electric

the German electric beast that devours 17 m³ of rock per shovelful

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The transition to electric mobility is not exclusive to passenger cars and motorcycles: heavy machinery is also embracing electrification. Beyond leaving diesel behind, the real challenge is to find a viable alternative to internal combustion in terms of power and torque. A few weeks ago an imposing Liebherr excavator started to operate in a copper mine in Bulgaria. What is striking is not only the machine itself (that too), because it is in fact the fifth electric excavator that the German manufacturer delivers to Assarel-Medet, but that the Bulgarian mining company is becoming one of the most advanced heavy electric fleet operators in the world. The new electric excavator Liebherr. The model R 9350 E It is a large tonnage mining excavator, with 330 tons of operating weight, which integrates a 1,200 kW electric motor, approximately 1,600 HP. In nominal power it slightly exceeds 1,120 kW. its diesel counterpartbut the real difference in performance is greater: an electric motor delivers that torque constantly throughout the operating range, while the diesel only reaches its maximum power in a narrow band of revolutions. It will be powered by a high voltage cable whose voltage has not been specified, although this type of machinery is custom designed of the client’s needs. According to the manufacturer, this engine offers advantages over combustion engines: it reduces vibrations and noise, prolongs the useful life of the components and lasts the entire useful life of the machine, reducing operating and maintenance costs. The excavator is equipped with a customized 17 cubic meter bucket, specifically designed to maximize productivity under the operating conditions of the Assarel mine in Pazardzhik. Why is it important. To begin with, because it operates with zero greenhouse gas emissions and does so while maintaining productivity compared to the diesel version. In open pit mining this eliminates direct emissions at the extraction front and considerably reduces fuel logistics within the deposit, two factors that in operations of this scale have a significant economic and operational impact. In fact, the R 9350 E offers superior power, performance and durability compared to the equivalent G6 diesel version and does so with lower maintenance and operating costs. Although the environmental advantage is evident, what truly tips the balance is the economic aspect: if the electric one performs the same or better and costs less to operate, the decision is made on its own. Context. The delivery of this unit is not an isolated milestone, but is part of the long-standing alliance between Assarel-Medet, Alki-L and Liebherr-Export, which dates back to 1993. Within the Bulgarian mining company’s strategy to decarbonize its operations, this is the fifth electric excavator that it has incorporated into its fleet: it is no longer a prototype or a pilot test, but rather a consolidated commitment that indicates where the sector is moving. On a global scale, the electrification of heavy mining machinery has been accelerating for years. Large manufacturers such as Volvo or Caterpillar have been exploring electrical solutions for heavy machinery for years and beyond regulatory green objectives such as the EU’s achieve climate neutrality by 2050there are the numbers: according to a report by IDTechEx As collected by Mining.com, a single 150-tonne mining truck can save more than five million euros in fuel over its lifetime if electrified. In those with larger tonnage, the savings are even greater. How have they done it. The technical key is direct power supply from the electrical network. Unlike battery solutions common in light vehicles, an excavator of this caliber is connected by high-voltage cable to a dedicated substation within the mine. This eliminates the problem of autonomy and allows it to operate 24/7 without having to stop to recharge, something that no battery can offer on this scale. Yes, but. The fine print of such an electric excavator has similarities with the old price debate between combustion and electric cars: the electrified versions have a higher acquisition cost, although Komatsu estimates Up to 50% savings on total cost of ownership of your electric excavator versus the equivalent diesel one. In machinery that can cost around five million euros in its diesel version, long-term accounts can tip the balance. On the other hand, an excavator with a 1,200 kW engine is conditioned by the available electrical infrastructure: it needs a substation and high voltage wiring within the mine itself. Furthermore, this model works well in large-scale open pit operations, but cannot be extrapolated to underground deposits or smaller mines without an equivalent investment in infrastructure. The electrical transition in heavy mining is a reality, but its pace is determined by the geography of the deposit and the investment capacity of the operator. In Xataka | While Europe discusses the electric car, China is mass introducing the next level: the electric truck In Xataka | From devouring diesel to being 100% electric: the incredible transformation of a 650-ton mining excavator in India

In Norway they have asked themselves which are the best electric cars at -30ºC. And the answer is clear: Chinese cars

