• Electrify America has opened a new EV charging station in Santa Barbara, California.
• With 20 ultra-fast dispensers and a huge battery energy system, it sets the stage for what’s next at EA.
• The company’s large-format stations can cater to at least 20 EVs simultaneously, all while delivering up to 350 kW to each car.

Electrify America, one of the largest DC fast charging networks for electric vehicles in the United States, has opened its latest-generation site in Santa Barbara, California. 

The company’s newest large-format station sets the blueprint for what’s to come, with a minimum of 20 stalls and a big battery energy storage system.

Electrify America large-format DC fast charging station in Santa Barbara, California

Photo by: Electrify America

Located on the site of the former Greyhound Bus depot at 36 West Carillo Street in Santa Barbara, EA’s newest large-format EV charging station has 20 individual stalls that can deliver up to 350 kilowatts of power to each EV in need of a top-up. This is the company’s fourth large-format station in California, but it’s the first with a 1.9-megawatt battery—the largest deployed by Electrify America to date.

The battery storage system can take energy from the grid when usage is low and discharge it when demand is high, expanding charging capacity and reducing stress on the grid.

“This large-format station showcases the next evolution of charging infrastructure, combining high-power charging with integrated battery energy storage to deliver reliable capacity at scale,” said Rob Barrosa, Electrify America President and CEO. “By incorporating advanced storage technology, we’re able to bring Hyper-Fast charging to locations that have traditionally been difficult to serve, while making it easy for customers to integrate charging into their daily routines in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara.”

Electrify America’s battery-aided station in Santa Barbara currently has CCS1 connectors exclusively, which means NACS-equipped EVs like those from Tesla, Rivian, and Cadillac will need an adapter. That said, EA will start retrofitting NACS connectors at the site starting this summer, as part of its ongoing NACS pilot program.

The other large-format Electrify America stations are located in Santa Monica, San Diego, and San Francisco, with many more scheduled for construction. With at least 20 bays, this type of charging stop can slash wait times, helping EV drivers get back on the road faster without having to sit in a queue. The fact that each charger can deliver 350 kW of power also helps.

The company currently operates 1,149 DC fast charging stations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC). In total, Electrify America has over 5,700 individual fast-charging ports.

There’s a major shift on the automotive horizon as China introduces tough new safety regulations for electric cars. Starting July 1, 2026, two mandatory national standards will officially take effect across the country. The new rules target both the vehicle and the battery systems inside it. Government bodies like the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the State Administration for Market Regulation, will enforce strict requirements to protect buyers and emergency workers. With ownership climbing to 44 million vehicles in China by the end of last year, regulators decided that voluntary guidelines are not enough to manage public safety.

The unstoppable growth of the Chinese market highlights the need for updated safety rules. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers revealed that production and sales recovered strongly in May 2026. Local automakers produced 1.554 million cars and sold 1.496 million new energy vehicles in that one month alone.

One of the most important vehicle-level updates comes from the new safety standard named GB18384-2025. This regulation introduces a mandatory, physical “one-touch power-off” mechanism inside the cabin. In the past, automakers relied on software programs to shut down high-voltage electrical circuits during emergencies – because everyone knows software never crashes or freezes during a serious accident… The new physical switch allows drivers or rescue workers to cut off the main energy storage system manually with a single movement, increasing efficiency during emergency operations.

The second piece of legislation, referred to as GB38031-2025, completely upgrades battery-level safety requirements. The biggest change involves how the system handles thermal runaway (when a battery cell overheats and triggers a chain reaction). Until now, regulations required a battery pack to send a warning signal at least five minutes ahead of a fire or explosion, which sounds almost unbelievable. Thankfully, the updated standard shifts the requirement completely: the battery pack has to remain free of any fire or explosion. The system must still sound an alarm to alert the driver, but the physical pack itself must prevent fires entirely, and smoke must not harm vehicle occupants.

