Live in the US and want a Chinese EV? Not happening. The federal clampdown on cars from the world’s second-largest economy has been comprehensive enough to keep every mainstream Chinese brand out of American showrooms, and nobody in Washington is in a hurry to change course. Thousands of Chinese-built robotaxis from Zeekr have been rolling off ships onto American docks anyway.

The decision traces back years, to when Google-owned Waymo needed a vehicle for its next generation of self-driving taxis and passed over the American automakers to sign with Zeekr for a dedicated electric van. Known as the CM1e in China and the Ojai within Waymo, the compact electric van has since become part of the company’s robotaxi fleet.

That agreement was signed long before the Trump administration rolled out its sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods, which left one obvious question unanswered. Could Waymo keep importing Zeekr products at all?

Read: You Can Now Chat To Waymo’s Newest Robotaxi As It Drives You Around

As it turns out, Waymo hasn’t let the tariffs get in the way of its plans. It’s been revealed that more than 3,200 Zeekr vans have been imported into the US since 2024. Of these, more than 2,600 have found their way onto local shores this year, Forbes reports.

Expensive, But Cheaper Than Jaguars

US import declarations reportedly put the Ojai’s value at around $38,000, close to the CM1e’s $39,000 sticker in China. Forbes pegs US tariffs on Chinese EVs at 127.5 percent, which means that $38,000 van lands at roughly $86,500 before a single sensor gets bolted on. Factor in Waymo’s Gen 6 hardware and software package at about $25,000 per vehicle and the running total per Ojai climbs comfortably past $100,000.

Evidently, Waymo has crunched the numbers and determined that using the Zeekr Ojai still makes financial sense. Each of the current Jaguar I-Pace models in its robotaxi fleet is estimated to cost it upwards of $200,000, so the Zeekr is significantly cheaper, all while having a more spacious cabin, better suited to ferrying passengers around.

The company says “more than 100” of the Zeekr-built vans are already in service, including in Los Angeles and San Francisco. How many of the 3,200-plus imported examples are testing, sitting in a lot, or waiting on a deployment date is anyone’s guess.

Thousands of fully autonomous robotaxis built by Chinese company Pony.ai are headed for European roads under a new partnership with ride-hailing juggernaut Uber, a deal that gives the Chinese firm a distribution network it would have spent years assembling on its own. Europe isn’t the end of it, either, as the Middle East is next on the list.

Pony.ai isn’t arriving as a newcomer. The company already runs paid robotaxi services across four Chinese cities and has spent more than a year working with Uber on pushing that operation beyond its home market. The two also teamed up earlier this year with Verne, the self-driving robotaxi venture backed by Mate Rimac, which is launching in Zagreb, Croatia.

Read: Rimac Sells $2 Million Hypercars, His Other Startup Charges $2 A Ride

As part of the partnership, Pony.ai will provide its Level 4 autonomous driving technology and operational expertise, and Uber will provide customer access through its app, which also handles payments. Local fleet partners may be used to run the day-to-day operations at select markets.

The expansions will see Pony.ai’s vehicles become available in four European cities, though it’s not yet clear which cities these will be. The two companies have also yet to say when the rollout of these additional robotaxis will begin.

“This expanded agreement marks an important new phase in the partnership between Pony.ai and Uber. It reflects our shared commitment to bringing safe, reliable Robotaxi services to more European cities,” Pony.ai chief executive and founder Dr. James Peng said. “By combining Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology and operational know-how with Uber’s global mobility platform and extensive market reach, we aim to build sustained commercial operations at scale across Europe and beyond.”

Of course, it’s not just in Europe where Uber is introducing robotaxis. The firm recently announced its new Oro Mobility unit, established to manage and service large fleets of autonomous vehicles and its in-house autonomous robotaxi program using Lucid vehicles with self-driving systems developed by Nuro.

British EV manufacturer WEVC has spent years promising a fleet of EVs, but to date it hasn’t started building them en masse. That’s about to change following confirmation of a long-term strategic partnership that will see it build models in Qatar at the nation’s first dedicated EV manufacturing plant.

Read: WEVC’s eCV1 Prototype Electric Truck Has A Central Driving Position And Is Lighter Than You’d Expect

WEVC, also known as Watt Electric Vehicle Company, recently unveiled its bespoke PACES platform, capable of supporting a wide array of vehicles, ranging from L7e quadricycles to passenger cars, sports cars, and even commercial vehicles and trucks. Its partnership in Qatar is with JTA International Investment Holding (JTA), a locally based international investment group headquartered in Doha.

Future vehicles from WEVC will be engineered in the UK and manufactured at the new site in Qatar. Initially, this plant will handle the production of models for the local market before expanding to export models to the GCC and several as-yet-unspecified international markets.

According to a report from Autocar, the factory will start with two models, a passenger car and a medium-sized delivery van along the lines of WEVC’s own eCV1, with manufacturing expected to begin in early 2028 at around 5,000 units a year before expanding well beyond that.

