Discover Skoda's affordable electric crossover Epic EPIQ launching soon with impressive range and powertrain options. Rivian enhances user convenience with a new Apple Watch app for remote vehicle control. BYD surpasses Ford in global sales, expanding aggressively in Europe and Australia with competitive pricing and new models. Genesis enters Italy with three EVs, while South Australia's VE Motion introduces a powered trailer system to reduce diesel use in heavy transport. General Motors faces EV strategy challenges but bets on lithium manganese rich batteries. Italy boosts ultra-fast charging infrastructure on motorways, integrating solar and battery storage for sustainability.
Topics:skoda epic epiqrivian apple watch appbyd global salesgenesis europe launchpowered trailer systemgm ev strategyitaly charging infrastructureelectric vehicle marketbattery technologyev convenience features
"massive battery, a traction battery in the semi truck trailer that also pushes the truck along. I..."
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Fast Chargers.
On EV News China today, we're talking about X-Pung's Level 4 Autonomy.
BYD's Sodium Ion batteries and Geely joins the 1,500-kilometer club.
Let's get into it and Scotter's Little Epic.
Scotter will unveil the Epic EPIQ.
That's kind of how they do their naming anyway.
A compact electric crossover sometime in the first half of this year.
We're getting more details though.
The model serves as Scotter's entry-level EV.
This is sub 25K, so under 25,000 euros or pounds, competing with the likes of the Citroën EC3 Aircross, the Renault 4 and 5 cars.
In many markets, Scotter expects the Epic to match the price of its ice-powered Kamiq.
That is K-A-M-I-Q.
Positioning of that means the Epic is going to be one of the most affordable vehicles in Scotter's entire portfolio.
The Epic marks Scotter's first use of Volkswagen's MEB Plus platform.
That's designed for compact electric vehicles.
The platform enables front-wheel drive architecture that maximizes interior space, it reduces weight, and it improves efficiency.
Maximum range reaches 267 miles, that's 430 kilometers, DC fast charging 133 kilowatts.
The same MEB Plus architecture, well that's what you'll find underneath the VW ID Polo and the CUPRA Reval.
Three powertrain options we now know available, ranging from 85 kilowatts to 155 kilowatts.
Two batteries, either 38.5 or 55 kilowatt hours.
The top Epic 55 variant will deliver the maximum 434 kilometers of range and 155 kilowatts of power.
The Epic forms a central part of Scotter's strategy to double its all-EV portfolio by the end of this year.
The brand's existing EV range has been doing really, really well in Europe with the first L-Rock breaking into the European top 20 at the end of last year.
Alright, let's move on.
And a bit of Rivian news, which many of its existing owners will be happy about.
Rivian is launching a dedicated Apple Watch app, giving you remote access and control.
Rivian Tracker posted release notes from the software update 2026.03 or .03.
It's not yet available, but it's coming.
The automaker added support in December for using Apple Watch as a digital key through Apple's Wallet app.
The new companion app sits within Rivian's own ecosystem and requires version 3.9 or later of the mobile app.
The Watch app adds controls for things like venting windows, sounding the alarm, adjusting cabin temperature,
and setting charging targets users can lock or unlock with a tap, and with the app open, even start driving.
Must admit, being able to do things like open and close windows, I'm not sure how many combustion drivers
know about how good EVs are.
And so many of the never bevers that just want to hang onto their petrol and diesel till the year 2050.
And that's cool, they can do that.
Just how convenient EVs are.
It's not just preheating and pre-cooling in the middle of winter, we're coming to the end of our winter now.
Meaning there's no ice and snow on your car when you go to work.
That's the kind of obvious stuff we were doing 10 years ago.
Now, just the convenience of having an app like on the Polestar app, which is probably not the best one out there,
but I like the Polestar app, it does what I need it to do.
Just being able to check.
Oh, I've left the window open, a smidge, or one of my kids has left one of their windows open.
If I see it start to rain, I mean it would be very cool to have some sort of home assistant integration.
If my weather, my home weather, you know, it's sent to detected rain,
it could run something through an API to go, are your car windows open?
Okay, close the windows or at least send a notification.
That would be next level geekery.
Anyway, this is a huge digression.
Let's get back to Rivian.
The digital crown adjusts temperature and charge targets.
Owners can figure up to four quick controls for frequent functions.
Functionality differs by generation.
The app enables Apple Watch key compatibility for the Gen 1 Rivians for the very first time.
But users must keep the app in the foreground for it to work as a key.
Standalone digital key functions require Gen 2 EVs.
That was the one that came out last year, which worked with Apple wallet based digital keys without the app being in the foreground.
The app arrives just over a year after Tesla released its Apple Watch app in December of 2024.
Neither automaker supports Apple CarPlay, which is interestingly interesting.
Recent media reports have claimed that Tesla is very close to unveiling their Apple CarPlay.
