Bentley’s “urban SUV” has been spied on multiple occasions, but the automaker hasn’t said much about it. That’s slowly starting to change as the company gears up for a debut later this year.

In an interview with Road & Track, Bentley Americas CEO Mike Rocco revealed a teaser campaign is in the works and the crossover will eventually arrive in the United States in the third quarter of 2027. That’s a ways off and the automaker is still fine-tuning pricing.

More: Bentley’s New Urban SUV Copies A Controversial Feature From Audi’s Q3

While nothing is set in stone, Rocco implied the model, which is expected to be called the Barnato, will likely be priced on the “lower end” of its lineup. Bentley doesn’t exactly advertise pricing, but the Bentayga starts around $210,000 and the new model will likely play in the same neighborhood.

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Regardless of the final number, Bentley seems pretty confident in the crossover despite lackluster EV sales. As Rocco explained, “A lot of work, a lot of research has gone into this vehicle.” This includes consumer clinics, where 80% of people who saw the model said they would buy it.

The executive also suggested the crossover won’t necessarily be defined by its powertrain. Instead, people will embrace the fact that it’s a new Bentley SUV, which is street-focused.

We’ll learn more about the vehicle later this year, but the Barnato will ride on the PPE platform that underpins the Audi A6 and Q6 e-trons as well as the Porsche Macan and Cayenne Electric. The latter features a 113 kWh battery pack, a 390 kW DC fast charging capability, and outputs of 435 hp (324 kW / 441 PS), 657 hp (490 kW / 666 PS), and 1,139 hp (849 kW / 1,155 PS).

Speaking of the Cayenne Electric, pricing starts at $109,000 and climbs to $163,000 for the Turbo variant. This means that roughly $50,000 could separate it from the Barnato.

The BMW 6-Series Coupe may have been retired in favor of the soon-to-be discontinued 8-Series Coupe, but interest in the nameplate hasn’t disappeared. For some enthusiasts, the idea of a modern revival still holds real appeal. One of them is digital artist Sugar Design, who has imagined a return of the 6 as a midsize two-door coupe for the Neue Klasse era.

The front end of the digital concept leans heavily on the BMW i3, borrowing its slim LEDs integrated into an illuminated grille. This time, though, the 6-Series sits wider and lower than its sibling. It adds sharper bumper intakes, a more pronounced shark-nose profile, and larger alloy wheels to dial up the attitude.

More: BMW Sends Off The 8-Series In E31 Colors And All The M Branding It Could Find

The profile keeps things clean, taking clear cues from the Vision Neue Klasse concept. It may not match the classic dash-to-axle proportions of earlier models, yet the overall stance still lands as striking and suitably exotic.

Illustrations Sugardesign

The rear end clearly borrows from the limited-run Skytop convertible, itself built on the 8-Series Coupe platform, just like the Speedtop shooting brake. You can see it in the wide, sculpted rear haunches, the razor-thin taillights, and the crisp tailgate edge. Even the diffuser looks like it means business, tying the whole thing together with a properly athletic finish.

More: BMW Showed Just Enough Of The i3 Touring For Someone Else To Finish The Job

Sugar Design didn’t go into detail on the powertrain, but everything about this points to a fully electric setup. The proportions and surfacing suggest it rides on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, likely sharing its underpinnings with the smaller i3 and iX3.

A Long Bloodline Of Coupes

The digital concept nods to the 50th anniversary of the original E24 generation (1976–1989), still widely regarded as the most attractive 6-Series ever made, though that may not be an especially high bar given its modern successors.

The nameplate returned with the Bangle-era E63 (2003-2010), followed by the F13 (2011-2018), which was also offered in Convertible (F12) and Gran Coupé (F06) variants. BMW also introduced the unrelated G32 6-Series GT (2017-2023) five-door liftback, though it had a relatively short run.

A New Role

The independent designer suggests that a Neue Klasse 6-Series could take on the role of both the 4-Series Coupe (G22) and 8-Series Coupe (G15), much like how the Mercedes-Benz CLE replaced the C-Class and E-Class Coupe/Convertible models.

More: Someone Should Make This BMW M6 V12 Restomod A Reality

Such an approach could simplify BMW’s lineup and help reduce development costs, while keeping a larger, more premium coupe in the range.

Even so, it’s hard to say whether putting resources into such a niche segment really adds up, especially when an electric successor to the 4-Series Coupe would likely cover what most buyers actually want.

Illustrations: Sugardesign_1

First-quarter sales are in, and they come with a few surprises. One of the more unexpected outcomes is Rivian edging past several established players in the U.S. EV market. During Q1 2026, Rivian managed to outsell Kia, Ford, Toyota, and BMW in electric-vehicle deliveries across the United States.

More specifically, the California-based automaker delivered 10,365 EVs between January and March. During the same period, Rivian produced 10,236 vehicles, 129 fewer than it sold, likely drawing from existing inventory to close the gap. This comes just ahead of the launch of the more affordable R2, which is set to begin deliveries later this spring as a Tesla Model Y rival.

More: Rivian Won Direct Sales In Washington With A Threat That’s Coming For Dealers Everywhere

Following these results, the company has raised its annual delivery guidance to 67,000 units for 2026, an increase of 5,000 units over its previous estimate. Rivian will report its full financial results for Q1 2026 on April 30.

Rivian Sales Momentum

While Rivian remains a relatively small player compared to legacy automakers, it still managed to outsell several of them in the EV race.

More: Rivian R2 And Jeep Recon Solve The Same Problem, But Which One Solves It For You?

Kia America reported 2,023 sales for the EV6 and 2,740 for the EV9, totaling 4,763 units in Q1 2026. The brand also offers an electric version of the Niro in the US, though this likely accounts for only a small portion of the model’s 7,455 total sales, leaving Kia well short of the 10,000-unit mark.

