EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs May 2, 2026

BRIEFLY: ID Polo, BMW iX3, Ford & more | 30 Apr 2026

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Term

MEB Plus platform

MEB Plus is Volkswagen’s shared “design and build” system for electric cars. Using the same platform helps the company make different EV models more efficiently.

Term

LFP

LFP is one type of EV battery. It’s commonly chosen because it can be cost-effective and long-lasting, though it may store energy differently than other battery types.

Term

NMC

NMC is a different type of EV battery chemistry. It’s often used to help EVs get more range, but it can cost more depending on materials.

Term

vehicle to load

Vehicle-to-load means the EV can power things outside the car, like a portable outlet. Think of it as using the car’s battery to run devices.

Car

BMW iX3

They’re talking about the BMW iX3 electric SUV and BMW improving its estimated driving range for the US. The key point is it’s now expected to go around 434 miles on a charge.

Car

The BMW iX3 (G08) is an electric SUV. The podcast is talking about its estimated EPA driving range for the U.S., which is how far it’s expected to go on a full charge. A higher number usually means it should be easier to drive longer distances.

Term

EPA estimated range

EPA estimated range is a standardized test-based estimate of how far an EV can go on one charge in the US. Your real range may be higher or lower depending on how you drive and the weather.

Car

Citroen 2CV

The Citroën 2CV is a well-known older-style small car. The podcast is talking about a possible new electric version meant to be affordable for city driving. The idea is to make EVs easier to buy for everyday use.

Topic

Paris Motor Show

The Paris Motor Show is a big car event in France where automakers show new ideas and prototypes. Here, they’re saying a very affordable EV concept could be revealed there.

Car

Jeep Avenger

Jeep’s updating the Avenger, its small electric crossover, for the first time since it launched in 2023. They’re highlighting styling changes like a new grille design and a planned European rollout.

Car

Dodge Avenger

The Dodge Avenger is a small SUV-style vehicle. It’s being talked about because Dodge is updating it after its 2023 launch. Major updates usually mean changes to features or the way the car is set up.

Car

Jeep Compass

The Jeep Compass is a compact SUV, meaning it’s smaller than a full-size SUV but bigger than a sedan. The podcast mentions it because the new vehicle being discussed appears to share a similar look and size. That helps people guess what kind of car it will be.

Term

second production shift

A second production shift means the factory is running an extra work schedule, like adding night work. That usually helps the company build more cars faster.

Car

Rivian R2

Rivian’s R2 is a coming electric vehicle. The hosts suggest Rivian is preparing to build more of them by adding a second production shift.

Term

autonomous driving system

An autonomous driving system is the car’s tech that can drive more on its own—like steering and controlling speed. Even when it’s not fully hands-free, it’s meant to reduce how much the driver has to do.

Brand

momenta

Momenta is the self-driving software/tech stack MG plans to use. The idea is that it can be improved over time with updates sent directly to the car.

Brand

MG

MG is a car brand. Here they’re talking about MG using an advanced self-driving system, aiming to compete with Tesla.

Company

SAIC

SAIC is the Chinese automaker that owns MG. When the hosts mention SAIC here, they’re tying MG’s product plans (like the autonomous-driving system) to the resources and strategy of the parent company.

Topic

Beijing Auto Show

The Beijing Auto Show is a big event where companies show off new car tech. Here, it’s mentioned as the place where the self-driving system was first revealed.

Brand

Tesla's full self-driving

Tesla’s “full self-driving” is Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance system. The point here is that MG is trying to match or beat Tesla in how well its self-driving tech performs.

Term

over-the-air updates

Over-the-air updates are software updates sent to your car wirelessly. That means the car can improve or gain features without you going to a shop.

Term

plug-in EVs

Plug-in EVs are cars you charge by plugging them in. The hosts are using that category to talk about how popular EVs are in different countries.

Term

cylindrical cells

Cylindrical cells are a battery cell format (often associated with 18650/21700-style designs) used inside EV battery packs. The segment mentions LG placing a large order for cylindrical cells, which signals supply-chain demand for that cell type.

Brand

Neuerklasse platform

BMW’s “Neuerklasse” is its plan for a new generation of car designs. The hosts are saying BMW might use the battery cells LG is ordering.

Car

Rolls-Royce won't stop with the Spectre

The Rolls-Royce Spectre is the brand’s electric flagship-style car. The hosts are hinting that Rolls-Royce has more electric models coming.

