hit – Engine Icon https://engineicon.com Latest car news and advice blog Tue, 14 Jul 2026 02:07:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://engineicon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cropped-ME_favicon-1-32x32.png hit – Engine Icon https://engineicon.com 32 32 Carmakers Panic About Memory Chips, GRMN Corolla US Allocation Revealed, Tesla’s Unsupervised Robotaxis Hit Austin https://engineicon.com/carmakers-panic-about-memory-chips-grmn-corolla-us-allocation-revealed-teslas-unsupervised-robotaxis-hit-austin/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:18:42 +0000 https://engineicon.com/carmakers-panic-about-memory-chips-grmn-corolla-us-allocation-revealed-teslas-unsupervised-robotaxis-hit-austin/

Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s daily news roundup serving up the biggest automotive headlines from around the world.

The Downshift recaps news items in a sentence or two, fit with links to the deeper story. Here’s the bulletin for Thursday, June 4, 2026.

💾 A number of trade groups and lobbies across industries, including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation which comprises many manufacturers, have signed and sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments sounding the alarm about the global drought of memory chips caused by the construction of AI data centers, and how that has and will continue to impact prices for consumers. There are some levers that policy makers can pull, but additional domestic manufacturing capacity will take years to materialize. [Bloomberg]

⛐ Toyota will ship “fewer than 500 units” of the new, more hardcore GRMN Corolla to the U.S., according to a marketing email sent out by the automaker.

🔌 Volkswagen of America CEO Kjell Gruner has reiterated that the ID4 and EVs in general will continue to be a staple in the automaker’s U.S. lineup, saying, “What’s important—because sometimes that was a bit misunderstood—is that the ID4 will remain in the market. It’s very important. We will have EVs in the market. Not just one, but at least two. For the time being, that’s going to be the ID4 and then the successor of the ID4.” [Automotive News]

🚕 Tesla has introduced unsupervised robotaxis in Austin, Texas. The company currently operates around 50 vehicles in the region, compared to Waymo’s 250. [Reuters]

⛽ Fuel economy numbers out of Canada for the upcoming C8 Corvette featuring the larger LS6 engine indicate that the new V8 shouldn’t consume much more gas than the current LT2. [GM Authority]

⚡ Rolls-Royce has given the electric Spectre a range and power bump for 2027, as well as the addition of a NACS charging port. [Automotive News]

💰 Carvana was reportedly granted the option to purchase shares of new electric truck company Slate Auto last year, though it is unclear if the automotive retailer seized the opportunity. [TechCrunch]

🤖 Meanwhile, Uber is said to have invested nearly $500 million in self-driving tech startup Nuro up to this point, in addition to the same amount it’s poured into EV-maker Lucid. The rideshare company wants to unite the two firms to offer Lucid Gravity robotaxis in its fleet. [Reuters]

Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com

Backed by a decade of covering cars and consumer tech, Adam Ismail is a Senior Editor at The Drive, focused on curating and producing the site’s slate of daily stories.


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VFACTS: Electrified sales hit 46pc in May https://engineicon.com/vfacts-electrified-sales-hit-46pc-in-may/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:44:09 +0000 https://engineicon.com/vfacts-electrified-sales-hit-46pc-in-may/

THE IRAN WAR has seen Australian new car buyers shift rapidly towards the purchase of electrified vehicles with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric sales accounting for 46 per cent of the overall count for the month of May.

 

Combined data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) show Australians purchased 106,887 new vehicles in May, down 2538 units on the month prior (-2.3 per cent).

 

The year-to-date tally for 2026 sits at 491,525 units from both sources, down 5168 units on the May 2025 (-1.0 per cent).

 

Across the segments, we note a further decline for the majority of passenger cars segments with the Micro passenger segment down a further 2.8 per cent YoY (to 562 units in May), the Small passenger under $45K segment down a whopping 18.9 per cent (to 3693 units), the Small passenger over $45K segment down 3.1 per cent (to 1424 units), and Large passenger vehicles on either side of the $70K price divide down 52.9 and 34.2 per cent respectively (to eight and 129 units).

 

The Light passenger segment bucked the trend rising 5.4 per cent YoY (to 2383 units), as did the Medium passenger vehicles on either side of the $60K barrier, up 18.7 and 35.3 per cent respectively (to 1795 and 1437 units), buoyed in no small part to the greater availability of new energy entrants from within the segment.

