Today's Automotive Pulse
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Rivian rolls out R2 EV for 2026 launch
Rivian unveiled its R2 model slated for a 2026 release, detailing specifications and pricing aimed at a broader consumer base. The company is banking on the R2 to elevate its brand to a household‑name status comparable to Tesla.
327. SAE Standards: Building Consensus for Moving Mobility Forward
In this episode, SAE standards experts Christian Thiele and Dave Frank explain how consensus‑based standards turn emerging mobility technologies—like electric‑vehicle charging, autonomous systems, and AI‑driven design—into safe, scalable products for both automotive and aerospace sectors. They illustrate the process with real‑world examples such as the J3400 EV‑charging standard, post‑9/11 cockpit‑door safety rules, and the rise of AI‑enabled robotics and autonomous landing systems. The guests emphasize that standards are built through industry urgency, collaborative listening, and rapid but deliberate committee work, ensuring safety while accommodating innovation. Their perspective highlights the balance between embracing cutting‑edge tech and maintaining rigorous safety constraints.
Geely Makes Pre-Order Offer for Its New, Low Cost EX2 Electric Hatchback
Geely announced a limited‑time pre‑order offer for its new EX2 electric hatchback in Australia, running from 10‑12 April. Buyers who order online or at dealerships and receive the vehicle by 30 September will get a complimentary charger and premium paint. The EX2,...
Q&A: As Thailand Bets on EVs, What Will Happen to the Spent Batteries?
Thailand is positioning itself as a regional EV hub, with Chinese manufacturers like BYD establishing large plants and a national target that 30% of new vehicles be electric by 2030. The rapid rollout will generate roughly 200,000 tonnes of spent...
UK to Require 62,000 New Rapid Chargers by 2030 to Meet EV Demand
Knight Frank’s latest report warns that the UK will need an extra 62,000 rapid EV chargers by 2030, requiring roughly 1,900 acres of land. The country’s electric‑vehicle fleet is expected to swell to 7.6 million vehicles, representing about 20% of all...
TST Launches ‘Dragonize’ Depot Charging Network to Scale Electric Truck Operations
TST Logistik has unveiled "dragonize," a cooperative depot‑charging network for electric trucks, backed by the digital platform DepotOS. The first hub in Worms, Germany, features eight high‑power chargers (three 400 kW, three 240 kW, two 160 kW) and 7.5 MW of on‑site solar, serving...
Daimler Buses Wins VBSG Tender (Switzerland) for 26 E-Buses After Ebusco Contract Revocation
Daimler Buses Schweiz won a public tender from St. Gallen’s VBSG to supply 26 battery‑electric buses after the original award to Ebusco was cancelled for financial reasons. The order, valued at roughly CHF 77.6 million (about $84.6 million), comprises 16 standard 12‑metre and 10...
SMMT: UK Automotive Supply Chain Offers £4.6bn Opportunity as EV Shift Accelerates
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimates the UK automotive supply chain could generate £4.6 billion of domestic manufacturing value by 2030. This upside is driven by accelerating electric‑vehicle adoption, which is expected to boost demand for British‑made batteries,...
Rapid EV Chargers Will Necessitate 1,900 Acres of Land by 2030
Rapid EV charger demand in the UK will require roughly 1,900 acres of land by 2030, according to Knight Frank’s new report. The study projects 213,000 additional chargers, including 89,000 rapid DC units, to serve an estimated 2.1 million new EV...
Bogotá Launches Rollout of 711 Electric Buses with First 68 Units Bodied by Marcopolo Superpolo
Bogotá has taken delivery of the first 68 battery‑electric buses for its TransMiZonal routes, kicking off a 711‑vehicle rollout slated for completion in 2026‑27. The buses are assembled locally by Marcopolo Superpolo with BYD‑provided chassis and drivetrain, reflecting a fully...
Mitsubishi Appoints First Dealers Ahead of Sales Relaunch
Mitsubishi Motors UK has announced the first wave of dealer appointments, securing 33 of its targeted 60 sales sites ahead of a May launch of the new Outlander plug‑in hybrid and L200 Series 7 pickup. The appointments blend long‑standing franchisees such...
