electric

China and the electric car

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October 1973. The world is divided into two clearly differentiated poles. We are in the middle of the Cold War and the clash between the United States and the Soviet Union has spread across half the world. The Missile Crisis is beginning to be far away and the confrontations between both powers are moving to Asia and Latin America. The Operation Condor in Americathe battles in vietnam either Cambodiato give just a handful of examples. And the Yom Kippur Warof course. It was, as we said, October 1973. Egypt and Syria, taking advantage of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, attack Israel with the primary objective of recover the land lost in the Six Day War. But also with another very clear one: to demonstrate that Israel was not invincible. The attack catches Israel, which is supported by the United States, off guard. Little by little, they manage to stop the bleeding and the Arab countries stand up. They have a weapon that goes beyond bombers: oil. An embargo on all countries that support Israel causes energy chaos. The Oil Crisis has an enormous impact on society and, especially, on the American automobile market. The savages muscle car they are domesticated. In the second half of the 70s, the customer no longer appreciated those huge engines that were the watchword of the country. And one country had exactly the car that the American wanted: Japan. Toyota, Nissan and Honda They made their way at a frenetic pace through the streets. The country had achieved an evolution that was key. The efficiency (and later they would discover reliability) was its great value. And Ford and General Motor were quickly relegated to the background because nationalism usually falters when the customer’s pocket is touched. Now, a new war and a new crisis threatens to bring a paradigm shift to the automobile market. The electric car is at its best moment to convert the skeptic. And the country that is bidding hard to gain a foothold is China. A new paradigm Explains my colleague Alba Otero that with the Oil Crisis of 1973 four million barrels left the market. Today, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is five times more serious. The world is more interconnected, there is greater production but the market is also more sensitive, with a closed energy funnel and one of the largest fuel producers, such as Russia embargoed for its attacks on Ukraine. The rope is tight. So tense that the price of gasoline has skyrocketed. Diesel is much worse, with prices for “basic” fuel that are close to those offered by 98 gasoline. In two and a half weeks, the price of diesel has skyrocketed by almost 50 cents/liter on average in Spain. The prices are so high that right now it eats up any type of savings promoted by this fuel. A car that uses 5 liters/100 kilometers costs the driver 9.55 liters per hundred kilometers. An electric car with a consumption of 20 kWh/100 kilometers (which is not surprising) needs to pay 0.50 euros/kWh to match its price, a high figure that is associated with high-power recharging. If the car consumes 16 kWh/100 km, such as a Tesla Model 3 that circulates relatively unconcerned about consumption, it will improve spending on all recharges below 0.625 euros/kWh. A diesel car that consumes 5 l/100 km is paying almost 10 euros. An electric car with a domestic rate does more than 600 kilometers for that money The gap is even greater if recharging is done at home. Right now, those who pay 0.15 euros/kWh, which is not a particularly attractive rate, can go 100 kilometers for 1.50 euros. They are 8.05 euros less per 100 kilometers. The difference is so substantial that if this new crisis continues and prices remain high, we are facing the best breeding ground for the electric car. The interest of potential buyers is increasing significantly. In fact, Google searches related to the terms “cheap electric car” have soared just when more and more models begin to arrive on the market. In recent months, the avalanche of electric cars has been unleashed. We have all kinds of options. From premium cars with hundreds of kilometers of autonomy that are equal in price to gasoline cars, like the BMW iX3 or the next Mercedes GLC either electric CLAto attractive vehicles for families such as Kia EV5, Renault Scenic either Peugeot 3008as well as urban mobility vehicles with recognized success as the BYD Dolphin Surf (one of the best-selling electric cars in Spain) or the Renault 5with the first demand band covered. Without forgetting, of course, the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y whose low consumption and very low interest financing allow them to continue to be some of the most interesting models you can buy. The context is especially important in a Europe that is moving towards the electric car. 2025 emissions targets pushed back to 2027 but manufacturers will have to comply with an average to be calculated in that period of time. This leads us to most expensive combustion cars in the coming months (to be less attractive and, if sold, offset possible fines) and more affordable electric vehicles (to lower average emissions). General photography is also particularly interesting for Chinese manufacturers. Absolute technology dominators and of electric batteriesit is the country that can tighten the most on price even if tariffs on their electric cars remain. Spain is one of the countries where we are most sensitive to price and where we are most willing to buy vehicles with an attractive quality/price ratio. Of the 10 best-selling electric cars So far this year, two are Chinese and have prices significantly lower than the competition, such as the BYD Dolphin Surf and BYD Atto 2. The weight of this country is more forceful among plug-in hybrids: four of the 10 best-selling cars are Chinese cars. Spain is by no means a general photograph of Europe. But it does give clues … Read more

The electric rental car still cannot find its place. Hertz tried it and it cost him 4 billion to discover it

