In an era where cars are less mechanical than they are tech showpieces on wheels, your car is becoming more akin to your phone in terms of how its lifecycle is updated. Modern vehicles are packed with screens and features, all governed by software, software that can be updated, refined, and patched with relative ease. According to one report, there’s a company that understands that better than any others.

That company is none other than BYD, the Chinese New Energy Vehicle specialist that continues to make headlines, both good and bad. In this instance, the firm is employing over-the-air (OTA) software updates to increase vehicle performance and the life cycle of its models.

See Also: China Does What Many Drivers Wish Someone Would Do About Car Screens

In mid-February, BYD released the fourth OTA update to its Han L sedan, a flagship vehicle of the Dynasty family, which was first unveiled in April 2025. The upgrade will introduce an enhanced driver assistance system, which is end-to-end AI-driven to improve its perception and decision-making in complex driving scenarios.

The new features will take about two hours to install, and owners will be in a position to utilize the new features without going to an automobile dealership.

Chinese Lead In OTA Updates

Chinese manufacturers, such as BYD, seem to be leading in the OTA update sphere. While the concept may have been pioneered by brands such as Tesla, the evidence would suggest that Western manufacturers are lagging.

In the past, vehicles would receive only minor changes, often via facelifts and perhaps even several years after being introduced. OTA technology has broken this pattern and enabled the cycle of continuous improvements to keep vehicles updated throughout their lifetime in a similar manner as smartphones.

BYD leads this change with its active strategy of updates. In 2025, Nikkei Asia reports that the company released about 200 software updates on its Ocean and Dynasty brands. Other brands like Aito, a creation of Huawei Technologies and Seres Group, and startups like Leapmotor have become more prolific when it comes to OTA updates. Tesla, by comparison, only had 16 OTA updates last year. Toyota and VW didn’t fair any better, with eight and five respectively.

Nissan, with its new N7 electric car, however, managed to push out its first update just two months after its launch, unlocking new applications and longer voice recognition capabilities. “OTA updates must be developed even before product launch as part of the car’s lifecycle, in order to keep up,” said Isao Sekiguchi, managing director of Dongfeng Nissan.

There is a catch. The N7 is not a clean-sheet Nissan effort, but a joint project with Dongfeng Motor Corporation, built on the Chinese partner’s eπ 007 platform.

Less Opportunities To Monetize Updates

BYD’s rapid rate may be explained by the vertical integration development model, i.e. in-house design of semiconductors, operating systems, and hardware, designed by BYD. Such control allows the company to update it at a very high speed and efficiently without modifying the user experience.

However, OTA updates have an economic cost. It’s not just the cost incurred in developing and rolling out each update. While the extension of technological relevance of a vehicle may enhance the resale values and decrease the occurrence of complete model redesigns, OTA technology is difficult to commercialize.

In China, updates are generally free of charge, which rules out the opportunity to add to a company’s bottom line. Instead, Tesla-like subscription-based solutions are being considered by the industry. XPeng is mulling over more advanced levels of autonomous driving, particularly Level 4 technology, which could be marketed as an extra service. This would mirror the strategy Tesla already used with its Full Self-Driving subscription in North America.

Here’s some good news if you’ve been eyeing an EV as a way out of buying expensive gas, but also flinching at the price of making the switch. The gap between electric and gas cars just shrank to its smallest level ever. Okay, so $5,800 is not pocket change, but it’s a whole lot less scary than it used to be, and is the kind of difference you could even out with fuel cost savings if you’re a high mileage driver.

New EV prices dropped 2.8 percent year over year to $54,508, marking their third straight monthly decline, according to fresh data from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book. That’s not happening by accident, either. Automakers are throwing incentives at buyers like confetti, with EV discounts now averaging 14.6 percent of transaction price.

Related: Most Automakers Clear Inventory With Discounts, Tesla Raised Model S And X Prices Instead

Meanwhile, gas and hybrid vehicles are holding steady. The industry average transaction (ATP) price landed at $49,275 in March, up 3.5 percent from last year but basically flat compared with February. So while EVs are coming down, ICE models aren’t exactly rushing to meet them halfway.

The annual price gains have now accelerated for four consecutive months. The average MSRP reached $51,456, marking the 12th straight month above $50,000.

New-Vehicle Average Transaction Price

Bigger Is Better

What’s really driving the overall numbers, though, is what Americans are actually buying. Spoiler alert, it’s still big stuff, and its not electric. Full-size pickups are hovering near $66,000, while full-size SUVs are knocking on the door of $80,000. 

At the other end of the spectrum, compact cars are barely moving, up just 1.1 percent year over year and still sitting under $28,000. Even with rising prices, they’re losing relevance as buyers keep chasing space, power, and presence.

The brand data adds another layer of intrigue. Porsche buyers clearly didn’t get the memo about tightening American household budgets, with average prices jumping 12.4 percent year over year to $128,447. Cadillac is also riding high with an 11.6 percent increase to $84,139. 

Mercedes, Tesla Prices Down

But not everyone’s winning. Mercedes-Benz prices fell 3.4 percent to $75,886, while Tesla dropped 2.6 percent to $53,142, continuing its quiet price-cut campaign to stay competitive. 

And then there are incentives across the wider market. They climbed to 7.2 percent of ATP, up from 6.9 percent in February, showing that even as prices stay high, automakers are working harder behind the scenes to keep buyers interested.

