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Cars & Mobility

Cars & Mobility follows a rebuild that hits two industries at once: drivetrains and batteries on one side, software and electronics inside the vehicle on the other. That takes in charging infrastructure and grid connections, cell chemistry and cell factories, driver assistance and automated driving, registration figures, and the state of the suppliers who have to fund the transition.

Mobility does not stop at the bonnet here: rail, local transport and logistics belong in this category too, where the subject is technology and operations. When a report quotes range, charging power or sales, the test cycle or reporting period belongs with it — without those, the numbers do not compare. Where the electricity comes from is covered under Energy & Grid.

Nio's Firefly Brand Launches Club Spiaggia Special Edition in China

Nio's Firefly brand unveiled the Club Spiaggia special edition on August 28, limited to 666 units and priced at 135,800 yuan, a 13.4% premium over the base model.

· 1 source

Tesla Cybercab Debuts in Austin as NHTSA Opens Safety Probe

Tesla unveiled its driverless Cybercab to fans in Austin, but federal regulators are already investigating whether the vehicle meets safety standards.

· 2 sources

BYD hits 10,000 flash charging stations, doubles network in under 5 months

BYD has opened its 10,000th flash charging station in Shenzhen, doubling its network in under five months, but reaching the year-end target of 20,000 requires a significantly faster pace.

· 1 source

Tesla Semi Enters Europe, Secures 500-Truck Order as Production Scales

Tesla is bringing its Semi truck to Europe, with specs due at IAA 2026, and has landed its biggest order yet—500 trucks for Einride. Meanwhile, EV owners weigh trade-in timing.

· 2 sources

Toyota and LGES accelerate EV push with fluoride-ion research and US battery production

Toyota is expanding its EV lineup and advancing fluoride-ion battery research with AI, while LG Energy Solution begins US cell production for the 2027 Highlander EV.

· 2 sources

Porsche to End Taycan Production by 2030, Joins XPENG Emissions Pool

Porsche plans to phase out its Taycan electric sedan by 2030, following a 90% profit drop and falling sales. The company will also leave Volkswagen's emissions pool to partner with XPENG.

· 2 sources

BYD launches Qin Max as Qin family sales halve year-to-date

BYD unveiled the Qin Max, its flash-charging flagship sedan, on August 13, 2026, as the Qin family's sales fell 50.55% year-to-date.

· 2 sources

BYD Leads July NEV Exports and Retail as Tesla China Exports Jump

New CPCA data for July 2026 shows BYD dominating both NEV exports and domestic retail, while Tesla China's exports surge to third place and its retail sales drop out of the top 10.

· 2 sources

China makes L3/L4 autonomous-driving safety standard mandatory from 1 July 2027

China has approved a binding national standard for Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving, making safety certification a market-access requirement from 1 July 2027 and setting a global precedent.

· 6 sources

China's NEV Market Hits Record 64.4% Retail Penetration in July as Gasoline Vehicles Collapse

China's new-energy vehicle market reached a record 64.4% retail penetration in July, while gasoline vehicle production plunged 54% year-on-year amid fuel price hikes.

· 2 sources

Denza Z9S pre-sales begin in China; Z9 GT heads to UK at £105,000

BYD's premium brand Denza opened Chinese pre-sales for the Z9S sedan with up to 1,100 km of range, while the Z9 GT arrives in the UK priced from £95,000.

· 4 sources

Qualcomm becomes BMW's lead compute silicon provider for cockpit and ADAS/AD

Qualcomm Technologies will supply the compute silicon for BMW's next-generation digital cockpit and automated driving systems, building on the Snapdragon Ride Pilot launch in the BMW iX3.

· 3 sources

NHTSA Grants Zoox First Robotaxi Exemption Without Steering Wheel

Zoox receives the first federal approval for a purpose-built robotaxi without human controls, allowing paid rides in Las Vegas starting August 2026, with safety conditions attached.

· 5 sources

BYD Seal 06 and Da Han Revealed; Xiaomi SkyNomad N90 Adopts Novel Seating

BYD has shown the upgraded Seal 06 with lidar and a longer body, and the Da Han flagship with over 1,000 km range. Xiaomi's SkyNomad N90 features a 2+2+3 layout with rotating front seats.

· 2 sources

Xiaomi EV tops 30,000 deliveries for fourth straight month, exact figure undisclosed

Xiaomi EV reports another month of over 30,000 deliveries, but the company has not revealed the exact number for July.

