Market & sales

• BYD posts its best month of 2026. October NEV sales rose 11% year on year to 490,168. Pure-electric passenger cars passed 300,000 in a single month for the first time (305,743, or 63% of the passenger mix). Overseas shipments roughly doubled to 170,194, though they were down for a second month running. Domestic sales are still off about 28% year to date. (Nov 1)
• China's other makers: Geely delivered 214,996 and Leapmotor 106,127 (+51% YoY). (Nov 1–2)
• Global xEV: Electrified vehicle sales across 15 tracked markets reached 2.414 million in September, up 3.3% YoY (MarkLines, Oct 30).
• Earnings: Rivian's Q3 revenue rose 38% to about $2.16 billion, and the R2 is now its best-selling model. Hyundai's Q3 EV sales fell 9.2% while its hybrids grew. Toyota's EV sales are up 127% through September. (Oct 29–30)

Cars & SUVs

• Waymo picks the Toyota bZ4X as its next robotaxi. Toyota will build a custom version, with service starting in Japan in 2027. (Oct 30)
• VW has put the electric Golf on hold to cut costs and unveiled its VEGA tech stack in China. (Oct 30)
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 facelift is on sale in the UK from £33,240, with up to 422 miles (WLTP). (Oct 30)
• Li Auto launched the updated i6 SUV in China on Oct 28, with deliveries from Oct 29.
• BYD is teasing the Yangwang flagship for a Dubai debut. Ferrari's first EV was approved for sale in Australia, where it becomes the country's most expensive electric car. Subaru Trailseeker was named TopGear.com's US Car of the Year. (Oct 28–31)

Trucks & pickups

• Ford Fathom: an affordable electric pickup on Ford's Universal EV platform, from $28,350, with a built-in inverter for bidirectional home power. (Oct 29)
• Volvo Trucks extended its electric FH/FH Aero range to rigid-plus-trailer combinations of up to 80 tonnes, with MCS or CCS2 charging. (reported Oct 29)
• Peterbilt added its battery-electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract for US public fleets. (Nov 1)
• Slate Auto named Kenda as the OE tyre supplier for its low-cost Blank Slate EV pickup. (Oct 28)

Buses & vans

• New Flyer won a 100-bus option order from Washington Metro (25 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG, 75 hybrids) and an order from Broward County Transit for 65 hybrid-electric buses. (Oct 26–27)
• Japan: Rinko Bus, Toshiba and Drive Electro are trialling an e-bus with 10-minute pantograph charging. (Oct 28)
• Vans: Miele ordered 840 electric VW Transporters, which will electrify almost its entire European service fleet. Rivian's commercial van gains about 30% more range with a new LFP pack, plus an AWD option. (Oct 29–30)

Tesla news for Monday, Oct 26, 2026 (covering Sunday, Oct 25): 50+ Cybercabs shuttle fans at the F1 race in Austin,
Race day in Austin. Everyone leaves the U.S. Grand Prix at once, and the cheapest ride out of COTA has no driver.
Robotaxi, COTA to downtown: about $76 to $78
Uber: over $112
Roughly $4 a mile vs $6 a mile
Robotaxi Radar's screenshots had a Model Y Robotaxi 4 minutes away while Uber Comfort was 12 minutes out and $126.98.
Cheaper, faster, and it only gets better as the fleet grows. 
NHTSA proposes optional cyan lights for driverless cars, a first look at the new Roadster's fighter-jet-inspired UI, 55 new Semis spotted in Nevada, and an analyst calls Tesla's Q3 call one of its most bullish.  

The Xyber look, now legal in bike lanes

The original Xyber was revealed at CES 2025 and went on sale at $2,999.99. Its 43 mph peak speed and moto-style frame left it in a regulatory grey zone in many places. The Xyber Air keeps the design that made the Xyber stand out, including the angular frame and the X-shaped front and rear lights. Underneath, it is a different machine, built to stay within standard e-bike classes so riders can legally use bike infrastructure.

