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Chinese manufacturer XPeng is taking a decisive step in its expansion strategy. Thanks to an unprecedented agreement, its electric SUVs will soon be assembled in Europe by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. This marks a turning point for the brand, and reflects a wider trend towards localising Chinese production to avoid heavy taxes in the European Union.

A strategic partnership in Austria

Magna, a Canadian subsidiary with over 300 production sites worldwide, has been chosen to manufacture the G6 and G9. These models, already sold on the continent, will now come directly from the Austrian factory. According to XPeng, this decision represents a first step towards a sustainable commitment in Europe, while accelerating its conquest of the market.

Getting around European surcharges

The European Union imposes high taxes on vehicles imported from China, reaching 31% for XPeng. By localising its production, the company is considerably reducing these costs, while at the same time gaining greater responsiveness to local demand. This strategy is part of a wider movement: several Chinese manufacturers, including BYD, Chery and Leapmotor, have already announced similar projects on European soil.

GAC and other players are following suit

XPeng is not the only company to benefit from Magna’s expertise. Chinese manufacturer GAC, with its Aion brand, has also entrusted the assembly of its electric models to the Graz plant. Recently presented in Munich, this brand plans to start sales in Poland, Portugal and Finland, before expanding across the continent by 2028.

A new lease of life for Magna Steyr

For Magna Steyr, this contract comes at just the right time. The Austrian plant had lost several major programmes, notably with BMW and Jaguar. The arrival of XPeng and GAC has given a significant boost to this historic site, already renowned for its production of the Mercedes G-Class. This momentum illustrates the determination of Chinese carmakers to integrate rapidly and sustainably into the European automotive landscape.

Rimac, known for its electric hypercars, has just unveiled a new solid battery and ultra-powerful electric axles. The idea? To become a major technological player in the electric car industry.

Since its creation in 2009 by the young Croatian engineer Mate Rimac, the brand of the same name has rapidly established itself as a key player in the world of electric sports cars. With the Concept One and its 1,200bhp, followed later by the Nevera, which flirts with 2,000bhp, Rimac has made its mark and proved that electrification doesn’t close the door on thrills. The problem? Making a profit selling hypercars isn’t the easiest thing in the world! So the idea of its founder is to add another string to Rimac’s bow by becoming a technology supplier for other manufacturers, using its cars as a showcase.

Very promising solid state batteries

This autumn, the manufacturer has announced a new solid-state battery. Developed in partnership with ProLogium and Mitsubishi Chemical Group, it has a capacity of 100 kWh and an energy density of around 260 Wh/kg. That’s not bad, but it’s even better when you consider Rimac’s promise of a recharge time of 10-80% in less than seven minutes.

And this is not just a concept or a manifesto, but a presentation ahead of the commercial launch in 2027. While solid batteries are still relatively rare on the market, if Rimac meets the deadline, it will be one of the pioneers in this segment. This is a strategic positioning, since solid batteries are more compact and therefore offer greater range for the same weight as lithium-ion batteries. For many observers, solid batteries represent the future of the electric car.

A major commercial power?

In addition to its future solid-state batteries, Rimac also presented its new generation of electric axles called Sinteg 300 and 550. These are engineering monsters that can deliver up to 11,000 Nm of torque to the wheels. It’s totally insane, and once again, it could convince many manufacturers, especially those looking for high performance, to choose the Croatian manufacturer.

Starting out by producing spectacular hypercars and making a name for himself in the sun, Mate Rimac, like a good engineer, has decided to use the fame he has gained from his cars to start designing parts, starting with batteries, axles and engines. It’s certainly more profitable than selling fifty Nevera…

Founded in 2016, SERES has, in just a few years, established itself as a leading player in electromobility. First through its commercial success as a manufacturer under the AITO name, then through a strategic partnership with Huawei. Today, SERES is setting its sights on Europe, presenting its ultra-efficient ‘Super Range-Extender’ system at the IAA Mobility trade fair in Munich.

The story of SERES is a good illustration of the extent to which the Chinese automotive industry has been able to reinvent itself at breakneck speed. Founded in 2016 as an electric mobility brand in the global sense of the term, the company has found a major partner: the giant Huawei. It was with the flagship of Chinese tech that SERES developed AITO, a local manufacturer that enjoyed almost immediate success (750,000 cars sold in its first four years of existence – that’s amazing) thanks to its high-end positioning, which has since been fully acquired by Huawei in 2023. Relations are still very good between all these companies, which are now cohabiting in the same universe, linked by partnerships.

SERES, long-term autonomy and vision

Today, SERES, through its SERES Power branch, focuses mainly on the design and manufacture of electric motors, in particular for the famous extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) that are a big hit in China. These cars use small combustion engines, powered by petrol, which, instead of driving the wheels, act as generators to recharge the batteries. SERES was at the IAA Mobility trade fair in Munich to present a new development in these systems.

