China to Produce Jeep and Peugeot Cars Under €1bn Dongfeng Deal
Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group has signed a deal with Stellantis to produce Jeep and Peugeot vehicles in China. The partnership, valued at under €1 billion, will see Dongfeng assemble both internal‑combustion and electric models at its plants. Production is expected to start later this year, expanding Stellantis’s footprint in the world’s largest auto market. The agreement also includes technology sharing to accelerate the electric‑vehicle rollout.
VinFast Targets 1,100 Service Workshops Worldwide in 2026
VinFast announced at its Global Business Conference that it has signed memoranda of understanding with 29 after‑sales partners to expand its EV service footprint. The automaker, which already operates around 800 workshops worldwide—including 400 in Vietnam—aims to exceed 1,100 service...
Tesla Now Forces Drivers to Give Feedback when Intervening on ‘Full Self-Driving’
Tesla’s latest Full Self‑Driving update (v14.3.2, software 2026.2.9.9) now forces drivers to answer a feedback prompt every time they intervene. The on‑screen dialog remains until a category—Preference, Discomfort, Navigation, or Critical—or a voice note is submitted, with no dismiss button....
Vaporware or Not? Aptera Assembles Its First Five Validation Models.
Aptera Motors has completed its first five validation vehicles on a new low‑volume assembly line in Carlsbad, California, marking a tangible step toward production. The three‑wheel, two‑seat EV claims a 400‑mile range from a 44 kWh battery and a drag coefficient...
Panasonic Raises EV Battery Outlook Based On Tesla's Sales Bounce
Panasonic raised its U.S. EV battery sales outlook for the fiscal year ending March 2027, projecting an 18.9% increase to 46 GWh, driven by Tesla’s rebound. Tesla’s Q1 market share jumped to 54% even as overall U.S. EV sales fell 27%, prompting...
588 Or More New Public EV Chargers Coming To Texas
The Texas Transportation Commission approved $250 million for Phase II of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, adding roughly 588‑plus public fast‑charging ports across the state. Phase I previously delivered $53 million for 65 sites, with 15 already operational. New stations will typically...
Honda CEO Tries To Distract From $5.7 Billion Annual Loss With Promise Of 15 New Hybrids And By Dropping 2040...
Honda posted a ¥414.3 bn ($2.59 bn) operating loss for FY2026, its first annual deficit since 1957, after a costly EV rollout. CEO Toshihiro Mibe announced the abandonment of the 2040 combustion‑free target and a new strategy to launch 15 hybrid models...
Can a Chinese EV-Maker Reinvent Itself as a Robot Firm?
At Xpeng's annual tech showcase, the company surprised attendees by presenting a lifelike female humanoid robot named Iron. CEO He Xiaopeng dramatically sliced the robot's synthetic skin on stage to reveal its mechanical internals, underscoring that the creation was entirely...
End of the Check Engine Light Era
Suppliers and OEMs are replacing traditional check‑engine light alerts with AI‑driven diagnostics that automatically diagnose faults, book repairs and reroute trucks. Connected platforms from DTNA and Volvo deliver real‑time data, enabling predictive maintenance and over‑the‑air updates that keep trucks on...
Jaguar Reveals Official Name of Its 1,000-HP Electric Flagship
Jaguar has officially named its upcoming electric grand tourer the Type 01, marking the first model of a fully electric luxury lineup. The four‑door GT will use a new Jaguar Electric Architecture and a tri‑motor system that produces more than 1,000 hp...
UK Government Signs Self-Driving Partnership with Wayve
The UK Department for Business and Trade has signed a memorandum of understanding with London‑based autonomous‑vehicle firm Wayve to co‑develop safety‑critical self‑driving technology. The agreement, announced on 12 May 2026, focuses on large‑scale simulation, safety assurance and embedding Wayve’s AI software into...
Lotus CEO Warns Solid-State Batteries Still up to a Decade From Mass Production
Lotus chief executive Qingfeng Feng warned that solid‑state batteries could be a decade away from mass production, despite industry hype. He highlighted Geely’s lead in R&D but stressed unresolved performance trade‑offs. The comments were made at the FT Future of...
