+++ Electric Vehicle (EV) sales in AUSTRALIA are shifting fast, and the usual frontrunners are no longer guaranteed a spot at the top. As more buyers look beyond the legacy names, newer players are gaining ground, especially those with sharper price tags and more features for the money. In 2023 and 2024, the Tesla Model Y was comfortably the best-selling EV in Australia. However, new options from Chinese and Korean brands have led to a massive slump in local sales of the Model Y, so much so that in April, it was only the 8th best-selling EV in the country. Evidently, it’s not just in Europe where Elon Musk’s company is falling out of favour. Storming in as the best-selling EV by far in Australia last month was the BYD Sealion 7, according to a report from Carsguide. It is the latest addition to BYD’s Ocean series of models and undercuts the Model Y on price, starting at AU$54.990 and topping out at AU$63.990, compared to the new Tesla that starts at AU$63.400 and AU$73.400 for the flagship version. Last month, 734 Sealion 7s were sold across the country. Next up is the MG 4. While it’s been around for a couple of years now, the electric hatchback remains popular with 363 units sold in April. This positioned it just ahead of the BYD Atto 3, with 355 sold. Kia’s newly-launched EV5 and EV3 have also been well-received by local shoppers, with sales of 342 and 336, respectively. The BYD Seal then shifted 325 units while the new Geely EX5 sold 325 examples. Then there’s the Tesla Model Y. A total of 280 were sold last month, positioning it slightly ahead of the Tesla Model 3 with 220 sales. Rounding out the top 10 was the BYD Dolphin with 216 examples finding new homes. Now, before you start thinking recent sales represent the imminent collapse of Tesla, it’s worth noting that throughout April in Australia, Tesla was selling a mix of the outgoing Model Y and the brand new version. Tesla still has a healthy inventory of the old crossover. Many shoppers are likely holding off on placing an order until the new Model Y lands in earnest, which will happen over the next couple of mo Australia’s total new car sales declined in April. A total of 90.614 new vehicles were sold across the country last month, representing a decline of 6.8% compared to the same month in 2024 and quite a dramatic fall from the 108.606 new cars sold in March. +++
+++ FERRARI ’s first electric vehicle isn’t just a step towards reducing the automaker’s overall emissions, but it could also play a pivotal role in reviving the brand’s sluggish sales in China. However, despite the growing importance of EVs in China’s market, locals will have to exercise some patience, as deliveries of the Elettrica won’t begin until at least October next year. In addition to China being a booming market for EVs, there’s a growing fascination with high-performance electric models across the country, making it an ideal fit for Ferrari. Even better, the car, currently referred to as the Elettrica, will benefit from a much more favorable tax structure than Ferrari’s traditional gas-powered models. While local taxes on the brand’s internal combustion engine (ICE) cars can reach up to 4 times the price of the vehicle, the Elettrica is expected to be taxed at a much more manageable 30% of its retail price. Ferrari’s shipments to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan dropped 25% in the first quarter of the year, marking the lowest figures in almost 4 years. This decline is partly attributed to China’s economic slowdown, which led to a 20% decrease in sales of vehicles priced above 500,000 yuan (about $69.200). In 2024, this drop resulted in only 677.000 units being sold in that segment. Earlier this month, Ferrari revealed that it will preview the powertrain of the Elettrica this October, before debuting the vehicle in full next spring. It is shaping up to be a hatchback-style crossover similar to the Purosangue, although it is tipped to be slightly smaller. While Ferrari has kept many details under wraps, we do know that the vehicle’s battery pack, inverters, and electric motors are all being developed and produced in Italy. Recent patents also indicate that Ferrari might give the vehicle fake gears, much like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, as well as an ICE-inspired soundtrack. The most recent patent says the Elettrica’s electric motors could be used to simulate the changing torque of a traditional engine and transmission. These virtual gears could be activated automatically based on throttle and brake outputs, or operated manually with the paddle shifters. +++
+++ HONDA will suspend large-scale investments in electric vehicle production infrastructure in Canada because of the uncertainty in the outlook caused by tariffs. CEO Toshihiro Mibe predicted Honda would face a $4 billion impact from tariffs. The Honda boss also said demand growth for EVs has slowed more than expected and that the company will postpone its big outlays for the EV hub it is building in Canada. +++