Car

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is a very expensive luxury SUV. It’s designed for comfort and prestige, but with the space and driving position of an SUV. The podcast mentions it as a reference for what a new large utility vehicle might look like.

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It's Evie News Briefly for Thursday, the 30th of April.

Everything Evie in less than five minutes.

If you've got time for the full podcast, let's get you up to speed.

Volkswagen opened all the books for the new ID Polo,

the all-electric small car starting at 25,000 euros,

built on the new MEB Plus platform to compete with Chinese Evies

in Europe's mass market.

Three power outputs, two battery options, LFP or NMC,

even vehicle to load, and a nice new interior design

for the Volkswagen's as well.

BMW's raising its projected EPA range for the US spec IX3, XDrive 50.

Another almost 10%, that's 434 miles of EPA estimated range.

Joining a pretty rare club of EVs that do over 430 miles,

price from around $60,000 should be launching in the US sometime in May.

Ford's electric car division lost $777 million in the first quarter of this year.

That works out at $23,000 per EV sold, and they sold more vehicles,

but they made less money, so margins are taking a hit.

Average selling price is down, because Ford is selling more vehicles in Europe,

but they tend to be the more lower priced vehicles.

Citroën CEO Xavier Chardon has confirmed plans for a sub-15,000 euro electric city car.

Is this the new 2CV that he says will restore Europeans to car buying?

Pointing out that actually there's not much choice anywhere, gas guzzlers or not.

At sub-15,000 euros, a concept expected at the Paris Motor Show.

I hope they do go with 2CV, that'd be so cool to revive that name.

Jeep has given the Avenger its first major update since its launch in 2023,

debuting the revised model in Rio de Janeiro with a new seven-slot grille that lights up at night,

looking more like a Jeep Compass, a dedicated European launch plan for later in the year.

Significant, because the Avenger was the previous European car of the year winner.

Rivian looks to be quietly staffing the second production shift for the R2,

normal Illinois at their plant there, a LinkedIn post from one of the leaders confirming their

ramping production on night shifts and by default or de facto confirming

that there's more production work going on there with the R2.

MG owned by SAIC, confirming that they will use the momenta autonomous driving system

which is unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show.

We've been talking about it over on our spinoff podcast, EV News China.

That is a direct rival to Tesla's full self-driving.

And we've seen that the momenta hardware and over-the-air updates and deployment

is very, very good. And in crazy Chinese traffic, it's different city to city,

but in some cities very aggressive, just thousands of mopeds everywhere.

No one's giving way where they should do.

It handles it really well. Serious self-driving competition showing up in MG's.

The UK hit two million registered electric vehicles.

That's 5% of the car park of vehicles on the road.

Over 500,000 newly registered last year.

Electric cars taking almost 25% of new car sales in the UK.

And yeah, hitting a big milestone, two millions, a huge number.

Not far across the North Sea, and we'll go to Sweden,

where plug-in EVs captured 65% of Sweden's auto market.

Now that was up from 58% a year earlier.

In the first quarter of the year is Sweden, the new Norway,

where they're getting there.

LG confirming a massive new order for their cylindrical cells.

BMW could well be the recipient with their Neuerklasse platform.

And finally, spy photos revealing that Rolls-Royce won't stop with the Spectre.

We see spy photos now of a big utility vehicle.

Like a Cullinan, but don't call it a Cullinan,

because we don't think it's going to be the Cullinan EV,

but it might be, and it's coming. And that's briefly.

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About this episode

Volkswagen’s new ID Polo headlines a roundup of fast-moving EV news, with a 25,000-euro starting price aimed at Europe’s mass market. BMW also gets a boost as the US-spec iX3’s projected EPA range rises to 434 miles. On the business side, Ford’s EV division posted a steep first-quarter loss, while adoption milestones in the UK and Sweden show how quickly the market is still expanding.

autonomous driving system Beijing Auto Show cylindrical cells EPA estimated range LFP MEB Plus platform MG Momenta Neuerklasse platform NMC

BMW iX3 (G08) Citroen 2CV Dodge Avenger Jeep Avenger Jeep Compass Rivian R2 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Rolls-Royce Spectre

Original notes

It's EV News Briefly for Thursday 30 April 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