The rider can choose the e-bike class in the Segway app. Class 1 and Class 2 are capped at 20 mph (32 km/h), and Class 3 allows pedal assist up to 28 mph (45 km/h). A Hybrid Mode combines the two: the throttle works up to 20 mph and pedal assist continues to 28 mph, with no need to switch modes.

Powertrain and range

The power comes from a 750 W nominal rear hub motor that peaks at 1,600 W and delivers 80 Nm of torque. It runs on a 48 V, 717 Wh battery mounted in the upper frame. Segway quotes up to 58 miles (93 km) per charge, and a full recharge takes about 6.5 hours. As with any e-bike, real-world range will depend on rider weight, terrain and how often the throttle is used.

Segway's own figures for 0–20 mph acceleration vary: its store page lists 6 seconds, while its launch materials quote 9 seconds. Either way, the Air is well behind the original Xyber, which did the same run in 2.7 seconds.

Segway Xyber Air specifications

Motorcycle-style safety tech

Segway has brought several systems usually found on motorcycles to the Xyber Air. Traction control watches for wheel slip and cuts motor input to restore grip. Hill-start assist holds the bike on inclines, and regenerative hill descent control manages speed on steep downhills. The lighting includes a 600-lumen headlamp, a rear brake light and automatic light control.

Connected features and theft protection

The Xyber Air uses the Segway Intelligent Ride System, which is built around security:

• AirLock automatically unlocks the bike as the owner approaches.
• Apple Find My support and Segway GPS tracking help locate the bike.
• Lost Mode remotely disables a stolen bike, and the app sends an alert if someone disturbs it.
• Over-the-air updates keep the firmware current.
• A full-colour TFT display adjusts its brightness automatically and shows navigation, music controls and incoming calls from a paired phone.

Optional accessories include fenders, a rear rack and an in-frame bag.

Xyber Air vs. original Xyber

Price and availability

The Xyber Air goes on sale on October 27, 2026 for $1,999.99. It will be sold through store.segway.com, authorised Segway dealers and SCHEELS stores across the US. Early buyers in the presale period could reserve it for $1,799.99. Segway has not yet announced pricing for Europe or other markets.

The Xyber Air is Segway's move from attention-grabbing concept to mainstream product. It keeps the striking design, adds motorcycle-grade rider aids and theft tracking, and fits within the e-bike classes that most cities allow, all for under $2,000. At 84 lb it is still heavy for an e-bike, but it weighs far less than the original Xyber.

Earnings and markets

Tesla: margins up, profit down

Tesla reported Q3 results on October 21. Revenue was flat at $28.05 billion, and non-GAAP EPS of $0.48 beat the consensus. Operating income, however, fell 56% as spending on AI and the Optimus robot rose. Total gross margin recovered to 19.6%, up from 18.0% a year earlier and 16.8% in Q2.

GM: record revenue, shrinking EV business

GM reported Q3 results on October 20, with record revenue of $50 billion. Adjusted EBIT rose 22% to $4.1 billion and adjusted EPS climbed to $3.70. The company also announced a new $20 billion share buyback. The EV side moved the other way: US electric sales dropped roughly 62% to about 25,500 units, now under 4% of GM's US volume compared with more than 9% a year ago. Even with the earnings beat, GM shares fell 7.5% on the day.

Volvo: EX60 momentum and a cheaper EV coming

In its Q3 report, Volvo said the EX60 has passed 50,000 orders in Europe. A second model on the SPA3 platform is next. According to Automotive News, it will be an electric crossover arriving by the end of 2027 at a starting price under $50,000.

New electric cars and SUVs

BYD Seagull, second generation

BYD has launched the new Seagull in China in five trims, priced from 65,900 to 99,900 yuan (about $9,810–$15,000). Flash charging takes the battery from 10% to 70% in about five minutes. The car is now 4,205 mm long, 425 mm longer than the outgoing model, which moves it from the A-segment into the B-segment. Abroad, the Seagull is sold as the Dolphin Surf.

Mercedes-AMG GT SUV

AMG revealed its first full-size SUV developed in-house on October 17. It is built on the AMG.EA platform, and the top GT 63 makes up to 1,153 hp from three axial-flux motors. It will reach US dealerships in summer 2027 in GT 63, GT 55 and GT 53 versions. Production is in Sindelfingen.

