electric vehicle batteries

Toyota is reportedly preparing to launch an electric version of the Corolla, its best-selling car and one of the top-selling models in automotive history. The move would mark a significant shift for a company long skeptical of full battery-electric vehicles in favor of hybrids. Commenters are debating whether Toyota is genuinely pivoting or responding to pressure from competitors and regulators.

Electric vehicles have outsold gasoline and diesel cars in Europe for the first time, according to reports by Korean media including Chosun Ilbo. The milestone marks a turning point for the European auto market, highlighting how quickly battery-powered cars have moved from the margins to mainstream dominance across the continent.

Chinese battery maker CATL has unveiled a new electric vehicle battery that it says can recharge in just six minutes and deliver a range of 1,000 kilometres on a single charge. The announcement, highlighted across technology and autos coverage, underscores CATL's push to lead the global EV battery market and ease drivers' concerns about charging times and range anxiety.

Volkswagen has announced a partnership with Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech to supply batteries for its electric vehicles. The deal deepens the German automaker's ties with Chinese suppliers as it scales up its EV production and secures battery capacity. The announcement drew attention from industry and market watchers tracking VW's electrification strategy and its reliance on Chinese battery technology.

Geely has agreed to acquire a 30% stake in the battery-swapping business of rival Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio. The move would link two competing automakers in the infrastructure segment that Nio has built out as a differentiator for its cars, allowing drivers to exchange depleted batteries for charged ones in minutes. The reported deal highlights growing consolidation and cooperation in China's crowded electric vehicle market.

Sales of Chinese hybrid cars are growing rapidly in the European Union even as the bloc imposes tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The tariffs, introduced to counter alleged subsidies, apply mainly to battery-electric models, so manufacturers are increasingly exporting hybrids, which fall outside the measures, to keep a foothold in the European market.

A proposed EU bill would require electric vehicles sold in Europe to meet local-content rules, threatening Japanese automakers such as Toyota. If adopted, the 'Made in EU' legislation could raise costs or restrict market access for Japanese EVs, which rely heavily on parts and batteries made outside the bloc. Japanese industry is watching closely amid wider EU efforts to favor domestic manufacturing.

Chinese car companies are pushing ahead in electric vehicle technology with ultrafast charging that can refill a battery in about five minutes. Reports carried in US regional newspapers highlight the advance, which would put Chinese manufacturers well ahead of Western rivals on charging speed and reinforce concerns about China's growing lead in the EV sector.

Chinese automaker BYD has confirmed plans to bring an electric vehicle equipped with a solid-state battery to market in 2027. Solid-state batteries are seen as a potential breakthrough for electric cars, promising greater range, faster charging and improved safety over today's lithium-ion cells. The announcement puts BYD in the race with other manufacturers working toward mass production of the technology.

China currently supplies up to 70% of the battery-grade lithium chemicals used in Europe, and a German recycling company has opened a new plant it hopes will help cut that dependence. The company's process recovers lithium from batteries, though significant obstacles remain before it can make a real dent in imports. The project is being watched as a test case for Europe's broader push to secure homegrown supplies of critical raw materials for the electric vehicle and battery industries.

South Korean chemical maker LG Chem and German automaker Volkswagen have announced a partnership to develop new materials. The collaboration signals growing cooperation between battery and materials suppliers and carmakers as the auto industry works to secure supply chains and advance technologies such as lighter components and next-generation battery materials. Details on the scope and value of the deal have not been disclosed, but industry watchers view it as another step in deepening ties between Asian suppliers and European automakers.

A Reuters commentary argues that Europe's shift to electric vehicles and clean energy depends on developing a domestic battery industry rather than relying on foreign suppliers, mainly from Asia. The piece adds to an ongoing debate in Brussels and national capitals over industrial policy, subsidies and how far the EU should go to secure its own battery manufacturing capacity.

Chinese electric vehicle makers NIO and Geely have announced a partnership covering EV charging networks and battery swapping technology. The deal would link NIO's battery swap infrastructure, one of the largest in China, with Geely's vehicle lineup and energy services. Cooperation between two of China's biggest EV groups signals growing industry consolidation around battery swapping as a charging alternative.

An American-developed battery technology is being pitched as a way to loosen China's dominance over the electric vehicle supply chain. China currently controls much of the world's battery production and critical mineral processing, making any credible US alternative strategically significant. Industry coverage suggests the technology could reduce Western automakers' dependence on Chinese suppliers, though questions remain over cost, scale and timelines.

Mercedes-Benz will assemble its electric GLC model in Thailand, adding local production of a battery-electric vehicle in Southeast Asia. The move points to growing investment in EV manufacturing capacity in the region, though details on timing, output or local partners have not yet been made clear.

Canada's arrangement with China over electric vehicles is being framed as a story that goes beyond imported cars. Beyond tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, the discussion touches on deeper ties in manufacturing, battery supply chains and investment that could shape Canada's auto sector. Observers are watching whether Ottawa will widen its approach to Chinese involvement in the country's EV industry as a whole.

Chinese EV maker BYD says a significantly improved electric vehicle battery will arrive next year, promising better performance over current technology. The announcement puts further pressure on rivals like Tesla and CATL in the increasingly competitive battery and EV market, where battery breakthroughs on range, charging speed and cost are a key differentiator.

A new report argues the next wave of American battery demand will come not from electric vehicles but from grid-scale storage, as utilities add batteries to balance growing amounts of wind and solar power and to stabilize an aging electricity network under rising demand from data centers. Industry watchers see this as a structural shift in where battery manufacturing and investment will flow next.

A Nature piece examines how the environmental and social impacts of lithium mining and extraction can be reduced as global demand for the metal keeps rising with battery production. Researchers discuss ways to lower the footprint of lithium used in electric vehicles and energy storage.

A new benchmark is taking hold in the electric vehicle market: 300 miles of range on a single charge is now standard for many new models, according to automotive outlet InsideEVs. The outlet asks whether 400 miles could be the next target as battery technology improves and buyers demand longer range. The discussion reflects how quickly EV expectations have shifted from novelty to mainstream capability.

An auto industry executive has publicly admitted that most companies are struggling to develop solid-state EV batteries, calling out an uncomfortable truth in the race to commercialize the technology. Solid-state batteries promise greater range, faster charging and improved safety, but mass production has proven difficult, and the comments suggest timelines may slip further than many manufacturers have publicly acknowledged.

A large-scale analysis of 500,000 electric vehicle battery health checks compared 20 models to determine which hold their charge capacity best over time. One model reportedly stood out from the rest. Drivers and industry watchers are weighing in on what the findings mean for used EV values and buyer confidence in battery longevity.

FAW-Volkswagen has introduced the Jetta M6, an electric sedan carrying the Jetta badge into the battery-powered era. The brand, long known for affordable combustion models in China, is extending Jetta to a fully electric vehicle as automakers push into the EV market. Further details on specifications, pricing and launch markets were not immediately available.