WEVC founder and CEO Neil Yates told the magazine that the Qatar deal is meant to accelerate the company’s existing plan to build its own EV manufacturing plant in the UK, with the Gulf facility acting as the forerunner to similar satellite operations planned in the US and Asia. In other words, WEVC is standing up its first volume factory abroad before the one at home.

A Boost For WEVC And Qatar

“Our partnership with JTA Investment Holding marks a defining milestone in WATT’s international growth,” founder and chief executive Neil Yates said. “Our proprietary electric vehicle platform, developed and validated in the United Kingdom, enables the rapid and commercially efficient development of highly customised electric vehicles while significantly reducing development time and manufacturing costs.”

Included within the partnership will be every stage of vehicle development, starting with proprietary platform technology through to vehicle engineering, product development, and production planning. WEVC says its lightweight aluminum architecture and EV platform will enable shorter development cycles, more manufacturing flexibility, and lead to the creation of highly customized vehicles.

The partnership is also pitched as a win for the wider Qatari economy, strengthening local supply chains and building up a more skilled automotive workforce.

Lucid may have just delayed plans for a cheaper, mass-market model, but that doesn’t mean the EV manufacturer wants to let its current range go stale. Enter the Gravity GT-S, a new high-performance flagship SUV that follows in the footsteps of the Air Sapphire.

Premiering at Monterey Car Week, the perfect location for a high-end, high-priced vehicle like this, the Gravity GT-S doesn’t look much different than the standard model, retaining most of the SUV’s subtle and sophisticated lines, while introducing just a few design tweaks.

Read: After Less Than A Year, This Lucid Gravity Lost Over $30,000

Chief among the changes are several blue exterior accents, including the brake calipers. The blue touches continue into the cabin of the Gravity GT-S, with blue stitching and piping on the steering wheel, door armrests, and front center armrest, as well as blue seat belts. The Lucid Bear has also been embossed onto the front seat headrests.

Performance is what really sets the Gravity GT-S apart from lesser models in the line-up. Thanks to upgraded motors, it now delivers 1,070 hp, the type of power which was once reserved for million-dollar hypercars, but is now becoming far more accessible thanks to high-end EVs like this.

How Quick Is It?

Lucid hasn’t quoted any weight figures for the Gravity GT-S, but notes the all-wheel drive traction allows it to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.1 seconds. No quarter-mile time has been released, but given how quickly the Air Sapphire can power down the drag strip, expect to see the Gravity GT-S return times in the mid-9-second range, if not a little quicker.

Working alongside the upgraded powertrain is Lucid’s Dynamic Handling Package, now installed as standard. This upgrade includes independent rear-wheel drive and adaptive three-chamber air suspension, which automatically adjusts the ride height based on vehicle speed.

While Lucid says it’s opened orders for the Gravity GT-S, with prices starting from $125,900 excluding tax, title, license, options, and destination and delivery fees, it has failed to mention when customers can expect to take delivery. The only option will be a Tahoe leather interior, priced at $1,300.

“With Lucid Gravity GT-S, we’ve created a more expressive and exhilarating interpretation of the Gravity SUV,” Lucid chief creative officer Derek Jenkins said. “It combines extraordinary performance with the comfort, space, and versatility that define Gravity, delivering an exceptional experience for our customers that is uniquely Lucid.”

Rather than combining its European emissions with the Volkswagen Group across 2026-2027, Porsche will pool its figures with Chinese automaker Xpeng, according to a new report citing analyst Matthias Schmidt. The move puts the VW Group in a stronger position to hit its targets and steer clear of expensive fines, since carving Porsche out of the group average pulls that number in the right direction.

In 2025, the VW Group’s average European emissions, Porsche included, landed at 100 g/km, above the EU’s mandate of 93.6 g/km. Miss those targets and the conglomerate could be on the hook for as much as €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) in fines across 2025-2027. As it stands, the penalty runs €95 ($109) per gram of CO2 over the limit, per vehicle.

Read: Xpeng CEO Eyes US Launch, Suggests Company Could Build Plants In America

Porsche would likely weigh on the broader VW Group because its local EV sales have slipped, driven mostly by softening demand for the Taycan and the all-electric Macan. The brand has also pivoted back toward combustion-powered models.

There’s no word on how much Porsche is paying Xpeng to pool their emissions, but the company has clearly decided the cost beats pushing the VW Group over the limit and eating a fine. According to Auto News, Xpeng sold roughly 19,000 EVs across Europe in the first six months of this year, up 126 percent.

The Porsche and Xpeng pool remains open so other car manufacturers can choose to enter it should they wish. Pools can be joined until December 31. Two other important pools include a Tesla one, which includes Ford, Honda, Mazda, and Suzuki, as well as a Mercedes-Benz pool with Volvo, Polestar, and Smart.

It might look odd for Porsche to team up with Xpeng, but the VW Group already has a tight relationship with the automaker in China, where the two are developing a shared architecture and several new models together.

The all-electric Genesis GV90 is nearly here, and ahead of its launch, a batch of key technical details has surfaced online courtesy of South Korea’s Ministry of Environment. The filings show the GV90 gets a larger battery pack than the related Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, along with more power.