 

Upper Large segment passenger cars fell 50.0 per cent (to just 15 units) while People Movers under $70K fell 20.2 per cent (to 970 units). People movers over $70K increased by 26.6 per cent across May (to 214 units).

 

Perhaps indicating a holdback on discretionary spending, we note a decline across all Sports car segments in May. Sports cars under $90K fell 49.4 per cent (to 503 units), Sports cars over $90K dropped 34.0 per cent (to 246 units), and Sports cars over $200K slid 25.9 per cent (to 100 units even).

 

Shifting focus to SUV sales and we note more mixed results…

 

Light segment SUV sales fell 25.7 per cent (to 3350 units) YoY for the May period, while Small segment SUV under $45K sales rose 7.8 per cent (to 14,987 units). Small segment SUV over $45K sales fell 18.3 per cent (to 3076 units), while Medium segment SUV under $65K sales rose 26.9 per cent (to 23,406 units, the highest singular segment in May 2026).

 

Medium segment SUV over $65K sales were likewise up in May, rising 36.9 per cent (to 10,865 units), while Large segment SUV sales on either side of the $80K split sank, down 25.4 and 16.2 per cent respectively (to 9846 and 2030 units).

 

Upper Large SUV sales on both sides of the segment’s $120K division were also down, falling 27.0 and 9.6 per cent respectively (to 2017 and 44 units).

 

Light passenger buses were also down in May, the segment showing a decline in both the under and over 20-seat categories. Sales of lower capacity light passenger buses dropped a substantial 85.6 per cent in May (to 68 units), while higher capacity light passenger buses declined by 44.4 per cent (to 35 units).

 

Interestingly, counterpart light commercial vans rose incrementally across the same period, with vehicles in the sub-2.5t category up 13.1 per cent (to 138 units) and vehicles in the 2.5-3.5t category up 2.5 per cent to 2035 units.

 

Perennially popular light commercial utility vehicles faced a fall from form in May, with sales of two-wheel drive pick-up and cab-chassis models sliding 4.8 per cent (to 2008 units) and four-wheel drive pick-up and cab-chassis models slipping 18.0 per cent (to 14,891 units).

 

Despite the descent, pick-up and cab-chassis models remain high in the sales charts for May with the Ford Ranger (4474 units) and Toyota HiLux (4005 units) ranking in first- and second place for the month.

 

Countering the downward trend, Larger pick-up and cab-chassis models, those in the over $100K category, rose 44.2 per cent across May to achieve sales of 851 units. However, Heavy commercial vehicle sales elsewhere were down, falling 14.4 per cent (to 3362 units).

 

On a brand-by-brand basis, we note Toyota on top for May with sales of 16,342 units. That figure represents a year-on-year decline of 30.7 per cent (or 7234 units), reducing the Japanese brand’s market share to just 15.3 per cent.

 

BYD placed second in May with sales of 8211 units (up 7.7 per cent) ahead of Ford with 7195 units (down 15.0 per cent), Hyundai with 7007 units (up 4.5 per cent), Kia with 6761 units (down 2.1 per cent), and Tesla with 6433 units (up 65.1 per cent).

 

Top models for the month of May saw Tesla top the charts with 5605 registrations of its newly updated Model Y (up 56.6 per cent YoY), leading the four-wheel drive Ford Ranger with 4051 unit sales (down 9.6 per cent YoY), the Toyota RAV4 with 3865 unit sales (down 3.4 per cent YoY), the Toyota HiLux with 3685 units (down 12.4 per cent YoY), and the Hyundai Kona with 2291 unit sales (up 17.4 per cent YoY).

 

While economic challenges continue to take their toll on the new car market more broadly, we note steady sales from private buyers across passenger and SUV segments. Business buyers purchased more light commercial vehicles in May, while rental fleet buyers purchased more passenger and SUV models than government fleet purchasers.

 

Unsurprisingly, Chinese-made vehicles continued to lead as Australia’s preferred source of new vehicles in May with 37,229 units from the People’s Republic registered (up 74.1 per cent YoY). Japan trailed in second place with 22,823 registrations (down 28.9 per cent) ahead of third place Thailand with 17,552 units (down 22.1 per cent), fourth place South Korea with 13,184 units (up 5.2 per cent), and fifth place Germany with 4597 units (down 6.5 per cent).

