+++ HYUNDAI has reimagined its new Inster small electric car as a futuristic hot hatch with aggressive styling and a stripped-out interior, taking inspiration from video gaming. Named a portmanteau of ‘Inster’ and ‘steroid’, the Insteroid follows last year’s RN24 Concept, which was described as a ‘rolling lab’ for future hot Hyundai EVs. It wears a wide-hipped, box-arched bodykit, a roof scoop and a huge rear wing, mimicking the look of Hyundai’s World Rally Championship machines. Inside, the Insteroid is stripped out and fitted with deep-set bucket seats, a roll cage and a hydraulic-style handbrake, hinting at the car’s performance intent. It isn’t strictly business, however: it’s fitted with a bulky ‘Beat House’ sound system, complete with a tube-style amplifier, and there are a number of Space Invader-style aliens placed in view of key touchpoints. Hyundai has yet to publish technical details for the Insteroid, but the RN24 uses a 648 hp dual-motor set-up borrowed from the Ioniq 5 N. That allows the 1.880 kg drift car to dispatch the 0-100 kph sprint in 3.4 seconds, while its 84 kWh battery yields 465 km of range. “The Insteroid represents a modern take on the idea of a dream car”, said Eduardo Ramírez, chief designer for Hyundai Europe. “It is designed to inspire and create enthusiasm”. Although Hyundai officially states the Insteroid is conceptual, its existence (like that of the RN24) suggests there’s an appetite within the company to produce a hot version of its smallest EV. Indeed, Hyundai acknowledges that the “Insteroid is another step in the hot-selling production model’s journey”, following the beefed-up Inster Cross that’s due to arrive in dealers shortly. Hyundai product planning boss Paolo Gnerro last year told that further variants of the Inster would be considered “in the life cycle” of the model, but also that any such models would need to be demanded by customers. Gnerro said: “To be honest, I am a car enthusiast. Whatever comes which is adding a bit more spice, not only in terms of sportiness but in abilities, I like it. But I am not the market: the market is king and we need to see what is going to happen”. +++
+++ LEAPMOTOR will have six cars in its European line-up by 2027 as it looks to solidify its place as the latest Chinese electric car maker cutting through here. The firm, whose international business is 51% owned by global giant Stellantis, already sells a Dacia Spring rival, the T03, and has just launched the C10 large SUV. A range-extender version has since been added to the range. The B10, an Alfa Romeo Tonale-sized SUV, will come shortly after. There will also be a smaller B-segment SUV and 2 more vehicles that aren’t SUVs, one B-segment and one C-segment. It isn’t yet clear which bodystyles these two will take. Leapmotor may also introduce its REx technology in some of those models but will await reaction to its application in the C10 REEV first. Leapmotor UK boss Damien Dally said the brand’s goal is to be “the best-value EV brand with the highest level of technology”, describing it as “a tech firm which makes cars”. The T03 is the only Leapmotor model currently built in Europe (specifically Poland), a move that was made in an impressively short space of time, as a result of Stellantis’s existing set-up on the continent. Dally said it was “likely that other cars will be made in Europe beyond the T03”, given Stellantis’s existing large-scale infrastructure and the benefit of avoiding EU import tariffs on Chinese EVs. +++
+++ MAZDA hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of electrification, what with the failure of the MX-30 EV a few years back. That’s not too surprising considering the Japanese automaker works closely with Toyota and Subaru, both of whom have been slow on the EV uptake as well. Now Mazda is making major cuts to its electrification plans, instead turning its efforts toward a multi-solution strategy. The automotive industry is changing at a rapid pace, and Mazda is shifting how it approaches innovation. In doing so, the Japanese automaker is reducing its investment in electrification by $3.3 billion. In order to reduce expenditures, Mazda is focusing on flexibility by improving production efficiency and forming strategic partnerships. Mazda is calling the years leading up to 2030 the “dawn of electrification” and the company is moving forward with a multi-solution strategy. To put it simply, Mazda plans to act and react according to customer demand. The Japanese automaker will continue to offer an array of gas, hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles for the foreseeable future. In doing so, Mazda is cutting its total investment in electrification from $13.3 billion to $10 billion. Instead of building a brand-new facility dedicated to producing EVs, the automaker plans to build ICE and EV models on the same production line, effectively reducing the initial capital investment by 85% and the preparation time by 80%. Mazda will also continue its joint research and development with companies like Toyota, Denso, and Changan. According to Mazda, its strategic partnerships have reduced EV