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In October 2021, Hertz announced with great fanfare that bought 100,000 Teslas worth 4.2 billion dollars. It was the biggest bet by a vehicle rental company on electric vehicles. He didn’t know what he had gotten himself into. And four years later, that bet has ended up becoming one of the most expensive lessons in history, because between 2023 and 2025, the company has accumulated losses of more than 4.5 billion dollars, a good part of them directly linked to that decision. What went wrong from the beginning. The business of a car rental company is not just renting, as they also need to sell the vehicles when they are paid for at the best possible price. And that is where the electric became a basic problem. electric cars They depreciate faster than combustion ones in the first three to five years, something that Hertz saw firsthand. When the fleet of Teslas began to lose value, the company was unable to place them on the second-hand market at a profitable price. The final blow came when Elon Musk decided reduce the price of new Teslaswhich automatically dragged down the value of the used cars that Hertz had in its fleet. In detail. Added to that were other problems that were not in the script. Electrical repairs they were more expensive Compared to combustion vehicles, tires wore out faster and many drivers simply did not want to rent an electric car. In addition, it should be noted that the charging network in the United States was (and partly still is) insufficient for travelers who do not fully know the specifics of charging an electric car. According to MarketWatch, electric cars in the United States they are not popular among rental customers precisely due to the scarce network of charging points in the country. And a car stopped in the parking lot does not generate income, but it does generate costs. The numbers of the disaster. In 2024 alone, Hertz registered a net loss of $2.9 billionafter having closed the first nine months of the year with 1,332 million in the red. The company rapidly sold the 30,000 electric vehicles that it planned to liquidate, and in 2025 it closed the year with a net loss of 747 million, although with an improvement of more than 2,000 million compared to the previous year. The results of 2025 We met them precisely a few weeks ago, in their financial report. The numbers are improving, but right now Hertz’s stock is trading near historic lows and the market does not quite believe the recovery. It’s not just Hertz. The company has not been the only one that has gone through this bad experience, in fact it has been a warning sign for the rest of the competitors. Avis Budget Group, the second largest global vehicle rental group, closed 2025 with losses of nearly 1 billion dollarsthe main reason being its electric fleet in the United States. The company had to register more than 500 million in asset impairment by reducing the estimated useful life of its electric cars, which caused them to plummet in the stock market by more than 20% in a single day after presenting results. Avis CEO Brian Choi even publicly acknowledged to investors that the quarter’s results were “unacceptable,” according to picked up SherwoodNews. Between the lines. A McKinsey report from April 2025 pointed out that only one in ten American consumers is considering going electric with their next purchase. If the customer who rents a car does not want an electric one, because he does not know where to charge it, because it generates range anxiety or simply because it is not comfortable, the rental company has an expensive vehicle that depreciates quickly and that spends too much time without generating income. Therefore, the equation does not work. And now what. Hertz has promised that 2026 will be the year of the turning point. The company anticipates revenue growth of between 4% and 6% in the first quarter of this year and has once again placed the depreciation target below $300 per month per vehicle, which was the figure it always indicated as the profitability threshold. Avis is also looking ahead cautiously. Both companies hope to improve results in 2026, relying on younger fleets and managing its electric cars more conservatively, adapting its presence in markets where there is a more mature charging infrastructure, as is the case in California. What is clear is that the great bet of massive electric rental in the United States has failed, at least in its first version. The electric car may have a future in rental fleets, but not at any price, not in any market and, of course, not without the customer being willing to get into it. Cover image | Ernie Journeys In Xataka | No matter what you do: the wheels of your car are revealing your position to anyone who wants to monitor you

If the question is how Seat has lost 100% of its profit in its best year, the answer is simple: Chinese electric car