Still, the upcoming Kia EV3, expected in late 2026, could change the narrative. It is also worth noting that Kia’s hybrid models set new Q1 sales records, marking a 73% increase over the same period last year.

Ford’s EV lineup saw an even steeper decline, with sales dropping 70% in Q1 2026 to 6,860 units in the US. The Mustang Mach-E made up 4,600 of those sales, while the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit contributed 2,060 and 200 units, respectively.

Toyota opened the year on a strong note, with the bZ, including the bZ Woodland, reaching 10,016 units in the first quarter, a 79% increase year over year. However, with only 13 units of the newly introduced C-HR arriving in March, Toyota’s total BEV sales reached 10,029 units, just behind Rivian’s 10,365. As the company expands its EV lineup in the US, that gap may not last long.

More: Toyota’s bZ Outsold The Prius, And Now A Second US-Made Electric SUV Is Coming

Finally, BMW recorded 9,856 combined BEV and PHEV sales in the US during Q1 2026, marking a 50% drop compared to last year. This slowdown may prove temporary, as the upcoming Neue Klasse BMW iX3 is expected to play a central role in the brand’s next phase of electrification when it arrives in late 2026.

Mercedes-AMG is gearing up to unveil its new GT 4-Door Coupe, and this time it’s chasing a different target. What once took aim at the Porsche Panamera now pivots toward the Porsche Taycan, trading combustion muscle for electric intent without losing its sense of theater.

Even without a drop of fuel involved, AMG says it will still deliver a proper performance experience. The new model mimics the character of a V8, leaning on a mix of synthetic sound, feedback, and clever engineering to deliver something that still feels alive from behind the wheel.

The latest video teaser shows a camouflaged prototype of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe undergoing winter testing in Lapland. American actor Gabriel Macht, AMG’s brand ambassador since mid-2025, gets an early drive of the upcoming EV before its official arrival.

More: AMG’s GT SUV Could Be The Least Mercedes-Looking Car Mercedes Has Ever Made

The highlight of the clip is the startup sequence when the driver selects Sport+ mode via the rotating steering wheel dial. That setting brings a digital V8 to life, complete with a simulated rev counter and paddle shifters that echo the feel of a combustion-powered car.

The Concept GT XX featured eight external speakers pumping synthesized engine sounds to alert pedestrians of the vehicle’s presence. Based on the exterior shots in the video, the production version appears to follow a similar approach.

More: Mercedes Is Betting On A Yoke To Save The Disastrous EQS

Macht also gets to play around with the three rotating dials on the center tunnel. These provide access to different levels of Throttle Response, Agility, and Traction, transforming the driving experience of the new AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. The Traction is probably the most impressive of the three, allowing everything from crazy wheel spin to insane traction and everything in between.

Mercedes-AMG / YouTube

Predictably, the video includes plenty of drifting, with the driver exploiting the advanced torque vectoring system. Since Mercedes has already revealed the interior, the prototype’s screen-heavy cabin remains fully visible throughout the drive.

More: Drivers Want More Buttons, So Mercedes-AMG’s New Super Sedan Removes Most Of Them

The new-generation AMG GT 4-Door Coupe will be the first production model built on the AMG.EA platform. The concept points to outputs as high as 1,341 hp (1,000 kW / 1,360 PS), delivered by three axial-flux electric motors. On the chassis side, AMG has confirmed adjustable air suspension, semi-active roll stabilization, configurable dampers, and a mix of carbon-ceramic and steel brake discs.

It remains to be seen whether the V8 soundtrack and the highly configurable driving experience will make the zero-emission era of AMG more appealing to its target audience.

Mercedes-AMG

BMW unveiled a radically redesigned and all-electric 3-Series last month, but the sports sedan isn’t the only machine with a blue and white propeller badge that’s getting its first EV makeover. So is the big X7, as these spy shots of the new iX7 prove.

We first saw this upcoming electric flagship a few months ago, but in the wake of the arrival of the smaller Neue Klasse cars we now have an even better idea of what to expect when it it comes to the onboard tech.

Related: BMW’s Largest SUV Is About To Get A Lot More Interesting

Visually, don’t expect a revolution. The iX7 and combustion X7 are heading into BMW’s Neue Klasse design era, but way less aggressively than the i3 and iX3, which are targeting a younger audience. That means a familiar shape, now with Neue Klasse surfacing and flush handles, but still with an older-style big grille and split headlights rather than the visor-style nose treatment seen on its iX3 little brother.

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Flush-type grille kidneys, iX7 badges and of course the absence of tailpipes will help other drivers distinguish it from the X7, but otherwise, like the 5-Series and i5, and 7-Series and i7, the two differently-powered SUVs will look almost identical.

And like the i7, both versions of the X7 will ride on an updated version of BMW’s existing large SUV platform, so the company can build petrol and electric models side by side. It’s a pragmatic move, even if it means the iX7 won’t go full futuristic like the smaller Neue Klasse EVs.

800-Volt Fast Charging And A Long Range

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But that doesn’t mean it’ll miss out on all the good NK tech. BMW’s latest battery know-how should make an appearance, with more energy-dense cells and faster charging thanks to 800 volt architecture. If the smaller iX3 can manage over 500 miles (805 km) of WLTP range, expect the iX7 to go equally far, helped by a much larger, probably 100+ kWh battery pack.

Dual motors and all-wheel drive will be standard, and as for power, don’t be surprised if a range-topping version pushes well beyond 800 hp (811 PS), because even those kind of numbers look pretty ordinary in the electric SUV world these days.

Grab a seat inside and you’ll be met with BMW’s latest tech-heavy cabin, including its Panoramic iDrive media setup and head-up display. But the price of admission to that cabin is going be hefty when sales start in 2027, so don’t think you’re going to take one home for less than six figures.