research and development costs by around 40%. “As the automotive industry is going through a once-in-a-century seismic shift, Mazda keeps on evolving by updating our ‘joy of driving’ for the next generation of vehicles. All of us at Mazda are committed to striking the right balance of efficient business management and development of sustainable technology to deliver unique value regardless of business scale”, said Masahiro Moro, president and CEO of Mazda. Despite cutting $3.3 billion from its electrification plans, Mazda is still investing $10 billion in the future. The automaker’s strategies focus on three key innovations: a new hybrid powertrain, an EV platform, and production line improvements. Mazda’s new SkyActiv-Z engine will become the powerhouse behind the automaker’s smaller vehicles. The new engine will combine efficiency and performance without sacrificing driving dynamics. That engine will make its debut in the next-generation CX-5 along with Mazda’s new in-house hybrid system. +++
+++ NISSAN remains committed to the long-term future of its Sunderland factory, with the British site a key element in its European electrification plans, according to its European planning boss, François Bailly. The Japanese firm has pumped around 2.3 billion euro worth of investment into Nissan Motor Manufacturing to build the next-generation Leaf, Juke and Qashqai, but there had been questions over its future when Nissan recently announced plans to close 3 factories by the end of 2026 as part of a major cost-cutting initiative. Asked whether the Sunderland plant’s future was safe, Bailly (who will shortly take over from new CEO Ivan Espinonsa as Nissan’s global product boss) said: “Yes, very safe. It’s the jewel of Europe, it’s where so many executives from Japanese manufacturing come, it’s the best-practice plant for us. Nissan has just revealed the first image of the third-generation Leaf, which will go into production at Sunderland and other global locations later this year. The Juke EV will arrive next year, with a teaser confirming that it will retain the radical styling of the bold Hyper Punk concept shown at the Tokyo motor show in 2023. But while Nissan is committed to Sunderland eventually producing 3 electric models, the firm has hinted that the timeline and plans could be changed, due to the slowing growth in demand for EVs among European customers. “In Europe, the end game is still written in the regulations to be carbon zero by 2035”, said Guillaume Cartier, performance officer at Nissan. “Now the curve, which was linear, is now curving at a rate that is less pronounced than it used to be. We still have 10 years, so we need what we call 2 legs or a dual strategy: what are the cars that we can extend, and what are the technologies that we want to invest in”. Cartier confirmed that the life of the current Juke would be extended and it would continue to be manufactured at Sunderland alongside the new electric model. The current Qashqai will soon be upgraded with a new version of Nissan’s e-Power hybrid powertrain that offers greater claimed efficiency and range, but the introduction date of its electric successor (tipped to be around 2028) has been pushed back. “We have chosen to delay the Qashqai EV until the time when the market will restart and we see that a bit later”, said Bailly. “It’s a mix of the customer appetite, the regulations and also the technology. What is the best technology for the next Qashqai?”. +++
+++ The European Commission has hit 15 car manufacturers from around the world with swingeing fines totalling 458 million euro, after a lengthy investigation into a long-standing cartel around end-of-life vehicle RECYCLING . Investigators found that for more than 15 years between 2002 and 2017, car makers agreed not to pay vehicle dismantlers for end-of-life services, illegally shared information about individual agreements with dismantlers, and coordinated their behaviour towards them. They also agreed not to advertise how much of their end-of-life vehicles could be recycled beyond the 85 percent legal minimum, to prevent consumers making purchase decisions based on that information. Mercedes escaped a fine, because although it was a cartel participant, it blew the whistle on an operation that was facilitated by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). Among those paying the price of collusion, Volkswagen has been hit hardest with a fine approaching 128 million euro. Also in the frame are Renault/Nissan and Stellantis (fined 81 million and 74 million euros respectively), Ford (41.5 million euro), BMW (25 million euro), Toyota (23 million euro), Kia/Hyundai (12 million euros) and Volvo (9 million euro). The trade body ACEA has also been fined to the tune of half a million euro. “Today, we have taken firm action against companies that colluded to prevent competition on recycling. These car manufacturers coordinated for over 15 years to avoid paying for recycling services, by agreeing to not compete with each other on advertising the extent to which their cars could be recycled, and by agreeing to remain silent on the recycled materials used in their new cars”, said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s executive vice-president for clean, just and competitive transition. “We will not tolerate cartels of any kind, and that includes those that suppress customer awareness and demand for more environmentally friendly products”, she added. +++
