Production of the Polestar 3 is being transferred from China to the USA
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Production of the Polestar 3 is being transferred from China to the USA
- Swedish automaker Volvo Cars – a subsidiary of the Chinese Geely Group – has just acquired a 20% stake in Polestar, a premium brand that originated within Volvo but became independent when Geely acquired Volvo in 2010, while simultaneously focusing on electric vehicles. This suggests that Volvo is gradually regaining a foothold in Polestar, and the first likely consequence is the transfer of the Polestar 3 model from a Chinese factory to Volvo's North American plant (Charleston), which currently produces the large electric EX90 SUV and remains largely underutilized. This move will allow Polestar to avoid the tariffs applied to vehicles sold in the US from China.
- In Europe too, the Polestar brand will produce its cars (in a factory in Slovakia located in Kosice) in order to avoid customs duties applied to vehicles sold in Europe from China.
- We also learn that Volvo will now take charge of importing Lynk&Co models into Europe, previously available only by subscription (the Lynk&Co brand is also part of the Geely group ), a system which did not give complete satisfaction.
- Polestar, which according to the Geely group produced nearly 50,000 units in China by 2025 (47,500 of which were exported to Europe), took the opportunity to announce plans to launch four new models by 2028 (including the upcoming Polestar 5 and Polestar 7) to expand its international sales. It's worth noting that Polestar also produced 8,200 cars (Polestar 3) in the United States last year, with 7,200 sold domestically and approximately 1,000 in Canada.
Ford unveils a new Transit: the all-electric Transit City
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Ford unveils a new Transit: the all-electric Transit City
- Currently, among light commercial vehicles, Ford Europe offers an electric Transit Courier (N1-1-BEV), an electric Transit Custom (N1-3-BEV), and a plug-in hybrid Transit Connect (N1-2-PHEV), but no electric van positioned between the Courier and the Custom. Ford has therefore unveiled a new vehicle in its Transit range called the Ford Transit City, a 100% electric van (N1-2-BEV), manufactured in China and positioned in terms of size between the electric Transit Courier and the electric Transit Custom.
- The Transit City is designed to meet a specific need for urban delivery vehicles, with sufficient range for a full day's work in the city. This concept is reminiscent of GM's American Bright Drop (which has since been discontinued) or Renault's Flexvan models.
- Designed in collaboration with Jiangling, one of Ford's two Chinese partners, the Transit City is based on an exclusive platform , new to Ford's European lineup, although a Jiangling version is already available in China. The Transit City is equipped with a 148 hp (109 kW) electric motor and a 56 kWh LFP battery, providing a range of approximately 257 km, which should be sufficient for the brand's target users. According to Ford's data, the average daily distance traveled by electric van users is less than 113 km. The Transit City should therefore easily meet these requirements.
- Orders for the Ford Transit City will open soon, at a price announced to be between that of the electric versions of the smaller Transit Courier and the larger Transit Custom. The first deliveries, planned for China, Europe, and potentially the USA (if the Trump administration agrees to import this Chinese-made vehicle), are expected before the end of the year. No passenger or taxi version is currently planned.
Audi will launch an A2 E-Tron in the fall of 2026
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Audi will launch an A2 E-Tron in the fall of 2026
- Although the first generation of the Audi A2, marketed from 2000 to 2005, was not a great success, with 176,205 units sold in five years (an average of 35,000 per year), the Ingolstadt brand will launch a second generation of the A2 next autumn, whose quirky design strongly recalls that of the first generation, a design undeniably evoking the world of the minivan, with a short hood, a very steeply raked windshield and a vertical rear.
- The main difference with the first generation is that the future Audi A2 will have a 100% electric motor and not a thermal motor like the old model and that its body should no longer be made of aluminium as on the old model, but of steel.
- The upcoming Audi A2 E-Tron will be positioned as Audi's entry-level electric model, indirectly replacing the entry-level A1 and Q2 with internal combustion engines, which will be discontinued in 2027. It will be presented as a fully electric alternative to the similarly sized A3 sedan. In terms of its dimensions, the future Audi A2 E-Tron will compete with the Mini Aceman, Volvo EX30, Mercedes EQA, and even the Renault Mégane E-Tech.
