Latest news with #Electrification
Forbes
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Ferrari To Postpone Its Second EV Because Of 'Zero' Demand
Ferrari F80 hybrid Given the momentum with which global carmakers are surging ahead with electrification plans, it'd seem foolish to think that preparations for a second Ferrari EV model are not in the pipeline, despite the fact that the company's first EV model hasn't even debuted yet. According to Reuters however, Ferrari's second EV is currently in jeopardy, presumably due to almost "zero" demand. Originally intended to be a low-production demonstration of their electrification technology, Ferrari's first electric vehicle is scheduled to debut on October 9, 2025. According to the newswire, an unnamed source claimed that Maranello had to postpone the second model's launch, which was originally slated for 2026, until at least 2028 due to low demand for the series-production model. Ferrari's Maranello factory. (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images) Electrification is nothing new to Ferrari. Both the LaFerrari and the SF90 Stradale, the Prancing Horse's first hybrid cars, were widely lauded by both fans and reviewers alike when they were first presented in 2013 and 2019, respectively. Going all EV, meanwhile, appears to be a completely different matter. When Ferrari first revealed its EV plans, many outspoken fans voiced their disapproval, as was to be expected. Some argued about "soul" and "character," while others, perhaps more sensibly, raised concerns about the possible weight gain from the EV batteries, which would compromise driving dynamics. Ferrari is still moving forward with its first EV supercar project, which is expected to launch for about EUR500,000. Their new EV model, to be built at Ferrari's new facility, is an integral part of a three-stage plan with the grand finale slated for sometime in spring (March to June) next year, with deliveries starting in October. Maranello's most recent move is just another example of sports car manufacturers scaling back their electrification plans, as many attribute this development to waning demand and changing market perceptions. Porsche most recently declared that, at least for the foreseeable future, it will continue to develop its internal combustion engines while delaying its electrification ambitions.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why automakers are reluctant to discuss EV charger cyber risks
Automakers are reluctant to discuss their cybersecurity efforts in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure sector because doing so would expose potential weaknesses and invite scrutiny, according to an executive at an automotive cybersecurity specialist. 'No automaker wants to be the one to say, 'We have a problem here.' That immediately raises concerns about liability and consumer trust,' said Giuseppe Serio, who is responsible for global and strategic initiatives at Upstream. Cybersecurity incidents against automotive and smart mobility targets surged 39 percent to 409 in 2024, according to Upstream. The company created its report on the problem by analyzing academic research, verified social media accounts of government law enforcement agencies, the Common Vulnerabilities & Exposures (CVE) database and media coverage of the attacks. Upstream's analysts also monitor the deep and dark web to track threat actors operating behind the scenes of automotive cyberattacks, the company said in its report. There were on average 34 incidents a month last year involving the two sectors across Europe, the U.S. and China, according to Upstream. In Europe, Germany experienced the highest number of incidents at 31. France followed with 14 attacks, while the U.K. had 16 incidents. Italy and Spain also saw notable activity, with 12 and 10 attacks, respectively, according to Upstream's data. As EV adoption accelerates, so do the risks — ransomware attacks on smart mobility infrastructure surged, contributing to an overall 38 percent increase in documented incidents. Sign up for the Automotive News Europe Focus on Electrification newsletter, a weekly wrap-up of the latest electric vehicle news, including interviews and global EV sales data. A cyberattack on a Lithuanian EV charging system shut down operations for hours, with attackers stealing data from 20,000 customers, according to Vilnius-based new portal Delfi. Upstream's Serio said automakers prefer to focus on security in areas where they have direct control, such as in-vehicle systems and telematics, rather than openly addressing risks associated with third-party charging networks. 'Once you acknowledge a security risk, you are expected to have a solution,' he said. 'But in the case of EV charging, automakers don't fully own the infrastructure, making it difficult to offer definitive assurances.' Serio added that public disclosure of cybersecurity vulnerabilities could impact regulatory discussions and industry partnerships. 