1. Zeekr 7X facelift lands in Australia with more punch, same prices
Zeekr has put the updated 2027 7X electric SUV on sale here. The pitch is simple: more power, more kit, and no price rise. The range still starts at $57,900 before on-road costs for the rear-wheel drive, stepping to $63,900 for the Long Range RWD and $72,900 for the Performance AWD, with deliveries due from December 2026. Rear-drive versions jump from 310kW/440Nm to 335kW/520Nm, cutting the 0–100km/h sprint from 6.0 seconds to 5.6 (or 5.5 in the Long Range), while the flagship Performance AWD now makes 500kW/790Nm and hits 100km/h in a claimed 3.7 seconds. Range creeps up too, to 482km, 627km and 544km respectively, and cheaper grades pick up gear previously reserved for the flagship — including nappa leather and a centre-console fridge on the Long Range, plus a built-in dashcam with sentry mode across the range. One thing it misses: the 900-volt charging architecture of Chinese models, so Aussie cars stick with the existing charging hardware.
Source: Drive
2. Hyundai's next-gen hybrid promises 45% better fuel economy
Hyundai has shown its next-generation hybrid system, built around a new dual-motor transmission that pairs two integrated electric motors — one handling starting and energy generation, the other driving the wheels and regenerative braking. The first application is a 2.5-litre turbo hybrid in the all-new Palisade, making 334 PS and 460 Nm with a claimed 45% improvement in fuel efficiency, 19% more power and 9% more torque than the standard 2.5-litre turbo. A 1.6-litre turbo hybrid for a mid-size SUV follows, and the system can scale from the low-100 PS range to the mid-300 PS region, so expect it to spread across Hyundai's range. Also in the package: electric all-wheel drive via a rear motor, vehicle-to-load power for running gear off the car, and a Stay Mode for parked use. If you're not sold on a full EV yet, that's the point of it — a hybrid that uses less fuel and pulls harder.
Source: WapCar
3. Tesla Robotaxi now runs to 2am — and the Cybercab takes the lead
Tesla's Robotaxi service in the US has stretched its hours to 6am to 2am, up from the 11pm cutoff posted earlier in October, with the company's AI boss joking it now runs “until bar closing time”. The same update adds a rear-view camera feed riders can watch mid-trip, trip sharing with a friend, a Calm Mode that dims the screen and sets relaxing cabin lighting, and Grok in Robotaxi Model Ys. Tesla hasn't named which cities get the new hours, so don't assume every market gets them yet. Meanwhile the purpose-built Cybercab has overtaken the Model Y on Tesla's Texas robotaxi registry as the fleet grows — the steering-wheel-free two-seater is taking over from the adapted SUV as the face of the service. Just don't over-read the registry, though — a car on the list isn't necessarily carrying passengers yet.
Source: TeslaNorth
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