Articles by Tim Gibson

Sales of electric vehicles surpassed petrol-only sales in Europe for the first time ever in December 2025, according to Reuters.This equated to 22.6 per cent of total cars registered for December, edging past petrol-only at 22.5 per cent.However, petrol and electric trailed plug-less and plug-in hybrid cars, which held 44 per cent of total sales for the month.Petrol and diesel sales suffered the biggest sales losses in Europe in 2025.Electric vehicle popularity has persisted in Europe despite various external factors threatening to curb its progress.The European Union has rolled back its 2035 internal-combustion engine total ban, with no 100 per cent CO2 reduction in place.There are also 35 per cent tariffs still in place for Chinese-imported electric vehicles, on top of a 10 per cent foreign car tariff.While this change has forced many Chinese brands to prioritise hybrid and internal combustion vehicles in Europe, EV sales are still increasing.  Chinese brand BYD recently overtook Tesla for sales of electrical vehicles globally. This is the first time EVs have overtaken petrol in Europe, but it's expected it will still be at least five years before they are the leading source of sales overall. Other electrified set-ups including plug-less and plug-in hybrids are currently the most popular choice for buyers.Many previously petrol-only models are being replaced with hybrid options by brands ahead of electric-only."It will still take around ​half a decade before pure electric cars genuinely overtake combustion-engine models across the region, but this is nonetheless a start," independent automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt told Reuters.There has been a similar trend in Australia, with electrified vehicles outselling petrol cars for the first time in December. Plug-in and plug-less hybrids are leading the way in Australia, taking over from petrol and diesel alternatives. Many brands Down Under have begun a similar process to their counterparts in Europe, phasing out petrol-only models in favour of hybrid set-ups. Toyota now only sells many of its popular models as hybrid-only, including some of Australia's best sellers such as the RAV4 and Kluger SUVs.

GWM is preparing a V8-powered Tank 800 as its latest hardcore off-roader, which will launch this year, according to Auto Home. The brand unveiled its V8 engine at the Shanghai motor show in April 2025, and it looks like the Tank 800 will be the first car to use it.It is thought the car will be a more luxury alternative to other rugged off-roaders and will come with two engine choices. The first is a six-cylinder 3.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and plug-in hybrid set-up, producing 283kW and 800Nm.The main event is a 4.0-litre twin-turbo eight-cylinder plug-in hybrid set-up. The engine on its own produces 403kW and when combined with the electric motors increases to 735kW.Tank is GWM’s off-roading sub brand, challenging the established 4WD pack. The Tank 800's gutsy engine choices sees it shape up as a potential rival to the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser. It could have an edge over these rivals as it would have a fully-fledged V8, said to operate in line with emissions regulations in Australia. The Toyota LandCruiser down-sized to a 3.3-litre six-cylinder engine with its latest 300 Series revamp, and Nissan will ditch V8-power in the new Patrol due next year. This means the Tank 800 would be more powerful and have a bigger engine than its big name rivals. The Tank 800 is also speculated to be at a similar price point to its rivals, with the LandCruiser and Patrol both starting at about $100,000.It is likely to feature a more luxury specification, such as what is found on the Range Rover.Australia currently gets the Tank 300 and Tank 500, which are smaller in size compared to the in-prospect Tank 800, and both have proved popular choices with buyers. GWM will launch a plug-in hybrid version of the Tank 300 in the first quarter of this year, with a V6 diesel Tank 500 also on the way as it continues to add to its lineup. Australia is a crucial market for GWM, with the brand experiencing a major sales increase over the last 12 months. 