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The electric car continues to be Seat SA’s great debt. The company that houses Seat and Cupra could be popping the champagne with record numbers, but a decision has destroyed its profit margin despite billing more than ever and selling more cars than ever. The numbers. Seat SA has presented results. The company that houses Seat and Cupra has made public its 2025 numbers with record figures that invite optimism: 15.3 billion euros in turnover (5.1% more than the previous year) 586,300 cars delivered (5.1% more than the previous year) More plug-in hybrids sold than ever, with a growth of 62.9% More electric vehicles sold than ever, with a growth of 65.9% But the figures are obscured when we talk about benefits. And the company barely retained 40.9 million euros of net profit, 92% less than the previous year. And the data on its operating profits is even more dramatic. Seat indicates a million euros with a drop of 99.8% but that figure is subject to IFRS (international financial standards). Seat reports in its results note of -93.1 million euros as a result of exploitation with Spanish financial standards, along with a cash flow of -431 million euros after investing 1,300 million euros in CAPEX and R&D, which add up to a total of 6,200 million euros invested in this item since 2020. A strategy that works. In 2022, with Wayne Griffiths at the helm of the company, Seat SA took a turn in its strategy. The then CEO said that “Cupra is not the end of Seat. Cupra gives Seat a future and the future is electric. The future is Cupra.” Three years later, Cupra has sold 328,800 units, 56.1% of Seat SA cars, with a growth of 32.5% compared to 2024. So, Seat SA had just lost more than 450 million euros in two years. The company has managed to refresh its image and move customers towards more expensive models that leave a greater profit margin. It is never good news to sell fewer cars (Seat sold 257,400 units in 2025, 17% less than the previous year) but the company has managed to compensate for this decline by selling more expensive cars. And not only that, increasing sales. The electric car. In addition, the company has achieved a substantial increase in sales in its most electrified models. However, if Seat has lost relevance in the market it is because its offer, right now, is anti-competitive where electrification is demanded. In fact, the ECO label (and in mild hybridization versions) will have to keep waiting in models like the Ibiza or the Arona. Markus Haupt, new CEO of Seat since Griffiths leftalready made it clear a few months ago that It was impossible to launch an electric car with the Seat logo right now. The problem, he pointed out, is that it was too expensive and that prevented a positioning aligned with the role that Seat is currently playing within the Volkswagen Group. From Germany they understood that that affordable electric role had to be covered by Skoda and Seat will be relegated to an access brand to the motor market, with cars that are already veterans in the market and very little electrified engines. Cars in which no money has been invested but they continue to report profits despite the fact that their sales have been declining. Looking at the volume of electric sales in Europe, it seems that it makes sense not to continue loading up on models that can be cannibalized within the Volkswagen Group. And the Tavascan. Seat SA’s commitment to electric cars was to come with the Cupra Tavascan. The car was sold as a turning point for the brand with the aim of making it clear that we were facing a new image and that Cupra was not only seen as the sports version of Seat. Cupra aimed to make itself in a journey that had already begun with the Born. The Volkswagen Group decided early that for him Cupra Tavascan was competitive it had to be taken to China. But with production already committed, The European Union imposed harsh tariffs on carssince it has the participation of SAIC. The base 10% soared by another 37.6%. That has eaten into any kind of profit generated with a car that had this as its primary objective. These tariffs have not had to be paid by the Skoda Enyaq, Audi Q4 or Volkswagen ID.5, all produced in Europe. Last February, the European Commission confirmed that had reached an agreement to withdraw tariffs on this car as an exceptional case. Cupra has promised not to lower the price and to comply with an export quota. Both figures are, however, confidential. at losses. Although Cupra has promised not to lower the price, it is highly unlikely that the company would have opted for this once the tariffs had been lifted. And it is that the Cupra Tavascan was being sold at a loss despite exceeding 40,000 euros per unit. Aware that it was impossible to sell the car at a price that would allow them to make money with such high tariffs, Cupra preferred to eat that cost and lose money with each car sold. The strategy may make sense because the production commitments in China are maintained and it has helped the company to put the car on the street, make it visible and invest in brand image. Already in 2024 the brand expected to lose 500 million euros with the sale of the Tavascan. An optimistic view. The good news for Seat is that, at last, they have managed to get their Tavascan to start generating profits for the company instead of eating them. But also that Cupra remains strong with its electrified bet. The Cupra Born has been recently renovated and the Raval will arrive in 2026, made in Martorell. The company’s goal is to achieve, by 2030, a profit margin of 6%. To do this, they say, they will focus on cost … Read more

At the controls of the new MGS6 EV, the new electric competitor of the Chinese firm.