+++ JLR posted pre-tax profits of £2.5 billion in the 12 months to the end of March, its highest profit in 10 years and a 15% increase on the previous year. The British company today released its results for the 2024/25 financial year, during which it “navigated global economic challenges” to generate £29 billion in revenues and its best profit in a decade. It reported that its margin for the year was 8.5%, and in the final quarter of the financial year, that figure climbed as high as 10.7%. +++
+++ The current MAZDA MX-5 has soldiered on for more than 10 years, almost becoming the antithesis of increasingly heavy electric sports cars by retaining its simple, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine. However, this could change soon, because patents of a MX-5 with electric power have been uncovered. The patents, filed in April in the United States, show batteries located in the transmission tunnel section in what is clearly an MX-5-sized vehicle. This is at odds with the conventional ‘skateboard’ architecture seen on most pure-electric vehicles, which would make it difficult to create the low-slung driving position associated with Mazda’s roadster. Positioning the batteries in the transmission tunnel is nothing new; the latest Lamborghini Revuelto does exactly this with its 3.8 kWh unit. While the Lamborghini does this to supplement a plug-in hybrid system, Mazda’s drawings are related to a pure-electric vehicle. This rather innovative method to integrate the batteries has been employed to retain the traditional size, shape and weight distribution. Beyond the transmission tunnel, Mazda has also added batteries in front of the passenger seat and behind both seats; the latter is a feature that’ll we’ll see on the new Porsche Cayman Electric. The idea of needing a ‘transmission tunnel’ in the first place strongly suggests that the technology is based on a shared architecture between an ICE car, with a traditional gearbox mounting, and a pure-EV, although this isn’t mentioned in the patents. Mazda states in the filing that “since the battery is installed in the tunnel portion, the gravity center of the vehicle can be close to the center of the vehicle, thereby reducing the yaw moment of inertia more”. The “yaw of inertia” Mazda is referring to here is essentially the vehicle’s directional change; lowering this helps make a car feel more nimble, a trait of the MX-5 since its launch thanks to the Japanese company’s renowned ‘Jinba-ittai’ (horse and rider as one) philosophy. Information on the battery chemistry is slim, although Mazda does state it could be either conventional lithium-ion or even solid-state, with the firm already looking into developing the latter. There’s no word on the size of the battery pack in the MX-5 EV just yet, although given the focus on driving dynamics and keeping weight low, capacity will surely be kept to a minimum (although probably not as minuscule as the Mazda MX-30’s 35.5 kWh unit, however). The MX-5 has never really chased straight-line performance in its 35-year existence, with the latest model coming with a 184 hp 2.0-litre engine which can dispatch the 0-100 kph sprint in 6.5 seconds. Judging from these early patents, it seems like this strategy will be employed for the electric model, too. Instead of going with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive set-up, there’s only a single electric motor. It’s positioned just behind the seats in the middle of the car, powering the rear wheels – just as you’d find in any production MX-5. According to Mazda, the motor can also be placed behind either seat, which we’d assume is to accommodate left and right-hand drive markets. Because the filing was made to the US patent office, it would suggest that the technology is destined for the American market at the very least. In the filing, Mazda also notes the importance of weight distribution with not only the battery, but the electric motor, too. “Since the motor is the heavy object, it greatly affects the yaw moment of inertia that it becomes necessary to properly decide an installation position of the motor”. Mazda hasn’t suggested how much power the electric motor will make, although the firm does have a number to choose from. There’s the upcoming rear-wheel-drive 6e electric saloon, with a choice of 245 hp and 258 hp motors, both with 320 Nm of torque. The MX-30, meanwhile, sports a less-powerful 145 hp and 271 Nm motor. Mazda mentions the patent filing is based on a car with a roof, which “may be a fixed type, a detachable type or a foldable type”, suggesting the MX-5’s convertible form will remain, possibly alongside a foldable hard-top version like the current MX-5 RF. The “fixed type” hints at a coupé version of the MX-5; something that Mazda toyed with during development of the second-generation ‘NB’ MX-5. Another key element of the battery and motor placement in the MX-5 EV seems to be added practicality. By positioning the