Today's Automotive Pulse
Volkswagen expands Rivian stake amid $1.75B fine risk
Volkswagen is increasing its investment in Rivian while facing potential fines of $1.75 billion over regulatory concerns. The move underscores the automaker's push into electric vehicles despite mounting compliance challenges.
Also developing:
By the numbers: LTM Ltd acquires Randstad’s Europe and Australia units for $186M
EVgo (EVGO): 8 Best Fast Growing Penny Stocks to Buy Right Now
EVgo reported a record Q1 2026 revenue of $110 million, a 45% year‑over‑year increase, driven by double‑digit growth in its charging‑network sales. The company expanded its footprint to 5,280 operational stalls, adding more than 200 new DC fast‑charging locations and serving 1.7 million customer accounts. EVgo secured an amended Department of Energy loan of $750 million to fund further network scaling, posting an adjusted gross profit of roughly $30 million despite a $37 million net loss. Management reaffirmed full‑year 2026 revenue guidance of $410‑$470 million and set Q2 guidance at $75‑$85 million.
Peugeot Boss Says Bringing Back 308 GTi 'Makes a Lot of Sense'
Peugeot CEO Alain Favey told Autocar that reviving the 308 GTi as an electric model "makes a lot of sense" after the e‑208 GTi is set to launch in June at Le Mans. The e‑208 GTi will carry roughly 280 hp, marking...
Divergence in the World EV Market — Auto China 2026 vs US Market
At Auto China 2026, analysts Larry Evans and Raymond Tribdino highlighted the sheer breadth of electric‑vehicle models on display, noting a surge in Chinese EVs targeting ASEAN, South America and other export markets. They contrasted this with the United States,...
Consumers Pay Premium for Autonomy, Yet Scale Cuts Costs
People are willing to pay more for an autonomous car, but at scale they will cost much less than human rideshare
GM's Rare Quadrasteer System For Pickup Trucks Was Innovative (And A Massive Failure)
General Motors introduced Quadrasteer, a rear‑wheel steering system, on early‑2000s GMC Sierra Denali trucks, shrinking the turning radius to 37.4 ft versus the typical 43‑52 ft. The technology cost $7,000 as an option in 2002, later discounted to $1,995 before being dropped in...
Chinese EVs Absent From U.S. Roads, But Parts Under The Hood Are Alarming
Chinese-made vehicles remain absent from U.S. roads, yet Chinese auto parts have deeply infiltrated the supply chain. AlixPartners data reveal Chinese firms hold stakes in roughly 10,000 U.S. parts suppliers and supply up to 20% of components in models such...
Tesla Postpones Model S/X Signature Delivery Event, Leaving Attendees Holding the Bag
Tesla abruptly postponed the May 12, 2026 Signature Edition delivery event at its Fremont factory, notifying the 350 invited owners with a brief two‑sentence email and no new date. The buyers, who each paid $159,420 for limited‑edition Model S or Model X vehicles...
Indonesia, Philippines Launch $47 Bn Nickel Corridor to Secure EV Battery Supply
Indonesia and the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a "Nickel Corridor" that will channel $47.36 bn of investment and create 180,600 jobs by 2030. The partnership links Indonesia's downstream smelting capacity with the Philippines' upstream ore, aiming to...
China Halts New Robotaxi Licenses After Baidu Fleet Freeze
China's transport ministry announced a nationwide pause on issuing new self‑driving taxi licenses after a sudden blockage of dozens of Baidu robotaxis in Wuhan. The move, reported by Bloomberg, underscores Beijing's willingness to intervene when autonomous fleets cause public disruption...
Xiaomi Auto Goes Global: A "German Exam" That Must Be Won
Xiaomi Auto announced its first global expansion, targeting a 2027 launch in Germany. The company revealed a Munich‑based R&D center dedicated to high‑performance and luxury electric vehicles, and restructured its leadership with Yu Liguo heading overseas preparations. With over 650,000...
Cadillac Surpasses 100,000 EV Sales in the U.S.
Cadillac announced it has sold more than 100,000 electric vehicles in the United States, a milestone reached in under four years since the Lyriq debuted. The Lyriq remains the brand’s best‑selling EV, anchoring a rapidly expanding lineup that now includes...