 

As indicated at the outset, however, is a shift in Australian’s driveline preference that comes as a most significant alteration.

 

Spurred by fuel shortages as a result of the Iran War, Australians are rapidly changing the type of vehicles they purchase, with FCAI data showing a significant shift away from internal combustion power and towards electrified options.

 

In May, sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) across all categories rose by 202.3 per cent year-on-year (to 9315 units). Traditional hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales jumped 11.3 per cent (to 19,024 units) while battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales shot up 111.7 per cent (to 21,303 units).

 

Despite a fall in popularity of 30.3 per cent, petrol-powered vehicles continued to prove the most popular overall in May with 28,692 unit sales, closely followed by diesel-powered vehicles with 25,191 units (down 26.2 per cent).

 

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the results demonstrated the pace of consumer adoption of lower-emission technologies in response to an international energy shock.

 

“The shift is particularly evident in the SUV segment, where consumer preferences are changing rapidly,” he said, while noting that more work was to be done on EV charging infrastructure if a greater update of PHEV and BEV models was to eventuate.

 

“Today’s SUV buyer is increasingly choosing hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric options,” he noted.

 

“(But) as the number of EVs on the road continues to grow, charging infrastructure must become more of a priority.

 

“Continued investment and enabling policy settings will be essential to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with consumer adoption.”

 

Mr Weber said yesterday’s findings by Victoria’s parliamentary inquiry reinforce what consumers and industry have been saying for some time.

 

“Charging infrastructure rollout must accelerate if Australia is to maintain consumer confidence and support continued uptake,” stressed Mr Weber.

 

“The evidence increasingly demonstrates that NVES is encouraging manufacturers to bring more low emissions vehicles to Australia, increasing both consumer choice and technology availability.

 

“Regulatory stability and growth in public charging infrastructure is now critical to maintaining investment, consumer confidence and continued growth, particularly during a period of global economic uncertainty.”

 

Top 10 vehicle sales by make (May 2026)*:

 

Make

Sales

Share

Variance

Toyota

16,342

15.3%

-30.7%

BYD

8,211

7.7%

+7.7%

Ford

7,195

6.7%

-15.0%

Hyundai

7,007

6.6%

+4.5%

Kia

6,761

6.3%

-2.1%

Tesla

6,433

6.0%

+65.1%

Mazda

5,698

5.3%

-27.4%

GWM

4,660

4.4%

+9.1%

Chery

4,401

4.1%

+59.7%

MG

3,872

3.6%

+18.4%

Mitsubishi

3,307

3.1%

-30.6%

 

Top 10 vehicle sales by model (May 2026)*:

 

Make/Model

Sales

Variance

Tesla Model Y

5,605

+56.6%

Ford Ranger 4×4

4,051

-9.6%

Toyota RAV4

3,865

-3.4%

Toyota HiLux

3,685

-12.4%

Hyundai Kona

2,291

+17.4%

Hyundai Tucson

2,287

+27.5%

Omoda Jaecoo J5

2,172

New entrant

Chery Tiggo 4

2,123

+23.1%

Ford Everest

1,876

-20.8%

Geely EX5

1,814

+255.0%

 

State-by-state sales (May 2026)*:

 

State/Territory

Sales

Variance

Australian Capital Territory

1,575

-1.5%

New South Wales

33,465

-0.4%

Northern Territory

821

-5.7%

Queensland

22,182

-6.2%

South Australia

6,737

+0.1%

Tasmania

1,667

+5.2%

Victoria

29,382

-1.6%

Western Australia

11,058

-4.4%

 

*All sales data is supplied courtesy of the FCAI and the EVC.

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Tesla opens two new Supercharger stations, as fast charging costs hit new low of 27c/kWh https://engineicon.com/tesla-opens-two-new-supercharger-stations-as-fast-charging-costs-hit-new-low-of-27c-kwh/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:40:10 +0000 https://engineicon.com/tesla-opens-two-new-supercharger-stations-as-fast-charging-costs-hit-new-low-of-27c-kwh/

Tesla has opened two new Suerpcharger stations in Australia, just weeks after hitting the milestone of opening its 150th Supercharger site in the country, and is also offering some staggering low charging prices.

The two new sites are at Braybrook in Victoria and Osborne Park in Western Australia, and include off-peak pricing pitched at record lows, just as drivers of petrol and diesel cars continue to deal with a surge in bowser prices as a result of the war in the Gulf.