In addition to thermal protection, the updated battery regulations introduce tough physical testing methods to simulate real-world accidents. A new bottom-impact test forces manufacturers to evaluate how well a battery pack resists collisions underneath the vehicle, such as striking debris on the highway. This test ensures that the protective casing shields the internal cells from puncture. The legislation also addresses battery degradation over time by requiring a safety test after 300 fast-charging cycles. Following the fast-charging cycles, the pack must successfully withstand external short-circuit tests without catching fire or exploding.

Automotive experts believe the new safety benchmarks will change the market landscape. By forcing all companies to meet strict legal rules, the regulations will likely accelerate industry consolidation. Manufacturers that rely on low-quality components and low-price strategies to win customers will struggle to survive. This shift should stop unfair competition based on cheap, unsafe items. Clearer safety regulations will help the financial and automotive industries as well – Dr. Han Guangshuai from Tongji University noted that the clear standards will give the insurance industry better data, which could resolve the high premiums and insurance difficulties affecting used EVs.

Major battery manufacturers and vehicle brands have already prepared for the transition to the new safety levels. CATL, the largest global producer of batteries for electric cars, reported that its full line of mass-produced passenger and commercial vehicle battery products successfully passed the national testing procedures back in May 2025. BYD confirmed that its second-generation Blade Battery passed the new standards and even exceeded the minimum legal safety numbers. These early preparations show that top companies saw the regulatory changes coming and adjusted their engineering early.

According to Wu Kai, a well-known scientist from CATL and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the full implementation of the new rules will change safety expectations completely. He explained at the 2026 Equipment Power Forum that once these rules are active, the spontaneous combustion rate of Chinese EVs should drop to a level that is an order of magnitude lower than that of traditional gasoline cars. Chinese regulators continue to work on additional rules. The government recently published another safety standard called Fire Detectors for Vehicles (GB47497-2026) to improve early warnings for thermal events.

The long-term benefits of the new laws look great for consumer trust, but the rules might create some short-term challenges for vehicle prices. Industry analysts expect the strict testing and updated battery structures to put some pressure on manufacturing costs, and these higher expenses could influence the retail prices of EVs launched after July.

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The UK government is reportedly planning to weaken its zero emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate, which currently requires 80 per cent of all new cars sold in the UK to be electric by 2030 on the road to a 2035 ambition of 100 per cent.

Numerous outlets in the UK reported on Monday that the country’s government was planning to water down its 2030 targets, and plans to meet with the UK car industry this week to discuss a potential shift in policy.

All reports, however, suggest that the new 2030 target could fall from 80 per cent to anywhere between 50 to 70 per cent – a potentially significant hit to the country’s electrification and its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

The UK car industry has been pleading for a review of the ZEV mandate for some time now, declaring that demand for electric vehicles (EVs) does not match political ambition, even despite significant investments, government incentives, and improvements to charging infrastructure.

“Targets alone do not cut emissions – new vehicle uptake does,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). “Consumers and businesses will only switch when conditions – and costs – are right.”

According to Hawes, in an update published late last week ahead of the latest rumours, “consumers consistently cite familiar reasons to hold off: cost, uncertainty about infrastructure, whether an EV will meet their driving needs.

“Add in a prospective additional tax in the form of a pence per mile VED charge, and such wariness is natural,” he said.

But while the UK’s carmakers and trade unions have continued to lobby the government for years to ease the mandate, proponents of the ZEV mandate warn that any weakening of the target will only serve to harm the UK’s long-term electrification and climate goals.

Transport & Environment (T&E) said the SMMT’s claims lean “heavily on selective evidence, unsupported assertions, and misleading interpretations that exaggerate challenges while ignoring clear signs of significant market progress.”

T&E pointed to data which showed that BEV sales had increased by 31 per cent year-on-year in May and 56 per cent year-on-year in April.

