Today's Automotive Pulse
Poland courts Taiwanese firms as Foxconn pledges over $1B EV plant investment
Poland’s government is pivoting from a pure assembly hub to a high‑tech manufacturing base, courting Taiwanese companies like Foxconn. Foxconn will invest more than $1B to build an electric‑vehicle plant and may partner on a semiconductor venture, while a proposed technology park seeks to attract several billion dollars of Taiwanese capital for AI servers, robotics and circuit production.
Also developing:
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.
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...
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
How BYD Scaled to 1 Million Exports—And Why North America Is Next
Chinese automaker BYD, the world’s largest electric‑vehicle maker, has surpassed 1 million exported units in 2025 after investing more than $13 billion in research and development. The company rolled out a $10,000 Seagull EV in China, a high‑performance YangWang U9 Xtreme, and a...
Can China’s Carmakers Drive Momentum Towards Greener Steel?
Chinese automakers and major steelmakers signed a voluntary joint declaration in Shanghai to accelerate the adoption of low‑carbon steel, echoing China’s 15th Five‑Year Plan emphasis on cutting emissions in key sectors. The agreement aims to define standards for "low‑carbon" steel,...
'It Doesn’t Catch Fire': Why China’s "Fireproof" Sodium Battery Could Be the Breakthrough that Makes EVs Safer than ICE Cars
Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers unveiled a sodium‑ion battery that forms a solid, non‑flammable barrier when temperatures exceed 150 °C, effectively halting thermal‑runaway. In nail‑penetration tests the 3.5 Ah cell showed no smoke, fire or explosion, even at 300 °C, while maintaining an...
Ford Seeks Help with F-150, but White House Won't Budge
Ford’s best‑selling F‑150 faces a multi‑billion‑dollar hit after two fires at Novelis’s Oswego aluminum plant crippled supply. The automaker has asked the Trump administration for temporary relief from recently doubled 50% aluminum tariffs, but officials have refused. Ford estimates a...
EVs Overtake Petrol Cars as Electric Sales Surge 66 Pct in Europe’s Biggest Economy
Electric vehicle registrations in Germany surged 66% year‑over‑year to nearly 71,000 in March 2026, pushing EVs to a 24% share of all new car registrations and overtaking petrol models for the first time. The rise follows a new subsidy program...
Elon Musk Drops a Bomb Regarding Tesla Model S, X Inventory
Elon Musk announced that only a few hundred Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles remain in inventory, effectively ending production of the flagship sedan and SUV. Custom orders were halted in early April 2026, and the remaining units—mostly Plaid variants—are selling...
Chery Slashes Price of E5 Ultimate, Making It Lowest-Cost Electric SUV with 420 Km Range
Chery Australia announced a price reduction for its top‑spec MY26 E5 Ultimate SUV, now AU$37,990 (about US$25,000) drive‑away, over AU$6,000 cheaper than before. The cut makes the E5 the lowest‑priced electric SUV in Australia with a WLTP range exceeding 420 km,...
TSLA Stock Slides, Supercharger Prices, and Who’s REALLY Behind Elon’s Big Chip Fab
Tesla shares fell sharply, with the stock down about 20% this year and JPMorgan forecasting a potential 60% decline before year‑end. The company unveiled a Supercharger configurator for business customers, revealing an all‑in price of roughly $940,000 for a full‑scale...
Building Safety in an Increasingly Dangerous World
The article highlights a leading global supplier of passive vehicle safety systems, emphasizing its diversified geographic footprint and long‑term contracts with major automakers. It reports $3.2 billion in cumulative free cash flow since 2020, outpacing $2.5 billion returned to shareholders via dividends...
BYD's 1.5 MW Flash Chargers Add 400 Km in 5 Minutes
BYD's new Flash Charging stations hit up to 1.5 MW peak power. With their Blade Battery 2.0, it adds ~400 km range in 5 minutes (10-70% charge) or 97% in 9 minutes.
![Hyundai’s EV Hot Hatch Will Make Its Big Debut This Month: Here’s Our Best Look at It [Video]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/6463491c1c94d683d5b5b1ed38685ac1.webp)
Hyundai’s EV Hot Hatch Will Make Its Big Debut This Month: Here’s Our Best Look at It [Video]
Hyundai will reveal its first compact electric hot hatch, the IONIQ 3, during Milan Design Week in late April. The production‑ready model, spotted covered in a garage, retains the futuristic Aero Hatch silhouette of the Concept Three but shows subtle front‑end...
White Oil: EV Case Strengthens After Iran War, Putting Lithium Plays in the Driver’s Seat
Oil price spikes from the Iran conflict have revived interest in lithium, dubbed “white oil,” as higher fuel costs improve the economics of electric vehicles. While global EV sales slipped 39 % in January, analysts at UBS and Macquarie argue that...
Outlook for Electric Vehicle Battery Materials: Video
IDTechEx analyst Daniel Parr released a video outlining the near‑term outlook for electric‑vehicle battery materials. He highlights accelerating demand for lithium, nickel and cobalt, while noting supply constraints and the rise of recycling and solid‑state technologies. The analysis also points...
