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
Fraunhofer IZM’s Novel SiC Inverter Hits 99% Efficiency in a 1-Liter Package for 800 V EV Drives
Fraunhofer IZM unveiled a 500‑kW silicon‑carbide inverter that occupies just one liter, delivering more than 99 % peak efficiency for 800‑V electric‑vehicle drives. The design embeds twelve SiC MOSFETs per phase directly on the PCB, uses a flat aluminum heat sink with 40 thin channels, laser‑welded busbars, and NanoLam DC‑link capacitors, achieving an effective inductance of about 1 nH and operating temperatures up to 130 °C. Compared with conventional inverters, the unit offers five times higher power density and 2.5‑times better performance, positioning it as a leading solution for high‑power EV applications. The prototype, built for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will be showcased at PCIM Europe in June.
NeuroHUD Puts Tesla Navigation and Alerts Where Drivers Can See Them
NeuroHUD, a startup targeting Tesla owners, has launched a Kickstarter for the first true heads‑up display built specifically for Tesla vehicles. The device projects navigation, speed, autopilot status and safety alerts directly into the driver’s line of sight, eliminating the...
Autonomous Freight Startups Kodiak AI Raises $100M, Humble Launches Electric Hauler
Kodiak AI closed a $100 million financing round at a steep discount, while Humble debuted its fully autonomous, cabless electric Class 8 hauler. Both moves intensify the race to modernize long‑haul trucking and reshape supply‑chain logistics.
Rivian Sets 2026 Target for Point‑to‑Point Hands‑Free Navigation to Challenge Tesla FSD
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the automaker will aim to deliver point‑to‑point hands‑free navigation by the end of 2026, a direct challenge to Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) suite. The plan includes a possible in‑house lidar effort to reduce reliance on Chinese...
Cadillac Admits that After Buying an EV, You Don’t Go Back to Gas as Sales Surpass 100K
Cadillac announced that its U.S. electric‑vehicle sales have passed the 100,000 mark, four years after launching the Lyriq. The brand now offers a full suite of luxury EVs, from the entry‑level Optiq to the ultra‑luxury Celestiq, and reports that about...
Dubai RTA to Deploy 735 Electric Buses by 2026, Nearing 800‑Bus Zero‑Emission Fleet
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority announced the addition of 735 electric buses in 2026, expanding its electric fleet to roughly 775 vehicles. The rollout, part of a strategy to reach zero‑emission public transport by 2050, is expected to avoid 59,263...
PPC Plans 34 Fast-Charging Sites in Greece and Romania
Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC) will roll out 106 fast and ultra‑fast electric‑vehicle chargers at 34 strategically placed sites across Greece and Romania. The deployment, part of the EU‑backed Blue Route 4E programme, is funded with up to €3.42 million (about $3.7 million)...
Ten More eEconic Vehicles for Frankfurt
Frankfurt's waste‑management firm FES has placed an order for ten additional Mercedes‑Benz eEconic trucks, bringing its electric low‑floor fleet to 34 units. The vehicles share a 291 kWh battery pack (97 kWh usable per pack) that supports a full day of collection...
Safety Agency Opens Probe Into Startup Avride’s Autonomous Crashes in Texas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 16 crashes involving Avride’s autonomous vehicles operating in Dallas, Texas. NHTSA says the vehicles displayed excessive assertiveness, unsafe lane changes, and failure to avoid obstacles, raising possible traffic safety...
This Autonomous Vehicle Firm Is Being Investigated For Crashes With Safety Drivers At The Wheel
Avride, a Texas‑based autonomous‑vehicle startup spun out of Yandex, is under NHTSA investigation after a series of crashes occurred while its self‑driving system was active. The preliminary report cites lane‑changing errors, failure to stop for obstacles and collisions with stationary...
Henkel Adds Specialty Tapes and AI-Powered Adhesive Simulation to Its EV Battery Portfolio
Henkel unveiled two new products for electric‑vehicle batteries at Battery Show Europe 2026: Loctite Specialty Tapes, a water‑based, low‑VOC tape line for bonding, insulation and thermal management, and Loctite Solve, an AI‑driven platform that simulates adhesive formulations virtually. The tapes...
Influencers Are Introducing US Web Surfers to Chinese EVs
U.S. influencers are showcasing Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to American audiences, generating millions of views and a surge in curiosity. A Strategic Vision survey found one‑third of prospective U.S. car buyers would consider a Chinese‑built EV, despite a 100% tariff...