The ‘Super Range-Extender System’, whose name sounds like something out of a Marvel film, uses in-house RoboREX technology. According to SERES, its active energy management enables it to reduce fuel consumption by 15%, cut noise by 90% and deliver a spectacular output of 3.65 kWh per litre of fuel. All this with a maximum energy efficiency of almost 45%, when most current petrol engines struggle to exceed 35%.

This presentation in Europe is not insignificant. EREVs are not yet very popular on our side of the world, but this seems to be mainly due to lack of recognition, the rarity of models and the absence of this type of vehicle in the catalogues of European manufacturers. With some 3,900 patents to its name and 132% growth over the last year, SERES is determined to change the situation and add new industrial partners to its already impressive portfolio. It’s a story to keep an eye on, because at a time when the European electromobility market is in the throes of transition, when the vagueness surrounding the ban on 100% internal combustion is persistent, when the installation of recharging stations is still too sporadic and, above all, when range is the most persistent factor in motorists’ hesitation to switch to electric vehicles, range extenders are emerging as a very interesting solution.

Plug-in hybrids, long touted as the ideal gateway to electric mobility, are once again under fire. A recent study by the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) claims that they emit on average five times more CO2 than official tests claim. All the more reason to reopen an already lively debate about these vehicles, which are so popular with company fleets.

Some disturbing figures

According to T&E, analysis of 127,000 vehicles registered in 2023 reveals actual emissions of 139 g/km, compared with just 28 g/km on paper. The discrepancy stems from the calculation of the WLTP standard, which assumes that PHEVs are driven 80% of the time in electric mode. In practice, this figure drops to 26%. As a result, the combustion engine is used much more often than expected.

Criticism but also nuances

The NGO denounces a greenwashing strategy and calls on Brussels to correct the rules from 2025. The car industry, on the other hand, is defending PHEVs as an essential transitional solution. For Christophe Périllat, head of Valeo, these models remain useful until the electric market is fully mature. In his view, increasing the electric range of hybrids to 100 km would already cover most everyday journeys.

A political battle ahead

It’s not just a technical issue. Carmakers want to make the targets for 2035, the date set for the end of combustion engines, more flexible. Brussels will have to make a decision at the strategic dialogue on 12 September. Discussions between NGOs, manufacturers and the European Commission are likely to be tense.

Towards other alternatives?

At the same time, a number of players are exploring the use of range extenders, which are already popular in China. This technology, which recharges the battery via a small internal combustion engine, could represent a compromise. However, there are still too many risks associated with the use of combustion engines.

The controversy surrounding PHEVs illustrates the challenges of the transition. While their limitations are now clear, pure electrics remain the most credible option in the long term.

Young Turkish manufacturer Togg took advantage of the IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich to announce its imminent arrival on the European market, starting with Germany. As the spearhead of Turkey’s industrial revival, Togg is aiming to win enough market share to first become profitable and then expand on a large scale.

Turkey is doing its utmost to achieve a balanced trade balance. Still too dependent on imports despite its strong agriculture and status as a major industrial hub, the country has set itself the task of continuing to develop this second point. So, in 2019, the government unveiled the start-up Togg, an acronym for “Türkiye’nin Otomobili Girişim Grubu“, Turkey’s first national manufacturer. A small revolution that will enter its second phase in 2025: internationalisation.

Germany as a gateway for Togg

At the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Togg announced the imminent arrival in Germany of its two 100% electric models: the T10X SUV and the T10F saloon, whose design, inspired by BMW’s lines, could appeal to German customers who are already well used to them. And it’s in the locals’ interest to like them, because Togg’s development, and even survival, depend on it. According to Reuters, the manufacturer needs around 200,000 sales a year to reach profitability. Its domestic market, despite respectable results with 30,000 units sold in 2024, will not be enough to ensure Togg’s long-term growth. Germany is therefore de facto the priority market for the young manufacturer, providing both a potential springboard and a gateway to the rest of Europe.

But Togg didn’t just announce its arrival in Germany. The manufacturer has also sprung a surprise by tackling another field that is becoming increasingly essential: artificial intelligence. Can.ai, its in-house AI platform, has been developed in partnership with Microsoft Turkey, from whom it borrows the Azure cloud, and incorporates technologies from OpenAI, from whom ChatGPT is derived. While it responds to voice commands, as is the case in almost all new vehicles, this virtual assistant “makes predictions and acts proactively in the best interests of users“, as Togg puts it. This ‘hands-free’ support is summed up by the name of its interface, ‘ZeroTouchUI’.

