Latest news with #Polestar
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
One in 10 cars sold in Britain are Chinese
Nearly one in 10 cars sold in Britain are now Chinese-made as drivers turn away from Tesla and embrace newer manufacturers such as BYD. Chinese-owned brands had a 9.4pc share of Britain's new car market last month, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), up from 7.7pc in April. The surge saw BYD's sales alone quintuple to 3,025 cars – about 1,000 more than US rival Tesla sold. BYD recently launched its Dolphin Surf car in the UK with a starting price of £16,000, compared to an average of about £49,000 for new EVs. Some analysts have speculated that Chinese brands could still cut prices further, with the Dolphin Surf – known as the Seagull in Asia – selling for just 56,800 yuan (£5,800) in its home market. Other Chinese carmakers saw similarly strong growth. Geely-owned Polestar increased sales by more than 270pc to 1,174 vehicles, while Chery's Omoda and Jaecoo brands sold a combined 3,000 cars, having not been in the market a year ago. SAIC Motor-owned MG remained the biggest-selling Chinese brand, shifting 6,625 cars in May, but its sales were down 8.3pc compared to the same month in 2024. Chinese brands have made major inroads in recent years, particularly in the electric segment where they have launched some of the cheapest models available. Manufacturers have undercut Western rivals including Tesla, which has struggled to stem a steep sales decline in Europe partly driven by a political backlash linked to Elon Musk's support of Donald Trump. Tesla sales in the UK fell by 36pc in May compared to a year earlier. It came as the overall market returned to growth, with sales rising 1.6pc to 150,070 in May, SMMT said. Sales of EVs surged 25.8pc to 32,738 in May, with electric vehicles (EV) taking a 21.8pc market share overall. However, the SMMT warned that the EV market was gripped by 'unsustainable' discounting as manufacturers scramble to hit the Government's ZEV mandate sales targets. Under the mandate, 28pc of cars sold must be electric this year, a target that rises steadily to 80pc by 2030, although the real requirement is lower in reality because of 'flexibilities' afforded to companies under the scheme. Sales of petrol and diesel cars tumbled 12.5pc and 15.5pc respectively last month. Carmakers are calling on the Government to boost demand for EVs through tax breaks or grants for drivers. Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the SMMT, said: 'A return to growth for new car registrations in May is welcome but manufacturer discounting on new products continues to underpin the market, notably for electric vehicles. 'This cannot be sustained indefinitely as it undermines the ability of companies to invest in new product development – investments which are integral to the decarbonisation of all road transport. 'Next week's spending review is the opportunity for Government to double-down on its commitments to net zero by driving demand through fiscal measures that boost the market and shore up our competitiveness.'
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Tesla drivers are ditching their cars and buying Polestars in record numbers
Latest car sales figures reveal a torrid time for Tesla, with May sales down 36 per cent on the same month last year. Meanwhile, Tesla rival Polestar – now with a full range of three models on sale in the UK rather than just the one last year – has seen registrations jump by over 273 per cent year-on-year. Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Polestar's UK managing director Matt Galvin said 'we're getting a lot of Tesla drivers coming into our Polestar showrooms to drive our product and we're converting them at a fairly high rate as well. 'I don't know whether that's because of the Elon factor or what, but I think we're just a very attractive car brand right now.' Reports are rife of Tesla buyers and owners turning away from the EV brand because of controversy surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk, described by former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer as 'a bit of brand damage.' However, Polestar's Galvin also thinks it could be because of owners' tiring of their Teslas. 'Tesla has been around a long time, hasn't it? I think people have had maybe one or two of those products already, and there's something new and alternative on the scene with Polestar for them. I'm really pleased that they're considering it and, in many cases, buying it,' said Galvin. Tesla has reacted to the drop in sales in May pointing out that April and May fell between the run-out of the old Tesla Model Y, its biggest seller, and the ramp up of deliveries of the new model. Tesla is expecting a bumper month in June with deliveries of the new Model Y coming on stream and an expected year-on-year growth in registrations. Electric-only brand Polestar is owned by Chinese car giant Geely and headquartered in Sweden alongside other Geely brand, Volvo. It currently sells the Chinese-built Polestar 2, 3 and 4 models, having launched the brand in the UK in 2021. May saw Polestar register 1,174 new cars, with the new Polestar 4 its most popular car. Although a massive increase on 2024's figures, that's still some way behind the more established Tesla, which registered 2,016 cars in May, a drop from the 3.152 last May. Tesla is focusing on the Model 3 and Model Y in the UK, having dropped the Model S and Model X. Tesla has not committed to a timeframe for future models – which include a possibly fully-self driving car – joining the line-up. Meanwhile, Polestar will add the British-engineered, Chinese built Polestar 5 luxury saloon to its line-up in 2026, while its first European-built car, the Polestar 7, will launch in 2027.
