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 sold significantly fewer vehicles in the first quarter of this year than it did in Q4 2025, joining several other car manufacturers in reporting declines through the first three months of the year. Tesla’s poor production and delivery figures triggered a more than 4 percent fall in shares.

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

Last quarter, Tesla sold 358,023 vehicles worldwide. This represents a 14.3 percent decrease from the 418,227 models it sold in Q4 2025, but it is a 6 percent rise over Q1 last year. As sales plummeted, the difference between the number of vehicles built by Tesla and the number sold grew to its widest gap in four years.

Tesla wrapped up the quarter with 408,386 vehicles built, leaving a surplus of 50,363 units sitting in inventory. Data cited by Business Insider shows that it’s the largest gap between production and deliveries the company has ever recorded, which is surprising for a company that has typically kept supply and demand tightly aligned. The closest parallel dates back to the same period in 2024, when production outpaced deliveries by around 46,500 vehicles.

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.”

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. 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.

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.

Hyundai is setting the stage for the next phase of its Ioniq sub-brand, previewing what’s to come with a pair of new concepts. The EVs, dubbed Earth and Venus, introduce an evolved design language that will likely carry over to future production models.

The automaker’s official website in China now features a countdown to a “Hyundai Ioniq Brand Launch Event” scheduled for April 10. A teaser video shows a meteorite impact revealing a gold-colored crystal, one face shaped like the letter “i.” Whether this becomes the new Ioniq emblem remains unclear.

More: The Boulder Is Hyundai’s Answer To The Ford Bronco, And A New Pickup Is Behind It

Hyundai has also released shadowy teasers of the upcoming concepts across its global social media channels, describing them as “a cosmic statement, engineered for humans.”

The Earth is finished in silver and features Y-shaped LEDs reminiscent of the Lamborghini V12 Vision Gran Turismo Concept from 2019. Its short hood, steeply raked windscreen, boxy wheel arches, and flat surfacing give it a distinctly Cybertruck-like presence. Unfortunately, only a small portion of the profile is visible, so the overall bodystyle remains unclear.

More: Hyundai’s New Pickup Truck Will Be Everything The Santa Cruz Refused To Be

The Venus appears in a gold finish, with the teaser focusing on its rear. It leans into sharper, more angular surfacing, paired with a fastback-style tail, ultra-slim LEDs, and a ducktail spoiler. There are also glimpses of a pronounced bumper and round wheel arches.

It will be interesting to see whether the Earth and Venus are simply futuristic styling exercises or early previews of where Hyundai’s electric lineup is headed alongside the Ioniq 3, 5, 6, and 9.

More: A Hyundai Beat The BMW M2 CS For World Performance Car Of The Year

The timing of the announcement, along with its ties to China, suggests the concepts could make their first public appearance at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. Hyundai may also choose to reveal the designs earlier at its April 10 event.

Setting aside its global and China-focused ambitions, Hyundai is planning an aggressive product push in North America, with 36 new or refreshed models due over the next five years. That rollout includes a rugged SUV and a body-on-frame pickup previewed by the Boulder concept at the New York Auto Show.

Hyundai

General Motors had a terrible first quarter, but Kia was triumphant as sales climbed 4.1% to reach a new record of 207,015 vehicles. The company said the result underscores their “steady growth despite uncertain market conditions.”

The redesigned Telluride is proving to be a key asset as it helped Q1 sales climb 16.9% to 35,928 units. The company went on to note that’s the “highest quarterly result in the vehicle’s history.”

More: Kia Is Finally Brings An Affordable EV To America With New EV3

Other big gainers were the K5 and Seltos, which were up 19.4% and 29.2%, respectively. The Sportage climbed 8.2%, while the Carnival bucked minivan stereotypes to post a 27.8% increase in the first quarter. It’s also worth noting the K4 was the brand’s second best-selling vehicle and sales were up 0.6%.

