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BRIEFLY: VW, Germany, Ford & more | 24 Jul 2026
Jul 28, 2026
Show notes
It's EV News Briefly for Friday 24 July 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDaily
VOLKSWAGEN OPENS UK ORDERS FOR TRANSPORTER EHYBRID Volkswagen has opened UK orders for its first Transporter plug-in hybrid, badged eHybrid, offered in panel van, Kombi and Shuttle bodystyles with a 2.5-litre petrol engine, electric motor and 11.8kWh battery delivering 232PS and up to 35 miles of electric range. Prices start at £38,155 excluding VAT, and the van shares its Ford Transit Custom-derived plug-in hybrid platform while retaining a 1,132kg payload and 2,300kg towing capacity. GERMAN BEVS GOT CHEAPER, NOT PRICIER A study by ICCT and Fraunhofer ISI found that comparable battery EVs in Germany fell about 18% in real terms between 2020 and 2025, even though average list prices rose from roughly €37,000 to €53,000 due to larger, better-equipped models. Battery costs dropped 21-24% nominally over the period, but manufacturers mostly reinvested those savings into extra range and R&D rather than passing them fully to buyers. FORD APPROVES F-150 HOME BACKUP SWITCH Ford has approved Global Power Products' GenerLink transfer switch for F-150 Lightning and PowerBoost Hybrid owners, letting Pro Power Onboard feed a home's main electrical panel directly without extension cords. The hardware costs $1,100 plus installation fees of $250-$1,500, positioning it as a cheaper alternative to Ford's automatic wall-charger-based backup system. NISSAN LEAF NISMO LAUNCHES IN JAPAN Nissan has launched the Leaf Nismo in Japan starting July 22, with North America and Europe to follow later; it keeps the standard 160kW/214hp motor and battery but adds recalibrated software for about 20% stronger initial acceleration, plus suspension, tyre and aerodynamic upgrades. Pricing starts at ¥6.60 million (~$40,600), rising to ¥7.23 million (~$44,510) for the weight-saving Recaro edition. SILA RAISES $300 MILLION FOR US ANODES Sila has raised $300 million to expand production of its Titan Silicon silicon-carbon anodes, which it claims can boost EV range by up to 20% and energy density by 20-40% with faster charging. Its Moses Lake, Washington factory is scaling toward 250 GWh of annual capacity within five years, with customers including Mercedes-Benz and Panasonic Energy already signed up. MILENCE OPENS ZERO-EMISSION BUILT HENGLO TRUCK HUB Milence has opened its fourth Dutch heavy-duty charging hub, at Deurningen-Hengelo on the A1, notable as the company's first built entirely using zero-emission construction machinery. The site offers five 400kW CCS bays plus rest facilities, and Milence, backed by Daimler Truck, Traton and Volvo, plans to replicate the all-electric construction approach at future hubs. SPECTRE CLIMBS AS ROLLS-ROYCE KEEPS V12 The Rolls-Royce Spectre became the brand's second best-selling model worldwide in 2025, drawing a younger buyer base and showing little resistance from existing V12 customers, according to sales director Julian Jenkins. Despite this EV momentum and an upcoming Spectre Series II with 500kW output and 628km range, Rolls-Royce has dropped its 2030 V12 phase-out plan, citing regulatory changes, and will keep selling both powertrains. GRIDSERVE OPENS FIFTH ELECTRIC FORECOURT AT M1 GRIDSERVE has opened its fifth Electric Forecourt at Markham Vale on the M1, featuring 39 ultra-rapid 400kW ABB charging bays, solar panels and rainwater harvesting, bringing its national network past 200 sites. The launch follows a record first half of 2026 in which battery electric vehicles reached about 24.9% of UK new car registrations. HOME CHARGING LEAVES RAPID NETWORK UNDER STRAIN A YouGov survey of 2,086 EV drivers found 74.6% use public chargers only once every few months or less, reflecting that 91% of EV owners can charge at home where off-peak tariffs can fall to 7p/kWh versus 87p/kWh for public rapid charging. This heavy reliance on home charging is squeezing public chargepoint operators financially, even as rapid chargers remain essential for longer journeys. AUSTRALIA POST GETS $40.5M FOR HEAVIER EVS Australia Post will receive a $40.5 million federal investment in 2026-27 to add electric vans, trucks, prime movers and depot charging infrastructure, building on its existing fleet of over 5,000 electric vehicles. The move aims to cut diesel use by about 1 million litres a year while supporting a delivery network handling 2.2 billion parcels annually. AVILOO EXPANDS USED EV BATTERY WARRANTY NORTH Aviloo has extended its used EV Battery Warranty to Norway and Denmark, adding to ten existing European markets, using its three-minute Flash Test to set an individual State of Health threshold for each vehicle. If a covered battery falls below that threshold within a year, buyers receive compensation of up to 34,000 kr in Norway or 23,000 kr in Denmark, plus a refund of the test cost.
