Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, your trusted source of EV information. It’s Friday 28 March, I’m Martyn Lee and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
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RIVIAN LAUNCHES INDEPENDENT STARTUP ‘ALSO’ WITH $105M INVESTMENT
US electric vehicle maker Rivian has created a new independent company called ‘Also,’ supported by a $105 million investment from Eclipse Ventures. Also will operate independently but will work closely with Rivian.
Rivian’s founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, will be the Chairman of Also’s Board of Directors. Chris Yu, Rivian’s Vice President of Future Programs, is now the president of Also. Rivian holds a minority stake in the startup.
According to Rivian’s press release, Also aims to create “small, lightweight vehicles designed to address current and future global mobility and transportation challenges.” The first vehicle is set to be revealed later this year, with production starting in 2026. The target markets include the US and Europe, with plans for consumer and commercial models in Asia and South America, according to reporting by TechCrunch.
The exact design of Also’s vehicles is not yet known, but an electric bicycle is a possibility. Rivian had applied for a trademark related to electric bikes in 2022, sparking speculation about two-wheeled products.
Rivian began a secret project on micromobility years ago due to the growing demand for compact electric solutions for sustainable transport. This project includes a team of 70 people previously at companies such as Apple, Google, Specialized, Tesla, REI Co-Op, and Uber.
Eclipse Ventures provided the $105 million funding for Also. The original goal was to see how Rivian’s skills in software and electric propulsion could lower costs for micromobility products. As the project progressed, it became clear that creating a separate company could “unlock a large opportunity,” and that it deserved to be its own company.
“For the world to fully transition to electrified transportation, a range of vehicle types will be needed,” said RJ Scaringe. He added that he is “extremely excited about the innovations developed by the Also team” that will help define new categories in micromobility.
LI AUTO RELEASES HALO OS TO COMPETE WITH AUTOSAR
Li Auto has announced the open-sourcing of its automotive operating system, Halo OS, to challenge AUTOSAR’s dominance in the closed-source market. Li Xiang, the company’s founder and CEO, stated that Li Auto is the first global automaker to open source a vehicle operating system.
“We are willing to promote the open source of the vehicle operating system to achieve a new height of performance,” Li said, according to CnEVPost. This initiative will provide a new technical platform and development tools for developers worldwide.
Development of Halo OS began in 2021 with a team of 200 members and an investment over 1 billion RMB ($138 million). Li Auto claims Halo OS outperforms AUTOSAR in core performance, security, cost efficiency, adaptability, and flexibility.
AUTOSAR, founded in 2003, is a partnership focused on creating standardized software for automotive electronic control units (ECUs).
Halo OS uses an innovative cross-system architecture design that enhances vehicle performance.
Li Auto improved the “perception-decision-execution” cycle time by integrating multiple controller systems. This results in response speeds twice as fast as AUTOSAR and five times more stability. For example, using active safety functions, Halo OS can reduce automatic emergency braking (AEB) stopping distance by 7 meters (about 23 feet) at 120 kilometers per hour (about 75 miles per hour).
Halo OS also enhances AI computing power virtualization by reducing performance loss by 80%, lowers sensor access latency by 90%, and decreases storage usage by 30% compared to traditional solutions.
Li Auto plans to release Halo OS to the open-source community by the end of April.
https://evne.ws/3DJXye5
TESLA RENAMES FSD FEATURE IN CHINA AMID REGULATORY CHALLENGES
Tesla has renamed its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) driver assistance feature in China to “Intelligent Assisted Driving” on its website. This change comes after the free trial for the software was suddenly suspended in the region.
Sources told the Financial Times that Chinese regulators have made the approval timeline for FSD “indefinite,” instead of expecting approval by spring. The FSD software has faced serious problems, with drivers testing it on public streets in China receiving many fines. Reports from Electrek last month noted that Chinese Tesla owners saw the system misidentify bike lanes as right turn lanes, violate traffic signals, and misuse bus lanes.
Tesla has faced scrutiny over its naming practices. The company admits on its website that the “Full Self-Driving” feature does not provide full autonomy and requires drivers to be ready to take control at any time. In 2022, the California DMV accused Tesla of misleading advertising about its FSD and Autopilot technologies. In 2023, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized the name for lacking “common sense.”
Despite these issues, Tesla still uses both “Full Self-Driving” and “Autopilot” in its marketing materials in the United States and other areas. In China, along with renaming the FSD feature, Tesla has also changed its entry-level software to “Basic Assisted Driving,” removing the term “Autopilot.” This software is included in the vehicle’s base price.
The renaming reflects a broader issue as Tesla has been criticized for using misleading terms for nearly a decade. US regulators have linked Tesla’s software to hundreds of collisions and several fatalities, warning that its marketing may give consumers a false sense of security.
Tesla remains committed to deploying the software in China but faces challenges with regulatory approval.