Average Transaction Price By Automaker

Average Transaction Price By Brand

Average Transaction Price By Segment

Cox Automotive/KBB, Images Hyundai/Porsche

Surging demand for domestic brands in China has dealt a heavy blow to Porsche, pushing the company to shutter roughly 30 percent of its dealerships as sales have plunged 50 percent since 2022. The slide shows little sign of easing. In the most recent quarter alone, Porsche lost another 21 percent of its market share.

Yet despite the growing pressure from Chinese automakers, the brand insists the trend could work in its favor, at least in select Western markets such as Australia.

Read: Porsche Custom Builds Usually Stay One-Off, Not These Four

While the number of vehicles from China available in Australia continues to increase by the month, the German sports car maker doesn’t face the same level of competition as it does elsewhere. According to Porsche Cars Australia chief executive Daniel Schmollinger, many buyers entering the market through more affordable Chinese models may eventually set their sights higher.

“I wouldn’t call it concern; I wouldn’t call it worried; I look at it as an opportunity,” he told Australia’s Drive. “They’re obviously in a different price range from where we are. I’m actually happy to see these brands being successful here because at one point in time we will see, like after three years, first-time electric in a Chinese brand, people will want what’s next. And what is the next step? Then we are here for them.”

From Chinese To German?

While this certainly seems possible, there’s absolutely no guarantee that those buying an EV from a Chinese company now will be interested in upgrading to a Porsche in the future. Indeed, if they’re after a new EV from China, they’re likely quite budget-conscious and are looking for something that presents good value for money.

Also: China’s $28K Taycan Clone Is Coming Whether Porsche Likes It Or Not

If, for example, someone were to buy a 700 hp EV from China for a third of the price of a Porsche, would they really have any interest in upgrading in a few years just for the German badge? Porsche is likely betting that these individuals’ incomes will grow, and as they do, it’s certainly possible they will start looking at more traditionally premium brands.

Porsche isn’t having the best time right now. Fresh from admitting that operating profit plummeted 93 percent in 2025, the automaker has revealed that sales in the first quarter of this year sank 15 percent to 60,991 cars, down from 71,470 a year ago.

The company says it saw this coming due to the end of 718 production and Macan Electric sales settling down after the flurry of interest at last year’s debut. But there’s a problem looming ahead that could make things worse before they get better.

Related: Porsche Built The GT3 For The Track, Now It May Take It Somewhere Else

The biggest red flag sits right in the middle of Porsche’s lineup. The Macan, previously the brand’s best selling model, managed 18,209 deliveries, down 23 percent, but here’s the kicker. More than half of those, 10,130 units, were still combustion versions, while the electric version accounted for only 8,079, down a massive 43 percent from last year. With the ICE Macan heading for the exit this summer, and no replacement due for a couple of years, Porsche is about to lose its volume backbone.

911 Is Growing, But Nothing Else Is

Elsewhere, the Cayenne kept things relatively steady with 19,183 deliveries, down just 4 percent, and with Macan sales falling, the bigger SUV is now the most bought. And the 911 is out here ignoring the downturn entirely. Sales of the iconic sports car jumped 22 percent to 13,889 units, proving once again that heritage still sells, even when the broader market gets shaky.

But most Porsche models ended Q1 battered and bruised. The Taycan dropped 19 percent to 3,420 units, while the Panamera plunged 42 percent to 4,498 – due to a model transition, Porsche claims – particularly in China. The 718 range, now effectively retired, collapsed 60 percent to just 1,792 cars.

Porsche Q1 Sales By Model

The regional picture doesn’t help much either. North America remained Porsche’s biggest market with 18,344 deliveries, though that’s down 11 percent, likely not helped by changing incentives and tariff pressures. Europe excluding Germany fell 18 percent to 14,710, while overseas markets dropped 20 percent to 12,640.

China Woes Worsen

China has been a problem for a while, and deliveries in the country sank 21 percent to 7,519 units as domestic brands tighten their grip on the premium space. Porsche says it’s focusing on value over volume there, but that’s often what companies say when volume disappears.

Put it all together and Porsche’s explanation about product timing only tells part of the story. Between a cooling EV market, rising competition, and the imminent loss of the ICE Macan, the next few quarters could get even more uncomfortable.

Porsche Q1 Sales By Region

Porsche

While President Donald Trump has shown an unexpected openness to Chinese automakers building cars in the United States, three senators from the other side of the political spectrum have now joined Republican voices pushing to ensure that never happens.

Late last week, Democratic Senators Tammy Baldwin, Elissa Slotkin, and Chuck Schumer urged the administration not to allow Chinese car companies to manufacture vehicles locally, noting this could severely harm American companies. China is none too pleased and has accused the US of engaging in “trade protectionism.”

Read: US Senator Calls Chinese Cars “Cancer,” Wants Permanent Ban

“We must be clear-eyed that inviting China’s automakers to set up shop in the ⁠United States would confer an insurmountable economic advantage impossible for American automakers to overcome, and it would trigger a national security ​crisis that could never be reversed,” the senators wrote in a letter to Trump, first reported by Reuters.

They sent the letter to President Donald Trump following comments he made in January. Speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said that “if they [Chinese companies] want to come in and build a plant and hire you and hire your friends and your neighbors, that’s great, I love that.”

Responding to Reuters about the letter from Baldwin, Slotkin, and Schumer, the White House said that “while the administration is always working to secure more investment into America’s industrial resurgence, any notion that we would ever compromise our national security to do so is baseless and false.”