Omoda X

Chery's Omoda brand unveiled the X on October 24, a rugged-looking SUV for international markets that includes a thermal imaging camera. It will be sold as a full EV or a plug-in hybrid, with two-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Volkswagen ID. Aura T6

FAW-Volkswagen reported 33,022 orders in the first month of sales for its China-market electric SUV. Over 90% of buyers chose LiDAR-equipped versions, and almost 80% were buying a Volkswagen for the first time.

Hongqi Tiangong 07

FAW Hongqi has launched the Tiangong 07, a mid-to-large battery-electric sedan, expanding its electric lineup in China.

BMW iX5

Ahead of its 2027 launch, the electric iX5 has been measured charging at up to 464 kW on BMW's 800V architecture, faster than originally expected.

Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

Mitsubishi previewed the all-electric ASX VR-e SUV in Australia. It will be the fastest passenger car the brand has sold there, and it marks Mitsubishi's return to the EV market.

Li Auto heads for the UK

Li Auto confirmed it will launch in the UK in autumn 2027.

Technology and infrastructure

• GM fourth-generation EV platform: built around LMR (lithium manganese-rich) cells, which offer more range and density than LFP. Production starts at Ultium Cells in 2028.
• BYD Flash Charging in Malaysia: BYD signed an MoU with Gentari to bring the technology to the Malaysian market.
• Leapmotor in Spain: the B05 will be built at Stellantis' plant in Zaragoza.

Policy and other headlines

• EU 2035 rules: Germany and France's joint position from October 16 continued to shape the debate. It would require a 90% cut in fleet CO₂ by 2035 instead of 100%, with no obligation to offset the remainder. In exchange, public subsidies and contracts would go only to cars with 70% of their components (excluding batteries) made in Europe. It is a negotiating position, not law.
• Tesla Cybertruck: Tesla cancelled the Cybertruck for Australia and New Zealand, seven years after it began taking deposits.
• BYD in Japan: BYD cars have been banned from the US military's Kadena Air Base in Japan, citing security risks.

Bottom line

The legacy carmakers are funding their EV retreat with truck profits, while Chinese brands keep lowering the entry price and raising the tech level. A $10,000 Seagull that charges in five minutes and a 1,153 hp AMG SUV landed in the same week, showing how wide the EV market has become.

A Zero DS electric motorcycle has covered 436.5 km on a single charge. Zero Motorcycles says this makes it the new Guinness World Record holder for the longest electric motorcycle ride without a charging stop.

Rider Jelle Verstaen set the record on a Zero DS dual-sport bike. He beat the previous best of just under 311 km, set last year by a Verge TS Pro, by more than 40%.

From the Alps to the Mediterranean

The ride started in the French-Italian Alps and headed south through France. It crossed mountain passes, villages and country roads before reaching the Mediterranean coast, with Verstaen's final leg ending in the Camargue.

The last 100 km were the hardest. A severe storm hit, and Zero says the final 25 minutes brought gale-force crosswinds and heavy rain.

No special modifications

Zero says the bike was not modified for the attempt. The standard Zero DS has a 15.6 kWh battery, rated at 249 km of urban range. For the record, it carried the optional 3.6 kWh Power Tank, bringing total capacity to 19.2 kWh.

The team stretched the range with simple techniques:

• Steady, moderate speeds on quieter roads
• Night riding with little traffic
• Regenerative braking on long Alpine descents
• Regular tyre pressure checks

Zero Motorcycles was founded in the USA in 2006 and is now based in the Netherlands.