Motor Trend
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2025 Polestar 4's Final Pricing Reveals Higher Base MSRP, But It's Still a Decent Deal
The 2025 Polestar 4 is a quick and quirky coupe-bodied luxury electric SUV. While somewhat compact, the 4 enjoys a super-long wheelbase and is still able to seat five, jumps out of the gate like a scalded dog, and comes with an uncommon feature: no rear glass. It's a rather fun-to-drive all-electric SUV with an unusual, almost car-like shape—so how much will it cost? At our First Drive of the 2025 Polestar 4, we were told to expect the performance-focused SUV to start at around $56,300 for the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive model with its conventional suspension system and $64,300 for the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variant with air suspension and semi-active dampers. With the Polestar 4 now on sale, it appears those prices have gone up slightly. The entry-level Polestar 4 now runs $57,800, including destination charges; the dual-motor AWD Polestar 4's price hasn't changed, so it still costs $64,300. The single-motor 4's new price tag closes the gap between it and the dual-motor version to just $6,500. That's still a decent amount of room between the two, but close enough that choosing between the two versions will come down to each buyer's priorities. If that's driving range, then the base Polestar 4's extra 30 miles of range (the two 4s share the same 400-volt, 100-kWh battery pack) and lower price make it an easy choice. If you're looking for ultimate speed (such as the dual motor 4's claimed 3.7-second zero-to-60-mph time), a 3,500-pound towing capacity, and a more adaptive suspension, then the dual motor's price premium is easy to justify. Something else to consider: The dual-motor Polestar 4 is the only version to offer the Performance Pack (a $4,500 add-on) that includes a sport-tuned suspension, 22-inch wheels, and Brembo four-piston front brake calipers. Selecting this option requires first spending $5,500 for the Plus Pack, meaning the ultimate Polestar 4 will cost a grand total of $74,300. In spite of the Performance Pack's name and cost (effectively an extra ten grand), however, it doesn't add any extra power—Polestar 4s so equipped make the same 544 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque as other dual-motor models. The Plus Pack is also offered on the single-motor 4, and selecting it on either Polestar 4 opens up the option to add the electrochromic glass roof ($1,500) that electronically changes opacity at the touch of a button, color-matched bodyside moldings ($1,000) for a sleeker look, and a Nappa leather interior ($3,700). While you can only get the 22-inch Performance wheels on the AWD Performance Pack, you can get a set of 21-inch Sport wheels on the single motor version and non-Performance-Pack dual motor for $1,800 while adding the Towbar Hitch—rated as a Class 2 with its two-inch tow ball and includes a seven-pin trailer connector—at an additional $1,895. How does this pricing compare to the vehicles the Polestar 4 competes with? Even with its higher entry price, the 2025 Polestar 4 RWD is cheaper than the internal-combustion-engine 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4Matic Coupe that starts at $60,450 while the Polestar 4 AWD is $3,850 more. When you compare to similarly sized all-electric luxury SUVs, the 2025 Polestar 4 AWD is much cheaper—try fully $16,495 less than the Porsche Macan 4 Electric ($80,795), $14,750 less than the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 4Matic ($79,050), and $2,895 less than an entry-level dual-motor Jeep Wagoneer S ($67,195). You're also getting more power from the Polestar 4, at least compared to the Macan and EQE (the Jeep is available with up to 600 hp), though the Porsche and Jeep beat the dual-motor Polestar 4 on range. The single-motor Polestar 4, on the other hand, similarly undercuts its equivalent Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 and Porsche Macan rivals, and Jeep doesn't offer a lower-cost, single-motor Wagoneer S. Of course, none of those electric luxury SUVs look anything like the Polestar 4, and all have conventional rear windows. But the Polestar 4 otherwise represents a decent value in its segment, at least price-wise.
The Advertiser
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
What's driving the dramatic drop in Tesla sales?
