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The EV race is heating up as BYD looks to catch Tesla in global sales into the end of the year. Its newest electric SUV, the Song L, is aimed directly at Tesla’s sweet spot in the Model Y. The new BYD Song L scored over 8,000 orders in its first three days on the market.

BYD launched its new entry-level electric SUV on December 15, starting at 189,800 yuan ($26,700).

Poised to rival Tesla’s Model Y in China, the Song L was first introduced at the Shanghai Auto Show in April.

The Song L is available in five trims with prices ranging from 189,800 – 249,900 yuan ($26,700 – $35,100) with up to 662 km (411 miles) CLTC range.

BYD offered several incentives to sweeten the deal, including 0% interest for 24 months and low down payments. It’s also offering promos on charging and connectivity.

As you can see, the Song L is likely BYD’s most stylish SUV to date. It’s available in five colors: orange, light blue, white, black, and gray. Interior colors include light, white sand beach, and wilderness starry sky.

BYD-Song-L-orders
BYD Song L (Source: BYD)

The automaker included its latest tech inside, such as a new BYD heart, a 50-inch head-up display, and sports seats.

BYD Song L lands over 8K orders in 3 days

According to a new report from Chinese research firm CarFans, the BYD Song L earned over 8,000 orders in its first three days on the market.

The Song L landed 4 to 5 orders per store. With only 30-40% of traffic looking for the model, conversion rates were average.

BYD-Song-L-orders
BYD Song L (Source: BYD)

Its low prices helped attract shoppers looking for other BYD models. Visitors were impressed with the vehicle’s design and space, with many new couples and families looking to trade in or add another car.

Some visitors hesitated to buy with the cold weather, raising concerns over the model’s range. That said, 30% of buyers chose the 662 km premium edition. The top exterior and interior color was white.

BYD-Song-L-orders
BYD Song L interior (Source: BYD)

Due to the Song L’s space and low cost, customers transitioned from other models, including the BYD Song Plus EV, Han EV, and IM LS6.

Electrek’s Take

BYD’s Song L, measuring 4,840 mm (190 inches) long, 1,950 mm (77 inches) wide, and 1,560 mm (61 inches) tall, will rival Tesla’s bestselling Model Y (L – 4,760 mm, W – 1,921 mm, H – 1,624 mm).

The Chinese automaker has been catching up to Tesla in global EV sales all year. BYD handed over 431,603 EVs in Q3, coming within 3,500 of Tesla’s 435,059 deliveries.

BYD has sold nearly 1.4 million fully electric vehicles through November. Tesla aims to deliver 1.8 million this year.

According to a new report from Counterpoint, BYD is on track to catch Tesla if it hasn’t already.

Source: CarNewsChina

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Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

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Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

Tesla is starting to replenish its Model Y inventory in the US after the design changeover, and it is ramping up incentives in China and Europe, suggesting that demand issues persist despite the new Model Y’s introduction.

After Tesla’s disastrous first quarter, shareholders attempted to blame the company’s issues on the transition to the new Model Y, which resulted in limited supply and buyers delaying their deliveries.

There’s no doubt that it impacted Tesla’s performance in Q1, but there were also other clear demand issues.

The automaker stated that it successfully resumed Model Y production to normal levels in record time. Therefore, Model Y supply can’t be blamed going forward and there are reasons to be concerned.

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Earlier this month, we reported that Tesla was already able to deliver new Model Y on the same day in the US and was operating a sort of shadow inventory without actually listing new inventory Model Y.

Now, Tesla has officially started to add new inventory Model Ys in the US – confirming that it doesn’t have a backlog of orders for the updated vehicle:

It’s challenging to determine the exact number of new Model Y vehicles Tesla has in stock.

The website Tesla-Info tracks new vehicle listings in the US, but Tesla only lists configurations available in specific markets. After depleting the inventory of the older version of the Model Y in late March, Tesla is now listing 93 new Model Ys in the US:

However, for any of those listings, there could be several Model Ys in inventory, especially considering that Tesla currently has a limited number of options for the new Model Ys.

Tesla’s Model Y configurations also lists most configurations as being available today in most major US markets. This again points to Tesla having no order backlog for the brand-new vehicle.

At least, Tesla has yet to introduce incentives to sell the vehicle in the US, but it does in other markets.

We previously reported that Tesla quickly introduced 0% financing for the new Model Y in China. The incentive was initially scheduled to end this month, but Tesla has now extended it through June 30th, the end of the quarter.

Tesla is having even more issues in Europe, where its sales are crashing. The automaker is also struggling to sell some older Model Ys from its inventory.

Tesla produced about 30,000 more vehicles than it delivered in the first quarter, and it increased its inventory by $1.7 billion.