Heliox Pilots Its New Flex Pro 480 kW DC Fast EV Charger with King County Metro
Heliox, a Siemens business, is piloting its new Flex Pro 480 kW DC fast charger with Seattle‑area transit agency King County Metro. The compact 12‑sq‑ft unit supports CCS1 and high‑current pantograph charging, delivering up to six simultaneous charging sessions. Operators can choose...
240 New Electric Buses Coming To German City
Hamburg announced a purchase of 240 additional electric buses slated for delivery by 2031, adding to an earlier order of 350 units due by 2030. The city already operates 432 electric buses, which represent 39% of its fleet, and the...
Kodiak AI and Bosch Test Hardware Components for Autonomous Trucking Platform
Bosch has begun supplying camera and actuation hardware to Kodiak AI, integrating early‑prototype sensors into the company’s SensorPods and testing Bosch’s camera samples for its autonomous trucking platform. The partnership, announced in January 2026, has moved from strategic alignment to joint...
Automotive Connectivity and Efficiency: Seizing the Wi-Fi 7 Opportunity—Download the Guide
Murata’s new whitepaper highlights Wi‑Fi 7 as a transformative technology for automotive connectivity, offering up to 16 spatial streams and 320 MHz channel widths. The high‑bandwidth, low‑latency link is positioned to meet the massive data demands of advanced driver‑assistance systems (ADAS) and...
Uganda Targets Fossil-Fuel Free Public Transport by 2030
Uganda announced a $1.7 billion public‑transport electrification plan aiming to replace all buses and boda‑bodas with electric models by 2030. The initiative, part of the Fourth National Development Plan and the National E‑Mobility Strategy, has already secured $800 million in funding commitments....
The New Chevy Bolt EV Delivers Nearly 300 Miles of Real-World Range for Under $30,000
Chevrolet has revived the Bolt EV for 2027, offering an EPA‑rated 262‑mile range that translated to nearly 300 miles in real‑world testing. Priced at $28,995, it becomes the most affordable EV approaching a 300‑mile range in the U.S. market. The...
India Light Vehicle Market Hits New Record in March
India’s light‑vehicle market posted a record March 2026, with total wholesales reaching 512,000 units – a 6% month‑on‑month and 17% year‑on‑year rise. Passenger‑vehicle sales climbed to 441,000 units, up 16% YoY, while light‑commercial‑vehicle volumes hit 70,000, a 20% YoY gain....
The Achilles’ Heel of China’s Supply Chain Strategy: New Technology
Chinese EV leader BYD reported its weakest first‑quarter performance in six years, with profit plunging 55% to ¥4.1 billion (about $570 million) and revenue falling 12% to ¥150 billion (roughly $21 billion). Deliveries slipped 30%, underscoring a broader slowdown in China’s new‑energy‑vehicle (NEV) market...
Chinese Domestic Demand Slumps but Production Anchored by Export Surge
China’s light‑vehicle market contracted sharply in March, with overall sales down 22% YoY to 4.9 million units and passenger‑vehicle sales falling 19% YoY. Production slipped only 4% YoY to 1.6 million units, highlighting a widening gap between output and domestic demand. Export...
Hyundai Pins Hopes on New SUV Launches in FY27 to Regain Lost Ground
Hyundai Motor India’s FY26 sales slipped 2.3% to 584,906 units, dropping to fourth place in a market that grew 8% overall. To reverse the trend, the automaker will launch two high‑volume SUVs in FY27—a compact electric SUV (Inster EV) and a...
Ola Electric Gets Nod for Mass Market Scooter From ICAT
Ola Electric’s mass‑market S1 X+ scooter has received certification from the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), a government‑approved testing body under India’s Central Motor Vehicle Rules. The 5.2 kWh model features an 11 kW mid‑drive motor, a top speed of 125 km/h and...
Malaysia Tightens Norms for Imported EVs
Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry announced that from July 1 2026 only franchise‑approved permit holders may import fully built electric vehicles (CBU) with a CIF value of at least RM200,000 (about $44,000) and a powertrain output of 180 kW. The rule...