China’s Not Happy

Chinese car companies have effectively been banned from selling vehicles in the United States due to policies enacted by the Biden administration in early 2025. However, it appears the Trump administration is more open to Chinese companies coming to the US than ex-President Joe Biden was, particularly if it can help to reverse the trend of ongoing job losses in the manufacturing sector.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, the US has “engaged in trade protectionism and set up obstacles, including discriminatory ⁠subsidy policies ​to obstruct access to the U.S. market by Chinese-made cars.”

BYD sells more EVs than any other carmaker on the planet, but Brazil’s government doesn’t like some of the methods it used to get there. Lawmakers in the country have just placed the Chinese automaker on a “dirty list” due to mistreatment of workers.

The issue doesn’t involve people building cars for BYD in Brazil, but those who built the plant at Camaçari. A group of 163 Chinese laborers brought in by contractor Jinjiang Group allegedly faced conditions that sound less like a modern construction job and more like something from the 1800s.

Related: BYD Sued Over One Toilet Per 31 Workers And Other Horrors

Investigators found workers living in overcrowded housing, with dozens sharing limited facilities and basic comforts noticeably absent, Reuters says. In one raid, 31 workers were found squashed into a single house with only one bathroom.

Reports also suggested the workers’ passports were taken away and a chunk of wages never made it into their hands, instead being routed to China. They even had to hand over a $900 deposit just to start the job, which was only returned after they had completed six months on the site.

BYD Blamed Contractor

The 2024 scandal raised serious questions about how closely BYD was watching what was happening on its own project. The company has said it wasn’t aware of any wrongdoing until the situation became public, but Brazilian authorities aren’t buying the idea that responsibility stops with the contractor.

Officials argue that if your name is on the factory, then the buck stops with you, even if someone else handled the hiring. That stance has now resulted in BYD being formally added to a government registry reserved for companies linked to deeply unacceptable labor practices.

Being on that list isn’t just a bad look. It can also limit access to certain financial support from Brazilian institutions, which could complicate future expansion plans in BYD’s biggest market after its home country. But since its ability to produce and sell cars like the Camaçari-built Dolphin Mini (Seagull in China; Dolphin Surf in Europe) isn’t affected, BYD is going to remain a major thorn in the side of every other brand operating in the region.

BYD

Analysts believe that Tesla is on track to double its global deliveries by the end of the decade. That’s a huge bet, and it relies on more factories, cheaper models, and a broader global footprint that can push annual volume into the millions. That said, there’s a bit of a disconnect. If that’s indeed what the future looks like, the same analysts’ Q1 2026 predictions aren’t exactly screaming momentum.

The automaker just compiled estimated reports from 23 big-time analyst firms, including UBS, Barclays, Wells Fargo, and more. Wall Street expects Tesla to deliver roughly 420,000 vehicles in Q1 2026. For a company evidently on the verge of explosive growth, that figure leaves some room for head-scratching because it’s nearly flat compared to 2025 levels.

More: This Might Be The Tesla Roadster’s Biggest Update Since 2017

That said, the professionals betting on the future clearly see a path ahead. Their consensus is that Tesla will deliver 1,689,691 cars this year. That’s actually just above the 1,636,129 figure it managed in 2025, with a a modest 3.3% increase year over year.

Starting in 2027, their estimates just go up, up, and away, though. Notably, 2027 is the latest year in which all 23 firms provided an estimate, in this case, of 1,880,496 deliveries.

Twenty of the firms predicted (on average) that Tesla will deliver 2,128,187 cars in 2028. Just 13 firms went as far as to provide a consensus for 2029 and 2030. Those figures hit 2,613,623 deliveries for 2029 and then 3,032,000 the following year.

As is the case now, analysts believe the vast majority of the cars that Tesla does sell will be the Model 3 and Model Y by a factor of around eight to one overall. Notably, that mix diminishes to as low as four to one by 2030 in the consensus.

That’s important because it suggests that Tesla will need to continue to heavily invest in the growth and proliferation of both the Model Y and Model 3. Those two will largely bolster the car side of Tesla’s business if this consensus is correct.

What it doesn’t clarify is what falls under those “other models.” With the Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X out of the picture, the lineup narrows quickly. That leaves the Tesla Cybertruck as the only other vehicle currently in play, alongside plans for the Tesla Cybercab and, if Elon Musk is to be taken at his word, something he has teased as “way cooler than a minivan.”

The decision to publish this consensus ahead of its Q1 report is also significant and Tesla has done this in the past. It could be that it’s hoping to anchor expectations if results end up lower than some hoped for.

Every time a drone buzzes over Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory, the internet immediately goes into detective mode. Usually, the result is a grainy shot of construction equipment and a few wild guesses. This time, though, the mystery object might actually be something real. Fans of the brand have torn these shots apart like they’ll reveal whether or not alien life exists.

Drone pilot Joe Tegtmeyer recently captured footage of a large vehicle shell sitting inside a wooden crate outside Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas. The structure was wrapped in blue plastic and surrounded by construction materials. That didn’t stop folks from trying to suss out exactly what we’re looking at. Most think it’s Tesla’s Model Y L.

Read: Tesla’s Budget Model Y Gets Grip And Grit For $2K More, But Don’t Call It Standard

That’s the long-wheelbase take on Tesla’s compact crossover, first rolled out in China last year. It matters more than it might seem at first glance. This is effectively Tesla’s only proper three-row crossover heading into the near future. Yes, you can spec tiny rear seats in the standard Model Y, though calling them usable depends on how much you like the people riding back there.

