News

Meizu, in partnership with Geely, is set to launch its first car this year, following in the footsteps of Huawei and Xiaomi entering the automotive industry. The Meizu DreamCar MX, expected to be unveiled soon, will offer a unique user experience, incorporating input from fans through the interactive DreamCar MX community. With a history in electronics and smartphones, Meizu's venture into car production promises exciting competition against rivals like Xiaomi, utilizing Geely's sustainable experience architecture platform.

Paris has revolutionized transportation for the Olympics by prioritizing bikes over cars. The city banned cars, incentivized bike use, and added 60 km of bike lanes painted pink to guide visitors. Investments in cycling infrastructure reduced pollution and improved traffic flow. Lime invested millions in shared electric bikes for the event. Paris seized the global spotlight to showcase itself as a bike-friendly city, setting a new standard for urban mobility.

This week's Wheel-E podcast highlights MOD Berlin's electric bike, Mooncool's fat tire trike, the comeback of the lovable ELF bike-car, and more electrifying e-bike news. Learn about micromobility at the Paris Olympics, review the Tenways CGO600 Pro, and discover how electric go-karts are helping Olympic sprinters. Don't miss the latest in electric vehicles on Electrek's podcast, sponsored by CYCROWN with exclusive discounts. Tune in and ride on!

Hyundai and Kia were recently spotted supercharging using native NACS ports, hinting at upcoming support for this technology. This move could potentially put them ahead in the race for efficient NACS rollout. While many automakers opt for adapters first, Hyundai and Kia plan to launch native ports by the end of 2024. This development comes amidst delays caused by Tesla's Supercharger chaos. Stay tuned for updates on this promising advancement in electric vehicle charging technology.

U.S. tariffs on Chinese EVs won't hold BYD back for long as they plan a $1 billion factory in Turkey, avoiding tariffs and creating 5,000 jobs by 2026. Meanwhile, Tesla is on a hiring spree focusing on AI and robotics, hinting at a shift in company vision. Honda's big bet on brand loyalty with GM-based electric models like the Prologue and ZDX is poised for growth, targeting incremental sales in slow auto market. Will the U.S. welcome a BYD factory on its shores?

In the midst of Hurricane Beryl, EV owners in Texas found a silver lining as their electric vehicles powered up their homes. With bidirectional charging capabilities, EVs like Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 served as giant power banks, keeping essential appliances running during power outages. Despite challenges like limited charging stations, EVs proved to be reliable backup generators, offering a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to traditional gas generators. EVs are not just cars anymore; they're home power heroes.

Non-Tesla EV sales are on fire, up 33% in 2024 as Tesla faces a tough year. While overall U.S. EV sales are up 7.3% with Tesla included, non-Tesla brands like Kia, Cadillac, BMW, and Ford are seeing impressive growth. Mainstream buyers are driving the market, demanding more affordable options and better infrastructure. The industry is booming, with new models and incentives driving the surge in EV sales.

Employees at Tesla's Gigafactory near Berlin are in hot water for repeatedly swiping company coffee mugs, prompting threats to withhold cutlery in retaliation. The ongoing saga is just one of many labor disputes Tesla faces in Europe, including allegations of unsafe working conditions and union busting. Despite buying a whopping 65,000 mugs, the thefts continue unabated, causing frustration for plant manager Andre Thierig. With tensions running high, the coffee mug mystery adds another layer to Tesla's troubled labor relations overseas.

Mercedes-Benz U.S. EV sales took a hit in Q2 2024, with a 36% drop in BEV sales compared to last year. The EQB saw an 88% increase, but the EQE and EQS families experienced significant declines. Overall, the brand sold almost 18,000 electric cars in the U.S. in the first half of the year, marking a 25% decrease from last year. This decline impacted the EV share, which now stands at 11.9%.

Hyzon, a hydrogen fuel cell company, pulls out of Australia as battery electric truck sales soar. Despite initial promise in Australia, Hyzon shifts focus to North America and the refuse industry due to strategic priorities. Meanwhile, battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Australia skyrocket, with commercial BEV purchases increasing from under 100 in 2022 to 256 in 2023. ANC's "Project Spark" aims to introduce 112 new BEVs to revolutionize last-mile delivery with the backing of ARENA.