Cars

After electrifying cars, China is targeting trucks. It is a slap in the face to global diesel consumption

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China is one of the oil monsters. Not so much in generation, where they want to start being a powerbut in consumption. It is the fuel of hundreds of millions of vehicles They hit the road every day, but things are changing. Although the Asian giant has become one of the powers in car electrification, diesel seemed to have a break thanks to trucks. Not even that anymore. Diesel down. China is second diesel consumeronly behind the United States. transportation concentrate between 70 and 80% of that final consumption, but in recent years, the market has been going down. It is estimated that, in June 2024, diesel consumption fell to 3.9 million barrels per day. It’s still stupid, but it was 11% less than during the same period the previous year. It was the biggest drop since mid-2021 (logical because of the pandemic and the world situation) and despite the industrialization of the country and the rise of both national and international trade, this consumption has remained at a “plateau” for more than a decade. That is to say: it should be much greater than 10 years ago, but that is not the case. Another fact: in August 2024, 8% of new trucks were electric, but in August 2025, the figure was 28%. electric trucks. He rise of electric cars could explain this negative trend in diesel consumption, but as we say, the boats and, above all, trucks continued to support the market. That is no longer so clear, especially with the recent involvement of the Government. In April this year, the Ministry of Transport published, with the support of other government departments, a program to encourage the majority of new truck sales to be new energy by 2035. To achieve this, there are objectives, such as that by 2027 the share of electrical energy in final transport consumption must be 10% and the proportion of new new energy vehicles must be increased each year. The heavy truck seemed to be the bastion of diesel, but now it is one of the central pieces of this decarbonization of transportation. Paradigm shift. To achieve this, in addition to direct aid for the purchase of heavy electric trucks, China has launched a specific action to eliminate and replace old diesel trucks, with subsidies for their removal and replacement with new energy units. In fact, there are advantages: freer access to restricted urban areasfewer time limitations and discounts on tolls. In a report by The Associated Press This paradigm shift is reflected: if in 2020 almost all new trucks in China were diesel, by 2025 electric trucks already represent 22% of new heavy truck sales. As our colleagues point out Motorpassionthe arrow is inverse to that of diesel consumption: in the same period of 2024, that percentage was 9.2%. And the load? It represents a paradigm shift and there are analysts who predict that, by 2026, diesel will only account for 40% of sales. The rest: electric and gas trucks. Is the charging infrastructure? Because we are seeing advances in the development of solid state batteries that will allow greater autonomy, but until they arrive, it is necessary that there be numerous charging points to support the electrification of transport. The National Energy Administration and the Ministry of Transportation have already affirmed that 98% of highway service areas already have charging points, with widespread installation of 120 kW chargers and, in some segments, 600 and 800 kW chargers. The intention is for there to be some 28 million charging points throughout the country by 2027, and one of the key pieces in that expansion is CATL. The company is one of those leads the battery sector worldwideand is currently tracing a “green corridor” that will cover the major freight hubs to facilitate loading, but also to implement its battery exchange system that speeds up the process. Green curve… and economic. This electrification of commercial transportation would add to the objectives of decarbonization of the countrybut obviously truckers and companies also see a benefit in their pockets, or so they esteem. Although electric trucks are between two and three times more expensive than diesel trucks and cost 18% more than LNGare more efficient, have less maintenance and can help save between 10% and 26% over their useful life. Horizon. This change to the electrification of trucks would already be reducing the demand for oil in the equivalent of more than a million barrels per day, and that a giant like China stops depending on crude oil for its trucks is something that can shake the market internationally. And that ambition is not going to stay within its borders. If in recent months we have seen that China has flooded Europe with his electric carswe can expect something similar for 2026, but with trucks. And, furthermore, it has torn off in Hungary the construction of a factory for electric trucks and buses. It is evident that this path started by cars will be followed by trucks, which in the end are a important source of emissions in a world with increasingly global trade. Specificallya third of all transport-related carbon emissions in 2019. Images | Volvo, Cheng Long In Xataka | China’s energy paradox: an ‘electrostate’ that continues to feed on coal

Chinese manufacturers are launching electric cars at a hellish pace. Toyota’s response: Kaizen philosophy

