The original Nissan Leaf was a game-changer. But while battery-electric vehicles today have a significant presence in the global automotive market, the Japanese EV has become little more than an afterthought. Rather than walking away, however, a completely new, third-generation Nissan Leaf today made its debut. And the automaker is betting its longer range, improved performance – and a shift to an SUV body style – will help it regain traction in today’s market. More from Headlight.News.
With Americans doing ever more shopping online, automakers are racing to come up with just the right delivery solutions. Honda redefines the “last mile” van with the new Fastport eQuad Prototype, an electric quadricycle designed for use in crowded urban situations. Among the unique features of the rickshaw-like vehicle: the ability to keep going by simply swapping out its battery pack. Headlight.News has more.
On this week’s HeadlightNews podcast, we cover GM’s $4B investment in U.S. plants, tumbling EV sales in April, the impact of tariffs on import vehicle sales and Tesla CEO ElonMusk waving the white flag. Go to HeadlightNews to check it out.
When Mazda pulled the plug on the RX-8 back in 2012 it was more than just the end of a production for a slow-selling sports car, it marked the end of the line for the rotary engine. But the once promising technology, more promising known as the Wankel engine, may be ready to make a comeback. But it will function in a distinctly different form than it did in the past, according to Mazda’s CEO. More from Headlight.News.
After a first-quarter surge, EV registrations took a sudden tumble in April, the first fall in more than a year, according to industry data. The dip came despite a strong showing by several brands, including General Motors. The primary reason for the downturn as slowing demand by the giant in the battery-sector, Tesla. More from Headlight.News.
California vowed to fight President Donald Trump’s effort to roll back the state’s tough emission and fuel economy standards, which would allow it to push automakers to go all-electric. The upcoming court battle could leave automakers in limbo as they try to plan for the future, reports Headlight.News.
While automakers may be slowing down plans to rush all-electric models to market they’re still looking for ways to meet increasingly stringent emissions and fuel economy regulations. In the case of the next-generation Telluride, Kia appears to be looking at range-extender technology that could let the 3-row SUV operate in all-electric mode during daily commutes, but keep going without having to plug back in on longer trips. Headlight.News has more.
Hyundai’s line-up of high-performance EVs is about to double with the launch of the upcoming Ioniq 6 N. The Korean carmaker is teasing the new package which is expected to deliver more than 600 hp when it comes to market for 2026. More from Headlight.News.
General Motors is plowing about $4 billion into plants in Michigan, Tennessee and Kansas during the next two years. The move will shift production of its highly profitable full-size pickups and SUVs from outside the U.S. to its massive plant in Orion, Michigan, north of Detroit. Find out more about the plans at Headlight.News.
Few automakers are making more of a commitment to battery-electric vehicles than General Motors – and, at least from a sales standpoint, it appears to be paying off. The automaker has more than doubled both its EV sales and market share this year in the U.S. – and it is now outselling Tesla in neighboring Canada. Headlight.News has the story.
Cadillac’s push into electric performance is rapidly accelerating, the automaker officially revealing the new V-Series version of its entry EV, the Optiq. Turning out 519 horsepower, the battery crossover will launch in 0-60 in a factory estimated 3.5 seconds – while still offering an EPA-rated 275 miles per charge. Here’s a first look at the 2026 Cadillac Optiq-V.
Barely a week after they bid adieu during a collegial meeting in the Oval Office, Pres. Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have launched what has rapidly escalated into an all-out war of words, amplified by their individual social media outlets. The feud has already left Tesla lurching, nervous shareholders fueling the automaker’s biggest one-day loss ever. But Musk appears positioned to do some damage of his own.