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A test that has already become indispensable for the industry. The Norwegian Automobile Club has been carrying out a simple test since 2020: they take the most representative electric cars on the market, fully recharge them and put them to the test. All at the same time and along the same route. Objective: discover if someone is lying. A simple test in theory. But it provides a lot of information for the buyer of an electric car. And although the WLTP cycles have been improved and now they show consumption in urban cycles and outside of it, the truth is that the buyer of the electric car needs one piece of information: the consumption on the road at the maximum legal speed allowed. And in the city, the consumption of electric cars is usually very low. Furthermore, the impact of total autonomy is less relevant because either the car is charged at night or access to the chargers is easier than in the middle of a road. That’s why he test carried out by the Norwegian Automobile Clubthe NAF for its acronym in the local language, is so important because they get the cars moving and take them on the road on a route that begins in Oslo and extends for more than 400 kilometers. The final intention is to glimpse what real autonomy these cars have and its difference with the figure recorded by the WLTP cycle. “They lie”. We will put it in quotes. And when companies design their cars, they obviously think about the consumption that a car will have in real situations but, of course, They take into account how the approval tests are carried out to get the best possible result. He Dieselgatewhere Volkswagen and other brands in the group used specific software when homologating their cars to achieve better consumption figures on paper that were then not met in practice, is the best-known case. But without cheating, it may pay off for a manufacturer to prioritize the lowest possible consumption in the city even if it later suffers from a slightly higher consumption on the highway. Or that the car behaves worse in extreme cold conditions, as is usually found in these tests. This very low urban consumption can lower the final average figure and distort the car’s real mileage, which is why these real road tests are interesting. How are they tested? In the test, the Norwegians examine the car’s behavior on a route that starts from Oslo towards the north of the country and which almost always runs on national roads. On the route, which you can see in this linkstarts at sea level and ends at about 750 meters above sea level. Along the way there are two large studs. In the first one you exceed 500 meters in height, then you descend slightly and climb again until you exceed 1,000 meters in height. Subsequently, you descend until you stay at the aforementioned 750 meters high. The test is also done in winter and summer conditions to get even more information from the cars. The driver stops when it detects a loss of power in the car but it doesn’t drain the battery all the way. This seeks to know to what extent the car is capable of moving at full capacity. In a year like this with very low temperatures, the first driver who abandoned noticed a loss of power when the car still had 11% autonomy left. And among the data published, the association also includes the weather along the route, specifying the minimum and maximum temperature or whether the sky remained clear or it snowed. This time record temperatures were reached, the warmest occurred in Oslo where the thermometer read -8ºC and the coldest was recorded while passing through Høyeste with -32ºC. The best. With this way of working, this Norwegian association has published its data. They take into account the deviation from the declared WLTP figure but also the percentage (doing 500 kilometers and deviating by 100 km from the expected range is not the same as doing 300 kilometers and deviating those same 100 km). Taking this into account, their data says that the best cars were the Hyundai Inster and the MG IM6, which performed 29% less than the expected range. The cars that deviated the least from the expected figure were the following: Hyundai Inster: distance traveled 256 km, WLTP distance 360 ​​km, difference 104 km KGM Musso EV: distance traveled 263 km, WLTP distance 379 km, difference 116 km Voyah Courage: distance traveled 300 km, WLTP distance 440 km, difference 140 km Changan Deepal S05: traveled distance 293 km, WLTP distance 445 km, difference 152 km MG IM6: traveled distance 352 km, WLTP distance 505 km, difference 153 km The worst. The data tells us one thing but it is also important to contextualize it. For example, they point out that the Lucid Air was the electric car that deviated the most from its expected autonomy (49%) but it was also the one that traveled the most kilometers (520 kilometers) so it was exposed the longest to temperatures below -30ºC. In fact, This same car was one of those that obtained the best figures in the last summer test. Last year, the organizers point out, the Polestar 3 broke the record in a winter test, stopping at 537 kilometers. However, they point out that in that same mountain pass where freezing temperatures have been reached this year, the thermometer that time marked a much more pleasant temperature of 8ºC. With all this, the cars that deviated the most from the expected figure were the following: BMW iX: distance traveled 388 km, WLTP distance 641 km, difference 253 km Tesla Model Y: distance traveled 359 km, WLTP distance 629 km, difference 270 km Volvo EX90: distance traveled 339 km, WLTP distance 611 km, difference 272 km Mercedes CLA: distance traveled 421 km, WLTP distance 709 km, difference 288 km Lucid Air: distance traveled … Read more

Chinese electric cars already have massages, karaoke and even a refrigerator. The next step is an under-seat toilet.

