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Ronan Kavanagh

Automotive Reporter

205 Articles

About Ronan

Ronan reports on the automotive sector: production, demand, the EV transition and the supply chains underneath it. He is interested in the gap between announced targets and delivered vehicles, and in what the industry's turns mean for jobs, prices and buyers.

Areas of Expertise

Carmakers EVs suppliers mobility

Latest Articles

Radar, Lidar and the Race to Meet NHTSA's 2029 Auto-Safety Mandate
Automotive

Radar, Lidar and the Race to Meet NHTSA's 2029 Auto-Safety Mandate

Terahertz radar, silicon-photonics lidar and AI-enhanced cameras unveiled at CES 2026 are reshaping how cars will avoid ...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 38 💬 0
India's July Passenger Vehicle Sales Reach 3.65-3.70 Lakh as Maruti Crosses 2 Lakh Domestic Units
Automotive

India's July Passenger Vehicle Sales Reach 3.65-3.70 Lakh as Maruti Crosses 2 Lakh Domestic Units

Maruti Suzuki's record July of 1,96,203 passenger vehicles led a strong month for Indian auto makers, with Tata, Mahindr...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 38 💬 0
2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster With 6,000 Miles Heads to Auction
Automotive

2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster With 6,000 Miles Heads to Auction

A 6,000-mile 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster — the 620-hp Anglo-German grand tourer — heads to Bring a Trailer, ...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 40 💬 0
OMODA O5 SHS-H hybrid saloon to launch in UAE this September
Automotive

OMODA O5 SHS-H hybrid saloon to launch in UAE this September

The Chinese brand's latest hybrid combines a 1.5L turbo petrol engine with an electric motor for 224HP, 7.9s 0-100km/h a...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 36 💬 0
Xiaomi Shares Slide 6.9% After SUV Launch; Apple's China Miss Weighs on Tech
Automotive

Xiaomi Shares Slide 6.9% After SUV Launch; Apple's China Miss Weighs on Tech

Xiaomi’s stock dropped sharply after unveiling two range‑extender SUVs starting at CNY259,900, while Apple’s lower‑than‑...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 37 💬 0
Russian EV Sales Jump 2.5x in June 2026 as Drivers Chase Lower Running Costs
Automotive

Russian EV Sales Jump 2.5x in June 2026 as Drivers Chase Lower Running Costs

Electric car demand soared in Russia, particularly in southern resort cities, with households citing the dramatically ch...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 36 💬 0
Mercedes-AMG sales soar 50% in India as buyers demand hybrid performance cars they can drive to work
Automotive

Mercedes-AMG sales soar 50% in India as buyers demand hybrid performance cars they can drive to work

Mercedes-Benz India will expand its AMG lineup after half-year sales of the high-performance brand jumped 50%. MD Santos...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 38 💬 0
Ferrari's Mocked Jony Ive EV Meets Early Sales Target, Defying Critics and Wider EV Slump
Automotive

Ferrari's Mocked Jony Ive EV Meets Early Sales Target, Defying Critics and Wider EV Slump

The $640,000 electric four-door has already hit its initial sales goal, boosting Ferrari's outlook and shares even as th...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 37 💬 0
Nigeria Exempts Fully CNG and Electric Vehicles from Import Duty, VAT
Automotive

Nigeria Exempts Fully CNG and Electric Vehicles from Import Duty, VAT

The Nigerian government has waived import duties and VAT on fully CNG, LPG and electric vehicles to cut transport costs ...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 34 💬 0
Alfa Romeo’s next Stelvio pivots to hybrid, pushed to 2028 as EV demand falters
Automotive

Alfa Romeo’s next Stelvio pivots to hybrid, pushed to 2028 as EV demand falters

Alfa Romeo confirms a delayed Stelvio SUV with hybrid power alongside a BEV option, a design rethink and a larger footpr...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 46 💬 0
BMW Pursues Tariff Offset Deal with Trump-Aligned US Dealers
Automotive

BMW Pursues Tariff Offset Deal with Trump-Aligned US Dealers

German carmaker explores a mechanism to net import and export credits to ease the sting of U.S. tariffs, enlisting deale...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 40 💬 0
Mercedes GLA Goes Electric with 408-Mile Range, 800V Tech in Bid for Compact Premium Buyers
Automotive

Mercedes GLA Goes Electric with 408-Mile Range, 800V Tech in Bid for Compact Premium Buyers

The redesigned Mercedes GLA adds fully electric and hybrid powertrains, a striking illuminated grille from the brand's l...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 44 💬 0
Leapmotor B10’s Charging Ordeal Highlights Hurdles for New Chinese EV Entrants
Automotive

Leapmotor B10’s Charging Ordeal Highlights Hurdles for New Chinese EV Entrants

A prolonged charging fault on a long-term test Leapmotor B10 exposes the reliability risks that can still sour early ado...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 39 💬 0
Why Xpeng’s Stock Could Lead the Next Leg of Hong Kong’s Rally
Automotive

Why Xpeng’s Stock Could Lead the Next Leg of Hong Kong’s Rally

As capital rotates out of stretched AI hardware names and into beaten-down autos, Xpeng’s high beta and new ‘Physical AI...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 52 💬 0
US Dealer 'Giant' Seeks Tariff Deal to Save BMW from Billion-Euro Hit
Automotive

