EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs

3,258 episodes and 3,113 days later. Phew.
That first episode went out on 18 January 2018 and nobody heard it.
There has been one most days since — through Christmases, a pandemic, becoming a dad and a long list of difficult days when stopping would have been the sensible choice because I was doing this in my 'spare time'. Whatever that is.
Following a question I asked you recently and feedback from loads of you, publicly and privately, I've decided that EV News Daily will become ev.news on 1 August.
The short version, for anyone who reads no further: the show does not change, the feed does not break, the pledge stays as it is and there is nothing to do.
Why the change?
The name began as a description. One short podcast, just the news, daily.
In 2026 it describes less than it used to. There is now the original global news podcast, Briefly for those in a hurry, China, Specials, the written daily briefing here on Patreon and on evnewsdaily.comwhen I have time, and a YouTube channel I have restarted several times and never quite got right.
But most importantly the show these days is all about explaining what the news means, rather than just repeating headlines.
"EV News Daily" is where this came from and in some ways it's tethering me to the past because I'm doing everything the way I used to, plus many new things bolted on.
ev.news names a new thing. It is shorter, it survives being said out loud on air, it's better for search when someone looks for 'EV news' and it is easier to remember. The industry has changed beyond recognition in eight years, and this next stage feels like the moment to change with it.
For those who asked - yes I have bought the ev.news domain, so the podcast will be matched by an online presence and email addresses. I also have managed to get 'evnews' as a username on Instagram and Threads. On Facebook, X, LinkedIn and more the handle/username will have to stay evnewsdaily, as evnews was taken long ago, but that's not a problem.
It also sets an intention. The plan was never to stay a single creator with a microphone — though that remains an accurate description of most days since I quit my job, adopted two kids and started doing this full-time.
I have a vision of a team working on this one day - perhaps someone on ev.news China, someone on a newsletter, someone who loves making video.
What does it mean?
Very little immediate change, and that is deliberate.
- *The feed does not change.* Same Patreon, same RSS, same Apple, Spotify, etc. Nothing to re-subscribe to, nothing to fix. New artwork and a new name will turn up first.
- *The ad-free feed continues.* Untouched. One of the best benefits of Patreon support and it stays.
- *The pledge does not change.* Same tiers, same price, same platform. No restructuring, nothing to re-confirm.
- *The show does not change.* Same format, same presenter attempting Chinese names.
- *The website will be new.* evnewsdaily.com has never been a work of art but I enjoyed learning Wordpress. ev.news will be built to do the job properly: somewhere audio and video stop fighting each other, and somewhere a future newsletter could live natively.
How can you help?
A rebrand only makes sense when there is something worth putting a better name on.
There is something here worth rebranding because you pay for it. Patreon legends covered the hosting and the kit through the years when the whole audience would have fitted in my spare bedroom, and it turned a hobby that lost money into something that could take itself seriously. There is a rebrand on 1 August because you decided a daily EV podcast was worth a few quid a month.
So over the next few days I will share things as I make them: any new artwork, the site as it gets built, the bits that break and all the things I have not worked out yet. You have heard more of this show than anyone else, and you're in the best place to help me course-correct when I get it wrong.
Thank you.
3,258 episodes later, I don't know what comes next, but at least the first episode of ev.news won't just be me talking to myself!
— Martyn

Can you help me make more podcasts? Consider supporting me on Patreon as the service is 100% funded by you: https://EVne.ws/patreon

You can read all the latest news on the blog here: https://EVne.ws/blog

Subscribe for free and listen to the podcast on audio platforms:
➤ Apple: https://EVne.ws/apple
➤ YouTube Music: https://EVne.ws/youtubemusic
➤ Spotify: https://EVne.ws/spotify
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➤ iHeart: https://EVne.ws/iheart

VOLKSWAGEN OPENS UK ORDERS FOR TRANSPORTER EHYBRID https://evne.ws/3gzja

GERMAN BEVS GOT CHEAPER, NOT PRICIER https://evne.ws/84w6t

FORD APPROVES F-150 HOME BACKUP SWITCH https://evne.ws/jx4g2

NISSAN LEAF NISMO LAUNCHES IN JAPAN https://evne.ws/6ve94

SILA RAISES $300 MILLION FOR US ANODES https://evne.ws/46vb4

MILENCE OPENS ZERO-EMISSION BUILT HENGLO TRUCK HUB https://evne.ws/suqs7

SPECTRE CLIMBS AS ROLLS-ROYCE KEEPS V12 https://evne.ws/nkbd7

GRIDSERVE OPENS FIFTH ELECTRIC FORECOURT AT M1 https://evne.ws/5t0wk

HOME CHARGING LEAVES RAPID NETWORK UNDER STRAIN https://evne.ws/gmxrl

AUSTRALIA POST GETS $40.5M FOR HEAVIER EVS https://evne.ws/yxd6p

AVILOO EXPANDS USED EV BATTERY WARRANTY NORTH https://evne.ws/6o010

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.

Can you help me make more podcasts? Consider supporting me on Patreon as the service is 100% funded by you: https://EVne.ws/patreon

You can read all the latest news on the blog here: https://EVne.ws/blog

Subscribe for free and listen to the podcast on audio platforms:
➤ Apple: https://EVne.ws/apple
➤ YouTube Music: https://EVne.ws/youtubemusic
➤ Spotify: https://EVne.ws/spotify
➤ TuneIn: https://EVne.ws/tunein
➤ iHeart: https://EVne.ws/iheart

EUROPEAN EV SALES JUMP 52% IN JUNE https://evne.ws/q4f22

GM EV RESET HITS $10.9 BILLION https://evne.ws/8yhra

RANGE ROVER SHOWS ELECTRIC GT PROTOTYPE https://evne.ws/meoup

HOLLYWOOD TESLA DINER TOPS GLOBAL SUPERCHARGER NETWORK https://evne.ws/o6vbx

SWEDEN EV SHARE HITS 67% IN Q2 https://evne.ws/bsvyx

VOLKSWAGEN ID. POLO STARTS AT £23,945 https://evne.ws/7n2r7

VOLKSWAGEN BACKS SAFETY-LED E-BIKE RANGE https://evne.ws/sia4y

HYUNDAI UNITES V2X UNDER ALL DAY ENERGY https://evne.ws/fj1p8

BURNHAM CUTS POWER VAT, WIDENS EV CHARGING GAP https://evne.ws/fj45c

ABARTH 500E GETS UK GRANT https://evne.ws/qz1lg

ILLINOIS EV REBATES RETURN ON AUGUST 1 https://evne.ws/fdn5n

USED EVS KEEP MORE BATTERY THAN FEARED https://evne.ws/ubmdb

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.