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If you can’t hold back the urge to urinate while you’re in the car, the normal thing to do is wait until you make a stop at the next gas station to relieve yourself. That’s normal, and then there is Seres, the Chinese manufacturer of Aito cars, which has patented a rather peculiar solution: add a toilet integrated into the cabin that unfolds like a drawer. Exploring other areas. China has one of the most saturated electric car markets and competitive on the planet. Dozens of brands fight for the same type of audience and differentiation has become a race without limits: from massage seats and karaoke systems, even integrated refrigerators, giant screens…If everyone is doing the same thing in infotainment, why not explore the next territory? And this seems to be the conclusion reached by Seres, the Chongqing-based company that manufactures Aito brand vehicles. A portable toilet. According to they count From CarNewsChina, the Intellectual Property Administration of China granted Seres authorization for this patent on April 10. The device consists of a toilet integrated under the passenger seat that is extracted using a system of sliding rails (something similar to a drawer) manually or by voice commands. When not in use, it is completely hidden under the seat, without taking up additional space in the cabin. How it works inside. According to collect The BBC, which had access to the original document presented to the Chinese authorities, the system includes a fan and an extraction tube to evacuate odors to the outside of the vehicle. The waste is collected in a tank that must be emptied manually. In addition, it incorporates a rotating heater that evaporates urine and dries solids. Is for when the car is stopped. Before too vivid mental images arise, it is worth clarifying: the design is designed so that you stop as soon as possible and start with the task. According to CarNewsChinaSeres’ own engineers specify in the patent report that the objective is “to satisfy the needs of users during long journeys, camping or during prolonged stays in the vehicle.” Endless traffic jams, overnight stops or campsites without facilities are the intended use cases. It’s not as crazy as it seems. Toilets in cars are very rare, but it would not be the first time they have been seen in a car. In fact, just as account BBC, in the 1950s, a special version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith already included a toilet under the back seat. There are also those who have modified their car to include one, such as this owner of a Toyota 4Runner. What Seres is proposing now is, in essence, a more technologically sophisticated version of an idea that already existed seventy years ago. Obstacles. Just because the patent exists does not mean that it will reach production. CarNewsChina points out several important technical obstacles, including integrating drainage pipes into compact chassis (especially in electric ones where the battery occupies a large part of the floor), guaranteeing the durability of the rails or achieving an airtight seal that prevents odor leaks. And then there’s the psychological barrier, which is basically convincing passengers that it’s perfectly normal to use the bathroom just inches from where the rest of the family sits. Seres is not going through its best moment. The company is going through a difficult time. According to data of China EV DataTracker, deliveries of Aito M9its high-end SUV, have fallen 44.2% year-on-year for three consecutive months. Seres and Huawei plan to soon launch a renewed version of the model to stop the decline. And in this context, these types of patents can help the brand, not even to make them a reality, but to try to generate conversation around its vehicles. Cover image | Polestones and Aito In Xataka | You buy a second-hand car, you pay for it and the police confiscate it: this is how the ‘twin’ car scam works

For the CEO of Ford, the reference for the electric car is no longer Tesla, it is China

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The head of Ford has been studying Chinese manufacturers in depth for months and is clear about one thing: that to understand where the electric car is going, we must pay close attention to China. For some years now the country is leading a historic transition in the automobile, and the perfect proof of this reality is the fixation that brands as historic as Ford have with the Chinese electric car. And for Jim Farley, CEO of the company, Tesla is no longer the benchmark. China, not Tesla. The automobile industry has been at a crossroads for some time. Electric sales are not growing at the expected rate in the West, large manufacturers have had to rethink their strategies and convert their factories (energy storage for data centers), and in the United States the elimination of federal tax incentive It has made the purchase of a new electric car even more expensive. In this context, Ford CEO Jim Farley explained in the Rapid Response podcast that Tesla is no longer the benchmark, and that it is now China. Change of sight. In the interview, Farley explained why he has been testing a Xiaomi SU7 instead of an American vehicle. “If you’re an American and you want us to beat the Chinese in the car business, you’re going to want to pay attention, not necessarily to Tesla. Nothing against Tesla, they’re doing well, but they don’t really have an up-to-date vehicle,” he said. And his reference for Ford is not Elon Musk, but BYD: “The best thing in the business for us in cost, supply chain, manufacturing experience and innovation is BYD,” Farley said. in the same podcast. Concerning. BYD was born in 1995 as a battery manufacturer and today is the largest electric car manufacturer in the world by volume. having surpassed Tesla in global sales in 2025. In 2022 it was the first manufacturer to completely abandon pure gasoline cars. For Farley, what is relevant is not the market capitalization of each company, but rather who is defining what the consumer will want to buy in the next decade. TOGod to the expensive electric ones. Ford has learned its lesson through million-dollar losses. The company became the second brand that sold the most electric cars in the US after Tesla, but its models were, according to Farley himself, “designed in the wrong way.” In December 2025, Ford took over a $19.5 billion correction having to reformulate its entire electric strategy. He F-150 Lightningwhich was presented as the flagship of its electrical commitment, is converted into an EREV vehicle (with a small combustion engine that acts as a generator) because, as admitted Farley himself in December, “the $70,000 electric cars were not selling.” The new roadmap involves launching an electric pickup at $30,000 before 2027. The key is in the second-hand market. Farley has an unconventional way of reading the market. And it is that prefer look at the sales of used cars before those of new ones, because “the second-hand market is twice that of new ones, and since they are all sold at lower prices, they are a better predictor of consumer behavior.” And of course, in this market, affordable electric and hybrid vehicles are the ones that move the most compared to those in the premium segment. China is not just price. Farley recognize that each Chinese car incorporates about 4,000 or 5,000 dollars in government subsidies, direct and indirect. He is also aware that these vehicles incorporate up to ten cameras and advanced connectivity systems that, in his opinion, “should be reviewed by the US Department of Defense for reasons of national security.” However, Farley concludes that the correct response is not to ignore them, but to learn from them. “That is the gift that China has given us: that we are respectful enough of its progress not to settle for business as usual,” he said in the interview. Cover image | Hans and Rapid Response In Xataka | The longest straight road in the world is a mental challenge: 240 km without curves, in the middle of the desert and with truck traffic

