Is your street or route to work blighted by potholes? Or are you a professional getaway driver currently doing a five-stretch after a strip of police spikes thwarted your escape from that last bank job? Then China’s YangWang U9, which can leap into the air like a skateboard pro, has your name all over it.

You’ve probably seen the 1.68 million yuan ($230,00 USD) YangWang U9 before, and maybe even watched a video of it driving on three wheels or jigging about in a kind of dance with the help of its Disus X suspension. But now a new video released by the Chinese carmaker showing what the suspension can do has been released and its expanded skillset is equally weird – simultaneously amazing and completely pointless.

Related: YangWang U9 Hits 244 MPH Top Speed, But Can’t Beat The Taycan At The Nurburgring

The 100-second promo places a 1,287-hp (1,305 PS / 960 kW) quad-motor U9, complete with its McLaren Senna-style rear spoiler, on a test track, where it accelerates hard from a standing start up to 120 km/h (75 mph) before leaping over a water-filled crater in the ground. The front wheels pop-up first to help get the U9 airborne, then the rears follow. Though the gap is only 8 ft (2.5 m), text on the screen tells us the U9 actually jumped 20 ft (6 m) in total.

Next up there’s a 13-ft (4 m) stretch of tire-shredding metal spikes, each measuring 1.4 inches (35 mm) tall, the kind of thing James Bond used to throw out of his car to send the bad guys spinning into the weeds. And then there’s a same-sized patch of four brightly colored dust strips. The U9 clears them both, and it does it all without a driver onboard, relying purely on its autonomous tech.

But why? Who needs a bunny-hopping 1,300-hp EV that doesn’t even need you? Unless I’m missing something, it’s just another desperate gimmick, like the dancing. You’re never seriously going to be leaping over potholes in the road, and it doesn’t seem to jump high enough to clear any obstacles you might encounter, like roadkill. Or even police road spikes. No use to getaway drivers, then…

Perhaps YangWang should come up with a third video showing how the Disus X suspension does something that’s useful and desirable, like, oh, go round corners really, really well. But since the U9 has already failed to beat the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Xiaomi SU7 Ultra at the Nürburgring, maybe gimmicks (and a 244 mph top speed) is all it’s got.

As soon as Cybertrucks began finding their way into owners’ hands, people started testing their durability claims and documenting the results on YouTube. One social media star who always takes things a step beyond the sane managed to snap his Cybertruck’s frame in a video test against an F-150 last summer, and now he’s back with a second video to find out whether Tesla or Ford builds the toughest truck.

In a video titled Cybertruck Durability Test #2, which in no way prepares you for the torture inflicted in the following 20 minutes, Cody Detwiler, better known to YouTube audiences as WhistlinDiesel, really does push the durability of both the Tesla and a gas-powered F-150 to the limit. Admittedly neither of the duo breaks in the first test, a simple tug of war, in which the trucks take turns making each other look helpless, but we don’t have to wait long for some carnage.

Related: Whistlin Diesel Snaps Tesla Cybertruck Frame In Viral “Durability” Test

That arrives first when Detwiler strips the teeth on the Cybertruck’s front driveshaft while trying to pull donuts in front-wheel drive mode. And soon after the F-150 snaps its propshaft while jumping over rough terrain carrying 3,500 lbs (1,590 kg) of cinder blocks in the bed before the Tesla loses a rear wheel in a similar stunt.

I don’t want to spoil too much of the video but both trucks are in a real mess by the end of the test and Detwiler says it’s almost too close to call. But the fact that only one vehicle is still fully running when the credits roll – after rising from the dead using a drowned smartphone hack – and another has required multiple dealer visits just to stay in the game means there’s a clear winner in our eyes.

Whistlin Diesel’s video dropped only a couple of days after the destruction of a totally different Cybertruck. In that tragic terrorist incident, a Tesla pickup apparently rented through Turo and loaded with gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters, and firework mortars was detonated by its driver outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The driver died in the explosion and seven people were injured.

These fresh spy shots show a Porsche test driver putting a prototype Cayenne Electric through its paces. We had expected the big brother to the new Macan Electric to debut in late 2025 or early 2026, but with Porsche rethinking its EV strategy, could that launch be in danger of slipping back?

Although Porsche hasn’t confirmed any delay for its first zero-emissions Cayenne, we know that it’s been forced to adapt its brand-wide electrification plan in the wake of changes in the car market, as have other automakers. Porsche revealed last year that it would extend the lifespan of some combustion models and modify EVs currently in development – specifically the K1 three-row SUV – in order for them also to be able to accommodate combustion powertrains.

Related: Porsche Delays Key EV Launches Amid Engineering And Market Challenges

It’s too late in the development process for the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman and the Cayenne Electric to be included in that retrofit program, but that’s not such a problem where the SUV is concerned, because Porsche plans to keep the current combustion Cayenne (which was heavily updated and facelifted for 2024) on sale alongside it for years to come.

Although both will wear Cayenne badges and have similar interiors, they’re totally different under the skin down to the different platforms. The Cayenne Electric sits on a stretched version of the PPE architecture already being used by the Audi A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron, and of course, Porsche’s own Macan Electric. And though it’s difficult with this prototype’s disguise in place to get a clear picture of the design details, we’re expecting the Cayenne to borrow plenty of headlight and grille styling ideas from its younger sibling.

Entry-level Cayennes will probably also share their powertrains with mid- or high-spec Macans, which feature a 509 hp (516 PS / 380 kW) bi-motor setup in 4S trim and 630 hp (639 PS / 470 kW) in Turbo guise.

And the Cayenne Turbo? Perhaps the 872 hp (884 PS / 650 kW) and 939 hp (700 kW / 952 PS) of the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S give us an idea of the kind of muscle pricey versions of the SUV could be shooting for. Maybe there’s even one in the works with the 1,020 hp (1,034 PS / 760 kW) motors out of the Taycan Turbo GT to provide an answer to the Tesla Model X Plaid that makes the same power.

But weighing on Porsche’s mind is the fact that Taycan sales tanked last year even as global EV registrations rose, and the introduction of a facelifted car and super-fast models couldn’t avert the slide. The Macan Electric isn’t performing as well as expected in dealerships, either. Would you press ahead with a Cayenne Electric launch in the next 12 months if you were Porsche or would you hold off until the luxury EV market has recovered?

Images: SH Proshots

The Soul EV introduced the idea of zero emissions driving to Kia buyers, but its replacement, the 2025 EV3, promises to be better in every way, and doesn’t cost any more to buy.

On-paper at least, the EV3 seems to tick every box. It borrows its EV9 big brother’s confident, modern design, delivers a great driving range and is well equipped. But it’s got some strong rivals in the Volvo EX30 and Skoda’s new Elroq.

QUICK FACTS

What’s Under The Hood?