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MG is the Chinese brand of the moment in our country. By sales volume, it is the company that dominates the market, with a clear focus on the low or entry range. Last year they sold 45,163 units and grew by 46.78%. If we expand the focus to the rest of the market, BYD with 25,556 units was the second Chinese brand that sold the most cars (although in this case they only registered plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles) and MG put it in the Spanish market more cars than historical ones like Citroën, Ford, Nissan or Opel. So far this yearthe MG ZS is once again positioned as one of the 10 best-selling cars in our country but there is a clear gap between this SUV, the MG3 (which has a hybrid option) and the rest of the range. In fact, of the 6,031 registrations this year, the sum of both models exceeds 5,000 units. Its electric offer, driven by the MG4 Electric, has been losing strength. Now, the MGS6 EV is the opportunity to get back on track. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? MGS6 EV technical sheet MGS6 EV BODY TYPE. Five-seater electric SUV. MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT. 4,708 mm long, 1,912 mm wide, 1,672 mm high. 2,835 mm wheelbase. 1,908 kg weight for the rear-wheel drive version. 2,005 kg weight for the all-wheel drive version. TRUNK. 674 liters in the rear trunk. Front trunk: 124 liters for the rear-wheel drive version. 102 liters for the rear-wheel drive version. MAXIMUM POWER. 361 HP WLTP CONSUMPTION. Rear-wheel drive version: 16.6 kWh/100 km. All-wheel drive version: 18.1 kWh/100 km. ENVIRONMENTAL DISTINCTIVE. Zero emissions DRIVING AIDS (ADAS). Required by the European Union. OTHERS. Own infotainment system, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Bluetooth connection for the multimedia system. Wireless charging for mobile phone. ELECTRIC HYBRID. No. Plug-in HYBRID. No. electric Yeah. Rear-wheel drive version: 244 HP and 530 km autonomy. All-wheel drive version: 361 HP and 485 km autonomy. price and launch Now available WITHOUT aid from: Rear-wheel drive version: 45,990 euros All-wheel drive version:48,990 euros Now available WITH aid and discounts from: Rear-wheel drive version: 37,789 euros All-wheel drive version: 40,789 euros The battle for the best electric family heats up Cars with an SUV body, electric, about 4.70 meters long and at relatively affordable prices. Space, price and autonomy to convince the client. These are the premises that must be clear to companies that are preparing to move on quicksand terrain. Sizes where price value is important but where the customer already seriously values ​​other attributes. Until not long ago, the Tesla Model Y It was the only candidate for those looking for an SUV electric car of this size without resorting to a premium brand. Right now, Elon Musk’s company already has to face the Skoda Elroqthe most affordable proposal (and one of the most interesting on the market) from the Volkswagen Group. And, as an alternative, Chinese proposals. we have the Lepmotor C10he BYD Seal U electric. Now the MGS6 EV is added and does so with good conditions. Thinking about prioritizing size and price, this electric SUV arrives 4.71 meters long, 1.92 meters wide, 1.67 meters high and, above all, with a wheelbase of 2.82 meters that takes the rear seats to an enormous width. Added to doors that are close to 90º when opening or a trunk that boasts 674 liters (we believe measured to the roof) and another 124-liter front trunk where we have verified that a cabin suitcase fits, the MGS6 EV is clearly committed to the family aspect. He does it with a car that, inside, has presence. Soft plastics well distributed and pleasant to the touch. Physical controls for gear selection and temperature or volume control with a good feel. It is not the best but in cabins where all physical buttons disappear, it is appreciated that the climate temperature and fan speed can be raised and lowered with physical controls. The steering wheel is good, with individual buttons for each function, without touch surfaces. It is accompanied by a 10.25-inch instrument panel screen and a 12.6-inch central one. Not made a larger screen and since it is not integrated, I almost prefer it to the. increasingly common, panels larger than 15 inches. The surface to leave the mobile phone charging wirelessly has a small textile surface and a fan to prevent it from heating up, and in the lower area there are USB sockets and a huge space where you can leave objects. Connectivity with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is wireless. These are all details that raise the perception of quality and make MG look closely at its rivals. Where I think the proposal is a little weaker is in the system of infotainment. It feels somewhat heavy and the response to touches is not immediate. Luckily, the menus are well structured and the touch surfaces are large, so navigation is easier in this part. In addition, there is an upper drop-down menu with which you can select the personalized driving profile so with a movement of the finger and a touch we can have the car ready in the driving mode (Comfort, Sport, ECO, Snow or custom), the level of regenerative braking and the desired ADAS systems quickly and intuitively. We have not been able to test these driving aids because the route has mostly run along secondary roads. What is certain is that the system is not intrusive at all because it has not been correcting us as we linked curves. Yes, it has surprised us for the better, it has been the first dynamic contact with the car. My prejudices, I expected a car with a soft and long suspension, as usually happens with Chinese cars. Or very artificial direction. But this has not happened by any means. The suspension contains the body more than I expected and the steering transmits practically nothing that happens with the wheels but it … Read more

Stellantis has lost 22 billion euros with the electric car. Their hope to solve it is called Zaragoza

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Stellantis embarked on a path of rapid and aggressive transition to the electric car. Along the way, it merged models on the same platform, wanted to convert brands to zero emissions and lost the identity of some of them. The result is 20 billion euros of real and expected losses. Now, part of his future is at stake in Zaragoza with a Chinese car. Saragossa. The news was almost a not news because Stellantis, through the mouth of its CEO Automotive Newshad already confirmed that it would manufacture Leapmotor’s Chinese cars in Spain. By then, with a CATL factory in the middle of construction and already manufacturing Stellantis small electric cars, Zaragoza seemed the best placed city, ahead of Madrid and Vigo. Last week, Filosa himself reconfirmed what was already known but expanded the information with some nuances as stated in The Aragon Newspaper. The car will be manufactured in Zaragoza and will not be alone. And the company has awarded Spain the production of up to four completely electric Chinese models. It will, therefore, be the reconversion of Figueruelas. The Stellantis situation. Although the investments were already confirmed, the last presentation of results could have raised some doubts. Then Stellantis confirmed that the electric car would have a negative impact of 22,000 million euros in your accounts. This does not mean, exactly, that it loses that money, but it is the readjustment that amounts to the cancellation of two new factories, the compensatory payment to suppliers, the money invested in new developments and the money that will no longer enter the company’s coffers. All of this is a consequence of a project led by Carlos Tavares, former CEO of the company, which has failed. The Portuguese wanted to accompany the conversion to all-electric too quickly and with a very aggressive cost adjustment. The result has been too much product at dealerships that very few have bought and models little differentiated from each other with a total loss of identity between companies. Good news (1). Firstly, because the arrival of Leapmotor in Zaragoza represents support for the electric transition in Figueruelas. The factory will be in charge of producing one of the first purely Chinese electric cars to arrive in Europe, a key step to be able to sell them without tariffs. But this also guarantees two things. The first is the opening of a new assembly line because they cannot use exactly the same one as for the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Lancia Ypsilon electric that Figueruelas produces at the moment. The second is that it increases pressure on the production of batteries that CATL will set up nearby, giving greater support to the project. It remains to be seen if the other three Stellantis models will also roll out of their doors.. Good news (2). The second part of the announcement is interesting in that the Leapmotor B10, the first car to be assembled in Zaragoza, is different from the three mentioned above and that in itself is a reason for joy for Zaragoza. And it is that the Stellantis urban electric cars have not been working well in the market. Everything indicates that, in the future, these electric vehicles will have to receive the embrace of the European customer but at the moment it is not being like thatwhich raised questions about long-term production with a plant that could operate at half gas. The Lepmotor B10 is a car that Stellantis has hopes for because it is different. It has much more striking interiors, adjusted to the huge screens that the industry has demanded in recent years. And it has purely Chinese software and development, so Stellantis can play with the price because its investments have been minimal. The company has the power to distribute the car outside of China but the development, investments and sales within China have been left to Leapmotor itself. Strengths and weaknesses. Stellantis’ decision to produce in Spain reminds us the strength that our country has gained in Europe as a productive alternative to advance electric cars. Either because labor is cheaper than in countries like Germany or France, or because energy is also cheaper, Chery or Stellantis, with Leapmotor, have decided that they will manufacture on our soil. Spain has the advantage of a well-established industry that needs reconversion. The problem is that, for the moment, it has focused on the assembly of small cars (as also happens in Martorell) which are the ones that are having the most problems to sell them or, if necessary, for the brand to make a profit from them. It would be interesting for our country to expand its presence in the development of vehicles and not only focus its industry on their production. Therefore, it is good news that Chery also bets on our country for its new R&D&i space. Photo | In Xataka | Volkswagen’s cheap electric car is manufactured in Spain: this is the new megaconstruction that makes it possible