We attended a crash test and discovered the new (and first) Ebro full electric

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Wuhu has turned out to be quite a surprise. While Beijing has those aromas and that life of what, clearly, is a great capital, Wuhu, although it is enormous, is more reminiscent of that “neighborhood China.” The multi-hundred-story buildings that can accommodate hundreds and hundreds of families make an appearance, of course, but the atmosphere is different. There are restaurants, small shops, it feels more local, more authentic. It is here where Chery, the technological partner of the Spanish company Ebro, whom I accompany on this trip, was born and has its headquarters. And it shows. Not because the hotel we stayed in belongs to the company, that too, but on the road. A walk through Wuhu | Image: Xataka If in Beijing you didn’t see a single Chery car, here they are religion. They are everywhere, wherever you look. The taxis? All Chery. Personal vehicles? Absolute omnipresence of the Tiggo and Arizzo ranges. BYD, Geely, Toyota, Kia and Hyundai are also here, but Chery’s dominance is absolute. Caught | Image: Xataka It’s something normal. China has that component of betting on the local. It is a kind of pride, something to boast about, using a product born in your city and the government promotes it. That’s why BAIC reigns in Beijing and that’s why when they ask you about your cell phone or watch model, they smile a little when they see that, in my case, they are an honor and a Huawei. The same thing happens with Chery, but today it’s not time to talk about Chery, but about Ebro. Chery is the partner technology from the Spanish Ebro, which uses its platforms to sell its own models in Spain, Portugal and, soon, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia. A Ebro s700 It is, at its core, a Chery Tiggo 7. Knowing that, it will not surprise anyone that Ebro’s new model is based on the Chery QQ3 EV. Because yes, Ebro has finally announced a completely electric car which will be produced in its factory in the Free Trade Zone of Barcelona. It still does not have a name and the specifications are not final, since the homologation is missing, but I can tell you a little something, since I have been able to see it in first person. The new electric Ebro | Image: Xataka This car has a clearly urban vocation and is focused on the younger audience. More circular and oval shapes, 2.7 meters between axles and 4.3 meters long give shape to a more compact car and very different from what Ebro has put on the road to date. It is a risky bet for 1) a brand that until now was synonymous with SUVs and 2) a market whose electrification still has a way to go. It has a 42.7 kWh lithium-ferrophosphate battery, which translates into a range of more than 300 kilometers. It has a 90 kW rear axle motor, which allows it to offer, always according to the brand, 122 HP, 111 Nm of maximum torque, 135 km/h maximum speed and acceleration from zero to 100 in less than 11 seconds. At the moment, his name is Ebro BEV | Image: Xataka The power of the charging system has not been revealed, but it will be compatible with AC and DC and will be able to go from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes. Inside the car we find two generous screens, a 15.6-inch floating central one with 2K resolution and a system powered by a Snapdragon chip, and another smaller one, 10.25 inches, in the instrument panel. In China, analog needles and lights have passed away. Interior of the Ebro BEV | Image: Xataka The price has not been revealed either. and the specifications, as we said, are provisional. When the process of industrial adaptation and approval is completed, we will clear up doubts. This is not the only novelty, although it is the most notable. Ebro has taken advantage of the presentation in Chery’s hometown to announce a new version of the Ebro s400 with 1.5 TGDI engine and DHT transmission with two electric motors. This has a power of 224 HP and consumes 5.55 L/100 km. An interesting thing is that it can move in tandem mode (so that the combustion engine generates energy so that the electric one moves the wheels) or in parallel (both engines working at the same time). In theory, this should help reduce the car’s engine noise and improve the lack of “oomph” seen in the previous model. Restyling of the Ebro S800 PHEV. The s700 and S400 maintain the same front grille design | Image: Xataka Ebro also announced a restyling from the s700 and s800with a new front grille with rectangular shapes inspired, according to the firm, in Barcelona, ​​and aesthetic adjustments designed to homogenize the design and give it a more rounded touch. This has been one of the parts of the day, but today I have also been able to witness something that, to date, I had never seen: a crash test. I don’t know, there’s something, let’s say, funny, in seeing a car going towards another knowing that both are going to break down. Under controlled conditions, needless to say. It has a certain charm and, frankly, the real shame is that it lasts so little, because it’s barely a second. New car for sale, few kilometers, one owner, always in a garage | Image: Xataka For the test, Chery placed a Tiggo 9 (remember, the base of an Omoda 9 SHS) at one end of the road. To the other, a Tiggo 7 that rushed towards him at 50 km/h. At the same time that the Tiggo 7 crashed head-on, the Tiggo 9 received a complete impact against a barrier vehicle at 40 km/h from behind. They are, from what they have explained to us, two overlapping forces whose purpose is to bring the test closer to a real environment. To the right and in the background, … Read more