BRIEFLY: EU Sales, GM, Range Rover & more | 23 Jul 2026
Jul 26, 2026
Show notes
EUROPEAN EV SALES JUMP 52% IN JUNE European EV sales rose 52% in June, with volume models up 59% and premium models up 31%, pushing year-to-date growth to 35% overall. Tesla led the market with the Model Y and Model 3, while models like the Renault 5, Skoda Enyaq, and Leapmotor T03 showed strong gains, and BMW topped the slower-growing premium segment. GM EV RESET COSTS $10.9 BILLION GM’s shift away from aggressive EV expansion has now cost $10.9 billion, including a new $2.3 billion charge tied to reducing battery capacity and retooling factories for more petrol vehicles. The reversal follows weaker EV demand and missed targets against Tesla, mirroring similar multi-billion-dollar pullbacks by Ford, Stellantis, and Volkswagen. RANGE ROVER SHOWS ELECTRIC GT PROTOTYPE JLR has unveiled a low-slung electric GT-style crossover as a fifth Range Rover model, blending SUV and saloon design on its EMA platform. A production version is expected next year with likely dual-motor AWD, though performance and range figures remain undisclosed. HOLLYWOOD TESLA DINER TOPS GLOBAL SUPERCHARGER NETWORK Tesla’s Hollywood diner and Supercharger site became the busiest in its global network within a year, delivering 21.2 GWh and averaging about 1,600 daily charging sessions. The location significantly outperforms other sites in weekly energy delivered, highlighting demand for high-traffic charging hubs. SWEDEN EV SHARE HITS 67% IN Q2 Plug-in vehicles reached a 67% market share in Sweden in Q2 2026, driven mainly by BEVs rising to 42% while PHEVs declined slightly. Overall car sales grew 22%, supported by new rural-focused incentives, with the Volvo EX40 remaining the top-selling BEV. VOLKSWAGEN ID. POLO STARTS AT £23,945 Volkswagen’s new all-electric ID. Polo will start at £23,945, marking a key model in its “True VW” strategy with improved design, usability, and physical controls. Offering up to 280 miles of range and modern tech across trims, it aims to balance affordability, practicality, and everyday performance. VOLKSWAGEN BACKS SAFETY-LED E-BIKE RANGE Volkswagen has backed a premium e-bike line featuring 250W motors and a 25 km/h limit, focused on safety and urban usability rather than speed. Key features include a radar-assisted rear-view system, integrated lighting, and optional smart helmet and HUD glasses to bring car-style safety tech into micromobility. HYUNDAI UNITES V2X UNDER ALL DAY ENERGY Hyundai has launched All Day Energy, a unified V2X platform that combines its regional systems into a single global service accessible via vehicle apps. The system enables EVs to supply power to homes, buildings, other vehicles, and the grid, with the UK set as the first rollout market. BURNHAM CUTS POWER VAT, WIDENS EV CHARGING GAP The UK will remove VAT on domestic electricity from October, cutting bills and benefiting EV owners who charge at home while leaving public charging taxed at 20%. This widens the cost gap for the 32% of households without driveways, intensifying calls for equalised charging taxes. ABARTH 500E GETS UK GRANT The Abarth 500e now qualifies for a £3,750 UK government grant, reducing its price to £24,245 and making the electric hot hatch more accessible. The incentive aims to broaden its appeal beyond early adopters since its 2023 launch. ILLINOIS EV REBATES RETURN ON AUGUST 1 Illinois will relaunch its EV rebate program on August 1 with $14 million in funding, offering up to $4,000 for low-income buyers and $2,000 standard rebates. The program runs until funds are exhausted, with strict eligibility rules including price caps, dealer requirements, and no leases. USED EVS KEEP MORE BATTERY THAN FEARED A Swedish study of nearly 10,000 tests found many EVs retain 95–97% battery capacity after over 100,000 km, challenging common concerns about degradation. Models like the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona performed best, while battery chemistry and supplier differences also significantly affected long-term health.
