As Europe pushes to phase out fossil fuels, a new study finds that, ironically, the EU’s five biggest members are pouring billions of dollars a year into subsidizing ICE company cars – to the tune of $42 billion ($45.60 billion) a year.
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Jennifer is a writer and editor for Electrek. Based in France, she covers electric vehicles, public transport, policy, infrastructure, and green energy. She has worked as an editor and reporter for Wired, Fast Company, and Agence France-Presse. Send comments, suggestions, or tips her way via X (@JMossalgue) or at jennifer@9to5mac.com.
Mystery deaths and no cash, Northvolt may now get a rescue package
Europe’s “green dream” Northvolt is fighting to keep afloat. The Swedish-owned battery maker is now hoping a fresh injection of millions of dollars from its cofounder will generate a rescue package from other investors and keep the lights on.
Expand Expanding CloseVolkswagen’s state-of-the-art EV plant is on the brink of collapse
People are angry, cars aren’t selling, and now for the first time ever Volkswagen is likely to close one of its factories in Europe – the state-of-the-art Brussels plant that makes the Audi Q8 E-Tron.
Expand Expanding CloseThis maker of cheap TVs just launched a solid-looking EV
A Chinese maker of inexpensive TVs you’ll find at Walmart or on Amazon is launching a new family hatchback EV designed to rival the VW ID.3, Cupra Born, and BYD Dolphin. So far, it looks like the real deal.
Expand Expanding CloseMINI unveils its first all-electric ‘performance’ EV
MINI has unveiled its first zero-emissions MINI John Cooper Works car – a sporty upgrade to the MINI Cooper – at this week’s Paris auto show.
Expand Expanding CloseBMW head says that Europe’s ICE ban is ‘no longer realistic’
BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse says it’s time to pull the plug on the European Union’s plan to ban ICE vehicles in 2035. Clearly this isn’t the first time we’ve seen pushback, but Zipse is now taking it up a notch, despite EV sales going fairly well for BMW and Mini. What’s going on here?
Expand Expanding CloseRenault unveils its R4 E-Tech electric SUV with a ‘sub-€30K’ price tag
At the Paris auto show this week, Renault unveiled its latest all-electric offering, the Renault 4 E-Tech, a nod to the brand’s 1960’s Renault 4L hatchback – one of its greatest bestsellers.
Expand Expanding CloseIt’s game over for EVBox – French energy giant Engie shuts it down
France’s Engie says it will liquidate the entire EVBox group, which the company says posted total losses of €800 million since Engie took over in 2017.
Expand Expanding CloseForget the Milano EV – Alfa Romeo changes name to something non-Italian-sounding
The ongoing tensions between Italy and Alfa Romeo’s parent company Stellantis reached a head last week when the Italian government told the automaker that naming its upcoming Alfa Romeo EV the Milano was against the law because the car will be built in Poland. So now Alfa Romeo has decided to change the name to something that won’t evoke any feelings of la dolce vita or desire for delicious Pepperidge Farm cookies, or any emotions at all for that matter. Besides total blandness.
Expand Expanding CloseBP axes jobs and scales back its EV charging business
Oil and gas giant BP is slashing jobs at its electric vehicle charging business and pulling out of several markets as its big bet on rapid growth in commercial EV fleets “didn’t pay off,” according to company sources.
Expand Expanding CloseFord’s BlueCruise hands-free driver assist under investigation after two fatal crashes
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating two fatal crashes involving two separate Ford Mustang Mach-Es crashing into stationary vehicles, where three people have died. In at least one of the crashes, Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist system was activated at the time of the crash, while the second one is under preliminary investigation. Here’s what happened.
Expand Expanding CloseVolkswagen, Land Rover, among those paying millions in fines for missing CO2 targets
European automakers including Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover had to pay $552 million in fines for missing CO2 emission targets in 2020, the first year new regulations were put in place, according to a new report.
Expand Expanding CloseChina gave BYD $3.7 billion to ‘win’ the EV race
China has been heavily subsidizing its green tech sectors, but homegrown EV company BYD is a favorite child of the bunch, receiving subsidies to the tune of “at least” $3.7 billion, according to a new German study.
Expand Expanding CloseItaly says that it’s illegal for Alfa Romeo to call its new EV the Milano
What’s an Alfa Romeo without a cool Italian-sounding name? The Stellantis-owned company is naming its first BEV after the famous city of Milan, but the Italian government is now playing hardball by saying that’s illegal since the car will be built in Poland. If it’s not made in Italy, it can’t sound Italian.
China is exporting so many EVs that it needs more ships – a lot more
Chinese automakers are looking to export electric vehicles by the hundreds of thousands around the globe, but they need a lot more car-carrying vessels to make that happen. Demand is so high that the country is on track to amass what will be the world’s fourth-largest fleet in a few short years, with new trade routes being created especially for Chinese cars.
Expand Expanding CloseChina’s Chery to set up shop in Europe
Chinese automaker Chery is planning to make cars in Spain, where the EV market is at just 12%, half that of Portugal and France. This would be Chery’s first manufacturing site in Europe.
Expand Expanding CloseUC Berkeley study confirms that yes, EVs do what they promise to do
A new study from UC Berkeley confirms what EV fans already know: EV adoption does, in fact, make the air cleaner. Perhaps even more importantly, the study offers some quantifiable, granular data about how much electric vehicles are impacting emission rates in the here and now, not just in the foreseeable future.
Expand Expanding CloseMore than 40K Fisker customers have canceled orders of their Oceans
Another major blow to California-based startup Fisker, as tens of thousands of customers reportedly have canceled their EV reservations to date – which is some serious bad buzz amid a tumultuous time as the company scrambles for funding to stay alive.
Expand Expanding CloseKia set to export this all-electric SUV at a price that undercuts Tesla
South Korean automaker Kia has started production on its all-electric EV5 SUV for export in China, with the first markets targeted being Thailand and Australia, with Australia’s price expected to undercut Tesla’s Model Y, which is the best-selling SUV in the country. A global launch is set for next year, but will that include the US?
Expand Expanding Close[Updated] Canoo spent twice its annual revenue on CEO’s private jets last year
EV startup Canoo paid $1.7 million for CEO Tony Aquila’s private jet bills, twice its total revenue last year. According to its earnings report released this week, Canoo lost $302 million in 2023 – but it’s apparently been champagne and caviar for its top executive.
Expand Expanding CloseIn a rush to launch a sub-$22K EV, Renault cranks up work on new Twingo
Renault is ramping up development of its upcoming all-electric Twingo, hoping to shave off as much time as possible to launch the car in three years and get an EV for under $22K out to consumers.
Expand Expanding CloseXiaomi’s new electric car boosts its market value by $4 billion
Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi seems to have hit the ball out of the park with the launch of its debut EV, the SU7, last week. The launch has pushed its market value up by $4 million, with the company now nearing valuations higher than GM and Ford.
Expand Expanding CloseChina’s largest carmaker to cut thousands of jobs at its joint ventures with GM and Volkswagen
Amid an intense price war and lost market share to BYD and Tesla, China’s state-owned automaker SAIC Motor is reportedly making drastic job cuts this year at its joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen and at its EV unit – with mass layoffs a rare move for a China-owned company.
Expand Expanding CloseXiaomi EV buyers will have to wait up to seven months for the SU7
Orders for Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi’s brand-new SU7 have been pouring in – with Xiaomi announcing that within 27 minutes of the company accepting orders for the new all-electric sedan, it had already received more than 50,000 orders. Today Xiaomi has alerted potential buyers of a seven-month waiting time before getting the car. Apple, read it and weep.
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