The biggest car news and reviews, no BS

Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday.

The United States Department of Justice has subpoenaed Apple and Google to provide information on at least 100,000 users who downloaded the EZ Lynk Auto Agent app. It’s only the latest measure the federal government has taken against EZ Lynk, as the DOJ sued the company in 2021 while claiming it refused to cooperate with an Environmental Protection Agency investigation. At the heart of the fight are accusations that EZ Lynk purposely assisted customers in modifying their vehicles to violate the Clean Air Act.

User privacy is the major concern with this move by the DOJ, as Forbes highlights. The outlet points to a joint letter from EZ Lynk and the DOJ to the court, in which the former disputes the subpoenas’ validity, while the latter states that its lawyers want to interview individuals about how they used EZ Lynk’s products. Consumer rights advocates question why the DOJ would need anyone’s identities, addresses, and purchase histories to do so.

“These requests for potentially hundreds of thousands of people’s PII go well beyond the needs of this case and create serious privacy concerns,” EZ Lynk’s lawyers wrote. “Investigating this claim does not require identifying each person who has used the product.”

However, the DOJ says that anyone who agreed to EZ Lynk’s terms and conditions “no longer [has] a cognizable privacy interest as to that information.”

The DOJ also subpoenaed Walmart and Amazon to provide names and addresses for people who bought the EZ Lynk Auto Agent hardware.

There’s no question that drivers use EZ Lynk’s technology to defeat the emissions systems on their vehicles. You can find evidence of it across the web, with diesel truck drivers using it to reflash their engine control unit after removing the diesel particulate filter or exhaust gas recirculation system. But not everyone who has purchased an EZ Lynk Auto Agent or downloaded the app uses it for that purpose. It’s advertised to shop technicians for vehicle diagnostics, as well as fleet managers who need to monitor drivers’ electronic logging devices. It’s effectively a do-it-all OBDII tool that people can deploy for many reasons, including illegal ones.

Some may find the government’s continued pursuit of EZ Lynk surprising, given the EPA’s softened stance on enforcement. As far back as 2023, the agency has said that emissions defeat devices are no longer a top priority. It later announced that it would no longer pursue criminal charges over OBDII tampering. We’ve even seen President Trump pardon a convicted diesel tuner who was jailed for removing emissions components from trucks.

Nevertheless, the fight between the DOJ and EZ Lynk continues.

Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com

The Apollo Evo is probably the most extreme hypercar ever to come out of Germany, and it will soon be part of the Hamilton Collection. The car is expected to be delivered by the end of this year.

The Apollo Evo is an evolution of the equally outrageous Apollo IE (Intensa Emozione). While the company has made several improvements to make the car more usable, it still looks like a fire-breathing creature from Avatar.

Only 10 examples are being produced, and the final chassis has been reserved for the Hamilton Collection. The carbon fibre monocoque that will form the backbone of the Apollo Evo is ready. It even has a plaque with the Hamilton Collection logo.

At its heart is a 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine that revs to 8,500 rpm and produces 800 hp and 564 lb-ft of torque. It uses a Hewland sequential six-speed transmission, which is operated via paddle shifters, with 100% of the power going to the rear axle.

The Apollo Evo is capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in just 2.5 seconds. and will reach 208 mph on the open road.

South Korea car giant Hyundai says it has experienced a massive surge in interest in electric vehicles, which now account for 20 per cent of its order volume, up from 3 per cent before the fuel supply crisis emerged after the breakout of the latest Middle East war.

The company says it has seen a more than four-fold increase in EV orders in March – up to 1,037 from 228 in February – with the Kona EV and the newly released Elexio leading the way.

“EVs now account for 20% of our volume – previously we were at less than 3%,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia director of sales, David Rodda. “We are planning for a 70% increase in EV orders for the second quarter over Q1.”

Rodda says Hyundai Australia has  secured a 158% supply increase of EVs for quarter two to meet this unprecedented level of demand, and these vehicles will start to arrive from May. It is confident the increased supply can continue for the rest of the year.

Hyundai says it has a supply of 1,226 Kona EVs for the second quarter, up from 305 in the March quarter, and also has 1,180 of the new Elexio EVs, up from 750 in the first quarter. Wait times are several months.

It is also increasing its supply of the small Inster (to 255 from 84), and the Ioniq 5 (to 150 from 96). It says the order level in March and April is triple the level of January and February for the Kona, Inster and Ioniq 5, and more than 10-fold for the Elexio.

Hyundai also provided this week by week data of its order numbers, showing the surge in interest in the 3rd and 4th week of March.

Hyundai says it expects to boost order with the release of the Ioniq 3 hatch early next year and the Staria commercial van later this year. It is also seeing a strong interest in hybrid orders, which rose to 3,966 in March from 3,049 in February, and accounted for a record 57 per cent of total orders in March.

