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Brinsden bullish on lithium return as Patriot lands VW deal

Lithium talisman Ken Brinsden says it’s not a matter of if, but when the battery market rebounds, as his Canadian venture inks a $77 million investment from German auto giant Volkswagen.

Simone Grogan and Daniel Newell

AutomotivePremiumGlobal EV sales hit third consecutive record high

Global sales of EVs - whether fully electric or plug-in hybrids - were up 32.3 per cent at 1.83 million in November, according to new data.

Alessandro Parodi

AutomotivePremiumDrivers hit the brakes on car buys as economy slows

New vehicle sales continue to slow down in Australia, in what industry experts say is a 'disturbing trend' and a sign the cost of living is biting.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

Bruining Q+ACommentsPremiumThe common car insurance mistake tripping up WA drivers

Q+A: What does third-party insurance you get through car registration actually get you? Many are unsure, or think they’re covered for some events that could cost them dearly if they don’t have extra protection.

Nick Bruining

AutomotiveCommentsBYD’s hybrid ute targets our love of gas-guzzlers

One of the world’s safest havens for fuel-guzzling pickups, Australia, is set for its biggest shakeup in years with the arrival of new models including the first hybrid off-roader from China’s BYD. 

Angus Whitley

House That!CommentsPremiumGaze at your car all day in this unique $3m Perth home

Car enthusiasts are no doubt impressed with a recently sold home that allows residents to gaze lovingly at their car on those never-ending summer nights.

Kim Macdonald

BusinessPremiumMusk's clout with Trump could enrich his companies

Elon Musk's Tesla stands to make significant gains under a Donald Trump-led US administration, which is planning extensive tariffs on Chinese imports.

By Marisa Taylor and Rachael Levy and Chris Kirkham

TransportNew vehicle sales slow down as economy applies brakes

New vehicle sales have fallen in Australia for the third month in a row, with sales figures revealing private buyers were most likely to drive on by.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

ManufacturingPremiumPerth company’s Mercedes deal running at full battery

A West Perth company has had a hand in designing a first-of-its-kind battery recycling plant in Europe for German auto giant Mercedes-Benz.

Simone Grogan

AutomotiveCommentsPremiumLight on detail but Musk finally unveils self-drive Cybercab

Elon Musk has unveiled long-awaited prototypes of a Tesla robotaxi called Cybercab, saying production may start in 2026 and that the vehicle could cost less than $US30,000.

Dana Hull, Ed Ludlow and Kara Carlson

AutomotiveMore than 100,000 Aussie cars recalled over fire risk

Owners of 10 model vehicles are being urged to park them away from flammable structures after the discovery of a serious fire risk with an electrical part.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

EnvironmentPremiumAussie drivers need more electric utes, more incentives

Electric vehicles will not be adopted at rates necessary to reach emissions targets, an inquiry has heard, without tax and financial incentives.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

ManufacturingPremiumIs the wheel of fortune going flat on Germany?

On a Monday afternoon in mid-August, workers at Volkswagen AG’s electric vehicle factory in Zwickau shuttled stony-faced between car frames and platforms. 

Bloomberg

BusinessVolvo abandons plan to sell only electric cars by 2030

Volvo says it has abandoned its ambition to sell only fully electric cars by 2030.

Staff Writers

AutomotiveCost of living puts the brakes on new vehicle sales

Vehicle sales have slowed down in Australia, with passenger and petrol cars taking significant hits, but the industry says it is still a "positive result".

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

BusinessPremiumAutomotive Holdings Group empire builder Vern Wheatley dies

Vern Wheatley, the man credited with growing Automotive Holdings Group into Australia’s biggest car retailer before a 2019 takeover, has died.

Cheyanne Enciso

CNBC newsVideoCommentsWATCH: We drove Chinese EVs to see why rivals are worried

China currently makes about one out of every three of the world’s new vehicles, and it has the capacity to make even more. But how do they stack up against their US rivals?

Robert Ferris and Eunice Yoon

AutomotiveTesla launches deal to cut electric vehicle speed bumps

Australia's most popular electric vehicle brand has partnered with an insurance firm to reduce another hurdle to investing in low-emission transport.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

AutomotiveThe eye-watering cost to power one million EVs at home

The transition to electric vehicles that can be charged at homes of a million Australians could cost as much as $10 billion, experts have warned.

Nathan Schmidt

AutomotiveCommentsPremiumTesla profit falls short again as buyers hit brakes on EVs

Tesla fell short of Wall Street profit estimates in the second quarter, extending a rocky start to the year marked by slower sales and mass firings across the company. 

Kara Carlson and Dana Hull

AutomotivePremiumSecond-hand electric car sales speed up, utes slow down

Sales of used electric vehicles are up by more than 200 per cent this year, according to a report, but the ute market is facing an oversupply issue.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

BusinessCommentsPremiumUnion outraged as Uber drivers have their pay rate slashed

‘Some of the most vulnerable and underpaid workers in our economy are once again facing cuts to their earnings in a market that’s in freefall.’

Cheyanne Enciso

AutomotiveCommentsPremiumChina European Union agree to hold talks on EV tariffs

China and the European Union agreed to start talks on the bloc’s plans to impose tariffs on electric vehicles imported from the Asian nation.

Shiyin Chen and Kamil Kowalcze

TransportPremiumSelf-driving cars are safer, but not at these times

Autonomous vehicles cause fewer accidents than cars driven by humans, an analysis shows, but they are more likely to crash in some conditions.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson