Here’s some of the coolest, sleekest (and furriest) EV tech we saw at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show

Published

3 weeks ago

April 25, 2025

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As we’ve been briefly mentioning the past month or so, we got an opportunity to attend the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show in… you guessed it, Shanghai. Aside from taking place in an event center larger than many cities in the US, this annual event featured some of the most advanced tech we’ve ever seen and a glimpse into the future of electric mobility as, a glimpse into the future of electric mobility, and well as some of the strangest yet entertaining design and presentation.

Reporting live from China (yes, right now)

It’s after midnight here local time, and after five days overseas, endless cups of coffee (and some Westlake tea), I can’t keep track of what day or time it is back in the States. So bear with me if my thoughts are a bit scattered. Just look at the pretty pictures, okay?

I’m sorry for the number of bystanders who photobombed most of these shots. A clean image of any BEV at the Shanghai Auto Show was impossible, given the number of people (primarily influencers and content creators) clamoring for the right angle and always managing to walk into Every. Single. Shot.

The recap is simple. Seth Weintraub and I walked the entire show, scoping everything out for you. Below, I have compiled images of some of the more noteworthy vehicles and adjacent technologies, sorted into four easy-to-follow groups: the interesting, the cool, the downright badass, and the weird. Let’s dig in.

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The Interesting

Buick and Nissan showcased some pretty sleek EVs for China

From a US perspective, Nissan is only beginning chapter two of its BEV journey. Chapter one was, of course, the long CHAdeMO-powered saga of the LEAF. The Ariya is quite adequate, but as we strolled around the floors of the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, the N7 caught our eye.

Its design is nothing groundbreaking but pretty sharp, and its front pixel illuminations below the headlamps are a lovely touch. Nissan also has several variants on display in some beautiful colors. I would love to see this one in the States.

Speaking of the US, Buick turned our heads with its Electra BEV lineup. The GM sub-brand has been selling BEVs in China for a bit now. Still, if some of the Electra models on display at the Shanghai Auto Show (like the SUV, Sedan, and GS Concept seen above) were to ever come to the US, they could perhaps help Buick become relevant again (Yes, Buick is irrelevant in the US, I said it, bring in the BEVs).

ZEEKR’s booth was packed with visitors and lineup of EV models

ZEEKR was one of the first Chinese automakers to hold a live event during day one of the Shanghai Auto Show, where it unveiled its new 9X MPV – it’s first ever PHEV. Like its BEV 009 counterpart, the 9X is an ultra-luxe multi-purpose vehicle with a giant rear screen and a mini fridge, not to mention new wheels.

But it’s a PHEV, so we found two more interesting things around ZEEKR’s floor. First was the number of models on display to auto show visitors. In addition to the 009 and 9X, ZEEKR showcased the MIX (which shares a lot of DNA with the Waymo BEV being developed for the US), the 001, 001FR, 007, 7X, X, and the recently unveiled 7GT.

Now remember that this Geely sub-brand was only founded four years ago. Wow.

The second thing we noticed was how grounded the ZEEKR area was all day in Shanghai. Many guests of the auto show explored each and every BEV inside and out, and there were plenty to peruse. Not to mention ZEEKR’s recently announced EV fast charger (more on that in a bit).

We got our first in-person look at NIO’s Firefly brand BEVs

We’ve been following the progress of NIO’s ultra-affordable Firefly sub-brand for three years now, so it was exciting to see the initial models in person during the Shanghai Auto Show. Honestly, there’s not much to say here except that they’re neat. Small, simple, unique—exactly what NIO set out to deliver.

The youngins’ of the show were all over these things, capturing tons of content. Given its size and affordability, Firefly could do well in Europe in addition to China if it can siphon some of NIO’s brand recognition.

Let’s move onto some stuff that we found to be slightly cooler.

The Cool

eVTOLs and flying cars aplenty

While this was the Shanghai Auto Show, there were no shortage of electric vertical, takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft prototypes, both scaled down and actual size. There were too many eVTOLs to count, but CATL’s (seen above) stood out because its CATL and it can actually innovate into reality.

Chery’s flying car/eVTOL combo was quite strange-looking but a cool idea nonetheless. The showstopper of the bunch, however, was the eVTOL/vehicle combo called the “Land Aircraft Carrier” from XPeng and AeroHT. I’ve been covering this thing for years, but this was my first time seeing it all in person.

I found the vehicle itself to be massive, but a tad underwhelming. It didn’t seem like a finished production-ready design to me yet, but I could totally be wrong. The eVTOL which can be stored onboard the vehicle was on display and completely unfolded. It looked awesome.

According to previous promises from XPeng, the Land Aircraft Carrier is supposed to reach production in 2026 and actually be delivered to Chinese customers. If and when that happens, I will be returning to China ASAP.

