All posts by Francis Mitterrand

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2025 BMW XM by Kith – Limited Edition

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Ronnie Fieg’s world-renowned lifestyle brand, Kith, and the Bavarian manufacturer BMW have unveiled their third joint project, the BMW XM by Kith. It is a production car that will be built in just 47 units, symbolizing the number of years since the debut of the BMW M1.

The BMW XM is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with plug-in hybrid technology, producing a total of 748 hp (550 kW) and 737 lb-ft (999 Nm) of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that integrates an electric motor. It is equipped with a 29.5 kWh battery and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds.

The exterior of the car is adorned with Individual Frozen Techno purple metallic paint, two BMW logos at the back, black backlit strips each containing 363 purple LEDs, Iconic Glow grille with purple contour lighting, purple LED headlights and 23-inch wheels. The new springs lower the car by 30mm at the front and 35mm at the rear. There are also spacers that increase the distance between the wheels by 40 mm.

Inside, the seats are upholstered in BMW Individual Merino leather with a Kith monogram pattern. There are also velor floor mats, Kith logos, illuminated “1/47” sill plates, two rear cushions, purple ambient lighting and a special Kith bag.

Source: BMW

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2025 BMW XM by Kith - Limited Edition
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BYD sent a ship with 5,000 EVs to Europe

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In March 2024, Chinese carmaker BYD ordered seven new transport ships to meet the goals and the increasing demand for electric cars in Europe. The first of the new ships (BYD Changzhou) set sail from the port of Yantai in late November with 5,000 new EVs.

The 200-meter-long ship, with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, headed for the ports of Bristol (UK) and Rotterdam (Netherlands) with vehicles produced in several plants. It was built to high international standards and uses a dual-fuel LNG drive, which reduces carbon emissions during the journey.

These seven ships will help BYD to transport its cars around the world faster. Currently, Chinese companies own fewer than 50 car cargo ships, and their combined capacity is less than 150,000 vehicles. In comparison, Japanese companies have ships that can transport 1.6 million vehicles.

“Having our own ships helps us better control our exports. We can now deliver our environmentally friendly vehicles to customers around the world in an even more efficient manner,” the company said.

Since the beginning of the year, Chinese manufacturers have exported 5.28 million vehicles, up 25 percent from 2023. BYD currently operates in 99 countries and regions around the world, and plans to acquire more ships to enhance its global supply of quality and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Source: BYD

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GM stopped funding Cruise robotaxis

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After a series of accidents, the American self-driving car company Cruise, which became a subsidiary of General Motors, has suspended operations at the end of 2023. In May, it returned its vehicles to public roads, but now the company’s survival is in question, as GM has suspended financing.

Since taking over Cruise in 2016, GM has invested almost $10 billion in the company and now intends to reach agreements with shareholders and increase its stake from 90 to 97 percent. The company has also decided to end funding for robotaxis at a time when Waymo, backed by Alphabet, is expanding to more cities, and Tesla plans to start its robotaxis business in 2026.

General Motors’ primary goal is autonomous vehicles for personal use, and keeping the robotaxis project alive is financially unsustainable due to the enormous costs. In 2023, Cruise lost $3.48 billion, which could lead to large-scale layoffs.

“Given the time and cost required to scale up a robotaxi business in an increasingly competitive market, joining forces seems more efficient,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors.

Source: Reuters; Photo: EPA-EFE