Electric cars and SUVs

• Tesla Roadster: Tesla unveiled the production version of its second-generation Roadster on October 15 near Waco, Texas. In the demo, SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters helped the car drive up an inverted ramp and then jump over five other Tesla vehicles. Musk said production starts in 2028. No price was announced, but reserving the thruster-equipped version requires a $250,000 payment. All three versions (Performance, Thrust and Rocket) offer 300 miles of range and a top speed above 230 mph.
• BYD Atto 8: BYD's new seven-seat electric SUV is its first European model with Flash Charging, which takes the 115 kWh battery from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. European sales start in Q1 2027, with up to 653 km of range. BYD plans to grow its Flash Charging network to 3,000 European stations by the end of 2027.
• Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes brought six premieres to Paris, including an all-new GLA and the electric VLE people carrier. The VLE seats up to eight and is rated at more than 700 km WLTP.
• Smart, Citroën and Denza: Other Paris highlights included the Smart #2, presented as a spiritual successor to the ForTwo, and Citroën's electric 2CV successor. BYD sub-brand Denza unveiled its Z electric sports car, with three motors producing 880 kW and 0–100 km/h in under two seconds.
• Peugeot concepts: Peugeot's rally-inspired E-T16 concept makes around 600 kW, and its RCZ Vision electric sports car concept produces 373 kW.
• Xpeng G9L: The G9L's European price was revealed, starting at €74,600.
• Price moves: Opel introduced a new base Astra Electric at €36,490, and a Renault 4 update includes a €1,810 price cut.
• Policy and markets: France and Germany proposed a 90% CO₂ cut for new cars by 2035. In the US, 266,630 electric vehicles were sold in the third quarter.

Electric motorcycles

• Zero DS world record: A Zero DS covered 436.5 km on a single charge, which Zero says makes it the new Guinness World Record holder for the longest electric motorcycle ride without a charging stop.

Electric trucks and vans

• Hyundai Staria Cargo: Hyundai presented the Staria Cargo, a fully electric light commercial vehicle, at the Paris press day on October 12. It marks Hyundai's entry into the electric van market.
• Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette: Citroën reimagined the 2CV Fourgonnette as a battery-electric van.
• European fleets: Belgian logistics firm H.Essers is getting 20 electric trucks from Germany, and DHL Freight has put the SuperPanther eTopas 600 into daily operations.

Electric buses

• Scania: Scania presented electric powertrains of up to 400 kW, in-house battery packs, new BEV and PHEV chassis, and a new Touring coach.
• Daimler and Flix: The two tested the ELCH battery-electric coach demonstrator in Neu-Ulm, which targets more than 500 km of range.
• German subsidy cuts: Germany's draft 2027 budget would cut e-bus subsidies from €403 million to €130 million, a 68% reduction. A PwC study says this could put around 1,000 jobs at risk and mean about 1,500 fewer electric buses by 2030.
• Hanoi: Hanoi put 53 new VinFast electric buses into service on four routes, aiming to convert its whole fleet by 2030.
• Bucharest: Bucharest secured €87.44 million in EU funding for 40 battery-electric buses, 45 trolleybuses and 10 trams.

Charging stations for electric vehicles

• Fastned: Fastned reported €51.3 million in Q3 charging revenue and 65 stations under construction, almost double last year. It ended the quarter with 451 locations after opening 17 new sites.
• Other deployments: Tesla expanded its Supercharger network along South Korean highways, and Wallbox installed 120 chargers at Montréal airport.
• Bidirectional charging: Renault and EDF unveiled a bidirectional charging offering.

Batteries and accessories for electric vehicles

• VW recall: VW is preparing a recall in Germany covering several thousand vehicles. Individual high-voltage cells in certain ID models failed quality checks, which in extreme cases could cause a fire. Affected models reportedly include the ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID. Buzz built between 2023 and 2025, plus the Cupra Born. As an immediate safety measure, VW plans to cap charging at 80% via an over-the-air update.
• Industry moves: Changan and CATL will expand their joint battery capacity to 75 GWh, BMW launched sixth-generation battery production in Shenyang, and Redwood will repurpose end-of-life batteries from Rivian vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles

• Xpeng: Xpeng launched its own robotaxi brand, Yoyo.
• Tesla in Europe: Tesla renamed "FSD (Supervised)" to "Tesla Assisted Driving" to help secure EU approval.
• INIT: INIT is buying a majority stake in Norway's Applied Autonomy. Its xFlow platform handles monitoring, remote support and control of autonomous vehicles rather than the driving itself.

