At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, Afeela, the electric vehicle brand born from a partnership between Sony and Honda, unveiled a near production-ready version of its inaugural car, the Afeela 1. This midsize liftback, first teased at the CES last year, promises an array of cutting-edge technology and impressive specifications. The Afeela 1 will make its debut in two trims:… Read more…
EVs don’t need to charge as quickly as gas cars fill up, US consumers say
Long charging times and lack of available public charging stations have been cited as major roadblocks to EV adoption in countless studies and surveys, but a new survey of U.S. consumers conducted by Deloitte indicates that attitudes may be changing. While it included about 31,000 responses from thirty different countries, the survey found that… Read more…
Hongqi launches Tiangong 08 all-electric SUV, priced from $32,730
The Tiangong 08 measures 4,925 mm in length and has a starting price range of RMB 239,800 ($32,730) to RMB 339,800.
The SUV is available with three battery pack options and a CLTC range of 520 km to 730 km.
BYD Hefei sets sail as NEV maker’s 3rd car carrier joins fleet
BYD Hefei set sail today, the second for BYD as owner and the third in its fleet.
The first vessel in BYD’s fleet, BYD Explorer No. 1, entered service in January 2024, and the second vessel, BYD Changzhou, entered operation in December 2024.
Tencent and CATL caught in the US political crossfire
The US Department of Defense decided to add two major Chinese companies, Tencent and CATL, to its list of “Chinese military companies.” This designation is not an outright ban, but it will create significant hurdles for these companies in the US market. Tencent is known for its messaging app WeChat, and its prominent role in the gaming industry. It owns… Read more…
RoboSense unveils EM4 LiDAR with world’s most laser channels
RoboSense unveiled its new EM4 LiDAR with 1,080 laser channels, saying it’s the world’s first LiDAR with more than 1,000 channels.
The EM4 has detection range of up to 600 meters and can increase the response time of smart driving systems by up to 70 percent.
Zeekr releases Nvidia Thor-based smart driving kit at CES 2025, to deliver Waymo-customized cars in US this year
Zeekr will launch a large SUV this year that will feature the Nvidia Drive Thor-based smart driver domain controller.
It will begin delivering mass-produced Zeekr RTs to Waymo for further testing this year in preparation for a future public robotaxi launch.
Insurance registrations of major car brands in China in 2024: Nio 205,300, Xiaomi 136,800, Tesla 659,400
For the full year 2024, Nio had 205,300 insurance registrations in China, ranking 5th among new car-making brands and 8th among premium brands.
Tesla was 659,400 units, ranking 4th among premium brands behind Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.
China EV insurance registrations by brand for week ending Jan 5: Nio 3,000, Onvo 2,300, Tesla 5,500, BYD 36,500
Major EV makers all saw a significant drop in insurance registrations in China last week, as deliveries are usually slow at the beginning of the month.
Xpeng overtook Li Auto at No. 1 in the new brands list for the first time.
Porsche Macan 4 real life winter test
In the latest video, the YouTube channel Car Explorers takes the new electric Macan 4 on a winter road trip from Stockholm to Dalarna, providing a comprehensive review of its performance, features, and overall driving experience. The Macan 4 is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market and there’s no shortage of interested buyers that will benefit from… Read more…
Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
Thomas Built Buses just launched the second generation of its Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus originally unveiled in 2017 – here’s what’s new.. Read more…
Sony’s AFEELA 1 EV gets $90k price (+subscription), reserve now for $200
Sony Honda Mobility has introduced its AFEELA 1 EV at the Consumer Electronics Show, finally giving a (nearly) full unveil to the car that’s expected to go on sale in California in 2026. Read more…
BYD begins pre-sales of Seal 05 DM-i hybrid sedan, starting at $12,250
The Seal 05 DM-i will be the fifth model in BYD’s Seal family, targeting the affordable family sedan market.
The Seal family sold 389,339 units in 2024, contributing 9 percent of BYD’s full-year NEV sales.
European logistics firm Contargo adds 20 Mercedes eActros electric semi-trucks to its fleet
European logistics firm Contargo has become one of the first customers to take delivery of the new Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi-truck. The company is adding 20 units to its trimodal delivery fleet. Contargo’s battery-electric fleet now numbers 60 trucks, and that number will soon increase to 90. Contargo’s electric trucks were funded in part… Read more…
Sakuu taking commercial orders for its dry-process battery manufacturing platform
US-based Sakuu, which provides commercial-scale equipment and technologies to the battery manufacturing industry, will make its Kavian dry-process battery technology platform available for commercial orders in January 2025. The platform can dry-print anodes and various cathodes from lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) electrodes. It also has the flexibility to support new… Read more…
Genesis GV60 gets a bold refresh for 2025
The Genesis GV60, the brand’s first electric SUV, is getting a 2025 refresh. The update brings a sportier aesthetic, a few new touches around the interior, and a boost in range. Genesis has sharpened the GV60’s exterior with a redesigned, more aggressive front bumper. The signature split headlights now come with “Micro Lens Array” technology, borrowed from the flagship G90… Read more…
Nissan Never Approached Toyota For Merger Plan: Toyota Chairman
At CES 2025, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said he’s actually excited about a potential merger between Honda and Nissan. Read more…
The Sony-Honda Afeela EV Will Start At $102,900, Arrive In Mid-2026
It’s packed with sensors and promises advanced automated driving technology. And it ain’t cheap. Read more…
Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January
With more models hitting the market and massive incentives, electric vehicles are more affordable than ever. However, with Trump’s transition team reportedly planning to end the EV tax credit, the savings may soon disappear. Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January. Read more…
Cox Automotive: 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2025 will be electric
US EV sales will continue to grow in the year ahead, accounting for 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2025, according to Cox Automotive’s 2025 Outlook. Read more…