The new-generation Kia Seltos compact SUV has been officially priced in South Korea.The Seltos petrol starts from around 24.8 million Korean won, which equates to just less than $25,000.Kias in Australia tends to cost an extra 30-40 per cent compared to South Korean equivalents. Based on this, we can speculate a starting price of somewhere in the mid-$30,000s, so there will be a subtle price increase on the previous model.Hybrid variants of the Seltos will be more expensive and we can expect a start price of around the $40,000-plus bracket. This pricing would position the Seltos in a similar price range to the current Hyundai Kona, its sister car, which comes with petrol, electric and hybrid set-ups.The Seltos' base hybrid variant would be more expensive than the base Toyota Corolla Cross, which is a hybrid-exclusive model.The Seltos hyrbid will be the first non-petrol model available for the compact SUV, with just two petrol-only choices on sale in Australia at the moment.The incoming hybrid Seltos will help fill the void left by the axed Niro electric and hybrid compact SUV, with its new-generation model officially ruled out for an Aussie launch. The Seltos’ has four power set-up choices on the new model.There will be a 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol option, producing 110kW and 179Nm along with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, producing 132kW/265Nm or 142kW/265Nm.The hybrid will have a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and an electric motor, which produces 105kW and 265Nm.The car will continue to be available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive layouts. It will feature plenty of new safety gear onboard, including advanced collision avoidance systems for forward, blind spot and rear cross traffic.There will be a digital key, wireless phone charging and a revamped multimedia system, which has a single digital display spanning across the dashboard.Deliveries in South Korea will begin in the coming days. The new Kia Seltos will launch in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026. 

BMW will continue to produce V8 and V12 engines for some time yet, according to a report in Auto News. Continued big engine manufacturing for BMW was looking bleak as its all-electric plan got underway in 2025.Neue Klasse launched in 2025 as a plan for BMW to step up its renewable endeavours, unveiling a next-generation iX3 electric SUV as its first model.It featured 33 per cent recycled materials and revamped electric power, and was its first model under the new direction for the company. Adding fuel to the fire, BMW ceased production of V8s in its Steyr plant in Austria late last year. Its Munich plant has been at the forefront of the electric shift, as it is retooled for manufacturing electric vehicles. Despite this evidence of a wind down, the German giant's petrol-guzzling engines continue to be a feature across its lineup. There are still 400 workers who continue to manufacture cylinder heads, crankcases and crankshafts for eight- and 12-cylinder engines in Munich. V8 and V12 engine production has been shifted to BMW’s Hams Hall facility in the United Kingdom, where three- and four-cylinder engines have been produced since 2022. The European Union's recent backtracking on its 2035 internal combustion engine sales ban could also re-ignite the BMW's big-engine line-up.The V12 engines are built for Rolls-Royce models such as the Phantom and Ghost, which employ a 6.75-litre twin turbo-charged variant. V8 engines remain available on many of BMW’s high-performance SUVs, including the X5, X6 and X7, with some 7 series sedans also featuring the unit. Australia gets this 4.4-litre twin turbo-charged eight-cylinder engine in those SUVs, which also comes in the M8, getting a hybrid twist in the ballistic M5 sedan and newly-added XM SUV.The United States remains the main driver for ensuring BMW continue to build bigger engines, as they continue to be strong sellers in models.A spokesperson for the US branch of BMW told Auto News demand for V8 engines remains “above average”.It was previously thought the brand would bring its engine production to a close by the end of next year, but it is now unwilling to commit to a fixed end date. 

A self-charging Nissan Ariya concept has just been unveiled in the United Kingdom, with the in-built solar system capable of delivering up to 23km of range per day in ideal conditions.The car features a set of 3.8cm² solar photovoltaic panels on the bonnet, roof and tailgate, which converts sunlight into DC power. The panels were provided by a Dutch solar company called Lightyear, that worked on the first-ever solar-powered production car in 2019.Nissan said the technology can reduce charging frequency by up to 65 per cent.Solar technology allows for the car to be charged as it drives along, unlike conventional infrastructure. According to Nissan, a two-hour, 80km drive can produce 0.5kWh of charge, which adds up to nearly three kilometres of driving range.  Solar charging on cars poses practical challenges for manufacturers, needing to fit big enough panels to provide sufficient charge on a small surface area.Nissan notes the effectiveness of this solar charging is impacted by sun exposure available where the car is being driven.Dubai, for example, has high solar exposure, meaning the vehicle can generate an average of 21km of daily solar driving range, while in London that drops to 10km a day. Australia could benefit from solar charging, given its climate and the current electric vehicle charging infrastructure available. Australia has one of the highest solar exposure rates in the world, so it would offer some of the best conditions for this technology. It could ease the burden of EV charging infrastructure Down Under, with electric vehicles numbers ever-increasing, but chargers popping up at a slower rate. At this stage, Nissan’s new technology is only a concept, with just one example built so far. It also remains to be seen whether this type of charging can be offered at an affordable cost point and charge at a sufficiently effective rate. Other companies have been dabbling in solar charging cars in recent years.The Lightyear One was unveiled as the first-ever solar-powered car six years ago in the Netherlands, with its set-up offering 12km of range each hour in optimum conditions. The current Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid sold in the United States is available with an optional solar panel, which can add several kilometres of range each day. 