BRIEFLY: VW, MG, Tesla & more | 22 Jul 2026
Jul 23, 2026
Show notes
It's EV News Briefly for Wednesday 22 July 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDaily
VW CONFIRMS ELECTRIC NEXT-GEN AMAROK Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand chief Stefan Mecha has confirmed that the third-generation Amarok will be offered as a fully electric model, part of a flexible drivetrain strategy spanning PHEVs and EVs that he says is essential to keeping the ute competitive, while the current Amarok's powertrain line-up stays unchanged. The timing points to 2029-2030, matching the expiry of VW's production deal with Ford, and talks with Ford about the next generation's underpinnings are still ongoing. MG GO! PREVIEWS SMALL EV FOR 2027 MG has unveiled the GO! concept at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a roughly four-metre B-segment electric hatchback designed at SAIC's U.K. studio that borrows MGB GT grille lines and vertical taillamp elements, with production due in 2027 and possibly badged MG 2. MG admits the show car is a "dressed up" version that will lose its bulging fenders, oversized wheels, tow hooks and diffuser, and while technical details are unconfirmed, industry coverage points to MG's front-drive E3/Urban architecture with modest LFP batteries to rival the Renault 5 E-Tech and Mini Cooper Electric. TESLA OPENS FIRST PUBLIC SEMI MEGACHARGER Tesla has opened its first public Megacharger station for Semi fleets in Bloomington, California, about an hour east of Los Angeles, with six stalls each capable of up to 1.2 MW and access for all Tesla Semi commercial fleet customers. The launch was confirmed by Tesla Charging on X and marked with a ribbon-cutting attended by trucking, fleet and charging figures, with the San Bernardino County site chosen for its position on the freight corridor linking the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Southern California's warehouse network. USED EVS OUTPACE PETROL CARS IN BRITAIN Steep fuel prices have driven a surge in British used-EV demand, with Autotrader's July fastest-selling ranking filled entirely by electrified models for the first time — eight of them fully electric, double last year's tally — led by the MG ZS at 13 days against a 24-day average for used EVs and 30 days across all fuel types. Average used-EV prices rose 1.6% year-on-year to £24,662 ($33,225), the first increase since December 2022, and Autotrader's Marc Palmer says that unlike past Middle East-driven spikes tied to events such as the US-Israeli war on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz closure, this demand has been sustained while the ten slowest sellers were all petrol or diesel. LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LEAD GERMAN EV SUBSIDY APPROVALS Handelsblatt reports that 48% of approvals under Germany's new EV subsidy scheme have gone to households with taxable income up to €45,000 ($51,300), according to data from a parliamentary inquiry by Left Party lawmaker Jorrit Bosch, with lower-income buyers eligible for up to €6,000 ($6,840) on new BEVs, range-extenders and select plug-in hybrids depending on vehicle type, income and family size. The programme launched in January to replace the flat-rate scheme scrapped abruptly in late 2023, and environment ministry figures show foreign manufacturers took most of the support, with only two of the 14 most-subsidised brands being German as Germany's EV fleet passed 2.2 million by early April 2026. SUBARU CUTS 2027 SOLTERRA PRICE IN CANADA Subaru Canada has cut the 2027 Solterra's starting MSRP to $47,995, $4,500 below the 2026 model and just under the country's $50,000 EVAP threshold, which restores its eligibility for the federal rebate worth up to $5,000. Subaru quotes an effective starting figure of $46,727 with delivery, dealer fees and the rebate included, against $55,285 for the current 2026 car, with the updated model due at Canadian dealerships later this year. CANADA CLEARS 6,531 CHINA-MADE