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A few years ago, automakers faced a tough choice. They could eschew hybrids and plug-in hybrids to go all-in on EVs, or adopt a more balanced, but expensive approach that saw them invest in multiple technologies.

A number of companies went the electric route and that ended up costing them greatly as adoption was slower than they anticipated. If that wasn’t bad enough, the United States eliminated the federal tax credit and governments rolled back overly ambitious green agendas.

More: Gas Was $2.98 A Month Ago. It Just Crossed $4 For The First Time Since 2022

This has pushed automakers to cancel EVs and abandon plans to go electric-only. Companies have posted huge losses and now they’re suddenly playing catch-up with rivals that took a more nuanced approach.

Expensive Gas Is Going To Make Things Even Worse

Since some companies were betting on a quick transition to EVs, a number of them don’t have many hybrids or plug-in hybrids to offer customers. That’s bad news in an era where the national average price of a gallon of gasoline is above $4 and climbs to nearly $6 in some states.

The only hybrid GM has in America is the $108,600 Corvette E-Ray and that’s a huge problem. Consumers in the market for a compact crossover might look at an Equinox, which returns up to 26 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. That’s not terrible, but the Toyota RAV4 gets 47 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 43 mpg combined. This is a huge difference, especially in an era of sky high gas prices.

Hyundai and Kia also offer hybrid competitors in the form of the Tucson and Sportage. The former offers up to 38 mpg across the board, while the latter returns up to 41 mpg city, 44 mpg highway, and 42 mpg combined. It’s also worth noting all three competitors offer plug-in hybrid variants, while GM doesn’t offer a single one in the United States.

General Motors isn’t the only automaker that bet big on EVs and lived to regret it. Ford has a limited hybrid lineup that consists of the Maverick and F-150. The Escape, which offered hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, was recently killed off, while the Explorer Hybrid is limited to police and the Pope.

Hybrid Sales Are Skyrocketing

While the war in Iran is barely more than a month old, hybrid sales are booming. Kia recently revealed sales of hybrids soared 73% to set a new quarterly record.

Last month was also Hyundai’s best ever March for hybrid sales. The company noted hybrids saw a huge jump in the first quarter as the Elantra Hybrid was up 141%, while the Sonata Hybrid soared 107%. The Santa Fe Hybrid also got a 47% boost as consumers embraced efficiency.

While Toyota sales fell 6.9% in the first quarter, high gas prices could help to reverse that trend as the company offers a dizzying array of hybrids. Seventeen, to be exact, according to our last count. This includes the Camry, Corolla, Crown, Corolla Cross, and Prius, as well as the Crown Signia, Highlander, Grand Highlander, Land Cruiser, RAV4, 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, and Sienna. Two of those, the Prius and RAV4, are also offered as plug-in hybrids.

That’s a huge lineup, especially compared to Ford, GM, and Stellantis. The latter recently killed off plug-in hybrids and only offers the new Cherokee Hybrid in America. However, range-extended variants of the Ram 1500 and Grand Wagoneer are coming.

While EVs do offer some cover to these companies during periods of high gas prices, consumers have been clear: most want hybrids, not fully electric vehicles.

Campers have built a loyal following across Europe, with midsize LCVs emerging as the go-to base for conversion specialists. Not everyone needs that much space, though, and that gap has led German firm Ari Motors to create what may be the smallest camper currently on sale in the country, and possibly, the entire continent.

It’s based on the Ari 458 Pro, which the company describes as the largest van in the L7e category, a niche segment to begin with. At just 3,820 mm (150.4 inches) long, this tiny camper is barely longer than a current Fiat 500e at 3,632 mm (143.0 inches). It’s also still shorter than a Mini Cooper hatch at 3,858 mm (151.9 inches) and even undercuts a Mazda MX-5 ND at 3,915 mm (154.1 inches).

More: I Designed A 10-Foot Budget Camper You Can Tow With A Small Hatch

Up front, it keeps the same cheerful face, undersized wheels, and two-seat cabin as the LCV. Like several other Ari Motors products, it’s likely sourced from a Chinese partner.

Tiny Living Space Layout

The real talking point sits at the back. The rear module resembles a compact suitcase with small windows cut into it, forming a tiny living space. Ari says it offers 2.8 square meters (30 square feet) of usable area, with a maximum interior height of 1.85 m (72.8 inches).

More: Tiny Kei Truck Becomes A Real Tiny Home On Wheels

In order to keep the entry price as low as possible, the camper is offered without any furniture. It is, in effect, an empty box on wheels. What you do get is the “necessary utility infrastructure,” which covers a water system with fresh and wastewater tanks, plus 230-volt sockets.

Photos Ari

Those who want a complete camper experience have to source a bed, rear seating, a table, a kitchenette, and a portable toilet from other companies. Ari Motors does offer a “minimalist” interior conversion built at its Borna facility near Leipzig, though it has yet to show what that actually looks like.

Up front, equipment is predictably sparse. There are electric windows, central locking, Bluetooth, a digital instrument cluster, a reversing camera, and a single cup holder. Air conditioning is optional, as are solar charging and a trailer coupling.

Electric Powertrain Specs

The Ari 458 Pro uses a single electric motor producing 20 hp (15 kW), which sits right in line with L7e regulations. Opt for the largest battery, and it delivers up to 230 km (143 miles) of range, while top speed is capped at 70 km/h (44 mph).

More: Mercedes Built A Two-Story Sleep Setup That Still Fits In A Parking Spot

There is nothing particularly sophisticated happening underneath. Like most heavy quadricycles, it operates outside the stricter standards applied to conventional passenger cars.

How Much Does It Cost?

Beyond the camper variant, the Ari 458 Pro comes in more than 30 configurations. Buyers can choose from a box van, food truck, flatbed, tipper, or even a compact garbage truck. Pricing starts at €15,790 ($18,200) before taxes for the base LCV, while the camper version opens at €30,381 ($35,100) in Germany.