'If an automaker admits to a security gap, regulators might demand immediate action, which could disrupt product timelines and require costly fixes,' he said. Instead, several automakers prefer to work behind the scenes, collaborating with charge point operators and industry groups to strengthen security without drawing public attention. A statement from BMW provided to Automotive News Europe said ensuring customer payment data is adequately secured for charging transactions is a shared responsibility between automakers, electric mobility service provider and charge point operators. It noted that BMW Group's entire battery-electric vehicle range fulfills the highest safest standard to date. 'BMW conducts its own penetration testing, where its cybersecurity experts attempt to hack the vehicles to uncover vulnerabilities,' the statement continued. BMW said its 'security by design' principle means automotive security is implemented continuously throughout the vehicle's life cycle, starting from the design phase — an approach now legally required in many countries. 'BMW collects anonymized live data from its vehicles, provided the customer has given consent,' the statement said. 'This enables BMW to identify anomalies and take appropriate action.' Since 2019, BMW vehicles have been fully updatable over the air, allowing BMW to fix critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities quickly and appropriately throughout the vehicle's life cycle. A similar statement provided to ANE from Mercedes-Benz noted the company received cybersecurity management system certification in 2021 from the German motor transport authority (KBA). 'All our architectures meet the requirements and are or will be certified in accordance with UN R155 in time,' it said. 'We map the potential cyberthreats, we review future products and services and then design the right architecture and technologies to mitigate prioritized threats.' Serio said Upstream's findings underscore the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity protections, particularly in EV charging networks, noting security remains an afterthought in the race for market expansion. 'New technologies often prioritize growth over security, and EV charging infrastructure is no exception,' he said. The rapid adoption of charging networks has created a fragmented ecosystem with multiple stakeholders — including energy providers, charge point operators, automakers, and payment processors —leading to vulnerabilities attackers can exploit. Gartner Vice President of Research Pedro Pacheco said the EV charging infrastructure presents significant cybersecurity risks, with denial-of-service attacks being the most common threat. 'If a charger loses connectivity, it often becomes unusable, meaning drivers cannot complete payments or access charging services,' he said. Other threats include data theft and the potential for attackers to use charging stations as entry points into vehicle systems. What is the biggest enemy of security? Complexity Serio said the complexity of the charging ecosystem itself is a major risk factor. 'There is a saying in cybersecurity: The biggest enemy of security is complexity,' he said. Each component in the charging process, from the vehicle interface to the back-end payment system, represents a potential entry point for attackers. If even one element is weak, it could compromise the entire system. 'Attackers look for the weakest link,' he said. 'A single vulnerability can allow bad actors to hijack sessions, steal payment data, or even disrupt the electrical grid,' Serio said. Regarding accountability, he noted that while multiple entities are involved, charge point operators have primary responsibility for security. 'Since they control access to the charging stations, charge point operators are the ones that must ensure security across the entire system,' he said. However, automakers also have a role to play by securing vehicle-side connections and ensuring safe communication protocols between the EV and the charger. 'Automakers must recognize that charging stations introduce a new attack vector, much like telematics systems or connected infotainment units,' he said. Serio stressed the urgent need for dedicated regulations. 'There is no global cybersecurity standard for EV charging infrastructure,' he said, noting that while automotive cybersecurity regulations exist, similar measures for charging networks remain insufficient. The U.K. is one of the few countries treating EV charging as critical infrastructure, a model Serio believes should be replicated globally. 'We haven't yet seen the big epiphany moment in EV charging security like we did in the auto industry,' he said. 'But it's only a matter of time before a major incident forces regulators to act.' Gartner's Pacheco highlighted the role of regulations such as the EU's NIS2 directive, which mandates cybersecurity protections for critical infrastructure, including EV charging networks. 