The Driven last week reported on the cost advantages of driving an EV over an ICE (internal combustion engine) car, which are being highlighted in a new website with updates on a daily basis.

See our story: How far will $1 get you in a diesel car and an EV, and which cars are cheapest to drive?

The new Tesla Supercharger site at Osborne Park features 8-stalls and is open to both Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles, and includes – for the first time in W.A. – the company’s V4 superchargers with speeds of up to 322 kW.

Pricing for Tesla vehicles is as low as $0.32 per kWh, while non-Tesla vehicles can pay as little as $0.45 at times if charging without a Tesla Supercharger membership.

The other site is located in Melbourne’s inner western suburb of Braybrook with 4 stalls. Each of these is rated at 250 kW.

Incredibly, the pricing before 8am is just $0.27 per kWh for Tesla EVs, while non-Tesla vehicles pay $0.37. That’s cheaper than many AC chargers, let alone high speed reliable DC fast charging.

It’s also certainly cheaper than fuel for ICE vehicles in the current price cycle.

These two sites bring the total Tesla sites to 152 and comes in under two years after the 100th site opened in South Australia in September 2024.

Latest data compiled by carloop also shows the growth in our local Supercharger network, which now stands at 1,001 Supercharger bays.

Over the last 16 months, the number of Tesla Superchargers has grown by over 40%, making more reliable charging available across many parts of the country.

The most recent surge in sites have been focused in NSW, partially driven by co-funding of EV charging by the state government, so it’s good to see Tesla opening sites in other parts of the country too.

The latest sites are part of the significant global growth and also come just weeks after the company announced that it had hit its 80,000th supercharger, in France.

The recent surge in adoption and EV interest will also provide extra confidence to charge point operators to continue to grow infrastructure, which some saw being tested during parts of the Easter break.

With prices of Tesla’s DC chargers being as low as they are at times of the day, it’ll surely drive utilisation across its network in months to come.

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What EV Slowdown? Used Electric Car Sales Hit A Record High In March https://engineicon.com/what-ev-slowdown-used-electric-car-sales-hit-a-record-high-in-march/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:37:48 +0000 https://engineicon.com/what-ev-slowdown-used-electric-car-sales-hit-a-record-high-in-march/

  • Used EV sales are bouncing back strongly after the end of EV tax credits in September. 
  • Americans bought nearly 43,000 used EVs in March, according to new industry data, marking a new monthly record. 
  • Last month, used EV sales rose by 28% year over year, as new EV sales slumped by almost the same amount. 

As new electric vehicles struggle to gain traction again, the market for used electric cars is swiftly shaking off the loss of EV tax credits, new sales data published last week shows.

In March, according to Cox Automotive, Americans bought 42,924 secondhand electric cars. That is by far the best month for used EVs since Congress eliminated all EV tax credits at the end of the third quarter of 2025; from October through February, monthly used EV sales numbered roughly 30,000, plus or minus a couple-thousand units, according to Cox. But that’s not all. Last month’s used EV sales represented a new record, surpassing August’s 40,960 units. That previous record came at the height of the tax-credit-fueled EV-buying frenzy, so topping it this quickly is impressive.

It all suggests that the post-tax-credit hangover may be in the rearview for the used EV market—and underscores how drastically the markets for new and used EVs are diverging. The short-lived federal tax credit for used EVs provided up to $4,000 toward the purchase of a vehicle that cost $25,000 or less, so long as buyers also fell below income caps. Americans rushed to claim the credit throughout last summer. But even without it, used EVs are proving to be a fast-growing bright spot in an otherwise gloomy EV industry. In March, used EV sales were up 27.7%, per Cox. 

We break down the week’s biggest EV stories every Friday

Compare that with what’s happening with new EVs. After the $7,500 incentive met its early end in September, sales of new EVs fell by over 50%. They’ve struggled to recover. In March, roughly 83,000 new EVs were sold, a 20% month-over-month gain, but a nearly 25% year-over-year decline, per Cox.

Supply is a big part of the used-EV success story. There has never been a better time to shop for a lightly used, modern, long-range EV. All those cheap EV leases people jumped into over the last few years are starting to return to dealerships. Meanwhile, automakers are shifting focus to combustion vehicles and pulling electric models from the market, dinging sales of new vehicles.






2024 Kia EV6 Winter Test

Off-lease EVs present a huge buying opportunity for EV shoppers on a budget. 