Versigent Unveiled in Anting
Versigent, a former Aptiv division, officially spun off and listed on the NYSE under the ticker VGNT on April 1, 2026. The company held a brand‑unveiling ceremony in Anting, Shanghai, emphasizing its focus on electrical architectures for electrified, smart and autonomous vehicles....
Aptiv 8th-Generation Radar Selected by Volvo
Aptiv announced a program win with Volvo for its eighth‑generation radar platform, slated for integration into Volvo’s next‑generation vehicle lineup beginning in 2028. The radar will underpin a full suite of safety and driver‑assistance functions and will be paired with...
Norway at 99% EV Sales Rate
Norway set a new electric‑vehicle sales record in April 2026, with EVs accounting for 98.6% of all new registrations. The figure eclipses the 98.4% share recorded the month before, confirming the country’s near‑full electrification of passenger‑car sales. Legacy manufacturers Volkswagen...
Ford Teases Affordable EV of the Future
Ford announced it will still launch an affordable electric vehicle in the United States next year, despite scaling back broader electrification timelines after the $7,500 federal EV tax credit was eliminated. The automaker’s shift reflects a strategic focus on cost‑effective...
Toyota Launches the bZ4X Touring, Its Most Powerful Non-GR Vehicle with 367 Miles Range
Toyota unveiled the bZ4X Touring (branded bZ Woodland in the US), its most powerful non‑GR EV, delivering up to 375 hp in the AWD version and a WLTP range of 367 mi. The model is 140 mm longer, boosting cargo capacity to 669 L...
Inside Henkel’s Battery Application Center, Where Adhesive Formulations Meet Production-Line Robots
Henkel’s Battery Application Center in Madison Heights, Michigan offers a production‑intent lab where OEMs can test adhesive dispensing on real EV battery housings using a six‑axis ABB robot and heated pump systems. The facility enables rapid co‑engineering, providing data on...
Waymo Expands Robotaxi Coverage More than 20% — Larger than Rhode Island
Waymo announced a 27% expansion of its robotaxi service, pushing coverage to over 1,400 square miles across 11 U.S. cities—more area than the entire state of Rhode Island. The rollout begins in Miami and will soon include Austin, Atlanta, Houston...
In Costa Rica, Chinese EVs Are Squeezing Out US and European Brands
Chinese electric vehicles are rapidly gaining ground in Costa Rica, now accounting for more than a third of the nation’s car market. In the first quarter of 2026, EVs represented 18% of new vehicle sales, the highest share in Latin...
Investors Start to Question Daimler Truck’s Anti-EV Stance
At Daimler Truck's 2026 AGM, activist investors challenged the company's anti‑EV stance, citing a 34% profit drop and a 26% sales decline in North America. The group highlighted Tesla Semi's mass production and its dominance in California's Class 8 voucher program,...
Thousands of Waymos Recalled After Robotaxi Swept Into a Creek
Waymo announced a voluntary recall of nearly 3,800 robotaxis after a software flaw could let the vehicles drive into flooded roads. The issue came to light when an empty Waymo car entered a creek in San Antonio on April 20,...
UK Removes HGV Rules for Larger Electric Vans
The UK government will strip heavy‑goods‑vehicle testing, tachograph and driver‑hours rules from electric vans weighing 3.5‑4.25 tonnes starting June 2026, moving them into the Class 7 MOT regime used for light commercial vehicles. The reforms, driven by the Zero Emission Van Plan coalition,...
Kia India Launches BaaS Financing Model for Carens Clavis EV
Kia India has introduced a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) financing model for its new Carens Clavis EV, allowing customers to separate chassis and battery payments. The dual‑loan structure offers up to 60‑month financing for the vehicle chassis and up to 96‑month financing for the...
BYD Puts 500th Electric Bus on Japanese Roads
Chinese EV maker BYD has delivered six K8 electric buses to Nankai Rinkan Bus, bringing its total fleet in Japan to 500 units. The new buses will run on the Koyasan Inland Line in Wakayama Prefecture, marking BYD’s first commercial...