Autonomous driving in Australia is already here… sort of. But it should arrive in full by 2027.Most new cars offer some form of self-driving functionality, such as lane keep assist or adaptive cruise control.Tesla unveiled its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' system late last year.Supervised is the key word because autonomous driving is not legal in Australia.According to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, automated vehicles (AVs) can only operate in Australia under state or territory trial frameworks. There are currently no large-scale trials on Australian roads. Maybe not large-scale, but there are trials.A driverless bus taking passengers to and from the Darwin Waterfront was tried in 2017 and deemed "successful".There are also automated trucks working on mine sites in the north-west of Western Australia. So what is it going to take to see autonomous driving cars on our roads?Whose laws matter?Our driving laws are generally state-based. Your speeding fines go to the state you are in, not the Federal Government.Consequently, some inconsistencies exist between various state driving rules, notably fine amounts.Mostly though, driving laws are formed on the same basis: the Australian Road Rules.These are updated every couple of years, so in theory AVs rules could be slipped in, right? That is the plan according to Executive Leader, Regulatory Reform and Emerging Technologies at the National Transport Commission (NTC) Aaron de Rozario. The NTC has been commissioned to put together a regulatory system before we have AVs on the road.“We’ve got all the Australian governments involved in the process of deciding ‘yes, these are the road rules that apply to an automated driving scenario’,” de Rozario said. The NTC puts together these road rules and all transport ministers will vote on whether to approve, before implementing into respective state laws.A key proposal currently put forward from the NTC is to have a ‘Commonwealth in-service regulator’.The regular will aim to fuse federal and state responsibility on AVs.One of its main tasks will be due diligence on new AV technologies coming into Australia to determine whether safe operation can be demonstrated. Once AV technologies enter Australia, the regulator will investigate issues and complaints about programming and incidents concerning AVs. Who is responsible? AVs on Australian roads raise issues with the establishment of causation of accidents. The NTC will target clear distinctions on responsibility between drivers/passengers and the automated driving system. Some of those distinctions are simply resolved such as wearing a seatbelt. That responsibility rests with those travelling in the car. The complexity is apparent when considering post-accident liability. How to overcome these issues remains murky, with hard-and-fast solutions still some way off.“There is a bit of work determining what happens if there is a motor vehicle accident,” de Rozario said.“Drivers have certain legal responsibilities to take action and we need to work out what happens in the case of an automated vehicle and whether there are any responsibilities for passengers.”One solution being proposed is to clearly specify where and on which roads certain types of AVs can be used safely, and legally.Something that has been made clear is companies will not be able to escape responsibility for their AVs.Providers of automated driving systems will have to have a registered corporate presence in Australia.“We’re deliberately setting this up so there isn’t a ‘Sorry I’m overseas. I don’t need to comply with your law’.”This mandate facilitates the full application of the national corporations legislation onto directors of AV companies, giving authorities powers to enforce findings and decisions.It would include enforcement of duty of care and diligence principles, including criminal punishment for dishonest and reckless conduct. At this stage, AV conversations remain in a preliminary phase, with the ATC targeting 2027 for a system framework.Tesla’s latest technology represents a window into the future of AVs. But you should not expect to see someone reading a newspaper as their personally-owned car drives them to work in the morning anytime soon.The government says the framework "will enable conditional deployment of automated vehicles in select locations".Automated taxi systems remain the most likely to come to Australia first. “From what we see overseas, the two areas which are likely to be the first movers would be the robo-taxi model or an urban taxi rideshare service,” de Rozario said.“The other one that keeps coming up is freight and that could be parcel delivery type services.”