Sales of Teslas in Australia have dropped dramatically in the wake of the Trump-Musk bromance. Figures just out show the brand's sales in Australia this year so far are half what they were for the same five months of 2024. The dive in sales came as Elon Musk, the creator of Tesla, became more controversial because of his scorched-earth aid to the American president. In Canberra, often seen as a torch-bearer for electric vehicles, new figures show the Chinese brand BYD gaining ground rapidly. In the first five months of this year, it sold 490 cars in the ACT - a rate of three sales a day, well up on last year. Tesla doesn't publish its sales numbers for the ACT but registrations with the government indicated a fall. Across Australia, the new figures show that BYD has started out-selling the American car once thought to be the way forward for progressive Australians. According to the stats, Australians bought 9,577 Teslas in the first five months of this year but 15,199 BYDs. In the first five months of last year, the race was the other way round, with Tesla in the lead on 18,433 sales nationally and BYD on 7809. There are two other takeaways from the new industry figures: Another relative new-comer - Polestar - said its sales were growing substantially - up by 40 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. Polestar has substantial Chinese money behind it but its research and development is based in Sweden and the UK. Its managing director in Australia, Scott Maynard, thought the big need now was for far more charging stations in Australia beyond the current 2,500: "Crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles is the roll-out of charging infrastructure," he said. And he accepted that politics may have tainted Tesla. "I think the brand has unfortunately been caught up in the politics of Elon Musk." There may be other factors as well, though. Richard and Dianne Czurnak are a two-car family: he drives a Tesla and she drives a BYD Dolphin. They bought the Tesla nearly three years ago when, as he put it, "There was a lot less available on the market." But then the BYD appeared, with more Chinese brands following. "The Chinese brands all becoming very competitive in price," Mr Czumak said. He also felt that Tesla hadn't really developed new models at the pace the competition has. "It has stayed basically the same, with refreshers and upgrades." And he accepted that Elon Musk's involvement in Trumpian politics may have tainted the brand. "We all understand there's a reputational aspect, and I think that has had an effect on the brand," he said. The couple drive the BYD to Sydney and back, with a short charging stop off in Pheasants Nest, just short of Sydney - one charge gets them there and back. If they were to buy a third car after their BYD and the Tesla, he would go for another Chinese car: the XPeng G6 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y - but cheaper. But there's no doubt either that Mr Musk's association with Mr Trump has tainted the Tesla brand in some "progressive" circles. One Canberra Tesla owner said earlier that she was embarrassed when she drove around. She avoided parking her cobalt blue Tesla too close to other cars in case the paintwork was keyed. "It's a weird combination of embarrassment and rage," Diana Streak said. She accepted that "it's a fantastic car", but didn't like its association with a politics she reviles. Her friends teased her about it. Since then, Mr Musk has withdrawn as an active wielder of the chainsaw on the American public service. He and Mr Trump haven't fallen out, or not yet at least - though the businessman has called Mr Trump's tax plans "a disgusting abomination", and Mr Trump isn't the sort to take such insults calmly. But the earlier apparent warm friendship - or bromance - turned the Tesla brand toxic in the eyes of some former fans: "swasticars" was the common jibe. Bumper stickers appeared saying: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" and "Bought it before we knew how awful he is". Some said the car and the man were different - Mr Musk does not own a controlling share in Tesla. "Tesla is not Musk," Ross Hetherington, the vice president of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia said. "The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car." Sales of Teslas in Australia have dropped dramatically in the wake of the Trump-Musk bromance. Figures just out show the brand's sales in Australia this year so far are half what they were for the same five months of 2024. The dive in sales came as Elon Musk, the creator of Tesla, became more controversial because of his scorched-earth aid to the American president. In Canberra, often seen as a torch-bearer for electric vehicles, new figures show the Chinese brand BYD gaining ground rapidly. In the first five months of this year, it sold 490 cars in the ACT - a rate of three sales a day, well up on last year. Tesla doesn't publish its sales numbers for the ACT but registrations with the government indicated a fall. Across Australia, the new figures show that BYD has started out-selling the American car once thought to be the way forward for progressive Australians. According to the stats, Australians bought 9,577 Teslas in the first five months of this year but 15,199 BYDs. In the first five months of last year, the race was the other way round, with Tesla in the lead on 18,433 sales nationally and BYD on 7809. There are two other takeaways from the new industry figures: Another relative new-comer - Polestar - said its sales were growing substantially - up by 40 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. Polestar has substantial Chinese money behind it but its research and development is based in Sweden and the UK. Its managing director in Australia, Scott Maynard, thought the big need now was for far more charging stations in Australia beyond the current 2,500: "Crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles is the roll-out of charging infrastructure," he said. And he accepted that politics may have tainted Tesla. "I think the brand has unfortunately