Inside Rivian: the start-up teaching VW how to make better EVs

Bold, big and brawny, the R1T is like no other EV or pick-up on the market
Rivian is a radical EV start-up with a different approach. We drive its flagship and explain its VW Group dealAs an American EV start-up, Rivian is routinely – and predictably – compared to Tesla. But even a cursory glance at their respective pick-up trucks indicates the vastly differing approaches of the two firms.
While the Tesla Cybertruck is unapologetically brash and wilfully confrontational, the Rivian R

Softening phase-out of combustion-engined cars would better reflect market reality, said car makerFord has become the strongest voice so far among UK car companies in calling for the government to follow the European Union (EU) in softening electric car targets.
The majority, along with their representative body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), have either been more muted or declined to comment when approached by Autocar. 
Green groups and EV-focused companies meanwhi

Kangoo small van has long been a big hit for Renault
The Transit is a success story for Ford, but it has struggled in the sub-tonne van classFord’s domination of the van sales chart in the UK hides a weakness that it hopes to plug through a new partnership with Renault. 
News that Renault will build Ford two small electric cars, one a Fiesta replacement, overshadowed the announcement that the two plan to work together on the development of future vans. And of the two, the va

Kangoo small van has long been a big hit for Renault
The Transit Custom is a success story for Ford, but it has struggled in the sub-tonne van classFord’s domination of the van sales chart in the UK hides a weakness that it hopes to plug through a new partnership with Renault. 
News that Renault will build Ford two small electric cars, one a Fiesta replacement, overshadowed the announcement that the two plan to work together on the development of future vans. And of the two, 

Car of the Year jurors gathered recently to whittle 29 new cars down to a shortlist of seven...What do the class of 2026 have in common in the new car world? If not too downbeat a hook to draw you into this story: not a great deal of originality. But stick with me.
There were 29 cars from 23 brands at the annual Tannistest in northern Denmark, a test event to help the 59 Car of the Year (COTY) jurors from 23 countries whittle down a longlist of 35 eligible vehicles (some of them weren't represen

Autocar render shows what a GTI based on the next 208 could look like
Brand will make greater use of GTi branding – but on electric models onlyPeugeot is set to channel the spirit of the legendary 205 GTI hot hatch with the range-topping performance version of the next 208.
The French manufacturer has already revived the GTI performance sub-brand for a hot new version of its e-208 electric supermini - and now CEO Alain Favey has told Autocar that it will add more GTi models as it moves to

Called IBIS the new battery is also said to cut charging times by 15%Stellantis and French battery maker SAFT have revealed an integrated battery system that is more efficient, smaller and lighter and cuts charging times by 15%.
Called IBIS (Intelligent Battery Integrated System), the battery incorporates the inverter and charger functions directly into its pack, creating a single module to deliver power to the drive motor-generator.
Until now, inverters – a key EV component that manages b

Nissan IDx Matthew Guy went over some recent small concept cars that for whatever reason didn't make production.Which one do you wish had been built? It doesn't have to be one of the one's that Matthew listed -- it can be any small concept car that was on display during the past, oh, 10-15 years or so.You guys know what to do. Go ahead and sound off below.[Image: Nissan]Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about c

Wagener's departure marks end of an era at German car maker; will be replaced by AMG design chiefMercedes-Benz design boss Gorden Wagener will step down in January, ending a 28-year career that radically reshaped both the styling of its production models and the internal design culture at the German car maker.
The 56-year-old designer, who joined Mercedes-Benz in 1997 and has led its global design operations since 2008, will be replaced by Bastian Baudy, the head of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG per

Flagship for Chinese brand is a big, seven-seat SUV with the longest electric-only range of any PHEV on sale
Chinese car brand Chery - self-proclaimed maker of ‘happy cars’ - has thus far brought us a model range populated entirely by SUVs. That’s because - and for understandable reasons - it elected to launch its Tiggo sub-brand in Europe in advance of any others (it offers a number of saloons in China under the Arrizo sub-brand and a pick-up truck called, somewhat awkwardly,