Can US Innovation Shift the Second-Life EV Battery Landscape?
The United States lags behind China and the EU in second‑life EV battery deployment due to weak federal policy, costly UL certification, and limited battery supply. A partnership between AI‑infrastructure firm Crusade and recycler Redwood has built the world’s largest...
Tesla Cybercab Production Ignites with 60 Units Spotted at Giga Texas
Tesla’s Cybercab entered the first phase of volume production at Giga Texas, with about 60 units spotted in the outbound lot on April 8. The vehicles still feature temporary steering wheels and white interiors, indicating they are undergoing validation rather than...
Dongfeng Q1 Sales Rise 12.3%, New Energy Up 52%: Self-Owned Brands Rise, Joint Ventures Diverge
Dongfeng Motor Group posted a 12.3% year‑on‑year increase in Q1 2026 sales, moving 528,000 vehicles, while new‑energy vehicle (NEV) deliveries jumped 52.3% to 210,000 units. Self‑owned brands such as Voyah, Yipai and Mhero led the NEV surge, with Voyah listing...
Dongfeng's Automotive-Grade MCU Chip DF30 Steadily Advances Toward Mass Production and Vehicle Deployment
Dongfeng Motor’s DF30, China’s first high‑performance automotive‑grade MCU, has completed vehicle verification and extreme‑cold trials at –43 °C, moving toward mass production. Built on a domestic 40 nm RISC‑V process and meeting ASIL‑D safety standards, the chip serves as the core controller...
After Q1 Reporting, Does Xiaomi Auto Need a Sales Miracle?
Xiaomi Auto delivered roughly 80,000 electric vehicles in Q1 2026, far short of the 52,000‑per‑month pace needed to meet its 550,000‑unit annual target. The company’s flagship YU7 and the newly launched SU7 together accounted for most of the early shipments,...
Is a "Changing of the Guard" Unfolding in the German Auto Market?
In March, Germany recorded 70,663 pure‑electric vehicle registrations, overtaking gasoline cars for the first time. Gasoline registrations slipped 4.9% to 66,959 units while diesel fell 0.6%. The surge was driven by soaring oil prices and a €3 billion (≈$3.3 billion) government subsidy...
Does Tesla Really Have A Robotaxi? They Don't Make It Easy To Find Out
Tesla has quietly broadened the geographic footprint of its driver‑less ride‑hailing pilot, adding new zones around Austin, Texas. The rollout lacks a public booking interface, suggesting the service remains limited to select beta participants. While the expansion signals progress toward...
Reported EPA Leak Claims the Rivian R2 Will Hit 335 Miles on One Charge
Rivian’s upcoming R2 SUV may have eclipsed its own EPA range target, with a leaked EPA report showing a 335‑mile range on 21‑inch wheels, slightly above the 330‑mile figure announced in March. The filing also lists an 86.8 kWh battery, a...
The Iran War Is Driving a Global Surge of Interest in Electric Vehicles
The Iran‑Iran war’s disruption of oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz has pushed global gasoline prices above $4 per gallon, sparking a sharp uptick in electric‑vehicle interest worldwide. In the United States, used EV sales rose 12% year‑over‑year and...
ZF's By-Wire Chassis Business Is Shaping How Steering, Braking, Damping and Vehicle Motion Are Coordinated Inside the Next Gen of...
ZF is shifting its by‑wire chassis business from a component supplier to a software‑defined architecture provider, using its cubiX control algorithm to coordinate steering, braking, damping and roll stability. The technology entered series production on the Lotus Eletre in 2023,...
Having Driver Assistance Tech In Your Car Probably Causes You To Speed More: Study
A MIT AgeLab study of 24 drivers using a Tesla Model 3 with Autopilot, a Cadillac CT5 with Super Cruise, and a conventional gas‑powered car found that partial‑automation systems led to longer speeding periods and slightly higher speed magnitudes. The research,...
Tesla FSD V14.3 First Drives Reveal Superhuman Speed
We've put together a compilation of some of the best Tesla FSD V14.3 first drive clipa that we've seen. Including "inhuman" reaction times and a "more mature" Mad Max mode: https://t.co/B10P58tHfQ
McLaren Will Reveal Its Big Comeback Plan This Summer
McLaren CEO Nick Collins announced that the automaker will unveil its comeback strategy this summer, coinciding with the start of deliveries for the W1 hypercar. The plan is expected to feature a new line of combustion‑powered sports cars and a...
BYD’s Chief Scientist Says Solid-State EV Batteries Hit a ‘Critical Stage,’ but There’s More to It
BYD’s chief scientist Lian Yubo announced that all‑solid‑state EV batteries have reached a critical development stage, yet ion‑stability and lithium dendrite issues still impede mass production. He emphasized building a full‑scale technological supply chain rather than focusing solely on cell‑level...
Tesla’s New Supercharger for Business Tool Reveals $940,000 All-In Price
Tesla has unveiled a public configurator for its Supercharger for Business program, showing a fixed $500,000 hardware price and a total all‑in cost of roughly $940,000 for an eight‑stall V4 site. The tool also projects location‑specific ROI, ranging from a...
