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German factories to halt work for one week next month in blow to EV switchover Volkswagen is to pause production at two of its plants in Germany because of weak demand for fully electric cars. The carmaker will suspend work for one week next month in Dresden as well as at its EV plant in Zwickau , which produces six EV models for VW, Audi and Cupra. Continue reading...

Europe has been slow to embrace robotaxis but Germany will allow remote-controlled rental cars from December Having been summoned by a few clicks in an app, the electric car slows to a halt outside the former cargo hall of Berlin’s now defunct Tegel airport. No one is at the wheel, but upon a passenger stepping inside, a voice announces: “This is Bartek, I am your driver today. Please buckle up and we can be on our way.” The car emits a friendly jingle, then makes its way to the former runway, where it performs a fault-free manoeuvre around a route marked by traffic cones. Continue reading...

After a comparably slow start ‘it’s going to snowball’ says one industry expert as prices become more competitive and charging infrastructure catches up Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Electric vehicles are increasingly common on Australian roads. But are we about to see the promised boom in new EV models? What about a thriving secondhand market? And are there enough charging stations to make “range anxiety” a thing of the past? Last week, the Climate Change Authority (CCA) suggested half of all the light vehicles sold in Australia over the next decade would have to be EVs to meet emissions reduction targets. By 2035, it is expected that electric cars will make up 85% of sales. Continue reading...

Revellers watch the cars hop and bounce and spread their pro-immigration message Continue reading...

London-based AI pioneer in talks to receive $500m investment from Nvidia as it funds its expansion in the US, Germany and Japan British startup Wayve has begun testing self-driving cars with Nissan in Japan ahead of a 2027 launch to consumers, as the company said it was in talks for a $500m investment from the chip-maker Nvidia. Wayve, based in London, said it had installed its self-driving technology on Nissan’s electric Ariya vehicles and tested them on Tokyo’s streets, after first agreeing a deal with the Japanese carmaker in April. Continue reading...

Electric vehicle take-up is a factor driving change, with manual lessons expected to become ‘clear minority’ For many teenagers, it feels like the first taste of true adulthood: sinking the clutch to the floor, coaxing the gearstick into first and lurching into motion. But soon, such a milestone could seem as archaic as travelling by horse and cart. Continue reading...

Tesla shares rose by more than 8% after news of CEO’s transactions, a week after he was offered $1tn pay package Elon Musk , the Tesla CEO, has purchased nearly $1bn worth of the electric-vehicle maker’s stock, a regulatory filing showed, reinforcing Musk’s push for greater control over Tesla. Tesla shares jumped more than 8% in premarket trading on Monday following the news. Continue reading...

Customised plates often cost more than the car – and yet the number of people queueing up to buy them is at an all‑time high. What’s the appeal? ‘Well, lot number 56 created quite a buzz, ladies and gentlemen … ” I’m sitting in a marquee in Chichester at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, sheltering from the summer heat. The auctioneer tells us that there have already been several telephone bids for this particular lot. Someone on the phone kicks things off with £180,000. The room holds its breath. Behind us are various astonishingly luxurious cars. One, an orange 1992 Mazda RX-7 FD Veilside Fortune Coupe, was used in the film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. All of a sudden the bidding for lot 56 is at £220,000. Now £230,000. Now £240,000 from someone online. Now £250,000. I can hear the distant vrooming of race cars tearing around a track. But lot 56 isn’t a car. It’s a number plate. Until recently, the UK record for a number plate sold at public auction was £518,480, set in 201...

From one-pedal driving to solar savings, Guardian readers tell us the benefits of ditching the internal combustion engine Change by degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com Sales of electric vehicles continue to climb, with 12% of new sales between January and June this year being battery electric or plug-in hybrid – up from 9.6% in the same period last year – data from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) shows. As drivers across the country adapt to the new technology , Guardian readers share their tips and biggest surprises since switching from an internal combustion engine [ICE] car to an EV. I love the one-pedal driving with the regenerative braking. For the first time in my life (I’m 53, have had a number of cars in my life, all manual) I feel calmed by driving. One-pedal driving is the best th...

A country plagued by power cuts has become the first to ban imports of petrol and diesel cars, as a new dam brings hopes of cheap green energy When Deghareg Bekele, an architect in his early 30s, bought an Volkswagen electric car this year, he was a little sceptical. Not only is his home town, the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, prone to persistent power cuts, he also doubted the quality of his new vehicle. Four months on, Deghareg is pleased with his purchase since he no longer has to endure long lines at the petrol pump, caused by Ethiopia’s chronic fuel shortages. Continue reading...

MPs criticise ‘inconsistent’ climate policy that includes grants of up to £3,750 for ‘supersized status symbols’ Ed Miliband has been accused by MPs of subsidising dangerous and polluting “supersized status symbols” as his department hands grants to people who buy electric SUVs. The Labour government is giving discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric cars, but Guardian analysis reveals 12 of the 37 eligible models are SUVs. Continue reading...

Carmaker’s CEO says Porsche is being squeezed by ‘sandwich’ of tariffs and weak Chinese market Business live – latest updates Volkswagen is closing in on a tariff deal with the US, the boss of the German carmaker has said, as it eyes up the market for affordable electric cars in Europe. Europe’s biggest car manufacturer, which also owns the Audi, Seat and Porsche brands, has been hit hard by Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, announced in April. The levies, combined with a turbulent market, have already cost “several billions”, the chief executive, Oliver Blume, said. Continue reading...

South Korea concerned after at least 450 were arrested at Georgia work site making batteries for Hyundai and Kia cars Hundreds of workers at a factory being built in Georgia to make car batteries for Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles were detained in a massive raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( Ice ) on Thursday that stopped construction. The facility is part of what would be the biggest industrial investment in the state’s history and had been hailed as a huge boost for the economy by Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp. Continue reading...

We would like to hear from people about whether they experience motion sickness riding in electric vehicles A growing number of studies suggest that people experience more carsickness riding in electric vehicles (EVs) compared to traditional petrol or diesel cars. A 2024 study believes that regenerative braking technology – where the motor converts the slowing car’s kinetic energy into electricity that then is stored in the battery – results in low-frequency deceleration , meaning that the vehicle slows down gradually and steadily, over a relatively longer period, rather than rapidly or in quick pulses. Such low-frequency deceleration tends to be associated with higher levels of motion sickness. Continue reading...

The idea of a fragile economy whose health is subject to very short-term events is false, writes Prof Saville Kushner , while Dave Hollis calls for taxes on polluters On Tuesday, it was “ Pressure rises on Reeves ”, last Friday it was “a lift” for the chancellor ( 29 August ). Before that, it was a “challenge” for Rachel Reeves ( 12 August )( 22 July ), a “gloomy autumn” ( 22 July )“UK economy shrinks unexpectedly in blow to Rachel Reeves” ( 14 March ) and a “generational shift” in investment ( 10 June ). Reeves must  feel like Mary Earps, keeping goal with balls flying at her from multiple directions! But the more serious take on this is the tendency for the media, including the Guardian, to push the narrative of a fragile economy whose health is subject to very short-term, daily events. This is a narrative derived from the bond markets, which strive to reduce long-term stability to short-term volatility in order to multiply transactional opportunities. The ...

Jaguar Land Rover says ‘required safety levels cannot be achieved’ for EVs so PM must to stick to petrol version Would-be car buyers considering ditching petrol for electric tend to fret – not always correctly – about higher upfront costs, access to chargers and whether their battery will last on long journeys. But Keir Starmer has an unusual obstacle to making the switch – Britain’s largest carmaker has claimed electric vehicles (EVs) do not offer adequate bomb protection. Continue reading...