VOLKSWAGEN OPENS ID POLO ORDERS IN EUROPE
Volkswagen has opened order books for the ID Polo, an all-electric small car starting at €24,995, built on the upgraded MEB+ platform to compete with Chinese EVs in Europe's mass market. It offers three power outputs, two battery options (37 kWh LFP and 52 kWh NMC) with up to 455 km WLTP range, a 13-inch touchscreen, 441 litres of boot space, and vehicle-to-load capability.
BMW IX3 RANGE TARGET RISES TO 434 MILES
BMW has raised its projected EPA range estimate for the U.S.-spec iX3 xDrive50 to 434 miles, an 8.5% increase over earlier guidance, though final EPA certification is still pending. Priced from around $60,000, the iX3 is launching in the U.S. in May 2026, with customer deliveries expected in late September or early October after mass production begins in early September.
FORD MODEL E STILL BURNS CASH
Ford's electric car division Model e lost $777 million in Q1 2026, roughly $23,000 per EV sold, despite a $72 million year-on-year improvement and a 10% rise in volumes to around 34,000 units. Ford's near-term focus is improving margins on existing EVs while developing next-generation models on its Universal EV platform and expanding into battery storage through the newly launched Ford Energy.
CITROËN PLOTS SUB-€15,000 CITY EV
Citroën CEO Xavier Chardon has confirmed plans for a sub-€15,000 A-segment electric city car, positioning it as a modern equivalent of the 2CV to help restore European car buying, which remains three million buyers per year below pre-pandemic levels. A concept is expected at the Paris motor show in October, with a production version to follow within a couple of years at a price well below the current ë-C3.
JEEP AVENGER GETS FIRST FACELIFT
Jeep has given the Avenger its first major update since its 2023 launch, debuting the revised model in Rio de Janeiro with a redesigned seven-slot grille that lights up at night and brings it visually closer to the newer Jeep Compass. A dedicated European launch is planned later in 2026, significant given the Avenger won the 2023 European Car of the Year and has been central to Jeep's European recovery.
RIVIAN SIGNALS SECOND R2 SHIFT
Rivian appears to be quietly staffing a second production shift for the R2 at its Normal, Illinois plant, with a LinkedIn post from a newly promoted R2 Group Leader confirming he is "ramping production on night shift." Volume R2 production began on April 22, with early units going to employees for several months of real-world software data collection ahead of external customer deliveries.
MG 07 TO GET MOMENTA R7 SYSTEM
SAIC's MG has confirmed the upcoming MG 07 fastback sedan will be among the first vehicles to feature Momenta's R7 autonomous driving system, unveiled at Beijing Auto Show as a direct rival to Tesla's FSD v14. Momenta's R7 supports weekly over-the-air updates, targets a deployed fleet of 200,000 vehicles by end-2026, and plans European robotaxi deployments later this year through a partnership with Uber.
UK EV FLEET TOPS TWO MILLION
The UK's zero-emission vehicle fleet reached 2 million registrations at the end of 2025, representing 4.8% of all licensed vehicles, with 528,000 newly registered in 2025 alone and electric cars taking 23.4% of new car sales. The government's Electric Car Grant, offering up to £3,750 off qualifying EVs, has already been used by over 100,000 buyers and has driven a 10% rise in electric car demand.
SWEDEN EV SHARE HITS 64.9% IN Q1
Plugin EVs captured 64.9% of Sweden's auto market in Q1 2026, up from 58.0% a year earlier, with BEVs alone reaching 40.7% market share on a 21% volume increase despite the overall market shrinking 2%. A new BEV incentive scheme targeting lower-income rural households helped sustain momentum, while the Volvo EX40 held the top BEV sales spot for the third consecutive quarter.
LGES 46-SERIES ORDERS TOP 440 GWH
LG Energy Solution secured over 100 GWh of new orders for its 46-series cylindrical cells in Q1 2026, pushing its total backlog above 440 GWh, with the new business widely attributed to a reported ten-year BMW Group contract worth approximately €5.8 billion. The deal is said to cover both 4695 and 46120 cell formats linked to BMW's Neue Klasse platform, and would mark LGES's first time supplying cells for BMW battery-electric vehicles.
ROLLS-ROYCE TESTS SECOND ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Spy photos have revealed Rolls-Royce testing an unnamed electric utility vehicle that closely matches the proportions and silhouette of the Cullinan, the brand's most popular model since its 2018 launch. Reports suggest this is not a next-generation Cullinan replacement but rather a separate new product alongside it.

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