Articles by Leon Poultney, EVs correspondent

Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.

Articles by: Leon Poultney

I've driven the new Mercedes VLE — and this limousine-like electric van made me rethink what a family car should be

By Leon Poultney Published 26 July 26

Vans have been relatively slow to adopt electrification, but the new Mercedes VLE shows that van lovers are finally getting some greener choices.

Tesla's Summer Update makes Grok the smart assistant it was always meant to be

By Leon Poultney Published 22 July 26

Tesla's latest update makes Grok much more useful behind the wheel

Xpeng claims China is close to making a Tesla Model Y beater — but my experience suggests it'll fall short for two big reasons

By Leon Poultney Published 20 July 26

Can Xpeng really beat the Tesla Model Y? After driving both, I have doubts

Volkswagen unveils its innovative eBike with the world's first integrated rear-view camera and smart glasses

By Leon Poultney Published 15 July 26

This Volkswagen eBike has a rear-view camera, blind-spot alerts, and a HUD.

LAPD hits pause on Flock surveillance cameras due to 'serious concerns around civil liberties and privacy' — as the backlash continues to grow

By Leon Poultney Published 14 July 26

Police are turning on Flock cameras as privacy concerns continue to grow

Xiaomi unveils its first range-extender SUV and it looks like a private jet on wheels

By Leon Poultney Published 14 July 26

Xiaomi's first gas-powered model is a huge luxury SUV with 930 miles of range

I went to the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 — here are the top 5 EVs and concept cars I saw, from BYD to Mercedes

By Leon Poultney Published 11 July 26

The coolest electric cars and concepts from Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026

I’ve driven the hybrid Audi RS 5 — and it's completely changed what I think of plug-in hybrids

By Leon Poultney Published 11 July 26

Audi's latest RS 5 blends 639hp with some of the smartest hybrid tech I've tested.

Worried about Flock cameras? All new cars in the EU now need to have a camera aimed at the driver's face in the latest privacy nightmare

By Leon Poultney Published 10 July 26

Every new car sold in the EU must now include a driver-monitoring camera, sparking latest data privacy row

This adorable $14K Fiat EV is coming to America — but it's barely faster than an e-bike

By Leon Poultney Published 8 July 26

Fiat's tiny electric Topolino heads to the US priced at less than $14K, but good luck driving it on the highway.

Modern EV batteries are more durable than you think, new study reveals — most electric cars still have 95% of their original range after 5 years

By Leon Poultney Published 6 July 26

Electric vehicle batteries are lasting far longer than expected – but used EVs still have one major trust problem

Tesla silences critics with knockout EV sales as Elon Musk controversy fades — but it still can't stop BYD from reclaiming the global crown

By Leon Poultney Published 3 July 26

Tesla posts a record sales period as EV business rebounds, but BYD is still leading the global race

US bans Polestar but not Volvo in baffling EV ruling — data security fears force exit for premium brand, while its sister company gets a green light

By Leon Poultney Published 29 June 26

New US rule will ban Polestar EVs over data security fears, even though none of the EVs it sells in North America are built in China.

I tested the five best speed camera detection systems for drivers — here's the one I'd buy with my own money

By Leon Poultney Published 26 June 26

I took five of the best speed camera detectors for a long drive. Which one came out on top?

AI traffic cameras spark backlash in Mississippi — as government officials try to calm fears they’ll be used to catch motorists who are speeding, not wearing seatbelts or texting at the wheel

By Leon Poultney Published 24 June 26

Government officials in Mississippi have been attempting to calm fears that new AI traffic cameras will become a massive privacy violation.

A flock camera next to SignalTrace cameras on a post

This free tool is helping drivers avoid automatic license plate readers — as fears grow around 'intrusive' new devices that could track your phone, AirPod and smartwatch data

By Leon Poultney Published 22 June 26

Automatic license plate readers are getting worryingly smart, so drivers and privacy advocates are fighting back with a free tool called DeFlock.

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I've driven the Honda Super-N — and I'm in love with this go-kart for the daily drive

By Leon Poultney Published 19 June 26

Small but mighty, the Honda super-N aims to inject some serious fun into the compact EV market.

A man driving a life-size Lego Koenigsegg hypercar next to a shot on the car on the road

This life-size Koenigsegg just became the fastest drive-able Lego car ever — $5m hypercar recreated from 327,000 Technic elements and sent down Goodwood Hill at 69mph

By Leon Poultney Published 19 June 26

The 1:1 'Big Build' celebrates the hillclimb record set by Koenigsegg at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Tesla sucks! Handy vacuum cleaners have been spotted at some European Tesla Supercharger stalls

By Leon Poultney Published 18 June 26

Tesla helps kill EV charging time by providing handy on-site vacuum cleaners.

Some carmakers are ditching FM radios — and Rivian R2 fans aren't happy that they'll need a cellphone signal to listen to tunes in the wilderness

By Leon Poultney Published 18 June 26

Rivian becomes the latest carmaker to turn its back on AM/FM tuners in its vehicles and some potential punters aren’t happy

Xiaomi unveiled an EV feature that Tesla promised back in 2014… and it could make charging a lot easier

By Leon Poultney Published 15 June 26

Chinese tech giant unveils automatic EV charging solution

I’ve witnessed BYD fully charge its Denza Z9 GT in under 10 minutes, and it’s going to change how people view EVs

By Leon Poultney Published 10 June 26

Five-minute EV ‘Flash charging’ is coming to the UK and Europe this year, promising ultra-rapid top-ups at a surprisingly low price

An old Harley Davidson motorbike next to Jason Momoa riding a motorbike

‘The best thing we’ve ever made’: Jason Momoa turns his 100-year-old Harleys into new electric classics — and you can buy the same ‘drop-in’ conversion kits

By Leon Poultney Published 9 June 26

Jason Momoa and UK conversion specialist Electrogenic team up to work on electrifying Hollywood star's classic collection.

Hey, remember that bonkers folding micro-LED TV? It’s back! And now it's a Bugatti

By Carrie Marshall, Leon Poultney Published 4 June 26

Recently found yourself in a Brewster's Millions-style situation? Then I've got the TV for you…

Rivian boss says Level 4 autonomous driving is 'much closer than people think', but Tesla is struggling to convince its own employees that the technology is reliable

By Leon Poultney Published 3 June 26

Rivian's boss hypes up the company's self-driving systems, while Tesla's own employees claim the tech isn't ready

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