EV IMPORTS Canada had imported 6,531 China-made EVs by July 14, leaving roughly 75% of the 24,500-vehicle first-half quota unused, with arrivals starting in May and building through June and July but falling well short of the allowance. Ottawa will keep the current quota open through August before adding a further 24,500 vehicles plus any unused first-half volume for September through February 2027; Global Affairs Canada does not break the figures down by brand, but Shanghai-built Tesla Model 3s are presumed to dominate, Lotus has accounted for nearly two dozen and Polestar is expected to resume Polestar 2 imports in August. DONGFENG MOVES INTO CANADIAN EV MARKET Dongfeng plans to enter Canada's EV market under the low-tariff quota created by Mark Carney's deal with China earlier this year, showing the Vigo and Nammi Box 01 to buyers at an Old Port event in Montreal this week while it completes regulatory certification. North World Industry will handle distribution, and the company is starting with consumer awareness before sales, aiming to launch its first two models next year. KIA PITCHES SMALL EV VAN FOR CANADIAN FLEETS Kia Canada has pitched the PV5 as a compact electric cargo van for small businesses and urban fleets, offering about 160 cubic feet of cargo volume and targeting tradespeople, last-mile delivery firms and telecom operators that do not need a full-size vehicle. The real test may be size rather than range or price, given GM pulled its Ontario-built BrightDrop vans — offering 400 or 600 cubic feet — from the market last fall after weak sales, while Kia calls the smaller PV5 an answer to an "unmet need". GEELY SETS E2 PRICE BELOW €20,000 IN ITALY Geely will launch the E2 small electric hatchback in Italy in October at a promotional €19,900, undercutting the Citroen e-C3 at €20,490 and sitting just above the BYD Dolphin Surf at €19,790; the same car is sold as the EX2 in the U.K. and the Xingyuan in China, where it was last year's best-selling model with 160,800 wholesale deliveries in the first five months of this year. In Europe's small-EV class the Renault 5 E-Tech leads with 36,575 sales, up 35%, ahead of the e-C3 on 17,859 (down 11%), the Dolphin Surf on 15,072 and the Peugeot e-208 on 10,546, up 23%. HOYMILES LAUNCHES UL 3700 BALCONY SOLAR INVERTER Hoymiles has launched the HiFlow Pro, which it says is the first US microinverter certified under UL 3700, the new safety standard for plug-in balcony solar, a model already popular in Europe — especially Germany — that lets homeowners and renters run portable panels through a standard outlet instead of a rooftop install. Eight states had signed plug-in solar bills into law as of July 2026 — Utah, Maine, Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire — with New York's awaiting the governor's signature as of July 16 and nearly 30 states having introduced legislation, while safeguards must prevent the reversed power flow from feeding the grid during outages; a single 360W unit produces up to 721.08 kWh a year and up to four can run in parallel across separate outlets. RUSSIAN FUEL SHORTAGES PUSH DRIVERS TO EVS Ukrainian strikes on energy targets have tightened Russian fuel supplies, bringing hours-long queues and rising gasoline and diesel prices that are pushing some motorists towards electric cars, including engineer Oksana Yasinskaya, 36, who told Automotive News the queues settled her decision to buy an EV and that she values not wasting hours on what she called a humiliating wait, with some drivers queuing late at night. Autostat says EV and plug-in hybrid sales accelerated in June as shortages worsened and expects the tiny market to grow if the crisis drags on, though it still leans on used cars rather than fresh showroom demand.
BRIEFLY: Range Rover, U.S. Sales, Ford & more | 21 Jul 2026
Jul 22, 2026
Show notes
It's EV News Briefly for Tuesday 21 July 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDaily
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