Choosing an EV3 at launch in Europe means first deciding how far you want to go between charges, though every version lasts longer than the old Soul EV. The base Standard Range battery – only available in the entry-level Air trim (pictured on the left above) – measures 58.3 kWh and is good for 270 WLTP miles (435 km) on a charge, which is probably fine for people planning to use the SUV for urban duties.

Related: New Kia EV3 Confirmed For US, Gets Sporty GT Too

But if you do want to stretch its legs, or don’t have easy access to a charger at home, the Long Range option adds a bigger 81.4 kWh battery that can take an Air to 375 miles (604 km). Plusher GT-Line (right of pic) and GT-Line S (center) models only come with the bigger pack, but their extra weight and bigger wheels reduces the range to around 362 miles (583 km), which is still great. Even the EV9 with its huge 96 kWh battery can’t touch those numbers.

Kia is working on adding dual-motor and even faster GT versions, but those will come later. At launch the only power option is a single, front-mounted motor making 201 hp (204 PS / 150 kW).

How Does It Drive?

Kia’s European cars have a different suspension tune to those in the US and Korea, and tend to err on the sporty side of comfortable. But the engineers took a more relaxed position with the EV3 and the result is a car that rides bumps incredibly well in Air form on the stock 17-inch wheels. GT-Line cars upgrade to 19 inches and don’t feel anywhere near as supple, but even they aren’t uncomfortable, and the shorter tire sidewalls sharpen the steering.

The EV3 isn’t the kind of car that encourages you to go crazy as soon as the road turns twisty (maybe that will change when the GT arrives), but it has a well-rounded chassis package that’s still fun to to drive, feels well suited to family use and is good match for the single-motor drivetrain.

Fastest of the bunch is the lightest, the Air SR, which runs from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.5 seconds, while the bigger battery adds a 0.2 second penalty and the heavier GT trim the same amount again. So you won’t be hanging with a Rimac Nevera from the lights, but you always feel like you’ve got enough go to keep up with real traffic, to nip through gaps and overtake when you need. The base EV, remember, takes more than 9 seconds to hit 62. Tapping the steering wheel paddles lets you switch in multiple stages between almost no regenerative braking effect to virtually one-pedal driving.

What’s The Interior Like?

If you’re a fan of the way Kia has shrunk the EV9’s exterior styling down to work on the EV3, you’ll love the smaller car’s cabin, too. As on the three-row SUV, you get a pair of 12.3-inch screens, one for the instruments and a second that’s a touchscreen, separated by a smaller display used to operate some of the climate control functions.

It looks great and works well with a couple of minor exceptions. One is that the main touchscreen is a bit of a stretch away and the second is that the climate section is partially hidden behind the steering wheel, though you do at least get hard keys on the dash to tweak the temperature.

Another minor complaint is just how grey it is inside the Air-spec cars (shown above). There’s acres of light-medium grey plastic everywhere, which helps make an otherwise stylish cabin look a little drab. The fact that the GT-Line cars have extra trim that lifts the ambience, plus a sportier three-spoke wheel, might be enough to persuade you to upgrade.

2025 Kia EV6 Review: Facelift Is Better Than Ever, But We’d Wait For The EV5

But even the base £32,995 Air is well equipped. It gets a heated wheel and front seats, parking sensors and a rear camera, various electronic safety features and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Stepping up to £39,495 GT-Line, as Kia expects most drivers to do, brings 19-inch wheels, privacy glass, artificial leather and lumber support for the seats, a wireless phone charger, LED headlights and a digital key.

On GT-Line cars you also get a strange slide-out, front-seat armrest that’s meant to work as a table for your laptop, but it does ruin the armrest storage space and kind of looks like a kitchen counter. And lastly, £42,995 GT-Line S trim adds ventilated relaxation seats, a 360-degree camera, power tailgate, sunroof, head-up display, a Harmon Kardon audio system and the option of a £900 heat pump.

How Roomy Is It?

You don’t expect limo-like comfort from an affordable SUV riding on a compact 2,680-mm (105.5 inches) wheelbase. But the EV3 is a surprisingly useful family tool. It’ll accommodate four adults easily and dropping the two-deck cargo area floor to its lower setting gives a handy 460 liters (16.2 cu-ft) of luggage space.

Volvo’s EX30 only offers 318 liters (11.2 cu-ft), though the Skoda Elroq just tops the Kia by serving up an additional, though hardly deal-breaking, 10 liters (0.35 cu-t). A sliding rear seat would have made the EV3 even more practical, but then the Volvo and Skoda don’t get that feature either.

How Long Does It Take To Charge?

One of the few EV3 disappointments is that it makes do with 400-volt electrics rather than inheriting the 800-volt setup used by the more expensive EV6 and EV9. The result is slower charging speeds, the SR battery models charging at a maximum of just 101 kW and needing 29 minutes to fill from 10-80 percent, while the LR pack can accept a slightly better 128 kW so only needs 2 additional minutes to go from 10-80 despite its bigger capacity.

Related: Skoda’s New Elroq EV Aims For The Mainstream Sweet Spot

A Skoda Elroq charges at between 145-175 kW depending on the model, so can be topped up a few minutes faster, though the difference isn’t huge. But it’s a shame the EV3 can’t fill up in 18 minutes like the 800-volt EV6 can.

Verdict

Kia has done it again. In the EV3 it’s built a fantastic small EV that’s great to look at, well built, comfortable, and has a usefully large range and trunk. A dual-motor option and sporty GT model coming later will broaden its appeal, and some extra interior color and faster charging would be welcome, but most buyers looking for an affordable electric SUV are going to find the EV3 just fine the way it is.

European drivers can get their hands on a an EV3 now, but America won’t be able to buy one for at least a year, the one upside being that it will cost far less – around $30,000-35,000 when it does go on sale. And by the time the EV3 does arrive stateside, both Europe and America will also be introduced to the bigger EV5 already on sale in China. Based on our experience with the EV3, it could be the best family EV of its generation.

Photos: Chris Chilton/Carscoops, Kia UK

Is the EV boom over? Not according to respected industry analysts, who say sales of electric vehicle are set to grow by 30 percent in 2025 even as various automakers are watering down their electrification plans, claiming that demand is too weak.

Experts at S&P Global Mobility predict that sales of battery-powered electric vehicles will hit 15.1 million units next year, taking their market share to 16.7 percent of global car sales. Although the final figures aren’t yet in for 2024, estimates put sales at 11.6 million BEVs, giving them a 13.2 percent market share.

India Will Grow, But The US Depends On Trump’s Policy

Growth will vary dramatically from region to region, the study says, and will be influenced by many factors including government policy, tariffs and incentives, plus of course the availability of a suitable charging infrastructure.

