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FIAT PREPARES SMALL EV ALONGSIDE PANDA
Fiat’s developing a small electric car on the platform behind Citroën’s new 2CV concept, with Koala touted as the name. It’s intended to sit alongside the petrol Pandina initially, giving Fiat another way to serve buyers looking for an affordable city car.
Chief executive Arnaud Belloni confirmed the project to Autocar, and Fiat’s trademarked Koala. Fiat and Citroën intend to build their cars together at Pomigliano d’Arco in Italy. Stellantis’s E-Car production programme is due to start there in 2028, while Pandina production is committed until at least 2027.
Citroën’s targeting around 15,000 euros for its 2CV. A similar Fiat price has been reported, but Fiat hasn’t confirmed its price or technical specifications.
Leapmotor’s helping develop the platform. Stellantis technology chief Ned Curic told L’argus that the work is based in Europe, bringing Chinese electrical and software expertise into the effort to build a cheaper European car.
The cars are intended for a proposed European small-EV category called M1E. Each qualifying car would count as 1.3 vehicles in fleet-emissions calculations, helping manufacturers meet their targets. Mr Curic says the project can still be profitable if those rules aren’t ready at launch.
BP PULSE OPENS 24-BAY MELBOURNE AIRPORT CHARGING HUB
bp pulse has opened 24 fast-charging bays at Melbourne Airport in Australia, serving airport traffic, rideshare drivers and people passing through the northern suburbs.
It’s open to everyone around the clock, with chargers rated at 150 and 300 kilowatts. There are two accessible bays, drive-through spaces and bays designed for trucks, plus a canopy, toilets and free Wi-Fi.
It’s bp pulse’s first large charging hub in Australia. The surrounding precinct handles around 34,000 vehicles a day, according to bp, so the site puts multiple chargers where taxis and commercial vehicles are already working.
Chargefox users can check live availability and prices, start a session and pay through their existing app. The airport says the electricity comes from its two solar farms.
Eligible electric Uber drivers can use bp pulse’s existing discount of five to eight Australian cents per kilowatt-hour. But they can’t use the hub as a waiting area for airport jobs. Uber says drivers must be actively charging; anyone waiting for a fare still needs to follow the airport’s usual holding-area arrangements.
GM POSTS RECORD $50BN QUARTER, WARNS ON EV COSTS
General Motors has reported record quarterly revenue of 50 billion US dollars, helped by profitable pickups while its electric vehicles continue to lose money. GM expects its EV business to improve, although cost reductions will slow next year.
For the three months to 30 September, adjusted earnings before interest and tax reached 4.1 billion dollars. Pickups including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra helped drive revenue, alongside growth in connected services.
US deliveries of the Chevrolet Equinox EV fell 92.4 per cent to 1,905 in the quarter. That’s against an unusually strong period last year, when buyers rushed to use the federal EV tax credit before it ended.
GM president Mark Reuss says the company’s absorbed more than 11 billion dollars in EV-related charges over the past year. That’s separate from the annual EV losses it’s trying to reduce.
Chief financial officer Paul Jacobson says GM’s on course to cut those annual losses by one billion to 1.5 billion dollars this year. He expects further improvement in 2027, with new platforms and battery technology improving development and production efficiency in 2028 and 2029.
The board’s also authorised a new 20 billion dollar share-buyback programme over several years, as GM continues funding its electric transition.
ENGLAND REMOVES PLANNING STEP FOR PAVEMENT EV CHARGING
Drivers in England no longer need planning permission for qualifying pavement charging gullies. It’s a simpler route to home charging for households without a driveway, and the government says it can save up to 300 pounds in installation costs.
A gully is a narrow channel set flush with the pavement. It carries a cable from the house to a car parked on the street, keeping the walking surface clear. That lets drivers use household electricity rather than a public charger. Trade body ChargeUK puts average off-peak home charging at eight pence per kilowatt-hour, against 54 pence for standard public charging.
But households still need their highway authority’s consent. Councils can refuse installations, and homes in conservation areas still need planning permission. Ealing, for example, decided against a trial.
A gully doesn’t give residents priority over the parking space outside their home. They still need to be able to park close enough to use it.
There’s separate help for the charger. Eligible households installing a permanent cross-pavement system can receive 75 per cent of the chargepoint’s purchase and installation cost, capped at 500 pounds. Funding runs until 31 March 2027. Drivers need highway consent and grant approval before installation.
A consultation on making it harder for landlords and freeholders to refuse charging requests from tenants and leaseholders closes on 16 December.
LI AUTO PLANS UK LAUNCH IN AUTUMN 2027
Li Auto plans to enter the UK in autumn 2027, after launching in Norway and the Netherlands early next year. Autocar reports that the UK will get a different model from the Li 6 chosen for those first European markets. The British launch car hasn’t been named.
