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Cheaper EVs are on the way. Toyota’s new Urban electric SUV Concept will challenge the affordable Volvo EX30 as the brand’s cheapest EV yet.

Toyota’s Urban electric SUV to rival low-cost EV market

On Monday, Toyota unveiled the Urban electric SUV concept at its annual Kenshiki forum in Brussels.

The concept is one of five new electric models due out in Europe by 2026. Toyota said the Urban SUV concept is a “close-to-production” design for a new EV launching next year.

It draws inspiration from the Toyota Yaris Cross, a top-seller in its segment. Despite its compact size, the crossover SUV features a bold “no compromise” design with strong wheel arches and a tall stance.

When it launches, Toyota’s Urban electric SUV will be available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive.

Toyota claims to have maximized the interior space to provide flexible space for passengers or cargo rooms.

Customers will be able to choose from two battery options. One will be aimed at affordability, and the other will offer more range.

Toyota's-electric-SUV
Toyota Urban electric SUV concept (Source: Toyota)

Although Toyota has yet to provide details, it plans to introduce next-gen batteries for EVs beyond 2026. The company aims to increase the range by 20% while slashing costs by 40% compared to the current bZ4X.

At 4,300 mm (169″) long, 1,820 mm (72″) wide, and 1,620 mm (64″) tall, Toyota’s Urban electric SUV will directly compete with Volvo’s new EX30 (L – 166.7″, W – 72.3″, H – 61.2″).

Toyota's-electric-SUV
Toyota Urban electric SUV concept (Source: Toyota)

Volvo expects the EX30 (see our review here), its smallest and cheapest EV, to make a big impact on sales.

Toyota Europe’s marketing director, Andrea Carlucci, hinted the EX30 would be a rival with a price tag of around €35,000 (~$38K).

Toyota's-electric-SUV
(Source: Toyota)

The EX30 is offered in three powertrain options (€33,795 – €40,995) in Europe with up to 295.8 mi (combined) range. In the US, the electric SUV is available in two powertrains with up to 275 mi range.

Toyota will reveal more details on the new electric SUV in the first half of 2024. It will be the first new EV to join the bZ4X next year as Toyota looks to offer a diverse EV selection by 2026.

The new compact Urban electric SUV is one of several new EV concepts Toyota recently unveiled, including an Electric PickUp (EPU), Land Cruiser, and compact electric SUV.

Electrek’s Take

Toyota has been vowing to cut battery costs for some time now. Will they be able to do so with a new compact electric SUV?

The automaker expects the new EV to compete in “what’s expected to become one of Europe’s biggest BEV market segments.” It will compete with new models like the Volvo EX30, Jeep Avenger, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro, and BYD’s Atto 3. All of which have relatively low starting price tags.

To compete, Toyota will need to drive down costs. Check back for more info on Toyota’s new Urban electric SUV concept as it gets closer to launch.

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Tesla (TSLA) is down 22% in Europe while EVs were up 30%

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Tesla (TSLA) is down 22% in Europe while EVs were up 30%

The latest automotive numbers in Europe were released for August, confirming that Tesla’s decline is continuing, but it has slowed down, with the company “only” being down 22%.

However, the most worrying part for Tesla is that it is happening while battery-electric vehicle sales were up 30% last month.

Tesla’s decline in Europe has been well-documented for the last two years, but it has accelerated significantly in 2025, with Tesla experiencing a monthly decrease of 30-40% year-over-year.

In somewhat good news for the company, the decline has slowed in August.

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The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) released its report for sales in August 2025.

It confirms that Tesla delivered 14,831 vehicles in Europe (EU + EFTA + UK) in August 2025, down 22% from August 2024.

In comparison, the decline is not as alarming as previous months, but it now brings Tesla’s total deliveries year-to-date to 133,857 vehicles compared to 198,474 vehicles in 2024. That’s down -32.6%.

Where things start to get more alarming for Tesla is when you compare it to the broader EV market.