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Two years ago, Tesla was advancing at a dizzying pace. Their sales were growing and they were putting all their machinery in motion to maintain an advantage over competitors. Its production process allowed it to manage such high profit margins that later they could push hard on the price end. Part of his secret was machine called Giga Press. The we could see in their Berlin factory with our own eyes. Huge, imposing. With it, the company produces larger chassis parts more quickly. That allows you manufacture much faster than the competition because for rivals that same piece consists of many other smaller pieces that must be assembled. The revolution is such that large companies They seemed determined to get theirs own to be able to stand up. Tesla also announced that I was ready to create larger pieces and, therefore, further reduce times manufacturing with a larger Giga Press. Time has told us thatElon Musk’s are having problems to carry out this evolution of the Giga Press. And that the machine, no matter how much it can make copies at a great rate, also has its counterpart as very long machine breaks when you want to modify the part in question. But speed up development times seems to be the focus of large companies. Chery assured a long time ago that chinese rule It was kind of inevitable. For them, Europe has lost the battle because the development of their vehicles is much fasterresponding to public demands at a frenetic pace. And although we are talking about a Chinese brand defending its business formula, the industry does seems to be moving in that direction. Honda and Nissan explored a merger to save this second one from bankruptcy. One of the objectives to be exploited with this possible merger was to be more agile in the development of automobiles. Renault boasted just a few days ago that your Twingo has been developed in record time. In China, of course. But faced with the infernal pace and a frenetic launch number, Toyota seems to be opting for the complete opposite. Pause and perfectionism. In short: philosophy kaizen. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? Kaizen philosophy or how to perfect a product A good example of how the Chinese industry pushes to launch models on the market at a frenetic pace is that of BYD. The Chinese company is experiencing first-hand the dangers of following the devilish pace of less powerful startups when you aspire to manufacture more than five million cars a year. And 2025 has been marked by the announcement that they would incorporate their most advanced driving systems into all their cars in China. To all, without exception, including the BYD Seagull (BYD Dolphin Surf in Europe). A car that sells for less than 10,000 euros in the Asian market. This has become obsolete of their own cars and has had an immediate consequence, with customers waiting for the new and more advanced models, the units that do not incorporate this technology have accumulated in their dealerships waiting for a possible buyer. That strategy, that of launching a product on the market in the shortest possible time and fixing its possible defects on the fly, relying on a adaptive capacity Extraordinarily fast, it plays against what the Japanese philosophy has always been. In Japan they have made philosophy kaizen its greatest exponent. Guillermo García Alfonsín explains in this documentary on YouTube how Japan has built a car empire from nothing. One of the great secrets has always been to study to the point of exhaustion how to improve an existing product, paying obsessive attention to the smallest detail. The result is that Japanese companies are always at the top of the reliability tables. Chinese manufacturers are choosing to reduce development times to a minimum. Toyota bets on the opposite The culture shock is evident. Faced with companies that develop their products at a dizzying pace and apply all kinds of improvements in the shortest possible time, Japanese perfectionism prefers to play it safe, with lead feet but with the guarantee that what they put on the market is the best result they can achieve. a few months ago From Toyota itself it was implied that the rush had reached the heart of the company, that they felt they were missing the train of the technology of the future. To this narrative, it is now assured Nikkei, The conservative vision has prevailed: a generation of cars that will last up to nine years to safely face the leap to electric cars. Until now, each generation of Toyota lasted between five and seven years, moving at the same times as the rest of the industry. The Japanese newspaper assures, however, that Toyota is betting on renewals of the models that will approach the decade and that it will be the remote updates that keep the car up to date. Of course, in Nikkei They point out that the models for China will follow their own rhythm, with more constant launches. The decision also seems a response to a complicated regulatory market. Toyota is one of the few companies that has renounced the electric car As the only solution, he has been defending for some time that each market requires different cars and that it is necessary to adapt to them. And in that context, it is the automotive group that more cars sold by far. The Japanese are treading carefully before making the leap to electrification. He Toyota bZ4X It was a sales failure and aspires with its latest update to boost the units it has put on the market. High consumption, equally high price and an improvable production process They put an end to the company’s first electric model. The jump to the electric car is also a challenge for the company, according to the consultants employed by the same company. The reverse engineering company Caresoft Global It already alerted Toyota that its production process … Read more