+++ Electric micro mobility (the area of transportation concerning things like e-bikes and e-scooters from brands) is still in its infancy. Up until now, the industry has been plagued by fads (Segway, anyone?), financial pitfalls, and reliability concerns around theft and overall organization. Apparently, RIVIAN thinks it can change that and has spun out its self-incubated Also startup, which will produce light electric vehicles (LEVs) and other personal transportation. Formerly a small team working inside of Rivian, the new micro mobility business now stands technically alone. Also was started around three and a half years ago as a bit of an exploratory journey to see if Rivian could leverage its existing strengths to develop affordable (and profitable) personal transportation. As it turns out, Rivian concluded that it can provide a “greatly enhanced product relative to currently available offerings,” leading to the decision for Rivian to have Also Inc. stand alone. While Rivian maintains a “substantial minority ownership stake”, venture capital fund Eclipse Ventures has ponied up an additional $105 million. Also’s site claims the new company’s flagship product will arrive in the first half of next year, but doesn’t mention any other markets by name except the US and Europe. What that “flagship” looks like, exactly, is anyone’s guess. Also says that it’s “building an exciting range of electric vehicles that are efficient, sustainable, and delightful to use”, Another key detail to note is that they’re using a completely proprietary platform, encompassing everything from software to motors. There’s little doubt Also’s leaned heavily on its Rivian origin for a lot of this, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In an interview with InsideEVs, Chris Yu, Also’s president, hints that the brand will rely on a “skateboard” approach and will feature two-, three-, and four-wheel machinations. Everything will be made in-house, just like with Rivian’s vehicles. You won’t see any cars wearing an Also badge (the brand stops “just south of a homologated car”, says Yu) because that would really be missing the point. Also, which Yu refers to as a former “skunkworks program” is another resource in Rivian’s tool belt that will help it continue to survive and thrive. When you add this to Rivian’s excellent roadmap (the R2 and R3 electric SUVs), its very public Amazon partnership, and joint ventures with Mercedes-Benz to power European market vans, those whispers questioning the brand’s longevity might as well be the ravings of a lunatic. +++
+++ Demand for hybrid vehicles increased a lot in 2024, particularly among those not yet willing to commit to an EV. However, TOYOTA , which is the global hybrid leader, is struggling to keep up with demand for its fuel-efficient models in several markets. This means many buyers are having to wait for months on end before they can take delivery. Anonymous sources claim shortages are being experienced in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and India. For example, wait times in India are between 2 to 9 months depending on the hybrid, while in Japan they are between 2 to 5 months. Similarly, waiting periods across Europe have roughly doubled since 2020, typically ranging from 60 to 70 days. Toyota isn’t just dealing with soaring hybrid demand. Several industry figures interviewed by Reuters say there are bottlenecks within the company’s hybrid supply chain. For example, there is a shortage of magnets being supplied to Toyota’s Aisin Corp component manufacturer, triggering a delay in the delivery of hybrid motors. Additionally, Denso is also encountering bottlenecks at second- and third-tier suppliers, which itself has caused delays of deliveries for its inverters. According to Toyota, hybrid demand has increased “significantly in the past year in all regions”, but said that “the production capacity for hybrid parts and components from our suppliers and our in-house parts manufacturing is line with our annual production plans and our vehicle assembly capacity”. In some cases, shoppers are waiting years to take delivery. One shopper from India, Saugata Dasgupta, says he ordered a Toyota Innova Hycross SUV in January 2023. In August 2024, he still hadn’t received the hybrid, and was told he’d have to wait another 25 to 30 weeks. Earlier this month, he was told he must wait another 15 to 25 weeks, but he’s already moved on and purchased a car from Mahindra. In Europe, models like the Yaris Cross hybrid and the RAV4 plug-in hybrid are reportedly among the hardest to find. Looking ahead, Toyota’s expanding operations in North Carolina could ease the crunch. The company will begin shipping batteries to that plant this month, which are slated for use in its growing range of electrified vehicles. +++