ACEA reports:

The YOY variation in August 2025 showed a rise of 30.2% for battery-electric and 14.1% for hybrid-electric cars, while plug-in-hybrid electric recorded its sixth consecutive month of continuous strong growth with a 54.5% increase.

Here are the results for August and year-to-date in EU + EFTA + UK:

Electrek’s Take

It should be alarming when the world’s biggest electric automaker sees its sales decline 22% in a market where electric vehicle sales are surging 30%.

There’s certainly something wrong that should be addressed.

However, Tesla is not addressing the issue. In fact, Elon Musk even outright dismissed it when asked about it a few months ago. He doesn’t have to, because he has convinced Tesla shareholders that EV sales no longer matter, and it’s about autonomous driving and robots.

Musk even commented on this ACEA report. Reuters published it and claimed that BYD outsold Tesla in the EU. Musk retweeted and commented on a post claiming that Reuters was misleading:

Reuters is not being misleading. BYD outsold Tesla 9,130 units to 8,220 units in the EU last month.

If they had said “Europe” rather than the EU, it would have been misleading, but they didn’t.

Tesla did outsell BYD in broader Europe, if you include EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) and the UK: 14,831 to 11,455 units.

Either way, I don’t know why he would want to get into that conversation whatsoever because in EU+EFTA+UK, BYD was up 215% last month compared to Tesla being down 22%.

Year-to-date, BYD is up 280% compared ot Tesla being down 32%.

At this pace, BYD is likely to outsell Tesla for the entire year, and the Chinese automaker is operating under tariffs in Europe, a market where it has only been present for about three years.

Elon has fully lost the plot.

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Hyundai is now recalling nearly 8,000 Genesis EVs

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Hyundai is now recalling nearly 8,000 Genesis EVs

Hyundai Motor is recalling nearly 8,000 2023-2025 Genesis GV60 EVs due to a potential issue with the molding at the top of the windshield that may cause it to fall off.

Why is Hyundai recalling Genesis GV60 EVs?

After issuing a recall for nearly 600,000 Pallisade, IONIQ 5, and IONIQ 6 vehicles last week, you can add a few more to the list.

Hyundai is recalling certain 2023-2025 model year Genesis GV60 EVs due to a potential issue with the molding at the top of the windshield, which may peel or even detach while driving.

Those with impacted vehicles may hear a wind noise or whistling coming from the upper part of the windshield. After running internal tests, Hyundai found the issue was due to insufficient adhesion from the supplier.

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Although no crashes or injuries were reported, Hyundai is aware of 112 reports of molding detachment from October 26, 2022, through August 8, 2025.

Hyundai has since fixed the issue and estimates that only 1% of the 7,855 Genesis GV60 EVs being recalled actually have the defect.

Hyundai-recalling-Genesis-EVs
The 2025 Genesis GV60 (Source: Genesis)

The company expects to mail owner notification letters on November 17, 2025. GV60 owners can contact Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741 with questions. Hyundai’s recall number is 028G.

Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit NHTSA.gov for more information. The NHTSA campaign number for the recall is 25V624.

Hyundai-recalling-Genesis-GV60
The 2025 Genesis GV60 (Source: Genesis)

According to Cox Automotive, Hyundai sold 3,400 Genesis GV60 models in the US in 2023, 2,866 in 2024, and another 1,192 in the first half of 2025. So, that would be just about all Genesis GV60s sold in the US from 2023 through the first few months of 2025.

After dropping the Electrified G80 from its lineup earlier this year, Genesis now sells just two EVs in the US: the GV60 and Electrified GV70.

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What we know about Rivian software update 2025.34 including highway assist upgrades [Update]

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What we know about Rivian software update 2025.34  including highway assist upgrades [Update]

A new software update from Rivian was sighted earlier this month, and it’s being prepared for a full rollout to Gen 2 R1S and R1T EVs. The latest Rivian update includes upgrades to the American automaker’s Enhanced Highway Assist driving, more energy-conscious home charging capabilities, and a slew of other improvements outlined below.

Update September 25, 2025: Rivian has confirmed the details of software update 2025.34 outlined below. However, we still do not have a concrete timeline for when the update will roll out to current R1S and R1T owners.


