ev.news

BMW iX4 GAINS RANGE BY SACRIFICING SPACE
https://evne.ws/6y21g
AUDI BRINGS BACK A2 AS £32,200 ELECTRIC HATCH
https://evne.ws/zv9u0
VOLKSWAGEN PUTS GTI BADGE ON ELECTRIC POLO
https://evne.ws/p05jq
MERCEDES EV SALES SURGE AS CHINA BUSINESS SHRINKS
https://evne.ws/3vxdj
OCTOPUS OFFERS FLEETS UP TO 30% OFF PUBLIC CHARGING
https://evne.ws/qm4jv
CHERY AND BYD TAKE BIGGER SLICE OF UK CAR SALES
https://evne.ws/a2rx9
US ROOFTOP SOLAR BUYERS INCREASINGLY ADD BATTERIES
https://evne.ws/03ck7

BMW iX4 GAINS RANGE BY SACRIFICING SPACE
BMW’s new iX4 electric SUV offers up to 514 miles of WLTP range, 17 miles more than the equivalent iX3 thanks to improved aerodynamics, but sacrifices 30 litres of boot space for its sloping roofline. UK deliveries begin in March 2027, with prices from £60,170, battery capacities up to 108.7 kWh and DC charging reaching 400 kW, demonstrating how aerodynamic improvements can extend range without increasing battery size.
AUDI BRINGS BACK A2 AS £32,200 ELECTRIC HATCH
Audi has revived the A2 as a compact electric hatchback starting at £32,200, offering up to 397 miles of WLTP range, three battery sizes from 52 to 84 kWh, charging at up to 183 kW and optional bidirectional charging. Arriving in early 2027, the Volkswagen MEB-based A2 prioritises aerodynamic efficiency and practicality, reviving a philosophy that struggled commercially 21 years ago but could prove more appealing in the electric era.
VOLKSWAGEN PUTS GTI BADGE ON ELECTRIC POLO
Volkswagen has opened German orders for its first fully electric GTI, the €39,995 ID. Polo GTI, featuring a 166 kW motor, 52 kWh usable battery, 431 km WLTP range and 105 kW charging. Arriving 50 years after the original Golf GTI, it combines performance-focused suspension and steering with nostalgic driving features, testing whether Volkswagen can transfer the GTI badge’s enthusiast appeal to electric motoring.
MERCEDES EV SALES SURGE AS CHINA BUSINESS SHRINKS
Mercedes-Benz achieved record quarterly electric passenger-car sales of 68,400 in Q3 2026, up 61% year on year, with European EV sales rising 78% and several new electric models already sold out for the remainder of 2026. However, total passenger-car sales fell 8% to 407,200 as Chinese sales collapsed 31%, exposing the growing tension between Mercedes’ successful electric transition and its weakening position in the world’s largest automotive market.
OCTOPUS OFFERS FLEETS UP TO 30% OFF PUBLIC CHARGING
Octopus Fleet has launched FleetBoost, offering UK electric fleets discounts of up to 30% on public charging through participating networks Ionity, Be.EV and MFG EV Power, with claimed annual savings reaching £730 per vehicle. The initiative targets one of fleet electrification’s biggest operating costs, although actual savings will depend on charger availability along drivers’ routes, and Octopus has not disclosed how its maximum savings estimate was calculated.
CHERY AND BYD TAKE BIGGER SLICE OF UK CAR SALES
Chinese manufacturers continued their rapid expansion in Britain during September, with Chery International UK registrations rising 171% to 32,823 vehicles and a 9.36% market share, while BYD grew 80% to 20,129 vehicles and 5.76% of the market. Crucially, their success extends beyond fully electric vehicles into hybrids and plug-in hybrids, allowing both companies to attract a wider customer base while investing in British retail networks and engineering operations.
US ROOFTOP SOLAR BUYERS INCREASINGLY ADD BATTERIES
Home battery storage accompanied 37% of new US residential solar installations in 2025, up from 25% in 2024, with California leading at 74% following changes that reduced payments for electricity exported to the grid. The figures from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory demonstrate how lower export compensation is encouraging households to store their solar generation for later consumption, strengthening the economic case for combining rooftop solar with battery storage.

NIO COMPLETES 1.2 MILLION SWAPS IN HOLIDAY WEEK
https://evne.ws/zsf6z
XPENG BUILDS G9L IN AUSTRIA AHEAD OF PARIS LAUNCH
https://evne.ws/gubp9
CHINA AND EU REACH HYBRID UNDERSTANDING — TERMS UNKNOWN
https://evne.ws/6vsqb
CHERY PUSHES JETOUR INTO PREMIUM OFF-ROAD MARKET
https://evne.ws/sctm4
XIAOMI TAKES 70,000 ORDERS AS RANGE EXTENDERS FALL
https://evne.ws/uew4w
CHINA-UK TEAM BUILDS THINNER 20 KW WIRELESS CHARGER
https://evne.ws/57f6l
XPENG OPENS YOYO ROBOTAXI TRIALS BEYOND EMPLOYEES
https://evne.ws/ilbgg
MAEXTRO PROMISES BRAKE REDESIGN AFTER THREE FAILURES
https://evne.ws/tf3mf

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JAGUAR TYPE 01 PUTS £120,000 PRICE ON ITS ELECTRIC REINVENTION https://evne.ws/hl073

TESLA FINALLY TURNS MODEL 3 AND Y INTO HOME BATTERIES https://evne.ws/i30by

PORSCHE PLANS TO PROFIT FROM SELLING FEWER CARS https://evne.ws/ru9q7

RENAULT REVIVES THE ESPACE WITHOUT PLANS TO BUILD IT https://evne.ws/y1l2o

FREELANDER CONFIRMS UK LAUNCH — AFTER EUROPE https://evne.ws/56vs7

GERMANY SETS TERMS FOR TESLA FSD APPROVAL https://evne.ws/80klb

EU MOVES TO CAP CHINESE HYBRID IMPORTS https://evne.ws/sen34

EUROPE’S SUB-€25K EV CHOICE DOUBLES https://evne.ws/wb5yl

EUROPEAN EV WAITING LISTS OPEN DOOR TO CHINA https://evne.ws/h5r39

It's ev.news Briefly for Wednesday 07 October 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
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JAGUAR TYPE 01 PUTS £120,000 PRICE ON ITS ELECTRIC REINVENTION

Jaguar’s Type 01 is a 5.2-metre electric GT built on a bespoke 850V architecture, with a 118 kWh usable battery, up to 350 kW charging, around 450 miles of WLTP range and UK pricing now confirmed from £130,000, rising well beyond £150,000 for highly specified cars. Production begins at Solihull in 2027, but Jaguar’s bigger gamble is whether selling only tens of thousands of dramatically more expensive EVs can sustain the brand when Aston Martin, Porsche and Rolls-Royce are all moving more cautiously on electrification.

TESLA FINALLY TURNS MODEL 3 AND Y INTO HOME BATTERIES

New U.S. Model 3 and Model Y cars ordered from 1 October 2026 will gain Powershare Home Backup, allowing up to 11.52 kW of bidirectional power and enough stored energy to support an average home for roughly two days or more. The catch is that Tesla still requires a Powerwall 3 and compatible Wall Connector, meaning cars carrying perhaps 70–85 kWh of usable energy strengthen Tesla’s home-energy ecosystem rather than replacing its 13.5 kWh stationary battery.

PORSCHE PLANS TO PROFIT FROM SELLING FEWER CARS

Porsche wants to reduce its break-even point below 200,000 vehicles a year, versus 279,449 deliveries in 2025, through 9,000 job cuts, fewer managers and model variants, and lower development costs. Its strategy now accepts a slower EV transition, with a new combustion and PHEV SUV coming in 2028 and the electric K1 delayed indefinitely, as Porsche redesigns itself to remain profitable at substantially lower volumes.

RENAULT REVIVES THE ESPACE WITHOUT PLANS TO BUILD IT

Renault’s E-Space Concept reimagines the original Espace as a six-seat electric family car with a completely flat floor, flexible seating and a 1.13-metre panoramic display that will also appear in future upper-range Renault EVs. There is no production commitment, but the concept asks whether EV architecture should be used to maximise passenger space rather than simply recreating the SUV shapes that dominate today’s market.

FREELANDER CONFIRMS UK LAUNCH — AFTER EUROPE

Freelander will eventually launch in the UK after the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe, but the exported Freelander 8 is a different vehicle underneath from the headline-grabbing version already sold in China. The international model has a 34.1 kWh battery, 460 kW powertrain and 20–80% charging in up to 20 minutes, whereas China gets an 800V range-extender version with a 60.3 kWh battery, 610 kW and roughly 350 kW charging capable of the same charge in about 12 minutes.

GERMANY SETS TERMS FOR TESLA FSD APPROVAL

Germany is prepared to support Tesla’s European FSD approval if the system is renamed “Tesla Assisted Driving” and prevented from exceeding posted speed limits by more than 10%, potentially giving Tesla crucial support in an EU vote no earlier than December. Germany’s backing would still not guarantee approval because Tesla needs support from at least 15 member states representing 65% of the EU population, while Sweden, France and road-safety researchers continue to raise objections.

EU MOVES TO CAP CHINESE HYBRID IMPORTS

The European Commission is considering a tariff-rate quota that would cap Chinese hybrid imports before additional levies apply, extending its trade defence beyond battery EVs as Chinese brands reach roughly a quarter of hybrid sales and a third of plug-in-hybrid sales. The proposal remains subject to negotiations with Beijing, with Brussels trying to restrain imports without triggering retaliation while China argues that voluntary export limits would breach WTO rules.

EUROPE’S SUB-€25K EV CHOICE DOUBLES

Europe is rapidly gaining more affordable electric cars, with Transport & Environment expecting 16 models below €25,000 by the end of 2026, including four below €20,000, as EU BEV sales rose 45% through August. T&E argues that tightening CO2 rules forced manufacturers to launch these cars, challenging claims that the regulations should be weakened just as they appear to be delivering the cheaper EVs consumers were waiting for.

EUROPEAN EV WAITING LISTS OPEN DOOR TO CHINA

European demand for small EVs is now rising faster than manufacturers can supply them, with electric models reaching 21% of small-car sales in August while Volkswagen has more than 100,000 pre-orders across its new entry-level EV family and Renault struggles to meet Renault 5 demand. Long waiting lists could hand Chinese brands such as BYD, Geely, Chery and MG an opening, turning Europe’s small-EV problem from insufficient demand into a battle over who can actually deliver cars quickly enough.