Photo by: Patrick George

High gas prices may have something to do with the strong results too. “The influence of high gas prices can’t be ignored in the numbers,” Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox, wrote in a statement on Wednesday. 

The used EV market may continue on being the industry’s growth engine for some time. Over 1 million EVs are set to come off lease in the next two years, according to Recurrent, flooding dealerships with nice, two-to-three-year-old electric cars. And high prices at the pump look like they’re sticking around too. 

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com

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EV sales hit record high in March amid fuel price hikes, BYD overtakes Tesla again https://engineicon.com/ev-sales-hit-record-high-in-march-amid-fuel-price-hikes-byd-overtakes-tesla-again/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:26:15 +0000 https://engineicon.com/ev-sales-hit-record-high-in-march-amid-fuel-price-hikes-byd-overtakes-tesla-again/

Electric vehicle sales in March reached an all-time high in Australia, reaching a record number of 15,839 and a record share of 14.5 per cent – nearly double the share in the same month last year – as consumers searched out EVs amid the global fuel crisis.

The EV sales were led by China’s BYD, which once again overtook Tesla in total brand sales, but could have been higher were it not for many companies running out of stock. Tesla last week promised more ships, and more deliveries, after the wait time for its Model Y electric SUV blew out to several months.

BYD, which has a number of different models, sold a total of 4,206 EVs in March, beating Tesla with 3,485, although the Model Y regained its position as the top selling EV with 2,818 – which would put it at number 3 in the overall list behind the popular Ford and Toyota diesel utes.

Other EV makers also boosted sales, helped by multiple incentives that were already in place in March before Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, soaring prices and concerns about fuel supply as many servos ran out of fuel.

In March last year, EVs accounted for only 7.5% of total new car sales.

EV Sales Breakdown – March 2026

FCAI vFacts 12,194
EVC (Polestar + Tesla) 3,645
EV Sales Total (FCAI + EVC) 15,839
Total Vehicle Sales (FCAI + EVC) 108,703

For the first three months of the year, EV sales have doubled in Australia. Last year they totalled 17,901, and 2026 already shows 34,382 new electric cars made it onto the road.

In March, PHEV sales increased from the previous month, with 8,215 PHEVs sold, up from over 5,000 in February.

Looking into the EV models that made up the top 5 Tesla sales, the Tesla Model Y stayed at the top spot with 2,818 sales. The Sealion 7 SUV came in the second spot with 1,970 sales. 

Image: Riz Akhtar

The third spot went to Zeekr’s 7X, raking in 679 sales during the month. Tesla Model 3 and Geely EX5 made up the rest of the top 5.

Other notable mentions include the BYD Atto 1, Australia’s cheapest EV, which saw 488 sales in its best month to date. Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV also showed solid growth in the SUV segment, surpassing 500 sales in the month.

The best-selling EVs in March 2026 were:

  • Tesla Model Y – 2,818 sales
  • BYD Sealion 7 – 1,970 sales
  • Zeekr 7X – 679 sales
  • Tesla Model 3 – 667 sales
  • Geely EX5 – 606 sales
  • Kia EV5 – 587 sales
  • BYD Atto 2 – 572 sales
  • Omoda Jaecoo J5 – 569 sales
  • BYD Atto 1 – 488 sales
  • MG S5 – 475 sales
  • BYD Atto 3 – 466 sales
  • Kia EV3 – 461 sales

The Driven is waiting to hear back from various manufacturers regarding sales of some EV models, and this will be updated once they are received.  You can see our detailed data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026 – by model and by brand

FCAI CEO Tony Weber said it is too early to determine whether this represents a structural shift in the market. “More consumers are considering EVs due to the disruption to fuel supply caused by conflict in the Middle East, along with the review into the fringe benefits tax concession for EVs,” he said in a statement.

“The automotive industry would welcome a sustained shift to EVs, given its substantial investment in bringing more than 100 EV models to the Australian market and the industry’s efforts to meet ambitious NVES targets.

 “A long-term shift to EVs will require Australian governments to sharpen their focus on public charging infrastructure, particularly in regional areas and locations where home charging is not practical.”

Will the recent growth in interest and EV lead times being pushed out for brands like Tesla and others impact upcoming monthly sales? Time will tell.  

See full details of EV sales for each month of the year in our database here.

