Today's Automotive Pulse
BYD Honors Trump as EV Sales Champion Amid Export Surge
China’s electric‑vehicle exports jumped to 435,000 units in May, a 100% increase from the same month in 2025 and accounting for roughly 30% of the U.S. monthly vehicle market. In recognition of former President Donald Trump’s role in promoting its models, BYD will present him with a “Salesman of the Year” award.
“Yes We Can:” Andrew Forrest Mocks Murdoch Tabloid Stories Dismissing Electric Trucks
Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest publicly challenged the Daily Telegraph’s claim that electric semi‑trailers are a distant “green dream.” He posted the tabloid’s front page alongside a photo of Fortescue’s upcoming Liebherr T‑264 battery‑electric haul truck, asserting that multiple trailers could be powered by a single unit. Forrest highlighted Fortescue’s plan to electrify its entire Pilbara fleet by 2030, citing completed trials and recent electric‑truck deliveries in eastern Australia. The dispute underscores a broader shift as Australian firms and the government accelerate heavy‑vehicle electrification.
Early Terafab Supplier Talks Reveal Near‑Term Pilot Plans
New and detailed report on early Terafab talks with key suppliers and some of details of near term ambitions for pilot line. With colleagues in Asia 👇
Silicon Box Joins Imec Automotive Chiplet Program to Advance Automotive-Grade Chiplet Devices
Silicon Box has entered imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP), a joint effort to speed the adoption of chiplet architectures in next‑generation vehicles. The company will contribute end‑to‑end expertise in chiplet interconnection, advanced packaging, and testing, working with more than 22...
BYD Announces Extra 30,000 EVs and Hybrids for Australia to Support Essential Workers
Chinese automaker BYD announced an additional 30,000 new‑energy vehicles—both battery‑electric and plug‑in hybrids—to be delivered to Australia by June. The rollout is aimed at essential workers such as healthcare staff, teachers and emergency responders amid rising fuel prices and supply...
Kia PV5 Pricing Confirmed: Cheapest EV Van yet Achieves Price Parity with Toyota HiAce and Other Dirty Diesels
Kia confirmed the PV5 Cargo S will launch in Australia in late May with a base price of AU$55,990 (about US$36,900) plus on‑road costs, making it the nation’s cheapest electric van. The price sits just above the cheapest diesel Toyota...
Robotaxis Now Deliver Takeout Without Human Drivers
Futuristic Robotaxis Couriers Deliver Takeout Fully Unmanned by @Fabriziobustama #EmergingTech #SmartCity #Tech #Technology #Innovation #TechForGood https://t.co/7G85SoJXSX
Tesla's First Unsupervised Cars Limited to Robotaxi Zones
Based on Tesla’s stated forecasts, unsupervised on customer vehicles will come first. (but you will have to be in an existing Robotaxi geofence)
Freshness Is King: BYD Reigns with 200 Vehicle Software Updates a Year
Chinese EV leader BYD announced it rolled out 200 over‑the‑air software updates across its Ocean and Dynasty lines in 2025, the highest volume among global automakers. The latest update adds a new AI‑driven driver‑assistance system to the Han L sedan, delivered...
DENSO Expands Supply Chain with Oracle Fusion SaaS Suite
DENSO Corporation has broadened its strategic partnership with Oracle by adding Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing modules to its existing finance and HR suite. The move consolidates multiple legacy systems into a single AI‑enabled SaaS platform, aiming to improve...
Former Apple Exec Leaves Ford in Tech Reorganization
Ford announced that Doug Field, the automaker’s chief executive for electric vehicles, digital and design, will leave the company after nearly five years. Field, a former Apple senior vice president who oversaw hardware design, was hired in 2021 to accelerate...
Which Car Brands Dominate Quu’s In-Vehicle Visuals Report?
Quu’s newly released In‑Vehicle Visuals Report examines how radio metadata appears in the United States’ top 100 new‑car models. Toyota tops the list, representing 12% of those models, followed by Ford at 10% and Chevrolet, Honda and Nissan each holding...