I didn’t know I wanted an iCAR V23 until this past week

I was at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show when I learned about iCAR for the first time. This is an all-electric subsidiary of Chery Automotive founded in 2023. These are fun, compact SUVs that look modular and hella customizable.

They’re almost like a more compact Chinese version of what Ford could have done with an all-electric Bronco, but I’m not salty about that at all. Instead, the V23 from iCAR has caught my gaze. They look so fun, I would love to own one of them in the US (except for one specific variant you’ll see below). What do you think?

We saw the Xiaomi SU7 in person, but where was the YU7 SUV?

If we weren’t already aware, Chinese tech manufacturing giant Xiaomi is moving fast after seemingly knocking it out of the park with its first-ever vehicle, the SU7. Xiaomi gives us a stinging feeling of what may have been if Apple had ever actually one day possibly maybe made an electric car.

Instead, we have Xiaomi – and I think the SU7 and SU7 Ultra are a lot sexier that anything Apple would have done. Usually, one is front and center, but Xiaomi kept it low-key in a smaller booth on the second level of the event center, displaying several colors of the SU7 variants.

Many surmise it was due to the recent unfortunate accident in a Xiaomi SU7 in China, killing three passengers. That’s understandable in virtually all degrees, but I wondered, “Where’s the YU7?” Xiaomi has already shared images of its second model, which will be an SUV, so I was disappointed I couldn’t see it in person, even if it had only been for display purposes only.

That new model is supposed to officially launch this summer.

On to the most exciting stuff we saw at the Shanghai Auto Show 2025.

The Downright Badass

ZEEKR’s 1,300 kW charger was on display (sorry no demos)

While it wasn’t doing any actual charging, ZEEKR’s presence at the Shanghai Auto Show also included its new 1,300 kW (1.2 MW) DC fast charger, announced less than a month ago.

“Sure, it’s just a picture of a non-functioning EV charger on a wall in Shanghai, so what?” What gets this EV tech onto our most badass list of Shanghai 2025 is its potential and what it represents. Most BEVs in the US can’t handle more than 250 kW of charging power, 350-400 kW tops.

Now we’re looking at 1,300 kW from ZEEKR?!? They don’t even make a BEV that can handle that much power. Even at a lower rate, ZEEKR and BYD have recently introduced charging technology that can finally deliver visits that resemble a gas station stop.

I also prefer that the charging technology is ahead of the BEV architecture and not vice versa. This is exciting stuff… at least for EV owners in China *begins to cry in a Rivian R1S Standard that tops out charging at 200 kW.

The Yangwang U9 stole the show as the most breathtaking BEV

This! This was the BEV that truly stole my heart at the Shanghai Auto Show. It’s sleek, sporty, sharp, and unique. It’s the U9 from BYD luxury sub-brand Yangwang. Like many of these Chinese vehicles that I have been covering for months or even years, this was the first time I got to see the U9 in person, and just wow.

Walking around, I saw a lot of copycat BEV designs around the halls, but not the Yangwang models. In my opinion, the U8 SUV is ugly, but at least it’s different. The U7 is super luxe and perfect for a long ride to the airport, but the U9 looks like a monster

We went toe-to-toe with XPeng’s Iron humanoid robot [Video]

XPeng makes our list again for live demonstrations of its humanoid robot, called “Iron.” As you can see from the video I captured below, Iron interacted with guests of the Shanghai Auto Show, waving and following their movements. Eerie times, but still badass as well.

Despite the technical accomplishments, it will likely be a while before we see an army of Iron robots building XPeng BEVs.

Environment

Game changer: Harbinger launches a medium-duty EREV with 500 mile range

Published

3 hours ago

May 17, 2025

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Game changer: Harbinger launches a medium-duty EREV with 500 mile range

Harbinger's new MD plug-in hybrid boasts a 500-mile range

The electric box van experts at Harbinger announced a new, EREV version of their medium-duty van that pairs a big battery with a small, gas-powered ICE engine to offer fleets that are hesitant to electrify a massive 500 miles of autonomy on a single charge + tank.

The American truck brand is putting its latest $100 million raise to good use, developing a cost-competitive EREV chassis that marries a low-emissions 1.4L inline four-cylinder gas engine with a close coupled 800V generator sending power to a 140 or 175 kW battery for up to 500 miles of fully loaded range. More than enough, in other words, to meet the needs of just about any fleet you can think of.

That’s a good thing, too, because medium-duty trucks are put to work in just about any circumstance you can think of, as well – a fact that’s not lost on Harbinger.

“Medium-duty vehicles serve an incredibly diverse range of applications, just like the fleets and operators that rely on them, ” explains John Harris, Co-founder and CEO, Harbinger. “There are some fleets whose needs simply can’t be met with a purely electric vehicle—and we recognize that. Our hybrid is designed for use cases and routes that go beyond what an all-electric system typically supports. The series hybrid delivers the benefits of an electric drivetrain, along with the added confidence of a range extender when needed.”