The Model X is about to go away with the death of its flagship stablemate, the Model S. That leaves Tesla with a big gap in the market. A lengthened Model Y would help plug that third-row-sized hole.

Well this is interesting at Giga Texas today … what do YOU think this is? 🤔😎 pic.twitter.com/U9pLvqbf7L

— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) March 23, 2026

The vehicle in the drone footage appears to be little more than a body shell. These unfinished body structures allow automakers to continue development or manufacturing testing without building a full car to do so. It’s a normal part of production and something we’d expect from Tesla if it were setting up to sell the Model Y L in the U.S. market.

As Teslarati pointed out, observers have done just about everything they can to sort this out. Some used AI to create renders. Others compared how the dimensions came together compared to the standard Model Y. Some went as far as to superimpose the Model Y L’s window shapes over the shell.

More: Tesla’s Model Y L Gets Bigger And Pricier With New Six-Seat Layout

The Chinese market Tesla Model Y L.

All signs, at least for now, point toward this being the Model Y L, or something very close to it. One user even shared a rare overhead shot of what appears to be the production SUV, and the resemblance lines up almost too neatly to ignore. The proportions, the silhouette, the overall footprint, it all matches.

That said, there’s no word on when or even if the vehicle could come to the U.S. market in any official capacity. Musk once seemed to indicate that it might not ever end up in the States. These images seem to indicate otherwise, though with Tesla, certainty has never really been part of the package.

It looks the same as my Model Y L. pic.twitter.com/uVf98xpvTE

— @BananaMemeClub (@BananaMemeClub) March 23, 2026

Lead image Joe Tegtmeyer @ X

General Motors’ joint venture in China is attempting to turn things around before the partnership with China’s SAIC expires. The aim of the game is electrification. Go green, be quick, and build trust again before it is too late.

At a dealer meeting in early March, SAIC-GM President Lu Xiao announced a three-year plan, which is based around new Buick and Cadillac EVs, improved in-car technology, and increased exports.

But the plans are still leaving some in the industry skeptical. Despite Xiao’s assurances that the joint venture is focused on the future, there’s no clear sign yet that a renewal is actually in motion, even with the agreement set to expire in June 2027.

Contrast that with the venture between Volkswagen and SAIC, which was extended six years early, and you can see why some GM-SAIC dealers may be concerned, reports AutoNews.

Buick And Cadillac Spearhead The Plan

The backdrop is tough. While sales last year were promising, they’re still down since a high of 2 million cars in 2017 to only 562,000 in 2025, a 75 percent decrease. The joint venture has just come back to the black, as GM recorded restructuring costs amounting to $2.7 billion in order to reduce capacity and rebrand operations.

Read: GM’s Comeback Story Isn’t Happening In America

SAIC-GM will use over 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion at current rates) to revise existing Buick models and come up with the new generation of its products. The strength that Buick has in the multipurpose vehicle market is a home run, and the company desires to maintain what it has and advance further in the direction of electrification.

Momentum is already gaining speed. The Buick Electra L7, an all-electric and range-extender crossover, is arriving in the next few months. An all-electric version of the Encasa MPV was recently introduced and a plug-in hybrid version will be introduced later this year with a quicker charger and an increased engine size.

Cadillac is trending along at the same speed. The completely electric Cadillac Vistiq SUV, which will feature lidar and an advanced driver-assistance system co-developed with Momenta, will debut in late April. At the same time, models such as the Buick LaCrosse, the Envision, and the Cadillac XT5, which were traditionally ICE nameplates, will be getting electrification.

Cars That Charge Faster, Smarter Software, Sharper Focus

One of the reasons why GM’s, and other foreign carmakers’, products have been falling out of favor with Chinese consumers is the lack of up-to date tech that is often commonplace in domestic offerings. GM and SAIC’s action plan hopes to address that on a number of fronts.

The Xiaoyao platform will be able to support next-generation battery systems with 1,000V fast charging, driving ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers, and power outputs up to 850 kilowatts. The future holds advances in active suspension, steer-by-wire, and rear-wheel steering, all controlled under GM-SAIC’s proprietary software.

Inside the cabin, change is just as important. All Buick Electra models and the Cadillac XT5 will adopt new smart cockpit systems this year, boosting smartphone connectivity as well as improving digital interfaces.

A further upgrade in the future will take technology from ByteDance (the name behind TikTok) and refine the user experience. On the driver’s assistance front, such Level 2 systems hit the road this year, with Level 3 slated for 2027.

Exports are another lever, albeit a complicated one. SAIC-GM has exported vehicles overseas since 2001 as well as to the US and Mexico. But new tariffs have wreaked havoc on that business. Exports plunged 40 percent in 2025 to about 50,500 vehicles, most of them because of higher U.S. duties, and Mexico has also increased its tariffs on China-built light vehicles.

The dream of a Sony-branded electric car has officially run out of road, ending a project that once promised to blend consumer tech with automotive engineering. Sony Honda Mobility has confirmed it is pulling the plug on the development and launch of its entire EV lineup, including the Afeela 1 sedan set to arrive later this year, along with a follow-up SUV previously penciled in for 2028.

The decision effectively collapses the joint venture formed in 2022, which aimed to combine Sony’s software and entertainment ecosystem with Honda’s manufacturing backbone. What once looked like a credible attempt to rethink the in-car experience has instead unraveled before a single production model reached customers.

