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Martyn Lee
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  • ev.news

    ev.news Daily: Polestar 4 SUV Launches, Scout Reveals Traveller Concepts & France Hits 38% BEV | 03 Sep 2026

    03/09/2026 | 19 mins.
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    POLESTAR 4 SUV LAUNCHES IN EUROPE https://evne.ws/nfwis

    SCOUT REVEALS TWO TRAVELER CONCEPTS https://evne.ws/8tsmm

    FRANCE BEV SHARE RISES TO 38% IN AUGUST https://evne.ws/8pl1x

    MOST USED EVS RETAIN ABOUT 90% CAPACITY AT 150,000KM https://evne.ws/fb3mf

    KIA OPENS CANADIAN ORDERS FOR 2027 EV4 GT https://evne.ws/fmhti

    HONDA SEEKS 1.5 TRILLION YEN IN SAVINGS https://evne.ws/qr1fc

    MNDOT OFFERS $41.2 MILLION FOR UP TO 40 SITES https://evne.ws/oc6b9

    TESLA US SALES DROP 26% IN AUGUST https://evne.ws/cazzw

    VOLVO GLOBAL SALES FALL 7.4% FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST https://evne.ws/cokv3

    XPENG TAKES UK COMMERCIAL CONTROL https://evne.ws/v1ho8

    35% OF SCREEN-EQUIPPED OWNERS NEVER USE THEM https://evne.ws/jrelr
  • ev.news

    ev.news Briefly: Polestar, Scout, France & more | 03 Sep 2026

    03/09/2026 | 4 mins.
    It's ev.news Briefly for Thursday 03 September 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 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 Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnews

    POLESTAR 4 SUV LAUNCHES IN EUROPE
    Polestar has launched the Polestar 4 SUV in Europe, its largest market, adding a more practical body variant with a linear roofline, vertical tailgate, conventional rear window and mirror, 25mm more rear headroom, standard roof rails rated to 100kg dynamic load, 1,665 litres of capacity with the 60:40 seats folded and a 15-litre front trunk. Rear Motor versions offer 200kW and up to 630km WLTP range while Dual Motor models produce 400kW and up to 600km, both using a 100kWh battery charging at up to 200kW DC for a roughly 30-minute 10-80% top-up, priced from €57,900 in Germany and £54,750 in the UK with first deliveries planned for Q4 2026 and Canada to follow Europe.

    SCOUT REVEALS TWO TRAVELER CONCEPTS
    Scout Motors has revealed the Mountainside and Trail-ready concepts based on its Traveler electric SUV, debuting at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience, with the rugged Trail-ready wearing Galvanized Steel paint, a Canvas roof, full-metal bumpers, elevated roof rack with trail lights, front winch, 18-inch beadlock wheels, 35-inch off-road tyres and a brick-red leather Denim District interior, while the refined Mountainside uses Morning Dusk charcoal-brown paint with gold flakes, 22-inch dish wheels, light-brown leather, grey fabric and recycled walnut trim. Scout has not confirmed whether either will be sold as a package or which features are optional; Traveler production starts next year with deliveries from 2028, and the range-extended Harvester, using a four-cylinder generator and 63kWh LFP pack for a claimed 500 miles, launches before the battery-electric version.

    FRANCE BEV SHARE RISES TO 38% IN AUGUST
    Battery-electric vehicles took 38% of France's new-car market in August 2026, up from 35% in July, with registrations climbing 113% year on year to 36,159 units according to the CCFA. Chinese brands took 7,070 registrations or 7.5% of the market, led by BYD on 2,195, MG on 2,003 and Jaecoo on 1,987, but were outsold by Renault alone on 13,128, ahead of Peugeot on 11,716 and Tesla on 5,038, of which 4,622 were the Model Y, France's best-selling BEV.

    MOST USED EVS RETAIN ABOUT 90% CAPACITY AT 150,000KM
    An Aviloo study of more than 500,000 battery-health tests across 20 popular models in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia between 2022 and 2026 found most used EVs retained about 90% of usable battery capacity at 150,000km, with median state-of-health scores ranging from 87% to 94%, led at that mileage by the Mercedes-Benz EQA at 93.97% and Hyundai Ioniq 5 at 93.79%, and trailed by the Nissan Leaf at 86.67%, Mini Cooper SE at 87.11% and Renault Zoe at 87.33%. Chinese models were excluded for lack of data, air-cooled and smaller batteries such as the Zoe and Leaf degraded faster, the Leaf ZE1 showed a 13.5-percentage-point spread between individual cars, and with warranties typically covering eight years or 160,000km and requiring replacement below 70%, the findings strengthen calls for mandatory battery-health certification since identical age and mileage can mask very different treatment.