'The main goal of this regulation is to ensure that critical infrastructure remains resilient in the face of cyberattacks,' he said. Pacheco said automakers and charge point operators often take a reactive rather than proactive approach to cybersecurity. 'Like most risk management issues, cybersecurity tends to receive more attention after a major incident,' he said. The biggest challenge, he said, is defending against zero-day attacks — new and previously unknown threats. He said proactive cybersecurity strategies, strong industry collaboration, and a culture of cyber awareness are essential to preventing catastrophic disruptions to EV charging infrastructure. 'Once an entirely new cyberattack emerges, organizations must act immediately to update their security management systems,' Pacheco said.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Volvo's sleek ES90 is a fast-charging, long-range traveler
STOCKHOLM — The Volvo ES90 will charge faster and go farther than any electric vehicle in the automaker's lineup. It will also be the sleekest Volvo in the company's nearly 100-year history. Volvo said the ES90 full-electric large premium car blends characteristics from three vehicle types: the elegance of a sedan, the flexibility of a fastback as well as the spaciousness and higher ground clearance of an SUV. By catering to all three, Volvo says the ES90 'carves out a new space for itself' putting the car 'in a class of its own.' When asked about the risks of trying to be three things at once, Volvo Chief Product and Strategy Officer Erik Severinson recognized the potential dilemma. 'Is it a car for everyone or a car for no one?' he said when considering the question. 'I think we have found a really good balance,' he told Automotive News Europe. 'Design-wise, we managed to keep it in a package that is appealing to sedan customers as well as a crossover or fastback customers. The ES90's proportions translate into a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25, which is the best ever for an automaker. By comparison, the Porsche Taycan full-electric luxury sedan has a Cd rating of 0.22 (the lower number the better the aerodynamics). Sign up for the Automotive News Europe Focus on Electrification newsletter, a weekly wrap-up of the latest electric vehicle news, including interviews and global EV sales data. As a result, Volvo says the ES90 will have a driving range of up to 700 km (435 miles) under the WLTP testing cycle — and it will charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 20 minutes, using a 350-kilowatt fast-charging station. That is a 30 percent improvement over Volvo's flagship electric SUV, the EX90, which was launched last year and rides on the same SPA2 architecture. The upgrade is partly because of the integration of adaptive charging software from Breathe Battery Technologies. Volvo is the first automaker to get access to the British startup's patented algorithm-enabled charging software, Breathe Charge. The ES90 is also the first Volvo that can add 300 km [186 miles] of range in just 10 minutes. That is up from about 180 km in 10 minutes with the 400-volt system Volvo offers on the rest of its EVs. By comparison, the Porsche Taycan can add 315 km of range in 10 minutes using a fast-charging station that offers at least 320 kW of power. Along with the Taycan, the ES90's rivals will include the electric BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE, neither of which offer 800-volt charging. Vehicles that have 800-volt charging capability include the Tesla Cybertruck, Lotus Eletre and Emeya, Audi E-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Order books are open for ES90 in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K. More markets will follow. The car will start at €71,990 in Germany. Volvo will build the ES90 at its factory in Chengdu, China, where it also makes the EX90 electric flagship SUV. Production is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of this year and continue into the first quarter of 2026. Severinson expects China to account for a leading percentage the ES90's sales, but he declined to give a percentage figure. He expects the U.K. to be another key market because there are no additional tariffs on cars built in China and solid in the country. Volvo's China-built cars sold in the European Union are subject to the bloc's new higher tariff regime for Chinese BEVs. For Volvo, the tariff is 28.8 percent, comprising the EU's usual 10 percent import duty plus an extra 18.8 percent charge meant to offset the Chinese government's subsidies to EV makers. Severinson said Volvo realizes that it can't pass along that entirety of the tariffs to customers, however, since it competes in the premium segment it has more wiggle room on price than a mass market automaker, but flexibility is highly dependent on the market. Severinson said Volvo is evaluating whether to sell the ES90 in the