Author: Thomas Schmidt

Tesla has quietly discontinued the Cybertruck Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) in the United States, less than six months after its debut. The move leaves the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and higher-end Cyberbeast trims as the only available options, priced at US$79,990 and US$114,990, respectively. The Long Range RWD, which launched at US$69,990 before incentives, was marketed as the most affordable version of Tesla’s electric pickup. It offered an estimated 350 miles (563 km) of range, 7,500-pound towing capacity, and a 0–60 mph acceleration of 6.2 seconds. The RWD variant was lighter than the AWD model due to coil springs replacing…

WeRide has launched operations in Belgium with the debut of its Robobus in Leuven, expanding its footprint to 11 global markets. The project is being carried out in partnership with Flemish public transport operator De Lijn, the City of Leuven, and mobility consultancy Espaces-Mobilités. Mapping of the Robobus route began this week in downtown Leuven, running between Leuven Station and Heverlee. The corridor, one of the city’s busiest with high traffic density and links to a major transport hub, was selected to reflect typical Belgian urban conditions. Public road testing with a safety officer onboard is scheduled to start in…

Qualcomm Technologies and French automotive supplier Valeo said on Tuesday they are broadening their collaboration to jointly deliver scalable Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving (AD) platforms, aiming to speed up automakers’ transition toward software-defined vehicles. The strengthened partnership combines Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Ride™ SoCs and Ride Flex platforms with Valeo’s expertise in sensors, system integration, and automotive software. The companies said the integrated platform is designed to provide automakers with a pre-validated, production-ready system that reduces complexity and accelerates time-to-market for next-generation vehicles. The offering will support a wide range of driving functions, including hands-off driving on highways, automated…

Honda will unveil its first full-size electric motorcycle on September 16, based on the EV Fun concept, marking the Japanese company’s entry into the segment of highway-capable electric two-wheelers with DC fast charging. Test rides of prototypes in Europe suggest the new model will use the CCS2 connector, a rare feature in motorcycles, underscoring Honda’s ambition to compete in the high-performance electric segment. According to Motorcycle magazine, one prototype showed a range of 44 km at 34% battery, pointing to a potential full-charge range of around 129 km (80 miles). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z53RrXivk-8 The model takes design cues from Honda’s EV Fun…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor expects its global sales to reach 1 million units in 2026 and climb to 4 million annually within the next decade, with about 60% coming from markets outside China, Chief Executive Zhu Jiangming said on Monday. “We are in the middle of our journey,” Zhu told Reuters in an interview at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich. “Most of our sales growth will come from overseas because that’s where we see the biggest potential.” See also: China’s Leapmotor Raises $364 Million in Private Placement, Adds Four State-Owned Shareholders Leapmotor plans to more than double…

German motorhome manufacturer Dethleffs has unveiled its e.home ECO concept, a fully electric motorhome that demonstrates the potential for sustainable, emission-free travel in the recreational vehicle sector. The vehicle debuted at Caravan Salon 2025 as part of the company’s “Destination Future” initiative, with plans for a production-ready model by 2028. The e.home ECO is built on the 2023 Ford E-Transit platform and features rear-wheel drive. Its electric motor delivers 135 kW (184 hp) and currently provides a WLTP range of around 240 kilometers (150 miles). Dethleffs aims to increase this to at least 400 kilometers (248 miles) in the production…

Hesai Technology said it has been designated the exclusive short-range lidar supplier for Motional’s all-electric Ioniq 5 robotaxi, cementing a partnership that has spanned more than two years. The agreement highlights the growing role of lidar in ensuring safety and performance for Level 4 autonomous vehicles, which are designed to operate without human intervention in most driving conditions. Motional, a developer of driverless technology backed by Hyundai and Aptiv, is preparing to scale robotaxi services across multiple cities through partnerships with global ride-hailing platforms. “Lidar serves as the ‘eye’ of an autonomous vehicle,” Hesai said, noting that its solutions have…

A Quebec Superior Court judge has declared the North American arm of Swedish battery maker Northvolt insolvent, after the provincial government moved to recover C$260 million ($190 million) in public funds, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on Friday. Justice Janet Michelin granted creditor protection to Northvolt Batteries North America earlier this week following the province’s request, the report said. The ruling follows the collapse of Northvolt in March, when the company reported $8 billion in debt after losing customer orders, investor support, and falling short of production targets. Canada’s federal government has been exploring options to salvage the project.…

MAN Truck & Bus said its fully electric trucks have covered more than five million kilometres in real-world customer operations since the beginning of 2025, marking a key milestone as the company ramps up series production. Around 200 battery-electric vehicles are currently deployed with European logistics providers including DB Schenker, Dachser, Duvenbeck and Dräxlmaier. The trucks, which average 90 kWh per 100 km in energy use, have saved an estimated 3,600 tonnes of CO2 compared with diesel trucks, the company said. Based on a projected lifetime mileage of 1.2 million km per vehicle, total savings could reach about 172,000 tonnes…

Tesla said on Friday it has installed more than one million Powerwalls globally, underscoring the rapid expansion of residential energy storage and the growing role of decentralized grids. The company said Powerwalls are now deployed in 30 countries and have collectively generated and stored 17.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar energy. Tesla added the systems have prevented more than 21 million power outages from affecting customers. https://twitter.com/teslaenergy/status/1963634166961934808 Since its debut in 2015, the Powerwall has moved from a niche product for early adopters to a mass-market solution. Tesla reached 100,000 installations in 2020, 250,000 in late 2021, and 500,000 in early…

Astemo Americas, Inc., a subsidiary of automotive supplier Astemo Ltd., said on Wednesday it will invest $95 million to build a new regional headquarters in Wixom, Michigan, in a move aimed at strengthening its role in autonomous driving and electrification software. The project is expected to create 200 jobs, more than 150 of which will be engineering positions. The 26-acre campus, located along I-96, will include a 185,000-square-foot main building for office and laboratory space, along with on-site test tracks. The facility will house engineering, software development, marketing, and customer service teams, with construction set to begin in spring 2026…

Hyundai Motor America reported record sales in August, buoyed by strong demand for electric vehicles as U.S. consumers moved to secure federal clean vehicle tax credits set to expire on September 30. The automaker sold 88,523 units last month, a 12% increase from a year earlier and the highest August figure in its history. EV sales grew 72% year-on-year, led by the Ioniq 5, which rose 61% to 7,773 units. The Ioniq 6 posted a 30% increase with 1,047 deliveries, while the newly launched Ioniq 9 sold 1,016 units. Among Hyundai’s broader lineup, the redesigned Palisade three-row crossover recorded a…