Know What's Happening in Automotive
Know What's Happening in Automotive
Automotive Pulse
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Every morning
Weekly
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EV Battery Material Demand Set to Surge to 22.2 Million Tonnes by 2036
IDTechEx forecasts global electric‑vehicle battery material demand will reach 22.2 million tonnes by 2036, with more than 70% of that demand coming from cell components. Manufacturers are shifting toward low‑cost LFP chemistries while also pursuing higher‑nickel NMC to boost energy density, and anode formulations are moving to silicon‑rich blends. Pack enclosures are exploring aluminum, steel and other lightweight materials.
DoorDash Labs’ Vice President Ashu Rege outlined the company’s autonomous delivery roadmap, highlighting the in‑house DOT robot and the broader Autonomous Delivery Platform (ADP) that can support varied delivery formats. He contrasted DoorDash’s approach with robotaxi firms, emphasizing cost efficiencies and the maturity of its technology stack. The discussion also covered how DoorDash balances external partnerships with internal development and previewed a live DOT demonstration at the upcoming Curbivore conference. Rege’s insights signal a strategic push to scale autonomy across the gig‑economy delivery market.
Vishay Intertechnology has released the VODA1275, an automotive‑grade photovoltaic MOSFET driver built in a compact SMD‑4 package with an 8 mm creepage distance and a CTI‑600 mold compound. The driver offers 20 V open‑circuit voltage, 20 µA short‑circuit current, and an 80 µs turn‑on...
A Kia EV6 driver reported a road trip from South Carolina to Louisiana where a full charge cost less than $30 and took under 30 minutes. Using apps such as PlugShare, Kia Map, Tesla and ChargePoint, he found stations quickly...
Swedish EV charging operator Milepost has purchased Mer’s portfolio of roughly 250 AC charging stations, extending its network from Åre to Malmö. The acquired sites mainly deliver 22 kW power, with a handful capable of 50 kW, and will be integrated by...
Electra Battery Materials has restarted full‑scale construction of North America’s first cobalt sulfate refinery near Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, after a two‑year pause. The plant is designed to produce 6,500 tonnes of battery‑grade cobalt sulfate per year and is backed by...
The City of New York’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services announced that more than 1,000 plug‑in vehicles are now assigned to its law‑enforcement agencies, including nearly 500 units for the NYPD. Across all 15 agencies, the fleet comprises 781 battery‑electric...
Workhorse Group received a purchase order for 100 battery‑electric step vans from Canadian logistics provider Purolator, doubling the carrier’s electric step‑van fleet. The order follows Purolator’s earlier purchases from Motiv, now part of Workhorse after a 2025 merger. Workhorse, which...
"The haulage firm Nanno Janssen in 🇩🇪, has already converted well over half of its fleet to electric: 58 out of 90 lorries The first one purchased back in 2024 w/ federal funding, Furthest distance his company travelled with an electric lorry so...
KPMG’s 2025 CEO Outlook shows automotive and industrial manufacturing leaders remain upbeat, with 87% and 81% respectively expressing confidence in sector growth despite geopolitical and cost pressures. Around three‑quarters of CEOs also trust their firms can execute large‑scale transformations. AI...
Tesla’s “actually smart summon” feature, installed in about 2.59 million vehicles, has been cleared by the U.S. auto‑safety regulator after the automaker issued over‑the‑air software updates. NHTSA found the incidents linked to the feature were low‑speed, caused only minor property damage...
Tesla just pulled off a historic first in South Korea: It is now the #1 import brand in Q1, up +330% YoY. Top 3: Tesla: 20,964 BMW: 19,368 Merc: 15,862 Remember all who said MY is doomed in Q1 last year? Bet they all have...
"However, analysts said it was still too early to predict if high petrol prices would translate into meaningful rise in sales of EVs, noting persistent concerns among mainstream consumers about their ability to go on long journeys in a large...
DrivebuddyAI, an Ahmedabad‑based deep‑tech startup, has secured a patent for its Integrated Dynamic Road Quality Assessment System. The solution fuses GNSS positioning, IMU acceleration data, and AI‑enhanced video to detect potholes and rough patches in real time and geo‑tag them....
Russian new‑car sales rebounded 30.6% year‑on‑year in March 2026, reaching 104,278 units and putting Q1 growth at 7.3%. Haval surged to second place with a 14.2% market share, while Toyota jumped 150.8% to 2.7% share for an eighth straight Top 10...
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines announced plans to produce a new hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) at its Santa Rosa plant, targeting a mid‑2028 launch pending approval under the government’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS). The automaker will invest in facility upgrades to...