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Rebates and tax cuts urged for EVs as petrol prices hit $4 a litre https://engineicon.com/rebates-and-tax-cuts-urged-for-evs-as-petrol-prices-hit-4-a-litre/ Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:01:13 +0000 https://engineicon.com/rebates-and-tax-cuts-urged-for-evs-as-petrol-prices-hit-4-a-litre/

Keeping tax cuts for electric cars and reintroducing state-based rebates could help more Australians avoid rising petrol prices and should be treated as a national security issue.

Automotive groups issued the call to governments on Friday as fuel prices reached almost $4 a litre in some parts of Australia and conflict in the Middle East continued to strain worldwide oil supplies.

Encouraging more motorists to adopt electric vehicles would not only help to extend Australia’s fuel reserves, they say, but could also accelerate progress towards 2035 environmental targets.

The call comes after sales figures revealed a record number of Australian drivers invested in EVs during February, and as the federal government reviews the Electric Car Discount introduced in 2022.

The discount removes fringe benefits tax from the price of some electric cars purchased through novated leases, and has been used by more than 114,000 Australians – significantly more than anticipated.

While critics have argued the discount should be discontinued, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said worldwide fuel volatility proved the opposite.

“Every time there is a conflict in oil-producing regions, Australians pay the price,” she said.

“The latest spike underscores a simple truth: as long as Australia relies on imported oil, households remain exposed to global shocks beyond our control.”

As well as retaining the tax discount, Ms Delvecchio said state governments should reinstate rebates offered for the purchase of electric cars to help households reduce their spending.

“Electric vehicles help families cut their transport costs by up to $3000 a year, and most of that saving comes from avoiding the cost of petrol, which is currently over $2 a litre,” she said.

“Supporting EV uptake is not just climate policy or industry policy, it’s national security policy.”

Submissions into the Electric Car Discount review closed on February 6 but recommendations are not expected until 2027.

Australia’s national petrol stockpile sat at 36 days’ supply, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said, as well as 34 days worth of diesel.

Retaining a tax cut for electric cars could help to extend that supply, National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association chief executive Rohan Martin said, as well as lowering carbon emissions.

“Helping more Australians afford cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars makes sense,” he said.

“More EVs are in the national and household interest.”

Electric cars made up 11.8 per cent of new car purchases in February, according to figures from the council and Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, up from 5.9 per cent in 2025.

AAP

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Global EV sales hit record 20.5 million in 2025 with BYD snatching the crown from Tesla https://engineicon.com/global-ev-sales-hit-record-20-5-million-in-2025-with-byd-snatching-the-crown-from-tesla/ Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:38:59 +0000 https://engineicon.com/global-ev-sales-hit-record-20-5-million-in-2025-with-byd-snatching-the-crown-from-tesla/

The global shift toward electric cars reached an important milestone last year. In 2025, drivers around the world bought 20.53 million new energy vehicles. This group includes battery-electric cars (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fuel-cell vehicles. This is a 26% jump compared to the year before, proving that the appetite for EVs is still growing, even if the pace is starting to shift.

The numbers are big, but experts at TrendForce expect things to calm down a bit in 2026. Global EV sales are projected to reach 23.4 million units this year – still an increase, but the growth rate is expected to drop to 14%. A big reason for this change is China, which until now was the main engine driving the world’s electric car market. That market is maturing now, and the rapid-fire growth we saw in previous years is naturally slowing down.

Global EV sales rankings - source: TrendForce
Global EV sales rankings – source: TrendForce

China still holds the title of the world’s largest market for electric cars, accounting for about 66% of all sales in 2025. Its own growth rate sat at 24%, which was actually a little bit lower than the global average. On the other side of the map, Western Europe had a fantastic year. Sales there grew by nearly 30%, marking the best performance for the region since 2022.

The most shocking news from the 2025 rankings involves the battle at the top. For the first time, the Chinese brand BYD has overtaken Tesla to become the world leader in battery-electric car sales. BYD saw its sales grow by 25% over the year. Tesla, on the other hand, saw its sales slide by about 9%. Many analysts believe Tesla struggled because it did not release enough new or updated models to keep shoppers interested.

Tesla Model X - source: Tesla
Tesla Model X – source: Tesla

Other Chinese companies are also making big moves. Geely climbed up to fourth place in the global rankings, doubling its market share from 3% to 6%. A lot of that success came from a small, affordable car called the Xingyuan, which costs less than 100,000 Chinese Yuan (about $13,800). Even the tech company Xiaomi is getting in on the action. It tripled its market share from 1% to 3% in just one year, landing it in eighth place globally.

