Tesla loses its crown as Europe’s top EV seller — Volkswagen takes the lead in Q1

Author

Technology Insights Daily
May 05, 2025

In partnership with

100 Genius Side Hustle Ideas

Don't wait. Sign up for The Hustle to unlock our side hustle database. Unlike generic "start a blog" advice, we've curated 100 actual business ideas with real earning potential, startup costs, and time requirements. Join 1.5M professionals getting smarter about business daily and launch your next money-making venture.

Blink, and you’ve already missed the next big thing. AI, automation, quantum computing—while you’re scrolling past headlines, others are leveraging new tech to get ahead. Instead of scrambling to catch up, why not have the latest breakthroughs delivered straight to you? These handpicked tech newsletters keep you ahead of the curve, so you never miss an innovation that could change everything. Stop playing catch-up—start leading the trend. Get Daily Tech Updates – Join Free 🚀

In Q1 2025, Volkswagen overtook Tesla as the top electric vehicle (EV) seller in Europe, marking a significant shift in the region’s competitive landscape. According to industry data, VW Group’s total EV deliveries—including models from Volkswagen, Audi, and Škoda—surpassed Tesla’s, driven by strong demand for the ID.4, Audi Q4 e-tron, and new budget-friendly variants.

Tesla, which had dominated Europe’s EV sales for over two years thanks to the popularity of the Model Y and Model 3, saw a drop in registrations amid intensifying price competition and weakening consumer demand in key markets like Germany and France.

Volkswagen capitalized on localized production, expanded dealer networks, and government incentives for European-made EVs. Analysts note this shift could pressure Tesla to accelerate European Gigafactory output and introduce new models tailored to regional tastes. Meanwhile, Chinese brands like BYD are also gaining ground, adding more heat to Europe’s EV race.

Apple’s secretive robotics division underwent a major internal shake-up, with the former Siri head reportedly reassigned to another project. The robotics initiative—believed to focus on personal AI assistants or mobile robotic hardware—has been quietly in development for several years under tight confidentiality.

According to insiders, the leadership change signals a shift in Apple’s strategic direction, possibly pivoting from autonomous home robots to more tightly integrated AI features across existing product lines. The reassigned executive had previously overseen Siri’s AI evolution and was instrumental in early language model integration, suggesting Apple is now blending its AI and hardware roadmaps more directly.

Apple has not officially acknowledged the project, but growing job postings referencing robotics, sensors, and AI navigation point to serious investment in the space. Analysts speculate that any eventual product may compete with Amazon’s Astro or become a physical extension of Apple Intelligence.

China quietly lifted retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. semiconductor imports, signaling a subtle shift in its trade strategy amid ongoing tensions. The rollback affects a subset of chips used in consumer electronics, industrial controllers, and automotive systems—categories where domestic substitutes remain limited.

The move is widely interpreted as a pragmatic effort to ease supply chain bottlenecks and stabilize key industries amid a global slowdown in chip availability. It also comes as the U.S. maintains restrictions on high-end AI and defense-related semiconductors but has exempted lower-tier chips from broader sanctions.

Although Beijing has not issued a formal announcement, customs data and supplier confirmations indicate that duties on select chip categories have dropped to near-zero. Analysts view this as a tactical, not conciliatory, adjustment—one that benefits Chinese manufacturers while sidestepping overt political signaling.

Further easing may depend on how Washington handles upcoming export control reviews and WTO pressure.

penAI announced that the powerful Deep Research feature within ChatGPT is now available to free-tier users, a move that significantly broadens access to advanced AI capabilities. Originally limited to paid Pro users, Deep Research allows users to generate more thorough, multi-step responses backed by real-time information and source citation.

The tool is especially useful for tasks like academic inquiry, comparative analysis, and in-depth fact-checking. It leverages a more intensive reasoning process, integrating external knowledge (when enabled) to construct layered, well-referenced responses.

OpenAI stated that making Deep Research free reflects their commitment to democratizing access to high-level AI tools. However, free users may experience slightly slower response times during peak hours and lower priority in model access compared to subscribers.

Analysts believe this move will boost ChatGPT’s appeal in education and public research spaces, while also helping OpenAI gather broader usage feedback to refine its AI output quality.

Apple confirmed it will fully shift iPhone assembly for U.S. sales to India, marking a major pivot away from Chinese manufacturing. Starting next year, iPhones sold in the United States will be assembled exclusively in India, through partners like Foxconn and Tata Electronics.

This shift is part of Apple’s broader supply chain diversification strategy, prompted by escalating geopolitical tensions, labor disruptions, and rising production costs in China. India has quickly become Apple’s fastest-growing manufacturing hub, offering lower labor costs, improved infrastructure, and favorable government incentives under the “Make in India” program.

The company already produces over 14% of global iPhones in India as of early 2025, and is rapidly scaling up to cover North American demand. Analysts say this move reduces Apple’s operational risk, strengthens its regional trade advantages, and may influence other tech giants to follow suit in reshaping global electronics supply chains.

Don’t just scroll past breakthroughs in AI, automation, and quantum computing — get the most important updates delivered directly to you.

With our handpicked tech insights, you’ll spot new opportunities before others even notice them, helping you lead trends instead of chasing them.

That’s a wrap for today! Stay informed and ahead—catch us tomorrow for more insights. Forward 🔗 www.technologyinsightsdaily.com to a colleague who loves emerging tech.