Humanoid robots

• Agility Digit 5: Agility is betting on Nyobolt fast-charging batteries to push Digit 5 to 20-hour workdays.
• Mind Robotics: Rivian's robotics spinoff Mind Robotics hired former Ford EV chief Doug Field as president.
• NeodraDynamics: The Chinese company showed a 13-foot humanoid with 39 hydraulics, built for heavy industrial lifting.

The takeaway from Paris: Chinese brands are now competing head to head on charging speed and price, while European makers answer with a wave of electric concepts and cheaper entry versions.

Robot Traffic Controllers Undergo Testing in China

The DR02 robot, developed by Deep Robotics, has been deployed to assist traffic police in Hangzhou. These robots help maintain order and provide guidance to pedestrians and drivers; however, they do not issue fines. Instead, they communicate using voice messages and gestures.

Standing approximately 175 cm tall and weighing 65 kg, the robot is designed for outdoor use. Its IP66-rated enclosure provides protection against dust and powerful jets of water. It is specified to operate within a temperature range of −20°C to +55°C.

The trials are intended to evaluate how effectively these humanoid robots navigate among people and vehicles, as well as their ability to perform these tasks in rainy weather. If such systems can be implemented more broadly, police officers will be able to dedicate more time to investigating traffic accidents and handling other responsibilities that require human intervention.

A demo built for the headlines

The reveal was staged as a joint Tesla and SpaceX show. After introductions from chief designer Franz von Holzhausen, vehicle engineering VP Lars Moravy and Musk, a white Roadster used a mix of high-powered fans and thrusters to drive up an inverted ramp, spin around and settle back onto the tarmac. It then used its thrusters to hop over a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Tesla Semi, Model Y and Model 3 while moving, and Tesla showed it hitting 60 mph in roughly one second.

Musk called it the best of the last human-driven cars and said that, in the longer term, it will be the only manually driven car Tesla builds. Tellingly, Tesla's FSD driver-assistance system is not part of the package.

Three trims: Performance, Thrust and Rocket

The configurations were published on Tesla's X account after the stream. Thrust and Rocket are treated as “augments” stacked on top of the base Performance car.

Tesla Roadster trims at a glance

Tesla quotes a range of more than 300 miles and a top speed of over 230 mph. Coverage differs on whether that top speed applies to every trim or only to the Rocket. Tesla's own Roadster page states the Rocket is not approved for public road use, and Musk admitted he isn't sure the car is legal in every jurisdiction.

How the thrusters work

This is where SpaceX comes in. According to Moravy, the Roadster feeds 10 thrusters from around 600 litres of compressed air, and the tanks can be recharged. Tesla says getting cold-gas thrusters to work in the atmosphere rather than in a vacuum needed new hardware and controls, and that every usable void in the car is packed with carbon-fibre overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). More stored gas means more “flight time.”

Tesla claims the thrusters produce four to five times the force the tyres can handle, which is how it sidesteps the traction limit that caps every other car's acceleration.

The suction system does the opposite job. Tesla says its fans pull enough air from under the car to hold it upside down, even when stationary. In Track Mode, the Roadster lowers itself and deploys active wings driven by the same actuators Tesla developed for its Optimus robot, with Tesla claiming downforce close to Formula 1 levels.

From S3XY to Cyber: the new design

The car looks very different from the 2017 prototype. Tesla says its design language has moved on from the S3XY lineup to Cybertruck, Cybercab and Optimus, and that the Roadster draws on the SR-71 reconnaissance jet and the F-35 fighter. Highlights include:

• Exterior: hidden headlights, a full-length taillight, flush-mounted aero and scissor doors
• Paint: “Ano White,” said to borrow from coatings used to protect rockets
• Glass: tinted windows meant to evoke the gold visor of a spacesuit
• Cabin: steer-by-wire yoke, centre touchscreen and two small driver displays
• Weight saving: fixed seat position, manual controls, and magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre throughout

What changed since 2017

Some numbers went backwards, others went off the scale. Tesla originally promised 620 miles of range, a top speed above 250 mph and a 2+2 cabin. The production car is quoted at over 300 miles, over 230 mph and two seats at most. Acceleration went the other way: even the base Performance trim beats the 1.9-second 0-60 mph figure promised in 2017.

