BRIEFLY: BMW, EV Prices, Tesla Energy & more | 16 Mar 2026
About this episode
BMW is set to unveil the i3 all-electric sedan, featuring advanced tech like an 800-volt platform and 500-mile range. EV prices in the EU are dropping as more affordable city cars flood the market, helping manufacturers meet stricter emissions rules. Tesla gained a UK license to sell energy directly, opening possibilities for innovative grid services. UK carmakers exceeded 2024 emissions targets despite lobbying claims. New collaborations aim to improve EV charging transparency, while battery health studies show gradual decline. Highlights also include Australia's EV tax discount review, record EV sales for Skoda, and Nissan Leaf batteries finding second life in Spain.
It's EV News Briefly for Monday 16 March 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
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BMW SETS 18 MARCH FOR I3 DEBUT
BMW will unveil the fully electric i3 sedan on 18 March, extending its Neue Klasse platform into the compact sedan segment, with assembly already underway at its Munich plant and series production expected to begin in late autumn. The i3 50 xDrive will be the first version to reach customers, featuring an 800V platform with up to 400kW peak charging and an expected range exceeding the iX3's 805km rating.
EU EV PRICES FALL AS RULES BITE
EU EV prices fell by an average of €1,800 in 2025, a 4% drop that ended five consecutive years of rising prices, taking the average to €42,700, driven by tighter CO2 emissions targets forcing carmakers to compete on price. T&E expects further price falls as more budget EVs launch, with affordable and mass-market EVs projected to outsell large and premium vehicles by 2027, alongside full price parity with ICE vehicles across all segments.
TESLA WINS UK POWER SUPPLY LICENCE
Tesla has been granted an electricity supply licence by Ofgem, allowing Tesla Energy Ventures to sell power directly to homes and businesses across England, Wales and Scotland from 11 March 2026, completing a six-year effort to become a full-service energy provider in Britain. Ofgem approved the licence despite over 8,400 objections citing Elon Musk's political activities, ruling that Tesla met all statutory requirements, and Tesla must now comply with standard UK consumer protection and billing obligations.
UK MAKERS BEAT 2024 ZEV TARGET
UK car makers met their 2024 ZEV mandate obligations despite a raw EV sales mix of 19.8% falling short of the 22% headline target, by using CO2 credits under the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme to reach an effective 24.1%. The result gave manufacturers surplus credits to carry into future compliance years, with the government set to begin a ZEV mandate review later in 2026 and findings due in the first half of 2027.
GREEN NCAP LINKS WITH CHARIN ON CHARGING TESTS
Green NCAP and the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) have agreed to collaborate on EV charging interoperability and performance transparency, with the goal of giving consumers independent, verified data on how well EVs work with charging infrastructure. The CharIN Label will be referenced within Green NCAP's Driving Experience assessment for electric vehicles, with testing following CharIN's own processes or recognised partner organisations.
ARVAL DATA SHOWS STRONG EV BATTERY LIFE
Arval's analysis of 24,000 battery health certificates across 11 European countries found that EV and PHEV batteries decline by just 1% per 25,000km after an initial drop, with vehicles reaching 160,000km or six years of service still retaining battery health above 90%. Newer-generation models outperformed older ones by two to three percentage points, and the entire fleet comfortably exceeds the incoming Euro 7 requirement of 72% battery capacity retention at eight years or 100,000 miles.
AUSTRALIA EV TAX BREAK FACES BUDGET THREAT
Australia's Electric Vehicle Discount, which allows workers to reduce their tax bill by purchasing a new EV through salary sacrificing, is under review with reports suggesting the upcoming federal budget could remove it. Renewable energy advocates are opposing any scrapping of the scheme, arguing the timing is particularly poor given rising global fuel prices.
ŠKODA POSTS RECORD 2025 RESULTS
Škoda posted record 2025 results with revenue up 8.3% to €30.1 billion, operating profit up 8.6% to €2.5 billion, and net cash flow reaching €2.3 billion. Electrified vehicle deliveries more than doubled to 218,700 units, with the Elroq ranking as the second best-selling BEV in Europe and plugged-in models accounting for 25.7% of European sales.
SEAT SEES 2026 PROFIT LIFT AFTER TARIFF CUT
Seat expects profitability to recover in 2026 after the EU dropped an additional tariff on the China-built Cupra Tavascan, which had cost the company an estimated €250 million in 2025 and forced it to absorb around €7,000 per vehicle rather than pass costs to buyers. EV margins still trail combustion-engine equivalents, but Seat expects improvement with the launch of the Cupra Raval small EV on April 9, priced comparably to combustion-engine cars and weeks away from series production.