“Let’s be clear: the SMMT has spent years overstating the challenges of the EV transition while downplaying industry inaction to justify weakening the ZEV mandate,” said Tim Dexter, T&E UK vehicles policy manager.

“The reality is much simpler. Carmakers that moved early, like Renault, are now gaining market share in the UK and globally thanks to great new EV models. Those that delayed are not victims of policy; they are betting on political backtracking. That is not a strategy, it is a gamble that risks leaving them behind in a rapidly electrifying global market.”

The 2030 ban on petrol and diesel vehicles was introduced in 2020 by former Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson, before it was then pushed back by then Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak in 2023.

It was under Sunak that the phased targets for EV sales under the ZEV mandate were introduced, with annual targets ramping up to 100 per cent by 2035 – though any targets after 2030 were yet to be enshrined in legislation.

Labour, which ousted the Conservatives in July 2024, pledged to bring the petrol and diesel ban back to 2030, and now appears unwilling to cement any ban at all.

“Investors in the UK have been absolutely clear that the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate is vital for driving investment into our charging infrastructure,” said James Alexander, CEO of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF).

“Any attempt to water down these targets could send warning signals to these investors about the government’s long-term commitment to electrifying our transport network. This could threaten future financing for charging infrastructure, at a time when more and more consumers are seeking to switch to electric vehicles.”

The UK’s seesawing on its EV targets mirrors what has already been taking place on the European Continent, after the European Commission proposed in December dropping the European Union’s effective ban on new combustion-engine cars from 2035 by allowing continued sales of some non-electric vehicles.

The Commission had come under intense pressure from Germany, Italy, as well as the European car industry, to relax its plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2035. Instead of a 100 per cent cut in allowed emissions, the Commission has proposed dropping that to a 90 per cent cut.

Such a move, however, could see battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales slip by as much as 50 per cent, according to T&E, who analysed the potential impact of the Commission’s proposal.

“It’s like hedging your bets when there’s only one horse in the race,” said Lucien Mathieu, cars director at T&E, speaking in February.

“The world is going electric, but the EU proposal would divert investment into other technologies that won’t deliver for the climate or the economy. The current 2035 target provides the investment certainty Europe needs to scale up EV production and compete globally.

“The proposed changes would mean keeping the combustion engine and hybrid alive and rewarding the laggards.”

See The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.

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Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.

• Ford’s upcoming mid-size electric pickup truck is getting closer.
• The American automaker offered a glimpse at the $30,000 EV’s potential design.
• In a new video series, Ford also shows off the first camouflaged working prototypes during cold-weather testing.

Ford may have ditched the F-150 Lightning, but the American car company is not done with electric pickups yet. The automaker’s upcoming mid-size truck, which is expected to cost around $30,000, is still alive and kicking, and on track for a 2027 reveal.

In a new video series, Ford is offering a glimpse into the development of its make-or-break electric car, including shots of the EV during cold-weather testing, the radical new assembly process, and the potential final design of the car.

Photo by: Ford

One of the videos posted on an elusive new webpage shows several design sketches that cement the image of a rather boxy vehicle with vertical headlamps and a car-like silhouette. Another video that shows several camouflaged prototypes backs the idea of a Maverick-sized pickup with a relatively short bed. 

All this being said, nobody—except Ford—knows what the finished entry-level electric pickup will look like or what it will be called. Some rumors suggest that the Ranchero nameplate will make a return, but we’ll have to wait and see what the blue oval brand has in store for its radical new EV.

Based on an all-new, bespoke architecture dubbed the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, Ford’s new mid-size pickup will make extensive use of megacastings—huge body parts that reduce the number of parts—that are bolted together in sections. 

Photo by: Ford

There’s a front part, a middle part, and a rear section. Previously, Ford said that each of these sections would be assembled on a separate line, and they would be bolted together at the end of the line. In another video posted on the model’s dedicated webpage, the automaker shows how the front part of the car is clipped onto the main chassis in an area of the factory called “The Chapel of Love,” where the two sections get “married.”