It now remains to be seen what practical applications this artificial intelligence will have in driving, but on paper, and on test at the Toog stand in Munich, it looked promising. And that’s at least what it will take to stand out in an already crowded German market. While the Togg vehicles offer a classic design that has proved its worth, a decent range – 500 and 600 km respectively for the T10X and T10F – and this new AI assistant that promises to be revolutionary, they should be priced at between €45,000 and €50,000, putting them up against the Audi Q4 e-Tron and BMW iX2, among others… We’ll have to hang on!

The IAA in Munich is an opportunity for Skoda to present its Vision O concept. A large electric estate car that will serve as the basis for future models from the Czech brand in the Volkswagen Group.

The Volkswagen Group has decided to use this 2025 edition of the IAA Mobility show in Munich as a showcase for its future. After Audi’s Concept C, a veritable white paper on the design of future vehicles in the rings, it’s Skoda’s turn to present its manifesto, in the form of the Vision O concept. And, as with Audi, it’s not just another SUV! It’s an estate car (100% electric, of course), a category in which the Czech manufacturer has enjoyed a string of commercial successes, led by the Superb Combi and Octavia Combi.

Practical, spacious and… elegant

Skoda has revisited its design language, known as ‘Modern Solid ‘, which emphasises simplicity and a futuristic brutalism. The new front end features a full radiator grille, with headlamps and sensors forming the future visual signature of the brand’s models. The whole thing is 4.60 metres long and has a very slender silhouette for an estate car. It’s elegant.

But this sharp styling doesn’t seem to prevent the Vision O estate from fulfilling its initial mission: making life easier for the driver, offering comfort for passengers and offering a voluminous boot. This is the case here, with Skoda announcing a capacity of 650 litres! That’s almost as much as the Skoda Superb Combi, the benchmark in the brand’s catalogue, which is almost 30 centimetres longer. And it’s 50 litres more than the current Octavia Combi for the same size. All-electric helps!

Still inside, but this time in the passenger compartment, everything is simpler than in current models. Tech and minimalism are not necessarily the house style, but it works. The ‘Horizon Display’ extends across the entire dashboard, the lighting adapts to different times of day and a voice assistant called Laura, infused with artificial intelligence, keeps the car’s occupants company. There are two killer details: an integrated fridge and a portable loudspeaker. If that’s not a family car, we don’t know what is.

See you in 5 years?

A highly accomplished concept car, we could almost expect to see the Vision O or its production versions on our roads as early as next year. But that won’t be the case! Instead, it is part of the Skoda Strategy 2030 and, according to several observers, the manufacturer is waiting for the Volkswagen Group to finish developing its new platforms for electric cars before announcing the first vehicle adapted from the Vision O. And if we had to put a coin in, we’d bet on the first electric Octavia. What’s in it for us? Its dimensions and the ‘O’ in ‘Vision O’ give us a hint.

On Monday 8 September, Eco Motors News travelled to Bavaria for the opening of theIAA Mobility, the Munich International Motor Show. Among the show’s leading innovations, BMW unveiled its 100% electric SUV: the new BMW iX3, the cornerstone of the Neue Klasse electric platform.

With its imposing but not restrictive size (4.78m long and 1.90m wide), the German brand has made the most of the interior space offered by this SUV. It is equipped with the all-new Panoramic iDrive, a 1.10-metre touchscreen display in the style of a windscreen with an 18-inch screen and a driver-centred interface. The steering wheel has also evolved and differs from that of its 2020 predecessor: an aerodynamic design that matches the cockpit atmosphere.

The cabin is practical: there are three real seats in the rear, a spacious 520-litre boot (up to 1,750 litres with the seats folded down), and a 58-litre frunk.

As an electric vehicle, BMW has reworked the IX3’s aerodynamics. And it works! With its twin engines (synchronous at the rear and asynchronous at the front), the iX3 delivers 463 bhp and 645 Nm: 0 to 100 kph in 4.9 seconds, top speed 210 kph. Not bad for this handsome baby weighing in at over 2,300 kg.

On the battery front, the IX3 is also very impressive. It inherits the new generation NMC battery, with a capacity of 108 kWh. This gives the car a range of 800 km. And if you thought such a powerful battery would take a long time to recharge, you’d be wrong! When charged, it is capable of handling up to 400 kW thanks to its 800 V architecture, which means that you can go from 10% to 80% battery power in just 21 minutes.

With a carbon footprint 30% smaller than its predecessor, BMW is counting on this first Neue Klasse model to regain market share, particularly in Asia, and lay the foundations for the mobility of tomorrow, centred on the user experience, technology and the energy transition.

While production of the BMW iX3 begins in November 2025, you’ll have to wait until March 2026 to be able to buy it for around €70,000.