Taiwan has almost as many motorcycles as inhabitants and a major challenge: converting them into electric ones

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Taiwan has two records if we talk about mobility. It is the first country in the world in motorcycles per inhabitant. And it is the first country in the world in number of vehicles per inhabitant, as long as we remove from the equation San Marino, Guernsey (autonomous islands off the coast of Normandy that respond to the United Kingdom), the autonomous state of Jersey and Andorra, all of them spaces where, let’s say, they are used as monetary refuges. According to the data As collected by the statistics group within the United Nations, Taiwan has 999 registered vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants. But that data hides another record: almost 600 of those vehicles are motorcycles. This means that Taiwan, with its almost 24 million inhabitants, therefore has another almost 24 million vehicles. And the most recent data says that it also has more than 14 million motorcycles. The data reaches its extreme in Taipei, the capital, where there is a number slightly higher than the national average with 65 motorcycles per 100 inhabitants. Is it a lot? It’s a lot. To give us an idea, in Spain there are around 95 motorcycles (53 of them are mopeds) per 1,000 inhabitants, according to data from the European Union. The country with the most registered motorcycles is Greece, which reaches 251 motorcycles (150 of them are mopeds) per 1,000 inhabitants. A figure that doubles (by far) the Asian country. This congestion of motorcycles represents a problem for the State in environmental matters. And they want to change it by jumping to the electric motorcycle. A most ambitious challenge According to data from the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation and CommunicationsIn 2024, 14.6 million motorcycles will be counted. They are, therefore, a substantial part of the country’s carbon emissions. 55% of those recorded in Taiwan are produced by transportation. With the aim of converting the fully electric vehicle fleet by 2050the country has set various objectives ahead. The most ambitious is to prohibit the sale of non-electric motorcycles from 2040. Previously, the State has launched a campaign for customers to opt for this technology. To do this, they explain in Motorpassionthe State is giving huge sums of money for the purchase of electric vehicles. Any electric vehicle, whether motorcycle, car or truck, is taken into account in its plans to help with the purchase. But it is in the former where the discounts are most juicy because they can reach 3,300 Taiwanese dollars (NT$), about 95 euros in direct exchange, in a country where a motorcycle is around 900 euros. Those looking to change a car do have greater incentives, with discounts of up to NT$16,000 (about 460 euros). Although the state is putting pressure for motorists and drivers to change their vehicles, the results are being somewhat discreet. These subsidies have been active for three years and between 2022 and 2025 they have managed to remove from the market (to reach the maximum aid you have to scrap another combustion vehicle) just over 120,000 vehicles, adding all types of types and sizes. A figure that pales only with motorcycle sales, since each year about 700,000 vehicles of this type are registered on the market. That is, in three years the sum of motorcycles, cars and trucks replaced It barely exceeds total scooter sales by 5% in the same period of time. Getting the motorcycle market to switch to the electric market is key for the country. Not only because still the cheapest way to get aroundalso because it is key when it comes to reduce dependency that the country has from foreign oil. Having mobility that depends largely on renewable energies produced in the country itself is a significant step in its relations with the outside world. Photo | Faye Yu In Xataka | The first commercially ready solid state battery is here. And an electric motorcycle is going to take it

