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China’s largest EV maker, BYD, is expanding its presence in North America after delivering the first batch of 100 Yuan Plus EVs in Mexico.

BYD bolsters North American EV presence

BYD has been a force in the Chinese EV market, setting a new May sales record with over 119,000 EVs sold (+124% YOY) last month alone.

The EV manufacturing giant has evolved from a battery maker into an electric car-making powerhouse. After revealing plans last summer to expand into Japan, BYD quickly followed it up by vowing to enter Europe (beyond Norway and Sweden), Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the UK, and others.

In April, BYD launched its most affordable EV in Europe, the BYD Dolphin hatchback, which starts at around 30,000 euros ($33K) and is a contender to take further market share from automakers in the region.

BYD’s global expansion continues after revealing it has delivered the first batch of Yuan Plus EVs to customers in Mexico City and Guadalajara.

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BYD celebrating Yuan Plus EV deliveries in Mexico (Source: BYD)

The delivery was jointly completed by three distributors in Mexico that have stores in the region, Continental, Dalton, and Liverpool.

BYD initially launched the Yuan Plus (also known as the Atto 3 in some overseas markets) in China in mid-February. The model is the first A-class SUV to feature BYD’s e-platform 3.0, equipped with blade batteries enabling a longer range and fast charging capabilities.

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BYD Yuan Plus EV (Source: BYD)

The Yuan Plus EV is equipped with a 150 kW electric motor capable of going 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 7.3 seconds. With a 60 kWh battery capacity, BYD Mexico claims the Yuan Plus has a 480 km (298 mi) NEDC range with 29-minute fast charging (30% to 80%).

On the inside, the electric SUV features a 15.6-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support to link media, intelligent voice control, and more. Most importantly, OTA updates will allow the Yuan Plus EV to get better over time.

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BYD Yuan Plus EV interior (Source: BYD)

The news comes after BYD revealed it would launch three models in Mexico, including the Yuan Plus EV, Han EV, and Tang EV.

BYD has also been bolstering its presence in South America, becoming the leading clean car maker in several countries. The EV maker launched the Yuan Plus EV in Colombia in October while debuting the Han EV in Brazil.

Although BYD sells its electric buses in the US, it hasn’t rushed to introduce EV passenger cars, a market in which it says it could face an unfair disadvantage due to the IRA’s $7,500 tax credit. Stella Li, executive vice president and head of BYD’s North American operations, said (via Bloomberg), “The company doesn’t need to go into every market, just ones it feels are ready for its offerings.”

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MINI x Deus Ex Machina Skeg electric concept lightens the mood

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MINI x Deus Ex Machina Skeg electric concept lightens the mood

MINI has partnered with lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina, to develop this. It’s called the Skeg, and it’s a high-performance, racing-inspired electric concept car that’s sure to lighten the mood – by shedding fully 15% of its mass in the quest for speed.

One of a pair of exclusive, one-off concepts based on MINI’s John Cooper Works cars. The Deus Ex Machina Skeg celebrates MINI’s storied racing history with what the company calls, “a clean, minimal, and quiet rebellion,” that draws on materials, technologies, and philosophies from the world of surfing.

The electric MINI JCW Skeg is stripped to its essentials, with much of the steel and aluminum bits replaced with lightweight fiberglass to maximize acceleration while driving the minimalist aesthetic home. The end result weighs 15% less than the standard car – but makes the same stout 190 kW (258 hp) as the production car.

Surf’s up


MINI Skeg concept interior; via BMW.

The interior is stripped back to the barest essentials, reflecting BMW’s vision of a surf culture that prioritizes function over form. MINI claims the end result resembles a mobile surf shop, with fiberglass trays for wetsuits, specially shaped bins, neoprene seats, and other touches that “bring the surf culture into the interior.”

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For their part, the BMW and MINI styling team seems pretty proud of its minimalistic electric endeavor. “In this extraordinary collaboration … every single detail has been crafted with artisanal precision and expertise,” says Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design. “This has resulted in unique characters that are clearly perceived as belonging together through their distinctive design language and use of graphics.”

The concept retains the production version’s 54.2 kWh li-ion battery pack, up to 250 of WLTP range with the production aero kit, sprints from 0-100 km (62 mph) in just 5.9 seconds. With 15% less mass, though, that should jump to more than 255 miles, with 0-60 times dropping below 5.5 seconds.

I dig it – but I’d skip the surf bits and just appreciate the raw composite, minimalist interior look for what it is. Take a look at the image gallery, below, then let us know what you think of MINI’s Skeg concept in the comments.


SOURCE | IMAGES: BMW MINI.