· 1 source

Leapmotor's Record July Deliveries Coincide With Rural Subsidy Absence

Leapmotor hit a record 101,267 global deliveries in July, yet skipped China's rural EV subsidy campaign, citing thin margins and existing rural store coverage as it pushes overseas.

· 2 sources

Toyota Announces Organizational Changes Effective August 1

Toyota Motor Corporation has announced organizational changes effective August 1, 2026, but has not disclosed details.

· 1 source

Momenta Launches Robovans for Last-Mile Delivery in Suzhou

Chinese autonomous driving company Momenta has launched robovans for parcel delivery in Suzhou's Xiangcheng district, using a map-free approach and data from over 12 billion km of driving.

· 1 source

Waymo Resumes Freeway Operations After Two-Month Pause Over Construction Zone Incidents

Waymo restarts freeway rides in Phoenix following a pause and recall triggered by robotaxis driving into closed construction zones. The company faces new federal safety legislation.

· 3 sources

Scania to Supply Batteries for MacLean Mining Equipment

Scania Industrial Batteries will become the primary battery supplier for MacLean Engineering's underground mining vehicles, the companies announced on 27 July 2026.

· 2 sources

Tesla Robotaxi and Waymo Both Launch in Tampa on Same Day

Both Tesla Robotaxi and Waymo announced expansions into Tampa, Florida, with services beginning on the same day.

· 1 source

Xiaomi Enters Range-Extender SUV Market with Sky Nomad Series, Launching July 30

Xiaomi will unveil the Sky Nomad N90 Max and N70 Max on July 30, marking its first move into extended-range electric vehicles and a critical step toward its 550,000-vehicle delivery target for 2026.

· 1 source

China's NEV exports overtake ICE vehicles for first time in June 2026

China exported more than one million vehicles in June 2026, with new-energy models surpassing conventional cars for the first time, as domestic policy and Thai partnerships drive growth.

· 1 source

NTSB Report Contradicts Driver’s Account in Fatal Tesla Crash; Manslaughter Charges Filed

A preliminary NTSB report released today reveals that the driver of a Tesla Model 3 manually overrode the Full Self-Driving system before a crash that killed a grandmother in Texas, leading to manslaughter charges.

· 2 sources

Leapmotor refreshes B01 and B10 with 800V fast-charging and LiDAR options, raises B01 entry price

Leapmotor launched updated versions of its B01 sedan and B10 SUV on July 16, 2026, featuring 800V fast-charging and LiDAR options. The B01 entry price rises by 6,000 yuan.

· 1 source

Apple Enters Automotive Navigation with MapKit SDK, Ford First Partner for Affordable EVs

Apple announced MapKit for Automotive SDK on July 23, 2026, with Ford as its first partner. The navigation system will power Ford's upcoming affordable EVs and support BlueCruise autonomy.

· 2 sources

UK and France Hit Record Plugin EV Market Shares in Q2 2026

Plugin electric vehicles reached 41.4% of new car sales in the UK and 34.5% in France in the second quarter of 2026, driven by strong battery electric vehicle growth.

· 2 sources

NHTSA Takes First Step Toward Mandating Emergency Door Egress for All Vehicles

The U.S. auto safety regulator granted a petition to explore new standards for emergency door egress after incidents involving Tesla door handles, potentially affecting every automaker.

· 2 sources

New York City Tests Swappable E-Bike Batteries to Power Street Food Carts

A six-month pilot with 10 vendors replaces gasoline generators with swappable e-bike batteries, aiming to reduce noise and pollution. Previous attempts failed due to scalability and charging infrastructure.

· 1 source

Record Plugin Vehicle Shares in Germany and UK as EV Adoption Accelerates

Germany and the UK posted all-time high plugin electric vehicle market shares in Q2 2026, driven by policy support and rising fuel prices.

· 2 sources

XPENG L03 First Impressions: Well-Equipped EV for Young Families Launches in Europe

XPENG's new L03 electric SUV, positioned below the G6 and available as both BEV and EREV, targets young families in Europe with a starting price of around $27,600 in Norway.

· 2 sources

Volkswagen Opens Pre-Orders for ID. Cross Electric SUV Starting at €28,000

Volkswagen has launched pre-orders for its new ID. Cross compact electric SUV in Germany, with prices starting at around €28,000 and a WLTP range of up to 427 kilometres.

· 1 source

Toyota Becomes First Japanese Automaker to Enter 1000 Miglia

Toyota is the first Japanese carmaker to take part in the 1000 Miglia, entering five vehicles led by a 1955 Crown.