Mark Gentry, who works at Ford’s New Model Program Development Center (NMPDC), said he has been building Ford prototypes for 27 years and that nothing has gone together as easily as the new EV. The video also shows workers using bolts and adhesive to assemble various parts.

The company has previously said that the upcoming electric pickup will offer the interior space of a mid-size truck in the footprint of a Maverick. The new EV would also be as fast as a gas-powered Mustang EcoBoost and more spacious than a Toyota RAV4, thanks to the front trunk and rear bed.

Photo by: Ford

Ford has yet to offer solid details on the EV’s powertrain, but it has hinted that it would be powered by a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with a maximum capacity of around 51 kilowatt-hours. That’s about half of what the cheapest F-150 Lightning truck offered, but the company is adamant that the new, purpose-built pickup will offer sufficient range, thanks to the car being much lighter and more aerodynamic.

The traction battery will be rated at 400 volts, which is a downgrade compared to the latest and greatest EVs out there, which have 800V or higher-voltage packs, but Ford said that it’s the right choice for this particular use case because it enables access to all installed charging infrastructure, it’s affordable, and it can make money for the company. Vehicle-to-load (V2L), which allows owners to export energy from the main battery to power tools and appliances, will be baked in.

Two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options are in the works, with the Detroit automaker claiming that the electric motors, which will be built in-house, will be the cheapest in the world, allowing it to keep the costs down and the selling price low.

Ford’s new $30,000 pickup is expected to debut next year.

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Source: Ford

EV drivers love skipping the traditional gas station, but those who charge at home still have to manually plug in their vehicles almost every night. It’s not a dealbreaker really, but consumer technology giant Xiaomi wants to eliminate that last bit of physical effort. The company demonstrated a new home charging robotic arm that automates the entire process. This device takes care of both plugging in and unplugging EVs without any human intervention. Xiaomi says it is ready to launch this automated accessory on the retail market in the fourth quarter of 2026, targeting the residential garages where most EV owners recharge.

Xiaomi fulfills an old promise that the wider automotive industry failed to deliver. More than ten years ago, Tesla chief Elon Musk promised a similar solution for electric cars, describing a metal snake charger that would automatically extend from a wall. Tesla even revealed a working prototype in 2015, but the project quietly disappeared into the corporate graveyard. Instead, Tesla shifted its focus toward wireless inductive charging for models like the Cybercab robotaxi. Xiaomi decided to stick to the physical plug concept and make it production-ready.

The physical design of the Xiaomi robotic arm is perfect for tight residential spaces. The housing measures exactly 6 inches wide, allowing it to fit easily next to vehicles in small home garages. The system uses advanced artificial intelligence vision recognition to guide the charging gun with sub-millimeter precision into the vehicle’s port. It also communicates directly with the car to trigger motorized charge port covers to open and close automatically. Owners can monitor and manage the system remotely through their smartphones, as the arm completely integrates into the brand’s existing smart home and vehicle ecosystem.

Automated mechanical arms solve a major technical issue that currently plagues wireless charging alternatives. Wireless pads remove the need for a physical cord, but they suffer from lower energy efficiency. Standard wireless inductive systems operate at an efficiency rate between 88 percent and 93 percent under perfect alignment. Direct physical plug-in systems operate at roughly 95 percent efficiency because they eliminate the air gap between the pad and the vehicle. On top of that, wireless charging under the common SAE J2954 standard generally tops out at 11 kW of power, whereas physical plugs can handle much higher rates.

Tesla prototype from 2015

For owners of modern EVs, these small percentages make a financial difference over time. Wasted energy transforms into heat and increases electricity bills over the years of daily use. A mechanical system preserves the full efficiency of a direct connection while offering the exact same convenience as a wireless system. Additionally, owners do not need to install heavy or expensive hardware inside their electric cars to make it work. The robotic arm functions perfectly with any standard charging port already built into the vehicle.