SPECS

The build-up to the release of the all-electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door has been painfully slow, but it’s inching closer to the market, recently finishing up winter testing in Northern Europe. Along the way, a handful of fresh details have surfaced, offering a better sense of how far Mercedes is willing to go to make this feel like a proper AMG, or at least convince you it is.

While Mercedes-AMG has yet to confirm the final power output for the production sedan ahead of its spring launch, the concept has already shown it can deliver up to 1,341 hp. AMG has confirmed the car will use three advanced axial-flux electric motors, enabling configurable rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive setups. At the center of it all is a complex driving-dynamics control system, managed through three settings: Response, Agility, and Traction.

Read: Drivers Want More Buttons, So Mercedes-AMG’s New Super Sedan Removes Most Of Them

The Response Control system tweaks the behavior of the electric motors depending on different accelerator pedal commands and individual driving modes. The Agility Control system focuses specifically on tweaking the cornering behavior of the car, adjusting the power distribution on the fly to give the car the feeling of having a shorter or a longer wheelbase and varying from slight understeer to controlled oversteer. So while the car will be electric, you’ll still be able to drift it.

Can It Be A Fun EV?

Traction control goes unusually deep, offering nine selectable levels, similar to setups used in the previous-generation AMG GT R and AMG GT Black Series.

Mercedes-AMG has also confirmed a somewhat unconventional braking setup, pairing carbon-ceramic discs at the front with steel units at the rear. Then there’s the suspension system, which appears particularly advanced, and it better be with all that power at hand. After all, the suspension systems in the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT are already highly sophisticated, so AMG needs something that can genuinely keep pace.

The setup includes adjustable air springs paired with semi-active roll bars and configurable dampers. In theory, it should deliver a broad range of ability, smoothing out rough roads while still tightening everything up when the pace increases. AMG claims it will balance comfort and cornering precision, whether you’re commuting or pushing harder on track.

Advanced Battery Cooling System

Of course, no EV would be complete without some trick technology on the battery side of things. The cells of the AMG GT 4-Door are directly cooled and include a non-conductive oil that flows around each individual cell to maintain an optimal temperature regardless of the conditions. This should mean it’ll perform for lap after lap on a track, or while plowing through snow, and crossing deserts.

That’s all Mercedes is prepared to share for now, but more details should arrive in the coming weeks. Expect a clearer look at the final design, along with confirmed powertrain options. As for pricing, don’t expect any surprises in your favor. The current gas-powered model spans from $102,000 to $200,500, and this next chapter will almost certainly push beyond that range.

The new BMW i3 sedan has finally filled in enough blanks to picture what its more practical wagon sibling might look like. With BMW confirming an i3 Touring, independent artists have stepped in to interpret the brand’s vague teasers and turn them into something more tangible.

Nikita Chuyko from Kolesa and Theophilus Chin have each offered their own interpretation of the fully electric wagon, and while both follow the same basic blueprint, the details diverge. In each case, the sheet metal mirrors the i3 sedan up to the B-pillars. What distinguishes the i3 Touring is the extended roof and the redesigned tail.

More: The iX3 And i3 Will Send Video Of Your Worst Moments On The Road To BMW

BMW’s own teaser hints at a rising beltline behind the C-pillars, a small tweak meant to inject some visual tension into the longer body. Theottle leans heavily into that idea, exaggerating the upward sweep, while Chuyko opts for a more restrained interpretation. The production version could land somewhere in the middle, keeping things sporty without overdoing it.

Illustrations Kolesa / Nikita Chuyko

At the rear, both designers carry over the slim LED taillights and rear bumper from the i3 sedan, focusing their changes on the tailgate and the sloping rear glass. Theottle retains the sculpted lines beside the BMW emblem and adds a more contemporary roof spoiler, similar to the one seen on the iX3 SUV.

More: BMW Gives China’s Stretched iX3 Door Handles The Rest Of The World Can’t Have

We suspect that the production i3 Touring will likely keep the sedan’s 114.1-inch (2,898 mm) wheelbase, meaning any increase in overall size will likely come from a longer rear overhang.

Illustrations Theophilus Chin

The interior will also be carried over, including the pillar-to-pillar display on the base of the windshield and the 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. Rear passengers should benefit from slightly improved headroom, along with a more generous cargo area.

Also: BYD Says Five-Minute Charging Adds 310 Miles, BMW Says Read The Fine Print

Underneath, the i3 Touring will share its 800-volt Neue Klasse architecture with the i3 sedan and the iX3 SUV. A potential 50 xDrive variant is expected to produce 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS) and 645 Nm (476 lb-ft) of torque, offering more than enough performance for a family-oriented model.

The i3 sedan targets an EPA range of 708 km (440 miles) between charges, though the wagon’s less aerodynamic shape will likely reduce that figure slightly. Even so, it should be capable of adding 249 miles (400 km) of range in just 10 minutes when connected to a 400 kW charger.

BMW has confirmed that production of the i3 sedan will begin in August 2026, with first deliveries scheduled for the fall. The i3 Touring is expected to follow in 2027, as part of the 40 new and updated models the company plans to introduce by the end of that year.

The Bavarian automaker is also preparing an ICE-powered 3-Series Touring, which will mirror the design and technology of the Neue Klasse-based i3 Touring while riding on an updated version of the current CLAR platform.

Americans don’t seem particularly fond of new Fiat models, and the numbers make that pretty clear. The Italian brand sold just 155 vehicles in the US during the first quarter of 2025, down 70 percent from a year earlier, or roughly 1.75 cars per day. Across the border in Canada, however, the story takes a different turn.

