Author: Todd Gilbert

Chinese automaker BYD has launched its latest electric sedan, the Qin L EV, with more than 10,000 units sold in the vehicle’s first week on the market. The model, which debuted on March 24, is positioned as an affordable alternative to Tesla’s Model 3 in China, with a starting price of 119,800 yuan (approximately $16,500). Comparable in size to the Tesla Model 3, the Qin L EV measures 4,720 mm in length, 1,880 mm in width, and 1,495 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm. While offering a similar footprint, the Qin L undercuts the Model 3 in…

Hyundai has revealed a fully redesigned version of its hydrogen-powered Nexo at the Seoul Mobility Show, signaling the automaker’s continued commitment to fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology despite limited global infrastructure. Inspired by the Initium concept shown in late 2024, the production Nexo adopts a boxier profile under the brand’s new ‘Art of Steel’ design language. The vehicle’s bold aesthetic has drawn comparisons to the Pontiac Aztek, though Hyundai appears to be embracing the unconventional look as part of its strategy to stand out in the alternative fuel segment. See also: Hyundai to Establish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant in Ulsan,…

Volvo Trucks North America will integrate Greenlane’s public charging network into its Volvo Open Charge service, marking a key step in the development of electric truck infrastructure across the United States, the companies said on Thursday. The partnership begins with the opening of Greenlane’s first flagship charging location for electric trucks in Colton, California, near San Bernardino. The site will feature more than 40 public chargers for heavy-, medium-, and light-duty zero-emission vehicles. Additional locations are planned for Long Beach, Barstow, and Baker, all positioned along the I-15 corridor between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. See also: Volvo Trucks Expands…

Li Auto has set a sales target of 700,000 vehicles for 2025, representing a 40% increase from last year’s 500,508 deliveries, Chinese financial news outlet 21jingji reported, citing multiple independent sources. The company remains cautious about the sales outlook for its new battery electric vehicle (BEV) models launching this year, with a modest full-year target of 50,000 units, according to an insider. However, Li Auto has provided suppliers with a higher projection, expecting BEVs to account for over 20% of total sales—translating to more than 140,000 units. See also: Li Auto to Open-Source Halo OS, Challenging Industry Standard AUTOSAR “This…

Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Ehang has received operating licenses for its EH216-S aerial vehicle, clearing the way for paid passenger services, the company announced. Ehang’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Guangdong EHang General Aviation, and its joint venture, Hefei HeYi Aviation, were awarded the first Air Operator Certificates for pilotless civil aerial vehicles by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The approval enables commercial manned flight services, including low-altitude tourism and city tours, at operational sites in Guangzhou and Hefei. See also: EHang Forms Joint Venture for eVTOL Production in China, Completes First Urban Test Flight in Europe…

Zeekr Group reported delivering a total of 40,715 vehicles across its Zeekr and Lynk & Co brands in March, marking a 30.18% increase compared to February’s 31,277 deliveries. The company also saw a 24.58% year-on-year growth from 32,683 vehicles delivered in March 2024. The Zeekr brand alone delivered 15,422 units in March, an 18.52% increase from the previous year and a 9.85% rise over February. Meanwhile, Lynk & Co, which recently became 51% owned by Zeekr, delivered 25,293 vehicles in March, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 28.58% and a 46.73% increase from February. See also: Zeekr to Launch 1.2-MW Ultra-Fast…

BYD has reduced prices on three hybrid models in its Ocean series, following the launch of its Smart Driving Edition updates, according to information shared by a company executive on social media. The non-Smart Driving version of the Seal 06 DM-i hybrid sedan is now priced at RMB 89,800 ($12,360), down 10% from its official guide price of RMB 99,800. The non-Smart Driving version of the entry-level Seal 07 DM-i hybrid sedan has been reduced by RMB 10,000 to RMB 129,800, while the Song Plus DM-i hybrid SUV saw its price drop by RMB 16,000 to RMB 119,800. See also:…

Porsche Engineering has introduced an innovative “alternating current battery” concept for electric vehicles, integrating multiple components into a single system. Alongside this development, the company has also designed a new high-performance battery control unit. Traditionally, an electric drivetrain consists of a high-voltage battery, power electronics for converting DC to AC, and an onboard charger for AC charging. However, Porsche Engineering has reimagined this structure by dividing the high-voltage battery into 18 individual modules, each of which can be controlled separately through power semiconductor switches. This modular arrangement enables direct generation of the three-phase AC voltage required for the traction motor…

Pilot Company, General Motors, and EVgo have expanded their fast-charging network to more than 130 locations across 25 U.S. states, the companies said. The initiative, aimed at supporting long-distance electric vehicle (EV) travel, is set to grow to as many as 500 sites along key interstate highways and major travel routes. The network currently includes charging hubs along the I-75 corridor from Michigan to Georgia, as well as other high-traffic routes such as Dallas to Nashville, Detroit to Cleveland, Minneapolis to Milwaukee, and San Antonio to Houston. The companies plan to install charging stations at approximately 50-mile intervals across the…

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has spun off its skunkworks program into a new startup called Also, which has secured $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures to focus on micromobility and the development of compact electric vehicles. Initially an internal project at Rivian, Also explored whether the company’s technology could be adapted for smaller EVs, including vans, trucks, and SUVs. The findings led to the realization that Rivian’s technology stack could be applied to a new category of electric mobility. See also: Tesla, Rivian Charging Networks Rated Most Reliable in Consumer Reports Survey “We’ve been taking the Rivian technology stack…

