TheGuardian

AUSTRALASIA –

WORLD – Summary: Plug-in hybrid vehicles emit nearly five times more CO2 than laboratory tests suggest, according to analysis of 800,000 European cars. PHEVs produce only 19% less emissions than petrol/diesel cars versus the claimed 75% reduction. Drivers use electric mode just 27% of the time (not 84% as assumed), and engines still burn fuel during 33% of “electric” driving. The discrepancy helped carmakers avoid €5bn in EU fines.

WORLD – Summary: Carmakers in the UK face a £5.2 billion bill (AUD $11b) for motor finance scandal compensation. The Financial Conduct Authority’s scheme covers 14 million drivers overcharged through controversial dealer commissions, averaging $1,050 per payout. Banks are on the hook for 51% of the £11 billion total payout, with captive lenders like Ford, Hyundai, BMW, and Honda absorbing 47% of the remaining — surprising experts who expected banks to bear most expenses.

WORLD – Summary: UK electric car sales reached a record 72,800 in September, up nearly one-third year-on-year, boosted by new government grants of up to £3,750 for models under £37,000. Plug-in hybrids surged 56% to 38,300. Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for over half the market, with total September sales rising 14% to 312,900, the strongest since 2020.

WORLD – AutoExec Summary: California police pulled over a driverless Waymo for an illegal U-turn but couldn’t issue a ticket without a human driver. San Bruno police alerted Waymo to the violation. A new California law effective July 2026 will allow officers to issue “notices of noncompliance” to autonomous vehicle companies and requires emergency phone lines for first responders, following multiple incidents involving driverless cars blocking traffic and entering crime scenes.

WORLD – AutoExec Summary: German carmakers are lobbying to overturn the EU’s 2035 combustion engine ban despite already shedding 50,000 jobs last year—more than any German sector. Delaying the switch to electric vehicles won’t save jobs but will worsen competitiveness against Tesla and Chinese rivals, where Germany already lags a decade behind. The industry’s push threatens both climate goals and its own workforce’s future employment prospects.