The Li 6 is Europe’s version of China’s i6. Li Auto lists a 96 kilowatt-hour battery and an 800-volt electrical system. The rear-wheel-drive car has 250 kilowatts and 640 kilometres of WLTP range. All-wheel drive raises power to 400 kilowatts, with 560 kilometres of WLTP range. European prices haven’t been announced.
Autocar says the European car also gets locally sourced air springs for more dynamic handling, compared with the softer ride favoured in China.
There’s a separate overseas software platform with eight European languages, local navigation, Spotify and Apple CarPlay. Li Auto plans major wireless software updates every quarter.
It also plans a spare-parts distribution centre in the Netherlands, roadside assistance and a customer call centre, all due to start in December, before deliveries begin.
The European range will target families with fully electric cars and range extenders. Li Auto plans at least one new model a year from 2027 to 2029.
Back in China, an updated i6 with Li Auto’s own battery and Mach driver-assistance chip is due on 28 October.
UK PRIVATE EV FLEET GROWS BY ALMOST 100,000
The number of electric cars registered to private keepers in the UK grew by almost 100,000 between the first and second quarters of 2026, according to the AA. That’s almost two thirds of the overall increase in electric cars.
The count includes used cars moving out of company fleets, so it doesn’t mean 100,000 new-car sales.
Completed sales show the second-hand market growing too. The car industry’s trade body, SMMT, recorded 110,761 used battery-electric car transactions in the second quarter, up 67.0 per cent from a year earlier.
The AA says comparable used EVs were, on average, just one per cent more expensive than petrol cars in the third quarter. For new cars, the electric premium was still 25 per cent. That makes the used market a more accessible route into an EV for many private buyers.
Charging still changes the running costs. The AA estimates that a driver covering 10,000 miles could spend around 1,000 pounds less on energy with a home-charged EV than with a medium-sized petrol car. Its readiness index found ultra-rapid public charging cost around 15 per cent more per mile than petrol.
BMW iX5 REACHES 464 kW IN CHARGING DEMONSTRATION
BMW’s iX5 60 xDrive has reached a reported charging peak of 464 kilowatts in a live demonstration in Southern California.
It used IONNA and Alpitronic equipment, but BMW says that hardware isn’t yet commercially available in the US.
For the US model, BMW quotes a 144 kilowatt-hour usable battery, charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 22 minutes. It also estimates 170 miles added in 10 minutes, using preliminary testing based on US EPA procedures. The advertised 460-kilowatt figure is peak power, rather than a rate maintained throughout the stop.
BMW says its new cylindrical cells store 20 per cent more energy in the same space than the previous cells. The 800-volt system can also use 400-volt DC chargers, and navigation can warm or cool the battery before arrival. Drivers can start that preparation manually too.
The iX5 60 xDrive is due in the US in the first quarter of 2027, starting at 79,800 US dollars. BMW estimates up to 435 miles of range using EPA procedures. The official US range rating is still pending.
ARENA COMMITS A$4M TO FLEET GRID TRIAL
Australia’s renewable energy agency, ARENA, has announced four million Australian dollars for JET Charge’s REVS2 trial, testing whether electric fleets can earn money by supplying power back to the grid.
Up to 130 vehicles and two-way chargers will take part in the Australian Capital Territory government fleet. The three-year project runs to 2029.
The chargers let vehicles store electricity and send it back when the grid needs support, while keeping enough charge for their normal work.
The payments matter as much as the equipment. The national bidirectional-charging roadmap says prices that follow actual grid conditions can reward exports when they’re most valuable. Fixed peak and off-peak schedules can encourage extra battery use while underpaying for support during a shortage.
The car, charger, control software and grid connection also need to work together reliably. Proving each part works on its own doesn’t establish that a whole fleet can provide a dependable service.
ACT FLEET TO TEST GRID EXPORTS BETWEEN SHIFTS
The same REVS2 trial will test how grid support fits around everyday work. Many vehicles are expected to provide in-home health services, then return to government buildings at the end of the day.
That leaves an evening window for exporting electricity, provided there’s enough charge for the next shift.
The earlier REVS trial exposed a problem after an emergency response in February 2024. Australian National University researchers found some cars resumed charging by default after exporting for 10 minutes. They said delaying the recharge for an hour or two would have little cost or inconvenience.
The first trial’s social study also found that fleets wanted grid services to run in the background without changing drivers’ routines. Its authors concluded that the company coordinating the service would need to carry almost all the operating risk.
ICAUR CLAIMS CHEAPER RANGE-EXTENDER REPAIRS
Chery’s iCaur brand plans to launch in Australia with the V25 SUV in early 2027. It says its range-extender design should be easier and cheaper to repair than other plug-in hybrids.
Electric motors drive the wheels, while a petrol engine generates electricity. There’s no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels. iCaur says separating the systems makes maintenance simpler, but it hasn’t supplied comparative servicing prices or repair-cost figures to support the saving.