- Its MEB+ platform is shared with the Volkswagen ID.3, Skoda Elroq , and Ford Capri. Given that an Audi Q4 E-Tron is priced at €47,000 in its cheapest version, the price of the future Audi A2 E-Tron could be between €35,000 and €45,000 depending on the version, which is the same price as a Volkswagen ID.3 (€35,000 to €48,000 depending on the version).
- The Audi A2 E-Tron is expected to be manufactured at the Ingolstadt site, at a rate of 45,000 units per year according to Inovev.
Inovev forecasts 65,000 units of the new BMW i3 in 2030
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Inovev forecasts 65,000 units of the new BMW i3 in 2030
- BMW recently unveiled its new all-electric D-segment sedan, the i3 (manufacturer code: NAO). Its name does not refer to the previous i3, a small electric B-segment city car sold between 2013 and 2022, but rather to the 3 Series sedan, which has represented the brand's mid-range since the 1970s. The new BMW i3 is, in a way, the eighth generation of the 3 Series, currently available only as a fully electric vehicle, but should also be available in a combustion engine version in the coming months, just as the i4, i5, and i7 have their combustion engine versions (4 Series, 5 Series, and 7 Series).
- The new BMW i3 is the second (after the iX3 SUV, also in the D segment) of six all-electric models announced on the Neue Klasse platform. The BMW i3 will go on sale in July 2026, while the iX3 SUV has been available since March 2026.
- Compared to the previous 3 Series (2019-2026), the i3 is 5 cm longer (4.76 m), 4 cm wider (1.86 m), 4 cm taller (1.48 m), and its wheelbase is also 4 cm longer (2.89 m). Visually, the new i3 is characterized by more conventional, less distinctive lines. Even the grille now features two kidney grilles positioned horizontally rather than vertically. The "Hoffmeister kink " on the rear doors is now merely suggested.
- The new i3 promises a range of 900 km without recharging thanks to its 108.7 kW NMC battery already used on the iX3 SUV.
- The new i3 will be manufactured at the historic Munich plant, not in Hungary like the iX3. According to Inovev, this model, which will compete with the existing i4 (70,000 sales in 2025) and i5 (40,000 sales in 2025), will see up to 65,000 units produced in Europe and the same number in China by 2030. An i3 station wagon will be added to the lineup in a few months.
Inovev forecasts to sell 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes VLE
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Inovev forecasts to sell 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes VLE
- Mercedes has just unveiled the new generation of its large, battery electric EQV minivan, now called the VLE, as the carmaker has decided to gradually phase out the EQ designation in its new electric range. This is the case for the recent electric versions of the Mercedes GLB and GLC SUVs, as well as the recent electric versions of the CLA sedans.
- The VLE minivan draws inspiration from the recent trend of large luxury minivans, particularly those developing in the Chinese market. As a result, the VLE boasts a level of prestige never before seen in this type of vehicle in Europe, approaching that of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Maybach. It is built on a platform (VAN.EA) and features a completely bespoke 800V electrical architecture, unlike that of a standard commercial vehicle, offering performance, handling, and comfort comparable to any high-end sedan.
- Measuring 5.30 m long, 2.00 m wide, and 2.00 m high, the VLE features a 115 kWh NMC battery coupled to a 262 hp (193 kW) electric motor mounted at the front, enabling a range of 700 km according to the WLTP cycle—twice that of the previous EQV. This improvement is due not only to the large-capacity battery but also to significant enhancements in aerodynamics and electric motor efficiency. Mercedes thus announces a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25, identical to that of the new generation of electric vehicles.
- The electric vehicle will also be available from next year in a lower battery capacity version (80 kWh battery) and a more powerful version (dual motors totaling 409 hp ). Inovev estimates annual production of the electric vehicle at 5,000 units (in Vitoria, Spain), which is almost double the production volume of the previous EQV. Until further notice, the Mercedes V-Class hybrid continues to be marketed without any changes to its body style.