BRIEFLY: Sodium Ion Batteries, Zeekr, MG4 Urban & more | 28 Sep 2025
EV News Daily - Technology and Business of EVs
BRIEFLY: Sodium Ion Batteries, Zeekr, MG4 Urban & more | 28 Sep 2025
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It's EV News briefly for Sunday, the 28th of September. Everything EV in less than five minutes. If you haven't got time for the full podcast, let's get you going.
Sodium ion batteries are going to be one of the big technologies for 2026 and is nearing large scale commercialization.
Don't get me wrong. Sodium ion cars are on the road right now in China. But CATL, the world's biggest EV battery maker, have sodium ion batteries on their road map and are now hitting 175 watt hours per kilogram.
Really key levels of energy density, where they become faster charging, improved sustainability for recycling, exceptional low temperature performance in cold climates down to minus 40 degrees C.
Of course, making it with the very common materials. And so moving away from lithium based technologies could be a new era.
Sodium ion technology is going to be a massive year for sodium ion technology. Zika is launching a European ad campaign to tell Europeans about their vehicles.
They say ultra fast charging, 800 900 volt architecture, I think that's coming. They've sold over half a million vehicles, just not enough of them overseas.
Another educating European buyers, MG4 meanwhile is turning up in Australia. Now the MG4 has been around a long time and is well regarded by the way.
As a very, very good chassis rear wheel drive vehicle, however, they've completely remade it. So we'll wait and see if it's good.
It's a front wheel drive vehicle and it's now got approval to be sold in Australia. LFP pack I think there, but in China, they'll do a semi solid state battery with like a 5% electrolyte tiny amount for $14,000 US dollars equivalent.
General Motors is next in the news. They're donating 59 of their bright drop vans to the American Red Cross to help them deliver food and aid and emergency support where it's needed.
BYD projects the one out of five of their car sold this year. It's now going to be for export and overseas. That's double their reach from 2024.
And what does that mean in terms of numbers? If you haven't been staying up late at night studying the BYD production numbers, what's 20% mean? Well, it means 800,000 to a million vehicles leaving China's shores.
I'm going overseas. They've got eight of their own car carriers now. The biggest of which will take almost 10,000 cars out of China to not just European markets by the way, but Southeast Asia and more as well.
BYD looking overseas to continue the growth story there. Charge trip they are partnering with Octopus Electroverse streamlining EV travel across Europe.
They are going to embed charge trips advanced route planning and making 1.1 million public charges easily accessible through the Octopus Electroverse app.
This integration offers a cleaner charging experience. I use the Electroverse app all the time. Obviously full disclosure. They are a sponsor of this podcast.
The filters work really well as you zap map all the time and it's that is really good by the way, but now I just use Electroverse.
I can just find the charges on my route, but work with the app and it's so simple. My wife does it as well because we're not Tesla drivers.
So we haven't got the Tesla experience, but it's a close second to find a fully integrated charger with Octopus Electroverse.
Just plug it in, open up the app and hit start and it's not the end of the world to do that. It saves fast traffic around in the rain with your credit card on some charges that don't always work very well.
And finally, China continues to be the world leader in rare earth magnet production, but a new 75 million dollar plant is opening in Estonia, the other side of the river across from Russia.
And experts are saying that it's important to move things like rare earth magnets supply, at least a little bit out of China's almost 100% dominance in control.
This new plant will be able to process rare earth magnets for up to a million EVs every year. That is briefly.
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This isn't just a game. It's a once in a generation event. The Harlem Globetrotters 100 year tour. Celebrate 100 years of high flying dunks. A hundred years of show stopping moves and 100 years of changing the game.
Bring the whole family and be part of the legacy. This game is once in a century. Be there at Moda Center on January 24. Go to Harlem Globetrotters.com for your tickets to the 100 year tour.
The Harlem Globetrotters 100 year tour. Celebrate 100 years of high flying dunks. A hundred years of show stopping moves and 100 years of changing the game. Bring the whole family and be part of the legacy. This game is once in a century. Be there at Moda Center on January 24. Go to Harlem Globetrotters.com for your tickets to the 100 year tour.
Right now, a car Subaru and Beaverton sign for the 2025 Subaru share the love event so much love. We think about Subaru loves to care. Subaru loves pets. Subaru loves pets is one of our love promise pillars because we love pets and it's our way of giving back to the community.