Xiaomi has not confirmed a final price for the new accessory, which will join its current lineup of 7 kW and 11 kW wallbox chargers. Price will decide whether home consumers adopt the technology. The company faces rising competition in the automated charging sector, particularly within the Chinese market. Other automakers are rushing to develop similar hands-free systems for their own premium electric cars – Li Auto announced ongoing tests for its own automatic charging robot during the launch of the Li Auto i8 electric SUV.

Similarly, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA from Huawei) revealed an automated charging system for the Aito M8. That setup allows drivers to use an off-vehicle parking feature to send the car into a bay, where a robotic arm opens the port and inserts the plug automatically. Beyond automotive brands, independent infrastructure companies are entering the race. Star Charge introduced its own fully automatic robotic system called Armstrong – it achieves millimeter-level accuracy, connects in under 40 seconds, supports liquid-cooled ultra-fast charging, and uses a patented adapter ring to fit various global plug standards.

Chinese manufacturers focus heavily on residential solutions, and global automakers are exploring public applications for this technology. Hyundai has been testing its own automatic charging robots at Incheon International Airport to assist travelers. Other companies are testing ceiling-rail-mounted robots that slide across commercial parking garages to service multiple vehicles. Because roughly 80 percent of EV charging takes place at home, Xiaomi’s compact garage-ready arm could give the company a meaningful advantage if the retail price is reasonable.

Via

In 2024, Porsche unveiled its second all-electric model, the Macan EV, nearly 5 years after its first electric model, the Taycan sedan, which was unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Now, the brand’s third and biggest EV, the Cayenne, with 3.5-tonne towing, has been spotted on the ROVER approval-for-sale register, offered in two variants. This was first spotted by Roland L from the Zapped Au YouTube channel on X.

The variants include:

• Cayenne Electric – $167,800 plus on-roads
• Cayenne Turbo Electric – $259,900 plus on-roads

The 4.9-metre-long SUV will be available with a height of 1.74 metres and a running clearance of 175 mm. 

All variants will weigh between 2.5 and 2.65 tonnes, depending on the powertrain configurations.

Braked towing is approved for up to 3,500 kg, while non-braked towing is limited to 750 kg across these variants.

Battery details for the Cayenne show that it comes equipped with a 113 kWh pack, based on the 800 V architecture, with DC charging and a peak charging rate of up to 400 kW.

This will help get the SUV from 10% to 80% in as little as 16 minutes and can deliver a total range of up to 642 km on the WLTP cycle.

On the power front, the base variant produces 325 kW while the top-spec Turbo model bumps that up massively to 850 kW, helping it sprint from 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds.

With Porsche sales in Australia needing a boost, this model could help the brand get the kickstart it needs amid growing competition from premium brands like BYD-owned Denza and Geely-backed Zeekr.

If power and towing are important to Australian luxury car buyers, this model could be worth keeping an eye on. We look forward to getting behind the wheel of it when it lands later this year.

Please sign up for The Driven’s free daily newsletter and get the latest EV news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox. 

Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.

• The Volvo EX30 made big promises when it was announced a couple of years ago.
• Edmunds bought one and now, a year later, the verdict is in.
• From an ultra-sensitive driver monitoring system to the key fob that works only half the time, the EX30 has been “a very frustrating car to live with.”

The Volvo EX30 was supposed to be the next great small, powerful, and affordable EV in America. With an estimated starting price of around $35,000, it had a lot going for it—at least on paper.

But that price never materialized, and the first units shipped to the U.S. ended up costing a lot more. Edmunds bought one of those cars, a 2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance, for $47,895. One year and 8,000 miles later, the publication is not mincing words: “It’s been rough,” the staff unanimously said about the Swedish small EV, pointing to glitchy software, insufficient driving range, lackluster charging speeds, and an infuriating key fob.