Native-Color Rev8 Lidar From Ouster Targets Level 4 AV Development
Ouster announced that its Rev8 OS family of digital lidar sensors is now qualified for Nvidia's Drive Hyperion platform, a key step toward Level 4 autonomous vehicle development. The Rev8 line introduces the world’s first native‑color lidar and the OS1 Max model,...
Mazda Trims EV Spend 20% as Global Hybrid Demand Surges
Mazda announced a 20% reduction in its EV investment, cutting spend to JP¥1.2 tr (≈$7.6 bn) through 2030 and postponing its first in‑house BEV launch to 2029. The automaker lowered its BEV sales target to 200,000‑250,000 units a year (about 15% of...
AI Fast Charging Could Extend EV Battery Life by 23%
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have created an AI‑driven fast‑charging method that extends lithium‑ion EV battery life by about 23% while keeping charge times unchanged. The system uses reinforcement learning to adjust current based on state of charge, health...
“Huawei Inside” And Everywhere at China’s Car Show
Huawei has cemented its role as a "tier‑0.5" automotive player at the Beijing Auto Show, steering the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) that sold 580,000 vehicles—a 32% jump year‑over‑year. The company supplies design, quality management, onboard systems and sales, while...
Hyundai Launches XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks in Canada
Hyundai Translead has begun commercial sales of its XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen trucks in Canada through Ontario‑based Breadner Trailers, converting the dealer into a dedicated hydrogen‑truck dealership. Eleven trucks are already in service on hydrogen‑mobility projects in British Columbia, including...
WeRide Inc (WRD) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
WeRide announced the world’s first city‑level fully driverless robotaxi permit outside the United States, launching a commercial service with Uber in Abu Dhabi that now covers half the city. The company now holds L4 autonomous permits in eight countries, operates...
Chinese EVs & The US Market — Where Is This Going?
Chinese electric‑vehicle makers are rapidly expanding beyond domestic borders, targeting markets in Australia, Europe, South America and now North America. Recent anecdotes—ranging from a Texan landscaper admiring a Changan truck to a Wall Street Journal columnist preferring a Xiaomi SU7—highlight...
Dedicated Fleets’ Push to Natural Gas Engines Speeding Up
Dedicated carriers are accelerating the shift to natural‑gas powertrains as cost parity with diesel becomes evident, especially after recent diesel price spikes. Cummins' X15N engine, launched in 2024, is being fitted to Freightliner, Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks, enabling long‑haul fleets...
Germany to Invest One Billion Euros in Electric Truck Charging Infrastructure
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport will invest €1 billion (≈$1.09 billion) over four years to build charging infrastructure for heavy‑duty electric trucks. The funding covers grid connections, battery storage, and load‑management systems and is open to both fleet operators and public providers....
India Gets Its UPI for EV Charging as Kumaraswamy Unveils Unified Bharat E-Charge
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy launched Unified Bharat e‑Charge (UBC), dubbed the “UPI for EV charging,” a government‑backed, NPCI‑supported platform that lets Indian EV owners locate, book and pay for charging across public networks through a single app. The system, built...
Chrysler Is Supposedly Working On A Very Cheap New Car: Report
Chrysler, long reduced to two minivan variants, may soon launch a sub‑$20,000 compact called the Pronto, which Stellantis showed to dealers last fall. The model could broaden the brand’s stalled lineup as sales fell 28% in Q1 2026. An investor...
EV Market Growth Seems to Be Happening, Despite EU Policies
Europe’s electric‑vehicle sector has locked in more than €200 billion (≈ $218 billion) for factories, batteries and charging infrastructure, even as EU leaders debate softening the 2035 zero‑emission car ban. The New Automotive report breaks the spend down to €60 billion ($65 billion) for new...
MSRTC Plans E-Bus Fleet Expansion, but Charging Infrastructure Lags
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) currently runs 738 electric buses and plans to boost that number to 2,300 by the end of FY 2026‑27, with an additional 2,460 e‑buses slated for FY 2027‑28. The fleet expansion outpaces the existing...