been caught up in the politics of Elon Musk." There may be other factors as well, though. Richard and Dianne Czurnak are a two-car family: he drives a Tesla and she drives a BYD Dolphin. They bought the Tesla nearly three years ago when, as he put it, "There was a lot less available on the market." But then the BYD appeared, with more Chinese brands following. "The Chinese brands all becoming very competitive in price," Mr Czumak said. He also felt that Tesla hadn't really developed new models at the pace the competition has. "It has stayed basically the same, with refreshers and upgrades." And he accepted that Elon Musk's involvement in Trumpian politics may have tainted the brand. "We all understand there's a reputational aspect, and I think that has had an effect on the brand," he said. The couple drive the BYD to Sydney and back, with a short charging stop off in Pheasants Nest, just short of Sydney - one charge gets them there and back. If they were to buy a third car after their BYD and the Tesla, he would go for another Chinese car: the XPeng G6 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y - but cheaper. But there's no doubt either that Mr Musk's association with Mr Trump has tainted the Tesla brand in some "progressive" circles. One Canberra Tesla owner said earlier that she was embarrassed when she drove around. She avoided parking her cobalt blue Tesla too close to other cars in case the paintwork was keyed. "It's a weird combination of embarrassment and rage," Diana Streak said. She accepted that "it's a fantastic car", but didn't like its association with a politics she reviles. Her friends teased her about it. Since then, Mr Musk has withdrawn as an active wielder of the chainsaw on the American public service. He and Mr Trump haven't fallen out, or not yet at least - though the businessman has called Mr Trump's tax plans "a disgusting abomination", and Mr Trump isn't the sort to take such insults calmly. But the earlier apparent warm friendship - or bromance - turned the Tesla brand toxic in the eyes of some former fans: "swasticars" was the common jibe. Bumper stickers appeared saying: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" and "Bought it before we knew how awful he is". Some said the car and the man were different - Mr Musk does not own a controlling share in Tesla. "Tesla is not Musk," Ross Hetherington, the vice president of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia said. "The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car." Sales of Teslas in Australia have dropped dramatically in the wake of the Trump-Musk bromance. Figures just out show the brand's sales in Australia this year so far are half what they were for the same five months of 2024. The dive in sales came as Elon Musk, the creator of Tesla, became more controversial because of his scorched-earth aid to the American president. In Canberra, often seen as a torch-bearer for electric vehicles, new figures show the Chinese brand BYD gaining ground rapidly. In the first five months of this year, it sold 490 cars in the ACT - a rate of three sales a day, well up on last year. Tesla doesn't publish its sales numbers for the ACT but registrations with the government indicated a fall. Across Australia, the new figures show that BYD has started out-selling the American car once thought to be the way forward for progressive Australians. According to the stats, Australians bought 9,577 Teslas in the first five months of this year but 15,199 BYDs. In the first five months of last year, the race was the other way round, with Tesla in the lead on 18,433 sales nationally and BYD on 7809. There are two other takeaways from the new industry figures: Another relative new-comer - Polestar - said its sales were growing substantially - up by 40 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. Polestar has substantial Chinese money behind it but its research and development is based in Sweden and the UK. Its managing director in Australia, Scott Maynard, thought the big need now was for far more charging stations in Australia beyond the current 2,500: "Crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles is the roll-out of charging infrastructure," he said. And he accepted that politics may have tainted Tesla. "I think the brand has unfortunately been caught up in the politics of Elon Musk." There may be other factors as well, though. Richard and Dianne Czurnak are a two-car family: he drives a Tesla and she drives a BYD Dolphin. They bought the Tesla nearly three years ago when, as he put it, "There was a lot less available on the market." But then the BYD appeared, with more Chinese brands following. "The Chinese brands all becoming very competitive in price," Mr Czumak said. He also felt that Tesla hadn't really developed new models at the pace the competition has. "It has stayed basically the same, with refreshers and upgrades." And he accepted that Elon Musk's involvement in Trumpian politics may have tainted the brand. "We all understand there's a reputational aspect, and I think that has had an effect on the brand," he said. The couple drive the BYD to Sydney and back, with a short charging stop off in Pheasants Nest, just short of Sydney - one charge gets them there and back. If they were to buy a third car after their BYD and the Tesla, he would go for another Chinese car: the XPeng G6 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y - but cheaper. But there's no doubt either that Mr Musk's association with Mr Trump has tainted the Tesla brand in some "progressive" circles. One Canberra Tesla owner said earlier that she was embarrassed when she drove around. She avoided parking her cobalt blue Tesla too close to other cars in case the paintwork was keyed. "It's a weird combination of embarrassment and rage," Diana Streak said. She accepted that "it's a fantastic car", but didn't like its association with a politics she reviles. Her friends teased her about it. Since then, Mr Musk has withdrawn as an active wielder of the chainsaw on the American public service. He and Mr Trump haven't fallen