Geely’s electric vehicle brand Zeekr has launched in the Italian market. The local distribution partner is Jameel Motors Italia. In Germany, where the automaker has been accepting orders since December, the first deliveries have now taken place. Read more…

Sales of electric cars in the EU increased by 24.3 per cent in January to over 154,000 vehicles, with market share continuing to grow. However, the four largest markets saw mixed results. Read more…

At CES, Donut Lab presented a solid-state battery allegedly ready for mass production. However, the impressive specifications prompted critics to question the results. Donut has now commissioned the Finnish research center VTT to conduct an independent review and has published the first findings. Read more…

Lamborghini has officially abandoned its plans to build electric cars. CEO Stephan Winkelmann confirmed the cancellation of the Lanzador before its planned 2028 debut, instead opting for plug-in hybrids. Read more…

The North Rhine-Westphalia-based cable specialist Phoenix Contact has introduced new NACS and CCS Type 1 charging cables for the North American market, designed to enable ultra-fast charging at up to 500 kW. Read more…

BM Supermercados is entering into a partnership with the charging point operator Zunder. Already, 133 charging points at 33 locations have gone live, with more to follow. The partners are relying on a mix of AC and DC chargers. Read more…

As part of an agreement between Allego and Uber, Uber drivers in the Netherlands will receive up to a 50 per cent discount per kWh at Allego’s nationwide HPC network. However, there is an important limitation. Read more…

Compared to 2024, global sales of fuel cell passenger cars increased by 24.4 per cent last year—primarily driven by two markets. However, the absolute numbers remain modest. Only 16,011 hydrogen-powered cars were sold. Read more…

Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Indonesia’s state-owned power utility, has inaugurated the country’s fastest EV charging station. The company has partnered with Mega Energi Biru Indonesia (MEBI), a private EV charging infrastructure developer, and Huawei Digital Power to deliver the new outlet. Read more…

Chinese supplier Ganfeng Lithium has begun production of a semi-solid-state battery with an energy density of 650 Wh/kg. Additionally, the company has started the pilot production phase of all-solid-state battery packs. Read more…

Following Mercedes-Benz, BMW has also apparently discontinued its system for highly automated driving at SAE Level 3. The Munich-based company seems to share the same assessment as its Stuttgart counterpart: Level 3 can only be used in a few scenarios, yet the technology is expensive. Instead, the focus will remain on Level 2+. Read more…

Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary PowerCo and the IG Metall union have agreed on job security until 2030. This protects the approximately 2,000 employees in Salzgitter from being fired until the end of 2030. Read more…

Dacia is likely to start producing the Hipster, the ultra-compact electric car introduced as a concept in October 2025, in China by the end of 2027, at least according to a French media report. While production approval has not yet been granted, it is reportedly imminent. Read more…

Dendrite formation at the anode is considered a major challenge in the development of lithium-metal batteries. Samsung SDI has developed a new electrolyte formulation intended to improve both the lifespan and safety of this cell chemistry. Read more…

The highly deficit-ridden US electric car manufacturer Lucid Motors is laying off 12 percent of its workforce. The reason for this is that the company aims to streamline its organization and improve its gross margin. Hundreds of employees are likely affected and are expected to receive severance packages. Read more…

After weeks of signals, the companies have now made it official: Renault Group will fully acquire Flexis, the electric van joint venture it founded in 2024 with the Volvo Group and logistics specialist CMA CGM. Renault is taking full control of the company, while the Volvo Group will continue to support the project as a key strategic partner. Read more…

Audi’s development department is not getting a break: After just over a year, CTO Geoffrey Bouquot is leaving the company. Effective March 1, Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr will take over as Head of Technical Development in Ingolstadt. Read more…

Tesla is moving ahead with plans to wirelessly charge its upcoming Cybercab and has now secured a crucial waiver from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), allowing the company to use ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology for its inductive charging system in the United States and clearing an important regulatory hurdle for the cable-free solution. Read more…

Development service provider FEV and Saudi electric vehicle brand Ceer have signed a letter of intent to collaborate closely in the areas of innovation, industrial expansion, and knowledge transfer. Read more…

Several carmakers already use loudspeakers to generate artificial combustion-engine sounds in electric vehicles. Observers expect the UNECE Working Party on Noise to formally approve Exterior Sound Enhancement Systems (ESES) in the near term. Read more…