More: EV Bets Already Cost Four Legacy Carmakers $70B, And The Tab Keeps Climbing

The project’s demise traces directly back to Honda’s sweeping strategy reset announced earlier this month. The automaker pulled the plug on several key EV programs, including the Honda 0 Saloon, the 0 SUV, and the Acura RSX crossover, all of which had been planned for North America.

As Honda pivots away from its previous electrification targets to stem a projected 2.5 trillion yen ($15.7 billion) loss, it has withdrawn the technical assets and dedicated platforms that Afeela was supposed to use. Without the automaker’s hardware support, the joint venture admitted it does not have a viable path forward to bring the models to market as originally planned.

More: Honda’s Prologue Might Soon Become An EV Epilogue

The news comes shortly after Sony Honda Mobility of America announced the grand opening of the Afeela Studio and Delivery Hub in Torrance, California, on March 16. Instead of taking delivery of the Afeela 1, those who placed reservations for the electric sedan will receive full refunds.

Is It Game Over For Sony?

Sony’s push into the automotive space began with the Vision-S 01 and Vision-S 02 prototypes, unveiled at CES in 2020 and 2022, with the intention of evolving into production models. In 2022, Sony partnered with Honda to form the joint venture that would bring that ambition closer to reality.

The Afeela brand name was introduced at CES 2023 alongside an early prototype. By CES 2025, the production version of the electric sedan debuted as the Afeela 1, with reservations opening via a refundable $200 deposit and a target price of $89,900.

More: After Honda Kills Three EVs, Afeela Tries Something Shiny While It Still Can

The last chapter was written at CES 2026 with the unveiling of the Afeela Prototype 2026, which was intended to evolve into a production SUV by 2028. In March 2026, the company also revealed two art cars based on the Afeela 1 in collaboration with Matt Copson and Hajime Sorayama, though by then the project was already on borrowed time.

In its announcement, the company stated that Sony Honda Mobility will continue discussions with Sony and Honda regarding its future business plans. Whether it can repurpose its technology and resources, or whether this venture will stand as a costly experiment, remains unclear.

A report has seemingly confirmed that two of China’s biggest electric car manufacturers are swiftly building the foundation for a Canadian push. The news comes from a consultant tasked with laying the groundwork. The companies are in talks to set up branded dealerships throughout the country, a serious move into a massive market that has so far eluded Chinese car makers.

Read: Three Chinese Carmakers Are Rushing To Enter Canada In 2026, And It’s Only The Start

It’s understood that both BYD and Chery have plans centered around establishing independent dealerships, but cautioned that the low volume of cars allowed by the quota may not be enough to sustain many Canadian dealerships.

The initial strategy involves launching out of the Greater Toronto Area, then expanding west and east to cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary. Those involved in the talks say that BYD’s goal is to build about 20 dealership locations in the first year of operation. That would give China’s biggest carmaker a visible presence in Canada’s biggest urban markets, where there is a continuing rise in the demand for electric vehicles as consumers look for cheaper alternatives.

The news comes from Farid Ahmad, the CEO of Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions, a consultancy which has already had discussions with three possible BYD locations. “They’ve asked us to help them find as many of the 20 that they possibly can, but they’re out there doing that themselves, as well,” said Ahmad speaking to The Globe And Mail. Ahmad went on to say that a number of Chinese manufacturers were interested in setting up shop in Canada, including Chery.

Canada Is Opening The Door To New Competition

Canada recently restructured its tariff regime relating to Chinese-built electric vehicles by implementing a quota that permits 24,500 Chinese-made EV to come into Canada at a significantly reduced duty rate of just 6.1 percent. That change in policy means a change in math for companies such as BYD and Chery that previously have struggled with steep barriers that made it difficult for them to expand.

With the advent of lower import costs now possible under the quota, the move into the Canadian market is becoming more realistic. Still, there are a number of steps before any cars are in showrooms. Regulatory approvals, dealer agreements, financing structures, and service networks all have to be put in place.

Launch Timing Remains Unclear

Sources caution that although discussions are ongoing, there hasn’t been an official date initiated for the launch by BYD. The company has not publicly outlined its timeline, nor the specific models it prioritizes for Canada.

By coming into the Canadian EV market, Industry analysts believe BYD and Chery will transform pricing and competition in the industry. The market has been dominated by established North American, European, and Korean brands for an extended period. A new player that is well-known globally for high-volume electric vehicles production could expand consumer choice and put a squeeze on rivals.

Geely has begun taking the necessary steps to launch its vehicles in Canada and could start sales as early as this year. The move places it in direct competition with BYD, as both aim to become among the first Chinese EV-focused brands to enter the Canadian market following a recent trade deal between the two countries.

They are both locked in a race against Tesla, which appears positioned to secure, if not all, then most of the first batch of 24,500 Chinese-made EV permits available at a reduced tariff rate.

Geely Group chief executive Andy An says the company expects to secure the required certifications from Canadian officials soon, clearing the way for local sales. The automaker has been steadily climbing the ranks among the world’s largest car manufacturers and is now setting its sights on expansion across several key markets.

Read: Canada Could Give China’s Biggest Carmaker A Backdoor Into The US Market

“We’re not only considering the Canadian market, but also Brazil, South America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia,” An told Bloomberg. “Geely’s globalization is mostly through exports right now, but we will look to localize production.”