The owner of Volvo and partner of Renault will also sell Chinese electric cars in our country

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It is possible that if you are not very up to date with the automobile market, the word Geely may not be very familiar to you. Yes, it is more likely that Lotus will tell you something else. And you surely know Smart and Volvo. Any of them, any of those companies that were once European, are owned by Geely, one of the largest Chinese automotive groups in the country. Now, the company lands in Spain with its own brand. Yes, Geely in addition to owning a portfolio with up to 16 brands Under his direction, he also has his own car company. So that we understand it quickly and easily, just as the Volkswagen Group has the Volkswagen brand or as Renault owns Dacia but, of course, sells cars under the Renault brand. Geely, therefore, will arrive in our country with two electrified models. Its presence, as is evident from the first and mentioned brands, is already palpable in Spain but now it will have its own vehicles on the street, with its distribution network separate from any other company and with two SUVs that point to the present and future of the brand. Geely arrives in Spain To have a general photograph of Geely and know what is behind this new brand, the first thing you should know is that in 2024 they became the first Chinese manufacturer to establish itself as one of the 10 most important automotive companies in the world. Shortly after, the brand has been surpassed by the enormous muscle of BYD but In 2025 it managed to put 3.02 million on the market of cars counting only the companies born under its umbrella (without adding Volvo or Smart). With the latter he reached the 4.12 million units sold and was positioned as the ninth largest automotive group in the world, exceeding 2024 sales by 800,000 units. For its arrival in Spain, the company has announced two vehicles. Geely E5 He Geely E5 It is an electric SUV with 160 kW (218 HP) and a maximum range of 475 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. It will be available with two battery sizes (60.22 kWh and 68.79 kWh) developed in-house. In the press release, Geely does not confirm the total peak power and only mentions that it will go from 30 to 80% autonomy in 20 minutes. Geely Starray EM-i On the other hand, the Geely Starray EM-i It is a plug-in hybrid with a combined power of 262 HP where the greatest weight of its dynamics falls on the electric motor that reaches 160 kW (218 HP). It also has two battery options (18.4 kWh and 29.8 kWh) that increase the total range of the set up to 943 kilometers in the mixed cycle. At the moment, Geely does not specify its autonomy in fully electric mode. It is to be hoped that, little by little, we will learn more details about these two new models, especially in their commitment to software and digital functions focused on the user. We do know that this latest plug-in hybridization system has been developed in the heart of Horse, the joint venture that Geely maintains with Renault to continue looking for solutions focused on combustion engines. Regarding its distribution, Geely says that it is developing a network of nationwide dealers “supported by partners with extensive experience and deep knowledge of the local market.” It is to be expected, therefore, that at least in the first months and years its distribution will be supported by the large groups that have been supporting brands such as BYD or the Chery Group. And the Chinese companies are making a strong investment in dealerships to give customer confidence. At the moment, the Chinese company has not set a specific date for us to see these cars on the street but it does set a deadline of “the first half of 2026”, so in the next four months we should have all the details. It must be taken into account that Geely is making clear efforts to expand its market with its own brands. We recently learned that is interested in entering the United Statesdespite the fact that the geopolitical context is complicated. It has also been rumored that it could occupy part of the Ford plant in Almussafes. Movement is key in an ultra-competitive Chinese market that is slowing down and Spain has shown interest in the firms arriving from this country, especially among entry-level vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Photo | Geely In Xataka | MG, BYD, Lynk&Co, Omoda: who’s who of Chinese car manufacturers in Spain

Kia needed an electric Sportage on the market. The Kia EV5 is an (almost) perfect bet for the European family