Indonesia’s EV Transition Not Just to Cut Emissions, More So to Cut Oil Dependence, Study Says
Indonesia’s transport sector, long sustained by cheap fuel subsidies, now faces mounting fiscal strain as global oil prices surge. A new ICCT working paper highlights that fossil‑fuel subsidies consumed about 10% of the 2023 state budget while road transport accounts...
Chevy Is Discontinuing the Medium-Duty Silverado That International Builds
General Motors will cease production of its medium‑duty Silverado 4500, 5500 and 6500 models at the end of September 2026. The decision follows GM’s choice not to renew its 2015 joint‑venture contract with International, which is also shutting down its...
Forget the Massive Infotainment Screen—Older Car Dashboards Were Actually Smarter
Modern cars are swapping massive touchscreens for physical buttons after safety studies showed drivers are slower and more distracted using digital controls. An IAM RoadSmart test found infotainment systems impair reaction times more than alcohol or cannabis. Euro NCAP’s 2026...
Magna International Deploys AI Across $42 B Auto Parts Empire to Boost Factory Automation
Magna International is rolling out artificial‑intelligence tools across its 330 plants, aiming to improve product quality, equipment uptime, safety and energy efficiency. The move, described by SVP of R&D Sharath Reddy as an "amplifier" for supply‑chain resilience, marks the biggest...
NHTSA Launches Probe Into Uber‑Partner Avride After 16 Robotaxi Crashes
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a formal investigation into Avride, Uber's robotaxi partner, after 16 crashes were reported, one of which caused a minor injury. Regulators say the incidents stem from deficiencies in Avride's autonomous driving system,...
Ethiopia Leads Africa’s EV Boom as Fuel Prices Spike, $200M+ in Chinese Imports Arrive
Soaring gasoline prices have spurred a rapid rise in electric‑vehicle uptake across Africa, led by Ethiopia, which now has over 115,000 EVs and imported $200 million worth of Chinese models in 2025. The shift is reshaping demand, cutting fuel‑import bills and...
Vegas Field Report and Autonomous Trucking Earnings
Grayson Brulte’s Las Vegas field trip highlighted stark contrasts between robotaxi providers: a 67‑minute wait for a Zoox ride versus a sub‑five‑minute pairing with a Motional vehicle. At the Zoox depot he observed more Toyota Highlander test units than purpose‑built...
Japan’s Hybrid Car Strategy Gains Ground as EV Demand Rises
Japanese automakers are solidifying their lead in the global hybrid market as demand surges in emerging economies. In India, hybrid sales jumped fourfold from 98,010 units in 2020 to 362,866 in 2026, and hybrids are expected to account for about...
Understanding Hunan's Automotive Industry Cluster at a Glance | Gasgoo Global Automotive Industry Big Data
Gasgoo’s data shows Hunan’s auto sector organized around a core‑periphery model, with Chang‑Zhu‑Tan as the nucleus. Changsha leads with over 1,000 suppliers and a full‑stack vehicle‑manufacturing and intelligent‑technology ecosystem, while Zhuzhou and Xiangtan supply power‑train components and cost‑effective chassis parts...
Top 10 Destinations by BYD's Passenger Vehicle Shipments (Jan.–Mar. 2026): Brazil Leads with 89,637 Units | Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute
BYD exported 89,637 passenger vehicles in the first quarter of 2026, with Brazil accounting for more than half of the total. The shipment mix featured 53,355 battery‑electric cars and 36,282 plug‑in hybrids, underscoring a dual‑track powertrain approach. Europe delivered balanced...
Tesla Recalls 173 Rear‑wheel‑drive Cybertrucks over Brake‑rotor Flaw
Tesla announced a recall of 173 rear‑wheel‑drive Cybertruck models built between 2024 and 2026 because brake‑rotor studs can crack and separate, potentially causing loss of wheel control. The fix will replace rotors, hubs and lug nuts at no charge, highlighting...
Porsche Shuts Down Three Subsidiaries, Sparking Investment‑bank Advisory for Asset Sales
Porsche announced the closure of its Cellforce battery unit, eBike Performance and Cetitec software subsidiary, cutting more than 500 jobs. The move follows a strategic overhaul that includes the sale of Bugatti Rimac stakes to a HOF Capital‑led consortium, a...