US Dealer 'Giant' Seeks Tariff Deal to Save BMW from Billion-Euro Hit

A major US auto dealer group with ties to Donald Trump is lobbying the administration to shield BMW from a 15% import ta...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 56 💬 0
The Landrovers' £425k Electric Defender Panterra Packs In-House Motors—and Hints at a Standalone Model
Automotive

The Landrovers' £425k Electric Defender Panterra Packs In-House Motors—and Hints at a Standalone Model

Dutch restomod firm The Landrovers has revealed the Panterra, an all-electric Land Rover Defender with 600 bhp, a 200 kW...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 48 💬 0
Audi Q9, the Brand's Largest and Most Luxurious SUV, Now Priced from €126,090 in Spain
Automotive

Audi Q9, the Brand's Largest and Most Luxurious SUV, Now Priced from €126,090 in Spain

Audi's new flagship SUV measures 5.31 metres, packs a diesel mild-hybrid with ECO label, and starts at €126,090 in Spain...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 35 💬 0
Ferrari’s First Electric Car, the Luce, Surprises With Pure Maranello Dynamics
Automotive

Ferrari’s First Electric Car, the Luce, Surprises With Pure Maranello Dynamics

The 1,035-hp Luce prototype proves Ferrari’s EV shift is about preserving a unique driving identity, not just compliance...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 45 💬 0
BMW to Cut 8,000 Jobs as German Auto Giants Double Down on China
Automotive

BMW to Cut 8,000 Jobs as German Auto Giants Double Down on China

BMW will eliminate 8,000 positions globally by late 2027, with over half in Germany, marking the industry's deepening st...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 46 💬 0
BMW to Cut 8,000 Jobs—Half in Germany—as New CEO Slashes Costs Amid Margin Slump
Automotive

BMW to Cut 8,000 Jobs—Half in Germany—as New CEO Slashes Costs Amid Margin Slump

BMW's new chief Milan Nedeljković unveiled a voluntary redundancy plan affecting 5% of the global workforce, with German...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 58 💬 0
Mini Countryman Goes Off-Road: Rugged Edition Tests in the Rockies Ahead of October Debut
Automotive

Mini Countryman Goes Off-Road: Rugged Edition Tests in the Rockies Ahead of October Debut

Mini is preparing a more adventurous Countryman variant with raised suspension, all-terrain tires, and a roof tent. The ...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 45 💬 0
Audi Q9 Becomes Brand’s Largest SUV, Targeting BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS with Tech and Power
Automotive

Audi Q9 Becomes Brand’s Largest SUV, Targeting BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS with Tech and Power

Audi has launched the Q9, its biggest and most technologically advanced SUV, aimed at the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS. Price...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 44 💬 0
Three-quarters of UK councils lack accessible on-street EV chargers, Vauxhall research shows
Automotive

Three-quarters of UK councils lack accessible on-street EV chargers, Vauxhall research shows

Vauxhall's FOI survey of 194 councils found that only 49 provide chargers adapted for disabled drivers, and just 14% of ...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 32 💬 0
Audi Reveals SQ9 Interior: Triple Screens, Carbon Trim, and a $119,395 Starting Price
Automotive

Audi Reveals SQ9 Interior: Triple Screens, Carbon Trim, and a $119,395 Starting Price

The 2027 Audi SQ9 flagship SUV debuts with a tech-forward cabin, optional 6- or 7-seat layouts, and a performance-focuse...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 40 💬 0
Delhi Mandates Electric Vehicles for Most New Registrations, Phasing Out Gas Models
Automotive

Delhi Mandates Electric Vehicles for Most New Registrations, Phasing Out Gas Models

India’s capital launches a $1.5 billion EV policy with subsidies, tax waivers, and a phase-out of new gas two- and three...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 45 💬 0
Audi's New Q9 Flagship Is Officially Too Large for London's Streets
Automotive

Audi's New Q9 Flagship Is Officially Too Large for London's Streets

At 5.31m long and 2.21m wide, the new Audi Q9 cannot fit through London’s larger width restrictors and is half a metre l...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 40 💬 0
2027 Audi SQ9 Exterior Revealed: A 591-hp Three-Row Luxury SUV
Automotive

2027 Audi SQ9 Exterior Revealed: A 591-hp Three-Row Luxury SUV

Audi shows the exterior of its new SQ9 flagship, a 591-hp twin-turbo V-8 three-row SUV priced from $119,395 and arriving...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 41 💬 0
Prince Alwaleed Takes 5% Stake in Lucid Motors, Adding $2 Billion Weight to Saudi EV Push
Automotive

Prince Alwaleed Takes 5% Stake in Lucid Motors, Adding $2 Billion Weight to Saudi EV Push

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal disclosed a nearly $2 billion stake in Lucid Motors, a personal bet that dee...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 43 💬 0
2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Pairs V-12 Opulence with a Price Gap Against Rolls-Royce
Automotive

2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Pairs V-12 Opulence with a Price Gap Against Rolls-Royce

The Maybach S680 undercuts the Rolls-Royce Ghost by over $100,000 while delivering a V-12 engine and a properly chauffeu...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 41 💬 0
2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Reviewed: V-12 Power Meets First-Class Comfort
Automotive

2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Reviewed: V-12 Power Meets First-Class Comfort

The updated ultra-luxury sedan pairs a hand-built twin-turbo V-12 with a cabin built for passenger pampering, arriving i...

Ronan Kavanagh 👁 41 💬 0