Renault has announced updates to its SUV lineup for the 2026 model year, introducing a more powerful full hybrid powertrain for the Captur and Symbioz models, along with enhanced standard […]
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In a move that feels like it’s straight out of a sci-fi future, BYD has announced a massive expansion of its megawatt charging infrastructure plan—upping the ante from 10,000 to a jaw-dropping 15,000 megawatt-level chargers across China. Yes, megawatt chargers. That’s 1,000 kW of power, capable of delivering up to 400 km (250 miles) of range in just 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, here in North America, some people are still debating whether EVs are a “fad.”
The announcement came during the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Auto Show, the same event that saw the launch of Huawei’s Maextro S800. Days later, BYD revealed new partnerships with Xiaoju Charging (the charging arm of ride-hailing giant Didi) and LongShine, adding serious weight behind the buildout.
Xiaoju Charging will open 10,000 megawatt-level units.
LongShine, active in 400+ cities, will add 5,000 more.
This isn’t just about convenience—it’s strategic. The infrastructure is designed to support BYD’s newest high-performance EVs: the Han L and Tang L, which are already delivering strong numbers. In their first month alone:
Han L: 10,483 units sold
Tang L: 11,406 units sold
For comparison, Tesla’s total combined sales in the EU, EFTA, and UK during the same time period were just 7,261—down nearly 49% year-over-year.
BYD’s progress underscores something important: the EV race is global, and China is sprinting.
Megawatt charging isn’t a pipe dream—it’s here, and it’s scaling fast.
Range anxiety? About to become a relic of the past.
Automakers in North America and Europe need to stop thinking in kilowatts and start planning in megawatts.
The takeaway? While the West argues over charger compatibility and rollout timelines, BYD is laying down the future of EV infrastructure at scale—and driving off into it at full speed.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk just made an announcement: starting in July 2025, some new Tesla vehicles might drive themselves directly to customers.
Yup, you read that right. According to Musk, Tesla EVs will soon be able to deliver themselves from the factory. No delivery driver, no car hauler, no dealership middleman. Just a car that shows up at your doorstep.
Musk made the claim on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “Next month, first self-delivery from factory to customer.”
For the past several days, Tesla has been testing self-driving Model Y cars (no one in driver’s seat) on Austin public streets with no incidents.
A month ahead of schedule.
Next month, first self-delivery from factory to customer.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
But how exactly would this work? That part remains unclear.
At the start of 2024, Tesla shared videos of new EVs – like the Model Y – driving without human drivers on a 1.2-mile route inside the Fremont factory grounds. These videos showed cars navigating from the production line to their designated delivery docks with no one behind the wheel.
So far, though, that’s all happening on private property, not public roads.
That’s the big question. If Tesla intends to deliver vehicles across public streets to customers’ homes, it would need to overcome some serious legal and regulatory hurdles. Most states in the U.S. don’t allow fully autonomous vehicles on public roads without a safety driver or teleoperator.
Tesla hasn’t shared how it plans to make this happen, or whether the “self-delivery” Musk mentioned just means getting the car to a nearby pickup zone on factory grounds.
Still, even that would be a novel twist on the delivery process. No sales rep, no dealership, just a car making its way to you on its own.
This announcement comes just as Tesla prepares to launch a commercial robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas. Starting next month, a small fleet of 10–12 driverless Teslas will hit the streets, monitored by remote operators. Musk says thousands more vehicles could follow soon after.
The bigger vision? You buy a Tesla, and it eventually becomes a money-making robotaxi that drives itself around while you’re at work.
That dream isn’t new, it’s been promised for years. But if this “self-delivering Tesla” idea pans out, it could be a small step toward that larger goal.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has been in development for years, with a track record of missed deadlines and overhyped claims. So, while Musk’s latest statement sounds exciting, many are watching with caution.
Still, if Tesla manages even partial self-delivery, it’s a sign that the future of car buying might look very different.
Source: InsideEVs
With a range of compact battery electric machines now established, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has begun the next chapter in its electrification journey, with the announcement of two midsized […]
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Tesla just made an interesting move, adding Jack Hartung, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Chipotle Mexican Grill, to its Board of Directors. The announcement comes at a critical time for the EV maker, as it navigates slowing sales and increased pressure on CEO Elon Musk’s leadership.
So why does a burrito chain exec belong on Tesla’s board? Let’s break it down.