Lotus Doubles Down on Hybrids While Scaling Back BEV Ambitions
Lotus has abandoned its 2028 all‑electric target, opting for a mixed‑powertrain lineup through 2030. The Focus 2030 plan calls for 40% battery‑electric vehicles and 60% plug‑in hybrids, while still producing internal combustion models. New offerings include the Eletre X hybrid SUV for...
Japan’s Vehicle Sales Rise by 9% in April
Japan’s domestic new‑vehicle market expanded 9.1% year‑on‑year in April 2026, reaching 373,952 registrations. The growth was driven by a 33% surge in light‑truck sales, while passenger‑vehicle sales slipped 2.3%. Toyota posted a modest 1% year‑to‑date sales increase, bolstered by strong...
Electric Revolution: The Rise of E-Motorbikes
Electric motorbikes are rapidly replacing noisy, polluting petrol‑bodas in African cities, driven by firms like Spiro and GOGO Electric. Spiro now operates about 80,000 e‑bikes across seven countries with 2,500 battery‑swap stations, while GOGO has expanded to over 160 swap...
Generational Highlights Importance of Battery Health Check for Used PHEVs
UK diagnostics firm Generational analysed 2,000 used plug‑in cars, split evenly between PHEVs and BEVs. While average battery state of health (SoH) was similar—94.27% for PHEVs versus 94.94% for BEVs—the spread was wider for hybrids, with a 5.48% standard deviation...
China's Passenger Car Exports Surge Nearly 85% in April as Domestic Sales Slump
China’s passenger‑car exports exploded in April, climbing almost 85% year‑over‑year to roughly 796,000 vehicles, while domestic sales slumped 25.5% to 1.3 million, marking a sixth consecutive month of decline. Exports of new‑energy models surged over 120% to about 420,000 units, reflecting...
Lotus Scales Back EV Plans, Targets 2028 Supercar Launch
Lotus, owned by Geely, announced it will launch its first supercar, the Type 135, in 2028 while scaling back its all‑electric ambitions. Under the “Focus 2030” plan, the company now targets a 60% hybrid and 40% battery‑electric portfolio, forecasting 30,000 units annually,...
House Lawmakers Introducing Bill to Toughen US Ban on Chinese Vehicles
Two bipartisan House members will introduce legislation to cement a Biden administration regulation that bans Chinese‑designed passenger vehicles with advanced connectivity from the U.S. market. The bill would expand the ban to cover any vehicle built with software capable of...
China April Auto Sales Fall for Seventh Month, Exports Soar
China’s domestic passenger‑car market contracted for a seventh month in April, dropping 21.6% year‑on‑year to 1.4 million units. Export volumes surged 74.4% to 901,000 vehicles, with new‑energy vehicle (NEV) exports hitting a record 430,000 units, up 110% YoY. The decline is...
Panasonic’s 4680 Mass Production Pushed Back yet Again
Panasonic Energy has postponed mass production of its 4680 cylindrical battery cell for a second time, still awaiting a purchase order from its primary customer, likely Tesla. The original 2024 launch date slipped to March 2026, which was also missed,...
US Lawmakers Make Last-Ditch Push to Block Cave on China EVs
U.S. senators and representatives have introduced legislation to cement the Biden‑era ban on Chinese‑origin connected‑car hardware and software, making any reversal difficult ahead of President Trump’s upcoming summit with Xi Jinping. The Connected Vehicle Security Act would lock in data‑security...
Interview: Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Software Engineering, Volvo Cars
Volvo Cars’ head of software engineering, Alwin Bakkenes, is steering a sweeping digital transformation that centers on a unified HuginCore stack and AI‑driven services. The EX60, launched with Google Gemini AI and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Auto Connectivity Platform, showcases the new...
93% of Battery-Electric Truck Users Are Highly Satisfied
A recent Oeko‑Institut survey of 57 German transport firms using heavy‑duty battery‑electric trucks for at least a year found a 93% satisfaction rate. The study, conducted with Daimler Truck’s eActros 600 users, highlights superior reliability, driver comfort and economic benefits such...