Related: Global EV Sales Shatter Records In November Thanks To China’s Unstoppable Growth

A look at the table below highlights just how different EV demand is in different parts of the world. Electric cars are expected to account for just 7.5 percent of total sales in India, for instance, though the 117 percent year-on-year change, means they’re gaining ground fast.

In the US, EV sales are projected to grow by 36 percent to 11.2 percent of the market, though much of the success depends on what incoming White House resident Donald Trump and his team has planned for EV tax credits and tariffs on cars built outside the US.

Predicted 2025 EV sales by region

China Is On Fire

China has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to buying EVs, which are expected to grab almost 30 percent of the country’s car market. But because that share is already huge, the rate of growth isn’t as rapid as in other regions: it’ll climb 20 percent versus 2024. Even so, EVs in China are expected to outsell ICE vehicles for the first time in 2025, beating the government’s target of electric vehicles to account for 50 percent of new car sales by 2035.

However, even though analysts predict that this trend will continue well into the future and claim that “China’s EV juggernaut is unstoppable”, an oversupply of models, stiff competition and price wars will result in the demise of many local brands.

More: Porsche To Shut 30% Of Its Dealerships In China After Sales Tumble

Moreover, European, Japanese and US automakers, who a few years ago used to dominate the world’s biggest car market, are already facing a steep decline in their sales as buyers turn to domestic brands. In 2020, foreign cars accounted for 64 percent of new car sales, while in 2024 their share has plunged to just 37 percent.

Europe Will Expand Despite Germany’s Troubles

We’ve heard about dismal EV sales in Germany during this year and how the removal of state subsidies has impacted demand for electric cars. Alongside the aforementioned decline in China, they have resulted in the likes of the VW Group facing a serious turmoil, with huge job cuts and even the closing of factories being proposed by the management and the workers’ union threatening with massive strikes if those plans go forward.

But the study still anticipates EV sales in western and central Europe will grow by 43 percent, taking their market share to more than 20 percent, despite France and Spain being set to slash, or at least dial down, subsidies in 2025.

The EV6 wasn’t Kia’s first electric car, but it’s the one that really cemented the Korean automaker’s place at the forefront of the modern EV revolution. Sharp styling, a long range and fast charging speeds helped win it numerous awards and thousands of customers, but the three-year old fastback has now been facelifted to help out battle newer rivals, including its own already-revised Hyundai Ioniq 5 cousin. We grabbed some seat time in Europe to see what the facelifted EV6 has to offer ahead of its arrival in U.S. and Canadian showrooms next spring.

QUICK FACTS

What’s new?

Things change even more rapidly in the EV segment than they do for normal ICE cars, with non-stop tech advances quickly making older EVs looks outdated and impractical. But the EV6 was so advanced when it appeared in 2021 that Kia hasn’t felt the need to do much beyond making some subtle improvements.

So the exterior design is little changed, the most obvious tweaks being the new headlights, although the lower bodyside moldings, wheels, bumpers and distinctive full-width rear light bar are also refreshed. The modest update means the curvy EV6 has quite a different look to Kia’s latest cars like the EV3, EV9 and combustion-powered K4, but it still presents as modern and exciting.

More: Kia’s Updated 2026 EV6 Adds Range, Tech, And A Fake Gearbox For GT

There are also some interior changes, which we’ll get to later, and bigger battery packs to increase the already respectable range figures. All cars in the UK, where we drove the EV6, now come with a 84 kWh battery (up from 77.4 kWh), while in markets that offer two sizes, like the US, the base battery steps up from 58 to 63 kWh. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 received the same upgrade when it was facelifted at the beginning of this year.

What’s the lineup?

While the US will carry over the availability of a single-motor base car with 167 hp (169 PS / 125 kW), the UK lineup skips that and goes straight for the 225 hp (228 PS / 168 kW) version, but also driving only the rear wheels.

A dual-motor version provides all-wheel drive and a bump to 320 hp (324 PS / 239 kW), and as before the even more powerful GT tops the lineup. That inherits the Ioniq 5 N’s 641 hp with overboost (650 PS / 478 kW) setup and fake transmission for 2025, but we’ll have to wait to drive that one another time.

Prices start at £45,575 for the base model 225 hp Air and top out at £58,125 for the GT-Line S with the optional heat pump. GT prices, and prices for US models, will be announced later.

How’s the interior?

Much like the exterior mods, the changes to the interior focus on refining what’s already there, rather than ripping it up and starting again. So while the general layout of the interior and console is familiar, the dashboard is improved by a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays hidden behind a single pain of glass that’s now more rectangular. It brings the EV6 closer to newer models like the EV9, though the EV6 retains its strip of touch sensitive buttons below its air vents rather than adopt the SUV’s rocker switches. I prefer the EV’s setup.

Related: Hyundai Group Models Get Google Maps Overhaul Ahead Of Full Shift To Android Auto OS

GT-Line cars get a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, but base-model Air trim in the UK (and their ‘Light’ equivalents in the US) still has the old two-spoke rim. All trims get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto this time, but they keep last year’s unnecessarily large center console that blocks access to the storage area below. Swapping the rotary gear selector for the EV9’s twistable column shifter would have allowed a big chunk of the console to be chopped away and improved practicality.

Other minor grumbles are the poor visibility resulting from the thick rear pillars and a cargo bay that’s a little shallow, capping the space available at a so-so 490 liters (17.3 cu-ft). Single-motor models augment that with a usable frunk, but it shrinks to almost nothing when you spec a front motor.

Rear passenger space, however, is huge. There’s plenty of knee-room, and headroom isn’t bad despite the sloping roofline. But because the front seats are mounted so low rear riders can’t get their feet under them, which is going to make long journeys uncomfortable.

How does it drive?

The EV6’s sporty profile promises a good time behind the wheel, and even if the experience isn’t as dynamic as what the far more expensive Porsche Taycan serves up, the tight suspension and relatively low center of gravity mean it’s more agile than some other electric cars. Even without the flagship GT’s torque vectoring, the regular models steer smartly and put their power down cleanly.

True, the ride is on the firm side, an almost inevitable payoff for the good body control, but it’s never harsh. Think 2000s-era Fords, but with a bit more polish, and also a bit more precision than last year’s EV6 thanks to additional body strengthening and improved steering response.

We didn’t drive the GT, but the regular dual-motor car is no slouch. It gets to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.3 seconds, which is almost a match for a Tesla Model Y (4.8 seconds), and pushes you back in your seat between 10-50 mph (16-80 km/h) hard enough to make you feel slightly nauseous, like fast EVs do.

More: Can The Kia EV6 GT Beat A BMW M2 In A U-Drag Race?

The single-motor EV6 isn’t anything like as rapid, needing 7.7 seconds for the 62 mph run compared with just 5.7 seconds for the similarly priced RWD Model Y, but the surprise is it never feels truly sluggish thanks to the instant throttle response. Factor in the extra agility that comes from the lighter curb weight and better weight distribution, plus the lower price and longer range, and you could easily argue that it’s the pick of the lineup.