Read: Genesis Is Really Putting Rolls-Royce Coach Doors On Its New Flagship

Found under the skin of the GV90 will be a sizeable 123.52 kWh gross battery pack with a usable 115 kWh capacity. By comparison, the biggest pack offered for the Kia EV9 is 99.8 kWh gross or 96 kWh usable, while the largest pack available for the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is 110.3 kWh gross, which works out to be roughly 106 kWh usable.

SHproshots

The emissions certification document published in Korea and shared online by The Korean Car Blog then notes the GV90 will have a 322 hp front-mounted electric motor, while at the rear there will be a 335-hp unit. Combined, it works out to be 657 hp. Given the GV90 will tip the scales at 6,680 lbs (3,030 kg), it needs all the power it can get.

The paperwork also lists the GV90 as having a combined driving range of 481 km (299 miles), as well as a city range of 503 km (312 miles) and a highway range of 453 km (281 miles). While this may not sound very impressive given the size of the battery, Korea’s testing procedure is stricter than the WLTP cycle in Europe, so the European range is expected to be around 580 km (360 miles), while in the US, the range will probably end up close to 300 miles.

SHproshots

It’s unclear if the GV90 will be offered with other battery pack and electric motor options, or if this powerful model will be the only version. Both six- and seven-seat versions are mentioned in the data.

Design-wise, the GV90 will follow in the footsteps of the Neolun Concept from 2024. No doubt the highlight will be the rear-facing suicide doors and black B-pillars, something largely unheard of for a vehicle expected to play in this price bracket.

Genesis Neolun Concept

Zeekr, one of China’s most popular premium EV and hybrid manufacturers, has quickly reacted to a clip spreading across local social media showing a 7X catching fire while parked at a charging station. According to the Geely-owned brand, this particular 7X had been in a collision beforehand and had never had its repairs inspected.

In the video, the driver of the 7X can be spotted leaning over the frunk while parked at a charging station, although the electric SUV wasn’t actually plugged in. Moments later, sparks and flames can be seen violently spewing out from the underside, triggering a plume of smoke to fill the air.

Read: Zeekr’s Biggest, Plushest SUV Rolls Into Europe With 897 HP To Take On The BMW X7

For a few seconds, it seems the 7X had decided against setting itself on fire. Then sparks and flames erupt from the rear, swallowing large sections of the SUV as the battery pack keeps throwing off sparks. A bystander, presumably the driver, grabs a fire extinguisher and manages to smother the flames.

The incident happened on Sunday in Ningbo City, and local fire crews arrived quickly and brought everything under control, CarNewsChina reports.

A PR Problem, And An Unanswered Question

Obviously, the sight of an EV seemingly randomly catching fire while parked isn’t the type of publicity any car manufacturer would want. Zeekr quickly sought to quell fears among owners, stating its initial investigation had revealed this 7X had previously been involved in a collision and that it had not been properly inspected or reported at a Zeekr facility.

However, the company has yet to provide an explanation as to what exactly triggered the blaze, although it certainly looks to be battery-related.

Like so many other brands in China, Zeekr initially launched exclusively in its home country, but it is embarking on an ambitious overseas expansion. In addition to already launching in markets like Australia, it has also arrived in Europe, selling its premium EVs and hybrids at prices that easily undercut similar vehicles from legacy rivals like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

Few things grate more than driving at night while an oncoming car’s headlights sear your retinas. Usually that’s just the price of the powerful LEDs bolted to most new cars, but on certain Model 3s and Model Ys, Tesla has admitted the low beams genuinely exceed the maximum intensity allowed in the US, which is what triggered the recall.

The recall impacts 2017-2023 Tesla Model 3s and thousands of 2020-2023 Tesla Model Ys. According to Tesla, the headlights, sourced from Marelli Automotive Lighting, exceed the permitted intensity in the outer upper-right and outer upper-left areas. As Tesla’s recall notice rightly points out, this could reduce visibility for the driver and other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

Read: Over 150 Complaints Of Teslas Losing Front Suspension Just Put 1.2 Million Under Probe

Interestingly, while the recall impacts Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from several different model years, surprisingly few vehicles are impacted. In the case of the Model 3, 1,614 examples are being recalled, all of which were manufactured from July 24, 2017, to December 2, 2023.

As for the Model Y, a total of 18,735 need to be repaired. These were built between February 11, 2020, and December 24, 2023.

An Issue Uncovered In Canada

Tesla became aware of a potential issue on January 16, 2024, several months after Transport Canada’s annual compliance program found the low beam headlights of a 2019 Tesla Model 3 failed to comply with local safety standards. The automaker first announced a recall related to the fault on March 9, 2024, and a few weeks later, petitioned the NHTSA for an exemption, claiming the fault was inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. The NHTSA denied this petition three weeks ago.

Most of the Model 3s and Model Ys impacted by this latest recall are the same as those originally covered by the 2024 recall. However, Tesla has added 432 vehicles to the list after discovering non-compliant headlights continued to be used in service longer than it had originally thought. Tesla is still working on a fix.