While Fiat struggles with near nonexistent demand in the US, where 500e sales have plunged 85 percent to just 68 units and 500X deliveries slipped 4 percent to 71, the story looks very different north of the border. In Canada, sales of the tiny EV have surged.

Read: Stellantis Wants To Build Chinese Cars In Canada Instead Of The Jeeps It Promised

During the January–March period, Canadians buyers snapped up 1,287 examples of the electric 500e, the only model Fiat currently sells there. That’s 19 times more than it managed in the US, and a 72 percent jump from the 749 units sold in Q1 2025. It also works out to more than eight times Fiat’s total US sales over the same stretch.

No doubt contributing to the higher popularity of the 500e in Canada than in America is that it’s much cheaper. In the States, prices for the 500e start at $30,500, which is only about $5,000 less than a new Chevrolet Equinox EV that’s much larger, much more practical, and has more than double the driving range.

In Canada, the Fiat 500e starts at CA$30,290 (US$21,700 at current exchange rates), or effectively CA$25,290 (US$18,100), once a CA$5,000 (US$3,600) incentive from the country’s Electric Vehicle Affordability Program is applied. That makes it the cheapest EV on sale in Canada.

Some Stellantis Models Shine, Others Don’t

Fiat wasn’t the only brand from under the Stellantis umbrella to post gains in Q1 2026. Sales at Jeep rose 3 percent from 8,363 to 8,631, while Ram spiked 7 percent, hitting 12,463 units. Chrysler recorded the largest increase, with sales jumping 98 percent to 5,073, driven by a 256 percent surge in Pacifica demand.

Things weren’t so pretty for Dodge as its sales fell 4 percent to 2,743 units. Additionally, Alfa Romeo plummeted by 51 percent to just 81 units, with a measly 15 Giulias, 46 Stelvios, and 20 Tonales finding new homes.

Stellantis Canada Sales

Tesla’s global sales edged up in the first quarter of 2026, but that did little to calm investors. Despite the increase, the company’s production and delivery figures sent shares down more than 5 percent on Thursday, marking their sharpest drop of the year. The stock is now down about 20 percent in 2026.

Read: Tesla’s Sales Collapsed By Nearly 90% In The Land Of EVs

In total, Tesla sold 358,023 vehicles worldwide in Q1 2026. That marks a 6 percent increase over the same quarter last year, when it delivered 336,681 vehicles. The bigger contrast comes against the previous quarter. Deliveries are down 14.3 percent from the 418,227 vehicles handed over in Q4 2025.

US Sales Range Estimates

The company has not released a detailed breakdown for the US, but estimates from Autonews and Cox Automotive put first-quarter deliveries somewhere between 110,000 and 122,196 units. That range points to a decline of roughly 4.6 percent to 15 percent in its home market, depending on where the final number lands.

According to Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein, there are two key reasons to explain why sales fell.

“Tesla’s first-quarter deliveries reflect the U.S. tax credit expiration as well as FSD ​not yet being approved in the EU,” he told Reuters. “These factors will likely continue to weigh on deliveries until Tesla gets EU approval and until we enter the fourth quarter in the U.S.”

As deliveries softened compared to the previous quarter, the gap between vehicles produced and sold widened to its largest level in four years. Tesla ended the quarter with 408,386 vehicles built, leaving a surplus of 50,363 units in inventory.

Data cited by Business Insider shows this is the largest gap between production and deliveries the company has recorded. That stands out for a business that has typically kept supply and demand closely aligned. The closest comparison comes from the same period in 2024, when production exceeded deliveries by around 46,500 vehicles.

Lower Than Analyst Expectations

The carmaker began to temper expectations for the first quarter last week, publishing a delivery consensus based on estimates from more than a dozen analysts. This suggests Tesla would end the quarter with 365,645 deliveries, but it fell short of that. Separate estimates from StreetAccount had projected around 370,000 deliveries.

The analysts also predicted Tesla would deploy 14.4 GWh worth of energy storage, but it actually delivered just 8.8 GWh of energy storage products. That figure is also down from 10.4 GWh in Q1 2025 and 14.2 GWh in Q4 2025.

As we’ve come to expect, the Model 3 and Model Y account for the bulk of the company’s sales, with 341,893 finding new homes. The remaining 16,130 vehicles delivered included a mix of the Cybertruck, Semi and the now-discontinued Model S and Model X.

The current Nissan Leaf hasn’t even been out for a full year, and yet the company is already issuing a serious safety recall. 51 owners might have a car that could, in very specific circumstances, experience a thermal event. Put simply, the specific vehicles could catch fire, so Nissan is telling owners to take several safety precautions, including parking outside.

According to the recall, the issue traces back to the 78-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. During the supplier’s manufacturing process, the edge of a battery cathode may have been torn. If that damaged section folds over inside the cell, it can create an internal short circuit.

Read: 20,000 Nissan Leaf Owners Told To Stop Fast Charging After Fire Risk Warning

That’s where things get serious. Nissan says the short circuit could overheat the battery and potentially trigger what the company calls a “thermal event.” In other words, the battery could catch fire even when the car is parked, switched off, and not charging.

The first known incident happened in Japan on February 16, when a parked 2026 Leaf suffered a thermal event while sitting outside. A second case surfaced in the U.S. on March 2 at a Nissan dealership. In both cases, the vehicles were turned off and not plugged in.

That’s key because oftentimes, it’s the charging procedure itself that can initiate instances like this. Considering that these cars weren’t plugged in means owners could have zero indication of an issue before a fire erupts.

Nissan says it used telematics data to scan other Leafs for unusual battery behavior, then traced the suspect battery packs directly to specific VINs. The company says it has one-to-one traceability between the battery and each affected vehicle. Nissan stopped shipping potentially affected Leafs on March 17 and placed vehicles on hold at ports. Owners will begin receiving calls immediately, and interim recall letters will start going out on April 17.