Subaru loves learning. Everybody should get the same opportunity and it feels really good to have supplied up. We did all these events throughout the year and now here we are at the 2025 Subaru share the love event at car Subaru and Beaverton.
It is a great time. It's the culmination of everything that we've done to give back to the community and now not only can you get a great new Subaru, but you'll know that you're doing good for the community during this time.
$350 donation goes to some great national charities and a couple local ones here Providence Child Center and the Sunshine Division.
And now we're adding in the two Mount Hood Fusion passes just in time for the ski season. It's just a great time to get a car and you can't understate the love because that's really what it's all about.
It's a great way to end the year at car Subaru and Beaverton with you all the way every mile every day.
This isn't just a game. It's a once in a generation event. The Harlem Globetrotters 100 year tour. Celebrate 100 years of high flying dunks.
A hundred years of showstopping moves and 100 years of changing the game. Bring the whole family and be part of the legacy. This game is once in a century.
Be there at Motor Center on January 24th. Go to Harlem Globetrotters.com for your tickets to the 100 year tour.
Go to Harlem Globetrotters.com for your tickets to the 100 year tour.
About this episode
Sodium ion batteries are set to revolutionize the EV market by 2026, with CATL leading the charge in energy density and sustainability. Zeekr is ramping up its European presence with ultra-fast charging vehicles, while the MG4 makes its debut in Australia as a revamped model. General Motors supports the American Red Cross with BrightDrop vans, and BYD plans to double its export numbers, targeting 800,000 to 1 million vehicles. Additionally, a new rare earth magnet plant in Estonia aims to reduce reliance on China, crucial for EV production.
Original notes
It's EV News Briefly for Sunday 28 September 2025, 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
SODIUM‑ION BATTERIES NEAR LARGE‑SCALE COMMERCIALISATION http://bit.ly/42Xou36
ZEEKR LAUNCHES "SEEK MORE" CAMPAIGN http://bit.ly/42XodNC
MG4 EV URBAN APPROVED FOR AUSTRALIA http://bit.ly/4nxitmj
GM DONATES 59 BRIGHTDROP VANS TO RED CROSS http://bit.ly/3Wgur7B
BYD FORECASTS EXPORTS AT 20% OF SALES http://bit.ly/3WoYcDb
CHARGETRIP INTEGRATES WITH OCTOPUS ELECTROVERSE http://bit.ly/3VLElOn
CHINA'S ROLE IN RARE-EARTH SUPPLY http://bloom.bg/3VLWMCK
SODIUM‑ION BATTERIES NEAR LARGE‑SCALE COMMERCIALISATION
Sodium-ion batteries are rapidly advancing from pilots toward commercial adoption, offering exceptional low-temperature performance, faster charging, and improved sustainability for heavy-duty and automotive use. Major players like CATL have already launched mass-produced compliant batteries and vehicle makers such as JAC have delivered volume production EVs with sodium cells, signaling a promising new era for affordable, eco-friendly energy storage.
ZEEKR LAUNCHES "SEEK MORE" CAMPAIGN
Zeekr’s “Seek More” European brand campaign introduces cutting-edge EVs with ultra-fast charging and innovative design, targeting growth in new markets despite tariff headwinds. With more than 520,000 vehicles delivered and expansion plans underway, Zeekr’s proprietary 800V–900V tech and comprehensive charging ecosystem position it for international leadership.
MG4 EV URBAN APPROVED FOR AUSTRALIA
MG has secured approval to launch the MG4 EV Urban in Australia, featuring a choice of efficient battery sizes and advanced LFP or semi-solid-state chemistries for superior range in all climates. The Chinese-market Anxin Edition’s affordable semi-solid-state technology and strong local sales illustrate MG’s successful expansion as a value leader in EVs.
GM DONATES 59 BRIGHTDROP VANS TO RED CROSS
GM’s donation of 59 all-electric BrightDrop vans to the Red Cross strengthens disaster response, providing emission-free, long-range support for communities in need. This initiative reflects GM’s long-term commitment to social responsibility and electrification’s contribution to humanitarian efforts.