NISSAN LEAF BATTERIES RETURN AS VIGO CHARGERS
Nissan has partnered with Spanish firm Little Electric Energy to deploy a second-life battery charging system at the Port of Vigo, using 12 decommissioned 30 kWh Nissan Leaf packs to power four charging points supporting both 22 kW AC and 240 kW DC ultra-fast charging. The Green Charge Flex system targets sites with limited grid capacity by charging slowly from the available connection and delivering stored energy rapidly to EVs, avoiding costly grid upgrades.
BMW i3
"BMW will reveal the i3, all-electric sedan on the 18th of March. Their second vehicle on the Neue Klasse platform."
The BMW i3 is a fully electric car made by BMW. It is part of a new group of electric cars that BMW is making using a special design called the Neue Klasse platform.
The BMW i3 is an all-electric sedan from BMW, representing their move into electric vehicles. It is notable here as the first vehicle on BMW's Neue Klasse platform, signaling a new generation of electric cars from the brand.
Neue Klasse platform
"Their second vehicle on the Neue Klasse platform. Production and assembly is underway now at its Munich plant."
Neue Klasse is a new way BMW builds electric cars. It helps make the cars better and easier to make.
The Neue Klasse platform is BMW's new electric vehicle architecture designed to underpin their next generation of EVs. It represents a shift in design and technology to improve efficiency, performance, and production for electric cars.
BMW Neue Klasse
"...n the 18th of March. Their second vehicle on the Neue Klasse platform. Production and assembly is underway no..."
The BMW Neue Klasse is a new type of electric car made by BMW. It uses a special design to run only on electricity and is part of BMW's plan to make cleaner, more modern cars.
The BMW Neue Klasse is a new generation of BMW vehicles built on a dedicated electric platform, marking a significant shift towards electrification for the brand. It represents BMW's strategy to produce efficient, modern electric cars with advanced technology and sustainability in mind.
800-volt platform
"That's the all-wheel drive version, 800-volt platform. 400 kilowatts of charge speed and the iX3 has 500 miles on WLTP of range."
Some electric cars use a higher voltage system called 800 volts. This helps the car charge faster and work better.
An 800-volt platform refers to the electrical system voltage used in some modern electric vehicles, allowing for faster charging speeds and improved efficiency compared to the more common 400-volt systems.
BMW iX3
"400 kilowatts of charge speed and the iX3 has 500 miles on WLTP of range. So this being a more slippery shape should go further."
The BMW iX3 is an electric SUV that can travel a long distance on a single charge, about 500 miles according to European tests.
The BMW iX3 is an all-electric SUV from BMW, known for its range and efficiency. It is mentioned here for its WLTP-rated range of 500 miles, which is a European standard for measuring electric vehicle range.
WLTP
"400 kilowatts of charge speed and the iX3 has 500 miles on WLTP of range. So this being a more slippery shape should go further."
WLTP is a test that shows how far a car can go on a single charge or tank of fuel, using real-world driving conditions.
WLTP stands for Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, which is a global standard for measuring vehicle emissions and fuel consumption, including electric vehicle range, under more realistic driving conditions.
European Union EV prices
"European Union EV prices are falling. It's a drop that I've mentioned last week and I've got some more details now because they're selling more small cars. So as the rules tighten on CO2 emissions, one of the ways that you can sell more big profitable gas guzzlers, big SUVs, is to sell more cheaper city cars. It kind of gives you some wiggle room in the credits. And so as the rules have got tighter in the EU, so the carmakers have sold a lot more cheaper EVs and that has brought down the average selling price of an EV, which means you and I are winners."
Electric cars are getting cheaper to buy in Europe because more people are buying smaller and less expensive models.
This refers to the trend of electric vehicle prices falling in the European Union, driven by increased sales of smaller, cheaper EVs. This affects the average selling price and market dynamics in the region.
CO2 emissions
"So as the rules tighten on CO2 emissions, one of the ways that you can sell more big profitable gas guzzlers, big SUVs, is to sell more cheaper city cars."
CO2 emissions are gases that cars release that can harm the environment. Rules limit how much cars can release to help keep the air clean.
CO2 emissions refer to the amount of carbon dioxide released by vehicles, which is regulated to reduce environmental impact. Tighter CO2 emission rules push manufacturers to sell more electric and efficient vehicles.
Tesla
"Tesla has been granted a license by our regulator, Offgem, to sell energy to businesses and retail customers in England, Wales and Scotland,"
Tesla makes electric cars and also sells electricity to homes and businesses. Here, they are starting to sell energy directly to customers in the UK.
Tesla is a leading American electric vehicle and clean energy company known for its electric cars, battery energy storage, and solar products. In this context, Tesla is expanding into energy retail services in the UK.