How far will I go on a charge?

Upping the battery size has stretched the WLTP range in the entry-level, single-motor EV6 from 328 miles (528 km) to 361 miles (581 km), while the US specs for the same model list the range climbing 9 miles (15 km) to 319 miles (513 km).

The dual-motor car is now rated at up to 339 miles (546 km) rather than 314 miles (505 km) in Europe, but we don’t yet have EPA numbers for that one. What hasn’t changed is the charging speeds, which were already super-quick due to the E-GMP platform’s 800-volt electrics. Find a charger kicking out at least 260 kW and you can take the battery from 10-80 percent in 18 minutes.

What else do I need to know?

Remember how Hyundai bowed to customer pressure and put a rear wiper on the facelifted Ioniq 5? Sadly, Kia didn’t rectify the same mistake on the EV6. And although all versions of the EV6 charge at the same speed, charging will be a less comfortable experience in the entry-level Air because it doesn’t get the powered lie-flat seats fitted to GT and GT-Line S models.

Otherwise, the Air is well equipped, coming with 19-inch alloys, heated seats and wheel and adaptive cruise control. GT-Line cars get wireless phone charging, privacy glass and sportier trim, including the three-spoke steering wheel, while GT-Line S versions ramp up the luxury with 20-inch rims, a head-up display and ventilation for the front seats and heating for the rears.

Another important factoid for US buyers is that the Georgia-built EV6s arriving in showrooms next year will feature a North American Charging Standard (NACS) socket. UK cars obviously don’t get the same upgrade.

Verdict

There wasn’t much wrong with the EV6, which was deservedly named European Car of the Year in 2022, but Kia has still managed to improve it in some key areas. The most useful of those is the bigger battery, which should now mean most owners see close to 300 true miles (483 km) between charges in the single-motor, rear-drive car, and we also like the new infotainment system and wireless CarPlay functionality.

The tweaks should help keep the EV6 on most EV buyers’ shortlists if not necessarily in top position, though by this time next year it will have some awkward opposition on its hands. That’s when Kia launches the EV5, and considering the EV9 has already had a detrimental impact on EV6 sales despite costing far more, the smaller SUV is bound to steal some attention. But until then, or for buyers determined not to buy an SUV or a Tesla Model Y, the EV6 remains a great electric buy.

Photo Credits: Chris Chilton/Carscoops

Tesla’s long-hyped, Mad Max-meets-LEGO Cybertruck has been on the streets for a year now, and, predictably, the drama has already arrived with it. One owner is out here claiming their electric pickup fell victim to a mere pothole on the road, racking up an eye-watering repair bill of over $34,000. Yes, thirty-four grand. Yet he still thinks the EV is tough and capable.

In a Facebook post picked up by Reddit, the unnamed Cybertruck lover reveals images of the damage and a screenshot of the total repair bill, which came to $34,013 including tax.

Related: Cybertruck Wheels Snap Off Like Twigs In Bizarre TikTok Video

“I finally got my truck back after nearly four months,” he wrote. “It got worked over pretty hard, and many more things needed to be replaced than originally expected.”

Certainly more than would be expected from a typical hard pothole strike in a full-size truck, the kind of vehicle that’s usually one of the most resilient on the road. Just how big was this pothole? I’m imagining something the size of the sinkhole that opened up at the Corvette museum back in 2014 maybe?

“The rear suspension mounts broke and then punched through the frame, requiring the full rear frame replacement,” he explains. “Front and rear rack and pinion steering, suspension all the way around, front and rear bumpers, air suspension systems, and bed components, to name a few.”

Some Reddit commenters have openly questioned whether a pothole really would cause that much damage to a truck, regardless of whether its a traditional body-on-frame pickup or built around aluminum castings, like the Tesla.

One commenter claims (without offering proof) that the owner posted in August that the damage occurred when he jumped the truck 22 ft (6.7 m), and the owner’s slightly cryptic comments in this latest post only serve to fan the flames.

More: Eagle Cap Camper Snaps Ram 3500 Dually In Half, Mopar Refuses $17,000 Repair Bill

“Since the insurance paid for it I won’t comment on how it was driven, just that a very large pothole in our washed-out road caused all the dominoes to fall,” he says.

But despite suffering such a huge amount of damage and needing an equally huge amount of work and money to get it back in working order, the owner doesn’t think any less of his Tesla.

“This is not a commentary on the durability of the truck,” he says. “You would be astounded at how tough and capable this truck is. This is still the most amazing truck I’ve ever had!”

A pothole and $32,000 of repairs later he still loves the truck!
byu/IcerC inCyberStuck

GM head Mary Barra raised a few eyebrows this week when she claimed the automaker and President Donald Trump are “goal-aligned” despite Trump’s plans to introduce tariffs that Barra admits could have a “very substantial” impact on GM’s business.

“I think we’re very goal-aligned,” the CEO told guests at the Automotive Press Association event on Wednesday, before going on to explain just what the two usually opposing sides see eye-to-eye about.

Related: Trump’s Tariffs Could Cut 17% From Automaker Profits

“We want a strong economy. We want a strong manufacturing base in this country. We agree automotive jobs are important,” Detroit Free Press reports Barra saying. But she made no bones about the difficulty GM (and other automakers) face, both in terms of the uncertainty in the short term, and the potential fallout from Trump’s decisions later during his time in office.

“We’ll have to see what the policies will be,” Barra said. “It’s hard for me to predict what will happen. We’re doing a lot of scenario planning, and we’ll adjust accordingly.”

Barra admitted that Trump’s proposal to place a 25 percent tariff on vehicles imported to the US from Mexico and Canada (where GM has production sites) “could have a very substantial impact” on its profitability, as could scrapping the $7,500 EV tax credit.

Although Trump and Barra have sometimes been at loggerheads, and she was the recipient of the president’s anger on social media over GM cost-cutting measures, Barra described her sometime foe as a good listener. GM will be hoping that he’s still willing to listen to what Barra has to say and not listen too intently to the opinions of Tesla boss Elon Musk – soon to be in charge of the much-hyped Department of Government Efficiency.

“Any time you have an administrative change, there’s policy changes that occur,” Barra said, per The Detroit News. “We’ve been working with any every administration for the last several decades, and General Motors will continue to do that. But I’m actually looking forward to working with the president and with the administration, because I think we can grow the importance of the auto industry and manufacturing.”

We’re constantly hearing about an EV downturn and how automakers are changing their electrification strategies because consumers aren’t consuming. And sure, sales of electric cars are down in countries like Germany, but in the US people are still buying EVs, and they’re buying more of them than they did 12 months ago.