Chinese EV Maker Leapmotor Taps Stellantis’ Spanish Plant for EU Production
Leapmotor, backed by a 21% stake from Stellantis, will add a production line at the Stellantis‑owned Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza to build Opel‑branded electric SUVs and its B10 model for Europe. The joint venture, Leapmotor International, gives Leapmotor a 49%...
Tesla Model Y First to Pass New NHTSA Safety Tests
You can hate the man, we all do, but the cars are right up there in terms of quality and safety (as long as you don't trust FSD too much). https://www.notateslaapp.com/news/4107/tesla-model-y-becomes-first-vehicle-to-pass-nhtsas-new-safety-tests
Tesla Undervalued: Driverless Robotaxis Under $500
While people online were calling me a moron, an asshole, and shitting their pants over a minor correction I was buying calls Tesla remains dramatically undervalued. There are driverless pure vision Robotaxis on the road and it’s still trading under...
Ford and Carhartt Unveil $4,200‑Plus ‘Essential Economy’ Super Duty Truck
Ford Motor Co. and workwear maker Carhartt introduced a co‑branded 2027 Super Duty pickup, priced $4,195 above the standard model and bundled with a new “From Our Business to Yours” pricing program. The launch, framed as an “essential economy” campaign,...
Sweden Pulls EV Truck Incentives, Threatens Europe's Progress
Swedish government seems to think electric does not deserve support, while arguably the best public charging network for trucks in Europe might be in Sweden, every tax incentive is now gone if I understand Magnus Nilsson correctly probably the end of...
Danish Road Authority Denies Skeptical FSD Comments, Calls Reports Confidential
Danish Road Authority responds to media (e.g, Reuters) reports on FSD: No, we haven't said anything skeptical about FSD, it's just confidential. We love debunking MSM headlines. Read the Danish Road Authority's statement on EVwire: cc @elonmusk https://t.co/astcSelEuo
Genesis Shifts to Hybrids in South Korea as EV Sales Slip 24.9% YoY
Genesis announced a hybrid rollout for its GV80, G80 and GV70 models in South Korea after domestic sales fell 24.9% year‑over‑year. The move follows a surge in hybrid demand, which captured 30.3% of Korean auto sales last year, and signals...
UK Car Makers Exceed EV Targets, Over‑comply with ZEV Mandate
FACTCHECK: What the UK car industry is not saying about EV targets Despite all the "demand is falling short" narratives, they're actually smashing it! The industry has so far "over-complied" with the ZEV mandate – and it's on track for this year too https://t.co/4OejBC5C6G...
Shipping Bottlenecks Prompt Auto Makers to Rethink Global Supply Chains
Auto manufacturers are scrambling to redesign global supply networks after the Strait of Hormuz and other key maritime routes were effectively shut down, driving up shipping costs and triggering a shift toward regional sourcing and alternative logistics.
XPENG Launches X‑Cache Accelerator, Promising 2.7× Faster AI Inference for Autonomous Driving
Chinese EV maker XPENG announced the X‑Cache “World Model Accelerator,” a plug‑and‑play hardware utility that accelerates autonomous‑driving AI inference by up to 2.7 times without retraining. The move aims to lower compute costs and improve real‑time performance in its X‑World...
Stellantis Launches $1.8 M Vehicle Dismantling Center in Morocco to Boost Circular Economy
Stellantis opened a $1.8 million vehicle dismantling center in Casablanca, Morocco, capable of handling up to 10,000 end‑of‑life cars per year. The site marks the automaker’s third global dismantling plant and the first in the Middle East and Africa, reinforcing its...
Trudeau’s Big EV Bet Is Officially a Flop – by John Ivison (National Post – May 6, 2026)
Canada’s high‑profile push to become North‑America’s EV hub hit a setback when Honda announced the indefinite suspension of its $15 billion (≈ $11 bn USD) electric‑vehicle plant in Ontario. The move underscores the fragility of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s strategy, which hinged on...
Aeva Delivers Atlas 4D LiDAR C‑samples to Daimler Truck for Autonomous Freightliner Cascadia
Aeva has shipped Atlas 4D LiDAR C‑samples to Daimler Truck North America for integration into the autonomous Freightliner Cascadia. The FMCW sensor, capable of detecting objects up to 500 metres, moves the program closer to series production and highlights a deepening...