CANADA HALTS TESLA EV INCENTIVE PAYOUTS AMID INVESTIGATION
Canada’s Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland has paused all federal zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentive payments to Tesla while investigating the validity of rebate claims. Tesla submitted 8,669 rebate applications totaling CAD $43.2 million in the last three days of Ottawa’s Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program in January. This surge used up government funds and left over 200 franchised dealers and supporting automakers with more than CAD $10 million in unpaid rebates.
On March 25, Freeland announced the payment suspension after starting her role on March 23. She said, “No payments will be made until we are confident that the claims are valid.” Transport Canada has not revealed if any of Tesla’s claims were problematic or how many claims were already paid from those submitted between January 10 and 12.
Typically, iZEV claims of up to CAD $5,000 per vehicle are processed within 20 business days after validation. The influx began on January 10 after a warning from Transport Canada that funds would run out before the March 31 deadline.
From January 10-12, Tesla accounted for 88.7% of the claims, submitting thousands alongside over 1,000 claims from other dealers seeking incentive payments for consumers.
The timing of the claims does not always match actual sales or deliveries since Transport Canada’s monthly reports show when claims are entered into the system, whether paid or still processing. Since January 13, the iZEV program has been paused due to depleted funds, an upcoming federal election, and potential U.S. tariffs, making its future uncertain.
Freeland also stated that Tesla vehicles will be excluded from future rebate programs “so long as the illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs are imposed against Canada,” preventing Tesla from joining upcoming incentive initiatives.
TESLA JOINS EU EMISSIONS POOL WITH MAJOR AUTOMAKERS
Tesla’s emissions pool for the EU’s 2025 targets has been approved. This month, Honda and Suzuki joined Stellantis, Ford, Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru in buying credits from Tesla. The European Commission confirmed this arrangement in mid-March.
Another pool is managed by Mercedes-Benz and includes Geely brands like Volvo, which is expected to exceed its CO₂ targets; Polestar, an all-electric brand; and Smart, a joint venture with Geely that also sells only electric cars in Europe.
Suzuki is working with Volvo for its 2024 emissions. The EU’s 2025 CO₂ targets require about a 15 percent reduction from 2021 levels. Experts say automakers need to sell at least 20 percent fully electric vehicles; the EV market share was around 14 percent in 2024. Fines for not meeting these targets are €95 ($98) per gram of CO₂ over the limit for each vehicle.
Earlier this month, the European Commission granted a three-year extension for meeting the 2025 targets. The main emissions pools managed by Tesla and Mercedes were set up before this extension. Analysts estimate that one fully electric car can offset the emissions of three to four gasoline or diesel vehicles, supporting pooling.
Electric vehicle makers like Tesla could earn billions by partnering with automakers struggling to boost EV sales.
Although a three-year period to meet the targets is likely (pending full EU approval), automakers have committed to these agreements. Toyota executives noted that working with Tesla could offer flexibility over the next three years.
A major concern is Tesla’s potential sales decline due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political actions, increased competition, and a new version of the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling model in Europe. Sales in Europe dropped by 44 percent up to February, including in the UK and EFTA countries, according to Dataforce figures. If sales keep falling, Tesla may struggle to offset higher fleet emissions from its partners, reducing potential revenue.
Pooling contracts are usually confidential and not publicly shared.
CHINA’S NEV MARKET SEES STRONG GROWTH IN EARLY MARCH
China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sector is growing rapidly. From March 1 to March 23, retail sales of Chinese passenger NEVs hit 622,000 units, a 30% increase from last year and a 40% rise from the previous month, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
So far this year, total retail sales of passenger NEVs in China have reached 2.048 million units, up 34% year-on-year. Wholesale sales during this period were 670,000 units, a 35% increase compared to last year and up 30% month-on-month. Annual wholesale sales of passenger NEVs have reached 2.389 million units, a 44% rise from last year.
Overall retail sales of all passenger vehicles from March 1 to March 23 were 1.154 million units, showing an 18% year-over-year growth and a 25% increase from the previous month. Year-to-date retail sales of all passenger cars in China stand at 4.33 million units, up 5% compared to last year.
The retail penetration rate of NEVs in China was 53.90% between March 1 and March 23 and is at 47.30% for the year so far.
Wholesale sales of all passenger cars in China from March 1 to March 23 totaled 1.321 million units, a 16% increase year-over-year and a 33% rise month-on-month. For the entire year, wholesale sales of passenger cars have reached 5.186 million units, up 13% compared to last year.
Source: via CnEVPost
https://evne.ws/3FJ9P33
NOBINA REPURPOSES ELECTRIC BUS BATTERIES FOR STORAGE
Nobina AB, the largest bus fleet operator in the Nordic region (Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark), is working with STABL Energy to repurpose batteries from retired electric buses. Instead of recycling them early and at a high cost, Nobina will use the decommissioned batteries from its fleet of over 1,000 electric buses—totaling about 500 megawatt-hours (MWh)—in stationary energy storage systems.
