Author: Todd Gilbert

Mercedes-Benz has begun taking orders across Europe for its new fully electric GLC, following its debut at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. The GLC 400 4MATIC, powered by a 360 kW dual-motor setup, is available in Germany starting at €71,281 or through private leasing from €475 per month. Mercedes said the pricing positions the electric GLC competitively against its combustion-engine counterpart. While the entry-level GLC 200 d 4MATIC starts below €59,000, the plug-in hybrid GLC 400 e 4MATIC—offering similar combined power—retails at €64,340. To match the new EV’s performance among combustion models, buyers would need to consider AMG variants…

Michigan has approved new vehicle registration fee increases for electric and plug-in hybrid cars as part of a broader effort to overhaul its road funding system, a move that could make owning an electric vehicle more expensive for drivers in the state. The changes follow Michigan’s decision to eliminate the sales tax on gasoline and replace it with an equivalent increase in the state’s fuel tax. While the shift leaves gasoline vehicle owners paying roughly the same overall amount, the adjustment automatically triggers additional registration fees for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles under state law. See also: Michigan Expands Clean…

The government of the Canary Islands has introduced a new €1.875 million funding programme to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles among professional passenger transport operators, including taxis, buses, and ride-hailing services such as Uber. Announced by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Energy, the scheme offers subsidies to support the purchase of new electric or other zero-emission vehicles. The funding is targeted at companies and individuals holding licences for public or private passenger transport, including local public transport firms and taxi operators. Ride-hailing drivers are also eligible, with Uber currently operating across Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. See…

GZM Metropolis, an association of municipalities in Poland’s Silesia region, has placed an order for 42 Solaris electric buses along with depot charging infrastructure. The contract includes 24 twelve-metre Urbino 12 electric and 18 eighteen-metre Urbino 18 electric models, all destined for PKM Świerklaniec. Deliveries are scheduled for the first half of 2026. This marks the second agreement between Solaris and GZM Metropolis, following a 2022 contract for 32 electric buses delivered in 2023 to operators in Katowice, Gliwice, Sosnowiec, and Świerklaniec. See also: Transdev Nederland Orders 55 Solaris Electric Buses for Arnhem, Nijmegen, and Foodvalley The Urbino 12 and…

Luxeed, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Chery, is set to use higher-cost battery cells from CATL for certain vehicle models due to limited supply from its primary battery supplier, CALB, according to a report by Chinese media outlet Lanjinger. The decision highlights growing supply pressures in China’s battery industry as automakers rush to meet rising demand driven by new vehicle launches and expiring tax incentives. See also: Huawei, Chery’s Luxeed Launches Updated S7 Sedan and R7 SUV With Lower Prices The report said a batch of 82-kWh batteries from CATL will replace CALB units in select Luxeed…

Motor Fuel Group (MFG), a UK-based operator of petrol forecourts, has completed the installation of a new network of electric vehicle fast chargers at Morrisons supermarket car parks, the company said on Wednesday. The rollout includes more than 580 rapid “EV Power” charging bays across 300 Morrisons locations nationwide. According to MFG, the completion makes Morrisons the UK food retailer with the largest number of fast-charging bays. The rollout was completed within five months, with MFG stating that its rapid chargers can “typically bring an EV back up to full charge in 45 minutes,” roughly the time it takes to…

Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC Private Limited has filed a lawsuit against Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio Inc, alleging the company may have inflated revenue through its battery affiliate Mirattery. The case, first reported by Chinese media outlet Caixin, centers on Nio’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) model and the timing of revenue recognition. GIC claims that Nio improperly recognized full battery sales revenue upfront via Mirattery, a joint venture established with CATL, Guotai Junan, and Hubei Science Technology Investment. The fund contends that if Nio had followed installment-based accounting methods, its reported financial performance would have been significantly lower,…

BYD announced that its vehicles now generate more than 100 million kilometers of assisted driving data every day in China, fueling the rapid evolution of its smart driving algorithms. As of the end of September, cumulative sales of BYD models equipped with assisted driving systems exceeded 1.7 million units, producing more than 110 million kilometers of real-world driving data daily, the company said on Weibo. See also: BYD Favors Spain for Potential Third European Car Plant In September alone, BYD sold 295,606 vehicles with assisted driving features, accounting for 91.3 percent of its total domestic sales. This included 266,248 BYD-branded…

Norway will phase out its main electric vehicle subsidies over the next two years, the government said on Wednesday, adding thousands of dollars to the price of popular models such as Tesla’s Model Y. The decision marks a shift from the country’s long-standing policy of heavy EV incentives as it nears its goal of ending petrol and diesel car sales by 2025. Fully electric vehicles accounted for a record 98.3% of new car registrations in September, reflecting Norway’s near-complete transition to zero-emission transport. For years, the oil-rich nation exempted EVs from most taxes applied to combustion-engine vehicles, costing the state…

Tesla is facing mounting legal pressure in Australia as a class action lawsuit over its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system gains support from thousands of vehicle owners. The law firm handling the case confirmed that participation has surged, making it one of the largest actions against the automaker outside the United States. The lawsuit targets Model 3 and Model Y vehicles purchased or leased between May 2021 and February 2025. It alleges that Tesla misled consumers on the capabilities of its FSD system, safety features, and advertised driving range. Additional claims include “phantom braking,” where the Autopilot system unexpectedly applies emergency…

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has launched a $4.9 million grant program to help public school districts adopt electric school buses in 2026. The program provides funding for both vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure. The 2026 Electric School Bus Grant Program offers grants covering up to 120% of the incremental cost of eligible buses. See also: Zenobe Launches 35 Electric School Buses in Massachusetts With Public-Private Partners Funds can also be used for installation of charging equipment and related expenses. Applications are open until Dec. 16, 2025, with eligibility and application details available on the MEA’s program webpage. The initiative…

The Supervisory Board of Seat and Cupra has appointed Markus Haupt as the permanent Chief Executive Officer of both brands, following his tenure as interim CEO since April. Haupt previously served as Head of Production. The appointment comes after Wayne Griffiths’ departure from the Seat CEO role earlier this year. Haupt’s leadership will focus primarily on expanding the Cupra brand while overseeing Seat’s complete model portfolio and growing international presence. “Markus brings over two decades of experience across multiple brands and countries within the Group,” said Thomas Schäfer, Chair of the Seat and Cupra Supervisory Board. “His deep expertise in…