Rivian, Redwood Materials Deploy 10 MWh Second‑Life Battery Storage at Illinois Plant
Rivian announced a partnership with Redwood Materials to install a 10 MWh second‑life battery energy storage system at its Normal, Illinois EV plant, using more than 100 retired Rivian packs. The deal gives Rivian a cheaper, dispatchable power source while giving...
Wayve Lands Backing From AMD, Qualcomm and Arm to Boost Autonomous Driving Tech
Wayve announced it has secured new financing from semiconductor leaders AMD, Qualcomm and Arm, though the size of the round was not disclosed. The backing signals deepening ties between chip makers and autonomous‑vehicle innovators as the race to commercialize self‑driving...
Ford’s EV and Software Chief Doug Field Is Leaving the Company
Ford announced that Doug Field, the former Apple and Tesla executive who has led its electric‑vehicle and software division for five years, will leave the company next month. Alan Clarke, a former Tesla engineer who runs Ford’s California skunkworks lab,...
Consumers Prefer Robotaxis Over Owning New Luxury Robocars
A new robocar: https://t.co/yEijU7C02N I can see how this would sell a few. Rich people like having something that's different than the flood of Teslas here in Silicon Valley. And seeing a new approach to transportation that's based wholly around autonomy...
QNX May Be the Most Underpriced Control Point in Automotive Software
QNX is shifting from a visible cockpit OS to the invisible safety‑critical control layer that coordinates multiple operating systems on a single, centralized vehicle computer. This deep‑stack role makes it harder to replace as automakers like BMW, Volkswagen and Stellantis...
Tesla Intertwines FSD with In-House Insurance for Attractive Incentive
Tesla has linked its Full Self‑Driving (Supervised) suite to its in‑house insurance, launching Safety Score 3.0 that automatically awards a perfect 100 score for every mile driven with FSD enabled. The update removes penalties for brief manual interventions, allowing drivers...
Interview with Volvo Autonomous Solutions: Driverless Trucks Are upon Us
Volvo Autonomous Solutions is moving driverless trucks from pilot projects to commercial reality with its purpose‑built VNL Autonomous platform, produced alongside conventional models at the New River Valley plant in Virginia. The company integrates autonomy at the vehicle level, partners...
Lucid Names Silvio Napoli as the Electric Luxury Brand's New CEO
Lucid Motors announced Silvio Napoli as its new chief executive, succeeding interim CEO Marc Winteroff, who will revert to the COO role. Napoli arrives from the Schindler Group, where he led the Swiss elevator and escalator manufacturer. His appointment coincides...
Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving’ Crashed Through Railroad Gate Seconds Before Train
A Texas Tesla driver on Full Self‑Driving (FSD) reported that the vehicle accelerated through a lowered railroad crossing gate just seconds before an oncoming train arrived. The driver, Joshua Brown, who has logged over 40,000 FSD miles, slammed the accelerator...
Tesla Finalizes AI5 Chip Design, Elon Musk Makes Bold Claim on Capability
Tesla announced that its AI5 chip has completed the tape‑out stage, clearing the final hurdle before mass production. Elon Musk clarified that the existing AI4 hardware already delivers safety performance superior to human drivers for Full Self‑Driving, so AI5 will...
Lightwheel Hires Veteran Martin Elbs as VP of Global Sales to Drive Worldwide Rollout
Lightwheel announced the appointment of Martin Elbs as Vice President of Global Sales, tasking him with scaling the company’s Physical AI platform worldwide. The move underscores Lightwheel’s shift from simulation infrastructure to real‑world industrial deployment, especially in Europe and other...
Lucid Group Names Silvio Napoli CEO, Raises $750 Million in New Funding
Lucid Group announced the appointment of Silvio Napoli as its permanent chief executive and closed a $750 million financing round that includes a $550 million convertible preferred investment from a Public Investment Fund affiliate and a $200 million infusion from Uber. The cash...
US Jobs Too Important to Risk Chinese Car Imports, Says Ford CEO
Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that China’s auto industry has enough spare capacity to absorb the entire U.S. market of roughly 16 million new vehicles each year, with an extra 21 million slots beyond its 2026 output. He framed this as a...
