News
Kia pushes for an expanded EV plan after successful EV6 launch
EV sales for the Hyundai/Kia Group have been so successful that the Kia brand is now revising and expanding their previous investment into EVs and plans on releasing more models than previously announced.
After a successful launch of the Kia EV6, which took U.S. News’ award for best EV of the year, the company now feels emboldened not only to expand production of the car but also to expand their previous plan to produce 11 new EV models by 2027. Now, the company plans to release 14 models globally, with 9 new models expected in the US market by 2029.
In an interview with Automotive News, the Kia VP of Sales and Operations North America, Eric Watson, announced, “thirty percent of our sales will come from electric vehicles by the end of the decade, and we’ll get to fifty percent in the early 2030s.” This will be significantly higher than Kia’s current 6 percent of sales in the US being EVs. Nonetheless, the announcement remained positive.
While the VP remained vague about what those models would be, he did note that most would focus on the crossover segment. Two models that would defy this trend are the introduction of Kia’s 2 new EV pickups they will introduce, with at least one of them coming to the U.S. at some point. With such excitement around the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Tesla Cybertruck, and the Rivian R1T, it is no surprise the brand has decided to see if they could build their own, especially after the introduction of the Santa Cruz pickup last year.
Some models that are confirmed by the VP statements include the EV9, a three-row variant of the EV6 that was shown as a concept vehicle at the LA Auto Show last year. The VP noted that the EV9 would “open up opportunity for those that need the size of the vehicle, whether it be for hauling kids, going into Costco and loading up all your groceries on a big weekend trip or towing the boat.” Sibling brand Hyundai will also likely be introducing an IONIQ 7, a three-row version of the IONIQ 5 design.
-->Another move the company wants to make to help push consumers toward EVs is through investment in charging infrastructure. “Why it’s going to take us till the early 2030s to get to 50 percent and beyond is the building of the charging infrastructure, which will take both public and private partnerships,” Watson stated.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to sell over 3 million EVs every year by 2030 across the globe. Hyundai and Kia also recently agreed to spend $16.5 billion to produce electric vehicles at a new factory in South Korea.
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Tesla Model Y demand in China is through the roof, and new delivery dates show the company has already sold out its allocation of the all-electric crossover for 2025.
The Model Y has been the most popular vehicle in the world in both of the last two years, outpacing incredibly popular vehicles like the Toyota RAV 4. In China, the EV market is substantially more saturated, with more competitors than in any other market.
However, Tesla has been kind to the Chinese market, as it has launched trim levels for the Model Y in the country that are not available anywhere else. Demand has been strong for the Model Y in China; it ranks in the top 5 of all EVs in the country, trailing the BYD Seagull, Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, and the Geely Galaxy Xingyuan.
The other three models ahead of the Model Y are priced substantially lower.
Tesla is still dealing with strong demand for the Model Y, and the company is now pushing delivery dates to early 2026, meaning the vehicle is sold out for the year:
-->NEWS: New orders for all four Tesla Model Y trims in China are now officially sold out for 2025, as the factory’s remaining production capacity for the year has been fully allocated.
Estimated delivery dates for new orders now show January-February 2026. pic.twitter.com/Dfnu7yY58N
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 1, 2025
Tesla experienced a 9.9 percent year-over-year rise in its China-made EV sales for November, meaning there is some serious potential for the automaker moving into next year despite increased competition.
There have been a lot of questions surrounding how Tesla would perform globally with more competition, but it seems to have a good grasp of various markets because of its vehicles, its charging infrastructure, and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite, which has been expanding to more countries as of late.
-->Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
Tesla holds a dominating lead in the United States with EV registrations, and performs incredibly well in several European countries.
With demand in China looking strong, it will be interesting to see how the company ends the year in terms of global deliveries.
News
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
-->This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
News
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
-->For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Tesla Model Y demand in China is through the roof, new delivery dates show
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