Nexen Tire’s Roadian GTX all‑season tyre has been selected as the original equipment fitment for Renault Korea’s hybrid Filante crossover. The 19‑inch tyre is engineered to meet the higher performance and low‑noise demands of hybrid powertrains. The deal covers the...
Ertico released its third ITS Market Radar, mapping Europe’s intelligent transport systems across suppliers, vehicle manufacturers and connectivity firms. The report highlights how EU initiatives such as the Digital Decade, the AI Act and the European Mobility Data Space are...
Axel: 🔥🔥🔥 "And the failure of the German auto industry, which has completely lost its competitiveness in electric vehicles, naturally hits us even harder." ⚡️⚡️⚡️ #alwaysbecharging https://t.co/JoUlcn88vC
Tesla has opened orders for the long‑wheelbase Model Y L in eight Asian markets—Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines—targeting families seeking three‑row electric SUVs. Local pricing translates to roughly $57,200 in Malaysia, $184,300 in...
Baidu's Apollo robotaxi fleet in Wuhan experienced a mass failure, with roughly 100 vehicles freezing in traffic and leaving passengers stranded. The incidents caused minor collisions as cars halted mid‑lane. Baidu has remained silent, offering no public explanation or remediation...
Drew Baglino: "Medium voltage is the next frontier." "The latest SiC devices are more than a better switch. They are the foundation for solid-state transformers, or SSTs." #alwaysbecharging ⚡️⚡️⚡️ https://t.co/6ck5EnX9Sb
“Anecdotal Observations of a China Newbie: 13 yrs ago in Shanghai, half of the taxis were VW-Santanas with internal combustion engines. Today in Beijing, Xi'an, or Guilin, they're Chinese electric cars, mostly BYD. VW and other German brands are still...
![[Gasgoo Express] Former Honor CMO Guo Rui Appointed Chairman and CEO of Luxeed; JAC Establishes Zunjie Zhixing Company in Shanghai.](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://gascloud.gasgoo.com/production/2026/04/6a20d35d-737f-4bf9-b633-1db49aecdb16-1775314429.png)
Former Honor chief marketing officer Guo Rui has been appointed Chairman and CEO of electric‑vehicle startup Luxeed, bringing Huawei‑era branding expertise to the firm. Luxeed, which is positioning itself as a premium EV player, expects his leadership to accelerate product...
Delian Group has signed a cooperation framework with Shanghai Deruili Technology to launch a 100 million yuan (~$14 million) investment in Anting, Jiading, creating a comprehensive service complex for automotive new materials. The project will initially focus on technical development, consulting,...
Bethel Automotive Safety Systems has signed a six‑year development and supply agreement with a leading North American automaker for front brake calipers and rear electronic parking‑brake assemblies, targeting mass production by the end of 2028. The contract covers 2.335 million vehicles—about...
Shaanxi’s automotive sector is organized around a Guanzhong cluster, with Xi’an at its core hosting over 1,000 suppliers and a full‑stack OEM ecosystem. Baoji and Xianyang serve as secondary hubs, focusing on heavy‑truck components and cost‑effective parts manufacturing. The province...
GAC Group’s subsidiary Youpai Energy is selling a 12% stake in Xinjiang Kunlun Lanzuan Mining Development for roughly ¥1.92 billion (about $270 million) to the automaker’s controlling shareholder, Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group. The deal reduces Youpai’s holding from 20% to 8%, turning...
Farasis Energy announced a repeat partnership with a century‑old West European bus manufacturer to supply custom high‑end pouch battery packs for the client’s next‑generation flagship electric bus. The deal, while undisclosed in financial terms, confirms Farasis’s technology meets Europe’s stringent...
Nissan will debut the Rogue Hybrid e‑Power in the United States in late 2026, featuring a pure series‑hybrid architecture that runs the gasoline engine solely as a generator. The system promises fuel‑economy north of 40 mpg, rivaling the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid...
The piece argues that autonomous vehicle (AV) operations involve far more human roles than the traditional driver versus non‑driver dichotomy. Remote Assistants, Drivers, Operators, and Deciders each carry distinct safety responsibilities, contradicting industry claims that only the AI bears liability....
Mercedes‑AMG has finished winter testing of near‑production prototypes of its all‑electric GT 4‑Door Coupé at a Swedish test centre, confirming performance in sub‑zero conditions. The model will be the first production vehicle built on the new high‑performance AMG.EA electric architecture...
Geely Australia is extending incentives for its EX5 Extended Range EV, adding a 1.88% comparison‑rate finance deal over 36 months and a free 7 kW home charger (installation excluded). The model’s price rises by about $660 USD, placing the Complete trim at roughly...