ITS ISTANBUL: Swedish C-ITS Safety Paper Takes Top Technical Award
At the 17th Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in Istanbul, three awards recognized excellence in connected‑vehicle research and deployment. A Swedish team won the Technical Paper Award for their study on robust and safe C‑ITS deployment in Sweden. The IET‑sponsored...
Kodiak AI Raises $100M at $6.50 Share Price, Stock Slides 37%
Kodiak AI announced a $100 million financing at $6.50 per share, far below its $9.10 closing price, triggering a 37% plunge in after‑hours trading. The raise, led by Ares Management and unnamed institutions, underscores the valuation strain facing autonomous‑vehicle startups despite...
ITS ISTANBUL: Chief Rapporteur Eric Sampson Delivers Congress Report Remotely
The 17th Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in Istanbul underscored a decisive shift from siloed ITS solutions to fully integrated, data‑driven mobility ecosystems. Professor Eric Sampson delivered the post‑congress report remotely, while ERTICO CEO Joost Vantomme presented findings on resilience,...
REALLY Quick Charge: The Mobility House, V2G, and Building up the Grid
The Mobility House and Wallbox installed the first residential bidirectional charger in San Diego County, linking a Kia EV9 with a Quasar 2 unit. The system received utility interconnection approval, enabling the vehicle to export power back to the grid via Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G)...
China Is Transforming Brazil’s Car Market
Chinese automaker BYD became Brazil's best‑selling car brand in April 2026, signaling a shift in consumer perception after an aggressive product‑placement campaign. Chinese investment in Brazil's auto sector hit nearly $1 billion last year, supporting BYD's new Bahia manufacturing hub that...
US Hybrid-Car Sales Soar, Along with Gas Prices
U.S. hybrid vehicle sales surged 37% in the two months after the Iran conflict began, outpacing overall auto market growth of 15%. By contrast, fully electric car sales rose only 11% and remain below last year’s levels, hampered by the...
Hunan Yuneng Plans Cathode Material Factory in Spain
Chinese battery material maker Hunan Yuneng announced a €800 million ($872 million) investment to build a lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cathode plant in Mérida, Spain. The first phase will cost €125 million ($136 million) and deliver 50,000 tonnes of cathode material annually, with a later expansion to...
MCV Delivers 35 Hydrogen-Electric Intercity Buses to ÖBB Postbus in Villach, Austria
MCV has supplied 35 hydrogen‑electric C127 FC LE buses to ÖBB Postbus, marking Austria’s largest hydrogen bus fleet. The handover in Villach on 6 May 2026 coincided with the opening of the region’s first hydrogen refuelling station. The vehicles, capable of up to...
Instavolt Unveils Plan to Install Battery Storage Systems Across Charging Network
Instavolt announced a £2.5 million (≈ $3.2 million) investment to install battery energy storage systems across its EV charging network, starting with five sites and targeting at least 20 more before year‑end. The BESS rollout aims to smooth demand spikes, enable faster charging...
FlixBus Ties up with Green Drive Mobility to Launch Electric Intercity Buses on Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam Route
FlixBus has partnered with Indian EV operator Green Drive Mobility to launch electric intercity bus service on the Vijayawada‑Visakhapatnam corridor. The first phase will deploy four battery‑electric coaches equipped with the company’s digital ticketing and route‑management platform. The service targets high‑traffic,...
Toyota Takes US$4.3bn Iran Hit as Disruptions Batter Industry
Toyota warned that the Iran‑Israel conflict will cost it about $4.3 billion in the current fiscal year, driven by higher aluminium, resin and rubber prices and logistics delays. The automaker is absorbing these cost spikes across its supplier network, further squeezing...
Omoda 7 UK Deliveries Begin as Brand Continues Model Line-Up Expansion
Omoda 7 has begun deliveries in the United Kingdom, priced from £29,915 (≈ $38,000) for petrol models and £32,000 (≈ $40,600) for the SHS plug‑in hybrid. The mid‑size SUV slots between the Omoda 5 and Omoda 9 and offers a 700‑mile total range, up to...
Rolls‑Royce Hires Cabinet Makers and Tattoo Artists for 100‑unit Electric Two‑seater
Rolls‑Royce is recruiting cabinet makers, tattoo artists and other artisans to hand‑craft its limited‑run electric two‑seater, Project Nightingale, of which all 100 units are already sold. The move highlights the brand’s ultra‑bespoke strategy and a £300 million ($381 million) Goodwood expansion to...