HOT TOPIC
// XPeng’s L03 is its most emotional design yet, says the man who shaped it
The XPeng L03 is the most emotional car the brand has built, says Shanghai design studio creative director Joan Melenchon, who presented the coupe SUV at its Gold Coast launch.
- EVs and Beyond says XPeng L03 lands at $49,990, and the range-extender costs no more than the EV
HOT TOPIC
// Lexus ES used to be a dressed-up Camry, now it’s a technology leader
It’s easy to forget that the ES was one of the OG Lexus models. It was launched in the same year as the LS, 1989; the latter got all the attention because it was a ground-up luxury model developed with little regard for development cost.
- EVs and Beyond says Electric Lexus ES 500e arrives in New Zealand at $109,900
HOT TOPIC
// Saudi Arabia’s first carmaker reveals its EVs, with petrol and plug-in hybrids to follow
Saudi Arabia’s first carmaker Ceer has revealed the Exobot sedan and SUV, with 112kWh batteries and 800-volt charging, and says plug-in hybrids and petrol models will follow from 2028.
- Driven Car Guide says Ceer Exobot launches 2 Saudi-born EVs
HOT TOPIC
// McLaren looks to Auckland roots for its new badge
An Auckland workshop sign has provided the inspiration for McLaren’s new visual identity, as the supercar maker prepares to expand into new territory with an SUV and other more spacious models.
- Driven Car Guide says McLaren’s new supercar branding is lifted straight from a 1960s Remuera service station
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BEST OF THE REST
// GMC Yukon Denali Signature Black Edition priced for New Zealand
General Motors Australia and New Zealand has announced a new special version of the biggest SUV they sell on our shores.
IN OTHER NEWS
// Porsche celebrates 50-year milestone in style in the Viaduct.
Porsche New Zealand celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend with over 200 Porsche owners joining the festivities for an epic display at the Viaduct Events Centre.
// Video: Four 3.5-tonne plug-in utes headline our Everything Electric Sydney walkthrough
Gavin Shoebridge walks every major stand at Everything Electric Sydney 2026, where four plug-in utes claiming 3,500kg towing led a floor of New Zealand-bound EVs and plug-ins.
// Tesla opens NZ Roadster reservations at $73,000, before the car is revealed
Tesla has opened New Zealand reservations for the next-generation Roadster at $73,000, refundable, before the car has been revealed, priced or confirmed for right-hand drive.
// Toyota’s fictional D-RAVS to ‘review’ the RAV4 PHEV alongside real car reviews on Driven
Toyota New Zealand is launching the plug-in hybrid RAV4 with a campaign that places branded “reviews” of the car, presented by its fictional D-RAVS characters, inside the YouTube feeds and publisher channels where buyers go looking for independent ones.
// Retail activity flat
Motor vehicles and parts among industries to record a drop in sales volumes in latest quarter.
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INTERNATIONAL EV NEWS
// Tesla Semi wins 2,500-truck order, doubling US electric Class 8 fleet
Tesla has been named the primary truck supplier for the largest electric Class 8 order in US history: 2,500 battery-electric trucks bought through a new shipper alliance called ZET SCALE.
ONE LINERS
- Defender unveils 3 Wolf Series II military variants
- Porsche’s wireless charging goes on sale in Europe, with NZ Cayennes already prepared for it
- High-mileage EVs fail fewer roadworthiness tests, but the battery is not checked
- Toyota’s Dakar Hilux trades its V6 for a hydrogen fuel cell
- Fastest-ever Cadillac arrives
- Volvo appoints Skoda boss as its new CEO
- Volkswagen ID. Buzz clocks 99,767km around the world
- Mitsuoka LA1 turns company history into a new roadster
- Geely Monjaro EM-i sets Sahara crossing record
- Xpeng G9L targets 64 markets with European production
EMPLOYMENT
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