Get Ready for a LOT of Driverless Cars in China
In this episode of Under the Banyan Tree, HSBC economists discuss the rapid rollout of autonomous vehicles in China, highlighting that robotaxi services are already commercially viable and that the country could see half a million driverless taxis on the...
China EV Exports Jump to Record as Iran Oil Shock Entices Buyers
China's electric‑vehicle and hybrid exports surged 140% year‑over‑year in March, reaching a record 349,000 units, according to the China Passenger Car Association. The jump reflects renewed global interest in EVs after the Iran‑related oil shock disrupted energy markets. BYD accounted...
Uber and Volkswagen Launch On‑road Testing of Autonomous ID. Buzz Vans in Los Angeles
Uber and Volkswagen’s MOIA America have begun on‑road testing of about ten driver‑assisted ID. Buzz electric vans in Los Angeles. The pilot, slated to expand to over 100 vehicles, targets a rider‑ready robotaxi service by late 2026, marking the most visible...
Vaylens Targets Dealerships with New UK Sales Lead
Vaylens, a provider of intelligent EV‑charging software, has appointed Dianne Smith as its UK sales manager to drive growth in dealership and reseller channels. Smith, who spent over two decades at Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen and Audi, will lead efforts...
China Mar NEV Retail Sales Improve Significantly From Feb, Though Year-on-Year Decline Continues
China’s passenger‑NEV retail sales jumped to 848,000 units in March, an 82.6% month‑on‑month increase but a 14.4% year‑on‑year decline, marking the third consecutive month of YoY contraction. Battery‑electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 67% of sales, up from 60% in February,...
Mercedes to Hike Prices Again; Luxury Market Splits with BMW
Mercedes‑Benz India will raise prices of its luxury cars by an additional 2‑4% in Q2 2026, following a 4% hike earlier this year, as freight costs, geopolitical disruptions and a 15‑20% industry cost burden squeeze margins. The move supports its...
BYD Expects Iran War Fallout to Drive Sales Growth in 2026
BYD says the Strait of Hormuz closure and soaring oil prices are driving a rapid surge in its overseas electric‑vehicle sales, prompting the company to raise its 2026 export target to 1.5 million units. While domestic profit fell 19 % amid a...
Gas or Electric? Which Models Will Save You Money and Which Won't, According to Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports evaluated several electric‑vehicle models against their gasoline or hybrid counterparts and found that cost savings vary widely. The average new EV carries a $6,500 price premium, and only models with low electricity rates or sizable rebates can recoup...
China's Car Exports Accelerate Despite Disruption From Mideast Crisis
China’s passenger‑car exports surged 73.7% year‑over‑year in March, reaching almost 700,000 units, outpacing the 54.1% growth recorded in the first two months. The jump occurred despite shipment disruptions linked to the Middle‑East crisis, a key overseas market for Chinese automakers....
Why South Africa’s EV Market Is Going Nowhere Slowly
Audi South Africa’s sales chief says the country’s electric‑vehicle market is stalling because a 25% import duty makes EVs pricier than comparable gasoline cars, which carry an 18% duty. Premium‑segment EV sales fell last year, leaving battery‑electric vehicles at under...
Tesla Mar Retail Sales in China Reach 56,107 Units Amid Broader Market Rebound
Tesla posted 56,107 retail deliveries in China for March, a 46.9% jump from February and the strongest month‑on‑month rebound since the pandemic‑era slowdown. The surge was driven largely by the Model Y, which posted 55,856 wholesale units, up 13.9% year‑on‑year. Overall...
Chaevi to Supply EV Chargers to Canada
South Korean EV charger maker Chaevi Company Ltd signed a partnership with Canadian firm Foreseeson Technology to launch its charging network in Canada. The agreement calls for an initial delivery of 100 ultra‑fast 400‑kW stations in 2026, expanding to over...
Japan’s Vehicle Sales Decline by 2% in March
Japan’s new‑vehicle registrations slipped 1.8% in March 2026 to 490,640 units, extending a broader 2.5% year‑to‑date decline. Weak consumer sentiment, modest GDP growth and recent interest‑rate hikes are pressuring demand, especially for passenger cars, which fell 5.4% year‑to‑date. By contrast,...