reduce the production of laser weapons and parts for electric cars to one second

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A team of researchers from China has achieved a technological leap that could alter the energy base of sectors as diverse as electric vehicles, advanced radars or even new generation defense systems. At a time when speed, thermal stability and on-chip integration have become strategic priorities for industry and militaries alike, China claims to have found an unexpectedly fast path to producing one of the most critical components in modern electronics. An industrial leap. China has presented an advance that fundamentally disrupts the production of dielectric storage capacitors, a critical component for hybrid electric vehicles, radar systems, advanced electronics and, especially, directed energy weapons. Two teams from the Metal Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have achieved reduce the manufacturing process of these devices just one second thanks to a technique flash annealing capable of heating and cooling materials at 1,000 ºC per second, forming crystalline films on silicon wafers in a single step. In other words, what previously required between three minutes and an hour now happens literally in the blink of an eye, without loss of energy density or thermal stability, and maintaining stable performance. up to 250 ºCa range that covers, for example, from the inside of a hybrid vehicle to the depths of oil exploration. The advance also offers a scalable industrial path towards on-chip storage devices, a goal long pursued by the electronics industry. A new class of capacitors. Dielectric capacitors stand out because they can charge and discharge energy with extreme suddenness, generating current peaks essential for systems that depend on instantaneous reactions. The new crystalline films created by the Chinese team not only achieve energy densities comparable to those of much slower methods, but they maintain less than 3% degradation even at 250 ºC. This guarantees its operation in severe conditions, from automotive electronics subjected to constant heat to sensors and energy exploitation equipment underground. Researchers say in your work that the rapid solidification obtained by heating by electromagnetic induction and immediately cooling in liquid nitrogen fixes the crystalline structure in a high energy state that multiplies the capacity storage, reaching 63.5 J/cm³, values ​​higher than traditional techniques such as firing in a muffle furnace or rapid thermal tempering. This combination of extreme speed, stability and density opens the door to design leaps in multiple industrial sectors. Strategic implications. As we said, the most delicate, and potentially transformative, impact is found in the military terrain: Emerging technology offers a direct solution to one of the bottlenecks of directed energy weapons, such as high-powered lasers, which require fast, stable flows of electricity to maintain sustained fire, repeated pulses, and minimal reload times. The ability to generate intense electrical pulses from denser, more heat-resistant, mass-produced capacitors with faster times drastically reduced makes this technology a key enabler for ship-borne lasers, anti-drone systems, energy saturation weapons or ground-based air defense platforms. In a scenario where thermal autonomy, stress resistance and the ability to withstand repeated thermal cycles are essential, these new dielectric films offer a decisive advantage compared to previous generations of materials. Although they still depend on improvements to close the gap with lithium batteries in total capacity, their superiority in instantaneous power is exactly what modern laser systems require. World projection. The promise of producing advanced capacitors in a second It represents a disruptive change for industries that, until now, assumed long and expensive processes to achieve similar levels of quality. The ability to extend the procedure to other ferroelectric materials and to apply the method on wafer-scale pellets makes this development in a milestone with direct implications for defense microelectronics, aeronautics and the energy sector. China thus obtains a path towards strategic components that are difficult to replicate in the short term in other countries, consolidating an industrial advantage in dual technologies whose relevance will only grow in the coming decades. For the directed energy weapons (considered the next big leap in anti-missile defense, anti-drone and anti-hypersonic platforms) this evolution in capacitors could be equivalent to missing link– Fast, robust, compact and, for the first time, truly scalable storage. Image | CCTV (via X) In Xataka | It is called Crazy Li and it is capable of cutting metal or causing blindness: China has developed an unprecedented combat laser In Xataka | China has made a science fiction dream come true: an electromagnetic cannon capable of reaching 3,000 shots per minute

Renewable gasoline and diesel are the last bastion of combustion cars to be able to circulate in Europe: they have a difficult time