    KIA OPENS CANADIAN ORDERS FOR 2027 EV4 GT
    Kia has opened factory orders for the 2027 EV4 GT at certified Canadian dealerships from CA$58,595, its third "affordable" EV to get GT treatment, replacing the standard car's front-wheel drive with a 288-horsepower dual-motor all-wheel-drive system paired to an 81.4kWh battery for an estimated 431km of range. The GT adds GT-exclusive neon-accented brake calipers, 20-inch alloys, suede and synthetic-leather seats, a GT instrument cluster and a steering-wheel GT boost button, sitting above the standard EV4 that launched in Canada in late 2025 from CA$38,995 as what Kia called the country's most affordable EV.

    HONDA SEEKS 1.5 TRILLION YEN IN SAVINGS
    Honda is seeking 1.5 trillion yen ($9.4 billion) in savings by 2030 to improve its car business, expecting cumulative EV-related losses to exceed $12 billion and shifting towards hybrids while under pressure from Chinese manufacturers including BYD, which are taking share in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Europe on software, battery technology and the industry's lowest prices. Honda briefed major suppliers on the plan in spring and, according to internal documents, is targeting a 30% cost reduction in pressed and forged components, electrical parts and software-defined-vehicle parts, with individual targets issued to suppliers afterwards.

    MNDOT OFFERS $41.2 MILLION FOR UP TO 40 SITES
    MnDOT is offering $41.2 million in its third and largest NEVI round for fast-charging sites across Greater Minnesota, expecting to award up to 40 locations across 74 eligible areas with no more than one station funded in each, now able to go beyond I-35, I-90 and I-94 after the federal government certified those routes as fully built-out corridors. Funded sites must provide at least four NACS and four CCS1 connectors delivering a minimum 150kW per port with all ports in simultaneous use, be open during the host business's hours, and include an ADA-compliant charging space, adequate lighting, security cameras or staff, and snow removal within two hours of storms exceeding an inch — even though most earlier interstate sites have yet to open.

    TESLA US SALES DROP 26% IN AUGUST
    Motor Intelligence estimated Tesla sold 40,816 vehicles in the United States in August 2026, down 26% from 55,500 a year earlier and its largest year-over-year monthly decline of 2026, with demand appearing to stabilise around 40,000 units a month, below the 47,000 monthly average of the first half of 2025 and below tax-credit-inflated third-quarter volumes. Ending Model S and Model X production, extending Model Y and Model 3 offers, starting Model Y L deliveries, expanding a certified pre-owned programme from $20,600 and fully claiming California's MyFirstEV allocation within days did not materially change the trajectory.

    VOLVO GLOBAL SALES FALL 7.4% FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST
    Volvo Cars sold 148,239 vehicles globally from June through August, down 7.4% year over year despite a 13% rise in electrified sales — fully electric up 27%, plug-in hybrids down 1% — which made up 53.5% of global volume, with the decline blamed on China's continuing downturn and weaker US demand for electrified models. The company expects a significantly stronger second half as EX60 deliveries ramp up from Gothenburg production that began in spring at around $60,000 in the US, alongside European growth and continued US recovery, while shifting more output stateside to cut tariff exposure with XC60 production starting in South Carolina later this year and global Polestar 3 production consolidated there.

    XPENG TAKES UK COMMERCIAL CONTROL
    Xpeng is establishing its own UK national sales company, taking ownership of its UK operations and responsibility for strategic and commercial development while retaining International Motors — the Subaru and Isuzu importer that originally handled its UK shipping and retail — as a provider of operational infrastructure and local distribution expertise. Having entered the UK last year with the G6, delivering 1,800 units through 48 dealers in England, Wales and Scotland, Xpeng plans to add the X9 MPV as an ID Buzz rival and the L03 coupé-crossover, sold as Mona in China, though no UK launch date or pricing has been announced and an entry price below £40,000 would pitch it against the Skoda Enyaq and Ford Explorer.