· 1 source

Xpeng Targets Monthly Production of 1,000 Iron Robots by Year-End

Xpeng plans to produce over 1,000 Iron humanoid robots per month by the end of 2026, with initial deployments as sales assistants in its Chinese stores starting in early 2027.

· 1 source

Denza Z Electric Supercar Gets Over 1,000 Pre-Orders in First Day in China

Denza, BYD's premium brand, says its Z electric supercar received more than 1,000 pre-orders within 24 hours of pre-sales starting in China on 13 July 2026, with prices significantly lower than in the UK.

· 1 source

Nvidia's Automotive Chief: Industry Moving to AI-Defined Vehicles, But EV Adoption and Self-Driving Face Hurdles

In an interview published July 13, 2026, Nvidia's head of automotive, Xinzhou Wu, discussed the shift from software-defined to AI-defined vehicles, while noting challenges in EV adoption, self-driving progress, and rising costs.

· 1 source

XPENG to Launch Camera-Only Self-Driving Tech VLA 2.0 in Europe in H2 2026

Chinese EV maker XPENG plans to roll out its camera-only self-driving system VLA 2.0 in Europe in the second half of 2026, aiming for Level 4 autonomy and directly challenging Tesla.

· 1 source

Zeekr expands Malaysian dealer network to 11, targets 18 outlets by year-end

Zeekr Malaysia has signed three new dealer partners, bringing its total outlets to 11, and aims to reach 18 by the end of 2026, while also deploying mobile service in Sabah ahead of a planned 3S center in 2027.

· 1 source

Automakers Shift Focus from Sustainability to Supply Chain Resilience, Capgemini Report Finds

A new Capgemini Research Institute report reveals that automotive supply chains are stabilizing but sustainability efforts have stalled, with only 37% of companies considering environmental factors in supply chain decisions.

· 1 source

Rolls-Royce adopts human-centered change management for supply chain digitalization

Rolls-Royce is accelerating digital transformation in its manufacturing supply chain through a human-centered change management approach, the company announced.

· 1 source

Ford's Electric Mid-Sized Pickup Still Unnamed, European Hybrid Strategy Offers Clues

Ford has not yet named its upcoming all-electric mid-sized pickup for the US market, but its hybrid EV activity in Europe may hint at the final choice.

· 1 source

Toyota Gazoo Racing Gears Up for Rally Estonia Gravel Challenge

Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team is set to compete in Rally Estonia, the ninth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, on fast gravel roads in northern Europe.

· 1 source

BYD Files Updated Seagull with Stretched Body and Optional LiDAR

BYD has filed regulatory documents for an all-new Seagull featuring a 425 mm longer body and an optional LiDAR sensor, hinting at advanced driver-assistance capabilities.

· 1 source

Toyota Set to Join Daimler Truck and Volvo as Equal Partner in Fuel Cell Venture cellcentric

Toyota plans to become an equal shareholder in the fuel cell joint venture cellcentric alongside Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, aiming to accelerate hydrogen technology for heavy-duty transport.

· 1 source

Leapmotor Unveils LiDAR-Equipped A05s Compact EV as It Targets One Million Deliveries

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor has previewed the A05s, a compact electric sedan featuring a roof-mounted LiDAR system, as part of its push toward a one million delivery goal.

· 1 source

Nio Faces $3,000 Cost Increase Per ES8 Due to Raw Material Price Surge

Nio's CEO William Li announced that the cost to produce each ES8 has risen by nearly $3,000, driven by soaring raw material prices, as the company works with suppliers to stabilize pricing.

· 1 source

Leapmotor Opens Pre-Orders for Refreshed B01 and B10 Ahead of July 16 Launch

Leapmotor has begun taking pre-orders for the updated B01 and B10 models in China, with official sales starting July 16 as part of its push to deliver 1 million vehicles in 2026.

· 2 sources

China's NEV Retail Sales Slip in Early July Despite Record June Performance

China's new energy vehicle retail sales fell 9% in the first five days of July, entering a seasonal lull, after June set records with over 1.6 million units sold and exports topping half a million.

· 2 sources

Nio Begins Deliveries of Five-Seat ES8 Variant to Revive Sales Momentum

Nio has started delivering a five-seat version of its ES8 SUV after June sales of the model dropped 21.85% sequentially, aiming to attract buyers who prefer a smaller configuration.

· 1 source

Xiaomi Reveals Sky Nomad N90 SUV Lineup, Including Pop-Up Roof Camping Variant

Xiaomi has unveiled its Sky Nomad N90 SUV series, featuring four extended-range models, with a Camping Edition that includes a pop-up roof.

· 2 sources