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Volvo Penta teams up with e-power to equip Boels with next-gen Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

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Volvo Penta teams up with e-power to equip Boels with next-gen Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Veteran marine and industrial power solutions company Volvo Penta has joined forces with energy solutions provider e-power to build battery energy storage systems (BESS). Volvo Penta’s battery systems for energy storage will power BESS units built by e-power that can be catered to a range of applications, most notably construction rental clients like Boels Rentals in Europe.

Volvo Penta is a provider of sustainable power solutions that currently serves land and sea applications under the Volvo Group umbrella. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the global manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.

Nearly 100 years later, Volvo Penta remains an industry leader in marine propulsion systems and industrial engines. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the Swedish manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.

For example, all Volvo Penta diesel engines now run on hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO), reducing well-to-wheel emissions by up to 90% across the marine and industrial power industries. On the zero-emissions side, Volvo Penta has expressed its dedication to fossil-free power solutions, including battery electric components to serve heavy-duty applications such as terminal tractors, forklifts, drill rigs, and feed mixers, to name a few.

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To leverage its battery electric value chain, Volvo Penta has also ventured into battery systems for energy storage (or BESS subsystems). These energy-dense, purpose-built BESS subsystems can provide portable, sustainable energy for all-electric charging and reduce grid dependency.

Volvo battery
Source: Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta to deploy battery systems for energy storage

Volvo Penta recently announced a strategic partnership with e-power, a Belgian power solutions provider. Together, Volvo Penta and e-power will develop a scalable Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for Boels Rental.

The collaboration continues a long-standing partnership between all three companies. Boels – one of the largest construction rental companies is a long-time customer of e-power generators that utilize Volvo Penta engines. As the company shifts toward electrification and sustainability, it will again turn to those companies to deliver reliable performance.

Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem comprises battery packs, a Battery Management System (BMS), DC/DC converters, and thermal management, combining to offer a compact, high-density, and transport-friendly solution optimized for rental operations. The company shared that this BESS design is integration-ready, enabling other OEMs like e-power to adapt and scale systems to customer-specific needs. Per e-power business support director, Jens Fets:

We’ve built our reputation on reliability and efficient power systems. Working again with Volvo Penta, this time on battery energy storage, allows us to meet the growing demand for energy in a silent, low-emissions, compact and mobile design—especially in rental applications.

The deployment of these new battery energy storage systems will help Boels cater to its customers’ growing demand for clean, silent, and mobile energy solutions in construction and other industrial applications. 

Aside from being more quickly adaptable to customer needs, Volvo Penta says its BESS architecture marks an overall shift in rental power systems. This is welcome news for all who support a cleaner, more sustainable future across all industries.

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2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV exterior leaks ahead of schedule

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2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV exterior leaks ahead of schedule

That didn’t take long! Just a few hours after Mercedes revealed the screen-heavy interior of its upcoming 2026 GLC EV, photos of the new crossover’s exterior – and that controversial grille! – leaked on Instagram and Reddit. We’ve got them here.

Two days ahead of the GLC EV’s officially schedule global debut, images that reportedly show the new 2026 Mercedes undisguised have leaked on Instagram and Reddit. They show the blocky new light-up grille on the nose of a very smooth, jellybean-like crossover shape that, despite Mercedes’ insistence that it’s moving away from the EQ series’ design language, looks an awful lot like an EQ Mercedes.

Check out the leaked images from kindleauto’s Instagram account, below, and see if you agree with that assessment.

If you need to see more before you feel comfortable commenting on the new SUV’s looks, there’s a few more angles over on the r/mercedes_benz subreddit.

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Leaked exterior pictures of the upcoming GLC EV
byu/Quick_Coyote_7649 inmercedes_benz

As with everything else on the internet, take those unofficial images with a grain of salt and maybe wait until the GLC EV’s official reveal in a few days’ time before casting your final vote on the new look – but there’s very little reason to believe the new Mercedes will look terribly different from what you see here.

Will the new grille and tech-forward interior with its massive, 39″ screen and MB.OS software be enough to turn the tide for Mercedes-Benz, enabling it to finally gain some traction in the electric crossover market? That remains to be seen, but the recently updated Tesla Model Y and crisply-styled new BMW iX3 with its 500 miles of range will make it an uphill battle, for sure.

We got a sneak peek at the new GLC back in July, when Mercedes-Benz Group CEO, Ola Källenius said that, “We’re not just introducing a new model – we’re electrifying our top seller.” Back then, we learned that the new GLC EV would have a wheelbase 3.1″ longer than the current ICE-powered model, as well as more head- and leg-room for its occupants and an extra 4.5 cubic feet (for 61.4 total) of cargo space.

Källenius also promised an innovative new 800V electric architecture and the latest battery tech, which will enable the electric GLC to add around 260 km (~160 miles) of WLTP range in just ten minutes thanks to more than 300 kW of charging capability.

SOURCES | IMAGES: kindleauto; Quick_Coyote_7649.


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