out, or not yet at least - though the businessman has called Mr Trump's tax plans "a disgusting abomination", and Mr Trump isn't the sort to take such insults calmly. But the earlier apparent warm friendship - or bromance - turned the Tesla brand toxic in the eyes of some former fans: "swasticars" was the common jibe. Bumper stickers appeared saying: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" and "Bought it before we knew how awful he is". Some said the car and the man were different - Mr Musk does not own a controlling share in Tesla. "Tesla is not Musk," Ross Hetherington, the vice president of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia said. "The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car." Sales of Teslas in Australia have dropped dramatically in the wake of the Trump-Musk bromance. Figures just out show the brand's sales in Australia this year so far are half what they were for the same five months of 2024. The dive in sales came as Elon Musk, the creator of Tesla, became more controversial because of his scorched-earth aid to the American president. In Canberra, often seen as a torch-bearer for electric vehicles, new figures show the Chinese brand BYD gaining ground rapidly. In the first five months of this year, it sold 490 cars in the ACT - a rate of three sales a day, well up on last year. Tesla doesn't publish its sales numbers for the ACT but registrations with the government indicated a fall. Across Australia, the new figures show that BYD has started out-selling the American car once thought to be the way forward for progressive Australians. According to the stats, Australians bought 9,577 Teslas in the first five months of this year but 15,199 BYDs. In the first five months of last year, the race was the other way round, with Tesla in the lead on 18,433 sales nationally and BYD on 7809. There are two other takeaways from the new industry figures: Another relative new-comer - Polestar - said its sales were growing substantially - up by 40 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. Polestar has substantial Chinese money behind it but its research and development is based in Sweden and the UK. Its managing director in Australia, Scott Maynard, thought the big need now was for far more charging stations in Australia beyond the current 2,500: "Crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles is the roll-out of charging infrastructure," he said. And he accepted that politics may have tainted Tesla. "I think the brand has unfortunately been caught up in the politics of Elon Musk." There may be other factors as well, though. Richard and Dianne Czurnak are a two-car family: he drives a Tesla and she drives a BYD Dolphin. They bought the Tesla nearly three years ago when, as he put it, "There was a lot less available on the market." But then the BYD appeared, with more Chinese brands following. "The Chinese brands all becoming very competitive in price," Mr Czumak said. He also felt that Tesla hadn't really developed new models at the pace the competition has. "It has stayed basically the same, with refreshers and upgrades." And he accepted that Elon Musk's involvement in Trumpian politics may have tainted the brand. "We all understand there's a reputational aspect, and I think that has had an effect on the brand," he said. The couple drive the BYD to Sydney and back, with a short charging stop off in Pheasants Nest, just short of Sydney - one charge gets them there and back. If they were to buy a third car after their BYD and the Tesla, he would go for another Chinese car: the XPeng G6 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y - but cheaper. But there's no doubt either that Mr Musk's association with Mr Trump has tainted the Tesla brand in some "progressive" circles. One Canberra Tesla owner said earlier that she was embarrassed when she drove around. She avoided parking her cobalt blue Tesla too close to other cars in case the paintwork was keyed. "It's a weird combination of embarrassment and rage," Diana Streak said. She accepted that "it's a fantastic car", but didn't like its association with a politics she reviles. Her friends teased her about it. Since then, Mr Musk has withdrawn as an active wielder of the chainsaw on the American public service. He and Mr Trump haven't fallen out, or not yet at least - though the businessman has called Mr Trump's tax plans "a disgusting abomination", and Mr Trump isn't the sort to take such insults calmly. But the earlier apparent warm friendship - or bromance - turned the Tesla brand toxic in the eyes of some former fans: "swasticars" was the common jibe. Bumper stickers appeared saying: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" and "Bought it before we knew how awful he is". Some said the car and the man were different - Mr Musk does not own a controlling share in Tesla. "Tesla is not Musk," Ross Hetherington, the vice president of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia said. "The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car."
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Driver arrested in hit-and-run that killed Mormon missionary in west Charlotte
A 25-year-old driver was arrested and charged on Monday in a deadly hit-and-run that happened last month in west Charlotte, taking the life of a missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, police said. PAST COVERAGE: 18-year-old missionary on bicycle killed in hit-and-run, officials say Tyzhaun Carney was driving a Polestar on May 1 when he allegedly struck Elder Langi, 18, of Utah, on Beatties Ford Road who was riding a bicycle. Witnesses said Langi was on a sidewalk. Another missionary was hurt. Langi died from his injuries. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Carney was arrested by the South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement Division. Carney has warrants for involuntary manslaughter, two counts of felony hit-and-run, two counts of misdemeanor child abuse and driving with license revoked. VIDEO: 18-year-old missionary on bicycle killed in hit-and-run, officials say