EVs Struggle, While Hybrids Soar

It wasn’t all good news as EVs continue to struggle following the elimination of the federal tax credit. EV6 sales fell 45.8% in the first quarter, while the EV9 was down 27.1%. On the bright side, sales of the three-row crossover did climb 7.1% in March. However, that only equates to an additional 83 vehicles.

While consumers turned their backs on EVs, they embraced hybrids. Sales skyrocketed 73% to achieve a new quarterly record. Kia can also expect a boost from the 2027 Seltos, which recently debuted with a new hybridized 1.6-liter engine.

Putting electrification aside, the Sorento is having a difficult time as the model was off 14.4% in the quarter. Sales also took a hit from the discontinuation of the Soul, although some dealers still have inventory in stock.

2026 Kia US March And Q1 Sales

Not satisfied with only building an all-electric sedan with the performance to match multi-million-dollar hypercars, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is finalizing development of a high-performance, GT-branded version of the YU7 SUV. It has the potential to lay the smackdown on Porsche.

We’ve seen Xiaomi testing the YU7 GT in the past, but this is our first time seeing it without any camouflage. These photos were snapped as Xiaomi conducted an official photoshoot for the SUV near the Nurburgring. It looks just as extreme as the SU7 Ultra and appears ready to conquer race tracks and drag strips around the world.

Read: This Ferrari SUV Lookalike From China Makes More Power Than The Real One

A host of design changes have been made to the SUV, ensuring it stands out from the regular model. The alterations start at the front-end, where Xiaomi has redesigned the lower front grille of the SUV and added a new splitter to it.

Beefed Up And Aggressive

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We can also see the company’s designers have crafted dramatic flared fenders for the YU7 GT, allowing for the fitment of wider wheels and tires. Hiding behind these new wheels are enlarged brakes, including absolutely gargantuan red calipers. Plenty of changes have also been made to the rear, including a more aggressive diffuser and a different bumper.

This particular prototype also features a silver, motorsport-style livery, complete with racing stripes that run the length of the body, adding to the track-ready impression.

Power To Match

Recent Chinese filings have revealed how much performance the new EV will pack. Whereas the SU7 Ultra uses three high-powered electric motors to deliver 1,548 hp and 1,305 lb-ft (1,770 Nm) of torque, this model doesn’t use Ultra branding and isn’t quite as extreme. With that being said, it will still deliver around 1,000 hp from its twin-motor setup, enough to reach an 186 mph (300 km/h) top speed.

Testing at the Nürburgring suggests Xiaomi isn’t just chasing headlines, it’s putting real effort into serious on-track performance. Whether that translates into genuine driving excitement, though, is still an open question.

Prices have yet to be announced, but rumors point towards it costing between 450,000 yuan and 500,000 yuan, or between $65,000 and $73,000.

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Buick was on a roll as the affordable Envista was bringing new customers into showrooms, while the redesigned Enclave proved popular. Then, seemingly overnight, the brand decided to roll over and play dead.

The automaker hasn’t issued a proper press release in nearly two years and many people associated with their marketing efforts fled for greener pastures at Stellantis. If that wasn’t bad enough, GM basically abandoned Buick’s electrification plans in the United States.

More: Buick Delays Plan To Launch First EV In America

Thanks to these and other issues, sales are tanking – hard. In the first quarter, deliveries plunged 32.6% to a mere 41,654 units. The big loser was the Chinese-built Envision, which received a $3,000 price hike for 2026 as the model is getting hammered by tariffs.

The decline doesn’t appear to be an availability issue as dealers have more than 9,000 Envisions in stock. That’s roughly six months of supply, suggesting demand is lacking.

If losers love company, Buick had a lot to celebrate as the Encore GX was off by 36%, while the Envista was down 9.7%. Even the Enclave struggled as sales dropped 3.3%.

Cadillac’s Big Bet On EVs Is Having Mixed Results

When the electric vehicle tax credit was eliminated last year, sales plummeted. That continues and has put Cadillac in a tough spot as they have an EV-laden lineup.

Lyriq sales fell 21.6%, while the Escalade IQ dropped 26.8%. However, the Optiq soared 65.9% thanks to significant powertrain updates as well as the addition of the Optiq-V. The three-row Vistiq also seems to be doing okay as the company moved 1,902 units in the first quarter.

