Author: Ryan Hayes

Scottish electric vehicle manufacturer Munro plans to establish a new production facility in the UK in 2027 as it seeks to expand manufacturing capacity for its industrial electric vehicles. The company said the planned factory will support growing demand from customers in sectors including mining, defence, construction and other heavy-duty industries. Expanding Domestic Manufacturing Munro chief executive Avinash Rugoobur told the Financial Times that the facility will primarily serve domestic customer demand, with annual production eventually scaling to thousands of vehicles. According to Rugoobur, the company’s specialist focus and relatively small operational footprint make UK-based manufacturing commercially viable despite higher…

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Spectre Series II, an updated version of its first all-electric production model, featuring a larger battery, increased driving range and improved charging performance. The update marks the first major technical revision for the electric luxury coupé since its launch in 2022. Larger Battery Boosts Range The Spectre Series II adopts new battery technology derived from the latest generation of BMW electric vehicles. The model now features a 112.5 kWh battery pack using sixth-generation cylindrical battery cells, replacing the previous 101.7 kWh battery. According to Rolls-Royce, the larger battery increases the vehicle’s driving range by up to…

GAC’s AION brand has officially launched the AION V electric SUV in the United Kingdom, with prices starting at £36,450 on the road, as the Chinese automaker advances its international expansion strategy. The launch is being led by AION Auto UK, a joint venture between GAC International and Jameel Motors. Sales were formally inaugurated at the company’s new headquarters in Slough, while the first retail locations are opening to customers this week. Nationwide Aftersales Network in Place As AION begins operations in the UK market, the company has partnered with established service providers to ensure nationwide customer support while its…

First Bus is preparing to introduce a fleet of repowered electric buses in Bath as part of a broader program to expand zero-emission public transport across the West of England. The converted vehicles will enter service over the coming months alongside newly built battery-electric buses being deployed in Bath, Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. The latest rollout forms part of a wider investment initiative aimed at accelerating the electrification of the company’s regional bus operations. Electric Fleet Expansion Continues First Bus said 27 repowered electric buses will be introduced in Bath, complementing 17 new battery-electric buses for the city. The operator is…

West Yorkshire Combined Authority has awarded a contract worth up to £100 million to Wrightbus for the supply of 193 battery-electric buses that will operate on the region’s planned Weaver Network public transport system. The order includes both single-deck and double-deck electric buses, with deliveries scheduled to take place in phases between spring 2027 and late 2028. According to the authority, the vehicles will form part of the Weaver Network, an integrated transport system being introduced under a franchising model that will give public authorities greater control over bus services across West Yorkshire. New Fleet to Support Network Launch The…

Gridserve has opened a new Electric Super Hub at Moto Lymm Services in north-west England, adding 24 ultra-rapid charging bays to its growing network of electric vehicle charging sites across the UK. Located at Junction 20 of the M6 and Junction 9 of the M56, the facility sits on a key transport corridor connecting Liverpool and Manchester. Gridserve said the new chargers are capable of delivering up to 400 kW of power, enabling compatible electric vehicles to add up to 100 miles (161 km) of driving range in less than 10 minutes. The new installation complements six existing Gridserve fast…

Electric vehicle owners in the United Kingdom could face higher home charging costs from July after energy regulator Ofgem announced an increase in the electricity price cap for customers on standard variable tariffs. The maximum electricity charge will rise from 24.67 pence per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 26.11 pence/kWh from July 1. According to Ofgem, the increase has been influenced by higher global energy prices linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Research conducted by automotive publication What Car? found that the higher tariff could increase annual home charging costs for some of Britain’s most popular electric vehicles by between…

Wayve, Nissan and Uber have joined Partners for Automated Vehicle Education UK (PAVE UK) as the organisation’s first industry members, supporting efforts to improve public understanding of autonomous vehicle technology ahead of planned commercial deployments in the United Kingdom. The move comes as Wayve and Uber prepare to launch autonomous vehicle trials in London later this year. Expanding Public Engagement Efforts PAVE UK was established in 2024 by a group of public-sector and academic organisations, including the UK Department for Transport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), Transport for West Midlands, and…

BYD has launched the Dolphin Cargo in the UK, introducing a compact electric light commercial vehicle derived from the Dolphin passenger hatchback. The new model is available to order through participating BYD retailers, with prices starting at £29,358 excluding VAT (£36,305 including VAT). The Dolphin Cargo has been developed through a UK-based conversion programme that transforms the standard Dolphin hatchback into a commercial vehicle. The process involves the permanent removal of the rear seats and installation of a full metal bulkhead behind the front seats, creating a dedicated cargo area tailored to the needs of fleet and business users. UK…

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has awarded Wrightbus a contract for 125 additional battery-electric buses, expanding the region’s efforts to transition the Bee Network to a fully zero-emission fleet by the end of the decade. The latest order follows a previous contract awarded to Wrightbus in March for 55 electric buses and forms part of Greater Manchester’s broader strategy to electrify public transport across the region. Of the 125 newly ordered vehicles, 100 will be allocated to Metroline Manchester and operated from the Hyde Road depot, which is currently being upgraded to accommodate a larger fleet of battery-electric buses. TfGM…