Hartung is no newcomer to big business. He spent over two decades at Chipotle, helping scale the fast-casual brand to more than 3,700 locations worldwide. Before that, he worked nearly 20 years at McDonald’s. He knows what it takes to grow a brand, manage supply chains, and keep financials tight, skills Tesla could use more of right now.
Hartung officially joins the Tesla board on June 1, 2025, and will also sit on the Audit Committee. That’s the group that oversees financial reporting and internal controls, making his CFO background especially valuable.
He’s also opted to waive all compensation, no cash, no stock options, for his role, staying consistent with what many Tesla board members do.
Tesla is under the microscope. Sales have dipped globally, and there’s growing talk about Elon Musk’s influence on the company. The board is even reviewing his massive pay package. Hartung’s appointment looks like a move to bring fresh eyes and corporate discipline to the table.
And here’s something interesting: Tesla is planning a retro diner and charging station concept in L.A. which some see as a nod to Hartung’s food-industry roots. Could this be part of a bigger strategy to improve the Tesla customer experience?
Tesla did disclose that Hartung’s son-in-law works for the company as a service technician. But they say his role is non-executive, and his pay is in line with others doing similar work.
Tesla’s board just got a little spicier, literally and figuratively. Whether Hartung’s experience in scaling one of America’s most recognizable restaurant brands will translate to electric vehicles remains to be seen. But if nothing else, it’s clear Tesla is trying to bring more operational muscle into the room.
Kitu Systems, a provider of solutions for EV charging and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) management, has launched a new EV charge management software product. Expedition CMS is designed to provide user-friendly web-based and mobile applications for both site owners and vehicle drivers.
Expedition CMS supports a complete range of charging solutions, from Level 2 residential and workplace chargers to high-power DC fast chargers. It is a flexible software-as-a-service platform that supports connectivity, site management, access control, payment systems and load management.
The platform is designed to be highly interoperable—it can integrate with EVSE from a wide range of manufacturers, and supports multiple standard interfaces to both charging stations and utility management systems, including OCPP, IEEE 2030.5, ISO 15117, OpenADR 2.0b and more. It can also combine charge management with California Smart Inverter Profile (CSIP) control of other DERs.
Expedition CMS is currently engaged in North American utility-led pilot programs and commercial deployments encompassing hardware, software, user apps, payment processing, Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit management and technical support.
“Kitu has always been a leader in grid-edge solutions,” said Tom Barbour, Chief Commercial Officer. “In addition to continuing to serve basic public and private charging needs, Kitu’s Grid Action Platform Expedition CMS module is purpose-built to help solve complex grid-related needs related to EVs, including constraints on distribution, demand response, battery attachment, time-of-use charging, incentive processing and more.”
Source: Kitu Systems
Uber is making its next big move in autonomous mobility with the announcement of a new partnership with May Mobility to deploy thousands of self-driving taxis, beginning in Arlington, Texas, by the end of 2025.
The press release, published on Uber’s investor relations site, details how the ride-hailing giant plans to integrate May Mobility’s autonomous vehicles into its app, starting with hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna minivans equipped with May’s proprietary Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology.
The launch will start with safety drivers behind the wheel, transitioning into full driverless operation as the technology matures and regulatory approvals are secured. According to the companies, this phased approach ensures both safety and public confidence as the autonomous fleet expands.
Arlington isn’t new to autonomous vehicles. May Mobility has been operating in the city since 2021 through its RAPID shuttle service in collaboration with the University of Texas at Arlington. This makes the city a logical and strategic starting point for scaling operations.
For Uber users, the rollout will be seamless. Riders in Arlington will begin seeing self-driving options appear in the Uber app – initially with a driver present, eventually with no driver at all. Uber says this initiative is part of its long-term plan to increase access to affordable, reliable transportation while reducing road congestion and emissions.
Uber’s collaboration with May Mobility joins its other autonomous efforts, including partnerships with Waymo and Avride. As competition in the driverless ride-hailing space heats up, Uber appears determined to lead the charge in making AVs a core part of everyday travel.
More cities are expected to join the program in 2026 as the company ramps up production and expands its autonomous network.
On 27 April 2025, Hon Chris Bishop and Hon Simon Watts announced the Government is updating the way it co-invests in public EV chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mr Watts says, “Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants… The Government is moving to a more sophisticated, commercial procurement model. We have set aside up to $68.5 million in currently held grant funding, to provide concessionary loans to private operators to co-invest in public EV charging infrastructure. Loans will be quicker to implement and will help achieve the Government’s objectives with less complexity, cost and risk.”