On the gas side of the equation, the outgoing CT4 saw sales surge 27.4%, but that only equates to an additional 333 vehicles. Elsewhere in the lineup, the CT5 was down 13.3% while the Escalade was off 28.5%. The XT4, XT5, and XT6 are all dead or almost dead, so we’ll skip them like buyers did.

Given all of this, it’s hardly surprising that overall Cadillac sales dropped 25.5%.

Chevrolet Had A Rough Quarter

Over in bowtie land, it’s an EV bloodbath. The Blazer EV plummeted 82.6% to a mere 1,077 units. The Equinox EV was off 7.2%, while the Silverado EV fell 41%.

Even the resurrected Bolt seems like a failure as the company only moved 791 units. That’s less than 270 per month and it seems like the model’s death and rebirth was a giant waste of time, effort, and resources.

The only bright spot was the deceased Brightdrop vans, which saw sales soar 81%. However, this was likely driven by a fire sale with six figure discounts.

Putting EVs aside, overall sales fell 8.1% as numerous models struggled including the Blazer (-26.3%), Colorado (-16.5%), Corvette (-8.2%), Equinox (-13.5%), Trailblazer (-6.3%), Tahoe (-10.0%), and Suburban (-14.0%). Traverse sales climbed 33.6% and the Silverado 1500 was up 7.9%, but they couldn’t offset the overall decline.

GMC Did Okay

GMC had the best performance as sales were only down 0.2%. The Acadia tied last year’s result as the company once again sold 13,257 crossovers. The Colorado was up 21.2%, while the Terrain soared 35.2%. Even the Sierra EV saw a slight 3.1% improvement, but that only equates to an additional 39 pickups as sales were terrible to begin with.

Speaking of EVs, the Hummer lineup plunged 52.5% despite a handful of updates for the 2026 model year. Sierra 1500, 2500, and 3500 sales also fell as did those for the Yukon.

A Bad Quarter Overall

Zooming out even further, GM’s total sales fell 9.7% to 626,429 units. The automaker tried to put a positive spin on things as they said “momentum in March helped results partially recover from a slower January and February, when winter storms impacted the market.” GM added they’re leading in U.S. sales and gained an additional 50,000 Super Cruise subscribers.

2026 GM Q1 Sales

Hyundai didn’t have the only surprise at the New York Auto Show as Kia used the event to unveil the PV5 WAV New York Taxi and Rideshare concept. It was introduced alongside the redesigned Seltos as well as the new EV3.

Created in collaboration with BraunAbility, the concept is a wheelchair accessible vehicle that is fully compliant with the Americans with Disability Act. It’s designed to demonstrate the electric van’s potential as a wheelchair-accessible taxi and rideshare vehicle.

More: The PV5 Is Kia’s Idea Of An Electric Minivan

The companies said little about the “production-ready” concept and have only released one low-resolution image as of this writing. That doesn’t exactly scream commitment, but we can see the concept features a classic yellow and black livery with numerous wheelchair graphics.

More importantly, the PV5’s liftgate opens to reveal a wheelchair ramp that deploys from the back of the vehicle. Kia also mentioned the model has “integrated tiedowns and occupant restraints” as well as a low step height that is “well-suited to everyday taxi operations and entry for wheelchair users.”

The companies said the concept was “created with real-world production feasibility in mind” and will be evaluated in New York, which is one of the largest taxi and rideshare markets in the world. As part of this process, they’ll “engage government agencies, fleet operators, disability advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders to gather additional input and refine the vehicle based on their feedback.”

While little is known about the concept, the PV5 offers Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab configurations as well as 43.3, 51.5, and 71.2 kWh battery packs. The model rides on the fleet-focused E-GMP.S platform and sports a front-mounted motor developing 161 hp (120 kW / 163 PS) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque.

Despite the lack of details, Kia offers a PV5 WAV Taxi in Korea. It starts at $33,768 (₩ 51,100,000) and offers a range of up to 214 miles (345 km). However, that model has a side-mounted wheelchair ramp.

