertrain operations across multiple brands and regions. Electric drive units are produced at facilities in Győr, Kassel, Tianjin and Zuffenhausen. Volkswagen said its Kassel plant plays a central role in the group’s electric drivetrain network, increasing output by about 24% year on year in 2025 to more than 850,000 units. See also: Volkswagen Brings China-Focused Electronic Architecture to Market in 18 Months The most widely deployed electric drive within the group is the…

BMW Group said it has entered into a strategic cooperation with PreZero, the recycling and waste management arm of the Schwarz Group, as the automaker steps up efforts to embed circular economy principles across its European operations. Under the partnership, BMW and PreZero aim to develop a scalable business model for recycling end-of-life vehicles, creating a closed loop for materials and components across the automotive value chain. The initiative applies to vehicles of all powertrain types, not just battery-electric models, and is intended to reduce reliance on primary raw materials while strengthening supply-chain resilience. See also: BMW Begins Pre-Series Production…

Germany produced around 1.22 million battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in 2025, marking a 15% increase from the previous year and underscoring the growing role of electric mobility in the country’s automotive sector, industry data showed. According to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), total passenger car production in Germany reached 4.15 million units last year. Of that figure, BEVs accounted for about 29%, meaning more than one in four cars built domestically was fully electric. Production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) stood at around 450,000 units, bringing combined electrified vehicle output to roughly 1.67 million units, or about…

BMW has begun producing the first pre-series vehicles of its upcoming all-electric i3 sedan at its Munich plant, marking a key milestone in preparations for series production scheduled to start in the second half of 2026. The move signals the start of trial operations on newly installed production lines dedicated to BMW’s Neue Klasse generation of battery-electric vehicles. While the iX3 will be the first Neue Klasse model to enter series production from BMW’s new factory in Debrecen, Hungary, the i3 will be the first electric vehicle from the Neue Klasse range to roll out of an existing, fully retrofitted…