Tariffs are extra costs added to products brought into a country from abroad. They can make imported cars more expensive and affect how many can be sold.
An EV, or electric vehicle, is a car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. They are becoming more popular as people look for cleaner transportation options.
Subsidies are money given by the government to help people buy things, like electric cars. This makes them cheaper and encourages more people to use them.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a new electric van that looks like the old VW buses but is made for today. It's popular because it's eco-friendly and has a lot of space for people and cargo.
The Volkswagen Multivan is a spacious van that can carry lots of people and their stuff. It's popular because it's comfortable and now comes in versions that use less fuel or are electric.
The Volkswagen Caddy is a small van that's great for work or family use. It's getting new versions that are electric or use less fuel, making it a more eco-friendly choice.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a small luxury car that looks really nice and has great safety features. The electric version of this car is especially safe, which is why it's often talked about in safety discussions.
The Polestar 3 is a stylish electric SUV made by a brand that's part of Volvo. It's designed to be both luxurious and good for the environment, which makes it an appealing choice for many drivers.
A traction battery is a big battery in electric cars that stores energy. It helps the car run and powers other features like lights and air conditioning.
Pike's Peak is a mountain in Colorado where a famous race takes place every year. Cars and motorcycles race up the mountain, which is a tough challenge because of the steep roads and changing weather.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is an electric SUV that carries the famous Mustang name. It's built for both performance and efficiency, making it a popular choice for those looking to drive an electric car.
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It's EV news briefly for Friday 16th of January. Everything EV.
In less than five minutes, if you haven't got time for the full podcast,
breaking news as we write the show that a Canada will slash its 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs to just 6.1%.
They will set a cap on them. It'll be the amount of vehicles that came in in 2023 before the tariffs arrived.
So that's 49,000 vehicles can come in, and as the rules tighten,
half of them will have to be under $35,000 Canadian.
That opens the market to Chinese EV makers, and in return, China will wave away all of its tariffs on things like Canadian canola and Canadian seafood.
They're not all gone, just as all of the EV tariffs aren't gone, but they're much more sensible
and much more, you think, reasonable limits. Ford, the Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, not the car company,
attacked the federal government, saying that it could risk Canadian jobs and also upset America,
where many Canadian-built cars end up. Germany is betting 3 billion euros on its EV buyers.
They want to incentivise more people to get into an EV with subsidies of between 1,500 euros and 6,000 euros per vehicle.
Low and middle-income families will be able to claim the maximum amount.
Plug-in sales grew globally in 2025, up 20% on the previous year.
20.7 million vehicles were sold with a plug socket on the side.
North America has whiplashed around as policy has not been consistent elsewhere.
South America, Southeast Asia, Europe, China, the leader have all had pretty consistent policy,
and are all showing big increases in plug-in sales.
Volkswagen commercial vehicles had a good 2025. The numbers are out, and they delivered 401,000 vehicles worldwide.
The growth there was driven by, yeah, you guessed it, that would be the electric vehicles, like the ID Buzz.
That did really well, up 100% year-on-year, to almost 61,000 units this year.
There'll be a long-wheel-based ID Buzz cargo coming soon. Good things they're making about the plug-in hybrid multi-van.
There's a plug-in hybrid Caddy, all electric e-craft are coming too.
EVs now top the safety rankings. Euro NCAP tested over 100 vehicles last year.
And guess what now tops every major safety category? Ah, you beat me to it again.
Electric vehicles. The safest car they tested last year was the Mercedes-Benz CLA EV.
Other good cars they tested include things like Tesla's Model 3 refresh, the Model Y, the Mini Cooper E,
and the Polestar 3 as well. But across every major category, EVs no longer match combustion, they actually surpassed them.
Hyundai are turning up at the CMT trade fair to ask campers and motor homers,
would you like us to make an all-electric camper on our Staria vehicle that we announced last week in Brussels?
If they do, and they go for it, it'd be a proper factory conversion.
2.6kWh of electricity generated every day from the solar panels, a big fridge, induction, cooking.
Obviously, because you've got a big traction battery, which would have to be integrated somehow into when you arrive at a campsite and do the electrical hook-up.
You don't want to start charging the traction battery, but you would want that to take over things like the cooking and fridge.
That is a fascinating prospect.
Illinois now has five new electric charging hubs, the Rechargeries courtesy of Iona.
VMAX, the Swiss scooter maker, unveiling some scooters last week at CES, including a 50 mile an hour, or 80 kilometers an hour, and VMAX VX6.
Wow, you've got to be brave.
And finally, Ford will send its Super Mustang Mac E back up Pike's Peak last year.
The weather dulled things. They had to shorten the course, but Ford says the new one is a lot better, and we're going for the overall win.
And that is briefly.
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About this episode
Canadian tariffs on Chinese EVs are set to drop significantly, allowing for increased market access while China reciprocates by easing tariffs on Canadian goods. Germany is investing heavily in EV incentives, aiming to boost sales among low and middle-income families. The global plug-in vehicle market saw a 20% increase in 2025, with notable growth in Europe and China. Additionally, electric vehicles are now leading safety rankings, surpassing traditional combustion engines. Exciting developments include Hyundai's potential all-electric camper and Ford's plans for the Super Mustang Mac E at Pike's Peak.
It's EV News Briefly for Friday 16 January 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