US Charging Networks Race to Keep Up as Gas Prices Boost EVs
U.S. electric‑vehicle charging networks added 605 high‑speed stations in Q1, a 34% year‑over‑year increase, bringing the total to roughly 13,500 public fast chargers. The surge coincided with a spike in gasoline prices to $4.82 amid the Iran conflict, reigniting consumer...
Volkswagen Begins Testing Its Self-Driving Microbuses in Los Angeles Ahead of Launch with Uber
Volkswagen’s U.S. mobility unit MOIA America and Uber have started testing autonomous Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric microbuses in Los Angeles. The pilot will use about ten four‑seat vehicles, with a human safety operator, and is a precursor to a commercial robotaxi service...
From SoC to System-in-Package: Transforming Automotive Compute with Multi-Die Integration
Automotive electronics are moving from monolithic system‑on‑chips to multi‑die system‑in‑package solutions to meet soaring compute, safety, and longevity demands. By stacking or side‑by‑side heterogeneous dies, manufacturers can combine CPUs, GPUs, AI accelerators and high‑bandwidth memory within a single package. This...
Europe’s First Commercial Robotaxi Service Is Live in Zagreb
Verne, a spin‑out of Croatia’s Rimac Group, launched Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb on April 8, allowing passengers to book rides via the Verne app. The fleet consists of Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles equipped with Pony.ai’s seventh‑generation autonomous‑driving system, with...
Here’s How Buick Could Actually Build A New GNX
General Motors is moving forward with a new Buick sedan, issuing supplier quotes and planning production alongside the next‑generation Cadillac CT5 and Chevrolet Camaro at the Lansing Grand River plant. The vehicle is expected to sit on GM’s Alpha platform,...
JLR Sales Rebound in the Final Quarter of FY2026
Jaguar Land Rover’s fourth‑quarter FY2026 wholesale volumes jumped 61.1% versus Q3, signaling a rapid rebound after the autumn cyber‑attack that halted production. Despite the recovery, Q4 retail sales fell 14.3% year‑on‑year and full‑year wholesale volumes were down 23.2% amid lingering...
Musk Falsely Claims Tesla FSD Is 10X Safer than Humans, Complains About Lawsuits
Elon Musk claimed Tesla's Full Self‑Driving (FSD) is ten times safer than human drivers, potentially saving 90 % of the roughly one million annual road deaths. The claim is unsupported because Tesla’s only public safety data – the quarterly Vehicle Safety...
Hyundai Prepares to Enter Rugged New Territory with This Off-Road SUV Concept
Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled the Boulder SUV concept at the New York Auto Show, marking its first foray into body‑on‑frame vehicles aimed at the off‑road market. The concept previews a midsize pickup slated for delivery by 2030, positioning Hyundai against...
Mercedes-Benz EQS Set for Second Overhaul with Steer-by-Wire and Ultra-Fast Charging
Mercedes-Benz is planning a second major refresh of its flagship EQS electric limousine, adding next‑generation steer‑by‑wire technology with a yoke‑style wheel and an 800‑volt ultra‑fast charging system. The new steering system eliminates the mechanical link, offering a 170‑degree lock‑to‑lock turn...
Taking the Jobs Humans Don’t Want: The Ironic Promise of the Humanoid Robot
Humanoid robots, such as Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, are moving from labs to auto factories, with Hyundai showcasing a $250,000 unit that can work two shifts and plans to build 30,000 units per year by 2028. Proponents argue the machines will...
America's Fastest Highway Could Become A Hotbed For Driverless Semis
Texas State Highway 130, the nation’s fastest 85‑mph corridor, is becoming a testing ground for driverless semi‑trucks. Companies including Einride, Aurora Innovation and Waymo aim to begin trials by late 2026, leveraging the road’s low traffic and high speed. The SH 130...
VW Is Mulling a New Flagship SUV for a More Affluent Crowd
Volkswagen is exploring a new flagship electric SUV to fill the gap left by the Touareg after its 24‑year run. Board member Martin Sander said the model would target affluent customers who want premium engineering without the Audi or Porsche...
HPQ Silicon Reports 6,696 mAh From GEN4 Silicon Anode in 21700 Format, 45% Above Graphite Baseline
HPQ Silicon announced that its GEN4 silicon‑based anode achieved an average capacity of over 6,600 mAh in 21700 cylindrical cells, with a record 6,696 mAh delivering 319.9 Wh/kg and 906.2 Wh/L. This represents a 45 % improvement over the company’s graphite baseline and a 9 %...
VinFast Rolls Out EV Rental Program For Drivers In Indonesia & The Philippines
VinFast launched an electric‑vehicle rental program for ride‑hailing and transport drivers in Indonesia and the Philippines, complementing its existing purchase options. The scheme offers low‑deposit, long‑term contracts with daily rates of about $21 (IDR 312,500) in Indonesia and $18 (PHP 1,000) in...
No Big Trucks for Little Roads: American OEMs Say EU Is Blocking Imports
The European Union is tightening its Individual Vehicle Approval rules, which could prevent U.S. full‑size pickups such as the Ford F‑150 from being sold in Europe. American automakers argue the move creates a non‑tariff barrier that conflicts with the US‑EU...