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BRIEFLY: Australia, MG, VW & more | 22 Feb 2026

BRIEFLY: Australia, MG, VW & more | 22 Feb 2026

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About this episode

Highlights include MG reaching one million deliveries in Europe, led by the MG ZS and MG 4 models, and Volkswagen topping Europe's battery electric vehicle sales with nearly 20,000 deliveries in January. Renault and Skoda also showed strong performances, while Tesla's sales dropped significantly. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation resumed funding for community EV charging, and the new JQ-8 plug-in hybrid SUV with advanced features is launching in Europe. Additionally, a Canadian trial demonstrated off-grid EV charging using solar power. The episode touches on evolving EV markets, regulatory shifts, and infrastructure developments worldwide.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

MG ZS

"MG has chalked up one million customer deliveries in Europe. Most of those were the MG ZS. I owned a first-gen, mighty, mighty ZS CV."

The MG ZS is a small SUV car made by MG. Many people in Europe have bought it because it's affordable and comes in electric versions too.

Car

MG4

"They also have the MG 4, which does big business over here as well from 1,300 dealerships across Europe."

The MG 4 is a type of electric car made by MG, a car company. Lots of people buy it in Europe because it's easy to find and drives on electricity.

Term

BEV

"Volkswagen topped Europe's BEV chart. In January, they sold the most pure electric cars in the European Union,"

A BEV is a car that runs only on electricity from batteries, so it doesn't use gas or diesel.

Car

Volkswagen ID 3

"ID 3, ID 4, ID 7, ID Buzz with their big sellers."

The Volkswagen ID 3 is a small electric car made by Volkswagen that many people buy in Europe because it is practical and runs on batteries.

Car

Volkswagen ID 7

"ID 3, ID 4, ID 7, ID Buzz with their big sellers."

The Volkswagen ID 7 is a newer electric car from Volkswagen that looks like a regular sedan but runs on batteries instead of gas.

Car

Volkswagen ID 4

"ID 3, ID 4, ID 7, ID Buzz with their big sellers."

The Volkswagen ID 4 is a bigger electric car like a small SUV that runs on batteries and is good for families or carrying more stuff.

Car

Volkswagen Id Buzz

"...h almost 20,000 Bev deliveries. ID 3, ID 4, ID 7, ID Buzz with their big sellers. Renault jumped to number ..."

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a new electric van that looks like the old VW camper vans but uses electricity instead of gas. It’s good for carrying people or stuff and is popular because it’s clean for the environment and has a cool, classic look.

Car

Renault 5

"...ig sellers. Renault jumped to number two with the Renault 5, Scenic, McGann and Renault 4 electrics and Scott..."

The Renault 5 is a small car that’s easy to park and drive in cities. It was very popular in the past and now comes in new electric versions that don’t use gas, helping people drive cleaner cars.

Car

Renault 4

"...number two with the Renault 5, Scenic, McGann and Renault 4 electrics and Scotta up to third with the L-Rock ..."

The Renault 4 CV is an old, small car made a long time ago that many people could afford after the war. It was simple and easy to drive, helping lots of families get their first car.

Car

Tesla Model Y

"with only seven and a half thousand units sold. Model Y, sorry, Model 3, slipped just over a thousand reg..."

The Tesla Model Y is an electric car shaped like a small SUV, which means it’s good for families and has more space than a regular car. It runs only on electricity, so it doesn’t use gas, and many people like it because it’s fast and can drive a long distance before needing to recharge.

Car

Tesla Model 3

"...n and a half thousand units sold. Model Y, sorry, Model 3, slipped just over a thousand registrations in th..."

The Tesla Model 3 is a smaller electric car that looks like a regular sedan but runs only on electricity. It’s popular because it can go far on one charge and is cheaper than other Tesla cars, making it easier for more people to buy an electric car.

Car

7 Jq7

"The JQ-8 is a large flagship SUV arriving in Europe. Orders open next month following the JQ-7 and JQ-5. This is a plug-in hybrid system with a 34.4 kilowatt hour battery,"

The JQ-7 is a big, fancy SUV that uses both gas and electricity to run. It has a big battery so it can drive some distance just on electricity, which helps save fuel and pollution. It’s one of a series of similar cars made for people who want a mix of power and cleaner driving.

Term

plug-in hybrid system

"This is a plug-in hybrid system with a 34.4 kilowatt hour battery, 83 miles of WLTP range,"

A plug-in hybrid car has both a gas engine and a battery that you can charge by plugging it in. It can drive some distance using just the battery before using gas.

Term

WLTP range

"83 miles of WLTP range, zero emission rated for those kind of cities and areas"

WLTP range is a way to measure how far a car can go on a full battery charge in real-world driving. It helps you know how long the electric part of the car lasts.

Term

zero emission

"zero emission rated for those kind of cities and areas that are cropping up over European cities"

Zero emission means the car doesn't make dirty smoke or pollution when it drives, especially when using electricity instead of gas.

Concept

congestion zones

"that are cropping up over European cities that have congestion zones and zero emissions zones."

Congestion zones are parts of a city where cars have to pay a fee or are limited to keep traffic and pollution down.

Concept

independent third row adjustment

"You can choose a seven-seat layout if you want, an independent third row adjustment too."

Independent third row adjustment means you can move the back row of seats by itself to make more space or be more comfortable.

Company

Subaru

"The Subaru and company called Easy Trial"

Subaru is a car company from Japan that makes cars with all-wheel drive and special engines.

Car

Subaru Solterra

"charging Subaru Salterra off-grid with solar panels as a demonstration to local communities"

The Subaru Solterra is a type of car that runs only on electricity, so it doesn't use gas. It can be charged with electricity and is good for driving in cities or on rough roads.

Term

off-grid

"charging Subaru Salterra off-grid with solar panels as a demonstration to local communities"

Off-grid means using your own power instead of the electricity from the city. For example, using solar panels to make your own electricity to charge a car.

Term

solar panels

"charging Subaru Salterra off-grid with solar panels as a demonstration to local communities"

Solar panels are special flat devices that catch sunlight and turn it into electricity you can use to power things like cars or lights.

Term

battery storage

"about how you can recharge EVs with renewables, a bit of battery storage as well."

Battery storage means keeping electricity in big batteries so you can use it later, like saving energy from the sun to charge a car at night.

Term

EV charging stations

"apartment owners in Sao Paulo the right to fit individual EV charging stations to their own parking spaces."

EV charging stations are places or devices where you can plug in an electric car to fill it up with electricity, like a gas station but for electric cars.

Concept

emissions regulations

"with the emissions regulations easing in the US. Those are warning the Detroit automakers not to back off EV investment because the Chinese and others are coming."

Emissions regulations are rules that say how much dirty stuff cars can put into the air. They help keep the air cleaner and protect the environment.

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