EV charging

Geely has agreed to acquire a 30% stake in the battery-swapping business of rival Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio. The move would link two competing automakers in the infrastructure segment that Nio has built out as a differentiator for its cars, allowing drivers to exchange depleted batteries for charged ones in minutes. The reported deal highlights growing consolidation and cooperation in China's crowded electric vehicle market.

Chinese car companies are pushing ahead in electric vehicle technology with ultrafast charging that can refill a battery in about five minutes. Reports carried in US regional newspapers highlight the advance, which would put Chinese manufacturers well ahead of Western rivals on charging speed and reinforce concerns about China's growing lead in the EV sector.

Porsche is bringing wireless charging for electric vehicles into production, becoming one of the first automakers to offer the technology to customers. The move allows compatible EVs to charge without plugging in, using a pad-based system. Observers are debating the practicality of wireless charging, its efficiency losses, and whether other automakers will follow Porsche's lead.

Media reports describe a broad pullback in electric vehicle plans across the auto industry, with manufacturers facing obstacles, cancelling projects, and delaying launches. The coverage points to headwinds such as slowing demand growth, high costs, and charging infrastructure challenges, prompting several carmakers to reassess or scale back their EV strategies.

Germany's rapid shift to electric vehicles is cutting emissions but also eroding fuel-tax revenue that finances road maintenance. The pace of the transition has pushed policymakers to consider redesigning how roads are funded, sparking debate among economists and commentators about alternatives such as distance-based charges and other road-user fees to replace declining fuel taxes.

Chinese electric vehicle makers NIO and Geely have announced a partnership covering EV charging networks and battery swapping technology. The deal would link NIO's battery swap infrastructure, one of the largest in China, with Geely's vehicle lineup and energy services. Cooperation between two of China's biggest EV groups signals growing industry consolidation around battery swapping as a charging alternative.

A Guardian report says three-quarters of the UK's most popular plug-in hybrid cars cannot use the country's rapid electric-vehicle chargers, highlighting a compatibility gap as charging networks expand and petrol prices push drivers toward electrified vehicles. The finding raises questions about how practical plug-in hybrids are for quick top-ups, and adds to debate over whether buyers should opt for fully electric cars instead.

Li Auto has launched the i9, a new electric model offering a claimed range of 705 km on a single charge and a 400 kW all-wheel-drive powertrain. The debut positions Li Auto's growing EV lineup against premium electric sedans and SUVs from rivals in China and beyond, drawing attention for its combination of long range and high output.

Electric vehicles offering around 300 miles of range have become the industry standard, with most new models from major automakers now hitting that benchmark. The discussion now centers on whether 400 miles will become the next target, as battery technology improves and manufacturers compete to ease drivers' charging and range anxieties.

An auto industry executive has publicly admitted that most companies are struggling to develop solid-state EV batteries, calling out an uncomfortable truth in the race to commercialize the technology. Solid-state batteries promise greater range, faster charging and improved safety, but mass production has proven difficult, and the comments suggest timelines may slip further than many manufacturers have publicly acknowledged.

Reports say charging electric vehicles in the United States costs less than filling a car with gasoline, reinforcing a key financial argument for switching to EVs. The comparison is drawing attention amid ongoing debate over fuel prices and the country's transition to electric transport, with drivers weighing long-term savings against higher upfront vehicle costs.

A large-scale study drawing on 500,000 electric vehicle battery health checks compared 20 EV models to see which hold their charge best over time. InsideEVs reports that one car stood out from the pack in terms of battery degradation, offering buyers a rare data-driven comparison of long-term battery durability across brands.

Energy giant Shell has developed a small electric vehicle featuring rapid charging capability and a novel cooling system for the battery. The project highlights Shell's continued move beyond oil and gas into electric mobility technology. Details remain limited, but the prototype's fast-charging focus and thermal management innovation are drawing attention from the automotive and energy sectors.

BYD appears to be deploying a new generation of megawatt chargers with even higher power output than its existing units. The Chinese automaker already leads on ultra-fast charging with chargers capable of around 1 megawatt, and the rollout would extend that lead, enabling faster refueling for electric vehicles and its commercial truck fleet.

Lucid has set a new world record, but the achievement reportedly has nothing to do with the metrics electric vehicle makers usually compete on, such as charging speed or driving range. The claim, reported by InsideEVs, has drawn attention from EV watchers curious about what the electric vehicle maker managed to accomplish outside its usual areas of technical marketing, and what it signals about the company's broader ambitions.

Finnish EV charging company Kempower has announced a new agreement to supply charging solutions for port operations in Canada. The deal will support electrification of equipment and vehicles at the port, part of a broader push to cut emissions in maritime and heavy transport. No further details about the partner or scale were available.