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Whether for lack of infrastructure, strict regulationsocial perception, or by many other factors, electrification is a process that is advancingbut very slowly. Meanwhile, more than 20 million diesel and gasoline vehicles continue to circulate in Spain, many of them more than a decade old (or two). However, there are solutions that try to make this energy transition more bearable, and one of them involves the use of renewable fuels. What exactly are these fuels?. They don’t have a single drop of oil. They are produced from organic waste such as used cooking oils, animal fats, forest waste or crop remains. The catalytic hydrogen generation process transforms these wastes into fuels with properties similar to those derived from petroleum, but with a key difference: the CO₂ they emit when burned is the same as that which plants have previously absorbed from the atmosphere. Here we would therefore speak of a closed cycle, unlike fossil fuels, which release carbon stored underground for millions of years. Emissions. Repsol states that its Nexa diesel can reduce net CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel, while your Efitec Nexa gasoline discount more than 70%. In this case, although the engine continues to emit CO₂, it was already in the atmosphere before being converted into fuel. However, there is a nuance: nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) continue to be generated during combustion, because they come from nitrogen in the air when exposed to high temperatures. And for now, studies show conflicting results, with some indicating slight increases in NOₓ with certain biofuels, while others like the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory they conclude that renewable diesel reduces both CO₂ and NOₓ. What is consistent is the reduction of particles and soot. Full compatibility with current cars. This is probably its biggest practical advantage. Any diesel or gasoline vehicle can use these fuels without technical modifications. There is no need to change the engine, adapt the tank, or install new pumps at gas stations. In the case of Repsol, its Nexa diesel also complies with the European standard EN 15940 for paraffinic fuels, and Efitec Nexa gasoline with EN-228. In addition, the company ensures that, thanks to its high cetane number, it improves combustion, reduces engine noise and has a cleaning effect on the injection system. Where to find them in Spain. Repsol clearly leads the deployment, with more than 1,000 stations that offer Nexa diesel and with the goal of reaching 30 stations with Efitec Nexa gasoline by the end of the year. BP too offers HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) in strategic locations such as Tafalla, Getafe, Villacastín Norte or Olaberria, although its network is more limited and is oriented towards professional transport. To locate them, the most practical thing is use web search engines of each company, since they include filters to find gas stations that offer renewable fuels. It is worth remembering that the conventional diesel sold at practically all gas stations in Spain already contains up to 7% biodiesel (B7 label), but it is not comparable to a 100% renewable fuel if we stick to emissions. Cost and availability. Price is one of the main obstacles. Nexa diesel costs approx. 10 cents more per liter than conventional diesel, placing it in the range of premium fuels. Renewable gasoline follows a similar trend. Furthermore, although Repsol has expanded its network, coverage remains limited outside large urban centers and main corridors, especially in terms of renewable gasoline. Industrial production. Repsol produces renewable diesel in its Cartagena refinery and 100% renewable gasoline at the Tarragona plant. The company assures that it has been researching these processes for more than twenty years in collaboration with Honeywell. In 2026, the opening of a new facility in Puertollano with capacity for more than 200,000 tons per year is planned. Who is using them already?. In addition to the fact that anyone can now go to a Repsol gas station to try these fuels, their use has transcended commercial vehicles. And they have been tested in competitions like the Dakar Rallyand even sustainable fuels are used on commercial flights. Also transport companies such as Scania, Alsa or Grupo Sesé have signed agreements for adoption. An intermediate solution. The current European regulations The CO2 emissions test for new vehicles measures emissions from the tailpipe. With this approach, the result is zero for an electric car, but not for one that uses renewable fuel, even if it is carbon neutral in its entire life cycle (from production to consumption). It is for this reason that the industry and defenders of these fuels are asking for a change in the methodology so that the complete life cycle of the fuel is considered. Repsol and other players in the sector They ask for adapted taxation and long-term objectives that provide stability to investments. The Spanish mobile fleet has an average age of 14.5 years and it has more than eight million vehicles that are more than two decades old, according to data from ANFAC (Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers). Therefore, renewable fuels could be an intermediate alternative in this stage of energy transition, especially since they do not leave millions of drivers behind. Cover image | engin akyurt In Xataka | In 2001, Renault launched a car ahead of its time: it was a miserable failure that now has another chance