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In addition an up-front cost that should make it an attractive prospect for fleet buyers, the new Harbinger EREV pack performance that should made it attractive for its drivers, too. The new chassis’ electric powertrain delivers 440 hp and 1,140 lb-ft of tq for quick acceleration into traffic and smooth running, even under load. Charging performance is also quick, with the ability to get the big battery from 10-80% charge in just under an hour on a 150 kW port.

You’ve heard all this before

THOR Industries and Harbinger Collaborate to Deliver the World's First Hybrid Class A Motorhome — Thor hybrid RV concept; via Thor.

If that sounds familiar, that’s because it is. This medium-duty chassis was first shown last year, making its debut under a Thor Class A motorhome concept that we covered in September. That vehicle promised the same great EREV range and capability to a market that values independence and spontaneity more than most, and bringing those values to a medium-duty commercial market that’s lapping up “messy middle” propaganda from ~~Shell~~ NACFE is just smart business.

The new Harbinger chassis’ batteries are manufactured by Panasonic. No word on who is making the 1.4L ICE generator, but my money’s on the GM SGE four-cylinder last seen in the gas-powered Chevy Spark. You guys are smart, though – if you have a better guess who the supplier might be, let us know in the comments.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Harbinger.

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Environment

Trump wants coal to power AI data centers. The tech industry may need to make peace with that for now

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2025

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Trump wants coal to power AI data centers. The tech industry may need to make peace with that for now

Energy Sec. Wright: Trump's duties provide 'no tariffs on energy'

President Donald Trump wants to revive the struggling coal industry in the U.S. by deploying plants to power the data centers that the Big Tech companies are building to train artificial intelligence.

Trump issued an executive order in April that directed his Cabinet to find areas of the U.S. where coal-powered infrastructure is available to support AI data centers and determine whether the infrastructure can be expanded to meet the growing electricity demand from the nation’s tech sector.

Trump has repeatedly promoted coal as power source for data centers. The president told the World Economic Forum in January that he would approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration, calling on the tech companies to use coal as a backup power source.

“They can fuel it with anything they want, and they may have coal as a backup — good, clean coal,” the president said.

Trump’s push to deploy coal runs afoul of the tech companies’ environmental goals. In the short-term, the industry’s power needs may inadvertently be extending the life of existing coal plants.

Coal produces more carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour of power than any other energy source in the U.S. with the exception of oil, according to the Energy Information Administration. The tech industry has invested billions of dollars to expand renewable energy and is increasingly turning to nuclear power as a way to meet its growing electricity demand while trying to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that fuel climate change.

For coal miners, Trump’s push is a potential lifeline. The industry has been in decline as coal plants are being retired in the U.S. About 16% of U.S. electricity generation came from burning coal in 2023, down from 51% in 2001, according to EIA data.

Peabody Energy CEO James Grech, who attended Trump’s executive order ceremony at the White House, said “coal plants can shoulder a heavier load of meeting U.S. generation demands, including multiple years of data center growth.” Peabody is one of the largest coal producers in the U.S.

Grech said coal plants should ramp up how much power they dispatch. The nation’s coal fleet is dispatching about 42% of its maximum capacity right now, compared to a historical average of 72%, the CEO told analysts on the company’s May 6 earnings call.

“We believe that all coal-powered generators need to defer U.S. coal plant retirements as the situation on the ground has clearly changed,” Grech said. “We believe generators should un-retire coal plants that have recently been mothballed.”

Tech sector reaction

There is a growing acknowledgment within the tech industry that fossil fuel generation will be needed to help meet the electricity demand from AI. But the focus is on natural gas, which emits less half the CO2 of coal per kilowatt hour of power, according the the EIA.

“To have the energy we need for the grid, it’s going to take an all of the above approach for a period of time,” Kevin Miller, Amazon’s vice president of global data centers, said during a panel discussion at conference of tech and oil and gas executives in Oklahoma City last month.

“We’re not surprised by the fact that we’re going to need to add some thermal generation to meet the needs in the short term,” Miller said.

Thermal generation is a code word for gas, said Nat Sahlstrom, chief energy officer at Tract, a Denver-based company that secures land, infrastructure and power resources for data centers. Sahlstrom previously led Amazon’s energy, water and sustainability teams.

Executives at Amazon, Nvidia and Anthropic would not commit to using coal, mostly dodging the question when asked during the panel at the Oklahoma City conference.

“It’s never a simple answer,” Amazon’s Miller said. “It is a combination of where’s the energy available, what are other alternatives.”