EV registrations climbed 5 percent in October versus the same month in 2023, topping out at 101,403, according to data from S&P Global Mobility. And it wasn’t Tesla driving that growth, but legacy automakers.

Related: Global EV Sales Shatter Records In November Thanks To China’s Unstoppable Growth

Chevrolet’s EV sales jumped 38 percent to 6,741 helped by demand for the Blazer and Equinox, while Cadillac Lyriq registrations grew threefold to 2,489 and the Hummer shifted 1,015 electric trucks, four times as many as it did last October. 

Like the Equinox, Honda’s Prologue, which is built on the same GM platform and in the same Mexican GM plant, wasn’t available in 2023, but made its presence felt this year. It found 4,168 homes, only 12 fewer than Chevy did of its version. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 facelift also gave its sales numbers the desired nip and tuck, boosting registrations from 3,555 to 4,485.

Although the overall number of EV sales is up, the rate of growth has slowed and some models registered fewer deliveries than previously. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, for instance, was down from 3,949 to 3,479 according to S&P Global Mobility’s spreadsheet and Rivian R1S sales dropped by more than 500 to 2,456. There are also fears that the EV segment relies heavily on tax credit availability to boost demand, and public interest could wane if Trump pulls the plug on the incentives when he takes office.

BEST SELLING EVs USA

Tesla’s registration numbers actually fell by 1.8 percent, and if you remove Tesla from the equation, EV sales increased not by 5 percent, but by 11 percent. And this isn’t a blip for Tesla: the automaker’s numbers have fallen in seven of the first 10 months of 2024, Auto News reports, and that’s despite the facelifted Model 3 and Cybertruck being new for this year. While the Model 3 gained ground, the Model Y fell back, sales tumbling from more than 25,000 to under 22,000.

But before anyone gets the idea that Tesla is falling behind in the EV race, we should make clear that it still outperformed the second best-selling brand’s EV models six times over. Or every single brand in the 2nd to 12th spots combined.

EV REGISTRATIONS USA

Renault’s retro-influenced 4, 5 and Twingo have gone down a storm, but the French automaker has very different plans for its other models. The company’s design boss says an army of new EVs launching from 2028 will look forward, not back, and begin a design shift away from traditional SUV shapes.

Design boss Gilles Vidal suggests we look to this year’s Embleme concept, a sporty, low-slung crossover, for an idea of what to expect when the new-generation electric cars arrive on their also-new EV platform.

Related: Renault Embleme Concept Is A Sleek FCEV Crossover With Ultra-Low Emissions

“The cars before the Embleme were maybe a bit misleading, because you see a 5, a 4, a Twingo,” Vidal told Autocar.

“The Embleme is a better representation of what’s next for the brand globally in terms of design, and maybe new silhouettes, for the future: generous shapes, not too minimalistic, but simpler than what we did lately on Scenic.”

Vidal even suggested that wagons, whose market share has been eroded by SUVs and crossovers, could influence future sport-utilities. He described sport wagons as “kind of sexy” and said their low rooflines but large cargo areas made sense for EVs that need to balance the twin priorities of practicality and driving range.

Vidal acknowledged that anti-SUV sentiment, which is particularly strong in the automaker’s home city of Paris, was a consideration during the design process, but believes that maybe the hate was unwarranted.

“There’s still a huge fight against SUVs on principal, but would you say the same thing about MPVs?” he asked Autocar’s reporter. “They are the same weight, have the same engines, the same CO2 emissions. But no-one would ever criticize an MPV, a respectable family product. Who are we to criticize aggressive looking cars?”

But while Vidal’s team is striving to come up with something entirely new and forward-looking to replace Renault’s familiar SUV shapes, that doesn’t mean it is already making plans to cut short the lives of the 4, 5 and Twingo. He described the trio as “timeless” and claimed they’d evolve slowly, like Fiat’s retro 500.

Update: Becky Peterson, a journalist from the Wall Street Journal, says she’s acquired a copy of the Deutsche Bank report from the Autonomous Day conference that took place in NYC on December 5. The report confirms many of the points mentioned in the Chinese media, including that Travis Axelrod met with Deutsche Bank during the conference.

Peterson outlines five key points from the report, including that Deutsche Bank refers to the “new Tesla model” as the “Model Q.” The report also mentions that the EV is expected to launch in the first half of 2025, priced under $30,000 with federal tax credits or less than $38,000 without, and built on Tesla’s existing platforms. However, it’s unclear from her tweet whether these statements are Axelrod’s own words or Deutsche Bank’s assessment.

In another tweet, Peterson pointed out that the report makes no mention of “Redwood, the internal code name for a mass market vehicle, built on a new platform, which Musk paused earlier this year” adding that “It also doesn’t say anything about the size or cost, or how it might differ from a Model 3”.

We’ve reached out to Peterson and will update this story if we hear more.

I got a copy of the Deutsche Bank report.

Here's what it does say:

1. @travisraxelrod met with DB for its Autonomous Driving Day on December 5 in NYC.
2. DB describes "the new Tesla model" which it calls "Model Q".
3. DB says it will launch in the first half of 2025, and…

— Becky Peterson (@beckpeterson) December 9, 2024

Original story follows below.

If a report coming out of China, citing statements from a Deutsche Bank conference and Tesla’s VP of Investor Relations, is to be believed—and that’s a big if until there’s official confirmation or firsthand verification, Tesla is allegedly gearing up to launch a new EV called the Model Q next year, priced at just $30,000.

Or at least that’s the gist of a story currently doing the rounds in the Chinese media. The report claims that Travis Axelrod, Tesla’s head of investor relations, confirmed the existence and impending arrival of the new entry-level car during a Deutsche Bank Autonomous Driving Day conference.

Related: Will A $25K Model 2 Small Crossover Hit The Spot For EV Buyers?

The story appears to have originated with Wall Street CN, which claims Axelrod said the baby Tesla will debut in the first half of 2025 prices at $37,500. But if returning president, Donald Trump, opts not to trash the current EV tax credit system the transaction price could drop to just $30k.

And that’s not the only secret car Tesla has in store for us next year, according to the same report. It claims the automaker will also launch other new models to expand its market size in a bid to hit a 25-30 percent growth target. One of those additional EVs could be a long-wheelbase, three-row Model Y conceived primarily with China in mind, but which could also work well in other countries and help plug the huge gap between the Y and X SUVs. The Model Y is also scheduled for a facelift in 2025.

Tesla warned however, that rolling out new product would inevitably lead to a temporary drop in profitability, Chinese media says. Other news supposedly coming out of the conference includes Tesla’s affirmation that it would launch a self-driving taxi service in California and Texas in 2025 using Model 3 and Y vehicles ahead of the launch of the company’s real robotaxi, the Cybercab, in 2026. Tesla will eventually cut the cost of Cybercab production to $30k per unit, the report claims.

