E-Mobility

Tesla may deliver the Cybertruck later than expected while it keeps running more tests on the electric pickup. The Cybertruck Release Candidates have been filmed lifted to the maximum that their air suspension allows for some off-road tests.

Rivian R1T owners are reporting a drastic improvement in ride quality thanks to the latest 2023.34.0 software update. Aside from some handy new ADAS features, they say that their electric pickup trucks now handle small bumps and handling manoeuvres with much more composure.

Decathlon is running a clearance sale on its Riverside 500 E electric mountain bike in some EU countries, offering up to €248 off. The model has a 250W motor and up to 90 km (~56 miles) of assistance range. A handlebar-mounted LCD can show information such as your speed and distance travelled.

Tesla's disruptive gigacasting process is undergoing an overhaul that may enable the EV maker to cast the underbody of its vehicles as one cohesive part, rather than hundreds of parts. Reducing the BOM cost should reduce production costs significantly, but there are concerns about repair costs and part failures.

Elon Musk's latest wild Cybertruck tweet suggests offering the stainless-steel-skinned electric pickup truck with an optional tungsten carbide coating for added durability. This would theoretically address concerns of scratches ruining the raw metal's finish, which would be much more difficult to repair than paint.

BMW product development head, Frank Weber, confirmed that the next M3 will be a performance EV based on the Neue Klasse platform that has the capability to put down 1,000 hp through all four wheels.

The Zipforce Slim and Zipforce Distance e-bike conversion kits are reduced by 15% in the EU. You can use the products with a regular bicycle to get assistance from a motor, with a battery and pedal sensor included in the kits. Both models have a 250W motor, but the Distance version has a larger battery for up to 70 km (~43 miles) range.

Google's in-car software suite just got a host of upgrades that add features like conference calling through WebEx and Zoom, as well as video streaming via Prime Video. For obvious reasons, Zoom and WebEx are both audio-only, and Prime Video is only accessible while parked.

An Alpine A290 test car has been spotted in camouflage, giving us our first look at what the plucky EV will offer in terms of looks. Alpine looks to have kept the aggressive styling, even if it has been diluted somewhat from the concept car.

Hyundai has updated the affordable Kona EV for 2024, and some changes for the new model year include an updated exterior design, V2L functionality, and a panoramic, dual-screen infotainment system.

FREEDARE shot to prominence on the e-mobility Indiegogo scene with its "World's First Smart Fat Tire E-bike" in mid-2023. Now, the vehicles in question have gone to retail via the OEM's new online (US-only) retail store, which is currently holding a sale to mark this event. It supports codes that take as much as US$400 off the price of the bike's step-through and step-over variants for a limited time.

Early Cybertruck clay prototypes were styled after Chevy's El Camino. Elon Musk deemed a Chevy Silverado-style design for the first electric pickup of Tesla too orthodox and wanted something like the Camino.

After falling 10% just in August alone, EV battery prices may never repeat their 2022 record as lithium carbonate prices keep falling. The discovery of the world's largest lithium deposits in the US could help keep them depressed for longer.

Tesla and its Chinese suppliers will be tripling the initially teased US$5 billion investment in the production of its cheapest Model 2 EV. Building the Gigafactory in Mexico may take two years, though, so Tesla will assemble it in Texas first.

The unofficial and therefore purely speculative render images of the Model Y facelift depict the new taillight design as well as the more aggressive headlights which were introduced with the Tesla Model 3 Highland a few weeks ago and could also debut in the revised version of the successful electric SUV in 2024.

Besides the first electric G-class SUV, Mercedes will launch a smaller and cheaper sibling dubbed the 'g-Class' as part of the quartet built on its new MMA platform for affordable EVs. The little G promises 'fun' AWD experience.

Tesla is going all in on the edgy design of the Cybertruck, as even the cupholders, armrest and seat adjustment buttons are now angular, too. Previously, the prototype that design chief Franz von Holzhausen drove had regular round cupholders.

Volkswagen describes its latest concept car as "an all-electric sports limousine" with nearly double the power of the current ID.7 Pro. Its Performance-oriented prototype counterpart also boasts a lot of carbon in its exterior and a lot of red in its trim and interior. The sedan's chassis has also been re-designed for extra agility and responsiveness on the road.

What sealed the deal for Elon Musk to greenlight the production of Tesla's cheapest car, dubbed the Model 2, was its design. 'When one of these comes around a corner, people will think they are seeing something from the future,' he reportedly quipped.

VW says it is testing a working prototype of the electric ID GTI hot hatch that closely resembles the ID GTI concept we saw earlier this week. It may still change before the start of production in 2027, but the test vehicle is more compact than the concept. VW design boss also confirmed that there is an electric VW R car coming in the future.

BMW is canning the controversial subscription services that merely activated pre-installed hardware in its customers' vehicles, but the subscription model will stick around for other post-sales add-ons.

Footage of Tesla Cybertruck units after allegedly being subjected to crash testing has once again raised serious questions about the safety of Tesla's electric pickup truck. The lack of body damage seems to suggest that passengers and other vehicles will take the brunt of the impact in a collision.

Rivian's latest internal software release indicates that R1S owners will soon see improvements to driver assistance systems, handling, and phantom drain. Among feature tweaks, Rivian is also patching a number of bugs.

The new BYD Seal will have to battle Tesla's Model 3 Highland on its own merits in Europe. There, the BYD Seal is priced nearly the same as the Highland, nixing the price advantage it enjoys in China.

BMW has revealed the iX1 eDrive20, a cheaper model in the iX1 EV range. Three trim levels will be offered with a 150 kW motor and a range of up to 296 miles (~476 km) between charges. Other features include 130 kW fast charging and a new Quick Select tool on the infotainment system.