motor behind the seats, there’s a front boot and a rear boot, possibly giving the electrified MX-5 more loading space than the current petrol-powered model, which has a maximum of merely 130 litres. As for the design, the patent drawings merely showcase the technological footprint, and nothing more. We’ve seen the Iconic SP concept hint at Mazda’s future sports car style, and while it may point towards an RX-7 return with rotary power, it’s possible the concept could influence the MX-5’s design too, which we’ve envisaged here with our exclusive images. Throughout the MX-5’s long lifespan, it’s encountered a fair few rivals, including the Fiat Barchetta, BMW Z3, Honda Del Sol and arguably its closest competitor, the Toyota MR2, which is now set for a comeback. There was an initial plan to launch an all-electric MR2, which was previewed by the FT-Se concept in late 2023, although it’s since been heavily suggested that the new model will come with a four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. That would leave the MX-5 EV in a field of its own. Porsche will bring out an all-electric Boxster before the end of the decade, and the MG Cyberster sits in the niche electric roadster segment already. However, the electric Mazda should undercut these by a significant margin, given the focus on value for money that its sub-£30k predecessors have always delivered. The patent filing, which is simply titled “electric automobile”, doesn’t confirm the MX-5 will be electric-only, however. Mazda set out its “multi-solution strategy” earlier this year with the aim to “provide customers with the right powertrain sources”, whether that’s internal combustion engines, hybrids or battery EVs. As such, the replacement for the current ‘ND’-generation MX-5 will arrive later this decade as the ‘NE’ model with Mazda’s new internal-combustion Skyactiv-Z engine. The firm says the new powertrain will form the core of Mazda’s line-up “for small products in the electrification era”, while also meeting Euro 7 emissions standards. The engine has also been designed to achieve “high fuel economy” as well as deliver an “engaging driving performance”, according to Mazda. Skyactiv-Z will be first seen on the next generation of Mazda’s big-selling CX-5 due in 2027 and will have the potential for plug-in hybrid or mild-hybrid assistance. Given how important low weight is to the MX-5’s driving dynamics, a mild-hybrid set-up would seem the most likely, and also help to promote the lifespan of the internal combustion-engined roadster. This was backed up by Mazda’s new Chief Technical Officer Ryuichi Umeshita recently discussing a future internal-combustion engined MX-5 with a kerbweight target of under a tonne. +++
+++ Unique British electric motors that slash size and weight and produce more power than rival machines are the heart of MERCEDES-AMG ’s new EV super-saloon. Oxford graduate Tim Woolmer founded Yasa in 2009 to commercialise the axial flux electric motor he designed for his PhD. Almost a decade later, he clinched a deal for Yasa to supply Ferrari’s SF90 hybrid and last week I toured the all-new £12million Oxfordshire factory also producing e-motors for Lamborghini and McLaren. In a great British success story, Yasa motors provide the electric punch for hybrid supercars the Ferrari 296 GTB, Lamborghini Revuelto and Temarario and McLaren Artura. The new factory is scaling up to produce 25.000 motors a year. Another major breakthrough comes this summer when Yasa starts powering its first pure electric production car, the AMG GT 4-Door, although its motors will be produced in Berlin following Mercedes’ acquisition of Yasa in 2021. “The first cars we launch with Mercedes will be full EVs and we’re really excited”, chief technology officer (CTO) Woolmer exclusively told. “I’ve been driven in one. It’s going to be fantastic”. The AMG axial flux motors will be similar in design to the ones that power hybrid Lamborghini front axles. Woolmer’s big breakthrough was to shrink the motor’s stator (the stationary part generating a magnetic field around which the rotors spin), by repackaging a radial motor’s long, cylindrical copper windings into 18 stubby windings roughly the shape and size of orange segments. They’re arranged in a thin disc shape which gives a broad surface area for magnetic interaction and the space to fit a rotor on both sides of the stator, adding up to a dramatic boost in torque. “When we did the initial maths on the new design, it showed it would give you about three times the torque density and therefore power density, and its unique proposition is being one-third the size and weight of any other motor technology on the planet”, said the CTO. Each AMG motor can generate around 480 hp and 800 Nm of torque, but it’s only 65 mm long and weighs just 24 kg. As with key rival the Porsche Taycan, Mercedes will be able to mix and match the motors to offer rear- and all-wheel drive, with a likely maximum of three motors packing well