Electric vehicles have historically been more expensive than ICE-powered vehicles, but new data has revealed that last year, the average global prices for EVs were below those of hybrids. As you’d probably expect, this is largely due to the growing number of budget EVs from China hitting the roads across the world.

By looking at average sticker prices without accounting for subsidies, and weighting them based on sales volume, Mobility Global determined that last year, EVs typically averaged around $37,000, reports Nikkei Asia. This is down 9 percent from 2020. Over the same period, average hybrid prices rose 16 percent to $39,000.

This comes primarily thanks to falling lithium-ion battery costs, which have fallen by 37 percent between 2020 and 2025. The battery pack typically accounts for 30-40 percent of an EV’s overall cost. BloombergNEF attributes much of that decline to a capacity glut in China, which controls roughly 80 percent of the battery market.

Read: The World’s Biggest EV Market Just Went Into Reverse After Years Of Growth

Importantly, a growing number of EVs are also adopting lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, free from cobalt, which frequently experiences significant fluctuations in prices. While LFP batteries have traditionally been considered less energy-dense, their performance has been improving. Renault and Volkswagen said last year that they would adopt the chemistry.

China’s Global Expansion

The ongoing global expansion of EV firms from China has played a crucial role in reducing average prices. In 2020, fewer than 100,000 electric cars were exported from China, whereas last year, that figure soared to 1.64 million units.

As noted by Nikkei Asia, emerging markets could follow in the footsteps of nations including Norway and China, where EVs are hitting the roads at a rapid pace. Across Southeast Asia and South America, for example, electric models are typically cheaper than the average hybrid. In Thailand specifically, Chinese brands currently make up almost 30 percent of new car sales.

ICE Prices Went the Other Way

Pricing data shows that while average EV prices have decreased over the past five years, average ICE prices have actually increased slightly. As this has happened, prices of plug-in hybrids have decreased considerably, likely also reflecting falling prices of lithium-iron batteries.

Adding fuel to EV demand in recent months is the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has driven a significant surge in oil prices. When gas gets more expensive, the math on an electric car starts to look better to a lot more buyers.

Tokyo’s metropolitan government wants more residents behind the wheel of electric cars, and it’s rolling out fresh purchase subsidies worth as much as 1.3 million yen ($8,160) per vehicle to make it happen. How much a buyer actually pockets depends on which manufacturer built the car. Both individuals and businesses are eligible for the program, with no limit on the number of vehicles that can qualify.

Under the new scheme, subsidies for EVs and hybrids each climb by 300,000 yen ($1,880), pushing them to 1.3 million yen ($8,160) and 1.15 million yen ($7,220) respectively. Tokyo is keeping several existing incentives on the table too, among them a 100,000 yen ($620) payout for cars that come with vehicle-to-load capability.

Read: BYD’s Kei EV Has The Lowest Sticker In Japan And The Highest Price On The Road

On top of that, a 100,000-yen ($620) subsidy covers the installation of charging and discharging equipment, and another 150,000 yen ($940) goes to anyone signed up with an electricity provider running on 100 percent renewable energy. EV and hybrid buyers can qualify for a further 300,000 yen ($1,884) if their home or workplace uses solar power.

Not All Brands Are Treated Equally

Those wanting to maximize their savings will need to carefully decide which brand they want to buy a new EV or hybrid from. According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda models are all eligible to receive a 400,000-yen ($2,510) subsidy, while this incentive drops to 300,000 yen ($1,880) for models from Mitsubishi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla. Vehicles from BYD can only receive a 100,000-yen ($620) subsidy. Daihatsu models currently receive no additional manufacturer-based subsidy.

Additional incentives are offered depending on vehicle sales. For example, manufacturers who have sold at least 60 new zero-emission vehicles in Tokyo prefecture in 2025 can get an additional subsidy. An incentive worth up to 200,000 yen ($1,250) is also available as part of a “green transformation category.”

These incentives can be stacked with those offered by Japan’s federal government, which also offers incentives valued at up to 1.3 million yen ($8,160). However, like the savings offered in Tokyo, those from the federal government vary, with vehicles using Japanese batteries eligible for the most significant savings. By comparison, those from BYD get a minimum subsidy of 150,000 yen ($940). That creates a 1.15 million yen ($7,220) gap between BYD and models qualifying for the maximum national subsidy.

Toyota’s bZ4X is among the models that qualify for the full 1.3 million yen ($8,160) national subsidy. Stack that on top of Tokyo’s maximum incentive and the total discount could hit 2.6 million yen ($16,320), trimming the car’s 4.8 million yen ($30,150) sticker to roughly 2.2 million yen ($13,820).

It is hoped these subsidies will help encourage EV sales across the country. Due in large part to the price differential between EVs and combustion-powered cars locally, EVs accounted for just 1.6 percent of Japan’s new car market in 2025.

Tesla Expects A Rush

Thanks in part to these subsidies, Tesla is preparing for a surge in demand for its vehicles. The automaker sold more than 10,000 vehicles in Japan in 2025, comfortably beating its previous record of roughly 5,900 in 2022, reports Nikkei Asia. Demand has accelerated further this year, with around 12,000 vehicles sold in the first six months of 2026 alone. Tesla has also stopped selling its traditional premium models, including the Model S, to focus on the mass-market Model 3 and Model Y.

