Scooter Doll

Chinese tech behemoth turned EV automaker Xiaomi Automobile continues to make its presence known in the industry, striking fast and often. Following news earlier this year that it was working on a second flagship model, an SUV, to compete against the Tesla Model Y, Xiaomi has finally unveiled it and shared it will be called the YU7; have a look.

eVTOL developer Archer Aviation has solidified an existing partnership in the Abu Dhabi region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Today, the company announced a new multi-party collaboration agreement with key UAE and Abu Dhabi entities in order to establish evTOL air taxi operations in that area of the Middle East. In doing so, Archer would become the first eVTOL network to begin commercial air taxi flights in Abu Dhabi and intends to do so “as soon as possible.”

Solid-state battery developer QuantumScape shared another critical milestone today: its “Cobra” separator production process has been developed, delivered, installed, and is ready for initial separator processing. The achievement was the last item on QuantumScape’s list of goals for 2024, putting it on track to produce a higher volume of samples of its flagship commercial solid-state battery, the QSE-5.

As promised, robotaxi developer Waymo is expanding its Waymo One service to new US cities. The latest on its service map is Miami, which will see a start of robotaxi testing operations next year before Waymo opens up public rides to all customers. ¡Hasta pronto, Miami!

Rivian has just opened the second of its new lineup of Charging Outposts, where EV owners can recharge, replenish, and, in true Rivian fashion, make their own trail mix. The new site, located in Joshua Tree, California, is the first Rivian Charging Outpost offering access to all EV makes and models as the American automaker works to expand the availability of its charging network throughout the US.

Advanced air mobility (AAM) operator UrbanLink continues to make big moves in establishing a fleet of eVTOL aircraft for air taxi and other aerial mobility applications. Most recently, the company signed a new partnership with CRISALION Mobility out of Spain, committing to purchase 20 of the latter’s Integrity eVTOL aircraft as UrbanLink expands beyond its native state of Florida and overseas to at least two markets in Europe.

Mazda Miata fans rejoice! EV conversion specialist Electrogenic has introduced a new “plug-and-play” conversion kit for the Mazda MX-5 that makes the original model all-electric. This EV conversion kit keeps the soul of the beloved Mazda Miata, but adds more performance and playfulness to a car that is already renowned for being a joy to drive.

We hinted at it last month, and it’s now official – Aptera Motors has re-opened its crowdfunding program, giving fans and believers in the startup’s solar electric vehicle technology the opportunity to invest and help it reach scaled production.

Despite tariffs on imported Chinese EVs in place in Europe, BYD is making good on its vow to continue its global expansion and is showing no signs of deterrence. The Chinese automaker recently put its second BYD-branded ship, “Changzhou,” into operation to export thousands more new energy vehicles (NEVs) to Europe.

We are less than a month away from the official public launch of NIO’s new ultra-affordable EV sub-brand, Firefly, but before that happens, we’ve got our best look at the marque’s first model to date. Recent spy images in China captured a camouflaged look at the side profile of the new Firefly EV, which appears quite compact. See more below.

The Events and Transportation Department at UCLA has secured a grant from the state of California totaling nearly $20 million. The funding will be used to transition the university’s bus fleet to 100% electric vehicles, expand service, and fund California’s first in-road EV charging system with the help of Electreon.

Apollo Go, tech company Baidu’s autonomous robotaxi service, will reportedly expand its services to Hong Kong before the end of 2024. Hong Kong marks the next city in mainland China where Baidu’s robotaxis may be operational as the company continues to grow as the leader in autonomous public rides in the country.

A young marine electric mobility specialist called LIND is delivering a fresh take on watersports by combining the art of surfboard design with sustainability. LIND’s flagship electric surfboard, called Canvas, has hit the market and is the first of what LIND promises to be a series of “game-changing boards.”

NIO executives shared details of the Chinese automaker’s third EV brand, Firefly, as well as what the new marque will call its first model. The news comes about one month before Firefly officially launches in China during its parent company’s 10th annual NIO Day event.

Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive continues to grow its order books and is now expanding potential air taxi operations in South Carolina, a state it chose as its US base last year. SkyDrive has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the state’s largest private jet charter companies, which includes purchasing up to ten SKYDRIVE eVTOL aircraft.

Autonomous vehicle developer Nuro has announced it is significantly expanding the capabilities of its zero-occupant vehicles. Powered by the company’s AI-enabled Nuro Driver system, these Level 4 autonomous vehicles are now operational in two states, expanding in both deployment and capabilities on the road.

US charging network EVgo has announced an expanded partnership with supermarket chain Meijer to install up to 480 new fast chargers at store locations across the Midwestern United States. Meijer has already installed EV chargers at over a third of its store locations.

JIDU, aka JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.

The State of Michigan has announced a new partnership with wireless EV charging specialist Electreon and Commercial EV manufacturer Xos, Inc. Together, the companies have secured funding from the state to expand wireless charging availability for commercial vehicles, including UPS trucks in Detroit.

All-electric aircraft developer BETA Technologies has shared another important milestone in bringing its first two vessels to market. Most recently, BETA’s founder, CEO, and test pilot Kyle Clark took the production version of its ALIA eCTOL up for its first flight, as seen in the video below.

We say it all the time. Scaling is hard. However, that doesn’t appear to be an issue for Xiaomi Automobile, the new EV business arm of consumer electronics giant Xiaomi Corporation. According to a recent social media post by Xiaomi’s founder, the automotive division has built the 100,000th example of its flagship SU7 EV in a blistering 230 days since its launch.

CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, is considering building a localized plant on US soil, but there’s a big “if.” The company’s chairman said he is open to erecting a US battery facility if President-elect Donald Trump paves the way, despite escalating a trade war with China during his first term.

EV charging network EVgo has published its Q3 2024 financial report, which shows record revenue and tremendous year-over-year growth. EVgo’s growth has continued over the last eight quarters, seven of which saw a triple-digit increase in energy throughput.

Vietnamese EV automaker VinFast has just secured more funding to continue its operations. VinFast has been offered a loan for billions more from its parent company, Vingroup, including a $2.1 billion “sponsorship” from the Group’s chairman, Pham Nhat Vuong. All this is to achieve a break-even point and cash flow balance by the end of 2026.