Author: Ryan Fisher

Onvo, the mass-market electric vehicle brand under Nio, said deliveries of its L90 full-size electric sport utility vehicle reached 40,000 units within four months of launch, marking the fastest delivery ramp so far for a domestically produced all-electric SUV in its size class in China. The delivery milestone was announced on Dec. 4 and follows the market debut of the three-row L90 on July 31. The model is the second vehicle launched under the Onvo brand, which was established to target family-oriented buyers in China’s highly competitive electric vehicle market. The Onvo L90 is available in six-seat and seven-seat configurations…

Scout Motors is developing a bespoke sound profile for its upcoming electric vehicles as the revived off-road brand moves closer to production of its Traveler SUV and Terra pickup, company executives said, aiming to give the vehicles a distinctly American acoustic identity. Chris Benjamin, Scout’s chief design officer, said the company’s user-experience team has been traveling across the United States to capture natural mechanical and environmental sounds that will form the basis of more than 40 custom audio cues, including sounds for door locks, turn signals, alerts and vehicle start-up. “All of the sounds inside the vehicle, we want them…

Spy photos circulating on Chinese social media have revealed the Zeekr 8X hybrid SUV for the first time, marking the electric vehicle maker’s second plug-in hybrid model following the recent launch of the Zeekr 9X. Multiple automotive bloggers shared two images on Weibo this week, identifying the camouflaged vehicle as the Zeekr 8X. The model is expected to make its debut in the first quarter of 2026 with an estimated starting price of around 400,000 yuan ($56,580), while the core sales range is projected at 450,000 to 500,000 yuan, according to local media outlet Yiche. See also: Zeekr Launches Crowdfunding…

Tesla has expanded its Tesla Semi sales and business development team by hiring two senior executives from the electric trucking sector, a move that signals preparations for broader commercial deployment as the company advances construction of a high-volume production line at Gigafactory Nevada. The Tesla Semi, originally unveiled in 2017 and initially slated for production in 2019, has experienced repeated delays. Tesla introduced what it called the “production version” of the Semi in late 2022 and delivered a limited number of vehicles, but the programme has remained in low-volume pilot production at its Nevada facility. A new high-capacity production line…

Great Wall Motor’s WEY brand unveiled a wide-ranging renewal plan at Auto Guangzhou 2025 on Nov. 21, outlining upgrades across product value, brand image, customer experience and service operations. The initiative marks the start of a new development cycle for the premium marque as it seeks to strengthen its position in China’s competitive high-end vehicle market. As part of the announcement, GWM introduced its VLA ADAS foundation model, expanding the group’s investment in generative-model-based intelligent driving technology. The company said the first application of the VLA platform will be a driver-assistance system called CP Master, which will launch on upcoming…

Polestar has introduced its first bi-directional charging offer in the United States, enabling Polestar 3 owners in California to use their vehicles as a power source for home energy and grid support. The rollout marks the company’s initial step toward broader commercial deployment of vehicle-to-home (V2H) and smart charging functions. The Swedish EV maker partnered with home-energy company dcbel to provide a package that includes the Ara home energy system, blackout protection and smart charging management. Polestar said the solution operates on the model’s 400-volt electrical architecture and uses direct current to support energy transfer in both directions. According to…

South Korea will raise its subsidies for electric and fuel cell vehicles at the beginning of next year as part of a broader plan to support the transition toward future mobility technologies. The government said subsidies will increase from 780 billion won (about €461 million) to 936 billion won (about €555 million) in 2026, a 20% rise compared with current funding levels. The new policy package includes a one-million-won (roughly €590) replacement bonus for drivers who scrap older combustion-engine vehicles and purchase a battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell model. Additional programmes will be introduced for electric and hydrogen-powered buses. The…

Peugeot has unveiled the Polygon concept car, offering what appears to be the first preview of the next-generation Peugeot 208, which is expected to be sold exclusively as the all-electric e-208. Although the Stellantis-owned brand has not directly confirmed the link, it said the Polygon “previews the Peugeots of tomorrow,” and several elements match features previously reported for the upcoming model. See also: Peugeot to Launch Next-Generation e-208 in 2026 on Stellantis’ New STLA Small Platform The concept introduces a reworked steering system built around Peugeot’s new Hypersquare controller and drive-by-wire technology. It also features an adaptive steering ratio that…

Li Auto  has once again restructured its corporate organization amid a steep decline in sales this year, consolidating its human resources operations and tightening executive oversight. According to a report by Chinese outlet 21jingji, the company announced in an internal memo on Tuesday that its two human resources departments have been merged into a single unified HR unit. The new department will be led by Yang Haishan, who will report directly to CEO Li Xiang. See also: Li Auto’s EREV Deliveries Surpass 1.4 Million Units Despite 2025 Sales Declines The reorganization increases the number of departments reporting directly to Li…

Genesis Motor UK has named Ohme as its new and exclusive home EV charging partner, expanding its customer offering with integrated charging solutions and support. Under the agreement, Ohme will supply charging units, provide installation services, and deliver after-sales assistance through Genesis’ retail network. The partnership aims to simplify electric vehicle ownership and encourage customers to switch to EVs through a seamless referral process. Ohme will manage the full customer journey—from charger supply and installation to service support—while also providing training and guidance for Genesis retailers to help facilitate customer onboarding. See also: Genesis Delays Next-Generation G80 EV Until At…