Electric vehicles have dominated the World Car Awards as they’ve won every single category this year. This is hardly surprising as many of the finalists were EVs, but it likely won’t alleviate criticism.

Top honors went to the BMW iX3 which was named 2026 World Car of the Year as well as World Electric Vehicle. In the former category, it beat out the redesigned Hyundai Palisade and Nissan Leaf. The Leaf was also up for being named World Electric Vehicle, but it and the Mercedes CLA lost to the German crossover.

More: Ford Won North American Truck Of The Year With A Trim

Speaking of luxury brands, the Lucid Gravity was named World Luxury Car. The electric crossover, which offers up to 450 miles (724 km) of range, bested the Cadillac Vistiq and Volvo ES90.

That brings us to the most controversial award, which is World Performance Car. Here, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N beat the BMW M2 CS and Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.

While a 641 hp (478 kW / 650 PS) Hyundai is certainly impressive, is it really more of a performance car than a 523 hp (390 kW / 530 PS) coupe that accelerates from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.7 seconds and laps the Nordschleife in 7:25.534? The E-Ray, on the other hand, has all-wheel drive, an EV-only mode, and a combined output of 655 hp (488 kW / 664 PS).

Since you’re probably still stewing over that, we’ll finish up with the two categories little care about. World Urban Car went to the Nio Firefly, which beat out the Hyundai Venue as well as the Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV.

There’s also World Car Design of the Year, which was apparently decided by Mr. Magoo. The Mazda 6e / EZ-6 took home the prize as it won over the Kia PV5 and Volvo ES90. None of them are particularly pretty, but the 6e isn’t too shabby and the finalists were chosen by a design panel of people you’ve probably never heard of before.

2026 World Car Awards

It’s been a couple of weeks since Honda pulled the plug on plans to build the 0 Saloon, 0 SUV, and Acura RSX EVs in the US. However, not all of that investment is going to waste, as the smaller 0 α SUV has now been confirmed for production in India, with exports planned for other markets as well.

Last month, Honda began testing the all-electric SUV in India for the first time, putting it through a wide range of driving conditions. Engineers are also evaluating performance in extreme heat and monsoon environments, alongside testing its charging capabilities.

Read: New Honda 0 SUV Gets Real With Production Design

Deciding on Indian production is an obvious move for Honda. Having already poured billions of dollars investing too heavily in EVs, Honda will be eager to make the most of lower labor costs in India. It’s revealed that not only will the 0 α SUV be built and sold in India, but it will also be exported to its home market of Japan, among other “key markets”, though Honda won’t say which ones at this stage.

Deciding on Indian production is a logical move. After pouring billions into EV development with limited return, Honda will be keen to capitalize on lower labor costs. The plan now is for the 0 α SUV to be built and sold in India, while also being exported to Japan and other “key markets”, though the company has yet to specify which ones.

This Isn’t The American Model

The Honda 0 α SUV was unveiled as a concept in late 2025 and looks almost identical to the 0 SUV that had been destined for the US. However, the 0 α is smaller and designed to be more affordable. In a world where lots of SUVs look the same, the 0 α stands apart, largely due to its unusually tall rear end. Whether buyers will embrace the design remains an open question.

Developed under Honda’s new ‘Thin, Light, and Wise,’ approach, the Honda 0 α SUV will hit the market with a thin and lightweight battery pack, although capacity details are not yet known. Honda has also committed to mounting the batteries and power units as low as possible to reduce the center of gravity.

Honda says the new 0 α SUV will be introduced during the 2026-2027 financial year, likely launching first in India and Japan before expanding to other regions.

According to Honda, “The start of pan-India Public Road Verification testing is a key milestone in our electrification journey. India has unique driving and climate conditions, and it is important for us to test our electric vehicle thoroughly in real-world environments. This programme reflects Honda’s global engineering strengths combined with a strong focus on local customer needs, as we prepare to introduce an electric SUV that offers reliability, comfort, and ease of use.”