Scooter Doll

XPeng Motors is making good on previously shared plans to expand to 60 global markets this year, many of which already include countries in the EU. The Chinese automaker announced five new markets and some pop-ups in additional regions as it continues its quest to become a household name in BEVs.

Solar EV startup Aptera has announced a Senior Vice President of Engineering, donning quite the resume in electric mobility. Leon Kaunitz joins Aptera after leading engineering teams at Tesla, Ford, and NIO, with the goal of bringing the SoCal startup’s long-promised Aptera solar EV into mass production.

A new software update from Rivian was sighted earlier this month, and it’s being prepared for a full rollout to Gen 2 R1S and R1T EVs. The latest Rivian update includes upgrades to the American automaker’s Enhanced Highway Assist driving, more energy-conscious home charging capabilities, and a slew of other improvements outlined below.

Young Chinese EV developer Xiaomi Automobile has officially expanded its global footprint, opening a new R&D and Design Center in Germany. This is Xiaomi’s first step in its planned expansion outside China and into new markets around the EU.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation of reports that Rivian’s Electric Delivery Van (EDV) seatbelts can malfunction and threaten the driver’s safety.

A Rivian owner and EV enthusiast recently shared images of a purple R1S Quad out in public with manufacturer plates. Could it be a new exterior color Rivian will offer customers, or is this just a rare shade applied to a one-off test vehicle? Regardless of its future, a purple Rivian is already garnering plenty of comments from the online community.

Fully autonomous technology developer Waymo announced a new partnership with rideshare network Lyft to offer driverless robotaxi rides to customers in Nashville, Tennessee.

While the future of air travel will be more sustainable and convenient, we are still not quite there yet in the development phase. During a recent rehearsal at an air show in China, AeroHT, the eVTOL development arm of XPeng, saw two of its aerial vessels collide in the air, resulting in a crash and injuries.

Six months after announcing plans to begin EV production in Europe with the help of contract manufacturer Magna Steyr, XPeng Motors has begun rolling two initial all-electric models off those assembly lines overseas. The Chinese automaker continues to deepen its presence in the EU to gain a larger market share.

BYD’s ultra-luxury sub-brand, Yangwang, launched its fourth all-electric model in China, and it’s another design marvel. Like its U8 predecessor, the Yangwang U8L SUV has “Emergency Float Mode.” Plus, this one can tank turn, is powered by four motors, and has 24-karat emblems. Check out one of the most expensive new BEVs in China.

Less than two weeks after completing its acquisition of aerial mobility business Blade, eVTOL air taxi developer Joby Aviation has expanded an ongoing partnership with Uber, Inc. to bring those flights to the popular rideshare app.

Bespoke robotaxi developer Zoox officially launched driverless rides around the Las Vegas Strip today. The milestone follows months of testing in the area, and the initial rides are free for the general public.

Polestar officially launched its long-anticipated 5 GT in Munich today, opening orders for select markets while sharing the performance specs future customers can look forward to experiencing.

Solid-state battery developer QuantumScape and business partner PowerCo, a battery company under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, just completed their first live demonstration of QS solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering an actual vehicle. In this instance, the energy-dense solid-state battery cells powered a Ducati motorcycle.

What a headline and what a future evolving before our eyes. Chinese battery expert EVE Energy inaugurated a new production base yesterday, and to celebrate the feat, rolled one of its new all-solid-state batteries off the production line.

A Swiss startup, OTTER, continues its global expansion by selling its flagship electric-assisted water bike in the US. OTTER has signed a partnership with a company in the Southeastern United States to display, demonstrate, and sell its products to local customers.

Only in China can a company specializing in robot vacuums be bold enough to design, manufacture, and sell EVs. Additionally, China is the only place where such a business could actually work. A company named Dreame Technology is transcending smart appliances and wants to deliver ultra-luxury BEVs. Better still, it’s already targeting Bugatti as its main competitor. Dreame big!

Young “Bare bones” BEV startup Slate announced it is making Indiana the home of production of its flagship model. The company opened the door to the site of its future Slate EV production today, kicking off a process that intends to bring trucks to the public by the end of next year.

Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive has officially begun successful eVTOL demonstration flights using its flagship model above Expo 2025 in Osaka.

Autonomous driving technology specialist Nuro, Inc. has closed a Series E funding round totaling $203 million. Through its latest successful funding round, the company is now valued at $6 billion, and fresh investor NVIDIA joins existing tech companies like Uber.

Innovative EV charging network ChargePoint is expanding the availability of its modular Omni Port EV charger to its customers. While pre-fitted new chargers continue to roll out across the US, ChargePoint has introduced a new conversion kit version of the universal charging technology, giving older stations more modern compatibility.

Executives for Xiaomi Automobile have confirmed the Chinese automotive business’s plans to (eventually) start selling its EVs in new overseas markets, including Europe.

Two months after beginning bona fide piloted flights in its flagship Midnight eVTOL aircraft, Archer Aviation reports its aerial technology has flown farther than ever. Archer says it has successfully completed its longest eVTOL flight to date with a pilot on board.

Lightship, a startup reimagining the recreational vehicle industry, achieved a huge milestone today: It kicked off production of its flagship electric travel trailer, the AE.1 Cosmos Edition. While the first Cosmos Editions of the AE.1 roll off Lightship’s assembly line in Colorado, we’ve gotten details of two additional variants that will follow.