The petrol generator still needs servicing. For 2025-built Leapmotor C10 range extenders, the interval is 12 months or 10,000 kilometres, whichever comes first. The battery-electric version has the same annual interval but allows 20,000 kilometres between services.
A range extender that plugs in is still a type of plug-in hybrid. That also affects Australian tax treatment: new plug-in hybrid arrangements don’t qualify for the electric-car fringe benefits tax exemption, while eligible battery EVs still do. That can change the cost of getting a car through an employer.
The Australian V25’s powertrain options and technical specifications haven’t been announced.
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FIAT PREPARES SMALL EV ALONGSIDE PANDA
Fiat is developing an affordable small electric car, potentially named Koala, using a platform co-developed with Leapmotor and shared with Citroën's new 2CV project, with Italian production planned from 2028. Citroën is targeting a €15,000 price, although Fiat hasn't confirmed pricing, and both cars could benefit from proposed EU rules giving qualifying small EVs extra credit towards manufacturers' fleet-emissions targets.
BP PULSE OPENS 24-BAY MELBOURNE AIRPORT CHARGING HUB
bp pulse has opened its first large Australian charging hub at Melbourne Airport, offering 24 publicly accessible bays with 150 kW and 300 kW chargers, operating around the clock and powered by the airport's solar farms. The facility supports Chargefox payments and discounted charging for eligible Uber drivers, although rideshare drivers cannot use it as an airport waiting area unless actively charging.
GM POSTS RECORD $50BN QUARTER, WARNS ON EV COSTS
General Motors reported record quarterly revenue of $50 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.1 billion, driven by profitable pickup trucks, despite Chevrolet Equinox EV deliveries falling 92.4% against an unusually strong year-earlier quarter. Following more than $11 billion in EV-related charges, GM expects to reduce annual EV operating losses by $1 billion to $1.5 billion this year, with further improvements anticipated from 2027 and more efficient platforms arriving later.
ENGLAND REMOVES PLANNING STEP FOR PAVEMENT EV CHARGING
Drivers in England can now install qualifying pavement charging gullies without planning permission, potentially saving £300 in installation costs and enabling households without driveways to access cheaper domestic electricity instead of public charging. Highway authority approval remains mandatory, conservation areas retain planning requirements, and eligible households can separately claim grants of up to £500 towards permanent cross-pavement charging installations until March 2027.
LI AUTO PLANS UK LAUNCH IN AUTUMN 2027
Chinese manufacturer Li Auto plans to enter Britain in autumn 2027 with an as-yet-unnamed model, following its European debut in Norway and the Netherlands earlier that year with the Li 6 electric SUV. The Li 6 offers a 96 kWh battery, 800-volt architecture and up to 640 km WLTP range, while Li Auto is establishing European software, servicing and parts infrastructure ahead of introducing at least one additional model annually through 2029.
UK PRIVATE EV FLEET GROWS BY ALMOST 100,000
The number of privately registered electric cars in Britain increased by almost 100,000 during the second quarter of 2026, supported by a used-EV market recording 110,761 transactions, up 67% year on year. Comparable used EVs now cost just 1% more than petrol equivalents, against a 25% premium for new cars, while home charging can save drivers approximately £1,000 annually on 10,000 miles, although ultra-rapid public charging remains more expensive than petrol.
BMW iX5 REACHES 464 kW IN CHARGING DEMONSTRATION
BMW demonstrated a reported 464 kW charging peak for its forthcoming iX5 60 xDrive using equipment not yet commercially available in America, with its 144 kWh usable battery capable of charging from 10% to 80% in a claimed 22 minutes. The new 800-volt SUV features higher-density cylindrical battery cells, an estimated EPA range of up to 435 miles and a starting US price of $79,800 when deliveries begin in early 2027.
ARENA COMMITS A$4M TO FLEET GRID TRIAL
Australia's renewable energy agency ARENA is providing A$4 million towards JET Charge's three-year REVS2 project, which will equip up to 130 Australian Capital Territory government fleet vehicles with bidirectional charging to test exporting electricity back to the grid. Running until 2029, the trial will investigate whether appropriately designed electricity payments and reliable integration between vehicles, chargers and grid systems can make fleet-based energy services commercially viable.
ACT FLEET TO TEST GRID EXPORTS BETWEEN SHIFTS
Australia's REVS2 trial will investigate whether government fleet vehicles, including those providing home healthcare, can export stored electricity during evening grid-demand peaks without compromising availability for their next working shift. An earlier trial revealed vehicles sometimes automatically resumed charging just ten minutes after exporting electricity, highlighting the need for smarter controls and automated systems that require minimal driver involvement.
ICAUR CLAIMS CHEAPER RANGE-EXTENDER REPAIRS
Chery's iCaur brand claims its forthcoming V25 range-extender SUV, launching in Australia in early 2027, will be cheaper and simpler to maintain because its petrol generator operates independently of the electric motors driving the wheels, although no comparative repair-cost evidence has been provided. Range-extender vehicles still require petrol-engine servicing and are classified as plug-in hybrids, meaning new Australian arrangements cannot benefit from the fringe benefits tax exemption available to eligible battery-electric vehicles.