Volkswagen is having a tougher time. Even though the German giant sold more cars overall, it lost ground in China. To fix this, Volkswagen launched a new brand specifically for Chinese drivers. They are also working closely with XPeng to build new cars together. We should see the first results of this partnership hit the streets real soon.

BYD is the new King of EV Sales
BYD is the new King of EV Sales

In the world of plug-in hybrids, BYD is still the king with a 31.5% market share. Unfortunately, even the king had a rough patch, seeing its first-ever drop in sales volume. Meanwhile, Li Auto, which used to be in second place, had a very difficult 2025. Its sales fell by 30%, and it dropped to fifth place in the hybrid rankings. To fight back, Li Auto is spending a lot of money on Artificial Intelligence to make its cars smarter and more high-tech.

2026 will bring some big changes to how people pay for electric cars. In China, the government is changing how it gives out discounts. Instead of a flat cash amount, the subsidy will be a percentage of the car’s price. This might make cheaper cars feel more expensive for buyers. In the United States, the situation is even more dramatic because federal subsidies for EVs have ended completely. Germany, on the other hand, is bringing back its subsidies and won’t care where the car was built, which is great news for brands imported from China.

BYD Han L -  source: BYD
BYD Han L – source: BYD

Building high-tech EVs is also getting more complicated – modern electric cars are basically computers on wheels, and they need a lot of memory chips. These chips usually only make up 1% to 5% of the total cost of building the car. If the price of critical components goes up or the supply runs low, it can cause big delays – something we have witnessed for the last few years. Automakers are now working harder than ever to make sure they have a steady supply of parts so they can keep their factory lines moving and their software updated.

2026 is shaping up to be a year of big changes. The EV markets around the world are maturing, and many automakers are bringing more affordable models to customers, while others are calling it quits on electric cars. The world is slowly getting divided with entire countries taking either a pro-EV stance or going back to fossil fuels – something we did not expect to ever happen.

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Car Prices Hit $50,000. Now the U.S. Wants to Ease Emissions Rules https://engineicon.com/car-prices-hit-50000-now-the-u-s-wants-to-ease-emissions-rules/ Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:02:31 +0000 https://engineicon.com/car-prices-hit-50000-now-the-u-s-wants-to-ease-emissions-rules/

The Solution to Rising Car Prices

A report from Reuters says the Trump administration’s top auto policy officials are seeking to lower vehicle prices by scaling back emissions regulations. This aligns with the fact that average new car prices surpassed $50,000 in December 2025.

Despite what some view as opposition to electrified vehicles, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the market should not depend on “government policy to encourage EV purchases while penalizing combustion engines.” That regulatory tilt was evident in recent automaker product strategies, with Dodge – a brand long associated with muscle cars – going so far as to discontinue the gas-powered Charger as the nameplate transitioned to a new generation initially led by an all-electric version.

Cole Attisha

The Policy Winds Change Direction

At the same time, combustion-powered vehicles appear to be regaining momentum, highlighted by the return of models such as the 777-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX. The shift follows policy changes under the current administration, including the elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and the removal of penalties tied to fuel-efficiency requirements. Even California – long viewed as a leader in EV adoption – saw its plan to phase out new gasoline-powered vehicle sales by 2035 rescinded.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Lee Zeldin reiterated that view, arguing the government “should not be forcing, requiring, mandating that the market go in a direction other than what the American consumer is demanding.”

So how can easing emissions regulations affect car prices? One factor is that automakers must invest in additional hardware to meet emissions rules and avoid penalties. This often includes electrified components such as electric motors that form part of hybrid systems. While these technologies improve fuel efficiency and performance – by operating in parallel or in series with an engine, as seen in Nissan’s e-Power system – they also add complexity and cost to vehicles.

Nissan

The Market’s Verdict So Far

The shift in EV policy may have weighed on brands such as Tesla, but overall U.S. new-vehicle sales still reportedly rose 2.4% in 2025 to 16.2 million units. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer added that the removal of EV incentives and the introduction of new tariffs are “not really getting down to the consumer,” suggesting that lower vehicle prices could still materialize.

The report also noted that the EPA is expected to finalize a rule in the coming weeks that would remove federal tailpipe emissions mandates.

Ford


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