After 40 years, Volkswagen is no longer building Polo models in Europe. VW has ended Polo production in Europe as it shifts focus to smaller, more affordable EVs.
VW Polo production ends in Europe after 40 years
Volkswagen has been building Polo models in Pamplona, Spain, since 1984. Over 8.4 million Polos have been built at the Pamplona plant as one of Europe’s top-selling cars.
According to the latest DataForce (via Automotive News) figures, Volkswagen’s Polo was Europe’s 8th top-selling small car, with over 90,100 models sold this year through August 2024.
However, Volkswagen is preparing to introduce a series of smaller, more affordable EVs, which will be built at the facility. The Pamplona plant is scheduled to begin producing two small electric SUVs in 2026.
The new electric SUVs will be powered by a modified version of Volkswagen’s MEB platform, underpinning its current ID series, including the ID.4.
We got our first look at the small SUV last year after Volkswagen unveiled the ID.2all concept. The ID.2all will sit below the ID.3 with starting prices under 25,000 euros ($27,500).
Volkswagen ID.2all electric vehicle (Source: Volkswagen)
Smaller, more affordable EVs en route
CEO Thomas Shafer said the ID.2all previews “where we want to take the brand.” The electric SUV is expected to get up to 279 miles (450 km) WLTP driving range.
Volkswagen blended iconic design elements from legends like the Golf and Beetle with a modern upgrade to stand out in the electric era.
Volkswagen ID.2all electric vehicle (Source: Volkswagen)
Head designer Andreas Mindt claims the ID.2 looks “even better” than the concept shown last year as design work on the production model wraps up. Mindt said the low-cost electric SUV “gives a preview of the new design language of Volkswagen.”
After revealing the interior for the first time last December, Mindt stated, “The future of Volkswagen interiors has arrived.”
Volkswagen’s ID 2all EV interior (Source: VW)
Volkswagen claims the ID.2 will feature a generous storage volume of up to 47 cubic feet (1,330 liters). Mindt said it is unusual to find so much storage space in a small car.
One of the coolest interior features is the new rotary knob, which allows you to select from different driving modes inspired by the Golf and Beetle. By turning the knob, you can choose between “Classic,” which draws from the Beetle era, or “Vintage” modes, which will bring you back to the Golf era.
Volkswagen ID 2all “Vintage” mode from the Golf era (Source: Andreas Mindt)
Last month, Volkswagen’s low-cost EV was spotted for the first time out testing ahead of its official debut.
Mindt also teased a slightly bigger ID.2all SUV model, which is expected to launch shortly after the ID.2 in 2026.
Volkswagen ID 2all electric SUV (Source: Volkswagen)
Although VW ended Polo production in Europe, the model will still be sold in the region. However, production has been moved to its Kariega, South Africa plant. Volkswagen will also continue building T-Cross and Taigo models in Spain, the company confirmed.
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Ford is testing a new electrified Mustang that may not be as electric as it seems. The next-gen Mustang is apparently already in development. Here’s what we know about it so far.
Is Ford launching an electrified Mustang Hybrid?
After postponing around $12 billion in planned spending on electric vehicles in 2023, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said the company would lean more into hybrids.
Farley told investors and analysts on the company’s Q3 2023 earnings call that he’s “so thankful we have kept our foot on the gas to freshen our ICE and HEV products as we enter a changing market.”
Ford’s CFO, John Lawler, reaffirmed the company’s plans later that year, saying the company would use hybrids as a bridge to fully electric vehicles.
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“With EV adoption slower, hybrids are going to be a bigger part,” Lawler said, adding that Ford “became a little bit complacent” on hybrid tech. Last year, Ford said it would introduce a hybrid version for every gas-powered vehicle in its lineup by 2030.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)
Ford is apparently making good on its promise with a new Mustang hybrid in development. According to a new report from Ford Authority, the Mustang hybrid, internally code-named S650E, is in development, and prototypes are already being tested.
The report claims the new Mustang has entered the Technology Prove-Out stage, suggesting it will be electrified to some degree.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally (Source: Ford)
Whether it will be a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) remains unclear. Although the company has yet to confirm it, Farley said that a “partially electrified Mustang coupe” was a strong possibility, and Ford’s Performance unit is already testing hybrid powertrains.
Electrek’s Take
Will the new Mustang hybrid sit alongside the Mach-E in Ford’s lineup? Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US, so it’s unlikely to go anywhere, but it is due for a refresh with so many new rivals entering the market.
Through August, Ford sold 34,319 Mustang Mach-Es (+6.7% YOY) in the US. The gas-powered Mustang continues to fall out of favor, with 31,015 units sold in the first eight months of 2025, 8.3% fewer than during the same period in 2024.
With Hyundai, Stellantis, Honda, and several other global OEMs planning to launch new hybrid models in the US, the Ford Mustang hybrid doesn’t come as a total surprise. We will still have to wait for the official word from Ford, but a new electrified Stang seems more than likely.
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Transocean Barents, an oil platform passes through Canakkale Strait as vessel traffic suspended in both directions in Canakkale, Turkiye on November 12, 2024.
Enishan Keskin | Anadolu | Getty Images
Shares of Transocean plunged Thursday after the offshore driller announced the sale of a large number of shares at a discount.
Transocean is planning to sell 125 million shares at a price of $3.05, significantly lower than Wednesday’s close of $3.64. It is offering 25 million shares more than it originally planned.
The Swiss company’s stock was last down 14.8% premarket. The offering is expected to close on Friday.
Transocean expects to book about $381 million from the sale. It will use the proceeds to pay off debt.
(Correction: Updates with correct share offering price.)
New York City’s new 15 mph speed limit for electric bikes is officially set to take effect next month, in what city officials claim is a move to improve street safety. But not everyone is convinced the crackdown is targeting the real threat on the roads.
The new limit, approved earlier this year, applies to e-bikes, mopeds, and other micromobility vehicles operating in city bike lanes. Riders caught exceeding 15 mph could face warnings or citations, though the exact enforcement strategy remains murky. The NYPD says it will focus on “education first,” but given the city’s track record, that could just be the calm before the ticket storm.
The rule comes amid growing concerns from some residents and officials about rising speeds among e-bike riders, especially delivery workers who often rely on throttle-equipped bikes to meet tight deadlines. But while the new speed cap is aimed at micromobility vehicles, there’s a noticeable omission: cars, trucks, and SUVs, which continue to be allowed to travel at 25 mph – and in practice, often much faster – even though they pose exponentially more risk to vulnerable road users and are responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths each year.
It’s a move that raises eyebrows and has resulted in thousands of publicly-submitted comments that the New York Department of Transportation has seemingly ignored.
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After all, the majority of traffic fatalities in New York City don’t involve e-bikes. They involve cars. And while some e-bike riders certainly ride irresponsibly, the blanket limit nearly cuts in half the more widely accepted e-bike speed limits used around the US, and doesn’t even apply to pedal bikes, which can easily exceed such speeds despite nearly identical average weights when factoring in the vehicle and rider. Not to mention, it ignores the critical role that e-bikes play in reducing traffic congestion and emissions, especially in the delivery and commuting sectors.
So while New York is slowing down its most efficient and sustainable form of urban transport, it’s letting the real heavyweights keep their speed. If the goal is safety, then it’s fair to ask: why aren’t cars being asked to go 15 mph too?
Because once again, it seems the rules are written for the powerful – not the vulnerable.
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