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Kia has been building one of the most interesting ranges of electric cars on the market for years. The EV family has managed to establish itself as one of the most attractive and risky options. From the Kia EV6 and its particular design to the most rational EV3 and the monstrous EV9. Now, the company has placed the EV5 on the market, one of the most rational proposals and necessary for your current offer. South Koreans needed a car that would perform the functions of the Kia Sportage, one of their best-selling models, with completely electric technology. And his proposal is as solvent as it is rational and attractive. Kia EV5 technical sheet New Kia EV5 Body type five-seater SUV Measurements and weight 4,610 meters long, 1,875 meters wide and 1,680 meters high. Wheelbase of 2,750 meters. 1800 kg weight. Trunk 566 liters with the sum of the front and rear trunk. Maximum power 160 kW (217 HP) and 295 Nm. WLTP consumption 16.9 kWh/100 km DGT environmental distinctive Zero emissions. Driving aids (ADAS) Mandatory by the European Union. Others Triple screen: 12.3-inch instrument panel 12.3-inch central screen 5-inch climate control screen Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatibility. Wireless mobile phone charging. Harman Kardon sound system as option. Electric hybrid. No. Plug-in hybrid. No. Electric Yeah. 81.4 kWh battery with 530 km of WLTP autonomy Versions with double motor (all-wheel drive) and a more powerful GT option will arrive. Price and release Now available With 81.4 kWh battery from 46,070 euros before aid (from 39,490 euros with discounts and aid) Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? Balance is the word We could say explain the Kia EV5 with a football simile. The Kia EV5 is like a sober doorman. If you don’t like football, a goalkeeper sober He is the one who flees from eccentricities, the one who turns spectacular saves into simple saves. And a stop is just the final result of a very in-depth previous exercise, of strenuous training to be strong in the legs and extensive knowledge to position oneself in the right place at the right time. Whether the stop is complicated because it is attached to the lower corner of one of the posts or to give security to the team by taking the ball in a lateral center. Can an eccentric goalkeeper be good? Yes. And very good indeed. There are goalkeepers who earn their fame for stops that seem impossible, for having reflexes typical of the animal world. But it is no less true that many of these saves are only the result of having made a bad previous decision, of reaching the ball in a hurry for the simple fact of being worse positioned under the goal. Something like this happens with the Kia EV5. It is not a spectacular car in any sense. But almost everything is done grating at a very high level. It’s not eccentric, it’s not surprising. But it is a good electric car. A very interesting option if you are looking for a good family car as the only vehicle at home. And the Kia EV5 does not have the imprint and footprint of the EV9. Nor is it committed to that monolithic aspect of the EV3 that makes it so particular and that polarizes opinions about its design so much. This intermediate option seems like a kind of softened version of both cars without losing that muscular appearance, playing with straight and very pronounced edges. Its appearance, in fact, makes it appear larger. Its 4.61 meters seem to be more when you have it in front of you for the first time. We are, however, at figures very much to the taste of the European customer, who in this type of car largely opts for vehicles slightly larger than four and a half meters. With a wheelbase of 2.75 meters, the space for the rear seats is very good and maintains a trunk that, adding a front space in which little more than the charging cables can fit, reaches 566 liters. In the front area, it maintains the aesthetics and layout that has been accompanying the brand’s latest launches. The instrument panel and the central screen are embraced by the same frame, with a third digital space that unites both surfaces. All of this is supported on a kind of very clean horizontal desktop with touch buttons on the surface. On the steering wheel and the central area we have a multitude of physical buttons with some details that we liked. The instrument panel is displayed on a widely configurable 12.3-inch screen in its central area. In it we can find graphics of all kinds, from consumption to navigation or what the infotainment system is playing. Above the view we have a clear Head-Up Display with precise information for driving. The central screen, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlayit is also 12.3 inches. Here, the possibilities are very wide and it has interesting solutions, such as a vertically sliding widget that supports the information displayed by the browser. However, I have two problems. The first is that it has so many shortcuts and so many functions to customize that it forces you to overcome a certain learning curve to be clear where each function is. I, who hadn’t gotten into a Kia for a while, had to spend some time finding, for example, the consumption data. My second problem is in the representation of the icons and shortcuts. The black background is useful to avoid confusing the driver but I think there is a lack of contrast in the icons. I, at least, have had some difficulty reading them clearly. I would have to test the car further to see if this can be fixed by, for example, increasing the screen brightness. Between both screens there is a third space in which the air conditioning is controlled. It seems like a good one to me. We have the basic … Read more

A company has filled a neighborhood with sidewalk outlets to charge electric cars. Their results are contradictory