Handling that kind of growth takes infrastructure, so Tesla is growing its delivery network from seven locations to 11 by the end of the year. The automaker has also doubled its potential import capacity to roughly 48,000 vehicles a year, which leaves plenty of headroom above even this year’s accelerated pace.

A lawsuit filed in California late last week alleges that Lucid retaliated against a former engineering manager who says he warned about issues with the Air EV’s half-shafts, months before the automaker issued two separate recalls for the car in late 2025 and in March 2026, Runtimewire reports.

In total, 3,852 Lucid Air models have been recalled in the United States. According to the most recent recall, the half-shaft bolts on Lucid Air Pure models may not be properly secured, meaning the half-shaft could disconnect from the drive unit, resulting in an immediate loss of power.

Read: Lucid’s Fix For Losing Drive Power Is A Notification That You’re About To Lose Drive Power

According to the lawsuit he filed, Neil Milne warned Lucid of “multiple failure modes” of the part in April 2025. He says he consistently challenged Lucid’s testing, validation, and documentation for safety-critical engineering work, alleging weak manufacturing controls, insufficient auditing, and missing records for important engineered decisions. The complaint states that just 225 vehicles were recalled last October, with an additional 3,627 named in a separate recall by March this year.

The lawsuit doesn’t specify whether the faults Milne reported were the same as those listed in the recalls, though he contends the timing and similarities point that way.

In an email the complaint says was sent to Lucid product-safety officer Rick Clementz on January 13, 2026, Milne wrote, “Will say what I said originally 9 months ago. Bad design, with multiple failure modes,” Runtimewire reports. Per the same report, Lucid initially relied on a “lash detection” algorithm to analyze the Air and identify vehicles with loose half-shaft bolts while investigating the half-shaft concerns, but determined that hundreds of vehicles had slipped through, which the report links to the second recall earlier this year.

Passed Over For A Promotion And Then Terminated

After Milne raised concerns about the half-shafts, he alleges Lucid progressively stripped him of his authority, allegedly starting by moving him out of his senior-manager role for power-electronics systems and onto thermal programs. In February this year, he was told his performance rating “does not meet expectations,” and he claims he was passed over for a charging leadership role because he had raised the half-shaft concerns.

Milne alleges Lucid retaliated against him for whistleblowing and has also accused the EV maker of wrongful termination. According to the complaint, he is demanding a jury trial and seeking lost pay, bonuses, equity, and benefits, along with punitive damages, legal fees, and damages for emotional distress.

While China has spent the past few years throwing new EV brands at us faster than anyone can keep track, one of its oddest car companies has slipped by almost unnoticed. That company is FullGood Motors, previously known as Songsan Motors, and we first wrote about it nearly six years ago, back when Xiaomi wasn’t anywhere close to building a car.

FullGood began life as a motorcycle club three decades ago, and it has no interest in engineering EVs from a clean sheet. Its opening move was to take BYD underpinnings and drape them in bodywork lifted from American classics, chief among them the C1-generation Chevrolet Corvette. That car, sold as the Dolphin SS, broke cover in September 2020 as a proof of concept for what the outfit could pull off. While deliveries have yet to begin, it’s apparently sold out.

Read: Songsan’s SS Dolphin Is A Plug-In Hybrid Corvette C1 Knockoff From China

Photos Weibo

Youtube channel Everything Electric recently had the opportunity to tour the firm’s facility in Beijing and see not just the Dolphin SS, but other models the company plans to bring to the market as well. One of them is the Summer, a large bus inspired by the Volkswagen T1. Like the Dolphin SS, it was first unveiled in 2020, though this one is apparently edging closer to production and should be ready to test in the coming months.

Adorned with a fantastic retro design, there’s no denying the Summer has personality, particularly when finished in bright yellow. The interior is much more modern, with three rows of seats, all of which are on rails and can spin 360 degrees. Perhaps the most intriguing thing is that the Summer has three doors on each side, meaning there are doors for each row.

Photos Weibo

FullGood’s wildest creation is a blacked-out Hot Rod adorned with a huge chrome bumper, grille, and fake chrome-plated exhausts. It also sits on retro white-wall tires. Like the Summer, the interior is much more modern than the exterior, looking much like any other entry-level EV from China. FullGood has also created a four-door version of its Corvette-inspired Dolphin, although it uses a different architecture and powertrain.

Shockingly, and despite there is no chance these cars will ever be sold in the US, FullGood plans to bring several of its models to November’s LA Auto Show, so if you’ll be at the event, you will have the chance to see them in person.

In many parts of the world, EV charging infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the electric cars and batteries it’s supposed to serve. That’s not the case in China, where BYD has been rapidly expanding its network of 1,500 kW Flash Charging stations, most recently teaming up with state-owned petroleum giant Sinopec to turn gas stations into EV charging locations.