Amazon is beginning to be the gateway for your used cars in the US

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Imagine buying a car on Amazon It still sounds strange: choosing model, color, configuration and even financing from the same page where you buy books or a mobile charger. In Spain it is not possible to do so and there was only a specific experiment years agowhen Opel offered a limited series of the Grandland That attempt was not continued and today the platform is focused on accessories and maintenance products for the car. However, in the United States the idea is beginning to take shape. In the North American country, Amazon has shaped its own space for the automotive industry with Amazon Carsa section that brings together inventory from multiple dealerships and brands. The current screenshot shows a wide catalog in which vehicles from different manufacturers coexist, offered by different dealers and specialized sellers. This structure fits with Amazon’s strategy to reinforce its presence in the sector, a line that it already opened with the agreement signed with Hyundai in 2023 to facilitate the online purchase of new cars. A window to understand where the automotive industry is moving The way the agreement works is simple: Amazon becomes the point where the search begins and the dealer remains the place where the operation ends. The user can review inventory, compare certifications and move forward with financing. And if the question arises as to what happens next, nothing essentially changes. The signing of the contract, delivery and subsequent service remain in the hands of the dealer. Amazon only orders the previous steps and allows you to solve them from home, with the intention of making the process easier for the buyer. Here the buyer gains access to a broader showcase than is usually available to them. Instead of limiting yourself to the usual dealership, you have access to a much broader offer without having to travel. This promises to make the search a more agile process, with more organized information and the possibility of advancing procedures that previously required in-person visits. Amazon acts as that point where everything is organized before closing the operation. But there is another component: the support of Ford certifications. Each car, they say, has gone through a defined inspection and has specific guarantees and roadside assistance, which introduces a higher level of security. compared to a conventional used. The financing is part of the same flow and is linked to selected entities such as Ford Credit. For the buyer, the sum is simple: more inventory, less friction in the procedures and a framework of guarantees that reduces common doubts in the used market. What happens at Amazon Autos cannot be separated from the internal transformation that Ford is experiencing. In its latest strategic moves, Ford starts from the idea thatengines no longer define carsa position that marks its attempt to compete with Chinese manufacturers that are advancing rapidly in price and technology. Added to this challenge is the lack of qualified mechanics, which has forced Ford to propose salaries of up to $120,000 in a context in which Western industry has a deficit of specialized labor. With this panorama, opening a digital channel that organizes acquisition and expands presence where buyers already are seems a coherent decision. From Spain, where Amazon has not sold cars since that specific attempt by Opel, it is striking to see how in other markets the process is advancing rapidly. Ford’s initiative does not guarantee that this model will arrive in Europe in the same way, but it does reflect a progressive change: manufacturers They seek to be where the buyers are and simplify the less visible part of the purchase. Over time, these types of experiences can influence how we understand the role of the dealer and how we begin searching for our next car. Images | Caleb White | Robin Mathlener In Xataka | Temu and AliExpress are selling the cheapest V-16 beacons on the market. And it’s very easy to know if it’s a scam.

Having China manufacture its cars in Europe seemed like a perfect plan. Until they were filled with Chinese workers