Offgem
"Tesla has been granted a license by our regulator, Offgem, to sell energy to businesses and retail customers in England, Wales and Scotland,"
Offgem is the group that controls and watches over energy companies in the UK to make sure they follow the rules and treat customers fairly.
Offgem is the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, the regulator for electricity and gas markets in Great Britain. It oversees energy suppliers and ensures fair competition and consumer protection.
Powerwall
"It means that maybe Tesla can do some funky stuff with the power walls and maybe even car batteries in time like they've done in Texas to create micro grids and do a bit of trading."
A Powerwall is a big battery you can put in your home to store electricity. It helps you use your own power and keep the lights on if the grid goes down.
The Tesla Powerwall is a home battery system that stores electricity for backup power, load shifting, and self-consumption of solar energy. It can help create microgrids and enable energy trading.
microgrid
"maybe even car batteries in time like they've done in Texas to create micro grids and do a bit of trading."
A microgrid is like a small, local power system that can work on its own without the big power company. It helps keep power on in your area even if the main grid has problems.
A microgrid is a localized group of electricity sources and loads that can operate independently from the main grid. It can improve resilience and enable energy trading within the community.
mandate obligations
"UK carmakers met their mandate obligations in 2024. I mentioned this briefly on the podcast,"
These are rules that car companies have to follow, like making a certain number of electric or low-pollution cars by a certain year.
Mandate obligations refer to regulatory requirements that carmakers must meet, such as producing a certain percentage of low-emission vehicles by a set deadline.
vehicle emissions trading scheme
"Technically, the vehicle emissions trading scheme and every UK carmaker, every carmaker that trades in the UK at least, not based here, met their obligations in 2024."
This is a rule that car companies have to follow to keep pollution low. If they make cleaner cars than needed, they can sell extra 'credits' to other companies.
The vehicle emissions trading scheme is a regulatory program that requires carmakers to meet specific emissions targets by trading credits. Carmakers who exceed targets can sell surplus credits to others.
Charin
"Green NCAP and Charin, the charging interface initiative, will collaborate on EV charging into operability and performance transparency..."
Charin helps make sure electric cars can charge easily at different stations and that the charging works well.
Charin is a charging interface initiative that works to standardize and improve the interoperability and performance transparency of electric vehicle charging systems.
Green NCAP
"Green NCAP and Charin, the charging interface initiative, will collaborate on EV charging into operability and performance transparency..."
Green NCAP checks how green or eco-friendly cars are, so people know which ones are better for the environment.
Green NCAP is an independent organization that tests and rates the environmental performance of vehicles, focusing on emissions, energy efficiency, and sustainability to help consumers make informed choices.
EV charging interoperability
"will collaborate on EV charging into operability and performance transparency with the goal of giving consumers independent verified data on how well EVs work with different charges."
It means electric cars can plug in and charge at many different places without problems, no matter the charger brand.
EV charging interoperability refers to the ability of electric vehicles to charge seamlessly across different charging stations and networks, regardless of brand or technology, ensuring convenience for users.
battery health certificate
"Aval, the leasing company, have analyzed 24,000 battery health certificates and found that batteries decline by, on average, one percent per 25,000 kilometres driven after an initial drop."
It's a report that tells you how good or worn out an electric car's battery is.
A battery health certificate is an assessment report that indicates the current condition and capacity of an electric vehicle's battery, helping buyers and owners understand battery degradation.
battery degradation
"Aval, the leasing company, have analyzed 24,000 battery health certificates and found that batteries decline by, on average, one percent per 25,000 kilometres driven after an initial drop."
It means an electric car's battery slowly gets weaker and can't hold as much charge as when it was new.
Battery degradation is the gradual loss of capacity and efficiency in an electric vehicle's battery over time and usage, reducing driving range and performance.
salary sacrifice EV discount
"Australia's EV discount, which allows workers to reduce their tax bill by buying a new EV through salary sacrifice, is under review."
It's a way to buy an electric car by using part of your pay before taxes, so you pay less money overall.
A salary sacrifice EV discount is a government or employer scheme allowing workers to reduce their taxable income by purchasing a new electric vehicle through payroll deductions, effectively lowering the cost.
Nissan Leaf
"And old Nissan Leafs are using their old batteries to have a second life in battery charging systems in Spain as a battery backup at EV charges."
The Nissan Leaf is an electric car that lots of people buy. When its battery gets old, it can be used for other things like storing power.
The Nissan Leaf is one of the world's first mass-market electric vehicles, known for its affordability and practicality. Older Leafs' batteries are often repurposed for secondary uses like stationary energy storage.
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