Kia Pushes Back SDV Launch and Lifts Investment by 30%
Kia has postponed its software‑defined vehicle (SDV) debut to 2028, pushing the timeline back by about a year. The automaker also raised its 2026‑2029 investment budget by 30% to KRW 41.4 tr (≈US$28 bn), including more than US$500 m for AI and vision‑language‑action models....
UK Supply Chain Offers £4.6bn Investor Opportunity, Says SMMT
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimates the UK automotive supply chain can generate an extra $5.8 bn in domestic manufacturing value by 2030 as automakers shift toward electric vehicles. Demand for UK‑sourced components is expected to rise 80%,...
Domestic Policy Friction Caps Near-Term Growth in China
China’s light‑vehicle market contracted sharply in February 2026, with total sales slipping 33% year‑on‑year to 1.1 million units. A shift to percentage‑based trade‑in subsidies, delayed local matching funds and the longest‑ever Spring Festival holiday suppressed domestic replacement demand, while the seasonally‑adjusted...
Next-Generation Battery Packs Announced in Microvast–Iveco Group Partnership Expansion
Microvast and Iveco Group have broadened their collaboration to create next‑generation battery packs for a full range of commercial vehicles, from light vans to heavy‑duty trucks. The partnership builds on a 2017 pilot and now includes Gen 1 and Gen 2 packs...
Cupra Unveils the Raval – a Performance Urban EV
Cupra unveiled the Raval, a sub‑4‑meter performance urban EV built on Volkswagen’s MEB+ platform, with a launch planned for summer 2026. The model offers four trims, ranging from an 85 kW motor to a 166 kW VZ Extreme, and delivers up to 400 km...
Kia EV Retail Success Down to Product Range, UK Boss Says
Kia celebrated its 100,000th electric‑vehicle registration in the UK, reaching 104,794 units by April 1. The brand’s EV share in the private retail market hit 25%, well above the 17% market average, while its fleet EV share was 31%, also outpacing...
Don’t Call It A Tesla Semi: China’s Windrose Delivers First EV Truck In The U.S.
Chinese EV truck maker Windrose has handed its first Global E700 electric tractor to Texas‑based logistics firm Allogic, marking the startup’s inaugural delivery in the United States. The 1,400‑horsepower rig boasts a 416‑mile range on a full load, powered by...
BYD’s Denza Z9GT Confirmed for Australia with 5 Minute Flash Charging Tech
Chinese automaker BYD's premium brand Denza unveiled the Z9GT, boasting over 1,000 km CLTC range and a 5‑minute flash charge from 10% to 70%. The model will launch in Australia in the second half of 2024, with the tri‑motor version arriving...
Volkswagen Ends ID.4 Production at Chattanooga Plant
Volkswagen will halt production of the ID.4 electric SUV at its Chattanooga plant starting mid‑April 2026. The plant’s capacity will be redirected to the second‑generation Atlas SUV, slated for production this summer and dealer deliveries in autumn 2026. Existing 2026...
Kia Sets 2030 Sales Target of 4.13 Million Units
Kia announced a 2030 sales target of 4.13 million vehicles, aiming for a 4.5% global market share. The automaker will invest roughly $33 billion over five years to expand its EV portfolio to 14 models and reach one million annual EV sales. Kia...
Tesla 14.3 Self-Driving Impressively Polished, Beats 14.2
I was worried early builds of Tesla Self-Driving 14.3 would be a step back, but I'm glad to see that's not the case. This is one of the most polished pre-release builds I've ever seen. Everything you love about 14.2...
Ford Admits $4.8B EV Loss, Refuses Unprofitable Spending
"Ford CEO Knew the EV Transition Would Hurt, But the Reality Is a $4.8B Loss — 'We Can't Allocate Money For Things That Will Not Make Money'" https://t.co/1UM2eCDJsV https://t.co/0UFTk3eamf
ThunderX Uses SAFERTOS for Cockpit-ADAS Fusion
ThunderX announced the integration of SAFERTOS, a pre‑certified real‑time operating system, into its next‑generation AI domain controller platforms built on Qualcomm SA8775P and SA8650P automotive SoCs. The safety‑focused RTOS will run in selected safety‑critical subsystems of the AIBOX family, supporting...
