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Consumer Tech News (Mar 30-Apr 2): Tesla, Nio, XPeng Drive EV Growth, Apple iPhone 17, Meta Ray-Ban Launches & More

Benzinga·04/04/2026 13:10:51
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Software and Semiconductors

Smartphones & Social Media

  • Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) upcoming iPhone 17 lineup is off to a steady start, with early production data showing slightly higher demand than recent models as more buyers opt for pricier Pro versions, helping offset rising component costs.
  • Telegram founder Pavel Durov highlighted reports that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had removed multiple VPN and proxy applications from its Russian App Store.

Broadline Retail, E-Commerce & Finance

Automobile

  • Tesla Inc(NASDAQ:TSLA) reported an 8.7% year-over-year increase in China-made EV sales to 85,670 units in March, marking a fifth straight month of growth. First-quarter sales rose 23.5%, accelerating from the previous quarter.
  • Tesla recorded a surge in registrations across multiple European markets as the Elon Musk-led EV giant's sales improved after consistent declines.
  • CEO Elon Musk has said that the automaker has officially ended production of the premium Model S and X lines.
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford has opposed potential agreements between Stellantis NV (NYSE:STLA) and China's Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. Ltd., a company in which Stellantis owns a 20% stake, to manufacture electric vehicles in a Stellantis facility in Brampton, Ontario.
  • Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN) sales fell during the first quarter by over 26.5% YoY as the company sold 8,141 vehicles in Q1 2026 compared to the 11,070 units it delivered last year. During March, Rivian sold 2,925 units, an almost 1000 unit decline from the 3,910 units it sold in March 2025.
  • XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) March deliveries rebounded strongly to 27,415 units, up 80% month-on-month, but remained 17% lower than a year ago. For the first quarter, the company delivered 62,682 vehicles, down 33.3% year-on-year, though still within its stated guidance range.
  • WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) and Grab Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRAB) launched Singapore’s first autonomous public ride service in Punggol, following trials with over 1,000 users and 30,000 km of driverless operations.
  • WeRide launched fully driverless Robotaxi fare-charging operations in Dubai, marking a significant milestone in its partnership with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER).
  • Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO)  delivered 35,486 vehicles, marking a remarkable 136.0% year-over-year increase. In the first quarter, total deliveries reached 83,465 vehicles, reflecting 98.3% year-over-year growth.
  • Multiple Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDUApollo Go Robotaxis reportedly froze in China's Wuhan, sparking concerns about the safety of Robotaxis and autonomous vehicles around the world today.
  • Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) announced it has renewed and expanded its partnership with Stellantis through a new five-year agreement to advance data and artificial intelligence capabilities across the automaker's operations.