Tag Archives: vehicles

News

Volkswagen Scores EU Tariff Break for China-Made Cupra Tavascan

In a move that could reshape the trade landscape for electric vehicles in Europe, the European Union has granted Volkswagen an exemption from steep import duties on one of its China-built models. The lucky beneficiary: the Cupra Tavascan, the brand’s compact electric SUV.

The European Commission confirmed that Volkswagen Anhui’s request for the Tavascan to be sold at—or above—a suggested minimum import price has been approved. The decision spares VW the hefty 20.7 percent countervailing tariff introduced in 2024 on top of the standard 10 percent import duty. That higher tariff was originally imposed to counter what Brussels calls “unfair Chinese government subsidies” for EV and battery production.

In exchange, Volkswagen has committed to a specific import quota and pledged significant investment in European battery and EV initiatives. The agreement marks the first application of the EU’s new minimum-price mechanism, a framework designed to ease tensions over Chinese imports while safeguarding European manufacturing interests.

The timing is crucial for Volkswagen, which has poured billions into its Anhui facility where the Tavascan is produced. Previously, the tariff hit Seat and Cupra hard: operating profit for the brands plummeted 96 percent in the first nine months of 2025, down to just €16 million ($18.9 million). By lifting the countervailing duty, the EU is effectively restoring some margin room for VW, while keeping the Tavascan competitive in European showrooms.

Last year, Tavascan sales totaled 36,000 units—roughly 11 percent of Cupra’s total deliveries—demonstrating modest but meaningful traction in a crowded EV market. With the exemption, the model is expected to arrive on European roads by the end of 2024 without the tariff drag that had threatened its economics.

The move also sets a potential precedent for other automakers, including Chinese EV giants like BYD, that are seeking a larger foothold in Europe. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce indicated that local EV manufacturers are evaluating similar proposals under the EU’s new framework, hoping for parity in treatment.

For Volkswagen, the deal represents a rare win amid rising geopolitical and trade pressures, signaling that Europe is willing to balance protectionist measures with market pragmatism. For European EV buyers, it could mean more competitive prices and a clearer path for imported models, especially as automakers continue to navigate a rapidly evolving global EV market.

Source: Volkswagen

News

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