2017 promise vs 2026 reveal

Price, reservations and production

Tesla still hasn't priced any of the three trims, and earlier reporting has pointed to a figure north of $200,000. Reservations have reopened on Tesla's website. Electrek reports a $5,000 refundable payment up front with a further $45,000 due within 10 days, the same $50,000 total Tesla asked in 2017, while TechCrunch reports $250,000 to reserve the Thrust. The Rocket is invite only.

Production is set for 2028. That's eight years after the original 2020 target, and follows delays announced in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, plus a string of slipped reveal dates this year, including April Fools' Day and an attempt on 1 October that was called off due to severe weather.

Bottom line

The engineering on show is genuinely new: cold-gas thrusters that work in the atmosphere, a fan system that can hold a car to a ceiling and Optimus-derived active wings, all in one car. But the stunts grabbing the headlines belong to limited and invite-only trims that aren't road legal, the range has roughly halved since 2017, and there's still no price. For the early reservation holders who have waited nine years, the real test comes in 2028.

The headline reveals

Citroën 2CV concept and 2CV Fourgonette

The star of the show is a modern, all-electric take on the 2CV. Citroën previewed the concept the night before the show, then surprised everyone on press day with a van version, the 2CV Fourgonette. Citroën hasn't given battery or range figures yet, but the brand says the production car is aimed squarely at affordable mobility and cheap Chinese rivals. Sales are expected in 2028, with UK estimates around £13,000.

Renault E-Space concept

Renault has turned its 1984 Espace into a boxy electric MPV concept, 4.70 m long, 2.0 m wide and 1.67 m tall. Inside are six individually rotating seats and a new full-width "OpenR Panorama" display that will also appear in the Rafale and Scenic. Renault hasn't released battery or range figures, but says it will bring LFP chemistry across its EV range. Renault also brought the facelifted Megane E-Tech, a Twingo with a new panoramic roof and the just-for-fun 8 Gordini concept.

Smart #2

Nearly 30 years after the first Smart concept appeared in Paris, the brand is back with a 2.75 m electric two-seater. It uses a 35.8 kWh LFP battery and an 82 hp rear motor, with a targeted 180-mile (290 km) WLTP range, 65 kW DC charging (10–80% in about 20 minutes) and vehicle-to-load. Orders are due to open in spring 2027.

Leapmotor B03

Stellantis-backed Leapmotor revealed the B03 hatchback, a direct rival to the Renault 5 and VW ID.Polo. It gets a 53 kWh LFP pack, 242 miles (389 km) of WLTP range, 133 kW charging (10–80% in 21 minutes) and a 194 hp front motor. European sales start in early 2027.

Audi A2 e-tron

The new A2 e-tron made its public debut, reviving the name of Audi's late-1990s aluminium hatchback. It offers up to 84 kWh of battery and up to 397 miles (639 km) of WLTP range, with UK deliveries from early 2027.

WLTP range of the new production EVs shown in Paris:

Stellantis goes all in

Stellantis arrived with eight brands, more than 60 vehicles and nine concept cars on a 5,340 m² stand, the biggest presence of any group. Beyond Citroën, the highlights were:

• Peugeot RCZ Vision and E-T16 concepts, the second giving the clearest look yet at the next E-208, due next year
• Fiat Multiplay, an MPV that converts into a pickup, and Multiplina, a stretched Topolino
• DS Fever concept, previewing the next DS3, alongside the DS N°7 going on sale
• Opel (Vauxhall in the UK) STX concept, signalling a new design direction
• Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso concept, with flexible powertrains promised

Tesla brings the Cybercab to Paris

Tesla is exhibiting the Cybercab, its two-seat robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals, on stand C25 in Hall 7.1. According to the show's organisers, the car on display comes from Tesla's US Robotaxi fleet in Austin, where Cybercab started carrying public riders in September, rather than being a static concept. Visitors can't ride in it. It isn't the car's first trip to Paris, though: Tesla displayed a Cybercab at its Madeleine store in late 2024.

