Author: Lukas Schneider

Germany will reinstate federal incentives for electric vehicle purchases from January 1, 2026, allocating €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in funding through 2029 as the government seeks to revive demand and support its struggling automotive industry. The decision comes two years after Berlin abruptly ended its previous EV subsidy scheme due to budget constraints, a move that led to a sharp decline in electric vehicle sales in 2024. The new programme has been approved under the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. See also: Electric Vehicle Sales in Germany Surge 43% in 2025 as Fleet Demand Leads Under the revised scheme, the…

Opel will not bring an electric version of its iconic Manta model to market before the end of this decade, its chief executive said, as the automaker reassesses priorities amid slower-than-expected growth in electric vehicle demand and charging infrastructure. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, Opel Chief Executive Florian Huettl said the company had shifted its medium-term focus toward renewing high-volume models, including the Corsa and its sport utility vehicle range. “The Manta is a model with enormous emotional potential,” Huettl said. “However, we have reordered our medium-term priorities. We are first renewing the Corsa and our SUV…

BMW has released initial technical details of its upcoming electric M models based on the Neue Klasse platform, confirming that all fully electric BMW M Neue Klasse vehicles launched from 2027 will use a four-motor drivetrain, with one electric motor powering each wheel. At the core of the new architecture is the BMW M eDrive system, which features two electric drive units on the front axle and two on the rear axle. Each motor is mounted internally and independently drives a single wheel, allowing precise control of torque and power distribution, BMW said. See also: BMW India Plans Three New…

The Volkswagen Group delivered 983,100 battery-electric vehicles worldwide in 2025, marking an increase of nearly one-third from the previous year and signalling a return to growth after a downturn in 2024, the company said. Global battery-electric vehicle (BEV) deliveries rose 32% from 744,800 units in 2024, when Volkswagen Group sales had slipped by 3.4%. The automaker disclosed the preliminary figures in a LinkedIn post ahead of its full delivery report, scheduled for publication on Jan. 20. See also: Volkswagen U.S. EV Sales Rise in 2025 as Combustion Models Decline Europe was the main driver of the rebound, with BEV deliveries…

Mercedes-Benz will discontinue offering its certified Level 3 automated driving system, Drive Pilot, on the upcoming facelift of its flagship S-Class sedan, signalling a strategic shift in how the German automaker approaches vehicle automation. The company confirmed that the refreshed S-Class, scheduled to debut on Jan. 29, will no longer include Drive Pilot, a system that allowed drivers to take their eyes off the road under narrowly defined conditions. The same decision is expected to apply to the updated EQS later this year, effectively ending Mercedes-Benz’s rollout of Level 3 technology in its current passenger car lineup. See also: Everything…

Mercedes-Benz sold 197,300 battery-electric vehicles worldwide in 2025, down 4% from the previous year, as weaker demand for electric passenger cars outweighed growth in electric vans, the German automaker said. The latest decline follows a sharp drop in 2024, when the Mercedes-Benz Group’s battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales fell 22% from 2023 levels. With a further 9% fall year-on-year in 2025, the group delivered fewer electric vehicles last year than its Mercedes-Benz Cars division alone sold in 2024, highlighting continued pressure on its electric car business. See also: Everything You Should Know About Mercedes-Benz MB.Drive Assist Pro Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 168,800…

Mini said global vehicle deliveries increased in 2025, supported by growth in battery electric vehicle sales as the brand continued to expand its electrified lineup across major markets. The BMW-owned automaker reported worldwide sales of 288,290 vehicles in 2025, up 17.7% from the previous year. Battery electric vehicles accounted for 105,535 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 87.9%. Electric models made up more than one-third of Mini’s total deliveries globally and exceeded 50% of sales in markets including the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden and China. See also: BMW’s Mini Launches 2026 Electric Cooper in China With Promotional Pricing Jean-Philippe Parain, head…

Porsche has acknowledged a misstep in its electrification strategy, with its former chief executive saying the decision to make the next-generation Macan an electric-only model underestimated changes in market conditions and customer demand. Oliver Blume, who stepped down as Porsche’s CEO at the start of 2026, said the company was wrong to phase out the combustion-engine Macan in favour of a fully electric successor. Speaking to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Blume reflected on Porsche’s 2019 decision to end production of the petrol-powered Macan and transition the compact SUV to an all-electric format. See also: Porsche Unveils All-Electric Macan GTS…

BMW Group reported solid growth in electric vehicle sales in Europe in 2025, even as overall demand weakened toward the end of the year, underscoring the region’s role as a key driver of the German carmaker’s electrification strategy. The Munich-based group said battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Europe rose by 28.2% year-on-year, although it did not disclose the absolute number of BEVs delivered in the region. Globally, fully electric vehicles accounted for about 18% of BMW Group sales last year. See also: BMW U.S. Battery-Electric Vehicle Sales Fall 16.7% in 2025 When plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are included, more…

Premium Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr plans to expand into additional European markets in 2026, including France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain, and is considering launching extended-range plug-in hybrid models in the region, a company executive said on Friday. “When we look at the European consumer demand, the plug-in hybrid segment still … has a high share,” Lothar Schupet, Zeekr’s acting head of European operations, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Brussels car show. See also: Zeekr Launches 7GT Electric Sedan in Europe With 800V Charging and €45,990 Starting Price Schupet said Zeekr, which is owned by China’s…

An alliance formed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), major automakers and the Eclipse Foundation to develop software-defined vehicle (SDV) technology has expanded significantly, adding partners from Europe, Asia and North America as interest in shared, open-source vehicle software grows. The initiative, launched in the summer of 2025, initially brought together 11 automotive companies from Germany, including manufacturers BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, alongside suppliers Bosch, Continental and ZF. The group has since grown to 32 stakeholders, with new participants such as Qualcomm, Stellantis, LG Electronics, Michelin, Schaeffler, Cummins, ECARX and Accenture joining the effort. The alliance aims…

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a new advanced driver assistance system, MB.Drive Assist Pro, expanding its automated driving capabilities with a focus on urban environments while stopping short of full autonomy. The system has been launched first in China with the battery-electric CLA, developed in cooperation with Chinese autonomous driving specialist Momenta. In the United States — and potentially Europe at a later stage — Mercedes-Benz is instead working with U.S. technology group Nvidia, highlighting a region-specific partnership strategy for its automated driving roadmap. See also: Nvidia Unveils ‘Thinking’ Autonomous Driving AI Alpamayo, to Debut on U.S. Roads With Mercedes CLA MB.Drive…