Kia's EV5 has been previewed on the marque's YouTube channel, giving us a detailed look at the design of both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The video reveals an EV9-adjacent design and a spacious, practical interior that doesn't skimp on buttons or features.

Qualcomm has announced that the next generation of e-mobility and/or micro-mobility vehicles can now be powered by its silicon, thanks to the new Snapdragon Digital Chassis for 2-Wheelers and New Vehicle Class SoCs. They are rated to bring their OEM's Digital Cockpit features and services to EVs that are not cars for the first time, V2X, navigation, ARAS and wireless connectivity included.

A Tesla analyst has given their Cybertruck price, range, and acceleration forecast for the cheapest RWD trim, as well as the dual- and quad-motor variants. The quad-motor Cybertruck version is likely to be the one that can go from 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds.

Gazelle has unveiled the Eclipse C380 and T11 HMB electric bikes for the European market. The new models use a Bosch Performance Line CX motor and a 750Wh battery, assisting you for up to 135 km (~84 miles). Other features include a Bosch Kiox 300 display, wide tires and the accompanying Gazelle Connect app.

While the design and specs of the Tesla Model 2 may be nearing completion, its production plans are reportedly facing significant delays. Tesla's Chinese suppliers have now been told to stand down with their plans for building satellite factories in Mexico.

While it is now possible to preorder the new Tesla Model 3 Highland facelift in China, Australia, and Europe, North America was seemingly left behind. New report claims that the Highland's US release won't happen soon.

Tesla's Cybertruck offers rear-wheel steering which in theory should help diminish the turning radius of the big electric pickup. Rather significantly, as a new Cybertruck recording shows.

The Tesla Cybertruck has been spotted once more, giving us a clear look at the vehicle's stance when the air suspension has it lifted all the way. While suspension travel remains a mystery, the claimed 16-inch ground clearance seems right on the money.

The winner of Polestar's recent design competition is the Synergy electric supercar as a full-size, single-seater electric supercar scale model with a minimalist “floating interior” design. Polestar will collaborate with Mattel to produce the Synergy as a Hot Wheels model.

CATL has cut LFP battery prices by 20% in the past few months alone, allowing Tesla to continue its price war that is still destroying the profit margins of Chinese automakers. Nickel-based batteries have also fallen in price significantly.

The Audi Q6 e-tron compact electric crossover reimagines the Audi interior with a large driver-facing digital instrument cluster alongside a central infotainment display and a passenger touchscreen tied into the navigation and infotainment functions.

Tesla can build its Superchargers at much faster and cheaper rates than the competition, allowing it to win bid after bid for federal and state public EV charging network funding. It is already at 18% winning bids as it makes its own Superchargers.

ENGWE has put its latest "Super" X-series electric bikes up for sale in the US and Europe for a new simultaneous Labor Day/Autumn event. The deals include US$200 or €300 discounts on the OEM's flagship all-terrain, up-to-1,200W motor X26 model. There are also more deals on older e-bikes such as the foldable EP-2 Pro and cruiser-style M20.

The BP2000 is Oukitel's first portable power station that can be expanded with its own add-on batteries, for a total capacity estimated at up to 16,384Wh. The portable power station core is rated to pack 2,084Wh on its own, with an output of up to 2,200W thanks to its inbuilt AC outlets. The BP2000 is also compatible with up-to-1000W solar panels for an off-the-grid power supply solution.

SK On, an EV battery supplier of Ford, Volkswagen, and other automaking juggernauts, announced a solid-state electrolyte battery breakthrough. Pilot prototypes are slated for 2026, while mass production is scheduled for 2028.

Two of the premium German automaking brands - Mercedes and BMW - barely waited for Tesla to announce its Model 3 Highland refresh to out its competitors. BMW is resurrecting its turnaround mascot the Neue Klasse, while Mercedes presented a sleek CLA Class with longer range than the Highland.

Volkswagen has announced an electric GTI concept based on the front-wheel drive ID. 2all expected to launch in around 2027. The German marque will face stiff competition from the likes of Fiat, Mini, Renault, and perhaps even Tesla. Volkswagen appears to be leaning more heavily on legacy nameplates than previous comments indicated.

A Cybertruck Supercharger session gives the closest look at the Cybertruck's open frunk yet, with a charger cable stored in for a good measure. The Cybertruck has also been filmed towing a big ATC ROM 500 truck trailer.

The new Mini Cooper EV has been redesigned from the ground up with an electric drivetrain in mind, resulting in drastically more range. The three-door Cooper retains its classic Mini charm, despite a forward-looking design language throughout its interior and exterior.

The first driving test of the newly announced Tesla Model 3 Highland facelift is up with commentary in English. The drive tests the new suspension, seats, steering wheel response, and 0-60 performance.

Tesla just cut the prices of its premium Model X and Model S versions, as well as its FSD Beta autonomous driving software substantially. The Model X now falls below the price threshold for a full new electric SUV tax credit.

The new Model 3 Highland facelift comes in Flame Red or Starry Grey and offers more miles of range on a charge than the current version, unfortunately for a higher price. Tesla lists all the Model 3 vs Highland differences, too.

After months of leaks and rumours, Tesla has finally launched the updated Model 3 'Highland' refresh with all its internal and external design changes to bring it into the era of Modern EV designs. The most significant changes come by way of new bumpers, updated headlights, and a second 8.0-inch infotainment screen.

The upcoming electric Mini Countryman has leaked online, revealing design details and a quirky interior that appears to eschew the traditional gauge cluster in favour of a colossal round centre display and heads-up display.