Let's move on.
BYD overtook Ford Motor Company in global sales for the first time last year.
Climbing to sixth place while Ford dropped to seventh.
Ford's wholesale deliveries fell 2% to 4.4 million vehicles, trailing BYD's 4.6 million.
Of course, that includes BYD's passenger cars and commercial vehicles, but the business is mostly, to be honest, passenger cars.
The ranking shift reflects Ford's geographic struggles.
I'll put it that way.
US sales grew, but the company lost ground in Europe and faced big declines in China.
Chinese manufacturers, BYD, Xiaomi, Geely and more, have captured market share from foreign car makers with affordable, technology-rich EVs.
Ford has announced a $19.5 billion charge related to reversing some of its missteps in EVs.
I think it's even the most ardent Ford fan would say there's been missteps, and that's not to say the vehicles are bad.
The Mustang Mach-E is great. F-150 Lightning.
I don't meet many owners that don't love those vehicles, and the little Ford electric transit.
Well, that's really cool.
But there's nothing else that they will sell you, and they haven't got anything else for a long, long time at Ford.
The pipeline all kind of got dried up, and now they're saying,
Well, we listened to the customer, and the customer's always right.
Yes, but there were no customers for Teslas when Tesla first said,
How about we make you an EV?
And well, they pretty much single-handedly created the entire EV market.
So, at least in some parts of the world.
So, yeah, I kind of get both sides of the argument.
BYD has done it by expanding aggressively beyond China.
The company exported 1.05 million vehicles last year, big milestone hitting a million vehicles exported.
They want to do 1.3 million this year in Europe, South America, Asia, BYD,
like many car makers, headwinds at home looking overseas for growth.
And specifically BYD will target over 50,000 new registrations in Germany this year.
More than doubling its 23,500 units from last year.
Germany's CEO, who joined from Stellantis last year,
reaffirmed the goal originally set for 2025
by BYD Europe CEO, Stella Lee.
Dealer expansion underpins the strategy.
BYD started last year with 26 German locations and now operates 190.
They want 350 by the end of this year.
Product mix has shifted in Germany.
In January last month BYD registered over 2,500 vehicles in Germany.
It's a 60-40 split, so 60% Bev, 40% plug-in.
And that departs from its initial approach in Europe, which is going to be Bev.
Only the company targets a 5% share, market share for plug-in hybrids and 4% for Bev's.
BYD held just under 1% of the German market last year.
But interestingly, BYD sell more vehicles in Germany than Tesla do.
And Tesla's actually built a big ol' factory in the country.
The CLU, DMI, that's their plug-in hybrid,
was Europe's best-selling plug-in hybrid last year in 2025 with over 72,000 units shifted.
And the new CL6 DMI estate now available.
Plug-in hybrids avoid the European Union tariff supplied to pure electric vehicles,
supporting that hybrid focus.
Pricing is aggressive.
The Dolphin Surf lists at less than 19,000 euros.
The CLU lists at less than 35,000 euros in Germany,
dropping with 6 grand EV subsidy to, well, 13,000 or 29,000 euros, respectfully.
And finally, on BYD before we take a break,
BYD Australia will launch seven or eight new models this year
as it pursues a top three sales position.
The chief operating officer, Stephen Collins,
announced the expansion plan at the C-Line 5 and C-Line 8 media launch,
confirming the rollout will occur sometime between April and December this year.
The announcement follows four recent arrivals in Australia.
The ATO-1, that's a minicar.
The ATO-2, a compact SUV.
The C-Line 5 plug-in hybrid.
That's a kind of medium-sized SUV.
And the C-Line 8, that's a plug-in hybrid.
It's a large SUV.
The C-Line 8 is BYD's first seven-seat SUV down under.
BYD expects the C-Line 8 to rank, not rank, but rank,
among its top three sellers alongside the Shark 6.
That's the Ute and the C-Line 7.
It's medium-sized SUV.
That's an all-electric vehicle.
Mr. Collins declined to specify which models come in which order.
The company's definition of new includes major updates,
as well though to current models, as well as all new additions.
Expected facelifts for the Dolphin small car
and ATO-3 compact SUV aren't counted in that list.
Two confirmed releases will be the new Shark 6,
coming in a cab chassis as well,
and the new Shark 6 Ute with a bigger two-litre DMO system,
that plug-in hybrid system.
So three and a half thousand kilograms,
brake towing, an improved 4x4 system,
hitting a ton of payload,
so really comparable to anything you could buy with combustion.
The CL-06, sedan, and the wagon
have already been spotted in Australia testing,
and BYD will expand its dealer network
to 150 locations by the middle of the year,
the brand-increasing fleet sales as a focus
and reducing service wait times in Australia.
Right, we'll take a break.
We'll come back to Genesis and GM.
More in a bit.
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Welcome back to the podcast.