    35% OF SCREEN-EQUIPPED OWNERS NEVER USE THEM
    JD Power's 2026 U.S. Tech Experience Index study, surveying 68,084 owners of vehicles with passenger screens, found 35% had never used the screen and only 6% used it every drive, even as the feature spreads through new vehicles. Smart ignition, climate control and driver-preference settings scored highest for satisfaction with the fewest problems while added complexity in driver-assistance features lowered scores, suggesting owners prefer predictable technology and that a screen — a cheap, simple way to make a plain dashboard look advanced, useful for passenger HVAC control or films on long trips — improves appearance rather than the ownership experience.
  • ev.news

    ev.news China: Li Auto Relaunches Mega MPV, BYD Now Earns More Overseas & NIO Posts Another Quarterly Profit | 03 Sep 2026

    03/09/2026 | 19 mins.
    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
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    LI AUTO LAUNCHES MEGA HOME AT $75,846 FOR MPV LUXURY https://evne.ws/min9i

    BYD OVERSEAS REVENUE EXCEEDS CHINA https://carnewschina.com/2026/09/01/byd-made-53-revenue-overseas-as-chinas-sales-crumble/

    BYD LAUNCHES SEALION 08 IN CHINA https://evne.ws/tusrk

    NIO POSTS THIRD NON-GAAP PROFITABLE QUARTER https://chinaevhome.com/2026/09/02/three-straight-profitable-quarters-is-nio-finally-out-of-the-woods/

    CHINA CO2 FALLS 1% AS OIL USE DROPS https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-fall-in-q2-2026-due-to-plummeting-oil-use

    FORD TO SHIP 1,000 CHINA-BUILT ELECTRIC VANS TO EUROPE https://evne.ws/pbtch

    CHINA PUTS CARS FIRST IN CONSUMPTION MEASURES https://evne.ws/guguy

    CHINESE EVS EARN EURO NCAP FIVE STARS https://evne.ws/lm35e

    IEC STARTS CHINA-LED SOLID-STATE EV STANDARD WORK https://carnewschina.com/2026/09/02/china-pushes-global-solid-state-ev-standard-as-domestic-pilot-lines-scale/
  • ev.news

    ev.news Daily: All New Electric Range Rover, Norway Hits New Record & Volvo EX30 Gains V2L | 02 Sep 2026

    02/09/2026 | 23 mins.
    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

    NORWAY ELECTRIC CARS REACH NEW RECORD https://evne.ws/8rqq4

    VOLVO EX30 GAINS V2L IN SOFTWARE UPDATE https://evne.ws/cjyol

    RENAULT SCENIC LONG RANGE REACHES 399 MILES https://evne.ws/tlhfb

    GENESIS PLANS FOUR MORE EUROPEAN MARKETS https://evne.ws/x0707

    FORD SHOWS FATHOM PICKUP IN DESERT TESTING https://evne.ws/hhel1

    CHINA ISSUES OVERSEAS GUIDELINES FOR CHINESE AUTOMAKERS https://evne.ws/z4jry

    CANADA RELEASES 24,500 CHINA-MADE ELECTRIFIED-VEHICLE PERMITS https://evne.ws/uezi8

    BMW IX3 CROSSES PORTUGAL ON ONE CHARGE https://evne.ws/cmv80

    US ADDS RECORD STORAGE CAPACITY IN SECOND QUARTER https://evne.ws/6sedv

    SOLAR PANELS COOL HYPOTHETICAL TOMATO FARM https://evne.ws/owfxh
  • ev.news

    ev.news Briefly: Range Rover, Norway, Volvo V2L & more | 02 Sep 2026

    02/09/2026 | 4 mins.
    It's ev.news Briefly for Wednesday 02 September 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 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 Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnews

    JLR LAUNCHES ELECTRIC RANGE ROVER FROM £154k
    Land Rover's first fully electric Range Rover arrives next year from £154,070 (about $208,473), using a 120kWh battery and two motors producing 542bhp, with a WLTP range of 372 miles and claimed real-world range of 330 miles. Built on the MLA-Flex architecture designed from the outset for battery power, it weighs around 2885kg but sits 88mm lower in centre of gravity than the V8, retains 900mm wading depth (960mm practical), and tows 2500kg versus 3500kg for the combustion model, with JLR's analysis of 360 million customer journeys concluding it suits 97% of them.

    NORWAY ELECTRIC CARS REACH NEW RECORD
    Battery-electric cars took a record 98.7% of Norway's 13,451 new passenger-car registrations in August, up from 96.9% a year earlier and 97.6% in July, according to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council. Volkswagen led brands and the ID.4 led models ahead of the Toyota bZ4X and BMW iX3, while Xpeng and BYD together took 11.4% of the market against 4.9% in August 2025.