Geely ranks just behind BYD as China’s second-largest car manufacturer, and it already has a foothold in both Canada and the United States through Polestar and Volvo. Even so, steep 100 percent tariffs have long made exporting additional China-built models to Canada a tough business case.

Things are changing. Earlier this year, Canada and China agreed to a pivotal new trade deal, announcing that up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs will be eligible for importation into the country at a reduced tariff rate of just 6.1 percent. That ceiling is expected to climb over time, reaching roughly 70,000 vehicles annually.

With those barriers easing, Geely, along with rivals like BYD and Chery, is lining up a Canadian market entry. The simplest route is to ship existing EVs from China, but local production, either through partnerships or independent operations, is very much on the table. Chery, for its part, is already recruiting in Canada as it prepares for its own arrival.

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, oil prices have surged to a four-year high and are fast approaching $100 per barrel. Regardless of where you live, this means that if you’re driving an ICE-powered car, you’ll be paying more to fill it up. It’s perhaps the perfect time to own an EV instead.

A recent study indicates that last year’s increased adoption rate of EVs reduced oil consumption by 2.3 million barrels per day, and these fuel savings will continue to grow as more EVs are sold. By 2030, EVs could help to reduce global oil consumption by 5.25 million barrels per day.

Read: The $8 Gallon Is Here, If You’re Dumb Enough To Pay For It

As noted by BloombergNEF, a key contributor to the reduced oil demand is two- and three-wheeled EVs, which have surged in popularity, particularly across Asia. A separate, more conservative study that factors in how often plug-in hybrid vehicles run on fossil fuels pegged last year’s daily oil savings at 1.7 million barrels.

At this rate, and with average prices of $80 per barrel, the analysis says that China would save more than $28 billion a year in oil imports thanks to its massive EV industry. Similarly, Europe would save $8 billion, and India could save $600 million per year.

Is This The Break EVs Need?

The war in Iran has made regular fill-ups for ICE drivers far more expensive. Just this week, Bloomberg expects US drivers to pay an additional $1.65 billion at the pump. With gas prices showing no signs of stopping, it should come as no surprise that interest in EVs has jumped this month.

CarEdge reports that search traffic for electric vehicles jumped 20 percent in the week following the attack on Iran. Search traffic also nearly doubled for many of the market’s most popular EVs, including the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Tesla Model Y.

Of course, surging oil prices will likely also lead to increased electricity costs, meaning charging an EV could become more expensive. However, electricity rates won’t rise by as much, as only roughly a quarter of a typical US power bill is directly tied to fuel costs.

Rolls-Royce once promised a whisper-quiet electric future. Turns out, its customers still prefer a different kind of whisper. The kind that comes from a silky V12 under a mile-long hood.

The British luxury marque has quietly backed away from its plan to go fully electric by 2030. Instead, it’ll keep building petrol-powered cars well into the next decade, because that’s what its ultra-wealthy clients are still asking for. And when your customers are dropping $400,000 or more on a car, you tend to listen.

More: Six Figure Rolls-Royce Spectre Discounts Raise The Question Why Are Rich Buyers Avoiding EVs

According to CEO Chris Brownridge, demand for EVs just isn’t universal among Rolls buyers.

“For every client that loves an electric vehicle there is one who does not,” said Brownridge, according to The Times. “We recognise some clients would rather have a V12 engine. The V12 is part of our history.”

It’s also part of the experience. Rolls-Royce buyers aren’t chasing lap times or charging speeds. They want effortlessness, presence, and that unmistakable waftability a big combustion engine delivers.

Though we can’t help thinking it’s maybe more about knowing there’s a V12 up front rather than experiencing it. A smooth, silent, effortlessly responsive electric motor setup like the one in the Spectre (seen below) that Rolls launched in 2022 seems like a logical fit for a uber-luxury sedan or coupe in the way it’s not for a $1 million hypercar that’s all about noise, drama and emotion.

Regulations Are Also Shifting

The shift isn’t just about customer taste, anyway. Changing regulations have played their part. Softer government EV targets in key markets have given Rolls-Royce more breathing room, and since it operates as a low-volume manufacturer, it isn’t bound by all of the same rules as mass-market brands.

That flexibility matters. Rolls builds cars to order, meaning it can adapt to what clients actually want rather than chasing arbitrary production targets. Right now, that means a mix of electric and petrol, not an abrupt switch to one or the other.

Rolls-Royce isn’t alone in hitting the brakes. Bentley, Aston Martin, and Lamborghini have all softened their EV timelines as reality catches up with ambition.

Just a few months after Ford announced that one of its battery plants, originally destined for EV batteries, would instead start making batteries for energy storage systems, General Motors has done the same.

The car manufacturer, in partnership with LG Energy Solution, operates the Ultium Cells LLC joint venture and runs a large factory in Tennessee. This site opened in 2024, making cells for the Cadillac Lyriq and Vistiq, and the Acura ZDX. Late last year, more than 700 employees were laid off from the plant as GM, like its competitors, pulled back its EV investments.

Read: GM’s EV Plant Will Now Build The Gas Models People Actually Want

Now, Ultium’s vice president of operations, Tom Gallagher, said that these workers will be rehired and return to work by the end of April, as the site is switching to lithium-iron phosphate cells for grid and data center customers.