The two companies have been working together since mid-2024, and the fruits of their labor have been shown at a new charging station in Shanghai. Previously, this had been a gas station operated by Sinopec, but the oil giant obviously saw the trend among Chinese buyers towards EVs and plug-in hybrids, and knew it had to get into the EV charging game.

Read: BYD Says Its New Battery Can Recharge As Fast As Filling Up Your Gas Tank

While this is the first Sinopec location converted into a Flash Charging hub from BYD, it won’t be the last. Plenty more of the company’s fuel stations are slated for the same treatment. Running at up to 1,500 kW, these chargers can take a battery from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes, and from 10 to 97 percent in as little as nine.

A Look Into The Future

Thanks to the ultra-fast design, they don’t need to be arranged like typical DC chargers. Instead, they’re set up like gas pumps with six large T-shaped chargers installed at this site, each with two plugs. As this site was once a gas station, it still includes a small convenience store and a lounge where owners can sit while their cars are charged.

For years, EV critics have been stating that charging an EV would never be as quick as filling up a combustion-powered car. Not only has BYD’s Flash Charging brought charging speeds almost in line with pumping gas, but it’s now started to actually replace gas stations. In the event of a blackout, each Flash Charger has four spare Blade batteries with a capacity of 169 kWh or 185 kWh, which can be used to top up the brand’s eligible EVs and PHEVs.

Mitsubishi is adding an intriguing new EV to its line-up, though it won’t be sold in the United States. Revealed in Australia as the ASX VR-e, this low-slung hatchback is a re-badged Foxtron Bria, and it reaches local dealerships in the fourth quarter. The name resurfacing on an electric hatch is its own small surprise, given the history the ASX badge carries in that market.

Previewed so far with only two images, the ASX VR-e looks all but identical to the Bria, save for the Mitsubishi branding, including the company badge and a large script where the car would normally read ‘Foxtron.’ You could argue the Japanese firm got lazy by leaving the styling untouched, but the Bria was penned by Pininfarina, so the result is easy on the eyes.

Read: Mitsubishi’s New 400HP Compact Comes From The Same Factory As Your iPhone

The front-end includes a full-width LED light bar, while the main headlamp clusters sit just below it. There’s also a large black grille incorporated into the bumper. A little like the electric Dodge Charger Daytona, there’s a large duct running under the floating light bar and along the hood, aiding in aerodynamics. No images of the car’s rear have been provided, but it too should be mostly the same as the Bria.

A Fresh ‘Mitsubishi’ Cabin

It’s a similar story in the cabin, although the Bria has so far only been showcased in left-hand drive while the ASX VR-e is right-hand drive. It includes a large floating infotainment display in the center of the dashboard, as well as a row of shortcut buttons positioned just below it. We can also see a digital instrument cluster, a four-spoke steering wheel, and a curvaceous dashboard exactly the same as the Bria’s and far removed from any other Mitsubishi model.

Mitsubishi Australia says it will sell the ASX VR-e in LS, Aspire, Exceed, and GSR configurations, although it’s yet to reveal specifications for these models. All versions of the Bria use a 57.5 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery, offered in rear-motor configuration with 229 hp and as an all-wheel drive, dual-motor model with 400 hp. The ASX VR-e will use the same powertrain and power figures will probably go unchanged.

“ASX VR-e marks a significant milestone in our refreshed Mitsubishi range as the first BEV since the i-MiEV – Australia’s first mass-produced electric vehicle,” Mitsubishi Motors Australia chief executive Shunichi Kihara said. “The new Mitsubishi ASX VR-e continues this path of innovation with an immersive infotainment system, bold design and excellent electric driving performance.”

Pricing details should be announced alongside in-depth specifications in the coming months.

A growing number of automakers are eager to transfer the joy of driving an internal combustion-powered car into their new EVs, adding fake sounds, simulated gearshifts, and, in the future, possible vibrations, too. Maserati has revealed that it has experience with synthesizing a gearbox into its EVs.

While it was Hyundai’s N division that first brought fake gears into an EV, creating a more engaging driving experience with its Ioniq 5 N, other companies, including Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and Ferrari, have followed suit. Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin says the Italian brand also developed and patented its own artificial transmission, but has yet to actually launch such a system.

Read: Porsche Gave The 2027 Taycan Eight Fake Gears, On Top Of The Two Real Ones

“I would consider artificial gearboxes for some applications [when] it can improve the driving experience … we have some prototypes of it in-house. Actually, we have also delivered some patents,” Danesin revealed to CarSales.com.au. “We found out that improving the experience and controllability of the car [was] a functional advantage.”

He added that Maserati initially developed the system for an all-electric version of the MC20. However, after sensing they’d be little demand for such a model, Maserati scrapped it in early 2025.

No Shifting For The GranTurismo

Danesin didn’t provide in-depth details about the system Maserati developed, or if it’s more similar to what Ferrari offers with the Luce. In the electric Ferrari, the Torque Index function uses the paddles to increase or decrease the amount of torque available and doesn’t include an artificial rev-limiter.

We’re unlikely to see an EV from Maserati launch with any kind of simulated transmission in the near future. Danesin said that such a system would not suit a car like the GranTurismo Folgore, noting it is “much more [about] driving comfortably at high speed on the motorway.”