BYD FORECASTS EXPORTS AT 20% OF SALES
BYD projects that one out of every five vehicles sold in 2025 will go to export markets, doubling its international reach thanks to expanded shipping capacity and a growing global lineup. The focus on bringing all China-developed models to new markets underlines BYD’s ambition to become a truly global EV manufacturer.
CHARGETRIP INTEGRATES WITH OCTOPUS ELECTROVERSE
Chargetrip’s partnership with Octopus Electroverse streamlines EV travel across Europe by embedding advanced route planning and making 1.1 million public chargers accessibly through one app. The integration offers users cleaner, more affordable charging while major automakers leverage the tech for improved customer experiences.
CHINA'S ROLE IN RARE-EARTH SUPPLY
China continues to be the world leader in rare-earth magnet production for EVs, offering unmatched technical expertise and cost advantages, while new facilities like Neo’s in Estonia bolster European supply security. The evolving global rare earths landscape is fostering cooperation, investment, and innovation across key regions.
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
SODIUM‑ION BATTERIES NEAR LARGE‑SCALE COMMERCIALISATION http://bit.ly/42Xou36
ZEEKR LAUNCHES "SEEK MORE" CAMPAIGN http://bit.ly/42XodNC
MG4 EV URBAN APPROVED FOR AUSTRALIA http://bit.ly/4nxitmj
GM DONATES 59 BRIGHTDROP VANS TO RED CROSS http://bit.ly/3Wgur7B
BYD FORECASTS EXPORTS AT 20% OF SALES http://bit.ly/3WoYcDb
CHARGETRIP INTEGRATES WITH OCTOPUS ELECTROVERSE http://bit.ly/3VLElOn
CHINA'S ROLE IN RARE-EARTH SUPPLY http://bloom.bg/3VLWMCK
SODIUM‑ION BATTERIES NEAR LARGE‑SCALE COMMERCIALISATION
Sodium-ion batteries are rapidly advancing from pilots toward commercial adoption, offering exceptional low-temperature performance, faster charging, and improved sustainability for heavy-duty and automotive use. Major players like CATL have already launched mass-produced compliant batteries and vehicle makers such as JAC have delivered volume production EVs with sodium cells, signaling a promising new era for affordable, eco-friendly energy storage.
ZEEKR LAUNCHES "SEEK MORE" CAMPAIGN
Zeekr’s “Seek More” European brand campaign introduces cutting-edge EVs with ultra-fast charging and innovative design, targeting growth in new markets despite tariff headwinds. With more than 520,000 vehicles delivered and expansion plans underway, Zeekr’s proprietary 800V–900V tech and comprehensive charging ecosystem position it for international leadership.
MG4 EV URBAN APPROVED FOR AUSTRALIA
MG has secured approval to launch the MG4 EV Urban in Australia, featuring a choice of efficient battery sizes and advanced LFP or semi-solid-state chemistries for superior range in all climates. The Chinese-market Anxin Edition’s affordable semi-solid-state technology and strong local sales illustrate MG’s successful expansion as a value leader in EVs.
GM DONATES 59 BRIGHTDROP VANS TO RED CROSS
GM’s donation of 59 all-electric BrightDrop vans to the Red Cross strengthens disaster response, providing emission-free, long-range support for communities in need. This initiative reflects GM’s long-term commitment to social responsibility and electrification’s contribution to humanitarian efforts.
BYD FORECASTS EXPORTS AT 20% OF SALES
BYD projects that one out of every five vehicles sold in 2025 will go to export markets, doubling its international reach thanks to expanded shipping capacity and a growing global lineup. The focus on bringing all China-developed models to new markets underlines BYD’s ambition to become a truly global EV manufacturer.
CHARGETRIP INTEGRATES WITH OCTOPUS ELECTROVERSE
Chargetrip’s partnership with Octopus Electroverse streamlines EV travel across Europe by embedding advanced route planning and making 1.1 million public chargers accessibly through one app. The integration offers users cleaner, more affordable charging while major automakers leverage the tech for improved customer experiences.
CHINA'S ROLE IN RARE-EARTH SUPPLY
China continues to be the world leader in rare-earth magnet production for EVs, offering unmatched technical expertise and cost advantages, while new facilities like Neo’s in Estonia bolster European supply security. The evolving global rare earths landscape is fostering cooperation, investment, and innovation across key regions.
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