Tesla's FSD 14.3 Proves Reliable Driverless Robotaxis
FSD 14.2 is incredibly good FSD 14.3 is even better, and just as reliable They’re deploying fully driverless Robotaxis in Austin You can try and convince me this is all a failure, but that doesn’t match up with what I...
Flash Charging Hits Europe Before Lunch
Ready to rumble before lunch 🌶️ Flash charging coming to Europe 🇪🇺 ⚡️⚡️⚡️ #alwaysbecharging #offgrid https://t.co/O9IBeCFGrM
TomTom Launches Unified Speed Data Service for ADAS
TomTom has introduced Unified Speed Restrictions, a service that fuses static speed limits, roadside sign recognition, probe data and real‑time variable limits into a single, continuously refreshed output for ADAS and automated driving. The solution supports Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA)...
China Aims 80 Million EV Chargers by Next Year
Does America even realize China plans to have a charging network capable to charge 80M EVs .. Next Year ….! #MOREPLUGS ⚡️⚡️⚡️
FSD Evolves Beyond Robotaxis; Updates Keep Coming
People will literally get mad about anything 😂 14.3 is already starting to ship. There will be an FSD 15, FSD 16, FSD 17, and FSD 18. Just because they’ve started deploying driverless Robotaxis doesn’t mean improvement stops.
Electric Trucks Go Mainstream in Europe
The European Union’s heavy‑duty vehicle CO₂ standards require a 43% emissions cut for trucks by 2030 and a 64% cut by 2035. Truck manufacturers are urging the Commission to move the next standards review to 2026, arguing that market conditions...
California Might Help You If Your EV Battery Has Gone Bad
California has launched the Zero‑Emission Assurance Project (ZAP) to help owners of used electric vehicles whose batteries or fuel‑cell components fail outside warranty coverage. The program offers up to $7,500 for repairs and, if the battery cannot be salvaged, a...
China Leads Australian Car Sales, Capturing 27% Market
Australian vehicle sales Mar 2026 VFACTs + EV Council - 7Apr2026 BEV share 15% Hybrid (inc PHEV) 25% ICE only drive train share 60% SUVs 63.7% share of Aus sales Country of origin: China number one car supplier in Australia again March 2026 - 27% of...
Lyft Posts Record Gross Bookings and EBITDA in Q1 and Q2 2025, Accelerates Global Expansion
Lyft announced record gross bookings for both Q1 and Q2 2025, topped by a 26% YoY rise in adjusted EBITDA and a near‑$1 billion free‑cash‑flow run rate. The growth was driven by international expansion, the FREENOW acquisition and accelerated autonomous‑vehicle deployments.
Chinese Firms Deploy over 1,600 Autonomous Delivery Vehicles, Handling 1 M+ Orders Monthly
Neolix and other Chinese companies have rolled out more than 1,600 unmanned delivery vehicles in over 100 cities, completing 1.02 million autonomous drops in September and earning 8.7 million yuan ($1.2 M). The rapid expansion highlights a shift toward low‑cost, AI‑driven last‑mile logistics...
Eclipse VC Secures $1.3 B to Accelerate Physical‑AI and Autonomous Startups
Eclipse, the Palo Alto‑based venture firm, closed a $1.3 billion fund—$591 million for early‑stage incubation and the balance for growth‑stage companies—to back physical‑AI startups ranging from electric boats to autonomous construction vehicles. The capital boost aims to build an ecosystem that scales...
Waymo’s NYC Robotaxi Permits Expire, Halting Tests in the City
Waymo’s two permits to test robotaxis in New York City expired on March 31, forcing the company to cease its eight‑vehicle pilot south of 112th Street and in downtown Brooklyn. The New York Department of Transportation has not indicated whether the...
EV Chargers To Roll Out Faster Under New Rules
New Zealand has amended the National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities (NES‑ETA) to create a single, nationally consistent permitted‑activity framework for electric‑vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The new rules, effective 7 May, cover private chargers, corridor sites, chargers attached to other...
Tesla Launches FSD Workshops for New Owners
Tesla has started inviting new owners to "FSD Workshops" to learn more about their cars autonomous capabilities. $TSLA https://t.co/5CTYxOxqOU