Like most software-defined vehicles, Rivian models like the R1S and R1T receive periodic updates over-the-air (OTA). As a Rivian owner and an enthusiast, software updates are often exciting news to report on, as they usually result in new features or abilities to existing technology or enable various efficiencies (and bug fixes fixes, of course).

Over the past six months, we’ve seen updates like 2025.10, which rolled out to the public in early April, and 2025.14, which updated the BEV’s Highway Assist feature. In late May, RivianTrackr shared that software update 2025.18 was rolling out internally before launching wide to Rivian owners, and it was one of the more robust rollouts we had seen for a while.

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Most recently, a similar site called RivianRoamer has reported on a new software update, 2025.34, which has already been spotted before it makes its way out to the public

Rivian software update
Source: Rivian.com

Rivian software update adds new “Co-Steer” feature

Per reports, Rivian software update 2025.34 is in the works in a beta version before it inevitably makes its way to the community of R1S and R1T owners. That being said, please note that any of these listed features or improvements could change or be removed altogether before the update goes out wide.

The first notable upgrade pertains to the Enhanced Highway Assist ADAS in Gen 2 Rivian models. Right now, the pending software update will enable a new assist feature called “Co-Steer,” which will allow a driver to adjust their given position within a lane using “gentle steering inputs” without the Enhanced Highway Assist disengaging.

Speaking of Enhanced Highway Assist, Rivian shared that the availability of the ADAS feature has increased by up to 50%, particularly on urban and suburban highways. Lastly, the 2025.34 update includes a new perception model that improves lane centering performance, especially on curves.

Additionally, Rivian’s latest pending software update will allow your vehicle to automatically charge itself during off-peak times at your home when electricity is cheaper, ensuring your vehicle is ready when you need it.

According to the report, “smart scheduling” can cut annual home EV charging costs by 20% or more and increase your use of clean energy. You can enable this feature and monitor everything through your account in the Rivian app (version 3.5 or later).

Other updates and big fixes from 2025.34 (subject to change)

  • Audio improvements (Gen 2 Rivian models)
    • Fine-tuned equalization and delays to make the bass feel richer and more impactful
    • Soundstage improvements for better localization, separation, and layering
    • Improved blending of Dolby Atmos content for all listening positions
  • Performance improvements
    • Updated and improved media apps, including increased touchscreen responsiveness
    • Improved Navigation stability and responsiveness
    • Improved responsiveness to mobile commands while vehicle is asleep
  • Resolved rare issue that prevented users from accepting the terms of service for Rivian Navigation with Google Maps
  • Fixed issue that kept Gear Guard video thumbnails from displaying properly on the Motion Cam and Incidents screens
  • Resolved rare issue where the tonneau cover position is displayed incorrectly on certain screens of Gen 1 R1T models
  • Resolved rare issue that caused fog lights to turn off and exterior lights to revert to Auto mode (Gen 1)
  • Fixed issue that caused trip energy and efficiency data to fluctuate unexpectedly
  • Improvements to the accuracy of battery range on arrival estimates, including adding location air density as a factor for locations at higher elevations
  • Resolved rare issue that prevented the door handles from presenting for an unlock request while Car Wash mode is active (Gen 2 EVs)
  • Reduced excessive blower noise during climate control start-up in mild conditions while maintaining cooling performance in extreme temperatures (Gen 2 EVs)
  • Fixed rare issue that caused cabin conditioning requests initiated from the Rivian mobile app to fail on the first attempt (Gen 2 EVs)
  • Additional improvements for 12V battery health detection, including in-vehicle and mobile app notifications to alert you when the 12V battery needs to be replaced (Gen 2 EVs)

That’s all for now. As a reminder, the above release notes pertain to a beta version of the software update, and 2025.34 could be different when it reaches Rivian owners in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for it!

In the meantime, I recommend scheduling a test drive with Rivian if you haven’t done so yet. See if you can get behind the wheel of an upcoming R2. It’s a winner!

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