Chinese brand's first bespoke-to-Europe model is a Toyota Yaris rival and the UK's smallest PHEVBYD will bring PHEV power to the supermini class when it launches the UK's smallest and cheapest plug-in hybrid next year.
The latest addition to BYD's ranks is described as a B-segment hatchback and will effectively serve as a PHEV alternative to the Dolphin Surf EV, measuring around four metres long and roughly 1.5 metres tall. 
As such, it will be the smallest plug-in hybrid yet available

Cropley rides in the new Jaguar, interviews Jaguar managing director and more!In the latest episode of My Week In Cars, Steve Cropley joins the team at JLR to ride in a prototype of Jaguar's new electric saloon, which is still under wraps and publically known as 'Type 00'.
Cropley also interviews Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover, and JLR's vehicle design director, Matt Becker. As always there's your correspondence too and a bit of a chat about Matt Prior and Steve Cropley's latest Autocar

As Jaguar closes in on the launch of its first new-age EV, we sit down with managing director Rawdon GloverRawdon Glover, mangaging director of Jaguar, is the man charged with steering the beloved brand through its rebirth – and it hasn't all been smooth sailing.
After Autocar finished riding in the brand's 1000-plus-bhp electric GT for the first time, we sat down with Glover to discuss the rebrand and what comes next. This is what he had to say...
Is this first new-gen Jaguar now finished

Our first experience of Jaguar's new era shows it's on the right trackJaguar's reinvention as an electric luxury brand will kick off next year with the arrival of the production version of its radical new GT – and Autocar has had a first taste of this era-defining EV's incredible potential.
The new coupé is based on the bold Type 00 Concept revealed last year and is nearing the end of an extensive testing process. We were given a high-speed ride in the prototype for our first e

Can automakers build cars with environmental sustainability? Mercedes-Benz is working on it. I've heard about it during every plant tour I've done in 15 years in this business.Is it possible?Sure, at some level, it seems like OEMs can recycle materials and dispose of waste safely, without wrecking the environment near their plants. But it still has seemingly been a bit of a struggle.I want to hear from you -- especially if you work in the industry. You know what to do -- sound off below.[Image:

2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn Fast FactsPowertrain2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (228 horsepower @ 5,000 RPM, 258 lb-ft @ 1,700 RPM)Transmission/Drive WheelsSeven-speed DSG automatic/front-wheel driveFuel Economy, MPG25 city / 35 highway / 29 combined (EPA Rating)Fuel Economy, L/100km9.5 city / 6.7 highway / 8.2 combined (NRCan Rating)Base Price$32,715 (U.S.) / $38,090 (Canada)As-Tested Price$34,590 (U.S.) / $38,589.50 (Canada)Disclaimer: Prices include $1,225 destination charge in t

Mercedes-Benz recently announced a plan to make vehicles more “sustainable” and a portion of it pertained to bringing back some of the ways it used to build automobiles. However, suggesting that this is a complete return to traditional automotive manufacturing would be a gross misrepresentation.
The scheme has been dubbed the “ Tomorrow XX technology program” and is focused on finding a way to blend innovation with an extensive list of environmental objectives — sta

Shopping for a car lover isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems, especially when you focus on the small, useful gear they’ll actually appreciate.
That’s why we pulled together a lineup of stocking stuffers tailored for the enthusiast in your life. Whether they’re always wrenching, always detailing, or just obsessed with keeping their ride in top shape, these picks are designed to land well.
Chances are, anything on this list will earn you a genuine smile when the wrapping

Incentives to be introduced for making small EVs such as Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo within the EUThe European Union (EU) has firmed up plans for a new class of European-made small electric cars – and will incentivise manufacturers to produce them by offering extra credits against emissions targets.
Its legislative arm, the European Commission (EC), has already agreed to work with car makers on the development of a new class of vehicles loosely based on Japan's kei