U.S., where China-made cars face a tariff of 20 percent after the Trump administration imposed a 10 percent duty on Chinese imports on top of the 10 percent import tax it implemented in February. CEO Jim Rowan said the ES90 underlines Volvo's position as 'an industry leader in software-defined cars that harness the power of core computing.' The ES90 is the first Volvo with a centralized system powered by a dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin configuration capable of more than 500 trillion operations per second. When Nvidia debuted Drive AGX Orin in 2019, it said the system-on-chip was developed to enable scaling from Level 2 advanced driver assistance to Level 5 full-autonomous driving. The ES90's safety system includes seven cameras, five radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a lidar, which work together to help the driver avoid collisions. Inside, the ES90 is equipped to make the rear-seat passengers as cozy as possible. The car's long wheelbase of 3100 mm meters – more than 10 feet – provides generous legroom for the rear passengers. People riding in the back also have power seats that can recline or be made warmer or cooler. The ES90's electrochromic panoramic roof lets plenty of natural light enter the cabin while providing nearly 100 percent protection from ultraviolet rays. In addition, with a touch of a button the transparency of the glass can be adjusted to increase or decrease sunlight The ES90 will compete in Europe's large premium segment, which after the first month of 2025 was led by the BMW 5 Series, followed by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6. The top-selling full-electric cars in the segment is the BMW i5, followed by the Mercedes EQE and the Audi E-tron. All three EVs are ahead of the combined sales of the Volvo S90 and V90 sedan and station wagon. After one month, large premium sales were up 29 percent to 16,008, according to market researcher Dataforce. In 2024, large premium sales rose 9.5 percent to 188,262, led by the A6, followed by the E-Class and 5 Series. Combined sales of the S90 and V90 dropped 25 percent to 8,335, according to Dataforce. In the U.S., the S90 is in the large luxury segment, where it finished 2024 in fourth place behind the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S Class and Lexus LS. Sales of the S90 fell 6.5 percent to 1,896 last year, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Sales for the segment were down 7.5 percent to 28,288. Vehicles that have 800-volt charging capability include the Tesla Cybertruck, Lotus Eletre and Emeya, Audi E-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The ES90 is Volvo's first full-electric luxury sedan. It shares the automaker's SPA2 underpinnings with the EX90 flagship electric SUV. The ES90 and EX90 are the only models planned to use the company's SPA2 platform as Volvo will switch to the third generation of the architecture, SPA3, starting in 2026 with the EX60 midsize SUV. The ES90 is the sixth full electric model in Volvo's range. The others are the EX90, EM90 luxury van, EX30 small SUV, EX40 compact SUV and the EC40 compact crossover. Volvo's electric models all start with an 'E' to distinguish them from combustion models, which start with XC for SUVs, S for sedans and V for station wagons. Volvo previously aimed to be an electric-only brand by 2030, but last September it adjusted those plans, saying that battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars would account for at least 90 percent of its sales by then. The remainder will be mild hybrids, which mostly rely on a combustion engine. The ES90 luxury sedan is 5000 mm long, 1942 mm wide, 1547 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3102 mm and a maximum ground clearance of 184 mm The ES90 will offer three electric powertrains: single motor, twin motor and twin motor performance. The Single Motor, which is rear-wheel drive, offers 245 kilowatts, which is 329 hp. The maximum torque is 480 newton meters (354 pounds-feet). It can go 0 to 100 (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds and add 275 km of range in 10 minutes on a fast charger of at least 350 kW. This variant has a 92-kilowatt-hour, CATL-sourced lithium-ion battery. This variant has a WLTP range of 650 km. The Twin Motor, which is all-wheel drive, offers a 333 kW (442 hp) and 670 newton meters (494 pounds-feet) of torque. It can go 0-100 kph in 5.5 seconds and add 300 km in 10 minutes on a fast charger. It has a 106-kWh battery from CALT. The range is 700 km on a single charge, according to WLTP. The Twin Motor Performance drivetrain offers 500 kW of power (670 hp) and 870 newton meters (635 pounds-feet) of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 4 seconds and add 300 km in 10 minutes on a fast charger. It has a 106-kWh battery from CALT. The WLTP range is 700 km. The Volvo ES90 will charge faster and go farther than any electric vehicle in the automaker's lineup.