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Manufacture their electric cars in Europe so that they can sell them without tariffs. That was the promise of the European Union to Chinese manufacturers. The objective was to consolidate the electric car industry for Europe in Europe, closing the door to proposals from China at a much more attractive price. And the result is not what was expected. Manufacture in Europe. In October 2024, the European Union confirmed the tariffs to all the companies that bring their electric cars from China. Including European ones. With this measure that applies individually to each company (ensuring that not all have received the same benefits from the Chinese State) it was intended to attract factories to Europe. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? The strategy has gone well. First, because the Chinese State ordered to stop all investments in Europe that were in the negotiation phase, initially turning off the tap. Secondly, because it is not clear that the installed factories are giving great results in terms of employment. From China for Chinese. “There are currently manufacturers in Europe that assemble Chinese cars with Chinese components and Chinese personnel: this happens in Spain and Hungary. This is not right.” The words are from Stéphane Séjourné Vice President of Prosperity and Industrial Strategy of the European Commission, in an interview for the Italian newspaper La Stampa. In it he pointed out Spain and Hungary as the two hot spots. In this second country, BYD is building its first plant in Europe to produce electric cars. In Spain we have the Chery plant in Barcelona and, under construction, the CATL battery plant in Aragon. In all previous cases, criticism has multiplied because they are not impacting the area as expected. The Hungarian case. Séjourné refers to the plant that BYD has planned in Hungary. There, the Chinese company is building a factory that should produce 150,000 cars a year (with potential for 300,000 units) and employ 10,000 workers. However, the European Union is studying if the Chinese giant is receiving covert subsidies to carry it out, paralyzing its construction. In the early phases of the project, BYD has employed about 1,000 workers Chinese which has raised the suspicions of the European Commission as to whether there is really an intention to produce wealth on European soil. some of them They staged protests last summer by claiming that they had been fired just six months after joining despite receiving promises of large salaries upon arrival in Europe. BYD is at the center of controversy because the European Commission suspects that in the future Chinese workers may be the majority at the plant, since they would aspire to lower salaries. The company, yes, He already promised that he would employ local workers to advance vehicle production. The question is whether this first hiring of Chinese personnel responds to the start-up of the factory or the advancement of a way of acting that extends over time. The Spanish case. In Spain, two factories have concentrated China’s interest. The first to arrive was the one from Chery to Barcelona. There, the Chinese company has found that it already had the necessary machinery to remove cars from it since it responds to the occupation of the old Nissan plant. However, the plans are not meeting the expected deadlines. Chery is assembling kits of cars in Barcelona. That is, the car arrives in large pieces to Spain and is finished being assembled here, so the local impact is reduced. In this case we are not talking about employment but we are talking about the fact that the network of suppliers generated is minimal. The European Commission did not like this and, in fact, the electric Omoda 5 has been delayed in Barcelona because the regulators threaten to impose tariffs on them when they understand that the added value is zero. The other point of friction is that of CATL in Aragón. The Chinese battery producer announced an agreement with Stellantis to produce there the components that the automotive giant will use in its small cars. For now, we know that 2,000 Chinese employees will arrive and, again, the shadow of what impact the new factory will have on the local labor market is looming. According to T&Eit is not guaranteed that the CATL plant will guarantee long-term knowledge transfer. More pressures. In addition to the statements by European regulators, other voices have also raised their voices. France is one of the countries that is most under pressure to create a new category of cars to make electric vehicles cheaper. Their proposal is that they meet certain size requirements… but also that production be entirely European. These days, Josep María Recasens, president of Renault Spain, returned to the charge ensuring that “we cannot allow China to come to Europe to make four plates with wheels without added value.” In his statements he asked that Europe force Chinese companies to associate with European ones so that there is a transfer of knowledge as China itself demanded from Europe when its manufacturers began to produce on Asian soil. Photo | Official Lula on Wikimedia and BYD In Xataka | China is manufacturing many more cars than the world wants to buy. And that is a foretaste of serious problems.

which cars can circulate and which rest on November 15

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The time has come. That’s right, Hoy No Circula Saturday returns for another week. As usual every Saturday, motorists subject to this program must comply with the measures established by the CDMX Environment Secretariat (SEDEMA) to improve air quality in the metropolis. The basis of these measures lies in reducing the number of vehicles circulating on public roads. Naturally, this means that certain cars must remain parked. These regulations, as you already know, are implemented in the 16 municipalities of the Mexican capital and in the suburban municipalities of the State of Mexico, which are detailed below: Atizapan of Zaragoza Coacalco de Berriozábal Cuautitlan Cuautitlán Izcalli Chalco Chicoloapan Chimalhuacan Ecatepec de Morelos Huixquilucan Ixtapaluca Peace Naucalpan de Juárez Nezahualcoyotl Nicolas Romero Tecámac Tlalnepantla de Baz Tultitlan Chalco Valley What cars and license plates does Hoy No Circula Saturday affect? Considering the above, how can we prevent a penalty for traveling irregularly? Without a doubt, the fundamental aspect is to be familiar with the regulations that are implemented. You can consult these regulations in the image that appears above. Each of these days has specific characteristics. While the regulations are precise, Saturdays experience subtle variations. The truth is that it is not always up to the drivers themselves to leave their vehicles parked. Briefly, during a Saturday the following situations can occur: Cars that can circulate every Saturday Cars that have to rest every Saturday Cars that rest every other Saturday These restrictions, however, are not in effect throughout the day. During night hours they are not considered and, consequently, they operate from 05:00 to 22:00. This means that during the night period we will have freedom of movement without worrying about possible violations. Having clarified these notions, what other aspects should we consider? The main thing is that Hoy No Circula Saturday does not work uniformly. It is necessary to check the calendar since Saturdays do not always restrict the same vehicles. The numerical termination of the plate will be the determining factor. Vehicles with hologram 2 are effectively obliged not to circulate. However, for example, vehicles with holograms 0 and 00 are not required to stop driving at any time. The latter enjoy total freedom of transit because they represent the automobiles with the lowest polluting impact. Now, what happens with hologram 1? On a Saturday like today, November 15, 2025it is appropriate that vehicles with hologram 1 and license plate ending in an odd number remain parked. The reason is that this Saturday represents the third Saturday of the month of September and, consequently, coincides with an “even week.” Next Saturday, the situation will be reversed and odd numbers will not be able to circulate. Even so, there are certain exceptions that are important to consider given that these vehicles will have permission to travel without restriction: Those that run on electricity, natural gas or are hybrids Those who have a disabled license plate All those dedicated to urban transportation services (includes funeral homes) Those that offer school or passenger transportation Those intended for public safety and/or civil protection If these provisions are violated, the economic penalty will range between 20 and 30 times the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA), which represents 1,924.40 pesos and up to 2,886.60 pesos. Photo | Baron In Xataka | Pollution is not only making you live less and worse. It’s also making you dumber