UK-based fleet electrification company Zenobē has financed more than 280 electric buses for transport operator Go-Ahead Group under what the companies described as the bus industry’s first committed finance framework agreement (CFFA). The arrangement provides Go-Ahead with a pre-agreed scalable credit line that can be drawn down when needed, supporting the company’s plan to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2035. According to the companies, the framework replaces repeated lease negotiations for individual vehicle orders with a single pre-arranged financing structure, allowing faster access to funding under fixed commercial terms. The more than 280 electric buses financed so far have…

An Post said it has reduced carbon emissions by 50% compared with 2009 levels, reaching its emissions target three months ahead of schedule as electric vehicles now account for more than half of its delivery fleet. The company said the milestone was achieved in September 2025 but disclosed the results in its newly released 2025 Sustainability Report. According to the report, An Post deployed 575 new electric vans during the first half of this year. Around 30% of the additions replaced diesel-powered vehicles, while the remainder replaced earlier-generation electric vans with lower battery range. The postal operator said its delivery…

JLR will preview the Range Rover Electric, the first fully electric vehicle to carry the Range Rover nameplate, at a series of invitation-only events during summer 2026 ahead of the model’s order book opening later this year. The pre-production vehicle made its first public appearance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on May 18, with additional showcase events planned in Sardinia and at the Wimbledon Championships. JLR said the electric model retains the traditional Range Rover design silhouette, with exterior differences limited to details including a flush front grille and unique wheel center caps intended to distinguish the battery-electric version.…

The Department for Transport has opened applications for operators seeking to run self-driving taxi, bus and private hire-style services across United Kingdom, marking the first time commercial autonomous passenger transport services will be permitted on public roads in Great Britain under British legislation. The pilot programme, announced on May 22, 2026, is expected to enable passenger bookings for autonomous transport services later this year. According to the government, operators will be required to undergo regulatory approval processes covering vehicle safety and cyber-security standards, while also securing local authorization from transport authorities including Transport for London where applicable. The scheme follows…

Cupra has opened pre-orders in the United Kingdom for its all-electric Raval compact hatchback, with prices starting at £23,785 for the entry-level Origin version. The Raval is built on the Volkswagen Group MEB+ electric vehicle platform and becomes one of the first production models to use the updated architecture. The model is Cupra’s third battery-electric vehicle following the Cupra Born and Cupra Tavascan. First customer deliveries in the UK are expected later this year. The Origin trim combines a 37kWh battery pack with a 115PS electric motor and offers a WLTP driving range of up to 186 miles. Higher-specification variants…

Kia is reportedly preparing to launch its entry-level electric vehicle, the Kia EV1, in 2028 with a starting price of between 20,000 euros ($22,000) and 22,000 euros in Europe, according to comments attributed to a senior company executive. British automotive publication Auto Express reported that Ted Lee, executive vice president and head of global operations at Kia, said the EV1 is expected to launch at around 20,000 euros in mainland Europe and approximately £17,000 in the United Kingdom. The report said Hyundai Motor Group is jointly developing a new electric vehicle architecture for both Kia and Hyundai entry-level EVs. According…

Toyota has announced UK pricing and specifications for the ninth-generation Toyota Hilux BEV, marking the debut of the company’s first fully electric Hilux model. The battery-electric pickup will start at £57,845 in the UK before application of the government’s £5,000 plug-in van grant, reducing the effective entry price to £52,845. Toyota said order books for the electric Hilux will open on June 1, with first customer deliveries scheduled to begin later the same month. The company will offer the Hilux BEV in two trim levels, Icon and Invincible. The higher-specification Invincible version is priced from £60,695 before government incentives. The…

Peugeot has released UK pricing and specifications for its updated 408 lineup, including the fully electric Peugeot E-408, as the automaker expands its electrified vehicle range in the British market. The revised 408 family includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric variants. Peugeot said prices for the hybrid model start at £31,995, while the all-electric E-408 begins at £34,195 before application of the UK government’s £1,500 Electric Car Grant, reducing the effective entry price to £32,695. The updated E-408, first unveiled in January, is equipped with a 58-kWh battery paired with a 157-kW electric motor producing 343 Nm of torque. According…

Jaguar has revealed the name of its upcoming all-electric grand tourer, confirming that the new four-door model will be called the Type 01 as part of the company’s transition into a new electric-era lineup. The British brand, owned by JLR, said the “Type” designation references Jaguar’s historic naming tradition dating back to the 1951 C-Type race car, while the “0” symbolizes electric propulsion and zero-emission driving. The “1” identifies the model as the first vehicle in Jaguar’s next-generation electric portfolio. Jaguar Managing Director Rawdon Glover said the company aimed to combine its heritage with a redesigned electric future. “We have…

BYD is preparing overseas expansion plans for the second-generation Yuan Plus electric SUV, which the company intends to market internationally under the name Atto 5. The updated model was first unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show in April. According to a report from Auto Trader NZ, New Zealand will become the first international market where BYD has officially confirmed the launch of the vehicle as the Atto 5, with sales scheduled to begin in 2027. The new naming strategy positions the vehicle above the current Atto 3, which is the international name used for the first-generation Yuan Plus in most…