Spain 1- Hungary 0. MG chooses Spain for its European electric car factory, according to Bloomberg

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MG is one of the Chinese fashion brands in Spain. It is the company that dominates the market by sales volume, among other things thanks to its clear focus on the entry-level or mid-range. Its figures in the Spanish state rise like foam: In 2025 they sold 45,163 units and grew by 46.78%. In the midst of the global structural reconfiguration of the sector towards electric mobility enhanced by an EU that does not hesitate to try to regulate the market in favor of classic players located in its territory against the deluge in quantity, quality and price made in ChinaSAIC motor has made a move to protect its piece of the pie in the old continent: set up a plant to act as a European hub. Anonymous sources They have leaked to Bloomberg that the chosen destination is Spain. MG Choose Spain. SAIC Motor, one of the China’s largest automakers by volumeplans to establish its first electric vehicle production plant in Europe within Spanish territory. Anonymous sources linked to the sector they point out to Bloomberg that the decision is not yet final and that key details such as the size of the investment, production capacity or deadlines are missing. As explains The EconomistSAIC Motor has been studying options within the Spanish state for more than a year, which has experience in the deployment of electric vehicle platforms under the umbrella of government incentives. Why is it important. For SAIC Motor the answer is simple: investment is critical to mitigate the impact of the tariffs that the EU applies to Chinese manufacturers. By producing on European soil, MG escapes these taxes, which allows it to continue maintaining its aggressive pricing strategy, essential for its rapid growth. From a technical point of view, having a plant here would allow it to better adapt its models to the standards and tastes of the European consumer, in addition to reducing its logistical footprint. Spain It is the second European automobile producer and ninth in the world, with almost 2.3 million vehicles produced in 2025 according to ANFAC data. The arrival of a brand with the sales volume of MG represents traction for the entire automotive and associated industry, in the face of a panorama of forced transition from combustion engines and with an uncertain future of its most historic plants. That the industry shifts from fossil fuel engines to electromobility is key so that it does not lose relevance in the state GDP. Context. After eight months of investigation, Brussels determined that Chinese electric manufacturers receive state subsidies that distort competition and threaten millions of European jobs, so producing these cars on the old continent avoids those tariffs in the bud. The final tariffs approved by the European Commission applicable to BEVs imported from China are: BYD Group, 17%; Geely Group, 18.8%; SAIC Group, 35.3%, among others. To that we must add 10% base. Bottom line: SAIC Motor Corporation Limited is more interested than anyone in finding a solution. Despite this, they are selling cars like hotcakes: just look at any recent ranking of best-selling cars. Chinese brands have found two ways to avoid tariffs: establish factories within Europe or import vehicles in unassembled kits (CKD) to assemble them on European soil. SAIC aims to combine both phases. What Spain has that Hungary does not have. The eastern European country has until now been the favorite of Chinese manufacturers in terms of electric cars and batteries and there are no shortage of reasons to choose it: it offers lower labor costs, it has a geographically central position in Europe and direct links with China through the Belt and Road Initiative (Belt and Road). In addition, it already accumulates investments from BYD, CATL either NIOas well as other classic actors in the industry. Spain adds to its industrial muscle and its consolidated experience in the sector an advantage that Hungary does not have: a market where MG already leads sales and an ecosystem that is fully activated. In addition to having efficiency as a flag, in the words of the Spanish Minister of IndustryJordi Hereu. But there is a key milestone: the Figueruelas (Zaragoza) plant now has a date for make Leapmotor electric vehicles starting in October of this year, combining Chinese technology and Spanish production, consolidating a model in which SAIC can be reflected. Zaragoza is not only a precedent: it is proof that Spain can accommodate the Chinese electricity transition without industrial or political friction. All the pools point to Galicia. In the absence of official confirmation and knowing more details, the location for the future plant What sounds the most is Galicia: has extensive industrial experience linked to the sector, a consolidated chain of suppliers, the Salvaterra-As Neves logistics platform and the proximity to the port of Vigo, which opens the doors to maritime connections with the United Kingdom, northern Europe and Atlantic markets. The icing on the cake: the president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, focused on his recent official trip to China in strengthening commercial relations in the automotive industry and in his busy schedule he had time to visit the SAIC factories and hold a meeting with the board of directors. First steps. Unveil Galicia Press that the model initially proposed for its Spanish plant points to CKD assembly, with the possibility of evolving towards full production according to sources in the sector. That is, the main components of the vehicle are manufactured at source and sent in pieces to the new factory for final assembly. Leo Zhang, head of SAIC for Spain and Portugal, has already spoken profitability of a possible European plant: from around 250,000 units per year. Although it is unknown which model they will start with (there are those who point to the utility vehicle MG2, direct rival of the Renault 5 and the future Volkswagen ID.2), if there is an orientation regarding deadlines: SAIC intends launch the first model manufactured in Europe in 2027. Yes, but. The news rests on anonymous … Read more