Tesla and Rivian charging networks have the fewest reported problems among public EV charging options, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. The findings, drawn from approximately 5,700 charging sessions reported by 1,230 EV and plug-in hybrid owners, indicate that automaker-operated networks outperform independent providers in reliability. See also: Siemens to Focus on Fast Charging, Cut 450 Jobs Amid Strategic Reorganization Survey respondents reported issues with Tesla chargers 4% of the time and Rivian chargers 5% of the time. In contrast, third-party networks fared significantly worse, with Shell Recharge experiencing issues 48% of the time, EVgo 43%, and Blink 41%.…

Public transport operator Transdev has won the Hoeksche Waard/Goeree-Overflakkee (HWGO) concession in the Netherlands, with VDL Bus & Coach set to supply 42 electric buses as part of the agreement. The concession runs from December 2025 to December 2038 and will cover regional bus services connecting Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Barendrecht, and other surrounding areas. See also: Transdev Nederland Orders 96 Electric Buses from Solaris for Utrecht The vehicles, VDL’s latest generation Citea LE-122, are 12.2-meter-long low-entry buses that feature batteries integrated into the floor rather than on the roof. The design, which premiered in 2021, is expected to improve weight distribution…

Portugal has expanded its electric vehicle (EV) incentive program, increasing the maximum eligible vehicle price for its €4,000 rebate from €38,500 to €55,000, provided the EV has between six and nine seats. The incentive remains contingent on scrapping a vehicle over 10 years old that has been owned for at least a year. The rebate is part of a broader push by the Portuguese government to promote electric mobility, funded through the Environmental Fund (Fundo Ambiental). In addition to purchase incentives, EV buyers benefit from tax exemptions on road and vehicle taxes, while businesses can fully deduct VAT on electric…

Indian electric vehicle charging solutions provider ThunderPlus has partnered with commercial EV financing firm Turno to establish a megawatt charging network aimed at supporting the adoption of heavy-duty electric vehicles across the country. The companies plan to deploy 1 MW charging stations along key highways, initially focusing on the Hyderabad-Vizag corridor, a 600+ km stretch linking the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The rollout will take place in two phases, beginning with chargers on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada route before expanding to Vijayawada-Vizag. See also: India’s EV Policy to Limit Investment Credits for Charging Infrastructure “We are starting with the…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Li Auto has introduced its next-generation autonomous driving architecture, MindVLA (Visual-Language-Action), which the company claims is a major step toward achieving fully autonomous driving. Jia Peng, head of autonomous driving technology at Li Auto, unveiled the new system at the Nvidia GTC 2025 event. The model integrates spatial, linguistic, and behavioral intelligence, allowing autonomous vehicles to perceive, reason, and adapt to their surroundings. See also: Li Auto Reports In-Line Q4 Revenue as Net Income Rebounds, Gross Margin Declines “MindVLA is a Visual-Language-Action large model, but we prefer to call it a ‘robot large model,'” Li Xiang,…

Milence has announced the opening of three electric truck charging hubs along the Barcelona-Lyon freight corridor, a move aimed at enabling electrified logistics across 700 km of road. Milence, a joint venture between Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, and Traton Group, said the new hubs will connect the port of Barcelona with Lyon, France’s second-largest logistics center. The facilities, located in Perpignan, Béziers, and Malataverne, will offer fast charging for electric trucks of all brands at a standard tariff of €0.399 per kWh. See also: Milence Opens First UK Electric Truck Charging Hub at Able Humber Port Positioned along the TEN-T…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio has signed a strategic agreement with leading battery supplier CATL to develop a nationwide battery swapping network, a move aimed at improving battery service efficiency and advancing standardization efforts in the industry. Under the partnership, the two companies will build what they describe as the world’s largest and most advanced battery swapping network for passenger vehicles. The collaboration will enhance the sharing of swapping infrastructure and promote unified battery standards to accelerate the adoption of the technology, Nio said in a statement. See also: Shanghai and Hefei Introduce Battery Swap Station Subsidies, Benefiting Nio…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will begin efforts to reverse the Biden administration’s vehicle emissions rules, which would have required automakers to increase electric vehicle production in the coming years. The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader rollback of policies aimed at boosting EV adoption, including the rescission of a target that called for electric vehicles to make up at least 50% of new car sales by 2030. See also: Stellantis Warns U.S. Dealers of Competitive Risks from New Tariffs The EPA said it would reconsider its 2024 rule that sought to…

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has suspended plans to manufacture electric vehicles at Tata Motors’ upcoming $1 billion factory in southern India, citing challenges in balancing cost and quality for locally sourced components, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. “For India, all the work (on JLR electric vehicles) has stopped. Everything has been suspended since about two months,” said a supplier source. See also: Jaguar’s Type 00 Concept Makes Public Debut in Paris Amid EV Transformation JLR’s decision reflects broader industry trends, as global automakers adjust their electrification strategies amid rising competition from Chinese manufacturers, shifting consumer demand toward…

VEV, a subsidiary of energy and commodities firm Vitol, has completed work on an electric bus hub for Stagecoach in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, paving the way for the deployment of 57 electric buses in spring 2025. The new fleet will replace more than two-thirds of the diesel buses currently operating in the area. The hub, an expansion of Stagecoach’s existing Chesterfield depot, includes 27 dual DC 120 kW chargers supplied by Eko Energetyka, providing a total of 54 charging sockets. A 2.5 MVA power upgrade has also been installed, and VEV is in the process of adding rooftop solar panels, which…