CarMax Posts $120.7M Q4 Loss as Used‑Car Market Slows
CarMax, Inc. posted a fourth‑quarter net loss of $120.7 million, or $0.85 per share, after a $141.3 million goodwill impairment. Net sales slipped to $5.95 billion and the stock fell 6.85% in pre‑market trading, underscoring pressure on the used‑car sector and rattling consumer‑discretionary...
Nissan CEO Says Xterra Is Coming Back Thanks to Weaker Fuel Economy Regulations
Nissan announced the revival of the Xterra, a body‑on‑frame SUV, after recent loosening of U.S. fuel‑economy (CAFE) regulations. CEO Ivan Espinosa said the regulatory shift removed the need to sell an additional 200,000 electric vehicles to stay compliant, opening the...
Transense to Supply Surface Acoustic Wave Sensing Tech for Cummins Heavy-Duty EV Motor
Transense Technologies will supply its SAWsense surface acoustic wave sensors to Cummins for the DriveSense project, a 12‑month effort to create a sensor‑enabled smart electric motor for heavy‑duty zero‑emission vehicles. The sensors capture real‑time torque and temperature data from inside...
BYD Is Now Upgrading some of Its Top Selling EVs with 5-Min Flash Charging
Chinese EV maker BYD is extending its 5‑minute Flash Charging system, first seen on the ultra‑luxury Yangwang U7, to high‑volume models. The Denza Z9 GT, priced at $134,500, becomes the inaugural overseas vehicle equipped with the technology, debuting in Europe....
Right Now A Hybrid Sounds Like A Great Idea, But Is The Prius PHEV Worth It?
The 2026 Toyota Prius Plug‑In Hybrid, formerly the Prius Prime, arrives with a larger battery delivering about 40 miles of electric‑only range. Pricing starts at $34,970 for the base SE and climbs to $38,990 for the Nightshade edition, a premium...
Nissan Announces Its New ‘Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life’ Long-Term Strategy
Nissan unveiled its "Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life" strategy, centering on AI‑defined vehicles, expanded e‑Power hybrid options and a leaner model lineup. The plan calls for integrating Nissan AI Drive technology into 90% of its cars and delivering end‑to‑end automated...
Tesla FSD Misidentifies Non‑emergency Vehicle, Slows Unnecessarily
File this ... again ... under two steps forward and one step back. Slowing for an emergency vehicle, on the other side of the road, that is not in an emergency situation. No sirens and no flashing lights. Tesla's FSD does...
Whatever Happened To The Affordable Car?
The average price of a new car in the United States has risen to about $50,000, roughly double the inflation‑adjusted cost of a 1950s vehicle. Consumers now pay for extensive safety equipment, advanced electronics, and comfort features that increase manufacturing...
A Modern-Day Luther Nails 12 Theses to Auto Dealership Door, Demanding that They Sell EVs
A satirical CleanTechnica piece likens the auto‑dealership model to the medieval Catholic Church, posting twelve "theses" that criticize outdated sales practices. It highlights how EV buyers now research online, diminishing dealers' informational edge, while brands like Tesla, Rivian and Lucid...
High Gas Prices Tempting Americans Back to EVs
Rising gasoline prices, now averaging around $4.50 per gallon, are prompting a wave of new electric‑vehicle (EV) purchases. The WSJ profile of Eric Janney, an IT worker in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, illustrates how consumers are swapping lightly used EVs like the...
Suzuki Motor, After India Success, Sets Sights on 10% of African Market
Suzuki Motor, fresh off its rapid expansion in India, is targeting a 10% share of Africa’s automotive market by 2030. The Japanese automaker already dominates in five African nations, most notably Angola where it commands an 81% share. To achieve...
Kia EV2 ‘First Edition’ Now Eligible for UK’s Electric Car Grant
Kia UK announced that the EV2 ‘First Edition’ now qualifies for the United Kingdom’s £1,500 (≈$1,905) Electric Car Grant, replacing the brand‑run £1,500 reservation saving. The on‑road price remains £26,995 (≈$34,300), unchanged from its launch. The grant applies to both...
Automakers Launch a "Buyback Wave": What Signal Does It Send?
Chinese automakers have launched a coordinated share‑repurchase wave, with Geely, Li Auto, Seres, Changan and others spending billions of yuan and hundreds of millions of dollars to cancel outstanding shares. Changan’s first buyback cost about CNY 33 million (≈US$4.6 million) and the sector’s...