I have seen the future of cars in Beijing and yes, it is electric (and very cool)

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I remember when I was in Dubai and I attended GITEXthe largest technology fair in the world with its 230,000 square meters of stands spread across several pavilions. That seemed absolutely unbearable to me, even having two or three days to visit it relatively calmly. It was something absolutely insane. Three years later I woke up not in Dubai, but in Beijing. And if the 230,000 square meters of GITEX were overwhelming, the 380,000 square meters of the Beijing Motor Showthe 1,451 cars on display, the 181 new cars, the 71 concept cars and the 200 press conferences are, directly, mission impossible. Chery Hall | Image: Xataka I would need a week to tour the two pavilions that shape this event, but I have only had a few hours. Not that I needed much more. Not only because 99% of the cars I have seen here will not arrive in Spain, that too, but because just take a look around the stands of Chery, Xiaomi, BYD, Geely, Changan, Nio, Xpeng and company to discover that the future of the automobile does not have a European sealbut a Chinese flag that is displayed with pride. AION i60 | Image: Xataka The clearest sign that something is changing and that the sector is evolving is expectation. I have attended countless technology events, from CES to IFA to MWC or GITEX. It had been years, many years, without seeing lines to enter a stand, to take photos of the latest product launched by a company. Here, well, this was the press conference of the Chery Group. Moments before the Chery press conference | Image: Xataka While consumer technology has become a commodity, as everyone has a cell phone, a laptop, a watch and headphones, the cars are transitioning. Talking about cars is, perhaps, an understatement, because what Beijing is teaching me is that the car is passing to be a gadget. It is no longer just a matter of consumption, finishes and bodywork. Here talking about a car means talking about connectivity, charging powers, ecosystem, infotainment. While technology is currently going through a period of relative stagnation, reducing innovation to incremental improvements in specific aspects, the driving force is quite the opposite. The sector is experiencing one of its best moments in terms of variety, capacity and technology. Jetour G700 | Image: Xataka The gasoline, or rather, the electricity that drives this evolution has a Chinese seal. I wonder, now that I see firsthand the power of companies like BYD, Chery, Nio and company, If no one thought of this when manufacturers sold their long-term capacity for short-term profits. Did no one think that China, which requires a partnership with a local partner and the transfer of intellectual property in exchange for being able to sell in its huge country, was going to hit the table one day? That, at some point, I would want to stop manufacturing for others to take what you have learned, improve it, optimize it and sell it herself? Arcfox S5, the premium range from Beijing’s BAIC | Image: Xataka Sure, outsourcing molding, part production, and engineering kept prices low and increased competitiveness in the past, but now the tables have turned. Now it is the Chinese brand that also accumulates years of expertise competing in a ultra aggressive market and electrified like the premises, which is capable of vertically integrating and controlling the entire manufacturing process, from the batteries to the last screw, and if it does not do so, it surely has a nearby company capable of providing every last cable. Because that is a huge competitive advantage.: If Europe or the United States wants a Chinese part, they have to wait for it to be shipped and it arrives. Days, at least. Those finishes? 🤤 | Image: Xataka If a Chinese brand needs it, I probably just have to cross the sidewalk or drive a few minutes to the manufacturer’s headquarters. That capacity, that good work, I see clearly as I walk through the infinite halls in the Hall. I see a BYD that fills an entire Hall 3 with its brands, showing off a 1,000 HP roadster like the Denza Z. Its finish has little to envy of any European car, although I doubt it will reach Europe. Denza Z | Image: Xataka Denza Z | Image: Xataka Denza Z | Image: Xataka I also see a spectacular supercar from their Fangchengbao brand capable of making anyone’s jaw drop. Anyway, what to say | Image: Xataka At his side, a Denza Z9 GT and a Fangchengbao frozen at -33 degrees serve the brand to boast of fast charging in extreme conditionsnailing to the millimeter the promise that the car, frozen, is fully charged in 9 minutes. I can think of few more risky demos. Yes, it’s frozen | Image: Xataka That is a live image of frozen car interior screen | Image: Xataka Then there is this car, also BYD, with a My Little Pony theme that I leave here for haha. Yes, it’s hair | Image: Xataka The tires, please | Image: Xataka Without words | Image: Xataka In the Chery hall, which has had the most crowded conference I have seen in years, the company’s executives explain their international vocation and their plans to continue extending their tentacles. And I must say that it is even dizzying. When a Chinese executive makes a presentation in English, it is not for pleasure. It is a declaration of intentions like the top of a pine tree. Chery has introduced the Omoda 4, the Lepas L6 EV and the Tiggo V (which can be transformed into a pick-up, convertible and SUV and which we will see here as an Omoda, Jaecoo or Ebro). The signature, furthermore, intends to bring its Lepas brands (more elegant cut) and Exeed (which will be Exlantix and will be sold as a premium brand) to Spain. Omoda 4 | Image: Xataka Lepas L6 EV | Image: Xataka Tiggo V … Read more

