Scooter Doll

Starting today, the fully autonomous Waymo One ride service is available exclusively to customers in Austin, Texas through the Uber app. Today’s news builds upon Waymo’s existing partnership with Uber and is a milestone in the robotaxi startup’s expansion to new cities around the US.

Solar EV startup Aptera Motors has shared its latest monthly progress update, which is one of the most exciting ones in a while. Aptera shared footage of its first production-intent validation vehicle testing in real-world conditions around the Mojave Desert. This milestone is another (small) step forward as Aptera hopes to reach SEV production.

During a recent trip to Spain for Kia EV Day 2025, I got a chance to test drive the new EV3 compact SUV before it hits the US market. Be sure to check out my video below as well.

Kia recently held its annual EV Day event overseas, and we were one of the select outlets invited to attend in person. During that time, Kia executives outlined the Korean brand’s global EV strategy, which reiterated its unwavering approach to going all-electric, bolstered by several new models that made global debuts, including the Concept EV2, PV5 lineup, and the Kia EV4, which we learned will officially be sold in the US.

Less than a year after its initial reveal, Hyundai officially launched its off-road-friendly IONIQ 5 XRT variant in the US and invited us to Palm Springs to test it out. This is a Hyundai IONIQ through and through, but it features some unique design upgrades, including a new drive mode to help it tackle tougher terrain than its siblings.

As we get ready to exit month two of 2025, the opportunities to test drive model-year BEVs are starting to arise. The most recent was a trip to Palm Springs, California, to test out the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5. This flagship BEV saw a mid- refresh for 2025, so I didn’t experience the most drastic of changes compared to previous versions. In the places where Hyundai did improve the IONIQ 5, however, I noticed savvy upgrades that took customer feedback into consideration and made an already high-quality BEV even better.

Renault Group is ringing in a new era of all-electric commercial vehicles, which will begin next year. The French automaker revealed the names and styles of three new all-electric light commercial vehicles (LCVs) that will feature a new skateboard platform and plenty of modularity for future fleets.

Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive shared two exciting developments today. First, it has officially received a G-1 certification in Japan for its flagship “SKYDRIVE” eVTOL. This is a step forward for the aviation startup working toward commercial eVTOL operations in Japan and the US. In the meantime, SkyDrive also shared its first real-world images of its aircraft, including one in the air.

The details of Chinese EV automaker NIO’s ultra-affordable sub-brand, Firefly, continue to trickle in from overseas. A spy image of the interior of the first Firefly model is spreading like wildfire across Chinese social media, sharing our first look at its front seat.

OEM alliance and EV charging juggernaut IONNA has announced a key milestone today, transitioning from public beta testing in the US to a full-scale national release. The EV charging joint venture intends to deploy over 1,000 bays in the US this year en route to tens of thousands more this decade and has teased some exciting tech to make the overall experience more familiar for American drivers.

As we enter the second month of 2025, Honda is inching closer to commencing BEV production at its long-standing US plant in Marysville, Ohio, later this year. That $1 billion transition will begin with the assembly of the recently confirmed Acura RSX EV, followed by the first two models in Honda’s 0 Series lineup. Before that happened, however, Honda gave an exclusive tour of its new EV Hub in Ohio, which included an innovative new approach to modular vehicle assembly, massive mega press machines, and an insightful look into the positive impact Honda has established amongst the residents of The Buckeye State. You can view my whole tour expeirience in the video below.

Polestar has unveiled a new collection of one-off “Arctic Circle” EVs designed to showcase the brand’s performance DNA. The rally-inspired upgrades have now been applied to the Polestar 2, 3, and 4 EVs and were put through their paces in the frigid Arctic before they make their public debut at an ice race in Austria. See more in Polestar’s video below.

Nascent electric hydrofoil boat builder Vessev shared another key milestone this week, putting its first electric hydrofoiling boat into commercial operations. Ferry transport company Fullers360 is now operating the ultra-efficient VS–9 vessel to transport tourists and other passengers.

Young Electric Boat Racing League E1 continues to expand its lineup of race teams as it approaches its second UIM E1 World Championship Season in 2025. Several big names in sports and entertainment signed on for season 1, but this next Championship series includes a new name – LeBron James, who will lead Team AlUla.

Electric submersible specialist U-Boat Worx has unveiled bonafide images of its flagship electric “Super Sub.” The revamped model, designed to provide customers luxury, speed, and depth at sea, has officially been launched and is available to interested marine explorers.

UK EV startup Charge Cars has announced a fresh breath of life into its bespoke electric muscle car business. The company has announced new ownership, which intends to continue and expedite the development of its flagship model, the ’67, based on a classic Ford Mustang.

Swedish and Chinese EV automaker Polestar has shared an updated business strategy, looking to 2025 and beyond as its next chapter in growth. Per the release detailed below, Polestar is expecting increased sales volume, especially as its long-promised Polestar 5 GT is set to launch this year. Additionally, the automaker confirmed its Polestar 7 model will be a compact SUV and its most affordable BEV to date.

Multi-continental EV charging network ChargePoint has introduced two new solutions to combat a looming threat for electric vehicle owners using public charging stations: vandalism and theft. Today, ChargePoint shared details of a new cut-resistant EV charging cable and a new alarm system to increase security and deter theft near the pile. You can see more in the video below.

A young EV startup called TELO Trucks has announced a partnership with solar EV developer Aptera to utilize the latter’s sustainable technology on its flagship vehicle, the MT1 compact pickup. Customers who pre-order a TELO electric truck will be able to choose from three Aptera solar panel configurations, helping boost the vehicle’s range while reducing grid dependency—as long as these BEVs get made.

American Honda shared a business outlook for 2025 during a recent briefing with the media. In terms of electrification, the next 12 months for Honda will be much of the same: facelifting tried-and-true ICE models like the CR-V and Passport. However, there was one exciting piece of news from Honda on the BEV front—the automaker has confirmed it will begin US production of an Acura RSX EV.

Chinese EV automaker Build Your Dreams (BYD) has unveiled its ATTO 2 compact SUV to the European public. The launch, which took place at the Brussels Motor Show, kicks off BYD’s next EV entry into European and UK markets. The BYD ATTO 2 is smaller and more affordable than its SUV siblings, with a decent range to boot, perfect for European roads.

Mere hours after images emerged of a seemingly new Tesla Model Y performing winter testing in China, XPeng Motors unveiled a new SUV called the G7 that will compete directly with the world’s best-selling BEV.

A day after sharing plans for three new BEV launches in 2025, ZEEKR has shared a look at one of them. The Chinese automaker has developed a shooting brake version of its 007 sedan, the ZEEKR 007 GT, which you can see for the first time below.

Italian design firm Pininfarina and sustainable living solutions developer AC Future have expanded on an existing partnership and delivered an exciting debut at CES for a second consecutive year. Designed by Pininfarina, AC Future has unveiled three initial products it intends to bring to market, including “AI Transformer Home Unit,” “AI Transformer Home Trailer,” and “AI Transformer Home Drivable.”