The popular Subaru Crosstrek small SUV has just had its price hiked in Australia. It now starts from $36,490, before on-road costs, for the base petrol version, which is a $500 increase.The up-spec petrol and base hybrid have also increased $500, with the top-spec models for both powertrains now $1500 more expensive.This is the second price increase in the last 12 months for the SUV, after a $500 increase on most models in June. The news comes after Subaru hiked the price of its BRZ two-door sports car by up to $3600.The Crosstrek sits as a rival to everything from the Toyota Corolla Cross to the Haval Jolion.The latest price bump sees a hybrid Crosstrek now more than $6500 more than a Corolla Cross, it also has higher starting prices than the Hyundai Kona both in petrol or hybrid forms, as well as the Mazda CX-30.The Crosstrek may sit higher in price than its rivals, but it also features an all-wheel system across the range.As part of the changes for 2026, there are new paint choices, including "Citron Yellow Pearl" and "Sand Dune Pearl".There is also now an emergency stop system as part of the safety gear on board, which brings the vehicle to a controlled stop if the driver is unresponsive.Subaru's crossover continues to be available with two engine choices. There is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 115kW and 196Nm, while a hybrid configuration produces 100kW and 182Nm, both have a continuously variable automatic transmission.On the inside, it features a 11.6-inch central touchscreen display and 4.2-inch digital driver display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available.2026 Subaru Crosstrek pricing Australia 2026 Subaru Crosstrek engine and efficiency 2026 Subaru Crosstrek standard features17-inch alloy wheels11.6-inch central touchscreen display4.2-inch digital driver displayWireless phone chargerCloth seat upholsteryPower-folding mirrorsKeyless entry and startSix-speaker sound systemR grade gets18-inch alloy wheelsSteering responsive headlightsSports pedalsAuto-dimming rearview mirrorHeated front seatsHeated door mirrorsS grade getsElectric sunroofEngine coverLeather accented seats10-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system2026 Subaru Crosstrek safetyThe Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star ANCAP safety rating.  Standard safety features:9 airbagsBlind spot monitoringLane change assistRear parking sensorsReversing cameraDistraction warningDrowsiness warningAutonomous emergency steeringAdaptive cruise controlLane departure warningLane sway warningLane keep assistEmergency stop systemR grade getsFront view monitorHigh beam assist360-degree cameraSide view monitors 2026 Subaru Crosstrek dimensions  2026 Subaru Crosstrek warrantyThe Subaru Crosstrek comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. 

Geely has launched its Galaxy V900 range-extender powered luxury people mover in China, according to Car News China. The car has a starting price of 309,800 yuan, which is roughly $65,000, and will be available in six, seven and eight seater variants.  The Galaxy V900 gives Geely a rival to other luxury people movers in the segment, such as the Denza D9 and Xpeng X9, both of which are expected to launch in Australia this year. Australia's people mover segment is dominated by the internal combustion or hybrid powered Kia Carnival, with new-energy alternatives limited.Electric options have started to pop up such as the Zeekr 009 and VW’s ID. Buzz, with both launching in the past 12 months or so, but have not made in-roads into the Carnival’s strong hold. The Hyundai Staria is the Carnival’s closest rival in Australia, and recently unveiled a fully-electric version of its people mover.A spokesperson for Hyundai Australia told CarsGuide the brand is reviewing the business case for the electric Staria Down Under, but there are no local launch plans currently. There is no news on a potential launch for Geely’s latest people mover in Australia, but it would line up with the confirmed local arrival of the Denza’s D9 and the Xpeng X9. Geely currently only offers two cars in Australia, the EX5 electric and Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid mid-size SUVs, with a small electric hatchback joining in 2026.Geely Australia said when contacted for the comment that there are no details to share at this stage on the Galaxy V900's future.The Galaxy V900 is a range-extender hybrid, which uses a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors. This set-up packs loads of power, producing 340kW and 523Nm, driving all four wheels.The car comes with two battery choices — 43.3kWh or 50kWh — offering an electric-only driving range of 220km or 260km, according to the generous CLTC testing cycle, Its total range when fully fuelled and charged is 1220km. The Galaxy V900’s interior features a 10.25-inch digital driver display, 15.4-inch central touchscreen and a 19.8-inch full-length head-up display. There are also plenty of comfort features for passengers, with massaging, heated and ventilated seats.The second row of seats has a 17.3-inch entertainment screen and 5.98-inch armrest control screen. 