Ford has been slow to adapt to the electric car, so it is going to start manufacturing batteries for… data centers

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Ford has decided to convert its electric vehicle battery manufacturing capacity into a large-scale energy storage business. The move has its own name: Ford Energy, a new division with $2 billion in investment planned for the next two years and the stated objective of supplying batteries to data centers, electricity companies and large industrial consumers. Because now. The starting point is not exactly ideal for the company. Ford’s electric division accumulated net losses of 11.1 billion dollars only in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Reuters. For this year, the company expects to continue losing between 4,000 and 4,500 million additional dollars in its electrical and software division. “I think the customer has already spoken,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told investors. With battery factories operating at low capacity and the electric vehicle market in the United States in free fall, especially after the elimination of the $7,500 aid last September, Ford has chosen not to dismantle that infrastructure, but to redirect it. What is Ford Energy and how it will work. The bet is articulated around the Glendale, Kentucky, plant, which will be converted to manufacture energy storage systems at network scale. According to counted Ford late last year, the facility will produce LFP (lithium ferrophosphate) cells and storage modules. The cell technology used is licensed by the Chinese firm CATL, with whom Ford already had agreements on its line of electric vehicles. The plan, according to the company itself, is to have initial operational capacity within 18 months and reach at least 20 GWh of annual production by the end of 2027. In parallel, the BlueOval Battery Park Michigan plant, in Marshall, will continue with its production of LFP cells for Ford’s upcoming midsize electric truck, but will also make lower amperage cells aimed at residential storage. Lisa Drake, the board of directors who heads Ford Energy, explained that the “predominant” business opportunity will be in commercial electric grid customers, with data centers as the second priority and the residential segment as the third leg. Drake also noted that when going out to market to explore demand, it became clear that the technology preferred by customers was precisely the containerized prismatic LFP system, something that Ford could easily manufacture thanks to its licenses. For his part, John Lawler, vice president of Ford, counted In the statement, Ford Energy’s core purpose is to “capture the growing demand for reliable energy storage that reinforces the stability and resilience of the electric grid for utilities and large consumers.” The market you want to conquer. The explosion of artificial intelligence electricity consumption in data centers is skyrocketing on a global scale. The International Energy Agency places the demand for these centers around 945 TWh by 2030approximately 3% of global electricity consumption, with a projected growth of 15% annually. In the United States alone, according to the Battery Council International, this consumption could double to between 400 and 600 TWh on the same date. In that scenario, large-scale energy storage becomes critical infrastructure and Ford, like many other converted manufacturersthey see a great business opportunity. Ford is late, but he is not alone. The problem is that Tesla has a decade of advantage. Its energy storage business deployed 46.7 GWh in 2025 alone, 48% more than the previous year according to TechCrunchand was also more profitable than its own electric car division, with gross margins close to 30% compared to 15% for the automobile. General Motors has also made a move: its joint venture with LG Energy Solution has just invested $70 million to convert its Tennessee plant, south of Nashville, into the production of batteries for storage. The transition, however, is neither easy nor cheap. Switching a factory from nickel chemistry, common in electric car batteries, to LFP can take up to 18 months and cost several hundred million dollars, according to share from Reuters. Added to this is technological dependence on China, which dominates the LFP supply chain, and 35% US tariffs on cathode and anode materials of Chinese origin. What this means in the long term. Just like they count From the middle, although the demand for energy storage in North America is expected to almost double in five years, going from 76 to 125 GWh, that is not enough to absorb the more than 275 GWh of productive capacity that the automobile industry has installed with electric in mind. Storage alleviates the problem, but does not completely solve it. Even so, this same reorientation is what many other car manufacturers have opted for in order to take advantage of their infrastructure and contain losses due to their electric cars, especially in the United States, which is where things are much weaker. Cover image | Hans and ford In Xataka | Australia has a straight highway of 150 kilometers. And to prevent you from falling asleep he has put hobbies on the posters

from spending a decade sowing ports and trains to reaping with their electric cars