Until then, Nissan says affected owners should park the car outside and away from structures, avoid charging it, and bring it to a dealer. Dealers will provide a rental car until a fix is ready. Once that happens, Nissan will replace the damaged battery modules, or the entire battery pack if necessary, free of charge.

Credit: Stephen Rivers for Carscoops

Electric vehicles tend to carry more weight than their combustion-powered counterparts, which makes hardware choices far less forgiving. That’s where things appear to have gone sideways for the Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology, now facing a recall affecting more than 3,700 units in the US.

According to Mercedes, early versions of the electric G580 were fitted with wheel bolts that weren’t properly engineered for the model’s added mass and higher torque output. Instead, they were carried over from the combustion-powered version. Over time, that mismatch can cause the connection between the wheel and hub to loosen while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Read: Mercedes Thinks A $10K Discount Will Get $165K Electric SUVs Moving

A total of 3,734 examples are being recalled, all of which were manufactured between February 26, 2024, to August 19, 2025.

Mercedes says that it became aware of a potential issue during ongoing durability testing of the electric G-Class, , when a wheel bolt loosened despite meeting the required specifications. That prompted a deeper investigation into whether the SUV’s added weight, higher torque output, and demanding driving conditions could gradually compromise the wheel bolt connection.

What Can Go Wrong

The company ultimately determined that a wheel is most likely to work loose following “extreme driving maneuvers together with a number of repeated wheel changes over the vehicle’s lifetime.” This combination can increase wear on the contact surfaces of the wheel bolts.

Starting May 22, Mercedes will begin notifying owners of the recall. Affected drivers will be asked to visit a dealership, where technicians will replace the original bolts with a redesigned set better suited to the electric model’s demands. The updated design uses a two-piece collared lug bolt, intended to maintain consistent friction at the contact surface and reduce wear during tightening.

Vehicles built from August 26, 2025, onward already feature these revised bolts from the factory.

While the regular G-Class enjoyed its best year of sales ever in 2025, the G580 was described by a Mercedes-Benz executive in mid-2025 as a “complete flop.” This recently prompted Mercedes to offer massive discounts the US, in the hopes of driving up sales of the electric SUV that starts from $164,550, including destination.

The Tesla Model Y is trying to win back big families and maybe a few lost sales rankings too. Tesla has quietly slipped a seven-seat option back into the UK lineup, and it might be just the nudge the crossover needs.

For £54,490 (equal to $68,500 at current rates), buyers get a pair of extra seats tucked neatly into the boot, an option already available in the US and the EU. That is £2,500 ($3,100) more than the regular version, versus $2,500 in the US, but that’s not the real catch. The bummer here is you can only have those extra chairs if you also choose the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model which costs £10k ($12,500) more than the entry-level single-motor SUV.

Related: Jim Farley Promises A New Affordable Ford EV To Take On Tesla’s Model 3 And Y

At least it means you still get plenty of punch to move seven bodies around. Twin motors deliver brisk acceleration, hitting 60 mph (97 kmh) in about 4.6 seconds, which is quicker than most people need when ferrying kids to school.

Tesla’s online configurator shows an identical sprint time for the five-seat version, and also suggests both are rated at 391 miles (630 km) WLTP. But UK websites like Auto Express claim the extra chairs cut the electric range to 372 miles (599 km). Even if that lower number is true, the Model Y would still be among the longest-legged seven-seat electric SUVs.

With all seven seats up, there is still room for a couple of carry-on suitcases, plus extra storage in the frunk. Fold the rearmost row flat and the Model Y turns back into a load-lugging champ. But the third row itself is best described as optimistic. Tesla admits it is more suited to children, and the lack of Isofix points limits its usefulness for younger passengers. Still, there are USB-C ports and cupholders, so at least those in the back will not feel entirely forgotten.

Not The Only Seven-Seat EV

This move also drops the Model Y back into the ring with rivals like the Peugeot E-5008 and Mercedes EQB, both of which have been courting family buyers looking for electric practicality with three rows of seats.

The bigger question is whether this is enough to boost Tesla’s fortunes in the UK. The Model Y used to dominate sales charts but slipped out of the top ten in 2025 despite a facelift. Adding two extra seats might not sound revolutionary, but for growing families it could be exactly what was missing.

Tesla

We’re in the third inning of a nine-inning game, says Ford’s CEO Jim Farley. What’s he talking about? Electric vehicle adoption. And the automaker has plenty coming down the pipeline before the game is over, he adds. Chief among those products is an affordable EV built to directly take on the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Ford has spent the past few years insisting it still believes in EVs, even as it slashed programs, killed the F-150 Lightning, and pivoted hard toward hybrids. That shift is one that plenty of other automakers are also going through, but none seem to have the exact same game plan as the Blue Oval brand.

More: Farley Admits Ford Got The F-150 Lightning Wrong

“We really want to bet on all of it. We’re going to have an all-hybrid lineup. So Bronco… everything you can buy at Ford will have a hybrid. We’ll also have EREVs for towing. We’ll have an all-electric, affordable vehicle to compete with Model Y and Model 3,” Farley said during an appearance on the Spike’s Car Radio podcast.

That last part is the most notable. Ford already sells the Mustang Mach-E, a relatively affordable EV that offers similar benefits to the Model Y. At the same time, the Ford lags behind in several key metrics, including range, performance, charging speed, and more. Farley clearly wants to change that.

To that end, the brand is working on something new and unique. This future Model Y/Model 3 fighter will almost certainly ride on the company’s Universal EV Platform, or UEV, a new architecture developed by a secretive “skunkworks” team made up largely of former Tesla and Formula 1 engineers. According to Ford, the platform can support up to eight body styles, including compact crossovers, sedans, pickups, vans, and larger SUVs.