After a successful pilot program, these systems will be rolled out in all countries where Nobina operates. The company will manage these systems to support the electrical grid, improve local grid stability, and allow trading of surplus electricity. This initiative aims to extend battery life and enhance energy efficiency.
These second-life applications not only cut initial greenhouse gas emissions from battery production but also ensure batteries continue to reduce CO₂ emissions throughout their extended use until disposal.
NIO FOCUSES ON PURE EVS OVER RANGE-EXTENDED MODELS
Nio’s founder and CEO, William Li, emphasized the company’s commitment to fully electric vehicles (EVs), calling extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) “clearly a transitional solution” for when battery costs were high. At a media event on Sunday, Li noted that improvements in battery swap infrastructure and lower battery prices make pure EVs the better long-term option.
EREVs are plug-in hybrids with a small internal combustion engine that can charge the battery.
When asked about this technology, Li defended Nio’s battery swap strategy, announcing plans to grow the company’s swap station network in China from 3,000 to 5,000 locations. He stated, “We believe the logic still holds. In densely populated Chinese cities, a swappable, upgradable EV with charging and swapping capabilities is a reasonable choice,” adding that “Range extenders can work with swap infrastructure.”
Nio argues that battery swapping offers more flexibility and speed than traditional charging methods. Li said, “[Battery] Swap is essentially a form of infrastructure, similar to charging stations and mobile power banks. Range extenders are clearly a transitional solution.” He pointed out that as battery costs drop, the use of range extenders will decline: “We firmly believe that pure EVs are the ultimate solution.”
According to BloombergNEF, average battery pack prices fell by 20% in 2024 compared to the previous year—the largest annual drop since 2017—due to overcapacity in cell production and lower raw material prices
JAECOO ENTERS AUSTRALIAN SUV MARKET WITH COMPETITIVE PRICING
Chinese brand Jaecoo is entering the Australian market with competitive prices and an eight-year warranty for its SUVs.
The J7 crossover SUV starts at $34,990 drive-away for the Core variant. The top SHS plug-in hybrid model costs $47,990, with two more variants planned, including an all-wheel drive PHEV and a possible all-electric J7.
The Core variant features a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 137 kW (184 horsepower) and 275 Nm (202 lb-ft) of torque, powering the front wheels through a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission.
Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather trim, driver assistance systems, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 13.2-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
MOBILIZE EXPANDS ULTRA-FAST EV CHARGING ACROSS EUROPE
Mobilize plans to set up 650 ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations in France, Italy, Belgium, and Spain by 2028. Partnering with the Renault network, Mobilize aims to improve long-distance travel and expand charging options beyond highways. Since early 2023, 25 stations have opened in France, with a goal of about 100 stations by the end of 2025.
To support EV travel across Europe, Mobilize will add more stations in Belgium and Spain in late 2025 and throughout 2026. Gianluca De Ficchy, CEO of Mobilize, said, “Electrification is transforming the value chain of automotive manufacturers… Mobilize Fast Charge is one of the pillars of Mobilize to achieve this objective.”
A partnership with Free to X gives Mobilize access to around 100 ultra-fast charging stations in Italy for further growth.
Mobilize chargers feature “Plug & Charge,” which starts charging automatically for compatible vehicles without needing badges or payment cards. This service is available through the Mobilize Charge Pass for Renault Group customers.
UK EV DRIVERS NOW EXCEED PETROL CAR MILEAGE
Electric vehicle owners in the UK are now driving more miles each year than petrol car drivers. The average distance for EVs is 8,740 miles (14,062 kilometers), which is 444 miles (715 kilometers) more than petrol cars, according to January data.
This is a big change from ten years ago. In January 2015, the average EV in the UK covered 6,355 miles (10,222 kilometers) per year, which was 2,288 miles (3,681 kilometers) less than petrol cars. The analysis by Solera Cap HPI used trade sales data from over 1.8 million transactions annually.
CHEVROLET BECOMES TOP-GROWING EV BRAND IN US
Chevrolet is now the fastest-growing electric vehicle (EV) brand in the United States, outpacing Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian. The launch of the electric Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado models has helped Chevy grow quickly. It is now the second-largest EV seller in the US, behind Tesla.
General Motors (GM) doubled its US EV market share last year to about 12.5% by the fourth quarter. By late 2024, GM passed Ford to take second place in EV sales. While Tesla holds around a 50% share of the EV retail market, this is down from 56% last year as new Chevrolet models gain popularity.
The Chevy Equinox EV saw a significant rise in sales, with fourth-quarter numbers up 85% from the previous quarter. Launched last year, it became the eighth best-selling electric vehicle in the US by the end of 2024.
https://evne.ws/4iMo2uC
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