Tag: ev
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A great Leapmotor forward? Ask Stellantis
Is the new Leapmotor B10 a sneak peek at the future of electric vehicles in North America? Or is it simply another warning shot in an ongoing series of trade skirmishes between China and a number of key overseas markets? Unveiled October 14 at the Paris auto show and targeted at global markets in 2025,…
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And Binguo was its name, oh . . .
I have often smiled at Asian automakers’ attempts to create “English-sounding” names for their vehicles. Who wouldn’t grin to see the Suzuki Every Joypop or the Isuzu Giga Light Dump? The Japanese, however, have been nudged aside by the Chinese when it comes to christening cars. In a previous column, I mentioned two recent favorites:…
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How Maverick might morph into King Kong
At the risk of offending fans of Anglo-Irish satirist Jonathan Swift, I have a modest proposal for Ford CEO Jim Farley: Go global with that hot Maverick pickup. You’ll need the right partner to pull it off — to design and build a true “world truck” that appeals to consumers in North America, Europe and,…
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If it had a Blue Oval in the grille . . .
I’m ignoring the temptation to make a cheesy Jaws reference — but automakers from Ford to Toyota surely must hear that nerve-jangling “da-dump” movie soundtrack playing in the background as they read the dispatches from Mexico on the new BYD Shark. Was there ever a vehicle so appropriately named? No, this Chinese-designed and -built mid-size…
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A $3,850 China EV? Seriously?
As automakers in the US and Europe scramble to come up with more affordable electric cars, a little-known Chinese automaker named Zhidou has lowered the bar again with a cute micro EV called Rainbow. Price: $4,400, with a discount for early-bird buyers that drops the sticker to an unbelievable $3,850, according to CNEVpost.com. Zhidou’s achievement…
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What the US can learn from China’s EV playbook
Consider an electric vehicle partnership between Ford Motor, Apple and Lear. For the moment, it’s just wishful thinking, but imagine the possibilities: It would be a formidable business combination that could put a serious dent in the EV competition in North America. Now meet the oddly named Avatr, a new Chinese auto brand that has…
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Forget the ‘Apple Car’ — check out the ‘Xiaomi Car’
You thought Apple’s official closure of its long-gestating car project was big news? Stay tuned to China for bigger mobility bombshells from that country’s burgeoning tech sector. Case in point: Telecoms giant Xiaomi’s announcement in late March of its first car, a stunning all-electric sedan dubbed SU7 that will be priced in the Chinese domestic…
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Felixwire: Sovereign Funds Bet on Sustainable Mobility
My Felixwire database sheds some light on investments in the sustainable transportation ecosystem by some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. There are a few surprises. China Investment Corp is the world’s largest sovereign fund, with $1.35 trillion in assets under management, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI). But it has just…
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Another affordable Tesla: Late again?
I remember the last time Elon Musk promised a low-priced Tesla. It was 2014 and the promise involved a compact electric sedan dubbed Model 3 that would be priced from $35,000 before tax incentives. If you’ve been reading about the next “affordable” Tesla — the so-called Project Redwood vehicle that’s targeted for a $25,000 sticker…
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Felixwire: E-scooter mania!
I love big data — especially all the data stored in Felixwire. Data can tell a colorful, and sometimes eye-opening, story. Case in point: Felixwire’s data trove on electric two-wheelers. Felix Strategy’s proprietary database is now tracking more than 750 electric two-wheeler startups, sorted in a number of categories, including e-scooters, e-bikes and e-motorcycles; e-cargo…
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