1 – VW teams up with electric car maker Rivian
Volkswagen enters car software development Partnership with US manufacturer Rivian a. This is a new attempt by VW to recoup its software backlog. The fact that Volkswagen is serious about this partnership is also evident from the amount of investment involved. The Wolfsburg-based company wants to invest up to $3 billion in Rivian by 2026. In addition, up to $2 billion is expected to flow into the joint venture. The investment depends on the achievement of certain milestones. For Rivian, with its crimson figures, the financial aspect of the cooperation is a high priority. In 2023, the electric car maker posted a net loss of $5.4 billion.
2 – Rimac launches robotaxi service called Verne
Rimac, the Croatian electric car maker previously known for its hypercars, Launching its own robotaxi serviceNamed after Jules Verne, the service and its ecosystem are based on three key elements, including the autonomous vehicles themselves, which are of course powered purely electrically. In addition to the vehicles, Verne’s other pillars are the app and a special infrastructure. First, the vehicles themselves. Previous announcements about robotaxi services have mostly featured minibus-like vehicles. Rimac, on the other hand, relies on three-door cars with sliding doors, i.e. futuristically designed compact models designed exclusively for one or two passengers.
3 – LEVC begins selling the L380 electric van
LEVC, a famous London taxi manufacturer, New L380 electric van launchedInitially, it will only be available in China, where the vehicle is also manufactured. The model is expected to go on sale in the UK within the next two years. The reason behind the launch in China is that LEVC has been part of China’s Geely Group for several years. The L380 will be sold in China for a price equivalent to around 48,800 euros. The Stromer is also intended for export worldwide. LEVC plans to announce the final specifications for markets outside China in the coming months.
4 – Polestar 2 gets minor design updates, longer range
Polestar has it. New model year for Polestar 2 presented. The 2025 Polestar 2 not only features numerous design updates and more equipment options, but also an increased range for all variants: up to 659 kilometers according to WLTP for the long-range single-motor version. Previously, the standard range of this variant was 654 kilometers, so the increase for the 2025 model is small. A big jump of more than 103 kilometers was already achieved with the 2024 model, when the single-motor model switched from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive and a major battery update was introduced. A slightly bigger jump is made for the standard range single-motor variants: here, the range increases from 532 kilometers to 554 kilometers.