Tesla (TSLA) sales are dropping like a rock in Europe, but it’s not just because of Elon Musk - Related to a, hybrid, is, plug-in, over
Kia Niro hit with a recall for over 80,000 EV, plug-in (PHEV), and hybrid models
Kia’s versatile crossover is facing a significant recall. Over 80,000 Kia Niro EV, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and hybrid models are being recalled over seat belts and airbags that could potentially malfunction. Here’s what you need to know and how you can get the fix.
Kia issues new recall for Niro EV, PHEV, and hybrids.
Kia America sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) over the weekend, notifying the agency of plans to recall 80,255 Niro EV, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and hybrid vehicles.
, the floor wiring assembly under the front passenger seat can get damaged, preventing the front airbags and seat belts from deploying or functionality as intended. The side airbag could also deploy unintentionally.
The recall impacts specific 2023 to 2024 model-year Niro vehicles across all powertrains, including 21,909 EVs, 49,535 hybrids, and 8,811 plug-in hybrids (PHEV models).
Kia Niro vehicles built between June 21, 2022, and December 17, 2024, could be impacted. New models built in 2025 are not included. Following an investigation, Kia found that repeatedly moving the manual front passenger seat could damage the wires underneath.
Due to a different layout, Niro vehicles with a power front passenger seat are not included. No crashes, injuries, or other fatalities were reported.
Niro drivers impacted by the recall can bring their vehicles to their local Kia dealer. The dealer will inspect and replace the floor wiring free of charge and install new wiring covers for added safety.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out on March 14, 2025. If you have questions, you can contact Kia’s customer service at 1-800-33-4542. Kia’s recall number is SC332.
You can also call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit their website at [website] for more information. The NHTSA campaign number is 25V-024.
EPA-estimated Range Starting Price 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind 253 miles $39,600 2025 Kia Niro EV Wave 253 miles $44,600 2025 Kia Niro EV prices and range by trim.
Starting at under $40,000, the 2025 Kia Niro EV is still one of the most affordable electric vehicles in the US. It’s available in Wind and Wave trims with a driving range of up to 253 miles.
With leases starting as low as $129 per month, the Niro is also one of the most affordable EV lease options right now. If you’re ready to check out the all-around crossover for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our link to view deals on the 2025 Kia Niro in your area today.
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Mercedes is already heavily discounting its 2025 EVs
Mercedes-Benz had a rough EV sales year in 2024 in the US, so it’s hitting the reset button this year. To lure buyers back in, the automaker is already rolling out sweet discounts on its 2025 EVs.
Sales of the EQB (36%), EQE (39%), and EQS (52%) decreased by sizeable margins in 2024, so Mercedes is taking action. Mercedes sent a bulletin to dealerships on February 3 outlining discounts on its 2025 EVs.
Some of the automaker’s largest discounts are on its most expensive EV models, such as the EQS AMG sedan, AMG EQE sedan, and AMG EQE SUV, so if you’re in the market for one of these models, now’s your chance.
The AMG EQS Sedan is available with a discount of $15,000. With the AMG EQS Sedan starting at $148,700, the $15,000 discount amounts to a 10% reduction in the EV’s price tag.
The AMG EQE Sedan is available at a $10,000 discount, and the AMG EQE SUV can be had with an $8,000 discount.
Mercedes is also offering the Maybach EQS 680 SUV – the automaker’s flagship EV – with a discount of $10,500. The Maybach EQS 680 SUV’s MSRP starts at $179,900, so the discount knocks around 6% off the SUV’s price tag. The EQS 580 SUV is also reduced by $10,500, which results in 8% off its price tag.
Mercedes-Benz is also slashing $13,500 off the EQS 450 Sedan and EQS 580 Sedan. The EQS 450 Sedan starts at $108,550 (12% discount), and the EQS 580 Sedan MSRP is $128,500 (11% discount).
CarsDirect says the discounts are offered as the Mercedes Incentive Bonus and are unadvertised dealer cash incentives on select models. These aren’t the only 2025 Mercedes EVs that have discounts, so ask the dealer about other models, but these are the largest discounts CarsDirect found.
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Tesla (TSLA) sales are dropping like a rock in Europe, but it’s not just because of Elon Musk
Tesla sales are dropping like a rock in Europe based on early sales numbers coming for January 2025. Many are linking this to dissatisfaction with CEO Elon Musk’s meddling in European politics.
While there’s undoubtedly some of that going on, it’s not the only factor.
Several European countries release car sale numbers on a monthly basis.
When we compare Tesla’s performance to the same period last year, the American automaker is down in every single market, and it has delivered about half as many vehicles as last year:
Country Jan-25 Jan-24 % YoY UK 1,293 1,581 [website] France 1,141 3,118 [website] Netherlands 926 1,610 [website] Norway 663 1,109 [website] Spain 269 1,094 [website] Sweden 394 730 [website] Denmark 451 763 [website] Portugal 380 551 [website] Total 5,517 10,556 [website].
Several media outlets are linking this sharp decline to a similar decline in the approval of Tesla CEO Elon Musk in those same markets.
They are sitting surveys that show Musk’s reputation is crashing in many of those markets after his meddling in politics, and the effect is trickling down to Tesla.
For example, a survey in Sweden showed that only 11% of the population had a positive view of Tesla (via Retuers):
The share of Swedes having a positive view of Tesla declined to 11% in a Novus survey conducted after Trump’s inauguration from 19% in a similar poll conducted Jan. 15-17, while those who stated they had a negative view rose to 63% from 47%, TT reported.
While Elon Musk’s reputation is undoubtedly affecting Tesla’s sales, it’s not the only factor at play here.
Q1 is always more difficult for Tesla as it works to liquidate its inventory in Q4 to boost its financial performance at the end of the year. Tesla ends up having very little inventory to work with in the first quarter of every year.
However, that was also true of Q1 2023, which is the comparison above.
The other significant factor is the in recent times unveiled new Model Y. Tesla is currently transitioning its best-selling vehicle to the new design, which is affecting production and inventory.
Either way, it does not look good for Tesla in Europe. 2024 was already a bad year, and now 2025 is off to a 50% decline to start.
I would expect the new Model Y is responsible for about half of that while Tesla’s struggling reputation, in large part due to Musk, is responsible for the rest of the decline.
Europe represented 325,000 deliveries for Tesla in 2024.
Where do you think 2025 will be? I think Tesla would be lucky to deliver 300,000 vehicles in Europe this year.
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Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% | 12.3% | 12.7% | 12.8% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.9% | 11.7% | 12.4% | 12.8% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Connected Cars | 35% | 14.2% |
| Autonomous Driving | 22% | 18.5% |
| EV Technology | 28% | 21.9% |
| Telematics | 10% | 9.7% |
| Other Automotive Tech | 5% | 6.3% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Tesla | 16.9% |
| Waymo | 12.3% |
| NVIDIA DRIVE | 10.7% |
| Bosch | 9.5% |
| Continental | 7.8% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Niro Recall Over landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the automotive tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing automotive tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of automotive tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
API beginner
How APIs enable communication between different software systemselectric vehicle intermediate
hybrid intermediate
platform intermediate
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