Inceptio Technology, a Chinese autonomous trucking company, is demonstrating how semi-autonomous systems can deliver measurable safety and economic gains ahead of full driverless commercialization. According to market research firm IDTechEx, trucks equipped with Inceptio’s L2+ Xuanyuan platform now collectively travel over one million kilometers every day across China, illustrating the success of an “assist first, automate later” approach in the logistics sector. To date, Inceptio’s L2+ trucks have surpassed 300 million cumulative autonomous kilometers, achieving more than 90% system engagement on highways. This high utilization rate has led to a 94% reduction in accident rates and a 40% drop in…

Norwegian battery materials producer Vianode will construct a large-scale synthetic anode graphite production facility in St. Thomas, Ontario, near the site of PowerCo’s battery plant. The multi-phase investment is expected to begin with over 2 billion Canadian dollars (€1.2 billion) and eventually scale production to 150,000 tonnes per year, with operations scheduled to start in 2028. The initial phase is expected to create around 300 jobs, rising to as many as 1,000 with full expansion. The facility, named “Via Two,” will follow Vianode’s first plant, “Via One,” in Herøya, Norway, which has been operational since 2024. Vianode has been producing…

At 4.7 metres long, the Smart #5 is the brand’s largest model to date, positioned to compete with vehicles such as the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y. UK customers can choose from six trim levels—Pro, Pro+, Premium, Pulse, Summit Edition, and Brabus—all sharing the same core powertrain. The entry-level Pro trim comes with a 76 kWh battery and a 249 kW electric motor, providing a range of around 288 miles on a single charge. Higher trims feature a 100 kWh battery and a 357 bhp electric motor, with 800-volt architecture enabling fast charging and a range of up to…

Renault’s electric vehicle division Ampere has signed a development agreement with Stratus Materials, a U.S.-based battery materials developer, to evaluate cobalt-free lithium-ion battery technology as part of the carmaker’s efforts to diversify its energy storage portfolio. The collaboration marks the first step toward assessing the potential of Stratus’s LXMO (Lithium-X-Manganese Oxide) cathode material for use in Renault Group’s electric vehicle lineup, the companies said in a joint statement. The two firms will work together to test the material’s energy density, cost-effectiveness, and performance in electric vehicle–format battery cells. See also: Renault’s Ampere Opens Battery Cell Laboratory to Boost EV Innovation…

Waymo co-Chief Executive Officer Tekedra Mawakana said companies developing autonomous vehicles should do more to demonstrate that their technology is safe, calling for greater transparency across the industry. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Mawakana emphasized that safety and openness must remain at the forefront as self-driving technologies move closer to large-scale deployment. “I don’t know who’s on that list, because they’re not telling us what’s happening with their fleets,” Mawakana said when asked which companies she believes are contributing to safer roads. She highlighted Waymo’s recently released safety data, which the company says shows its vehicles are five times safer…

Stellantis and autonomous driving company Pony.ai announced on Friday that they have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the development and deployment of robotaxi solutions across Europe. The collaboration will combine Pony.ai’s autonomous driving software with Stellantis’ AV-Ready Platform – BEV version, starting with medium-sized vans. Pony.ai’s European division, headquartered in Luxembourg, will lead the project, with the first Peugeot e-Traveller–based test vehicles expected to hit the road in the coming months. Broader deployment across European cities is targeted for 2026, as both companies work to validate safety, performance, and regulatory readiness. See also: Pony.ai and…

Daimler Buses said it will become a charge point operator and install its own public charging stations for electric buses beginning in 2026, with the rollout starting in Cologne and expanding to high-traffic tourist locations across Europe. The initiative aims to support the wider adoption of battery-electric buses, particularly in the long-distance coach segment where infrastructure has so far been limited. Ahead of the official debut of the Mercedes-Benz eIntouro electric intercity bus at this year’s Busworld exhibition in Brussels, the manufacturer confirmed its first pilot site will include four fast-charging points of up to 400 kW each at Cologne’s…

Great Wall Motor posted record monthly sales in September, delivering 133,639 vehicles, up 23.29% from a year earlier and 15.65% from August, the Chinese automaker said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company’s overseas sales reached 50,269 units in September, a record high, rising 13.98% year-on-year and 11.30% month-on-month, and accounting for 37.62% of total deliveries. See also: GWM’s Ora Brand Launches Ora 5 Electric SUV After Two-Year Product Gap Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) also set a new monthly record at 45,961 units, an increase of 52.55% compared with a year earlier and 22.58%…

Clean Energy Fuels said it will design, construct, and maintain a second hydrogen fueling station for Foothill Transit in Arcadia, California, as the transit agency expands its fleet of zero-emission buses. The $11.3 million project is partially funded by federal and state grants. The new station will serve an initial order of 19 hydrogen fuel cell buses and is scheduled to begin construction in mid-2026. It follows Foothill Transit’s first hydrogen facility in Pomona, which has been operational since June 2023. Chad Lindholm, senior vice president at Clean Energy, said: “We’re proud to support their transition to clean fuels –…

Kia America has announced the 2026 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), featuring updated styling, new trims, and enhanced performance options. The SUV’s starting price is $38,890 for the EX front-wheel-drive trim. The model introduces the X-Line SX-Prestige trim, featuring blackout exterior accents and glossy black wheels, alongside standard Terrain Mode on all all-wheel-drive (AWD) models for improved handling across diverse terrains. The Sorento HEV’s interior receives updates including a new steering wheel with hands-on detection technology and a one-tone black leather-trimmed option, replacing the previous Dust Blue interior. The EX Premium Package adds Bose Premium Audio, a panoramic roof, and second-row Captain’s…