A mid-engined sports car remains in Toyota's plans, as development continues to trickle along. More details of the brand's potential mid-engined rocket have been revealed, by AutoNews.The car is now a race-testing prototype, but do not expect to see a production version any time soon, with it still up to five years away.Gazoo Racing President Tomoya Takahashi told AutoNews engineers are in the first of four stages to be completed before mass production.Takahashi also provided some further details on the engine for the car, confirming it will be powered by a 2.0-litre engine, likely with some hybrid-electric assistance.“At the highest level, the chairman is determined to continue manufacturing internal combustion engines. And when we had this new 2.0-litre engine, we decided to mount it to a midship car,” Takahashi told Auto News in November.“We developed it to fit in a small car like the GR Yaris because the packaging and engineering is more demanding,” he said.“If we can do that, we can easily deploy it in bigger vehicles.“If we are going to mount this engine on many different vehicles, it’s almost mandatory to be able to combine it with hybrid technology.“We will be making such development.”It is expected this hybrid system will combine the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor power, rumoured to produce a total output of 370kW and 550Nm.The car will also feature a dynamic all-wheel drive system, such as on the Toyota Yaris GR.It is thought this car could see the revival of the MR2 name, which was last seen on Toyota cars in the mid 2000s.Fuelling the fire for a potential return of the MR2 is a couple of recent intellectual property filings for the name from Toyota.The brand filed the trademark ‘GR MR2’ in Japan and ‘MR2’ in Australia in December 2025, but this could just have been to ensure no one else claimed the name. The midship sports car project remains in early development, and with it still potentially four or five years away from production, with the 2028 rumoured launch date seems unlikely. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda posted on social media, ahead of the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, alluding to the announcement of a new mid-engined machine, soon to be debuted.The mid-engined car teased was the not the much-anticipated return of the iconic MR2 coupe, but a customised mini truck.

Mitsubishi will feature a special ‘Black’ edition model of its popular family SUV in Australia, starting from $47,990 (before on-road costs). This deal is only available on the Mitsubishi Outlander LS all-wheel drive part-time seven-seater variant, which usually starts from $46,540, so the Black edition is a $1450 price bump.As part of the exterior changes, the Black edition gets a wide range of blacked out features, such as roof rails, fog lamp bezels and side mirrors.There is also a two-tone black roof and black window surrounds.It rides on exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels. Official Mitsubishi black alloy wheels are only otherwise available in 20-inch, at a cost of $2883.On the inside, the car comes with microsuede seat trim with synthetic leather bolsters and door trims. The driver’s seat gets eight-way power adjustment and both front seats are heated.These interior changes have been pulled from the up-spec Aspire grade of the Outlander, which is one level above the LS, starting from $51,040 for the AWD variant. The LS limited edition Outlander will be powered by the same 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine found in other variants, which produces 135kW and 245Nm. The limited edition Outlander will be available in showrooms from next month, with an updated plug-in hybrid also on the way.As part of the announcement, Mitsubishi has also made entry-level, two-wheel drive ES grade with seven-seats available to private buyers, with a starting price of $42,540. It was previously only for fleet buyers.This makes it the cheapest seven-seat Outlander now available to buyers. Mitsubishi's family SUV recently copped a $750 price hike across the range, excluding the entry-level ES grade.The Outlander was one of the best-selling family SUVs in 2025, marginally missing out on a spot in the top five for the segment.