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

Sign up for The Driven’s free daily newsletter by going to the button on the bottom right of the website’s home page at www.thedriven.io

Chinese automaker GAC has confirmed full Australian pricing and specifications for its electric hatchback Aion UT, with the entry-level Premium grade starting from $31,990 RRP (before on-roads) – adding to the growing number of EVs priced at the lower end of the market.

Order books are open now, and the brand is sweetening the deal with a pre-order drive-away price of $30,990 for the first 600 customers. That price makes it straight away one of the more compelling budget EV propositions to land in Australia.

The Aion UT becomes GAC’s second BEV model in Australia, joining the Aion V, having only arrived on Australian shores in late 2025.

Both the base Premium and higher-spec Luxury models are powered by the same 150kW/210Nm front-mounted electric motor and 60kWh battery pack delivering a WLTP-rated 430km of range, a good number in this segment where some competitors are still trading in the 300km territory.

The Luxury model is priced from $35,990 before on-roads (or drive away if you are one the first 600 to pre-order before April 9), and adds a powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof with electric sunshade, wireless phone charging and a ventilated driver’s seat.

Pre-order buyers of either variant also receive a bonus 10A portable charger and a 22kW wall charger, which adds an extra $1,500 to $2,000 in value to the offer.

GAC is backing the car with its now-standard 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty, while the Magazine Battery 2.0 pack is covered for 8 years/200,000km. Five years of roadside assistance is included, subject to servicing at one of GAC’s 19 dealerships nationally. First deliveries are expected from Q2 2026.

The Aion UT enters at a time of unprecedented uptake of electric vehicles in Australia, with interest only expected to increase with the rise of oil prices.

Battery electric vehicle sales in Australia accounted for nearly 12% of the total market in February 2026, nearly doubling the 5.9% share recorded in the same month last year.

BEV sales in 2026 so far stand around 50% ahead of the same period in 2025. Thanks to their established presence in the Australian EV market, last month marked the first time China overtook Japan as the largest source of new vehicles sold in Australia.

The small electric hatchback segment in particular is heating up, with the likes of the BYD Dolphin, MG 4 and GWM Ora being the established rivals, and with the Aion UT now joining the fray alongside an incoming MG 4 Urban and the Geely EX2, all expected later in 2026.

The benchmark for outright price remains the BYD Atto 1, which holds the title of Australia’s most affordable EV at $23,990 plus on-road costs. The Aion UT isn’t trying to beat that, instead targeting a slightly more premium rung.

A fair comparison is to the range-topping BYD Dolphin Premium, given the Aion UT’s 150kW motor and 430km of range put it a clear step above the base Dolphin’s 70kW motor and 340km range.

On that basis, $30,990 drive-away for the pre-order Premium is a genuinely competitive number. The wall charger inclusion removes one of the more common friction points for first-time EV buyers, and the 430km (WLTP) range figure gives the UT real-world credibility.

The Aion UT appears to be part of an aggressive local growth strategy from GAC Australia. President Kevin Shu has confirmed plans to bring more than 10 models to Australia over the next five years, with ambitions to grow to 100 dealers nationally by 2030.

OMODA-JAECOO Australia has received over 1000 orders for its newly announced Jaecoo J5 EV following the opening of the books just last week.

 

The Chinese importer says the milestone reflects growing consumer demand for accessibly priced, well-equipped electric SUVs, and positions the J5 EV as one of the fastest growing new electric vehicle nameplates to enter the market this year.

 

“The response to the Jaecoo J5 has exceed our expectations,” said Omoda-Jaecoo chief commercial officer Roy Munoz.

 

“Hitting 1000 orders so quickly shows Australians are moving fast when an EV delivers the right mix of modern design, advanced technology, and outstanding value.

 

“We are seeing customers act early to secure their place in the queue.”

 

Mr Munoz says the J5 EV is built for everyday Australia, with up to 402km of driving range and a DC fast charging time of just 28 minutes.

 

Equipment highlights include 18-inch alloy wheels shod with Continental tyres, a powered tailgate, vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, remote start with climate control memory, LED exterior lighting, acoustic glass for the front doors, dual-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery over heated and ventilated front seats, and a 50-watt wireless device charging pad.

 

Infotainment features include an 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster and 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, the latter including eight-speaker audio, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, ‘Hello Jaecoo’ voice control, and a 360-degree camera system.

 

Under the bonnet, the J5 utilises a single electric motor producing 155kW/288Nm and driving the front wheels. Jaecoo quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.7 seconds while having an energy consumption figure of 143Wh per kilometre.

 

The model features as standard seven airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane keeping, forward collision warning, and many more among its standard safety suite.

 

As elsewhere in the Jaecoo range, the J5 will be backed by the importer’s eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and included high-voltage battery coverage and capped-price servicing plan.

 

The model is now available to order with a premium-paint inclusive driveaway price of $36,990 – but only for a limited time.

 

“With growing interest and limited launch allocation remaining, we encourage customers who want the J5 at launch value to act sooner rather than later,” added Mr Munoz.