Drive Electric sees the announcement as a postive step in the right direction and shows the Government is continuing its investment and commitment to 10,000 public chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand by 2030.
There are 1,349 operational charge points across the country. In order to meet the Government’s goal of 10,000 public chargers by 2030, installations will need to increase from approximately 20 per month to 125.
Drive Electric board chair, Kirsten Corson who discussed the issue RNZ, Newstalk ZB and the TVNZ breakfast show on 28 April, says, “We hope that will be successful, but there is more that needs to be done. We can’t rely on that.”
Funding alone will not solve the infrastructure challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand. In the UK, there are six line companies; in Australia, there are typically one or two per state. Aotearoa New Zealand, by comparison, has 29. Each company has “…different processes, different pricing and CPOs don’t have visibility on the network capacity” says Corson.
Since 2023, the Drive Electric CPO Subgroup has been addressing industry-wide barriers to investment that are curtailing the roll-out of charging infrastructure at pace and scale. Click here to learn more about the group, their work and the other barries the Goverment could remove to speed up installation.
The post Government announces $68.5 million concessionary loan scheme for public EV chargers appeared first on Drive Electric.
On 27 April 2025, Hon Chris Bishop and Hon Simon Watts announced the Government is updating the way it co-invests in public EV chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mr Watts says, “Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants… The Government is moving to a more sophisticated, commercial procurement model. We have set aside up to $68.5 million in currently held grant funding, to provide concessionary loans to private operators to co-invest in public EV charging infrastructure. Loans will be quicker to implement and will help achieve the Government’s objectives with less complexity, cost and risk.”
Drive Electric sees the announcement as a postive step in the right direction and shows the Government is continuing its investment and commitment to 10,000 public chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand by 2030.
There are 1,349 operational charge points across the country. In order to meet the Government’s goal of 10,000 public chargers by 2030, installations will need to increase from approximately 20 per month to 125.
Drive Electric board chair, Kirsten Corson who discussed the issue RNZ, Newstalk ZB and the TVNZ breakfast show on 28 April, says, “We hope that will be successful, but there is more that needs to be done. We can’t rely on that.”
Funding alone will not solve the infrastructure challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand. In the UK, there are six line companies; in Australia, there are typically one or two per state. Aotearoa New Zealand, by comparison, has 29. Each company has “…different processes, different pricing and CPOs don’t have visibility on the network capacity” says Corson.
Since 2023, the Drive Electric CPO Subgroup has been addressing industry-wide barriers to investment that are curtailing the roll-out of charging infrastructure at pace and scale. Click here to learn more about the group, their work and the other barries the Goverment could remove to speed up installation.
The post Government announces $68.5 million concessionary loan scheme for public EV chargers appeared first on Drive Electric.
On 27 April 2025, Hon Chris Bishop and Hon Simon Watts announced the Government is updating the way it co-invests in public EV chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mr Watts says, “Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants… The Government is moving to a more sophisticated, commercial procurement model. We have set aside up to $68.5 million in currently held grant funding, to provide concessionary loans to private operators to co-invest in public EV charging infrastructure. Loans will be quicker to implement and will help achieve the Government’s objectives with less complexity, cost and risk.”
Drive Electric sees the announcement as a postive step in the right direction and shows the Government is continuing its investment and commitment to 10,000 public chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand by 2030.
There are 1,349 operational charge points across the country. In order to meet the Government’s goal of 10,000 public chargers by 2030, installations will need to increase from approximately 20 per month to 125.
Drive Electric board chair, Kirsten Corson who discussed the issue RNZ, Newstalk ZB and the TVNZ breakfast show on 28 April, says, “We hope that will be successful, but there is more that needs to be done. We can’t rely on that.”
Funding alone will not solve the infrastructure challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand. In the UK, there are six line companies; in Australia, there are typically one or two per state. Aotearoa New Zealand, by comparison, has 29. Each company has “…different processes, different pricing and CPOs don’t have visibility on the network capacity” says Corson.
Since 2023, the Drive Electric CPO Subgroup has been addressing industry-wide barriers to investment that are curtailing the roll-out of charging infrastructure at pace and scale. Click here to learn more about the group, their work and the other barries the Goverment could remove to speed up installation.
The post Government announces $68.5 million concessionary loan scheme for public EV chargers appeared first on Drive Electric.