An Expensive Pivot

Bloomberg reports that retooling the plant has cost the joint venture tens of millions of dollars, but will help prevent hemorrhaging even more money from its EV pivot. It will also help LG, which is also retooling four other EV battery plants in North America, including two in Michigan, one in Canada formed through a joint venture with Stellantis, and an Ohio plant established with Honda. All of these sites will now begin manufacturing LFP cells for storage systems.

“Having these facilities that are able to be converted in less than a year means that we can react and we can actually get up to capacity,” chief product officer from LG’s systems integration unit, Vertech, Tristan Doherty said. “We’re going to be supplying the majority of the US market with domestic cells.”

GM says staff at the joint venture battery plant will be retrained as part of the shift. But the car manufacturer is remaining silent about its longer-term plans for the site, having previously stated that it’d start producing lithium manganese-rich batteries in Tennessee by 2028.

Just a few months after Ford announced that one of its battery plants, originally destined for EV batteries, would instead start making batteries for energy storage systems, General Motors has done the same.

The car manufacturer, in partnership with LG Energy Solution, operates the Ultium Cells LLC joint venture and runs a large factory in Tennessee. This site opened in 2024, making cells for the Cadillac Lyriq and Vistiq, and the Acura ZDX. Late last year, more than 700 employees were laid off from the plant as GM, like its competitors, pulled back its EV investments.

Read: GM’s EV Plant Will Now Build The Gas Models People Actually Want

Now, Ultium’s vice president of operations, Tom Gallagher, said that these workers will be rehired and return to work by the end of April, as the site is switching to lithium-iron phosphate cells for grid and data center customers.

An Expensive Pivot

Bloomberg reports that retooling the plant has cost the joint venture tens of millions of dollars, but will help prevent hemorrhaging even more money from its EV pivot. It will also help LG, which is also retooling four other EV battery plants in North America, including two in Michigan, one in Canada formed through a joint venture with Stellantis, and an Ohio plant established with Honda. All of these sites will now begin manufacturing LFP cells for storage systems.

“Having these facilities that are able to be converted in less than a year means that we can react and we can actually get up to capacity,” chief product officer from LG’s systems integration unit, Vertech, Tristan Doherty said. “We’re going to be supplying the majority of the US market with domestic cells.”

GM says staff at the joint venture battery plant will be retrained as part of the shift. But the car manufacturer is remaining silent about its longer-term plans for the site, having previously stated that it’d start producing lithium manganese-rich batteries in Tennessee by 2028.

The American EV market may be faltering, but that hasn’t quelled the ambitions of Vietnamese car manufacturer VinFast. In fact, it’s been revealed that work will resume at its planned North Carolina production facility later this year, after being suspended more than 18 months ago.

VinFast first announced its plans for a US production site in March 2022 and said it could start production as early as mid-2024. Before long, that date was pushed back to 2025, and then VinFast decided to pause work on the plant entirely. It seemed almost inevitable that the firm would pull out of the US entirely, having registered fewer than 1,500 cars locally last year.

Read: VinFast Hits Brakes On US Production, Now Slated To Begin In 2028

Evidently, VinFast isn’t giving up just yet. Its most recent financial earnings report reveals that construction at the North Carolina site will resume later this year and that it still plans to start production in 2028. VinFast is also planning to open factories in India and Indonesia.

Although the company’s presence in America is tiny, it has been growing elsewhere. In the fourth quarter of 2025, VinFast sold 86,557 cars, a 127 percent quarterly jump and a 63 percent increase year-over-year, Bloomberg reports. The company ended last year having sold 196,919 vehicles, more than double its 2024 figure.

Revenues Rise But Problems Remain

Thanks to the surge in sales, revenue rose 138.9 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter to 39.4 trillion dong ($1.5 billion), although it reported a Q4 net loss of 35.2 trillion dong ($1.3 billion), a 15 percent increase.

VinFast says it “continues to evaluate opportunities to expand into additional countries and regions across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa,” adding its “expansion strategy is aligned with Vingroup’s broader global development approach, leveraging the Vingroup ecosystem, partnerships and capital resources to support VinFast’s international growth.”

If the company wants to be successful in the US, it’ll need to start building some more compelling cars. The VF 8 and VF 9, available locally, have been criticized since launching. Late last year, VF 8 owners sued VinFast, alleging that DC charging speeds top out at under 2 kW, despite them being promoted as supporting charge rates of 6.6 kW or higher, meaning it can take more than 24 hours for the battery to be fully charged.

The automotive industry is undergoing a gigantic shift, and Bentley is changing too. The British luxury brand had big plans to go all electric, but consider that plan delayed big time. Now, it’ll launch just one EV before 2030, and the rest of the lineup will use gas or hybrid powertrains.

This all comes as Bentley reports its seventh straight year of profitability despite a 42 percent drop in that figure year over year, and layoffs hit the company.

The company had previously outlined an ambitious strategy that would see five fully electric Bentleys arrive by 2035. Now, only the first one, an SUV-like EV due in 2027, is still locked in, while the rest of the program has effectively been put on ice.

More: Bentley’s New SUV Will Hit 100 Miles In Seven Minutes

That first EV is expected to be revealed before the end of this year and will ride on Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, which also underpins several other upcoming luxury EVs. The four additional EVs were originally being developed on the Porsche-led platform that has since been canceled, effectively ending those projects.

Future Lineup Prioritizes Hybrids

Instead of rapidly expanding its EV lineup, the brand will lean heavily on plug-in hybrids and gas engines. It might even keep traditional combustion models around longer than expected. That’s big news all by itself and provides an extra layer of exclusivity for future buyers.

Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said the company has had to rethink its entire product plan as the market shifts. Some of that comes directly from customer demands. Recent plug-in hybrid versions of the Continental GT and Flying Spur were well received, and the company says these electrified V8 models can meet future emissions rules without giving up the performance buyers expect.

According to Car&Driver, he also noted that future models will continue adopting plug-in hybrid systems, and confirmed that retrofitting EVs with combustion or hybrid powertrains is not part of the company’s strategy due to feasibility constraints.

That said, it seems clear why Bentley is being cautious. The company reported its seventh straight year of profitability, but deliveries fell five percent, with weaker demand in China cited as a major factor. Bentley says it remains financially solid, but the changing market means it has to be selective about where it invests next. A 42 percent drop in profit is nothing to ignore, and Bentley is making moves to improve its position.

See: What Bentley’s Smaller SUV Could Look Like Is Already Stirring Debate

Bentley is also cutting some 140 jobs in the UK. That’s only a portion of total layoffs, which Walliser says will likely amount to 275 employees, mostly in office jobs. Some of the changes are due to forces outside of Bentley itself.

The Volkswagen group is no longer going to build the Porsche-led Scalable Systems Platform that was going to underpin multiple Bentley products. Without it, the brand had basically no choice but to abandon its plans. Despite that, it’ll still likely go EV-only at some point… just not anytime soon.

BYD is taking on the world, and thanks to a new trade deal between Canada and China, it could start building vehicles in the Great White North. The company’s executive vice president has even admitted an openness to acquire an existing car manufacturer as it looks to further broaden its reach.

Earlier this year, Canada announced it would slash tariffs on Chinese EVs from 100 percent to 6.1 percent, but only for the first 49,000 vehicles per year. This quota will grow to around 70,000 vehicles annually over five years, reopening the door for BYD to enter the Canadian market.

Read: Jim Farley Tests Chinese Pickups, And He Has Something To Say

The Chinese juggernaut was eager to enter Canada a couple of years ago, but shelved its plans in late 2024 when the 100 percent tariffs were announced by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Now, BYD executive vice president Stella Li said at an event in Brazil that a Canadian launch is back on the cards and that the firm is even considering a manufacturing facility there.

Exactly how BYD would establish itself locally remains undecided. Ottawa has been pushing Chinese automakers toward joint ventures with domestic partners, but Li was blunt on that point, saying she does not believe “a JV will work” for the company.

Can Anything Stop BYD’s Growth?

Canada could provide BYD with a foothold in North America, meaning building models for the local market and having the option of exporting them. Fellow Chinese brands Geely and Chery are also reportedly making moves to enter Canada, although they’ve yet to commit to building cars in the country.

BYD’s growth strategy could involve acquiring an existing automaker. Speaking with Bloomberg, Li suggested the company is interested in taking over a legacy car brand, noting that “We’re open to every opportunity we have,” and that BYD is currently evaluating potential assets.

Acquiring an established automaker could also give BYD an indirect route into the United States. It is a well-worn strategy, and one that has worked before. Geely took control of Volvo and used it to expand its global footprint, while SAIC revived MG into a thriving EV-focused brand. BYD could be looking at a similar playbook.

While the world continues to grapple with virtually universal rises in pump prices, could we be in for an EV renaissance? As automakers wrestle with long-term electrification strategies, another trend is gaining attention, the growing acceptance of used electric vehicles in the USA.

Yes, EVs are no longer just for first adopters. In the States, the falling resale value and a rising number of used cars in inventory are introducing normal consumers to the used EV marketplace much faster than expected. What may previously have felt like an experiment now looks like a practical solution to stubbornly high new car prices.

Read: These Used EVs Are Selling Faster Than Gas Cars In Today’s Market

Used EV demand is climbing at a noticeable pace. In January alone, sales were 21 percent higher than a year earlier. Figures cited by Reuters show the trend stretching across the entire year, with used EV sales in 2025 ending up 35 percent higher than in 2024.

EV Depreciation Is Real

Price movement is a major reason. Data from Cox Automotive, gathered across major automotive marketplaces, indicates that the decline in prices for used EVs has been much sharper in the past year, narrowing the gap between them and comparable gas-powered vehicles.

The premium for used EVs over comparable gasoline vehicles narrowed to $1,376 in January from $2,591 in December. Analysts attribute that change to a glut of lease returns, deep discounts on new electric models, and federal tax credits that are evolving how shoppers crunch the numbers.

Best-Selling Used EVs In The U.S. In 2025

Source: Cox Automotive (Tesla totals exclude vehicles the company sold directly)

It was not only Tesla showrooms that were impacted when Tesla reduced the prices of three new models in 2023 and 2024. These reductions lowered resale in the entire electric market. When the new cars had gone cheaper, used cars were forced to be drop their prices too.

Add to that ‌car rental firm Hertz’s large-scale sale of Teslas, and you suddenly have many more second-hand options in the used EV market.

Confidence in EV Ownership Is Improving

Affordability helps, but confidence is just as important. Data on battery performance still continues to show that modern packs are built to last well past 100,000 miles. Most manufacturers offer long battery warranties, which gives peace of mind to shoppers who fear costly repairs.

Charging access has also improved. Public fast charging stations are being added along highways and in urban areas with the help of both private companies and federal funding. With increased visibility and reliability of infrastructure, the fear of being stranded with a low battery for many drivers is a thing of the past.