Scooter Doll

Despite recently announced tariffs on Chinese-made EVs imported into Europe, NIO has officially launched its EL8 SUV overseas. It will initially be sold in five EU markets as NIO touts its commitment to sales in the region despite the looming threat of import fees.

Just days after the EU Commission determined EVs imported from China have an unfair advantage due to government subsidies and responding with higher tariffs, Germany, one of the region’s largest automotive markets, has spoken against the decision, stating the imposed tariffs could hurt the success of local automakers selling vehicles in China.

French automaker Alpine has launched its first EV model called the A290. This addition to Alpine’s small but sporty portfolio kicks off a lineup of BEVs to follow and comes equipped with some exciting features, including bidirectional charging capabilities, in-cockpit driving tutorials, and video game-like challenges you can complete.

Mercedes-Benz has announced a new agreement to deploy technology from European EV charger developer Alpitronic as the latter expands its presence in North America. Mercedes plans to install its new partner’s 400 kW EV fast chargers, built locally in the US, as part of a broader $1 billion investment to expand North American charging infrastructure.

Archer Aviation continues to make developmental headway in its quest to commercial eVTOL operations. Archer recently completed a successful transition flight—one of the trickiest maneuvers to overcome in eVTOL design. The advanced air mobility developer filmed the entire journey, reaching flight speeds of over 100 mph.

Have you ever dreamt of becoming a professional racer? Maybe not stock cars, but perhaps you’ve smoked little kids at the go-kart track and thought, “Yeah, I could go pro.” Now’s your chance as the World Kart Association and Blue Shock Race are bringing an electric kart racing championship to the US, and racers of all experience levels are invited to join the fun.

There’s a new “world’s fastest EV” in town, and it’s a familiar name if you follow Electrek. Japanese car manufacturing and engineering firm Aspark has developed an upgraded version of its ultrafast (and ultra-expensive) OWL hypercar with the help of Italy’s Manifattura Automobili Torino and took the EV to the track where it clocked in at a top speed of nearly 439 km/h.

Long live the LEAF! For one more year at least, as Nissan has begun sales of the 2025 model year LEAF. If you’re familiar with the veteran BEV, you find familiarity in this year’s models as virtually nothing new exists. Still, the LEAF’s starting price of $28,000 makes it one of the most affordable models available today… as long as you find somewhere that has CHAdeMO charging.

Noted energy solutions provider Qmerit has just announced a new suite of home electrification technologies and integration services that offer less grid dependency and potential monetary benefits. “Powerhouse by Qmerit” can help streamline the power equipment acquisition and installation process and combine everything into one holistic system, complete with vehicle-to-home capabilities.

Nine days before XPeng Motors is expected to launch its new AI-centric BEV brand MONA publicly, it has given the social media world a little appetizer by sharing the official name and first full image of its first model.

I have seen the future of sustainable water sports; my friends, it is good. I recently got the chance to take Flite’s lineup of eFoils out on the waters of South Carolina, and all I can say is, “What a feeling.” Watch me hydrofoil (and fall plenty) in the video below.

As US consumers await deliveries of the first Emeya hyper GTs from Lotus, the supercar developer is touting its quick expertise in the BEV segment with impressive charging times. Lotus is hailing the Emeya’s charging speeds from 10-80% as a record breaker, but whether that’s true or not, there’s no denying the new hyper GT can be as fast at the charger as it is on the road.

Over six months after detailing plans for a new 20 gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery plant in Europe, China’s Gotion High-Tech has shared precisely where it will set up shop overseas – Morocco.

A recent 8-K filing submitted by Fisker Inc. is painting a grim picture for the EV automaker’s future. The filing states that Fisker failed to pay back a loan totaling close to $3.5 million last month, lowering a potential curtain on the second iteration of the company that is staring down the barrel of potential bankruptcy.

A major name in marine mobility is dipping its toe into all-electric motors – Mercury. The noted developer of marine technologies has launched its five initial outboards under its new Avator lineup of all-electric motors, and I got the chance to test each of them out in Charleston, South Carolina. Be sure to check out the video below to see just how quiet these electric motors truly are.

Seven months after shipping out A-samples of its 100+ amp-hour (Ah) solid-state battery cells to automotive partners, Factorial Inc. is sending more energy-dense B-samples to Mercedes-Benz. Through a joint development agreement with Factorial, Mercedes will further validate the next phase of solid-state batteries, moving one step closer to integration in future passenger EVs.

One week after sharing plans to bring commercial eVTOL operations to South Korea, advanced air mobility developer Archer Aviation is touting a key milestone in the US. The eVTOL air taxi manufacturer has received Part 135 certification from the FAA – a vital certificate to begin commercial flights – and Archer is now one of two air taxi companies worldwide to confirm the receipt of one.

A subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Corporation has signed a strategic agreement with Ubtech Robotics, a leading smart service and humanoid robot company. As a result, Dongfeng will implement Ubtech’s humanoid robots into its vehicle manufacturing processes, joining a new era of next-generation mobility being assembled by next-generation robotic technology.

Toyota is once again facing scrutiny under Chairman Akio Toyoda’s leadership, and two of the Japanese automaker’s largest shareholders have seen enough. Following a recent report of misconduct regarding inadequate vehicle verification testing amid a previous wave of certification violations, the descendant of Toyota’s original founder is on the hot seat.

Solar EV startup Aptera Motors has submitted an Offering Memorandum to the SEC that provides numerous details about its progress in bringing its sustainable mobility technology to market. The startup continues to rely on public investment to fund its SEV development, and the latest filing details just how difficult the road to scaled production is for startups.

The threat of EV tariffs between Europe and China continues to loom and is heating up. The EU has reportedly delayed sharing its decision on implementing fees on Chinese EV imports to avoid the topic during its current Parliament campaign phase.

Chevy is finally beginning sales of its long-anticipated Equinox EV, but before then, I got an invite to Detroit to test it out for myself. I was admittedly skeptical of this EV, but once I got behind the wheel, I realized that the new Equinox is a well-built model with plenty of features and enticing pricing to boot. Be sure to check out my driving impressions in the full video below.

Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Archer Aviation is continuing to lay the global groundwork for commercial operations in a new territory: South Korea. The next-generation aircraft specialist has announced a new partnership with Korea’s leading mobility-as-a-service company, KaKaoMobility, to participate in the country’s Grand Challenge and bring eVTOL travel to the region quickly.

A new all-electric maritime specialist called Vessev has come out of stealth mode with an exciting new vessel called the VS—9. The electric hydrofoil boat offers a state-of-the-art design that delivers incredible efficiency, providing future tourists with a smooth and quiet ride as Vessev looks to commercialize into larger vessels that can transport 100 passengers at a time.