Since 1 January 2026, the canton of St Gallen has applied a new motor vehicle tax. Under the revised bonus-malus system, the authorities place a heavier burden on electric vehicles than on petrol cars. Because they calculate the levy partly on the basis of battery weight and engine output, they charge higher rates for many EVs. Read more…

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, may be sold to a Chinese car manufacturer. According to insiders, BYD and Geely, two of China’s leading manufacturers, are among the finalists in the race to acquire the manufacturing facility, which is jointly operated with Nissan. Read more…

MAN Truck & Bus demonstrated the megawatt charging capability of its electric trucks in Norrköping, Sweden. The eTGX and eTGS can already be ordered with the MCS option from the Munich-based company. Production of this equipment variant will begin in the second quarter. Read more…

The Ning Yuan Dian Kun, built by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding, is the first Chinese 10,000-tonne container ship with electric propulsion to begin testing. The world’s largest all-electric container ship is 127.80 metres long and 21.60 metres wide. Read more…

Waymo has kicked off the deployment of its sixth generation of robotaxi technology for fully autonomous driving, introduced in 2024. Furthermore, a major vehicle deal is potentially in the works with Hyundai. Read more…

The US state of Massachusetts has unveiled participants in a statewide Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) demonstration led by MassCEC. School districts, municipalities and residents will receive free bi-directional EV chargers to feed power back to the grid and test scalable use cases. Read more…

Tesla recorded a significant decline in its electric vehicle deliveries in China last month, while exports from its Shanghai plant surged. Additionally, former EMEA Vice-President Joe Ward will now oversee the company’s global sales. Read more…

Île-de-France Mobilités, the public transport authority in the Greater Paris region, has launched the Tzen 4, a fully electric rapid bus line that operates primarily on dedicated lanes. The line is served by 30 electric articulated buses, each 24 meters long. Read more…

China Automotive New Energy Battery (CANEB), the battery production subsidiary of the FAW Group, has begun installing semi-solid-state batteries in prototype vehicles. Just weeks earlier, FAW had already showcased a first prototype of its luxury brand Hongqi equipped with a solid-state battery. Read more…

MG Motor is now offering its new MG4 Urban, unveiled in late January in the UK, in the first continental European market: The MG4 EV Urban is now available for order in Austria and is expected to be available from April 2026. Prices start at €19,990. Read more…

EV manufacturer Rivian increased its 2025 revenue by 8% to nearly $5.4 billion. This growth occurred despite an 18% decline in vehicle deliveries. The development of E/E architecture and software for partner Volkswagen significantly contributed to this revenue boost. Read more…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revoked the ‘Endangerment Finding’ under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, which previously classified greenhouse gases as a threat to public health. This removes the legal basis for numerous climate protection regulations in the U.S., including emission standards for vehicles. Read more…

UK charge point operator Be.EV has acquired the UK public charging network of Mer, adding over 1,600 charging bays across more than 450 sites. The deal expands its footprint to over 2,500 bays at over 680 locations nationwide. Read more…

So far, Mercedes has offered two battery variants for its entry-level electric model, the CLA, with the larger battery also optionally available as an all-wheel-drive version. Now, the German automaker added a fourth variant, at least in Germany. It features the familiar rear-wheel drive but with a new, mid-sized battery. Read more…

In the ODYSSEV project, various universities and industry partners, including Dortmund University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bremen, and supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, are researching new high-voltage drivetrain systems well above 800 volts. Such solutions could significantly improve charging performance. Read more…

China’s Ministry of Commerce is giving electric car manufacturers affected by the EU’s special tariffs more flexibility in negotiating individual tariff agreements with the European Commission. This makes further deals like Cupra’s more likely. Read more…

Chinese EV manufacturer BYD aims to further increase its visibility in Europe through a prestigious new sponsorship deal. BYD has become the official automotive partner of Manchester City, involving branding, charging points, and vehicles. Read more…

The French state is investing 50 million euros in a planned lithium mining project in the central French department of Allier. The funds will support, among other things, a feasibility study initiated by Imerys, which is expected to be completed next year. Read more…

Chinese conglomerate FAW Group on Friday announced plans to launch its Hongqi brand in Thailand. The company also plans to enter Singapore and Malaysia later this year. Read more…