in excess of 1.000 hp. Whereas the hybrid motors are limited by their adjoining engine’s speed, the AMG motors will be able to spin faster. “They’ve been scaled up to match the higher torque, power and speed required in an EV compared to a hybrid, and obviously higher voltage as well”, said Woolmer. Yasa motors’ breakthrough design will also endow the AMG with a weight advantage, boosting range and agility. And future generations will go further, with reduced mass and an exponential improvement in harnessing regenerative braking energy to unlock smaller batteries yet longer-running high-performance EVs. “I think we’ve reached peak battery size”, said the CTO. “Ultimately, if we can take hundreds of kilograms out of the mass of these vehicles, that starts to transform their behaviour. We’re really battling to get the weight of electric vehicles down: they’re fundamentally too heavy today”. +++
+++ NISSAN boss Ivan Espinosa wants to turn a major liability (unused U.S. plant capacity) into a potential asset. Nissan is bloated with unused capacity at factories around the world, but by the end of the company’s new restructuring plan, it aims to be at full capacity. To use up some of that excess factory firepower, Nissan is in talks with Mitsubishi and Honda about joint manufacturing in the U.S., where global companies are trying to source more products +++
+++ TESLA ’s massive factory in Shanghai, China, has the capacity to build roughly 1 million vehicles every year. However, it could fall quite short of that number this year based on disappointing sales figures of its Chinese-made models in April, which slipped 25.8% from the month prior. The China Passenger Car Association revealed that a total of 58.459 Model 3s and Model Ys built in China were sold last month. Importantly, this figure isn’t a reflection of the total number of vehicles that Tesla sold in China alone, but also includes other markets where it sells Shanghai-built vehicles, including Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. This is just the latest episode of Tesla’s sales drop saga in recent days. In April, its sales collapsed in key European markets like Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. Its sales have also tanked in Australia, where, not too long ago, it was the EV leader. In April, seven other EV models from Chinese and Korean brands outsold the Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3. Many factors at play can help to explain why Tesla sales continue to fall. Obviously, negative public sentiment about chief executive Elon Musk is one of them, particularly due to his meddling in politics, not just in the US but around the world as well. Additionally, Tesla has a relatively limited and aging line-up of EVs compared to some of its competitors, with the Model 3 and Model Y being the serious volume sellers. Rivals are also quickly gaining ground on the American brand. In April, Nio’s sales grew 53% from a year ago, with 23.900 vehicles sold. Additionally, Xpeng recorded its second-best month ever, securing 35.045 sales. Xiaomi also managed to deliver more than 28.000 vehicles in April while Li Auto’s sales rose 32% to 33.939. +++
+++ VOLKSWAGEN will reveal the second generation of its hugely popular T-Roc in August, which will be the first model to use a new full-hybrid powertrain also bound for the Golf and Tiguan. The next T-Roc, destined to be Volkswagen’s final all-new model with a combustion powertrain, will be offered with a hybrid powertrain that works similarly to that used by Toyota, capable of driving the wheels using either a petrol engine, an electric motor or a combination of both at any given time. Volkswagen has never used such a system in a production car, and its introduction comes less than a decade before the firm will have to go all-electric in Europe, but CEO Thomas Schäfer said the company is “experimenting now because certain regions are gliding into HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles). We needed to do it anyway, because South America has a need for an HEV drivetrain, and the T-Roc is built in South America for South America, and also in China. Interestingly enough, HEV has also become a big theme in the US specifically. It’s a technology that everybody said was not necessary any more, but now with the BEV slowdown in the US, the balance is moving towards HEVs”. After introducing this new system in the second generatin T-Roc, Schäfer said Volkswagen will “see where it makes sense” elsewhere in the line-up but “we’re not going to double everything up; we will have PHEV and HEV models”. It will not be introduced to every car that uses the same MQB architecture as the T-Roc, but it will be added to the Golf and Tiguan in the next two years, a Volkswagen official told. The new T-Roc is expected to be revealed at a standalone event in August, before its public debut at the Munich motor show the following month, where Volkswagen is also tipped to reveal the ID.2X. +++