But first, let’s start with a few good things. The EX30 is a properly small car—21 inches shorter than the Tesla Model Y—and it has its advantages. It can be parked pretty much everywhere, and yet it still has enough interior space for four adults.

The seats are really comfortable, the cabin design is creative, and it’s properly quick, with Edmunds clocking the EV’s zero-to-60 miles per hour sprint at just 3.6 seconds—the same as a brand-new Porsche 911 Cabriolet.

However, the good stuff ends here. The biggest gripe with the car’s driving experience is linked to the overly sensitive driver monitoring system, which immediately beeps to alarm the driver when they take their eyes off the road. That may come in handy when there’s an immediate danger, but it’s also extremely annoying because Volvo forces the driver to take their eyes off the road to operate the centrally-mounted infotainment touchscreen that controls all of the settings.

The software experience has been lackluster, with Apple CarPlay sometimes failing to launch. What’s more, there are only two window switches, with an additional “Rear” button that needs to be pressed to operate the rear windows, but the capacitive button itself doesn’t work all the time.

Then, there’s the key, which isn’t actually a key. It doesn’t have any buttons and instead only locks and unlocks the car based on proximity. The problem here, as explained by Edmunds’ staff, is that it only works half of the time. Sometimes, it even locks the car when you try to open the door, which can be extremely frustrating. That said, there is a digital key that fixes all of these issues, but you have to use your smartphone.

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Source: Patrick George

The 2025 model year in Edmunds’ fleet doesn’t have true one-pedal driving, but later models come with the feature baked in.

It’s worth noting that we experienced some of these issues when driving a similar 2025 EX30 last year. Our former editor-in-chief even considered buying a new EX30, but ultimately went for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 because of the issues.

Range-wise, this particular car has 250 miles of EPA-rated range, while the Edmunds range test puts it at 256 miles. If highways are used predominantly, then the range drops to around 200 miles, which is not exactly good for road-tripping, seeing how charging speeds are also not the best, with a peak of around 150 kilowatts and a claimed 10-to-80% time of 26 minutes.

With all this in mind, Edmunds points out that the EX30 has been a very reliable car over the past 12 months. It never broke down, and it never left anyone stranded. Volvo also pushed several software updates that vastly improved the vehicle compared to when it was new. Initially, it was a mess of a car that felt unfinished—it should have been shipped last year with all the features that it has now.

The EX30 has been discontinued in the United States after just two years on sale, so all of these niggles won’t affect any new owners, but those looking for a used one should take all of this into consideration.

BYD announced the rollout of its first Flash Chargers in Europe, capable of charging EVs in just 5 minutes. The company introduced its first chargers in the UK and Germany and promised to build 3,000 chargers across Europe and 300 across the UK by the end of 2027.

The company’s Flash Chargers aren’t exactly new, but they are new to European drivers. Just one of BYD’s Flash Charging stations can deliver up to 1,500 kW of charging power, which is three times more than Tesla’s V4 Superchargers.

Additionally, BYD plans to undercut the competition from Tesla and Ionity and offer cheaper fares. It plans to do that by leveraging batteries. These batteries will charge overnight during off-peak hours and provide cheaper electricity to consumers. Additionally, BYD believes it can charge more EVs throughout the day compared to the competition, which will push prices down even further.

Naturally, if you want to utilize BYD’s fast chargers to the fullest, you have to own one of BYD’s EVs equipped with the latest Blade Battery 2.0. This battery can already be found in some BYD EVs, but only one model sold in Europe is compatible with the Flash Chargers, and that’s the Denza Z9 GT. At least for now.

Just a 5-minute charge will refill the battery from 10% to 70%, while a “full” charge from 10% to 97% takes only 9 minutes. Additionally, the technology promises minimal performance loss in low-temperature environments.

Via

Low-emission vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in Australia’s second-hand car market as motorists strive to conserve fuel.