BMW has kicked off production of the all-electric i3 sedan in Germany, and the significance runs beyond the car itself. The i3 is shaping up as a legitimate rival to the Tesla Model 3, but the bigger story sits with the factory itself. From next year, BMW’s Munich plant will build nothing but EVs, ending decades of combustion-car history at the site where the company has produced vehicles since the 1950s.

Getting there took a substantial rework of the facility. BMW added a new body shop to support production of the i3 and the Neue Klasse models that follow it, along with fresh vehicle assembly and logistics areas and a new delivery hall. The company credits those changes, plus new production technologies and tighter cooperation between departments and suppliers, with cutting manufacturing costs at the plant by 10 percent.

Read: BMW’s Electric i3 Wagon Just Got Caught, And Its Roofline Hides A Trick

Orders for the new i3 opened in mid-June, and BMW says the reception has been strong enough to trigger a steep production ramp-up. The company won’t say how many are rolling out each day, though it has noted that i3 demand has outpaced even the new iX3, which drew more than 50,000 orders in its first few months.

Efficient And Powerful

“The start of production of the BMW i3 heralds a new era for our main plant,” BMW board member Raymond Wittman said. “With the fully-electric BMW i3, we are bringing together what belongs together: The 3 Series embodies BMW more than almost any other model – and Plant Munich represents our brand more than almost any other production site.”

The i3 is initially available in i3 50 xDrive configuration. This model uses a 108.7 kWh battery pack and has two electric motors combining to produce 463 hp and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque, allowing it to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. More impressively, the car boasts a WLTP driving range of up to 563 miles (906 km). What’s more, the 800-volt architecture and 400kW DC fast charging support allow 263 miles (423 km) of range to be added in just ten minutes.

Peugeot has grandiose plans. By 2030, the French brand will roll out seven new or updated models across Europe, leaning on key technologies from parent company Stellantis and splitting its attention between electric cars on one side and combustion and hybrid models on the other.

Back in late 2021, Peugeot said its European lineup would consist of nothing but EVs by the end of the decade. That promise no longer holds, though a pair of significant new EVs sits just around the corner, including a new electric 208 and an electric 2008. Both will launch alongside updated petrol and hybrid versions of the same cars.

Read: Peugeot’s First Electric GTi Does 62 MPH In 5.5 Seconds

Peugeot hasn’t forgotten about its bigger models either. Speaking with Auto Express, chief executive Alain Favey confirmed that replacements for the 308 hatchback, 308 SW estate, and the 408 are all around the corner. Playing a key role in the creation of these new models is Peugeot’s positioning within Stellantis. Given that it’s a high-selling brand, it gets first dibs on important new technologies.

“It’s based on our size: Peugeot sells 1.1-million cars a year, and we have the ambition to sell 1.5m in 2030,” Favey said. “And our scale, which allows us to swallow some additional costs better than a brand with smaller volumes. There’s a benefit for Peugeot: we access new technology first, which is very important because innovation has always helped drive the brand’s appeal.”

The new electric Peugeot 208 and 2008 models will be the first from Stellantis to use the new STLA One architecture and STLA Brain electronic systems. This platform can support hybrid models, but the updated petrol and hybrid 208 and 2008 won’t use it, instead sticking with their older underpinnings.

New Cars For China, Too

Next year, Peugeot will also launch two new cars in China, produced in partnership with Dongfeng and previewed earlier this year with the Concept 6 and Concept 8. These two concepts introduced aggressive horizontal LED lighting at the front and rear, elements which will be present on other models. As per Favey, design is a key area where Peugeot can differentiate itself from new Chinese competitors.

“The important thing for me is on the first look at any new Peugeot, people have to be able to say within a tenth of a second: ‘That can only be a Peugeot’. I keep saying to our design team: ‘Bring me cars that cannot be a Hyundai or a Kia or whatever else.’ Ours need to stand out,” he said.

Subaru has thrown an extraordinary amount of money at selling EVs in the US, and it has almost nothing to show for it. The Solterra, Uncharted, and Trailseeker remain exceptionally niche vehicles for the automaker. In July, the WRX almost outsold all three of them combined.

The company ramped up incentive spending during the April-June period, and it shows. Those expenses cut ¥24.9 billion ($153.8 million) from global earnings and accounted for most of the decline. Marketing costs in the US jumped 40 percent in the second quarter, averaging $2,698 per vehicle, even as the company poured more into its electric models.

According to Autonews, citing industry data from Motor Intelligence, incentives on cars including the BRZ, Outback, and Legacy rose 27 percent, while average spending on trucks climbed 49 percent.

Read: WRX Sales Nearly Quadruple In June After Subaru Slashed Prices By Over $5,000

Even after the increase, Subaru’s average incentive spending stayed below the industry average of $3,479 per vehicle. Its 40 percent year-over-year jump, however, dwarfed the wider market’s 4.4 percent rise.

The EV Math Gets Ugly

Motor Intelligence reports that Subaru spent an average of $9,155 for every Uncharted sold last quarter, $9,650 for every Solterra, and $8,982 per Trailseeker. For comparison, average incentives on the Outback ran $3,036. None of the three electric models looks capable of meaningfully expanding Subaru’s slice of the EV market.

