Today's Automotive Pulse
BYD's Brazil shipments top 148,000 units in first four months of 2026
From January to April 2026 BYD exported 148,310 passenger vehicles to Brazil, its largest overseas market, including 78,913 battery‑electric and 69,397 plug‑in hybrid models. European destinations such as the UK, Belgium, Germany and Spain each received between 11,000 and 26,000 units, forming the next tier of BYD's export geography.
Also developing:
Auto, Manufacturing CEOs Remain Upbeat on Growth; Bet Big on AI: KPMG
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 and digital technologies dominate investment agendas, as 81% of automotive and 68% of industrial CEOs flag AI as a priority, with roughly 70% planning to devote 10‑20% of budgets to these initiatives. Supply‑chain resilience tops operational concerns for 47% of automotive and 63% of industrial CEOs.
US Regulator Ends Probe Into Tesla's 'Actually Smart Summon' Feature After Software Fixes
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 Becomes South Korea’s Top Imported Car, Up 330%
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...
High Gas Prices May Not Yet Boost EV Sales
"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...
Octopus Energy Launches 50% Cheaper On-Street EV Charging
Octopus Energy announced a new on‑street EV charging offer that cuts rates by half. New customers can charge at about 22.5p per kWh (≈$0.28/kWh), translating to roughly £16 ($20) for a full MG4 charge or 7p ($0.09) per mile. The...
Deeptech Startup drivebuddyAI Secures Patent for Real-Time Road Quality Assessment System
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....
How the Bizarre Nissan Primera Paved the Way for the Qashqai
Nissan's final Primera, launched in 2001, featured a bold coupe‑like silhouette and a high‑tech cockpit that included one of the first reversing cameras and extensive electronic kits. Despite these innovations, the model struggled against a consumer shift toward premium German...
BMW Wants To Save The Manuals
BMW’s M division is actively working to keep manual transmissions in its performance lineup, targeting a survival window through at least 2029. Engineers are exploring stronger clutch packages and may even detune engine output to protect manual durability. The Z4 M40i...
Russia March 2026: Toyota, Belgee up, Tenet Plateaus
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...
Top 20 Vehicles Sold In United States in Q1 2026
The first quarter of 2026 reaffirmed trucks and SUVs as the U.S. market’s backbone, with Ford’s F‑Series remaining the top seller despite a 16 % drop. Chevrolet’s Silverado and Honda’s CR‑V held the second and third spots, also slipping modestly. Ram’s...
Mitsubishi Motors to Build HEV in Philippines From 2028
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 Supplies OE Tyres for Renault Filante
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's Third ITS Market Radar Report Calls for 'Stronger Coordination'
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...
German Auto Industry's EV Failure Hits Us Harder
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 Broadens Most-Wanted Model Y to Eight New Markets
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 Silent About Failure Of 100 Robotaxis In Wuhan
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...
SiC Devices Power Next‑Gen Medium‑Voltage Solid‑State Transformers
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
China’s Taxis Shift From VW to BYD Electric
“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)
[Gasgoo Express] Former Honor CMO Guo Rui Appointed Chairman and CEO of Luxeed; JAC Establishes Zunjie Zhixing Company in Shanghai.
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...
Planned Investment of 100 Million Yuan, Another Project Lands in Shanghai Jiading
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 Wins New Designation From Leading Global Automaker, Marking Its Largest Overseas Contract
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...
Understanding Shaanxi's Automotive Industry Cluster at a Glance
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 Subsidiary Sells Lithium Mining Stake to Controlling Shareholder, Raising 1.92 Billion Yuan
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 Secures Next-Generation High-End Electric Bus Battery Pack Project From West European Bus Manufacturer
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's Turnaround Hinges On This Unique Hybrid System. It's Nothing Like Toyota's
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...
Sorting Out Remote Operators & Remote Assistants
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 Completes Winter Testing of Electric GT Foor-Door Coupé
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 Throws in Extra Incentives, Including Free Home Charger, to Help Drive EX5 Sales
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 Slashes Prices on the EV3 and EV5 Electric SUVs
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 NA + JOJO Launch EV Fast Chargers in Illinois – First Sites Live
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...
Podcast: EV Deliveries From Tesla, Rivian, Toyota Electric Pickup Truck, and More
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,...
EV Charging – The Importance of Affordable, Convenient Access
Chinese automaker BYD unveiled its Flash Charging technology paired with the second‑generation Blade Battery, claiming a 60 % charge in five minutes. While the breakthrough highlights EV maturity, the article argues that ultra‑fast charging is not the primary solution for everyday...
China Robotaxi Outage Leaves Passengers Stranded on Highways
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 Partner on DC-Link Capacitors for 800 V+ SiC EV Inverters
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 Ships First Graphite Samples to US Customer, Opens Quebec Processing Lab
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 Replaces Outdated EV Chargers at No Up-Front Cost
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...
EV Adoption in America: Who's Winning, Who's Losing?
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...
ST Introduces STripFET F8 MOSFET Series for Automotive
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...
'Like a Cabover' With More Side Glass: Tesla Semi Panorama, Walkaround Vid
Tesla’s long‑awaited electric Semi, featuring a 500‑mile range, was showcased at the American Trucking Associations event, highlighting a panoramic cab with 6.5 feet of headroom and a central driver seat. The truck’s power draw is estimated at 1.7 kWh per mile, roughly...
Iskraemeco eMobility’s Next‑generation Modular DC Fast EV Charger
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 PV5 Crew Debuts: Flexible Electric Van for Passenger and Cargo Use
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...
India: ChargeZone to Set up over 1,000 Highway Charging Stations
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 March 2026: Toyota, Hyundai Shoot up, BYD Breaks Records, Highest Monthly Volume Since June 2019
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 Brings Battery Software to SDVerse
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 Firefly Sets Apr 7 for EV Upgrade to Sustain Sales Momentum
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 Retail January-February 2026: Volkswagen and Xiaomi YU7 #1 Year-to-Date
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...
CATL Signs Deal with Chinese Express Giant to Electrify Delivery Trucks
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...
Questions About Robotaxis? Ask Nacto
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...
The Risks of Autonomous Vehicle Self-Certification in Freight
The article warns that allowing autonomous‑vehicle (AV) manufacturers to self‑certify their freight trucks could bypass critical safety oversight that human drivers currently undergo. It highlights the stark contrast between mandatory medical exams for Class 7/8 drivers and the proposed lack of...
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Isn't On Pause—And It Could Get A Camping Version, VW CEO Says
Volkswagen announced it will skip the 2026 model year for the ID. Buzz in the United States, moving directly to a 2027 launch. The decision stems from a demand‑supply analysis and aims to avoid a short production run after a delayed...