reviewing the best cars and raffle for five MediaMarkt gift cards

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We don’t stop, in Xataka we don’t stop. If just a few hours ago we were with Xataka Live, today the Special Week begins Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025. And what does it consist of? Well, while we wait for the gala to arrive on November 20, we are going to warm up our engines meeting the finalists of the different categories. Today is the first program and we are going to focus on two of the most disputed: the best hybrid and electric cars. Today’s program, November 13, will start at 4:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time on our Twitch channel. It will be presented by Ana Boria (@ana_borbuj) and Angela Blanco (@angelablancof); but they will not be alone. During these programs we are always accompanied by an in-house editor specialized in the subject. Today we are talking about cars, so that person could not be other than Alberto de la Torre. And if this were not enough, we have a brutal and super timely giveaway. Because? Because Black Friday is just around the corner and we are going to raffle five gift cards of 50 euros each from MediaMarkt. We tell you everything. A review of the best cars of 2025 Before starting the program, it is important to remember how the finalists are chosen. In recent weeks, we have shared various forms where you, the xatakeros, have voted for your favorite devices. These votes have been responsible for defining the finalists. In addition, those same votes will be added to those of the jury, which is made up of editors from Xataka and colleagues from other media specialized in technology. Thus, together we will choose the winners who will be announced during the gala. That said, today it’s time to talk about cars. In the Xataka NordVPN 2025 awards we have two categories: the best technological electric cars and the best technological hybrid cars. You can see the candidates here and here You have the vehicles that the xatakeros have chosen as finalists. Today, with Alberto, we will get to know them better. You still have time to get your tickets for the gala Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 on November 20 in Madrid! Join us and discover the best technological products of the year in a free event full of gadgets, humor and surprises. Advice offered by the brand How to get five 50 euro MediaMarkt gift cards In addition to learning about these two categories from Alberto, during today’s program (and all those to come) we will raffle five 50 euro gift cards from MediaMarkt. With Black Friday just around the corner, this prize is going to come as no surprise. How are they obtained? Participating in our giveaway. During today’s program we will ask a question. The first ten people to answer correctly in the Twitch chat will be assigned a number from one to ten and will advance to the second round. In this one, our presenters will draw five random numbers from a bag. The entries corresponding to that number will win the prize. Five winners and five substitutes will be selected. If any of the winners do not meet the requirements, they will be moved to the first alternate. If this one does not comply either, the second one will be resorted to, and so on. The winner will be chosen live and must contact Xataka through a whisper in the Twitch chat. In addition, the winner must be over 18 years old and resident in Spain. The legal bases can be found at this link. This content is a collaboration and sponsorship between Xataka and the brand, but there is no agreement on the script or the selection of the topics. The editorial content is created entirely by Xataka.