Ford’s first UEV-based model is expected to be a roughly $30,000 midsize electric pickup arriving in 2027. The Model 3 and Model Y rival would likely follow shortly after, potentially debuting later that year or in 2028.

The Mercedes EQS has been an unmitigated disaster as consumers ignored the anonymous, electric blob. The underwhelming reaction pushed the automaker to rush out an emergency facelift in 2024, which featured a more traditional grille, a hood ornament, interior tweaks, and a beefier battery pack.

The company is now preparing a second facelift and Mercedes has confirmed the model will embrace steer-by-wire technology as well as a yoke steering wheel. They’re a bit late to the game, but said the change will usher in a variety of benefits.

More: Mercedes EQS Is Going Back Under The Knife For A Second Facelift

While the automaker didn’t go into many specifics, they said the changes reduce steering effort and mean drivers no longer need to adjust their grip on the wheel while turning. In effect, small movements can make a big difference when driving.

Mercedes went on to say road vibrations transmitted through the steering wheel are eliminated as there’s no longer a mechanical linkage. The automaker also promised the “precise, intuitive steering feel” will be maintained despite being digital.

The steer-by-wire system will be optional, but Mercedes said it has already logged over a million kilometers (621,371 miles) worth of testing. They added the technology has redundancies built in to ensure safety including two signal paths, so “steering capability is always guaranteed.”

A New Steering Wheel

Models equipped with steer-by-wire technology will have a new, yoke-style steering wheel. It features a rectangular design with four spokes as well as curves at the top and bottom.

Mercedes said the yoke gives drivers more space, while also aiding entry and egress. Drivers can also see the digital instrument cluster more easily as the steering wheel rim no longer blocks part of the view. Those are tangible benefits, but the company noted the new designed required the development of a unique airbag.

Other Changes

The interior pictures suggest the cabin will largely carryover, but a closer inspection reveals an updated infotainment system with new graphics and a revised layout. It presumably runs the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System that debuted on the CLA and is slowly spreading across the company’s lineup.

Mercedes also gave us a peek at the updated exterior, which sports star-infused headlights. We can also expect a revised grille and updated bumpers.

More importantly, the EQS could adopt a new 800 volt electrical architecture to significantly reduce recharging times. We also wouldn’t be surprised to find a new battery pack with an improved cell chemistry as well as more efficient motors that were developed in-house. These changes should deliver a significant improvement in range, although that wasn’t much of a problem as the current model can travel up to 390 miles (628 km) between stops.

Baldauf

The Luce, Ferrari’s first EV, is set to arrive with a refreshingly retro-modern interior that leans as much on philosophy as it does on design. At the center of that vision is Jony Ive, best known for shaping the iPhone and Apple Watch. Interestingly, despite pioneering the everyday use of touchscreen displays, he is now advocating for their restraint in cars.

Tesla played an important role in popularizing large, tablet-like touchscreens in cars, using them to house almost all key vehicle functions. Now, most vehicles on the market have precious few buttons and rely heavily on screens. While this helps brands achieve a modern design aesthetic, we also know car companies love screens because they’re much cheaper to use than physical buttons and controls.

Read: NASA Helped Ferrari Fix The Luce EV’s “Disturbing” Acceleration

In the Ferrari Luce, Ive is looking to blend the two in a way that hasn’t been seen before. He explained that the goal was to create an interface that blends physical interaction with digital displays, combining the strengths of both rather than relying entirely on one. While there are screens, high-quality physical switches and toggles are used to control them, each with its own click and feel.

Ive Rejects Large Touchscreens

“Practically and functionally, a large touchscreen doesn’t work in a car,” Ive told Top Gear during a recent interview. “That’s incontrovertible. I find it easy and lazy. This is a space where there can be an infatuation with style and fashion.”

According to Ive, he and fellow LoveFrom co-founder Marc Newson approached the project by focusing on how each element is made and used, drawing from their experience designing finely crafted objects.

They “treated every single element as if it was a camera or a watch,” noting the team obsessed over even the smallest details, effectively “designing hundreds of products” that come together to feel “singular and coherent.”

SHProshots

The steering wheel of the Luce has a classic, three-spoke metal design out of 19 CNC-machined parts and includes dials for the Manettino, driving modes, wipers, and turn signals. Positioned behind the wheel is an intricate digital gauge cluster with circular OLED panels from Samsung, with high-end glass positioned in front of them.

Each switch and toggle looks like a little piece of jewelry, adding some theatre to a vehicle that may lack some of the soul of other Ferraris because of its electric powertrain.

“To make something simple and intuitive is really difficult,” Ive added. “Everything is founded on being functional. It’s not styled, it’s not garnish, because that’s a distraction and it doesn’t last well. The binnacle and steering wheel are intimately connected, and this is about driving. Everything else augments that experience. The binnacle is about output and the steering wheel is about input. All the controls are physical and mechanical.”

While much of the industry is quietly backing away from aggressive EV rollouts, Toyota is doing the opposite. The company is doubling down on its zero-emission push in North America, wagering that more Americans are ready to make the switch, even after the scrapped tax credits and incentives last year.

By 2027, Toyota plans to offer seven fully electric models in the country. Among them is a still-unnamed mystery SUV that will be built in the United States.

More: Toyota’s Electric Hilux Costs $20K More Than The Diesel, And That’s Not Even The Worst Part

Right now, the Japanese automaker’s North American EV lineup sits at four models, and all of them are imported. That group includes the Toyota bZ, bZ Woodland, C-HR, and Lexus RZ. A fully electric Lexus ES sedan is set to arrive later this month, with the all-electric 2027 Toyota Highlander scheduled to follow in late 2026.

North America EV Expansion Plans

The Highlander EV marks a turning point for the brand. It will be the first electric Toyota built in North America, assembled in Kentucky, with batteries sourced from North Carolina. But this is really just the first step in Toyota’s USA EV strategy.