Proficient Auto Q1 2026 Revenue Dip Highlights COO Amy Rice's Operational Playbook
Proficient Auto reported first‑quarter revenue of $93.7 million, down 1.6% year‑over‑year, while units delivered rose 1.5% to 501,850. COO Amy Rice attributed the mixed results to plant shutdowns, a new driver‑supply rule and higher fuel costs, and outlined a Q2 revenue...
Uber Rolls Out Driver‑car Program to Harvest AI Training Data for Future Robotaxis
Uber unveiled a plan to equip driver‑owned vehicles with high‑definition sensors that will record real‑world driving data for its future autonomous fleet. The initiative seeks to capture edge‑case scenarios such as stray trash cans and sudden pedestrians, data that synthetic...
Xpeng Prepares Major Product Offensive with Multiple New Filings
Xpeng has filed three new SUV models—G9L, L05 and L03—with Chinese regulators, expanding its dual‑powertrain lineup to include both BEV and EREV versions. The G9L targets the large‑SUV segment with up to 430 kW dual‑motor output, while the L05 and L03...
EU Subsidies Leave Portugal’s EV Chargers Frequently Broken
The majority of EV chargers in Portugal I run into are "out of service" I never thought much of it until this tweet Now I know companies get subsidies to install them but then there's no requirement to actually keep them working...
BYD Secures 100,000-Vehicle Order From Car Inc in Major Push for Flash Charging
Chinese EV maker BYD has signed a procurement agreement with Car Inc for 100,000 vehicles to expand the rental fleet. The deal includes installation of BYD’s second‑generation flash‑charging stations, part of its “Flash Charging China” plan to build 20,000 chargers...
Bihar Govt to Roll Out EV Charging Network Across Highways
The Bihar government will install electric vehicle charging stations along national and state highways at dhabas, hotels, motels and petrol pumps. Transport secretary Raj Kumar met with auto, petroleum and OEM representatives to set technical standards and operational guidelines. The...
Kodiak and Roehl Transport Begin Autonomous Freight Operations Between Dallas and Houston
Kodiak AI has begun autonomous freight operations with Roehl Transport, hauling trucks between Dallas and Houston four times per week. The Kodiak Driver, the company’s AI‑powered autonomous system, earned a 98‑out of‑100 VERA safety score, the highest in an independent...
Ferrari's 2-Year Waitlist Boosts Brand Desirability
Ferrari manages desirability by capping availability with a waitlist of about 20-24 months. Ferrari believes that this is the sweet spot between it being too long that clients move on and long enough that they keep desirability high by making...
Tesla's Photon-Count AI Outshines Human Vision at Night
The human-perceived RGB is image 1 and the Tesla AI photon count reconstruction is image 2. This is why Tesla FSD can see so well at night or through extreme glare. https://t.co/ttBMzgpJtd
China’s Cars Aren’t in the U.S., but Its Auto Parts Are Everywhere
Chinese firms have quietly built a massive footprint in the U.S. automotive supply chain, owning stakes in roughly 10,000 American parts suppliers. More than 60 of those suppliers are directly controlled by Chinese companies, ranging from air‑bag producers to glass...
Vegas Field Report Highlights Autonomous Trucking Earnings
The latest episode of #AutonomyMarkets is available now. Watch or listen on your favorite podcast player. Vegas Field Report and Autonomous Trucking Earnings $UBER @Waymo @zoox @nuro @motionaldrive https://t.co/K881tzCadd
EVs Set to Displace More Oil than China By
EVs slashed global motor fuel use by 2.3 million barrels per day in 2025 (over 2% of global consumption) as sales grew 20% year on year. By 2030, BNEF expects EVs will displace 5.3 million barrels/day. That's more oil than...
Winnebago Rolls Out $332K ARKA Adventure Truck for Overland Expeditions
Winnebago introduced the ARKA Adventure Truck, a $332,000 purpose‑built overland vehicle built on a Ram 5500 chassis. The model joins the Backcountry Adventure portfolio and promises modular design, high‑capacity power systems and serious off‑road capability for expedition‑focused travelers.