But hybrid vehicles, rather than electric models, are proving to be in highest demand and the most resistant to price reductions.

The Australian Automotive Dealer Association and AutoGrab revealed the trends on Tuesday in used car sales figures from May, which also showed the automotive market had bounced back from a sales dip in April.

The news comes one week after new hybrid and electric vehicles sales broke records to represent almost half of all new cars sold in Australia during the month.

The latest sales report showed Australian drivers bought 221,323 second-hand vehicles during May – a rise of more than 17,700 cars compared to April.

Standard hybrid vehicles made up one in 10 used cars up to five years of age, while electric and plug-in hybrid models represented six per cent of sales.

The trend towards low-emission cars reflected consumer efforts to avoid petrol and diesel price rises caused by conflict in the Middle East, association chief executive James Voortman said.

“It’s no surprise to see hybrids performing so strongly,” he said.

“With household budgets still under pressure, many consumers are looking for ways to reduce fuel costs and hybrids offer a practical and proven solution.”

Hybrid cars were also the most likely to withstand discounting to secure a sale, the report found, and retained 93.4 per cent of their value.

By contrast, more than half of second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles were discounted before finding a buyer in May, which Mr Voortman said showed consumers were in the driver’s seat.

“The increase in discounting reflects a strong level of competition in the used vehicle market at the moment,” he said.

“Buyers are in a good position to compare options and negotiate on price.”

The report came on the same day BYD Australia revealed it had signed a three-year deal with Pickles to auction its second-hand fleet vehicles.

The agreement was another sign that Australia’s used electric vehicle market had evolved, Pickles motor vehicles general manager Chris Shaw said, and the move would make them accessible to a wider motoring audience

“We’re seeing increased confidence in used electric vehicles from both private buyers and the trade as the market develops, pricing becomes more accessible, and understanding of EV ownership continues to improve,” he said.

AAP

• PepsiCo is now using autonomous trucks to deliver soda and snacks in the United States.
• The American food and beverage company is using Gatik’s driverless box trucks to ferry products from site to site.
• The Isuzu-branded autonomous delivery vehicles are on the road today in Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas.

Your next bag of Doritos may have been delivered to the local warehouse using a fully autonomous box truck. That’s because PepsiCo, the American food and beverage giant, has partnered with Gatik AI, an autonomous driving technology startup, deploying several driverless box trucks across Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas.

The two companies have entered a multi-year strategic partnership to bring driverless freight into PepsiCo’s North American food and beverage supply chain, marking the largest commercial autonomous freight deployment to date, according to Gatik.

Photo by: Gatik

A total of 41 Isuzu-branded box trucks are currently making driverless deliveries in three American states, with more vehicles slated to join the fleet in the coming months. In Arizona, 35 vehicles roam unattended, with an additional five in Texas and one in Arkansas, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Gatik’s autonomous trucks are mainly used on routes that require few intermediate stops, with repeatability making driving better and safer with each pass. “Many of the routes that we’re operating are very repeatable and so, as the truck gets more history going through, it can become more sophisticated, and it learns as it goes,” said Jim Farrell, PepsiCo’s senior vice president of supply chain, for WSJ.

Some trucks deliver goods from manufacturing facilities to local warehouses, while others go from warehouses to stores. In the latter case, PepsiCo employees are there to meet the trucks and unload them. 

The Isuzu trucks, which are powered by combustion engines, have multiple cameras on the front and back, as well as radar and lidar sensors. Inside, the conventional truck cab retains the steering wheel and air conditioning, but Gatik fitted three big screens that show footage from the external cameras and the computer-vision system.

The main promises of autonomous delivery trucks are their near-perfect on-time scores and the fact that they don’t call in sick. According to Gatik, the driverless trucks in PepsiCo’s fleet have had an on-time delivery score of over 98%. This is particularly beneficial for companies like PepsiCo, especially during busy seasons when qualified drivers may not be readily available when needed.

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Source: Gatik