Nvidia is able to be agnostic about what type of power is used because of the position the chipmaker occupies on the AI value chain, said Josh Parker, the company’s senior director of corporate sustainability. “Thankfully, we leave most of those decisions up to our customers.”

Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said there are a broader set of options available than just coal. “We would certainly consider it but I don’t know if I’d say it’s at the top of our list.”

Sahlstrom said Trump’s executive order seems like a “dog whistle” to coal mining constituents. There is a big difference between looking at existing infrastructure and “actually building new power plants that are cost competitive and are going to be existing 30 to 40 years from now,” the Tract executive said.

Coal is being displaced by renewables, natural gas and existing nuclear as coal plants face increasingly difficult economics, Sahlstrom said. “Coal has kind of found itself without a job,” he said.

“I do not see the hyperscale community going out and signing long term commitments for new coal plants,” the former Amazon executive said. (The tech companies ramping up AI are frequently referred to as “hyperscalers.”)

“I would be shocked if I saw something like that happen,” Sahlstrom said.

Coal retirements strain grid

But coal plant retirements are creating a real challenge for the grid as electricity demand is increasing due to data centers, re-industrialization and the broader electrification of the economy.

The largest grid in the nation, the PJM Interconnection, has forecast electricity demand could surge 40% by 2039. PJM warned in 2023 that 40 gigawatts of existing power generation, mostly coal, is at risk of retirement by 2030, which represents about 21% of PJM’s installed capacity.

Data centers will temporarily prolong coal demand as utilities scramble to maintain grid reliability, delaying their decarbonization goals, according to a Moody’s report from last October. Utilities have already postponed the retirement of coal plants totaling about 39 gigawatts of power, according to data from the National Mining Association.

“If we want to grow America’s electricity production meaningfully over the next five or ten years, we [have] got to stop closing coal plants,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s “Money Movers” last month.

But natural gas and renewables are the future, Sahlstrom said. Some 60% of the power sector’s emissions reductions over the past 20 years are due to gas displacing coal, with the remainder coming from renewables, Sahlstrom said.

“That’s a pretty powerful combination, and it’s hard for me to see people going backwards by putting more coal into the mix, particularly if you’re a hyperscale customer who has net-zero carbon goals,” he said.

Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro:

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Bollinger Motors circles the drain as court cases, debts pull it down

Published

6 hours ago

May 17, 2025

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Bollinger Motors circles the drain as court cases, debts pull it down

Bollinger Motors was placed into receivership and could soon face liquidation.

A federal court judge in Michigan has placed the once-promising electric truck brand Bollinger Motors’ assets into receivership following claims that the company’s owners still owe its founder, Robert Bollinger, more than $10 million.

Bollinger Motors first came to fame in the “draw a truck, get a billion dollars” stage of the EV revolution that saw Nikola rise to a higher market cap than Ford for a brief time. Robert Bollinger wasn’t able to capitalize quickly enough to get his trucks into production, though – and a late stage pivot to sell the brand to Mullen Automotive and launch a medium-duty commercial truck doesn’t appear to have been enough to save it.

Now, Automotive News is reporting on some of the more convoluted details of the Mullen purchase deal, with Robert (for ease of distinguishing the man from the brand) claiming that Mullen Automotive owes him more than $10 million for a loan he made to the company in 2024.

Just how Robert ended up giving Mullen Automotive $10 million to take his eponymous truck brand off his hands is probably one of those capitalistic mysteries that I’ll never understand, but Mullen’s response was perfectly clear: they didn’t even bother to show up to court.

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Bollinger claims that at least two suppliers are also suing Mullen for unpaid debts. As such, the Honorable Terrence G. Berg has put the Bollinger brand into receivership, and its assets have been frozen in preparation for everything being liquidated. Worse, for Bollinger, the official court filings reveal a company that is really very much doing not awesome:

The testimony and evidence—which Defendant’s counsel conceded accurately reflected Defendant’s finances—showed that Defendant is in crisis. For months Defendant has owed more than twenty million dollars to suppliers, contractors, service providers, and owners of physical space. These debts are owed to parties who are critical for Defendant’s functioning. CEO Bryan Chambers testified that Defendant was locked out of its production facilities on May 5, 2025, and that the owner of the production facilities was seeking to permanently evict Defendant. The Court heard that Defendant had been prevented from accessing its critical manufacturing accounting system for a short time at the end of April 2025, before making a partial payment to restart services.

US DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

I’m not sure if you caught all that, but Bollinger’s CEO has been locked out the company’s facilities and getting evicted, the company is more than $20 million in debt, and that debt is owed to people Bollinger absolutely needs in order to keep going.

You can read the full court decision, which I’ve embedded here, below. Once you’ve taken it all in, feel free to rush into the comments to say you told me so, since I really thought hoped the Bollinger B1 had a shot. Silly me.