The stand also has the Model 3, Model Y, Optimus Gen 2 humanoid robot, Tesla Energy products and a Supercharger. Tesla is offering free test drives in six cars running FSD (Supervised) throughout the week. There's no Cybercab service announced for Europe yet. Tesla says European drivers have logged more than 100 million km on FSD (Supervised), and an EU-wide approval decision is expected in December.

Chinese brands: present but quiet

BYD showed its new Atto 8 seven-seat electric SUV and the Dolphin G plug-in hybrid. Denza displayed the Bao 5 off-roader, Z9GT and D9, GAC's Aion brand revealed an updated UT and a range-extended flagship SUV, and Geely brought the Monjaro EM-i plug-in. Avatr, Aito, Li Auto, Lynk & Co and Forthing are also on site. Compared with this spring's Beijing show, though, the Chinese reveals were muted, and European brands took most of the attention.

Who else is there, and who isn't

Volvo gave the EX60 its proper public debut, Skoda showed the production Epiq and Peaq, Volkswagen brought the Mission Efficiency concept, Hyundai previewed the new Tucson and the Staria-based ST1 electric van, and Alpine unveiled the A310 Vision concept. Renault's Trafic E-Tech van, with up to 81 kWh and 292 miles, also made its show debut. BMW and Mini skipped Paris entirely, so there is no Neue Klasse on display.

Visiting the show

The Mondial de l'Auto is open to the public from Tuesday 13 to Sunday 18 October 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, across Halls 4, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6 and 7.1. Doors open at 09:30 daily, with late openings until 22:00 on Friday and Saturday. The main public entrance is Gate A2, next to the Porte de Versailles metro and tram station. Tickets are sold through mondial.paris.

What Paris 2026 tells us

Paris 2026 is a show about affordable, characterful EVs rather than supercars. Retro names like the 2CV, Espace and A2 are being used to sell small, efficient electric cars, LFP batteries are becoming standard at the cheaper end, and the MPV is quietly making a comeback. Most of these cars won't reach US showrooms, but the shift toward cheaper EVs in Europe is a preview of the price pressure every market will feel next.

Sales and markets

Lucid cuts production by 38%

Lucid built 2,954 vehicles and delivered 3,806 in Q3. Deliveries slipped about 4% from Q2, and production fell 38%. The cut is deliberate: Lucid dropped the second shift at its AMP-1 plant in June and is selling down inventory as part of a reset aimed at $1.4 billion in cash flow improvements this year. Q3 earnings follow on November 9.

BYD's growth now comes from abroad

BYD sold 463,561 vehicles in September, up 17% and its fifth straight month of growth. Domestic sales fell 13%, but overseas sales jumped 154% to 180,700 vehicles. Its pure-electric passenger sales rose 33.2% year over year to a record 273,143. Leapmotor also passed 100,000 monthly deliveries for the first time, with 105,656 in September.

Mercedes sets an EV record as China drags

Mercedes sold a record 68,400 electric passenger cars in Q3, up 61% year over year, led by the electric GLC. Total group sales fell 6%, mostly because of weak demand in China.

Canada up, US down for GM

GM's Canadian zero-emission sales rose 118% in Q3, led by Cadillac EVs, the Equinox EV, Bolt and Silverado EV. South of the border, GM delivered 25,473 EVs in the US, down 61.7% from 66,501 a year earlier.

Europe posts record months

• Norway: EVs took 98.8% of new registrations, and the Tesla Model Y alone took 25.7% of the market
• UK: almost 100,000 new EVs in September, a record, led by the Tesla Model 3
• Spain: the Model 3 was the most-registered car of any kind, the first EV to top the monthly chart
• Germany: EV registrations up almost 95% to 88,599, a 34.5% share that beat petrol and diesel combined

Tesla

• Austin's registered Cybercab fleet grew to 169 vehicles, and robotaxi service now runs later into the evening.
• Slovakia is close to approving FSD (Supervised), based on a provisional Dutch approval. In Germany the system may launch as "Assisted Driving."
• New Model 3 and Model Y cars can now back up a home through Powershare when paired with a Powerwall 3.
• The Supercharger network passed 85,000 stalls at more than 9,000 sites worldwide.
• Tesla is in talks with TSMC about a role in a planned AI chip factory in Texas called Terafab.
• Q3 results arrive on Wednesday, October 21.

