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Kia EV2 Shines in Extreme Cold, Proving Its Winter Worthiness

Kia is quietly making a statement in the EV world with its upcoming EV2, a compact electric car that recently endured the harsh Norwegian winter as part of the annual El Prix Winter Test Drive, organized by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF). These tests, infamous for pushing electric vehicles to their limits, measure how real-world cold-weather conditions affect range—often revealing uncomfortable truths behind WLTP numbers.

Although the EV2’s results were unofficial due to its prototype status, Kia claims the car outperformed every other entrant. The test model, equipped with a 61-kWh battery, braved temperatures ranging from a brisk −8 °C to a bone-chilling −31 °C. When the winter dust settled, the EV2 covered 310.6 km, losing 102.4 km—or roughly 25 percent—of its stated WLTP range of 413–448 km (depending on rim size). Not perfect, but still impressive given the Arctic-like conditions.

Charging in freezing conditions also went smoothly. The EV2 replenished its battery from 8 to 80 percent in just under 37 minutes, pulling 45.4 kWh of energy, with a peak charging power of 97 kW and an average of 74 kW. Kia projects that production models will charge from 10 to 80 percent in a mere 30 minutes, keeping pace with today’s fast-charging expectations.

For context, competitors struggled more. Hyundai’s Inster, rated at 360 km, shed nearly 29 percent of its range, while the larger Kia EV4 lost 204 km from its claimed 594 km. Luxury EVs fared worst: the Lucid Air, with its lofty range claims, dropped an astonishing 440 km under the same conditions.

Set to begin series production in Slovakia this July, the EV2 is shaping up as a practical, winter-ready EV for European buyers. Its performance in Norway suggests Kia is serious about delivering range reliability when the mercury drops—a critical factor as cold-weather efficiency remains a key concern for EV shoppers.

In a segment where claimed numbers often crumble under real-world scrutiny, the EV2’s winter showing is a quiet yet significant victory for Kia—and a reminder that some EVs can indeed handle the cold without leaving drivers stranded.

Source: Kia

News

BMW Recalls Over Half a Million Vehicles After Starter-Motor Fire Risk

BMW is once again dialing up the recall hotline—this time over a component most drivers never think about until it fails: the starter motor. The German automaker has announced a worldwide recall covering a mid–six-digit number of vehicles after discovering a defect in the starter (referred to internally as the “anlaser”) that could, in extreme cases, lead to a vehicle fire.

The issue affects 16 BMW models built between July 2020 and July 2022, all of which use starter motors supplied by a third-party manufacturer. According to BMW, excessive wear inside the starter’s electromagnetic solenoid can create electrical resistance that may result in a short circuit. That, in turn, can cause localized overheating—and in the worst-case scenario, a fire while the vehicle is in operation.

BMW says it identified the problem after receiving customer complaints and conducting inspections of affected vehicles. The company will contact owners directly and replace the faulty starters free of charge.

Until repairs are completed, BMW is urging owners to take a cautious approach. The company specifically recommends that vehicles not be left unattended after starting, especially if the engine has been restarted while still warm—a condition that places higher electrical demand on the starter system.

While any recall involving the word “fire” is bound to raise eyebrows, BMW downplayed the financial impact. A company spokesperson told AFP that the campaign will have little to no effect on earnings—welcome news after a difficult 2024, when BMW took a hit of hundreds of millions of euros from a massive 1.5-million-vehicle recall caused by faulty brake components supplied by Continental.

This latest recall serves as another reminder that even as modern cars grow ever more complex, some of the most serious problems can still come from the simplest hardware. A starter motor is about as basic as it gets—but when it fails electrically, the consequences can escalate quickly.

For BMW owners of 2020–2022 vehicles, the message is clear: watch for that recall notice, book the fix, and don’t leave your car running unattended until it’s done.

Source: BMW

News

Germany Becomes the World’s Second-Largest EV Producer

If there was ever any doubt that Germany could pivot from piston to plug, 2025 just erased it. According to fresh numbers from the Automotive Industry Association (VDA), Europe’s manufacturing heavyweight is now the second-largest producer of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on Earth, trailing only China. And it didn’t get there by inching forward—it got there by flooring the accelerator.

Last year, German factories built 1.22 million EVs and PHEVs, a national record and a 15-percent jump over 2024. That surge mirrors what’s happening across Europe, where EV sales climbed nearly 30 percent to about 2.6 million vehicles. In other words, this isn’t a niche wave anymore—it’s the new tide.

Still, China remains the colossus in the room. With 16.1 million new-energy vehicles rolling out annually—including battery EVs, plug-in hybrids, range extenders, and hydrogen models—it’s operating on a scale that makes the rest of the world look like a regional supplier. But Germany’s rise to second place is no small feat, especially for a country whose identity has been built around mechanical precision and internal-combustion dominance for more than a century.

What makes the shift more impressive is that it’s happening without a collapse in overall production. German plants built 4.15 million passenger cars last year, a 2-percent increase over 2024. The real story, though, is what those cars are. Nearly 30 percent were fully electric, and when you add plug-in hybrids, about 40 percent of everything built in Germany now has a charging port. That’s not a transition—that’s a transformation.

At the brand level, Volkswagen continues to own the European EV conversation. In 2025, VW sold almost 275,000 electric vehicles, a 56-percent year-over-year increase that underscores how aggressively the group is pushing into the battery era. Tesla, meanwhile, had a rougher year on this side of the Atlantic, with European sales down 27 percent to 238,765 vehicles. The Model Y may still be a familiar sight on Autobahns and boulevards, but the competitive landscape is no longer a one-brand show.

Taken together, the numbers paint a clear picture: Germany isn’t just adapting to electrification—it’s shaping it. With nearly half of its production now electrified and volume growing, the country is positioning itself as Europe’s EV engine room, even as China sets the global pace.

For enthusiasts and industry watchers alike, it’s a strange but fascinating moment. The nation that gave us the Nürburgring and the flat-six is now just as defined by kilowatts and battery packs. And judging by the trajectory, Germany’s electric chapter is only just beginning.

Source: VDA

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