GEELY XINGYUAN PRODUCTION HITS 1 MILLION
Geely has produced its millionth Xingyuan just over two years after launch, although Chinese retail sales fell 9.6% to 310,391 in the first nine months of 2026. The affordable electric hatchback, priced from 61,800 yuan ($9,300) with up to 480 kilometres of CLTC range, is now sold in more than 30 countries as the E2 or EX2, with Brazilian production scheduled to begin in December.
FIREFLY PLANS 60 KWH BATTERY WITH OWNER UPGRADES
Nio's Firefly brand plans to introduce a 60 kWh CATL battery on 23 October, increasing CLTC range from 420 to 560 kilometres while allowing existing owners to upgrade through compatible fifth-generation Nio battery-swapping stations. The upgrade could benefit owners of the 90,000 Firefly vehicles already delivered, although battery pricing, rental terms and the limited availability of compatible swapping stations will determine its appeal.
BYD BRINGS FLASH CHARGING TO THE SEAGULL
BYD has launched its second-generation Seagull electric hatchback from 65,900 yuan ($9,900), with Flash Charging versions starting at 75,900 yuan ($11,400) capable of charging from 10% to 70% in five minutes at dedicated stations. The redesigned car introduces rear-wheel drive, independent rear suspension, five seats and up to 420 kilometres of CLTC range, as BYD attempts to reverse a 33% sales decline in the first nine months of 2026.
NIO GROUP CLAIMS QUARTERLY LEAD OVER GERMAN RIVALS
Nio claims its three brands collectively outsold BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi individually in China during the third quarter, citing 111,638 insurance registrations across Nio, Onvo and Firefly compared with 107,210 for BMW and Mini. BMW separately reported 114,355 deliveries using a different measurement, but Nio's expanding portfolio illustrates the growing competitive pressure on German premium manufacturers as China's luxury-car retail market contracted 29% in September.
XIAOMI REGISTERS SU9 LUX NAME
Xiaomi has registered the SU9 LUX trademark, fuelling speculation about a larger luxury saloon with additional rear-passenger space, potentially related to camouflaged vehicles previously identified as the SU7L. However, Xiaomi also registered SU7 LUX and has not confirmed either production name or its connection to the test vehicles, leaving the proposed model's identity and specifications uncertain.
FANGCHENGBAO SALES PASS 600,000
BYD's Fangchengbao brand has surpassed 600,000 cumulative vehicle sales, with September deliveries reaching 43,181, up 79% year-on-year, largely driven by the Titanium 7 family SUV. The brand is expanding beyond its off-road origins with the Formula S electric saloon and Formula S GT estate, priced from 189,900 and 219,900 yuan respectively, although their combined first-month deliveries of 663 show the challenge of entering the premium passenger-car market.
BYD AND LI AUTO EXPAND GULF SALES
BYD is expanding its Saudi Arabian dealership network towards 10 locations, while Li Auto has introduced its L9 in the UAE with adaptations for extreme heat, local charging systems and Arabic-language functionality. Limited charging infrastructure remains a constraint, with Saudi operator EVIQ reporting 134 chargers across 56 locations against its ambition of more than 5,000 by 2030, favouring plug-in hybrids and range-extenders during the market's development.
CHERY TAKES EXLANTIX TO AUSTRALIA IN 2027
Chery plans to introduce its premium Exlantix brand in Australia around mid-2027 with the ES GT electric shooting brake and ET large SUV, both already demonstrated in right-hand-drive form. The ES GT is expected to feature an 800-volt architecture, while the ET is available overseas in electric and range-extended forms, with expansion into New Zealand and the UK also planned as Chery targets higher-priced international markets.
CHINESE EV FIRMS EXPAND EUROPEAN PRODUCTION
Chinese EV and battery manufacturers reportedly have 26 factories operating or under construction across Europe, including BYD's Hungarian vehicle plant, CATL's planned 100 GWh Hungarian battery complex and its 50 GWh joint venture with Stellantis in Spain. Local manufacturing could help Chinese carmakers avoid tariffs on China-origin vehicles and establish European supply chains, while the EU is investing €1.5 billion in loans to support competing domestic battery-cell production.
HUAWEI CAR UNIT JOINS CATL BATTERY SWAP NETWORK
Huawei's automotive technology business Newcool has joined CATL's Choco battery-swapping ecosystem, with plans to combine battery-condition monitoring, journey predictions and assisted-driving technology to automate swaps that CATL claims take 99 seconds. CATL reported 2,520 swapping stations across 200 Chinese cities by late September and is expanding into highway locations and 800-volt batteries, although compatible Huawei-equipped vehicles and a service launch date remain unannounced.
CHERY GETS APPROVAL FOR ELECTRIC MOPED
Chery has received Chinese regulatory approval for an electric step-through moped, extending its ambitions beyond passenger vehicles alongside a range-extended motorcycle and an electric adventure scooter claiming 150–200 kilometres of range. China's electric motorcycle sales increased 13.1% in the first eight months of 2026, but with the 10 largest suppliers controlling nearly 94% of covered sales, Chery faces substantial competition from established two-wheeler manufacturers.