The heavy spending follows the repeal of federal EV tax credits last year, which stripped away support that had propped up demand.

Big Expenses, But Low Sales

Sales data shows that through the first seven months of this year, Subaru delivered 5,275 examples of the Solterra, down 34.6 percent compared to 8,063 sold over the same period last year. In July, sales tumbled 91.2 percent from 1,562 to just 138 units. The Trailseeker and Uncharted are newer entrants to Subaru’s range, so sales figures can’t be compared to this time last year, as they weren’t available.

Nonetheless, they’re certainly not setting any records. Year-to-date, 3,513 Trailseekers have been sold, and 2,850 Uncharted models. In July, 359 Uncharted models were delivered, as well as1,077 Trailseekers. Add up that month’s figures for all three EVs, and you get just 1,574 units, barely ahead of the WRX’s 1,438.

As the spending climbed, Subaru’s operating profit fell from $472 million in the fiscal quarter ended June 30 last year to $263.2 million over the same period this year.

Subaru Sales July ’26

The Luxeed RX, which looks suspiciously like a cross between the Ferrari Purosangue and the Xiaomi YU7, itself already likened to the same Italian exotic, will soon open for orders in China with up to 529 miles (852 km) of range on tap. The design won’t win any awards for originality, but the RX may have just enough going for it to pry a buyers away from the competition.

Previewed a couple of months ago but only now revealed in full, the RX borrows its name from a Lexus and comes courtesy of Chery and Huawei through the Luxeed brand. Back in June, the company claimed a former Ferrari chief designer had drawn it, though whether that holds up is anyone’s guess. True or not, it looks a good deal better than the new Ferrari Luce.

Read: A Chinese Brand Claims An Ex-Ferrari Designer Penned Its EV, Ferrari Wants His Name

It has a sleek shape characterized by wide hips, flowing door panels, and a low-slung roof. The RX looks quite aggressive from the front, sporting a blacked-out grille and black air intakes, in addition to sleek LED headlights and a black badge. Perched atop the windshield is a LiDAR sensor, while flap-style door handles have also been added.

RWD And AWD

Luxeed will sell the RX with three battery packs, in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive forms. The base pack is an 81.1 kWh unit, while the other two are 100 kWh units, likely from different suppliers and possibly running different chemistries. Base models use a single motor good for 371 hp, a fair number, if nothing earth-shattering by the standards new Chinese EVs have set these days.

Those looking for a model with slightly more grunt will be able to order the RX with dual electric motors, combining to produce 585 hp. The EV’s driving range will vary significantly depending on the powertrain specification, sitting at 434 miles (700 km) in base configuration and climbing to as high as 529 miles (852 km) in one of the 100 kWh models. Those are impressive figures, even though they are under the optimistic CLTC test cycle.

There’s no word yet on how much the RX will cost, but it should line up closely with the Xiaomi YU7, which starts at RMB 253,500 or just over $37,000.

Stelato, the Chinese company operated by BAIC and Huawei through the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), has just revealed its first luxury SUV, the G9. Although it doesn’t have a very evocative name, the G9 does seem to have plenty going for it.

Read: Rolls-Royce Won’t Touch Minivans, But China Will

At 204.9 inches (5,206 mm) long, 80.7 inches (2,050 mm) wide, and 74.6 inches (1,897 mm) tall, riding on a 124.4-inch (3,160 mm) wheelbase, the G9 slots between a Land Rover Defender 110 and a Defender 130 in length, though it sits lower and stretches its wheelbase further than either. Like a growing number of SUVs coming out of China, it leans hard into luxury, pitched as a home-away-from-home for buyers who want their adventures wrapped in technology.

Two Powertrains, One Big Number

Stelato has confirmed both range-extender and battery-electric versions of the G9. The EREV pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a sizable 75 kWh battery pack and two electric motors making 586 hp. Stelato says this setup is good for up to 849 miles (1,366 km) between fuel and charging stops.

Those wanting complete silence while they drive will be able to order the G9 as a BEV with a larger 120 kWh battery and the same two electric motors, also delivering 586 hp. This version will have a range of 452 miles (728 km). We don’t have any information about charging times, but the G9 does include an 800-volt high-voltage electrical architecture, so it should support quick DC top-ups.

There’s nothing particularly remarkable about the G9’s exterior design, although the flashings of silver accents do make it stand out. The LED headlights and taillights are sharp too, and those headlights can project images onto the road ahead. There’s an advanced LiDAR sensor on board as well. Stelato clearly wants G9 owners thinking about the outdoors, showing the SUV with a large rooftop tent and a two-post awning.

A Tech-First Cabin

Both two- and three-row versions are on offer, with 2+3 and 2+2+2 seating layouts. The cabin is every bit the tech showcase you’d expect, built around a fully digital, three-display dashboard in the mold of a Mercedes.

Pre-sales have already begun in China, where the G9 starts at 439,800 yuan, or a little over $65,000.