China's Vehicle Exports Surge 50% to 12 Million
50% y/y growth in vehicle export volumes pushed China's April vehicle exports to an annualized pace of 11.2 million. Full year exports could reach 12m, passenger car exports are on track to to 10m -- 1/2 https://t.co/7rRg8aSumT
Buy €79K Dutch Car for 113kWh V2G Battery
Not sure if there is a cheaper way to unlock a 113kWh V2G capable* battery for yourself than simply getting this €79K 🇳🇱 vehicle 🔋🔋🔋 (* probably only V2G support in D(ACH) market(s)) #alwaysbedischarging ⚡️⚡️⚡️ https://t.co/iKOOntJCs2
TSMC and Sony Form Joint Venture to Build Next‑Gen Image Sensors in Kumamoto
TSMC and Sony Semiconductor Solutions signed a non‑binding MOU to create a joint venture in Kumamoto, Japan, focused on next‑generation image sensors. Sony will hold a majority stake and the partnership will combine Sony’s sensor design expertise with TSMC’s advanced...
Record 5,000+ Chinese EVs Arrive in Brazil
"A ship from China brought over 5,000 electric cars to Brazil at once: it was the largest operation ever recorded by the port, with 5,101 vehicles disembarking in Paranaguá." https://t.co/64NwDDTaSX
Beijing Auto Show 2026 Unveils Over 30 New Autonomous Vehicle Prototypes
At the record‑breaking Beijing Auto Show 2026, Chinese manufacturers displayed more than 30 autonomous‑driving prototypes among 1,451 vehicles and 181 world premieres. The show highlighted AI‑first designs, high‑power chips and the first robotaxi without a steering wheel, underscoring a fierce...
Porsche Shuts Down Three Subsidiaries, Cuts 500 Jobs in CEO‑led Overhaul
Porsche announced the shutdown of its e‑bike, battery and networking software subsidiaries, eliminating more than 500 positions. CEO Michael Leiters said the move is essential to refocus on the core automotive business amid falling sales in North America, China and...
Tesla Recalls 173 Cybertrucks Over Wheel‑Stud Fault, Highlighting Weak Demand for Budget Model
Tesla announced a recall of 173 Cybertrucks built between August and November 2025 after NHTSA flagged brake‑rotor stud holes that can crack and let wheels separate. The defect is limited to the inexpensive rear‑wheel‑drive version, a model that sold only...
Sungrow Expert Christos Tsegkis: “The Combination of PV, Storage, and Charging Is Highly Attractive”
Sungrow, a Chinese power‑electronics pioneer, is leveraging its Munich hub to roll out a full suite of EV‑charging solutions across Europe. Its portfolio now spans AC wallboxes from 22 kW to 3.5 MW, DC chargers up to 480 kW, and the ultra‑fast ChargeStack 1000...
Nio Onvo Starts Deliveries of 2026 L90 SUV
Nio’s sub‑brand Onvo began nationwide deliveries of the 2026 L90 SUV on April 21, keeping its all‑inclusive price at 265,800 yuan ($39,090). Buyers can opt for a battery‑as‑a‑service model that drops the price to 179,800 yuan ($26,440) and receive up to 58,000 yuan ($8,530)...
Texas Drops Supervised Self‑driving; California Seeks Permit
supervised self-driving is being gradually phased out in Texas Now let’s get that permit in California
China Vehicle Exports Poised to Top 10 Million This Year
Turns out @Brad_Setser was right.. China vehicle exports might actually push beyond 10M this year ;-) #alwaysbecharging whoopsie @dunne_insights :D ⚡️⚡️⚡️ first 4 months: 3.28M ✅ #alwaysbeexporting https://t.co/e4DIpOqqST
First Bus Uses Electric Bus Depots to Support the Grid
First Bus has launched the UK’s first smart‑charging trial for its electric‑bus fleet, beginning at a Glasgow depot and slated to expand to Great Yarmouth. Partnering with Optimo Energy, the trial uses a platform that synchronises charging with real‑time grid...
Tesla Recalls some Cybertrucks for Wheel Issue, More than 200,000 Other Cars for Camera Failure
Tesla announced two separate recalls on May 9, 2026. It will fix 173 Cybertrucks from model years 2024‑2026 after rotor cracks could cause wheel‑stud separation, replacing rotors, hubs and lug nuts at no cost. A second recall affects more than 200,000 Model Y,...
New U.S. Cars Average $51,355 Price
The average marketed price of a new vehicle in the United States is $51,355 today https://t.co/KLLxi5RVIK