France and Germany want to loosen Europe’s 2035 car emissions rules while linking public support more closely to European production. In this ev.news Policy special, Martyn Lee explains the competing proposals, what they could mean for combustion engines and plug-in hybrids, and why a 90% emissions cut does not mean 90% electric car sales. EU law has not changed.
Electric car demand is growing, but Europe’s manufacturers and suppliers face pressure on earnings, jobs and their business in China. We examine BMW’s progress on EV margins, Volkswagen’s efforts to reduce development costs and the limits of tariffs. Leapmotor’s production in Spain illustrates how Chinese technology can support European factory jobs while raising questions about ownership, expertise and how much manufacturing value stays locally.
We also look at the gap between plug-in hybrids’ official and on-road emissions, the consequences for national climate commitments and what European production requirements could mean for buyers. Keeping combustion cars on sale may help finance the transition. The test is whether manufacturers use that time to build competitive electric cars profitably and retain skilled work.
10 key points

The proposed bargain: France and Germany want weaker emissions requirements from 2035, alongside stronger support for European manufacturing.

The law remains unchanged: Competing proposals still need agreement. An emissions reduction target does not translate directly into an electric car sales quota.

Keeping manufacturing value locally: Public support could depend on European assembly and component sourcing, extending the benefits beyond factory assembly jobs.

EV demand is growing: More affordable models and stricter emissions standards have helped encourage sales, despite manufacturers seeking less regulatory pressure.

Industry faces real financial pressure: Supplier job losses and falling business in China threaten earnings, skills and production capacity.

Manufacturers are improving EV economics: BMW reports progress on contribution margins, while Volkswagen expects shared development to reduce costs.

Protection has limits: Tariffs cannot reduce European manufacturing costs or restore the Chinese customers European brands have lost.

Chinese competition is becoming local: Leapmotor’s Spanish production shows that European employment, European ownership and European technology are different things.

Hybrid accounting matters: Favourable official emissions calculations can disguise higher fuel use. Weaker manufacturer rules would leave governments’ separate climate obligations intact.

Extra time needs a purpose: Continued combustion sales can help fund change, but Europe’s future depends on building compelling, competitive electric cars profitably.