#Car Service

Nio Delivers Its 40,000th ES9 Less Than Six Months After the Model Went on Sale

Nio has delivered its 40,000th ES9 flagship electric SUV, less than six months after the model went on sale in China. William Li, Nio’s founder, chairman and CEO, disclosed the figure on Wednesday as he delivered the vehicle to Zhang Wenjie, who chairs Hangzhou H-Power Biopharmaceutical Group.

Tesla Starts Robotaxi Service in San Antonio at 5 a.m. Central on November 9

Tesla has opened its Robotaxi service in San Antonio, with the official account saying rides would be available from 5 a.m. Central on November 9. The company posted a launch-geofence map of central and north San Antonio but did not say how many vehicles would run the city, which models would be used, or what hours and fares would apply.

BMW to Bring Navigation-Guided Level 2 City Driving Assistance to the iX3 in Germany From 2027

When a BMW Maps route is running, the SAE Level 2 system will be able to help with turning, changing lanes in town, giving way at junctions and getting through roundabouts, though the driver stays responsible for the car.

Ford Pro Opens Sales of Electric Transit City Van in Argentina on November 9

The van uses a 56 kWh LFP battery rated for up to 381 km in the WLTP urban cycle and 254 km in the WLTP combined cycle, while pricing is being held back until the van’s public debut at the Fenatran show in São Paulo.

Tesla to Wind Down Cybertruck Production at Texas Factory Around Mid-2027 for Cybercab

Tesla plans to wind down production of its electric Cybertruck pickup at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of 2027, with CEO Elon Musk saying the move will make room for increased Cybercab robotaxi production. Musk did not say whether Cybertruck production would end at other locations, and he later said the Cybertruck fleet will be around for a long time.

Rivian Software Business Generates $256 Million in Q3 Gross Profit as Automotive Unit Loses $80 Million

Rivian’s software and services unit posted $256 million in third-quarter gross profit at a 42% margin, while the EV maker’s automotive business lost $80 million. Rivian is leaning harder on AI and autonomy to grow that software business, with Autonomy+ and an upcoming Point to Point feature aimed at turning driver assistance into recurring revenue.

XPeng Launches GX and G9L Extended-Range SUVs in 11 Middle East and African Markets

XPeng has put its GX and G9L extended-range flagship SUVs on sale in 11 countries each across the Middle East and Africa, pairing an 800V architecture with 5C fast charging as it pushes further overseas. XPeng says the battery can charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 10.7 minutes, and it cites a maximum combined NEDC range of 1,210 km.

Lucid Stock Closes at Record Low After Falling 5.6% on October 30

Lucid shares ended Friday, October 30, at a record closing low of $3.02, leaving the EV maker’s stock down more than 71% so far this year. The close came in below the previous record low of $3.10 from October 19 as investors weighed Lucid’s weak deliveries, its funding needs and its upcoming November 9 earnings report.

Lucid Air Pure Completes 40,000 Miles With No Major Reliability Problems

A 2024 Lucid Air Pure has completed 40,000 miles in Car and Driver’s long-term test, giving the publication an extended look at the luxury electric sedan’s reliability, comfort, efficiency and everyday usability. The car went through two winters and several drivers without leaving anyone stranded, although a handful of smaller problems and quality issues emerged along the way.

Rivian R2 Becomes Best-Selling Model as Automaker Raises Delivery Outlook

Rivian’s R2 has already become the company’s best-selling vehicle by volume, overtaking the R1T, R1S and electric delivery van during the third quarter. The milestone comes just months after customer deliveries began and has prompted the automaker to raise the baseline of its 2026 delivery forecast as it prepares for a larger production ramp.

Rivian Electric Van Spotted in Walmart+ Branding

A Rivian electric commercial van wearing Walmart+ branding has been spotted on a car hauler, adding another name to the list of companies whose liveries have appeared on the automaker’s delivery vans without a confirmed purchase announcement. The blue vehicle displayed Walmart+’s “Same day. Right to your door.” slogan, but neither Walmart nor Rivian had publicly commented on the sighting as of Tuesday afternoon.

2027 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select Drops Phone-as-a-Key Feature

Ford has removed Phone As A Key capability from the entry-level Select trim of the 2027 Mustang Mach-E after including the digital key feature as standard equipment on the 2026 Select. Shoppers who want smartphone-based locking and starting will now need to step up to at least the Premium trim, even as Ford makes the extended-range battery standard across all models.

GM to Launch OnStar AI Assistant in 2027 Cadillac Lyriq

General Motors will debut its new OnStar AI Assistant in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq, turning the brand’s telematics platform into a proactive in-cabin digital concierge. Designed to replace the earlier Google-backed Gemini voice setup, the cloud-connected platform links live vehicle telemetry with the OnStar mobile app and GM Fleet.

Nuro CEO Defends LiDAR as Lucid-Uber Robotaxi Program Nears Launch

Nuro Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer Jiajun Zhu has outlined the engineering case for multi-sensor autonomy as Nuro, Lucid and Uber prepare to launch commercial robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year. In a set of four internal strategy memos shared publicly on Tuesday, October 27, Jiajun Zhu explained why the autonomous Lucid Gravity fleet pairs solid-state LiDAR and radar with cameras.

Tesla Shares Hit Three-Month High as Texas Robotaxi Registrations Top 1,000

Tesla stock climbed to its highest intraday level in more than three months on Tuesday, October 27, after the automaker’s registered robotaxi fleet in Texas crossed the 1,000-vehicle mark. Records from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles list 1,051 registered autonomous vehicles in the state, split between 544 two-seat Cybercabs and 507 Model Y crossovers.

Ford Adds Factory-Built Special Service Vehicle Version of the 2027 Mustang Mach-E

Ford is introducing a factory-built Special Service Vehicle (SSV) edition of the 2027 Mustang Mach-E, giving police departments and fleet operators their first turnkey agency package on the electric crossover. Built off the entry-level Select trim, the law-enforcement package bundles dual-motor eAWD, a 91 kWh extended-range battery and performance hardware borrowed from the Mach-E GT.

Lucid Recalls 2,888 Air EVs in Saudi Arabia Over Fire Risk, With a Free Over-the-Air Fix

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has announced a recall of 2,888 Lucid Air electric sedans after identifying an exterior-lighting circuit issue that can overheat and create a fire or crash hazard. Covering 2023 through 2026 model-year cars, the campaign is being resolved through a free over-the-air software patch without requiring dealership visits.

Tesla Cybercabs Draw Record Austin Sightings Ahead of F1 Grand Prix

Tesla deployed a large wave of driverless Cybercabs across Austin on Sunday for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, as videos and photos online showed queues of the gold two-seaters and Model Y robotaxis outside Circuit of the Americas. The surge came after Tesla widened its Austin service zone to reach the track and pushed nightly ride requests to 1 a.m.

Nio Firefly Gets CATL Qilin Battery With 560 km of CLTC Range

The larger battery uses nickel-cobalt-manganese cells and adds 140 km of claimed range over the original 42-kWh pack, which is supplied by Sunwoda and uses lithium iron phosphate cells.

Rivian Opens Early Access to Point-to-Point Hands-Free Driving

Rivian is inviting select owners to test its upcoming driver-assistance technology through a new Autonomy Early Access Program, starting with point-to-point hands-free driving expected to debut on a limited basis in late 2026.<br /> The invitation-only program requires an active Autonomy+ subscription, regular use of preview features and participation in feedback activities before the technology reaches a wider group of customers.