We reached out to Travis Axelrod, Tesla’s Investor Relations team, as well as Deutsche Bank’s North American and Chinese divisions for comment, but have yet to hear back from anyone, so for now you probably ought to take the news with a pinch of salt. But if it’s true, legacy carmakers are going to have a nightmare on their hands trying to compete.

Note: The images in this story are digital renders by Francois Hubert/SB-Medien of how a new small Tesla crossover could look, and are not endorsed by Tesla.

Illustrations Jean Francois Hubert/SB-Medien for Carscoops

China’s EV market is booming. Sales of fully electric and hybrid cars have trebled over the last three years and are almost eight times higher than they were in 2020. It’s a great time to be an automaker selling electrified vehicles, but not so great if you’re an exec in the oil industry.

Almost one-fifth of the world’s oil production currently goes to China. The country has provided most of the industry’s growth since the millennium, as it has for the auto industry and others. But now analysts think China’s love for EVs will result in a marked drop in demand for gasoline, which accounts for 25 percent of the nation’s oil consumption.

Related: China Becomes First Country To Hit 1 Million Monthly EV Sales

One brokerage firm told reporters it expects Chinese gasoline use to drop by between 4 and 5 percent every year between now and the end of the decade. A demand reduction was always forecast, but China’s electric boom means it’s happening much faster than many experts had anticipated.

One in 10 cars currently on the road in China is electrified, but at the current sales rate, the mix is expected to double by 2027 and could reach 100 percent by the 2040s, Anders Hove, a China researcher at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told Bloomberg.

That kind of shift would have a devastating impact on the oil industry, Hove predicting that China’s oil demand for light vehicles would plummet from its current 3.5 million barrels per day to just 1 million by 2040.

Though that’s a major problem for Big Oil, it can at least take some comfort in knowing that other nations are in far less of a rush to abandon their combustion cars – EVs only account for 10 percent of US car sales. And even in China, a big chunk of the growth in electrified vehicles has come from sales of PHEVs, which still need some gasoline, though exactly how much they need in real ownership scenarios across China still needs more investigation.

Dodge dealers are set for some big paydays if they can persuade drivers to take a new Charger EV home. A new report claims retailers could bank thousands of dollars on every 2024 / 2025 Charger Daytona they sell, and that’s before the inevitable markups enter the conversation. For dealerships, it’s a windfall. For buyers? Well, that depends on how much they’re willing to shell out for Dodge’s electrified muscle revolution.

According to Cars Direct, which analyzed the difference between dealers’ internal Stellantis order guide invoice pricing (the price the dealer pays Dodge) and the MSRP for the same vehicles and found high-spec Daytonas could generate over $3,200 for the retailer.

Related: Dodge Charger Daytona EV Shows Its New Colors As It Gets 0% Financing Deal

The investigation revealed the base Charger Daytona has a before-options MSRP of $57,995, but an invoice price of $55,096, meaning the dealer will pocket $2,899 from a straight cash sale. That compares with an invoice-to-MSRP difference of just $607 on a 2023 Challenger SXT, which sounds very low, although dealers also get deals from automakers and may often pay below invoice for a car.

Things get even more lucrative if the buyer is looking at the sportier Scat Pack. The official invoice price for one of those is $61,746, so if the dealer sells at MSRP, he could bank $3,246. But we’re talking about one of the most hotly anticipated American performance cars of the year. The dealers likely aren’t going to be selling at MSRP. One dealer in Scottsdale, AZ, told Cars Direct Daytonas will be slapped with a markup of at least $10k.

Markups Meet EV Transparency

The report suggests Dodge might have purposely built dealer profit into the Charger to avoid markups being applied, and because EVs tend to have more transparent prices. But if other dealers have the same attitude as the Arizona one in the story, the strategy has not worked.

Whether the Daytona EV can handle those kind of markups once the initial rush of excitement is over remains to be seen. Dodge might bring forward the introduction of the combustion-powered, six-cylinder Charger because that’s where customers are indicating they want to spend their money.

But presuming it is the electric version of the Charger you want and you can find a dealer who isn’t going to fleece you with a crazy markup, there are some good deals around that make it a tempting package. Dodge is offering $549 per month lease deals and giving buyers 0 percent APR for up to 72 months.

First-generation Mazda MX-5 owners look for a power boost have always had plenty of options available to them, including throttle bodies, turbochargers, superchargers and engine swaps. But now a UK company has come up with a greener alternative in the form of a plug and play EV conversion.

You might have heard of UK-based Electrogenic’s previous projects. The Oxford company makes drop-in EV packages for the original Land Rover Series and Defender, classic Minis and Porsche 911s, the Jaguar E-type and DeLorean DMC-12. It also hit the headlines when movie star Jason Momoa contracted the firm to perform a bespoke electro-conversion on his 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom II.

Related: Electrogenic’s DeLorean DMC-12 EV Still Needs Roads, But Not Gas

Like the company’s other EV kits, the Miata package is designed to be relatively simple to install, CAD modelling being employed to slot all of the components into the existing engine bay and tunnel space so no cutting or drilling is required. Electrogenic says the swap can be done by a trained mechanic in only a few days, and the kit is also fully reversible should the owner have a change of heart.

But with the single motor cranking out 160 hp (120 kW / 163 PS) instead of the original 1.6-liter combustion engine’s 116 hp (87 kW / 118 hp) and the zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) tumbling by about 3 seconds to 6 seconds, those owners might be having too much fun to want to switch back.

Yes, the 115 mph (185 km/h) top speed sounds less impressive – and it’s very close to stock – but irrelevant in a car that has always been about cornering fun. And Electrogenic says there’s more of that to be had because the weight distribution is the same as on a donor MX-5, but a huge jump in torque from 100 lb-ft (136 Nm) to 229 lb-ft (310 Nm) gives you more opportunities to exploit the chassis.

Naturally there’s a weight penalty, even if the distribution is the same, but it’s not terrible. The EV swap adds 220 lbs (100 kg), though the resulting 2,425 lbs (1,100 kg) curb weight makes it 27 lbs (12kg) lighter than a 2025 Miata RF, and only 84 lbs (38 kg) porkier than the current rag-top.

You even get multiple driving modes with different torque and regeneration characteristics, and though the 150-mile (240 km) range is way off modern EV standards, it’s probably as far as anyone would want to go in an early MX-5 in one hit no matter what kind of powertrain is under the hood. The 42 kWh battery can also be charged in an hour.

As with all of these classic EV conversions, this is a niche proposition. Maybe more than the others because the cost of the kit (still TBC but sure to be north of $20k) is going to be harder to justify on a car that even in mint condition is only worth $15-20k than it is on a classic 911 worth $120k. Some potential buyers might also be put off by the loss of the MX-5’s manual shift action, always one of the joys of driving a Miata, although Electrogenic has done custom manual conversions for customers in the past, so we image the team would do it again if offered the right kind of financial encouragement.