    VOLVO EX30 GAINS V2L IN SOFTWARE UPDATE
    Volvo has added vehicle-to-load charging to the EX30 via an over-the-air update, delivering up to 3kW at 16 amps through a separate adapter connected to the charge port, with supply cutting off automatically below 20% battery. The feature will not be offered in the US, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan or Japan, and arrives alongside a customisable contextual bar, redesigned settings menu and Plug & Charge in some European markets for model-year 2026 cars onwards.

    RENAULT SCENIC LONG RANGE REACHES 399 MILES
    The Renault Scenic Long Range now covers up to 399 miles, a 20-mile gain from an extra 2kWh of capacity, and though peak charging stays at 150kW it holds that rate longer, cutting 10% to 80% charging to 28 minutes from 38. A revised Comfort Range version, possibly not returning to the UK, switches to LFP chemistry with 7kWh more capacity, 290 miles of range and 165kW charging, both paired with the existing 215bhp rear motor.

    GENESIS PLANS FOUR MORE EUROPEAN MARKETS
    Genesis will start selling in Austria, Denmark, Poland and Portugal next year despite a 19% fall in European sales, relying on expansion and electrification to fix weak regional performance. Its range is now almost entirely electric, with battery-electric vehicles making up 95% of European sales through July led by the GV60 and GV70, far above the 27% BEV share of the wider European premium market.

    FORD SHOWS FATHOM PICKUP IN DESERT TESTING
    Ford chief executive Jim Farley posted footage on September 1, 2026 of the Fathom electric midsize pickup undergoing hot-weather desert testing, revealing the name via a QR code on the camouflage that links to a Ford landing page. Production begins at Louisville Assembly in Q1 2027 ahead of an early 2027 sale date, with Ford claiming more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4 but withholding full specifications.

    CHINA ISSUES OVERSEAS GUIDELINES FOR CHINESE AUTOMAKERS
    Chinese regulators issued guidelines on September 1 for automakers' overseas operations, telling them to price with reference to costs and market conditions rather than to gain unfair competitive advantage, avoid frequent or substantial price changes, and refrain from misleading advertising. The rules also demand stronger anti-monopoly, anti-corruption, antitrust and social-responsibility compliance, protection of Chinese brand reputation abroad, adherence to local labour laws and better management of political, economic and safety risks in host countries.

    CANADA RELEASES 24,500 CHINA-MADE ELECTRIFIED-VEHICLE PERMITS
    Canada released 24,500 further permits for China-made electrified vehicles on September 1, completing the 49,000 first-year quota introduced in January under a trade deal with Beijing that replaced a 100% tariff, though imports still face the standard 6.1% most-favoured-nation rate. Global Affairs Canada issued permits for 15,344 EVs and 259 hybrids in the first six months, leaving importers able to bring in 33,397 vehicles including 8,897 carried-over permits, as BYD, Chery and Geely pursue certification, hiring and dealers ahead of expected sales by early next year.

    BMW IX3 CROSSES PORTUGAL ON ONE CHARGE
    A 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive drove 739km (459 miles) the length of Portugal on National Road 2 without recharging, finishing with 20% battery left after three days and 14 hours at the wheel with BMW Portugal ambassador Ana Varela driving. The route mixed mountains, winding roads, valleys, plains and towns rather than maximising range, and falls short of a December 2025 run of 1,007.7km from BMW's Debrecen plant to Munich that ended on 2%.

    US ADDS RECORD STORAGE CAPACITY IN SECOND QUARTER
    The US installed a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours of energy storage in the three months to June, with a Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence outlook forecasting 71 gigawatt-hours added across 2026. More than 74% of second-quarter capacity was built in states Donald Trump won in 2024, driven largely by Arizona, Texas and Utah, with growth partly tied to data centres using batteries to handle rapid demand swings from artificial intelligence.

    SOLAR PANELS COOL HYPOTHETICAL TOMATO FARM
    A simulation found tomato leaves under solar panels ran 1.84°C cooler through the day and up to 7.56°C cooler at peak afternoon heat than in open field, receiving 47% less sunlight but losing only 31% of carbon uptake. Panels above crops were 5.6°C cooler than those over bare soil, recovering about 15% of the efficiency lost to heat, while perceived temperatures for workers fell 4.46°C, and the model could be applied to other climate and crop combinations.
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About ev.news
Daily news about the technology and business driving electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and sustainable e-mobility. Daily 20-minute episodes, concise updates, and expert commentary.
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