According to a Bloomberg report, the second US-built EV is set to be an SUV already in development. Details remain scarce, including its size and where it will fit within the lineup, but production is also slated for Kentucky, with a planned start in 2027.

Mark Templin, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Toyota Motor North America, says the company plans to give buyers “multiple options.” The idea is fairly simple: if Toyota can secure 15% of the overall market in the US, it should be able to capture a similar share of the EV segment.

He also gave a better sense of who these upcoming EVs are meant to attract, referring to them as “Tesla killers.” The target, in his view, is a familiar group.

More: Toyota’s Flagship Electric Sedan Undercuts Tesla Model S By Nearly $96,000 In China

“We’ll probably see what I call boomerang customers, people who loved Prius for being the greenest car in the industry that maybe went to a Tesla – and then we get those people back. Two weeks ago in Japan, I drove three of our future battery electric cars. They’re fantastic. And I think they’re going to be Tesla killers.”

Recovering After A Rough Start

Toyota didn’t exactly nail its first swing at EVs. The bZ4X landed with a bit of a thud, but things are starting to look promising. The updated bZ and the related Lexus RZ are finally gaining traction, with deliveries more than doubling in March 2026.

The numbers are revealing, with the bZ reaching 10,029 sales in Q1 2026, up from 5,610 a year earlier, a jump of about 79%. Over the same period, Prius sales fell to 9,737 from 16,653, a drop of roughly 42%. That’s been enough for the bZ to move ahead of the Prius so far this year, which shows just how quickly things can flip.

Hybrids Remain The King

Even so, hybrids are still doing the heavy lifting. They made up 55% of Toyota’s North American sales in March 2026, up from 49% a year earlier. And that number probably doesn’t tell the whole story, since plenty of buyers are still stuck on waiting lists despite factories running flat out.

More: The Soon-To-Be-Axed Supra Has More Than Doubled Its Sales This Year

Toyota clearly knows where its strength lies. The company has committed $10 billion to its U.S. operations in the coming years, including $1 billion to expand plants in Kentucky and Indiana. EVs are part of the plan, but hybrids remain the safe bet that keeps the numbers moving.

BYD sent a jolt through the EV space with its ultra-fast charging push, though not everyone is ready to buy in. The Chinese automaker unveiled a 1,500 kW flash-charging system in China, promising speeds that edge close to refueling a combustion car. Despite the extraordinary claims, BMW remains unconvinced.

According to BYD, the Denza Z9GT can add roughly 310 miles (500 km) of range in just five minutes, thanks to its 1,500 kW charging technology and the second-generation Blade Battery.

Read: BYD’s New EV Chargers Are So Fast They’re Arranged Like Gas Station Pumps

The system also relies on megawatt-level charging hardware and extremely high current delivery to reach those peak rates. It all sounds pretty incredible, but BMW battery production boss Markus Fallböhmer says pursuing charging speeds like this has compromises.

“You always have to be careful with those kinds of announcements,” he told Car Sales. “It is possible to optimize one single performance indicator, but you have to make compromises on other sides. We could also increase our charging speed, but then you have to reduce other important factors of a battery. It is a blanket – if you pull it at one side.”

BMW’s New EVs Are No Charging Slouches

The second-generation iX3 and the new i3 are the quickest-charging BMWs released to date, supporting peak 400 kW speeds. This is quick enough to top up the i3 with 400 km of range in just 10 minutes. BMW says it can guarantee “quality and safety” at these charging speeds, and appeared to question whether BYD can do the same.

Also: BMW Showed Just Enough Of The i3 Touring For Someone Else To Finish The Job

BMW executives also indicated that pushing beyond these speeds would bring trade-offs in battery durability, range, and affordability, which they see as unnecessary for most real-world use.

“We look to decrease charging time more and more, but you have to look at range, durability, reliability,” the head of BMW’s Neue Klasse models, Mike Reichelt, added. “All of these facts, we guarantee. We look at the speed of the Chinese market… but on the other side, we guarantee quality and safety. That is a topic that we do not [negotiate] with anyone.”

The race to improve charging times in the EV world is much the same as we’ve seen among smartphone manufacturers looking to uprate charging speeds of their devices, with the Chinese often leading the charge. Boost charging speeds too much, and batteries can get hot, including the risk of thermal management issues, which is clearly something BMW would like to avoid.

Just a few months after the Lucid Gravity was recalled over seat covers that could prevent the airbag from functioning properly, the electric luxury SUV has been recalled yet again. This time, it’s due to a potential defect in the second-row seatbelt anchors.

The EV maker says that during internal tests for another issue, it discovered the outboard lap belt anchor bracket weld in the second row is shorter than it should be and not positioned correctly. The reason? Lucid says seat manufacturer Camaco made a change to the manufacturing process without notifying the company or obtaining its approval.

Read: Wrong Seat Covers Could Stop This EV’s Airbags From Saving You

Vehicles with an insufficiently welded lap belt anchor fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and may increase the risk of injury in a crash. Unlike December’s recall, which impacted just 66 vehicles, this one is much more widespread.

In fact, the recall involves 4,476 Lucid Gravity models built from December 2, 2024, to February 3, 2026, and listed as 2025-2026 model year vehicles. Of these, 97 percent are estimated to have the issue.

What Happens Next?

This recall comes shortly after Lucid issued a brief stop-sale for the Gravity earlier this year as it ran tests to determine whether the seat belts could meet safety standards with or without a reinforcing bracket. Even with a bracket, they failed to meet load requirements, prompting Lucid to ensure the components sourced from Camaco meet its standards.

Lucid will start informing its owners of the recall on May 22. Dealers will inspect impacted vehicles, and if a non-conforming weld is found, it will be repaired with either a reinforcing bracket and adhesive or, if necessary, the entire seat will be replaced free of charge.