The Auto Xone

China’s BYD just topped another major milestone. The EV giant produced its ten millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) this week, becoming the first automaker to accomplish the feat. BYD’s accomplishment comes just three years after its one-millionth NEV rolled off the assembly line. After its fifth straight record sales month, BYD is now closing in on top global automakers like Ford. BYD continued its dominant run after selling over 500,000 vehicles for the first time in a single month in October. October was BYD’s fifth straight record-breaking month for NEV sales, including plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric (EV) models. Through the first ten months of 2024, BYD has sold over 3.25 million NEVs, up 36% from last year. Nearly 1.36 million of them were all-electric. Amid a wave of new competition and an intensifying EV price war in China, BYD is setting up shop in key overseas markets to drive growth. The company opened its first manufacturing plant in Thailand, a booming EV

By Zachary Visconti Posted on November 16, 2024 A chairman from China-based battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) recently cast doubt on Tesla’s 4680 battery cell, saying that he didn’t think it would be successful in the long run. In a conversation earlier this year, CATL Chairman Robin Zeng told Elon Musk that the cylindrical 4680 battery “is going to fail and never be successful,” according to a report from Reuters this week. Zeng made the statements to Musk in a meeting with the Tesla CEO on his Beijing visit in April , and the chairman also said that the Tesla CEO was better equipped to handle other technologies than battery cells. “We had a very big debate, and I showed him,” Zeng said. “He was silent. He doesn’t know how to make a battery. It’s about electrochemistry. He’s good for the chips, the software, the hardware, the mechanical things.” Tesla working on four dry cathode 4680 battery variants: The Information T

Kubota says its new KATR farm tractor concept raises the bar in autonomous, zero-emission farming – and it looks like they’ve convinced others, too. The robot just won “Best of Innovation” at the CES Innovation Awards. Built as a follow-up to last year’s New Agri Concept electric autonomous farm tractor, the new Kubota KATR is a first of its kind, compact, four-wheeled robot with a stable cargo deck platform and stability control features that allow it to conduct work in demanding off-road agricultural and construction work environments, even on extreme hills and slopes. The KATR was named best in the Industrial Equipment and Machinery product category by a panel of industry expert judges, including media, designers, and engineers who reviewed submissions based on innovation, engineering, aesthetics, and design. Kubota seems pretty proud of themselves – and rightly so. “We have a long-standing philosophy that our products must be technically excellent, be productive and enjoyabl

By Joey Klender Posted on November 14, 2024 Tesla is set to launch the new V4 Cabinet starting in 2025, which will enable the fastest Supercharging speeds for both passenger vehicles and the Semi. Tesla’s V4 Superchargers started rolling out in 2023, bringing 350 kW charging speeds and giving EV owners their most expedited experience yet. However, the speeds were not largely improved from the V3 Supercharger, as the V4 was catered to higher-voltage architectures , which have not yet become as popular in EVs. It did feature a streamlined pile design and larger cables, as the V4 was made to be the first Supercharger to truly cater to non-Tesla EVs. The Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y can still “enjoy 250kW charge rates on V3 cabinet — charging up to 200 miles in 15 minutes,” Tesla said in an X post. The V4 Cabinet will be the missing piece of the puzzle, bridging the gap for EVs that have a 400 to 1000V architecture that can support the fastest ch

The all-electric luxury electric SUV is getting significantly cheaper. Lexus launched a new entry-level 2025 RZ trim with starting prices over $10,000 less than last year’s model. And you get just as much driving range. 2025 Lexus RZ electric SUV prices and driving range Lexus launched its first dedicated EV last year, the RZ electric SUV. Starting at $55,175, the 2024 Lexus RZ 300e has a range of up to 266 miles. The 2024 RZ 450e AWD, equipped with its dual-moto DIRECT4 system, has a range of up to 196 miles. Prices start at just under $60,000. Both models are offered in Premium or Luxury packages. Lexus is drastically lowering prices for the 2025 model year. The 2025 Lexus RZ starts at $43,975, and that includes the $1,175 delivery fee. At under $44,000, prices for the 2025 RZ start at over $10,000 less than last year’s model. The lower price tag comes as Lexus added a new entry-level RZ 300e FWD trim to the lineup. The 2025 Lexus RZ 300e FWD still has an EPA-estimated 266-m

By Joey Klender Posted on November 13, 2024 Rivian and Volkswagen announced today that the two companies would expand their joint venture and up the total investment to $5.8 billion — up from $5 billion — in an effort to survive the electric vehicle transition. The companies announced that Rivian and VW Group Technology LLC, the name of the joint venture, hope to have cars equipped with Rivian’s electrical architecture and software technology stack. This will enable the launch of Rivian’s R2 in the first half of 2026  and should support the “expected launch of the first models from the Volkswagen Group as early as 2027.” CEO of Rivian RJ Scaringe said: “Today’s finalization of our joint venture with Volkswagen Group marks an important step forward in helping transition the world to electric vehicles. We’re thrilled to see our technology being integrated in vehicles outside of Rivian, and we’re excited for the future. Rivian will continue to stay focused