New models

BMW iX5 opens for orders

Orders opened on October 8 for the iX5 60 xDrive: a 141 kWh battery, 845 km (525 mi) of WLTP range and DC charging at up to 460 kW. US production is at Spartanburg, with deliveries from Q1 2027 and an estimated 435 miles of EPA-style range. BMW also added an all-wheel-drive iX3 40 xDrive from €65,900.

Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes and Lucid

• Jaguar showed the Type 01, a three-motor electric GT with a 118 kWh battery, aimed at a small luxury audience.
• Porsche is slowing its EV plans and leaning more on combustion models. An electric 718 is still coming; an all-electric 911 is not.
• Mercedes drops the EQE sedan from its US lineup for model year 2027. It isn't being discontinued worldwide.
• The Lucid Cosmos is now planned for the second half of 2027.

Policy, industry and charging

• The EU is weighing rules that would tie purchase incentives to a high share of European-made vehicles and batteries. Automakers say the timeline isn't realistic.
• Toyota has approval to invest about $1.3 billion in a new EV plant in Argentina. An electric Hilux is the likely model.
• Porsche is testing battery cells whose cathode material is made entirely from recycled raw materials.
• FedEx ordered 2,000 electric trucks from Harbinger, worth more than $300 million, for delivery by the end of 2027.
• Germany's Deutschlandnetz opened its 100th highway charging park, on the A81, with six chargers rated at up to 400 kW.

What to watch next week

The split is getting wider. Outside the US, EV sales are hitting records almost every month. Inside it, only Tesla and Rivian are holding volume without the tax credit. Tesla's October 21 earnings call is the next big signal, especially on robotaxi expansion and the cost of its chip plans.

X Takeover 2026’s drone and Tesla light show at Giga Texas turned the factory’s east parking lot into a synchronized ground-to-sky spectacle on the night of October 10, 2026.

Organized independently by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (TOSV, Inc.), with Tesla providing the venue at Giga Texas (1 Tesla Road, Austin), the event’s grand finale began at 9:00 p.m. Roughly 230 Teslas formed a choreographed ground display of headlights, taillights, and other lighting, while approximately 1,200 drones from Northern Lights Drone Shows filled the sky above them.⁠ 

Coordinated by TeslaLightShows / XLightShows (Simon Pollock) and sponsored by Tediddle, the production was billed as one of the largest combined Tesla light-and-drone shows in the U.S. The Tesla fleet and drones operated as a single instrument: lights pulsed and sequenced in time with aerial formations and music.⁠ 

Drones created recognizable shapes including Optimus, a Cybercab, a portrait of special guest Nicki Minaj, tributes to the Model S and Model X, and a large “X-TAKEOVER” text formation over the factory. A Nicki Minaj tribute segment was a clear highlight, fitting her appearance earlier in the day as a speaker and meet-and-greet guest (she arrived in a pink Cybertruck). 

The daytime program (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) had already drawn owners, creators, and fans for keynotes and panels featuring Maye Musk, a virtual Franz von Holzhausen appearance, a live virtual Elon Musk conversation (“What Comes Next for Humanity”), Cybercab chief engineer Eric Earley, Sandy Munro, and others, plus vehicle showcases, demo drives, and an exhibitor expo. The night show closed the main day for ticket holders before an after-party.⁠ 

Attendee reactions and organizer videos described the combined display as seamless and memorable—“one continuous instrument” of cars and sky. Official footage from the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley channel captured the scale against the backdrop of Giga Texas. 

In short, the X Takeover 2026 drone and light show fused community participation (owners registering their cars), professional aerial choreography, and Tesla’s lighting capabilities into a signature finale at the company’s largest factory—marking the first time the annual gathering left California and took place at a Tesla site.