France, Zinoro, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Merkel, Audi.

Record registrations in France: Some 1,050 new electric vehicles hit the roads in France in June, more than ever before. The Renault Zoe took the crown, with 641 units sold. However, compared to first six months last year, overall EV registration fell about 10 percent.
emobilitaetonline.de (in German), avem.fr (in French)

Caught on camera: Pictures of the Brilliance-BMW Zinoro 1E on the streets of Beijing, China, have been published. The Zinoro is not for sale and can only be rented or leased. Rates start at about 7,400 renminbi (1,190 dollars) a month at a 3-year lease. Another reason why it might have a hard time is the lack of public charging infrastructure in Beijing, where the only dealer is located.
carnewschina.com (pics), pluginindia.com (leasing)

BMW i8 priced for the States: The base price of the all-electric sportscar has been listed at 135,700 dollars, plus a 950 dollar destination fee. The i8 will be available in the U.S. starting August 17th. 90% of the initial production will be available with the 10,800 dollar ‘Pure Impulse World’ launch package.
bmwblog.com via greencarreports.com

The new face of Harley-Davidson: Jim Federico, the former GM executive responsible for the Chevy Volt and Spark EV, has joined the chopper team, where he will head the LiveWire project. By the way, the electric Harley is said to come to Europe next year as well.
autoevolution.com

Merkel head to China: The German chancellor will travel to the country next week. Among her delegation will also be representatives from the automotive industry and electric mobility projects have also been spotted on the agenda.
autonews.gasgoo.com

Test driving Audi’s A3 Sportback e-tron: The title already sets the mood, saying it is “a car BMW needs to be afraid of.” It is further described as an “absurdly luxurious car for its segment” and the “class benchmark,” since it appeals to a wide range of drivers.
ecomento.com