With Porsche about to reveal its 718 EVs and Alpine’s boss this week claiming the upcoming electric A110 will weigh less than rival combustion sports cars, machines like Electrogenic’s MX-5 kit are highly topical, and we’re sure we’ll only be seeing more in the years to come. Would you EV swap your classic NA Miata?

You might have heard that Jaguar has a new concept. Actually, that’s underselling it. Jaguar has a new everything. The automaker wants to reposition itself as a more expensive, more exclusive brand and has scrapped its entire existing model line and come up with a suite of new badges and logos.

New logos won’t save the company from oblivion, but Jaguar is hoping a trio of new cars might, and today we were introduced to a concept designed to shows us how they could look. The Type 00 is a two-door coupe that previews a four-door electric coupe we’ll see in production form at the back end of 2025 and on the street a few months later.

Related: Radical Jaguar Type 00 Concept Previews Make-Or-Break MY26 Electric Sedan

Two more cars will follow before 2030, all riffing on the same new design language. None will look anything like today’s Jaguars when you see them heading towards you. Type 00’s square face shows no evidence of the classic E-type oval grille or the boxier, mesh-filled version seen on more recent cars that can be traced back to the 1968 XJ.

The clean surfaces and lack of curves are both modern and modernist, recalling the minimalism of cutting edge 1930s and ’40s product design and architecture. But Jag’s designers couldn’t help but make a few nods to the company’s past masters.

Though you could hardly call it a retro design, the long-hood, short-deck proportions are ripped straight from the original E-type coupe’s blueprints. And the vertical panel between the fender and the 23-inch front wheel also comes from the same Jaguar icon. Fortunately the track width to body ratio is not borrowed from the E-type – the concept’s huge rims are pushed right out to the edges of its swollen arches, and then some.

More: Everything We Know About The $130K Jaguar Type 01 Electric Sedan

It’s a brave, ambitious bit of design, no doubt, and not everyone will love it. So which camp are you in? Do you love or hate Jag’s new design direction? Take part in our poll and then drop a comment below to tell us what you like or loathe about the Type 00.

Finally we can stop talking about Jaguar’s new logos and get back to talking about its new cars. And there’s plenty to talk about because the automaker today revealed the Type 00 concept and it’s as polarizing as the new brand marks and fashion-show Instagram ads.

Previously referred to as the Design Vision concept, the Type 00 (say ‘zero zero’) is a confidently modern two-door coupe that previews a four-door production GT set to debut in late 2025. ‘Type’ is a reference to Jag’s iconic E-Type and the recently axed F-Type, and the two zeroes refer to the EV’s lack of tailpipe emissions and its status as car zero in the reinvented automaker’s lineup.

Related: In Wake Of Controversial Campaign, Jaguar Boss Said It Had To Shake Things Up

Available technical details are few, but Jag does confirm that the car rides on its new JEA electric platform and that it’s targeting 478 miles (770km) WLTP and 430 miles (692 km) of EPA range. And if that’s not enough to complete your journey, you can add 200 miles (321 km) of range in 15 minutes.

For info about charging speeds, motor specs and battery sizes we’ll have to wait. This month’s concept unveil at Miami Art Week was all about establishing the very different look of the next generation of Jaguars, and getting us comfortable with the idea of Jaguar as a true luxury brand, rather than a premium one.

Gone is the mesh-filled, squircle-shaped radiator grille, something even the i-Pace EV featured, and in its place comes a starkly modern face with a slatted rectangle containing the controversial jaGuar lettering and flanked by two ultra-slim LED lights.

The back end is equally industrial looking, the fat rear fenders separated by another rectangle filled with horizontal slats. This time the slats are slimmer and there are more of them, plus horizontal light bars top and bottom. And as predicted, the Type 00 has no rear window – the liftback hatch panel is the same Miami Pink color as the rest of the bodywork.

Jaguar also showed a second car painted in London Blue, a reference to the brand’s British roots and its 1960s heyday, and also a nod to the pair of E-types that appeared at the sports car’s 1961 launch. Jag’s purposely limits specific mention of its most famous car to that reference, but the Type 00’s proportions, particularly evident in the cab-backwards profile and rear three-quarter views are clearly intended to remind us of the iconic E-type coupe, without falling into a retro rabbit hole.

More: Jaguar EV Concept Says Bye-Bye Rear Window, Hello Air-Con Vents

But there are also obvious hints of Range Rover in the design and it’s easy to see why JLR creative boss Gerry McGovern and his team would want to do that. Jaguar is part of JLR and has struggled to find sales and its own identity, two things Land Rover has had no trouble achieving. The Type 00 feels like the Range Rover coupe that Land Rover could never build using that branding.

The brown-colored piece of trim ahead of the door contains pop-out cameras to help when parking, and is fashioned out of brass, a material that’s repeated on the interior on the steering wheel’s bottom spoke and a 3.2-meter (126 inches) spine running the length of the cabin. Other key materials are stone and textiles. Wood and leather? Sorry, that was old Jag.

Notably missing from the interior images despite being a mainstay of every new car is any kind of digital screen. Jag says they’re hidden them in the dashboard and, like the stowage areas, glide out on electric power when needed. Drivers can also change the cabin lighting and look of the digital displays by retrieving one of three totems hidden behind a door on the front fender (the Range Rover-esque filler panel located just behind the 23-inch front wheel) and placing them inside the center console.

That last bit is concept car nonsense, but much of what we can see on the Type 00 will transfer to the production sedan scheduled for reveal this time next year and on sale in the first half of 2026. And the same ideas and design language will show up on two more vehicles Jag will introduce before the end of the decade, at least one of which will be an SUV/crossover.

What do you think of the Type 00? Is Jaguar heading in the right direction? Was it right to be so radical? Or has it signed its own death warrant? We want to hear your thoughts so drop a comment below.

One of the benefits of owning an EV is that they consist of fewer moving parts so should be less expensive to service and maintain. But as one Tesla owner discovered, EV hardware isn’t invincible, and it’s still expensive when it breaks.

This reminder comes from Cybertruck owner Joey Arrowood, who is staring down the barrel of an $8k bill after finding an oil leak on his electric pickup. That’s right, an oil leak – EVs use oil, too. As he shared in a post on the Facebook Cybertruck group, as he returned to his truck one day, he noticed a pool of oil under the rear motor, closer inspection revealing that a small, sharp rock had ground a hole in the motor housing.

Related: Sixth Time The Charm? Tesla Cybertruck Recalled Over Loss Of Drive Power

“At some point a small rock bounced over the belly pans and covers and wedged itself between the rear subframe and gearbox wearing a small hole into the aluminum case,” Arrowood wrote on Facebook. “I find it absurd to comprehend that such a small rock can cause this kind of damage.”