Kia announced price cuts for its entry‑level EV3 and the popular EV5 in Australia, lowering the EV3 Air SR to about $31,000 USD (≈ $46,990 AUD) and the EV5 Air SR to roughly $33,000 USD (≈ $49,990 AUD) to clear 2025 model‑year stock. The discount of...
XCharge North America and JOJO Superfast have begun deploying an EV fast‑charging network across Illinois, launching nine sites with two already operational. Each location will feature four 200 kW C6 Smart DC chargers, primarily installed at Menards home‑improvement stores to capture...
The Electrek Podcast highlighted several key EV developments this week, including Tesla’s Q1 2026 deliveries of 358,000 units—missing expectations and leaving a 50,000‑vehicle inventory surplus. Tesla also announced the end of Model S and Model X production, with only about 600 units remaining,...
A software malfunction in Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxi fleet caused dozens of vehicles to halt on Chinese highways, leaving passengers stranded for extended periods and resulting in several low‑speed collisions. The outage highlighted gaps in real‑time monitoring and emergency response...
Peak Nano and Advanced Conversion have teamed up to co‑develop DC‑link capacitors tailored for 800 V+ silicon‑carbide (SiC) inverter systems in electric vehicles and other e‑mobility platforms. The solution pairs Peak Nano’s NanoPlex LDF film, which holds a dissipation factor below...
Global Battery Materials (GBM) has shipped its first natural graphite samples from the Kearney Mine in Ontario to an unnamed U.S. customer for qualification testing, marking the inaugural step in a North American supply chain. Simultaneously, GBM opened a new...
Everged has introduced a Zero Cost Swap Program that lets EV‑charging site owners replace outdated or non‑functional chargers with new Level 2 or DC fast chargers at no upfront expense. The company covers removal, installation, activation, 24/7 monitoring, maintenance, and offers...
U.S. electric‑vehicle sales plunged in Q1 2026 after the Trump administration scrapped the federal tax credit, prompting automakers to cut production and cancel battery plants. Analysts forecast a 28% drop in new EV sales, while gasoline prices hovering just above...
STMicroelectronics launched the Smart STripFET F8 MOSFET series targeting automotive power‑distribution and battery‑management applications. The first part, STL059N4S8AG, is a 40 V, 420 A N‑channel device with a record‑low 0.59 mΩ RDS(on) in a compact PowerFLAT 5×6 package. Its high thermal conductivity, 175 °C rating...
Iskraemeco eMobility has launched the iFC240, a next‑generation modular DC fast charger targeting public networks, commercial fleets, and high‑traffic corridors. The unit delivers between 120 kW and 240 kW and can be upgraded or reconfigured with minimal downtime thanks to its modular...
Kia unveiled the PV5 Crew, a flexible electric van that can toggle between a two‑seat cargo layout and a five‑seat crew configuration in seconds. The vehicle uses a tool‑free seat‑lever system and is built on the E‑GMP.S platform with a...
ChargeZone, India’s largest EV‑charging operator, will install more than 1,000 fast‑charging stations along national‑highway corridors by March 2027. Each station requires roughly US$120,000 in capital, funded through a Dealer‑Owned, Company‑Operated (DOCO) franchise model. The State Bank of India will provide loans...
Spain’s new‑car market posted a robust March 2026, delivering 130,340 units – the first month above 130,000 since June 2019 and 11.7% higher than a year earlier. Total sales are now 7.6% ahead of the 2025 year‑to‑date total, while rechargeable...
LG Energy Solution has become the first battery company to list its software on SDVerse, the automotive industry’s inaugural B2B software marketplace. The South Korean firm introduced five battery‑software products covering diagnostics, degradation management, and performance simulation. SDVerse, co‑founded by...
Nio’s sub‑brand Firefly will unveil an upgraded Firefly EV on April 7, featuring a larger battery and more powerful motor. The refresh follows a strong March delivery surge, with the brand moving 6,119 units—a 130% month‑on‑month rise—and reaching 50,000 cumulative deliveries...
China's retail car market contracted 15.3% year‑to‑date, with 2.61 million units sold through February. Volkswagen reclaimed the top brand spot in both January and February, marking its first consecutive‑month lead in two years. The Xiaomi YU7 emerged as the best‑selling model...
Chinese battery leader CATL has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with logistics giant STO Express to accelerate electrification of its delivery truck fleet. The partnership will deploy charging and battery‑swap infrastructure, leveraging CATL’s Qiji Energy network, which already includes over...
The US National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has published a free 16‑page guide to help municipal officials understand and manage robotaxi operations. While robotaxis are already on city streets, they are straining existing transportation networks and exposing gaps...