2026 GAC Tech Day: Five Technologies Unveiled, How Will They Translate Into Product Competitiveness?
GAC Group’s 2026 Tech Day unveiled five flagship technologies—Xingyuan powertrain platforms, the Starship Body structure, Xinghe Smart Cockpit, Xingling E/E Architecture 4.0, and a domestic‑chip ecosystem. The powertrain suite spans extended‑range electric, plug‑in hybrid and super‑hybrid options, with the PHEV...
Austria: Blaguss Integrates a Dozen Battery-Electric Coaches
Austrian bus operator Blaguss has placed twelve Yutong T12E battery‑electric coaches into regular service, initially on tour routes and slated for long‑distance lines this autumn. Each 12‑metre coach carries 47 passengers, boasts a 466 kWh battery delivering roughly 500 km of range,...
Hyundai and Kia Want To Sell You a Pickup Truck by 2030
Hyundai announced it will roll out a body‑on‑frame pickup truck in the United States before 2030, following a concept SUV that hints at a rugged design. A week later Kia confirmed it will also launch its own body‑on‑frame truck by...
Safety Beats Hardware: Heterogeneous Fleets Demand Robust FSD
No service running at scale is ever going to have a homogenous set of hardware. That’s like saying “wouldn’t it be easier for Apple to let everyone upgrade to iPhone 17 rather than making their software backwards compatible?” A heterogeneous...
EU Law Threatens British Car Makers, $94bn Trade
The EU should urgently adjust a proposed law that will discriminate against British automobile manufacturers and undermine $94 billion of annual trade, according to a trade group https://t.co/XnG2unYGQg
Tesla Taped Out AI5 Chip, Musk Says — Nearly 2 Years Behind Schedule
Tesla announced that its next‑generation AI5 self‑driving processor has been taped out, sending the final design to TSMC for fabrication. The milestone arrives almost two years after the company promised AI5 hardware in vehicles and pushes volume production to mid‑2027....
US EV Slump Stems From Bad Cars, Not Demand
The headlines last year about the 'automakers leaving EV market b/c buyers don't want them' were so off-base. The issue was US automakers (w/ the exception of Tesla) were making sh*t EVs. The market is there. Just make a good...
Giga Texas Water Use Claims Are Wildly Exaggerated
We debunked the Giga Texas & Terafab water usage drama that tries to discredit @elonmusk and create fear to locals. We ran all the calculations, it’s fully overblown. Save this into your mythbusting folder and surface when needed: https://t.co/3dWDUsQnaC
The Mobility House to Offer Free Electricity for V2G Customers
The Mobility House will let owners of V2G‑capable electric cars charge at home for free, offsetting costs by using the vehicle batteries as grid storage and selling electricity during peak periods. The program launches this quarter for the Renault 5, with...
Any Subsidy From Government Will Help Early EV Adoption: VinFast
VinFast is lobbying Indian state governments to follow Delhi's 2026 EV policy, arguing that any subsidy will accelerate early electric‑vehicle adoption. The company unveiled its VF MPV 7, a seven‑seater electric MPV priced at roughly ₹24.5 lakh (about $29,500) with a 60 kWh battery...
Chinese Automakers Lead HEV Competition Upgrade: From Mechanical Technology to System Capabilities
Geely unveiled its i-HEV hybrid powertrain in Hangzhou, boasting a peak thermal efficiency of 48.41% and AI‑driven smart controls. The launch marks a strategic shift for Chinese automakers from pure mechanical optimization toward fully integrated system capabilities. Competitors such as...
India’s EV Push Still Hinges on Chinese Supply Chains
Battery and EV manufacturing are more dependent on China than ever despite billions in investment under the Make in India initiative Yes, innovative Chinese companies like BYD, CATL, and REE/magnet producers... https://t.co/CmFd1U4boY
BASF and TSR Group Collaborate on Battery Recycling
BASF and the TSR Group announced a partnership to integrate battery‑dismantling, safe discharge, and black‑mass processing across Europe. TSR will contribute its network of more than 190 licensed waste‑management sites, while BASF adds its Schwarzheide recycling plant that produces black...