Barcelona is tired of cars not respecting the bus lane. So it’s installing AI cameras on its buses

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2,500 violations in one month. That is, Barcelona City Council could have fined more than 80 drivers every day. It has not done so because, at the moment, the project is in the testing phase, but it has served the City Council to confirm its suspicions: the invasion of the city’s bus lanes is a constant and a real problem. To confirm this, Barcelona City Council has launched a pilot test equipping four buses with cameras enhanced with artificial intelligence. They are units of lines H12, which crosses the city on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, and D20, which in this case covers the entire route of Avinguda del Paral-lel and a nearby section around the port. The project was already presented last February but it wasn’t until summer when we knew all the results. Four buses and 2,500 violations The data published suggests that something is not working in the Catalan city. They collect in Hybrids and Electrics that just four units collected more than 2,500 violations in just one month. These infractions have not been sanctioned because, as we said, it was a pilot project that will serve to define new strategies and look for solutions. The truth is that it is obvious that the Barcelona transport company has to deal daily with all types of vehicles that illegally occupy a space that should serve to prioritize the passage of public transport. To record these infractions, the cameras recorded the movement and position of the vehicles as the bus moved forward. They specified in the presentation of the project that cameras have not been used in the study to identify people or license plates. The software, they say, only counted if there was an object blocking the road and is capable of discerning illegal occupations, such as a parking lot, from those permitted (taxis, right turns…). With the data they want to propose solutions among which, of course, the possibility of turning buses into real moving radars has not been mentioned. Although buses have highlighted the problem, the truth is that Barcelona already has the so-called “multacar”cars with cameras that record violations of the bus lane and that, these do, issue penalties with the violations found in their path. And the city council also has similar vehicles that They control regulated parking areasinstantly checking if a car has exceeded the allowed time and, in that case, fining it. The big difference is that installing this system on the buses themselves would allow the fleet to become an exercise in constant surveillance throughout the service. And taking into account the data recorded, the volume of sanctions would be expected to be very high in that case. Photo | TMB In Xataka | FlixBus wants to operate international bus lines in Spain. He has encountered two enemies: Alsa and Avanza

China has a plan to repeat with cars what it already did with cell phones. And that plan has already begun

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It is more than likely that, wherever you look, see chinese technology. Maybe it’s your cell phone, your tablet or your television. You may be surprised that your microwave with a Japanese or American name is actually made by a chinese company. Or your refrigerator, air conditioning, whatever. China has conquered the world of technology and that, at this point, does not surprise anyone. Nor will it be surprising that the Asian giant wants to get involved to the kitchen (literally) and, in the case at hand, even our garage. Because yes, China has been promoting a plan since 2015 to lead several key technological industries (which is what it means to be the largest producer of batteries in the world) and one of those industries is the car. And we are already starting to see it. From the mobile phone to the washing machine and the car China understood very quickly that the future of cars was not in combustion, a market largely led by a well-established European industry. but in electricity. China took a shortcut. The state subsidized every stage of the chain, from mines and loading docks to battery factories and start-ups. We have the clearest example in BYD, which went from manufacturing mobile batteries to being the spearhead of the Chinese electric car. The Chinese market, however, is very saturated. Despite its huge population, there are 150 car brands in the country, so competition is fierce. Thus, China began to look outwards. And it went very well. In 2023, China surpassed Japan as the world’s leading car exporter and the next logical stop was Europe. The Chinese proposal was simple: offer technology, design and autonomy at a much lower price than local and Western proposals. Spain was the gateway with companies such as BYD, OMODA, JAECOO, XPENG and MG filling dealerships, something that translates into a considerable drop in average prices of 12%. In just a few years, the market share of these brands has skyrocketed from 2% to 7%, a figure that rises to 14% if we take plug-in hybrids into account. You still have time to get your tickets for the gala Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 on November 20 in Madrid! Join us and discover the best technological products of the year in a free event full of gadgets, humor and surprises. Advice offered by the brand And how is that possible? Because China has something that Europe does not have: total control of the production chain. They extract, produce, manufacture and assemble. They can also access affordable financing, free land and subsidiary energy. Companies compete under exceptional conditions with each other, encouraging price cutting and innovation. Not even tariffs can stop China’s advance. China, in fact, has not trembled when it comes to open factories on our continent to manufacture from within and, in the process, sow the seed of a more or less silent conquest. This is just a preview of a much longer report that you can see at the video on these lines. In Xataka | I have ridden a 100% autonomous XPeng Mona in a Chinese city. Tesla and Europe have a problem

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