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In 2022, a German company called Rheinmetall proposed a new charging solution: put outlets on the sidewalks. Trying to find solutions for those who wanted to jump to an electric or plug-in hybrid car but did not have a garage, the company proposed a system to charge on the same street, without having to go to an electric station. Three years later: we have the results. A pilot test. After receiving approval from the authorities, the company began a pilot in 2024 in central Cologne and Lindenthala residential neighborhood of the city characterized by its low and individual houses. Neighborhood where, by the way, you will find the status of the local soccer team. The idea is simple, you park on the sidewalk and on the ground, on the curb, you find a plug hidden in a cover. You scan a code printed on it and connect the car with your own charging cable for AC use. As if it were any other charging point, both ends are joined and when the payment is completed, it is passed through the use of a mobile application. The results. In general terms, the results have been good. According to the company, a total of 2,800 charging cycles were carried out in the pilot test in one year. On average, the cars recharged 18 kWh, which in the city means more than 100 kilometers of autonomy for an electric car and between 80 and 100 kilometers on the highway (depending on its efficiency). They point out that each day the plug has been used an average of twice a day and that its availability has been 99%, so there have hardly been any breakdowns. The figure is good if we compare it with the European and Spanish average. In our country, public outlets They are only used 1.5 times a day and, on average, each charger is only busy between 30 and 120 minutes a day in Europe. Customer opinion. The company has conducted a survey of users who have offered their point of view to the system. It included the score given by the drivers (five points maximum) and some notes, complaints or recommendations made by customers. In total, the system has obtained 4.38 points out of five. But, above all, they have received very positive evaluations among customers over 60 years old, who value the simplicity of the system. In addition, they highlight that the plugs have not been damaged by water and that vandalism or uncivil acts (such as not picking up pet excrement) have not been found to have been a problem when recharging. A curious solution is that the cover that hides the plug has been designed to open with a small push of the charging cable, allowing the customer to lift said cover without having to touch it with their hand. Good idea, with some cracks. They point out in forumelectriccars that one of the main problems with this type of charging points is the cost of the plug. Each one of them, which has refrigeration and air conditioning to improve charging, costs 5,000 euros, so it is a bad idea compared to a traditional home charger. Furthermore, if you want to get the most out of the system, it would be necessary to reserve space for these charging points on the street, so there is no difference with any other public charging point unless the street is filled with plugs. That is, as happens with public outlets that are not located at a gas station, the parking space is reduced to reserve spaces that are not always occupied. Other proposals. Public charging is one of the great challenges that the electric car represents. One of its advantages is to leave the house with a charged car or, at least, take advantage of its parking lot to fill its batteries since alternating current is slow and most of the time a car is stopped. The most obvious proposal is the electric stations, with a huge number of high-power plugs available. another is fill shopping and leisure centers with chargerssince a visit to fully recharge the battery can take days or weeks (depending on daily trips) without plugging in our car. With an average of 50 kilometers per day, a car that drives 500 kilometers of autonomy in the city has 10 days to go without plugging the car back in, just three days a month. But if we want to bring public charging to the city streets, Portugal, United Kingdom either Netherlands have been experimenting with public outlets on streetlights. The system is as simple as including sockets on the curbs but with the difference that the socket comes from a street lamp and does not require installation on the ground. The paradox of slow recharging. The problem with this type of recharge is that slow charging takes hours and hours with the car plugged in. If a socket charges our car at 7.4 kW of power, it will be necessary to spend about 10 hours to completely fill the battery of a 60 kWh vehicle, a small size that is on the border between those who want the car for an urban environment and those who want to dare to travel with him. Those refills They are interesting if the price is low But they require that, to get the most out of it, we have to leave the car parked there for an entire working day or an entire night. The system, therefore, is certainly inefficient in terms of servicing more than one car. To charge at this power, the data says that most electric car drivers charge at home. Outside of it, the customer usually chooses to recharge at higher powers. For example, a 50 kW plug can now fully charge a car in less than three hours, which is the time we spend watching a movie at the cinema. And on a trip, the most practical thing is usually to look for … Read more

That’s why a 10,000-ton electric megaship has just debuted

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When we talk about megaprojects, we know very well that Chinese companies are very committed to surprising us in terms of dimensions and capabilities. In this case the protagonist is the Ning Yuan Dian Kuna 10,000-ton all-electric container ship that the shipyard presents as the largest vessel of its type in the world. The ship set sail on February 1 from Jiangxi province and has been conducting trials in waters near Shanghai until a few days ago. Below these lines we tell you what is special about it. An electrical giant in figures. The ship measures 127.8 meters in length, 21.6 meters in width and 10.5 meters in depth. It has the capacity to transport 740 TEU containers (units about six meters long) and can reach a maximum speed of 11.5 knots. According to details Marine Insight, the project has been built by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding and is designed to operate with zero emissions both during navigation and during loading maneuvers in port. The technology that drives it. The propulsion system is based on ten battery containers with a total capacity of up to 19,000 kWh, which power two permanent magnet motors of 875 kW each. From The Maritime Executive they explain that the batteries can be recharged through high-voltage connections on shore or quickly exchanged for already charged units, a cutting-edge replacement system that reduces waiting times in port. In addition, the ship incorporates photovoltaic panels to generate additional energy during its operations. Autonomous navigation on board. According to the media, the Ning Yuan Dian Kun integrates autonomous navigation systems that allow route planning, automatic collision avoidance, and unmanned operation in open waters. From Electrive share that the ship has “real-time monitoring of the environment, visual perception in any weather condition and unmanned operation functions.” These systems allow the boat to alternate between different navigation modes according to needs. What’s special about it. China seeks to establish a replicable model for zero-carbon short sea shipping. The Ning Yuan Dian Kun project was included in the national list of Advanced Green and Low Carbon Technology Demonstration Projects in 2025, with the aim of developing a scalable solution for coastal transportation. This is not the first attempt in China, since in 2024, the country had already launched the Greenwater 01 on the Yangtze River, a 120-meter-long electric container ship with batteries of up to 80,000 kWh. Between the lines. The tests have been used to evaluate the performance of the propulsion system in different conditions, the real autonomy of the batteries and the reliability of the autonomous systems. If the trials are a success, everything indicates that the ship will enter commercial service for the company, Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., covering feeding routes linked to the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, one of the busiest in the world. On the other hand, it should be noted that there is already a second confirmed sister ship, the Ning Yuan Dian Peng, and that it will follow in the footsteps of this first one. Decarbonization underway. If it ends up being demonstrated with this type of projects that electrification is viable on a commercial scale in maritime cargo transport, that the model ends up working economically and can be replicated on other routes, could mark a turning point in an industry responsible for around 2% of global CO₂ emissions, according to data from Statista. Maritime transport has historically been one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, so it could end up being an important step towards this goal. Images | PeopleDaily In Xataka | Africa has more than 30,000 kilometers of coastline and one country has managed to control them without anyone noticing: China

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