Electrek’s Take

Some people think that I’m happy to see this, but they couldn’t be more wrong. I’m just emphasizing it because recognizing the problem is the first step toward fixing it, and I want it to be fixed.

The biggest EV automaker failing is not good for EV adoption, and Tesla is going in that direction.

Tesla shareholders need to recognize that the Model Y refresh is not saving Tesla. Sales have been declining since last year, while electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to increase in most markets.

The combination of Elon Musk alienating half of Tesla’s potential customer base and Tesla’s stale lineup due to the focus on self-driving is resulting in an impossible situation for Tesla right now. Something needs to change.

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Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

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Greenlane's flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

Greenlane, which is rolling out a US EV charging network for big rigs, just switched on its first electric truck stop in Colton, California.

April 24, 2025: The flagship facility, at the intersection of Interstates 215 and 10, was completed eight months after breaking ground. It’s got 41 OEM-agnostic chargers with 12 pull-through lanes and CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers with liquid-cooled cables. They’re built to handle big Class 8 electric rigs with ease. Twenty-nine bobtail lanes feature CCS 180 kW chargers.

Colton offers a spacious lounge with food and drinks, a water refill station, and restrooms. There’s free wifi, mobile charging stations, and 24/7 customer support. Security includes round-the-clock on-site attendants, security cameras, gated access, and enhanced lighting. Office space is available for leasing, and there’s overnight truck and trailer parking.

It’s the first of several electric charging truck stops planned for the company’s I-15 commercial EV charging corridor. Greenlane plans to expand its network with future sites expected roughly every 60 to 90 miles in Long Beach, Barstow, and Baker, California.

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Greenlane has also secured its first commercial fleet customer, fully electric truckload carrier Nevoya, which will begin operating its fleet of electric trucks out of Colton early next month. Nevoya will use the charging infrastructure and occupy on-site office space. The two companies plan to scale the partnership to include up to 100 of Nevoya’s electric trucks.

Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop

March 11, 2025: Builder and developer Mortenson is constructing the commercial EV charging facility in Colton, which broke ground last September. It will include more than 40 chargers when it comes online for heavy, medium, and light-duty EVs. In its next phase, Greenlane plans to deploy solar panels and battery storage to enhance grid stability, manage peak loads, and increase energy efficiency.

Greenlane’s pull-through lane chargers will be equipped with Alpitronic CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers featuring oil-cooled cables. That means faster charging without the bulk—these cables stay lightweight and easy to handle. For bobtail charging, eFill CCS 180 kW chargers will be available, bringing smart energy management to keep fleet operations running smoothly.

To keep everything in check, ABB’s SCADA system will handle remote monitoring and breaker management, boosting reliability and efficiency. Plus, Greenlane’s sites are built with Trenwa precast cable trench, making it easier to expand EV charging infrastructure and upgrade to megawatt charging as fleet demand grows.

Greenlane’s tech launch

Greenlane, a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy, and BlackRock, also debuted its branded digital technology suite as part of its ongoing development of the I-15 Commercial EV Charging Corridor. The products will be rolled out in phases.

Greenlane’s Chief Technology Officer, Raj Jhaveri, said, “Our technology helps maximize uptime and operational efficiency by ensuring vehicles are charged efficiently and ready to meet the demands of their freight schedules.”

The tech rollout includes an app that allows drivers to check charger availability and make reservations in advance, a fleet portal that enables fleet managers and dispatchers to plan and manage routes for their electric fleets, and a new Greenlane website.

Greenlane also now has OnRamp Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that integrate with existing fleet solutions, providing fleet managers and drivers access to optimized routes, efficient charging and refueling schedules, and related charging data and emissions savings.

Read more: Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks


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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

VW’s US self-driving arm, Volkswagen ADMT (Autonomous Driving Mobility & Transport), is partnering with Uber to roll out thousands of autonomous ID. Buzz vans across the US over the next decade.

The plan kicks off in Los Angeles, with testing starting later this year and commercial rides expected to launch in 2026.

The ID. Buzz autonomous driving (AD) vans will have human operators onboard during early testing and launch phases to help fine-tune the tech and keep things safe. Each stage will only move forward once regulators give the green light.

Volkswagen’s mobility brand MOIA is supplying the vehicles and the AD software that’ll run them on Uber’s platform. It’s a full-stack approach to bringing self-driving EVs to ride-hailing, and another sign that the robotaxi race is heating up.

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“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer – we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” said Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility. 

In March 2024, Volkswagen became the first vehicle manufacturer to develop a Level 4 AD service vehicle for large-scale production. Level 4 AD means the car can handle most driving situations independently in a defined area, such as a city. It can also drive alone, without passengers.


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