Incentives to be introduced for making small EVs, such as Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo, within the EUThe European Union has firmed up plans for a new class of small electric cars made in the European Union – and will incentivise manufacturers to produce them by offering extra credits against emission targets.
The European Commission (EC), the EU's legislative arm, has already agreed to work with car firms on the development of a new class of vehicles loosely based on Japan's kei car cl

European Commission's major reversal comes after intensive lobbying by governments and car makers
Combustion cars will be allowed to remain on sale after 2035 in the European Union under major changes put forward by the continent’s top legislators.
The lifeline to car makers follows intensive lobbying from European governments and some of the industry’s biggest marques, including Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Stellantis.
The European Commission (EC)’s new, more le

European Commission's major reversal comes after intensive lobbying by governments and car makers
Combustion-engined cars will be allowed to remain on sale after 2035 in the European Union (EU) under major changes put forward by the bloc's top legislators.
The lifeline for car makers follows intensive lobbying from national governments and some of the industry’s biggest companies, including Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Stellantis.
More lenient rules drawn up by the Euro

BYD launched the Dolphin electric hatchback in the UK two years ago
Newcomer will be Chinese brand's first bespoke-to-Europe model; EV range of more than 56 miles possibleBYD will take the fight to the Volkswagen Golf GTE and Toyota Prius next year with its first bespoke European-market model: a plug-in hybrid hatchback called the Dolphin G.
The latest addition to BYD's ranks is described as a B-segment hatchback and will effectively serve as a PHEV alternative to the Dolphin electric

Electric equivalent of popular crossover gets up to 376 miles of range and 338bhp; promised to be "fun to drive"The Toyota C-HR+ electric crossover will arrive in the UK in March, priced from £34,495.
The SUV is the Japanese brand’s third battery EV and sits between the bZ4X and smaller Suzuki-twinned Urban Cruiser.
Described as the “core” model in Toyota's EV line-up, the C-HR+ will give the Japanese firm a foothold in the popular elect

Issue has affected UK A-roads and motorways with variable speed limit enforcement since 2021Thousands of UK drivers have been wrongly fined and given points of their licences for speeding due to a camera fault.
National Highways has confirmed that 2650 motorists have been incorrectly hit with speeding enforcement actions since 2021.
The issue, which occurred on A-roads and motorways with variable speed limits, was a “slight” delay between the speed limit being increased and

Japanese firm will expand performance model range as part of major recovery planNissan will double its global line-up of high-performance Nismo models to 10 as part of the Japanese manufacturer's major recovery plan.
It will also expand the availability of Nismo models, with the goal of growing sales of them from around 100,000 currently to 150,000 by 2028. Between 40 and 60% of that growth is expected to come from outside Japan.
Nissan has given no indication of which models will stand to

Matthew Guy had some fun today with a list of cars that, in his view, might not be famous if not for their use in a movie or TV show.The only choice I disagree with is the Trans Am -- I think it was a hot enough car that it didn't need Smokey And The Bandit to get famous -- and I definitely agree with Matthew that the DeLorean is an obvious choice for the list.That said, I do wonder if the car might still have been famous without the movie. It looks like nothing else, not even the other wedge-sh

We have some 2025 Nissan and Infiniti models being recalled. Armadas, Muranos, and QX80s. Nissan is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Armada and Murano models, along with 2025–2026 Infiniti QX80 vehicles, due to a software issue affecting the in-vehicle infotainment system. The error can occur at startup and may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, which means the vehicles do not meet federal rear visibility requirements.The fix involves u

We have some 2025 Nissan and Infiniti models being recalled. Armadas, Muranos, and QX80s. Nissan is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Armada and Murano models, along with 2025–2026 Infiniti QX80 vehicles, due to a software issue affecting the in-vehicle infotainment system. The error can occur at startup and may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, which means the vehicles do not meet federal rear visibility requirements.The fix involves u

Today we have another Benz for you -- a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. Our seller says it runs and drives well and lists recent work that has been done -- and what work needs to be done. They speak positively of the California smog system.The car does seem to be in pretty good shape, but also needing a fair bit of small work.You can find this one outside of Nashville for $3,200 obo. Click here for more.[Images: Seller]Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and eve