The Tesla is coming up to 9,000 miles (14,500 km) and the owner says the little action its seen away from paved surfaces was restricted to some driving on local dirt roads. But Arrowood’s local service center in Clarkston, MI, claims the proper fix is a new drive unit at a cost of $7,660.55, and says it won’t cover the cost, and will only repair it if Arrowood pays up himself or files an insurance claim.

“I love the truck and driving it, but come on Tesla… a little help here is needed please,” the owner wrote.

Commenters on the thread don’t all agree on the correct course of action: some suggest fixing the hole with JB Weld; others claim a genuine aluminum welding job would be better. But none of them thinks Arrowood should shell out for a brand new motor and most believe this isn’t a warranty situation, just an unfortunate freak accident, possibly made worse by poor design and thin castings on Tesla’s part.

Who do you think should pay, and what kind of fix would you recommend? Leave a comment and let us know.

These days almost every major automaker has a tie-up with a partner firm in China, but it was Volkswagen that blazed the trail, joining forces with domestic company SAIC four decades ago. And this week, on the 40th anniversary of that original deal, the pair have signed up to extend their joint venture to 2040.

Controversial Xinjiang Plant Sale

At the same time, VW announced the sale of its Urumqi car plant in Xinjiang province, a region that has been under intense scrutiny due to alleged human rights violations. Owned by the VW-SAIC joint venture, the duo finally agreed to sell their controversial Xinjiang plant to Shanghai Motor Vehicle Inspection Certification (SMVIC), Reuters says.

The manufacturing plant gained notoriety because the region has been the location of human rights abuses of the Uyghur people, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang, though VW’s own audit claimed to have found no evidence of forced labor at the plant. It’s worth noting that the factory, which opened in 2013, has lost its relevance in recent years, now employing just 200 people for final checks and deliveries. Once capable of producing 50,000 cars annually, it hasn’t turned out a single vehicle since 2019.

Extended Agreement and Future Plans

The current agreement between VW and SAIC doesn’t expire until 2030,but the automakers opted to extend it now due to the “multi-year planning cycles of new products,” and boy do they have a ton of those new products in the pipes.

Related: VW Goes All-In On China With ID.UX Sub-Brand And 30 New Cars By 2030

SAIC Volkswagen is on target to introduce 18 new models, 15 of them specifically for the Chinese market. Six of the 18 are EVs, with two of those due to arrive in 2026 using the newly locally developed “Compact Main Platform” (CMP) and zonal electric architecture.

Chinese customers have switched on to EVs at a much faster rate than their counterparts in Europe and North America, but that doesn’t mean SAIC Volkswagen is going to ignore combustion tech. Arriving in 2026, the same year as the two EVs, are three plug-in hybrid models and two range-extender EVs.

“China is a driver of innovation for autonomous driving and electric mobility,” said Ralf Brandstätter, VW’s top man in the country. “With the new agreement, we are intensifying our integration into the Chinese ecosystem and consistently leveraging local innovation strength. This also creates a strategic competitive advantage for the Volkswagen Group worldwide.”

Sales Struggles in China

VW, like many western Automakers, has been struggling recently with falling sales in China. Having previously lapped up offerings from brands like VW, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes, Chinese buyers are increasingly choosing cars from rapidly improving domestic brands selling cars at prices European companies struggle to match. Before the pandemic German brands accounted for 25 percent of cars sold in China, but now they make up only 15 percent, Bloomberg reported last month.

Automakers have already responded to the underperforming EV market by modifying their electrification plans, and finally the UK government appears to be ready to make some changes of its own. Britain’s business secretary told auto industry execs last night that he would consult them on changes to an EV mandate that automakers claim is totally unworkable.

As part of the country’s stepped push to phase out combustion engines by 2030, UK lawmakers introduced tough EV sales quotas, demanding that 22 percent of cars and 10 percent of all vans sold this year be fully electric. Automakers have achieved that feat in only one month during 2024 because not enough buyers want electric cars, a situation not helped by the UK’s decision to phase out EV grants in 2022.

Related: California To Reinstate EV Rebates If Trump Scraps Tax Credit, Just Not For Tesla

Failure to meet the targets will land companies with huge fines of £15,000 ($19,000) for every car sold beyond the allowed ratio, so some have opted to artificially restrict the availability of combustion vehicles and spend money subsidizing electric cars by offering discounts. And things are only going to get tougher according to the current plan, with the EV quota rising to 28 percent for cars in 2025 and 80 percent in 2030.

“The transport secretary and I have heard you loud and clear on the need for support to make this transition a success,” Bloomberg reports Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds telling guests at a Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) dinner on Tuesday.

“We’ll be consulting with you on changes to the ZEV mandate and inviting your views on options for a better way forward,” he added, but claimed the new British government was determined to stick to the 2030 combustion ban plan in which hybrids would live on for five additional years.

Stellantis this week announced it is shutting down its 119-year-old Vauxhall plant at Luton, north of London, having previously warned that the EV mandate and post-Brexit tariffs on UK-EU trade could lead to plant closures. And last week Ford said it was axing 4,000 jobs in Europe, including 800 in the UK.

“This industry is facing a greater set of challenges today than at any point in the last 50 years,” Reynolds conceded at the SMMT bash.

Lamborghini isn’t getting cold feet about its electrification plans even as other luxury brands backtrack on their own promises in response to a global slowdown in the EV market, the CEO says.

Stephan Winkelmann told reporters the firm’s fourth model line, an electric crossover previewed by the 2023 Lanzador concept was still on track to debut before the end of the decade. Though he did add that the end of the decade was far enough in the future that the company still has some flexibility.

Related: Lamborghini Is In No Rush To Build An Electric Supercar

“We have enough time to decide if we need to accelerate or delay the introduction of the electric cars,” he told Autocar magazine. “So far, we are not thinking about delaying anything: we said we want to have our first electric car by the end of this decade, and this is something which we will continue to foster, because we said it has to be an additional car – a fourth model.”

Lamborghini’s entire three-model lineup – the Urus SUV and the Temerario and Revuelto supercars – are now all equipped with hybrid engines, a move customers appear to have accepted. But the company never made a promise to junk all of its combustion drivetrains by any set date, a decision that has proved wise.

Rival brand Lotus, on the other hand, had vowed to go all-electric in 2028 and Bentley said it would do the same by 2030. Both have this year announced radical changes to their plans, Lotus revealing that it’s now working on range-extender hybrids and Bentley pushing back its all-EV switchover to 2035.

Lamborghini’s sister brand, Porsche, has also ripped up its electrification strategy and admitted that it will now re-engineer some EVs currently in development to also offer hybrid drivetrains. Lambo could well benefit from that U-turn – its next Urus due in 2029 was supposed to be EV-only, but we’d be surprised if it turns up without a combustion (hybrid) option.