Geely

The interior of the upcoming 2021 Lotus Emira sports car – which will be the brand’s last all-new vehicle featuring an internal combustion engine – has been teased, ahead of an official unveiling early next month. The newest images reveal an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with yellow highlights, positioned in front of a digital instrument cluster. Two paddle shifters appear to sit behind the wheel, suggesting power will be sent to the ground via an automatic transmission.

Chinese car giants Geely and SAIC have unveiled new brands in recent days, with the companies targeting the luxury electric vehicle (EV) segment. Earlier this week, Geely announced it would launch a new premium EV brand called Zeekr, with plans to offer models around the globe. The car maker says Zeekr models will offer an "unrivalled luxury experience in terms of comfort and performance".

Smart, the automotive brand best known for its pint-sized, subcompact cars, has confirmed it is developing an electric SUV that will be small on the outside, but big on the inside. According to a LinkedIn post from the brand's Vice President of Sales, Marketing & After-Sales, Daniel Lescow, Smart's first SUV "won't just be any SUV". "It will be exceptional – instantly recognizable as smart, ultra-modern, sophisticated and advanced in connectivity solutions," Mr Lescow said.

We usually talk about electric vehicles (EVs) as vehicles that need plugging in. But wireless charging pads are also being used commercially, and have great potential. One issue with these pads, though, is that they are traditionally unable to charge as quickly. Another is that a receiving vehicle’s underbody charging plates must be precisely aligned to receive airborne charge.

Volvo Cars and Geely have confirmed they are investigating a merger. Currently Volvo Cars is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chinese automaker. In a joint statement to the press, they said the mooted merger will "accelerate financial and technological synergies between the two companies", as well as improve scale and allow them to "be a leader in the on-going transformation of the automotive industry".