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For more than a decade, Beijing has been building the infrastructure, alliances and agreements that allow it to gain an advantage in a continent that has just opened its doors wide. And after having conquered Europe, and in the process of doing the same in Canada With its new energy and industrial vehicles, Latin America has for years been a pending strategic point for China in which to transfer a good part of its technology in exchange for raw materials. A fertilized land. Although China has had an eye on Latin America for many years, its strategy is now entering a different phase. For years, his play has focused on ports, railways, loans and commodities. Today, to this is added an automobile industry that urgently need to exportand that finds in Latin America a terrain that has already been fertilized with patience. Infrastructure. The most visible example is the Chancay megaporton the central coast of Peru, operated by the Chinese state shipping company Cosco Shipping. With the capacity to receive the largest container ships in the world, its objective is to reduce transit times between South America and Asia from the current 40 days to just 28. Robert Evan Ellis of the US Army Institute for Strategic Studies. he described it to the BBC some time ago as the transition from a route that “previously made all the stops” to another that “goes directly to the destination.” Peru, with China as its main trading partner for more than a decade, is not the only country: 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are already part of the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s great global connection project. Added to that are the railways. It is estimated that Latin America has more than 150 railway projects on the table with an estimated investment of 384 billion dollars until 2050, according to the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. China plays a central role in its financing, from the 16 billion dollars in road modernization in Argentina to the Bioceánica Railway, the 3,700 kilometer corridor that It will connect the Atlantic with the Pacific, crossing Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.. A work that not only connects countries, but shortens China’s route to the continent’s raw materials. lthe cars chinese. While the country is building all this logistics operations, China has been facing a serious problem for some time: a chronically overproduced automobile industrymargins under pressure and a cooling domestic market. BYD, its best-known manufacturer, saw the state withdraw subsidies for plug-in vehicles, making it its sales suffered. The answer to preventing its economy from sinking has been foreign expansion. Europe knows this perfectly, and Latin America has also been at the center of the plan for some time. To continue with the example of BYD, despite being a privately held company, already produces in Brazilwhere it sold 113,000 cars last year, more than in any other market outside of China, with a plant with the capacity to reach 600,000 vehicles annually. As Bloomberg tells it, from there, it will export 50,000 units to Mexico and another 50,000 to Argentina, taking advantage of trade agreements that eliminate tariffs between these countries. The factory in Brazil will be the one that supplies vehicles to the rest of Latin America. It is not the only front. Manufacturers like Changan have been perfecting for years in Mexico a model reuse strategy (the same vehicle with different brands and prices over time) that allows them to maintain a constant presence with a minimum investment in development. On the other hand, Yutong, one of the largest bus manufacturers in the world, has just delivered the first 180 of the 600 buses planned for modernize public transportation in Nicaragua within the framework of an agreement with the country’s Government. Concern in Washington. Donald Trump’s administration has classified the case of the port of Chancay as an example of how “cheap Chinese money” can erode national control over critical infrastructure. His warning also points to something more serious: that China uses displaced labor from its country instead of local ones, something that does not catch us by surprise in Europe, and that ends up generating economic dependencies that are difficult to reverse. Ellis counted to the BBC that “with Chancay, Peru will become more dependent on China,” and recalled that in other relations between Latin America and Asia “China used predatory techniques and ended up taking natural resources.” Peru illustrates the tension well: it has China as its main trading partner and the United States as a strategic ally and military partner. Washington negotiates the construction of a naval base a few kilometers from the port that Beijing operates. The same enclave, two powers, and an uncomfortable decision. A paradise for Chinese technology. Latin America is not a homogeneous market, but it has several common features that make it attractive to China: aging transportation infrastructures, growing middle classes, low penetration of electric vehicles and tariffs that, in many cases, have not yet adjusted to the pace of China’s entry. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina concentrate the bulk of attention by market size, but the agreements with Nicaragua or the projects in Chile, Colombia and Peru show that the strategy is much broader. In Xataka | In 2022 it seemed impossible for China to close the US “gap” in AI in four years. In 2026 it is a fact

China has shown that the good and cheap electric car exists. So Citröen has had to get its act together

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China is doing very well with the cheap electric car. And if not, tell them BYD Dolphin Surfa 100% electric vehicle that the company finances at just over 3% for 125 euros per month. Without financing it costs 19,990 euros which, after aid, can become 11,780 euros. Saving exceptions like Dacia Springwhich compete in a much lower league, Western manufacturers have no choice but to respond. And Citröen has been the first to do so. 11,700 euros. Citroen has been lowering the price of its ë-C3 for more than a yeara car that was launched on the market for more than 20,000 euros and that, since its launch, has been reduced by almost half. Now, after aid, the Citröen C3 costs 11,700 euros, with an eight-year warranty. What it offers. With a price practically identical to the Dolphin Surf, an almost identical autonomy (220 km under the WLTP cycle), and a technology relatively similar to that of the Chinese alternative, we are finally talking about a price at which the company can be competitive. What China offers. Both vehicles, in their most economical version, have LFP batteries. The main difference is in the charging system: 65 kW for the BYD and 30 kW for the Citröen. The key, however, is not in the specs: it is that BYD has been offering a competitive price since its arrival in Spain, which has catapulted it into the top 3 of the best-selling electric cars in the country. Beyond Tesla. There is no electric car that sells more than the Model 3 in Spain. This is to be expected, given the reliability, range and price of the vehicle. Just below Tesla, we have the BYD Dolphin Surf, which has sold more than 1,332 units so far this year (compared to 2,489 for the Model 3 and 2,023 for the Model Y). Taking into account that they play in completely different leagues, the BYD case is a resounding success. A purely urban car that sells practically twice as much as its direct rivals. The electric C3 has 634 units sold, placing it in the top 9. The ranking points to something very clear: the price is the main purchasing factor for the Spanish electric companyand Western manufacturers will have to tighten their grip if they want to compete with China. In Xataka | The electric cars with the most autonomy that can be bought in 2026

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