Thanks for sitting through the ads, or fast-forwarding them.
On the ad-supportive free feed,
this podcast will always be free.
So many people get into the Patreon,
which is the kind of monthly $5, $10, sometimes more support level,
sometimes just to support the work that I do here.
Since I gave up my job,
and now I spread the word about EVs every single day.
And some people do it because they hate the ads.
But the ads also pay my mortgage.
And so sorry about those.
If you're listening to the free feed,
I know it's a pain in the backside.
That's why we have the Patreon there.
But I never want to put this even behind
like a soft paywall or anything.
So let's move on.
And we'll talk Genesis.
We'll enter Italy with three electric models.
Genesis Motor Europe has launched in Italy.
It's fourth European market after Germany,
the UK, and Switzerland.
Italy gains access to three electric models from launch.
The GV60, one of my favorite cars I've never owned.
Some would call it a compact SUV.
It would be fine enough for us.
You know, 800-volt platform.
There's some killer bargains coming off
finance agreements now in the UK.
There's the Electrified G70,
which I wish they'd call it the Electric G70
because it is, that's their flagship SUV.
And the Electrified G80, again,
please just call it the Electric G80 Electrified.
It sounds like you're fudging it and it's not.
It's an EV.
That's the G80's the sedan.
All of those are great, by the way.
I think the sedan's probably a, you know,
maybe a more niche choice.
People who want a certain kind of really long,
big executive cruiser, but either way,
the SUVs are very popular.
The G80 carries the most comprehensive
standard equipment of any Genesis model
sold in Europe.
The brand will operate through high visibility retail locations,
they say, including Rome.
The MD there confirming the brand's long-term
commitment to European growth.
Where next?
France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Genesis are going to enter the
World Insurance Championship WEC
with the Magma brand,
which I find curious because I think
Genesis should lean into
luxury the way that Toyota would use
Lexus, for instance,
but Hyundai Kia or Hyundai Motor Group
are using the Genesis brand
to lean into sportiness
and racing with Magma,
which is not what I think Genesis is about.
But who cares what I think.
I think they should lean into like,
okay, now we're going to make the
special edition versions.
And the special edition versions
are just, you know, next level
luxury at a price that's not
Bentley price rather than like,
oh, we've lowered it and it goes really quickly.
Okay, they must know what they're doing.
They got access to a lot more
of their business and a lot more
data than an idiot like me.
Okay, let's talk about
some heavy transport.
South Australian company,
VE Motion, has launched Australia's
first commercially available powered
trailer system claiming
diesel savings up to 50%.
And that's really interesting.
How can we get commercial
vehicles, which do big, big miles,
by the way, but might not be
ready to go fully electric yet.
Let's be pragmatic and build
a coalition of EV drivers
without being too preachy
about this.
Well, let me tell you about it.
The base kit is $200,000.
For that, you get a 200 kilowatt
hour battery pack, about one
quarter the price of a battery
electric mover, while
delivering half the emissions
from running it as a pure diesel
and, you know, half the benefits.
Battery options include two, four
or 600 kilowatt hour packs.
They're CATL, lithium ion,
phosphate pack.
So it's the good stuff.
And the trailer
effectively pushes the
truck along as well.
And so the system features
an e-axle rated at 400 horsepower
and 10 tons gross axle weight.
Charging uses CCS-2
up to 180 kilowatts of power.
Also an onboard 22 kilowatt AC
charger for slow, or even
three phase overnight.
They build the system in Murray
Bridge.
They've invested four million
Aussie dollars in R&D.
And the modular kits
fit new or existing
truck trailers.
They include regen braking,
propulsion assist and onboard
power for the trailer systems as
well. Many trailer systems, like
the cooling systems, I read this
a while ago, like, you know, it's
kind of refrigerated freezer trucks.
They often have a separate
combustion engine that runs
that bit, like not much the
time. And they aren't
subject to the same emissions
rules as the cars that you and
I drive. A bit like, I don't
know, a petrol lawnmower can
be really, really hazardous to
the operators. A quick side
note. I hate the fact that when
I go and see our local council
workers doing the garden
maintenance and stuff, and they're
all using these small engine
petrol grass trimmers and lawnmowers.
It's without face masks. So
bad for their health, right? We've got the
technology now just to do that as pure
electric. It would be cheaper, but also
better for their health. It's not fair
they go to work and face, you know, those
kind of emissions. Anyway, how's the
sidebar they need to do? So
actually powering those from a
massive battery, a traction battery
in the semi truck trailer that
also pushes the truck along. I get
it. Some people hate me talking about
combustion on this on this podcast.
I'm there with you, by the way,
and this again, you haven't got to get ready
your diesel track the
unit, if you like, because you've got
an electric trailer that's pushing
you along. I don't know. It's just one
solution. I'm all about building a
coalition of people using electric in
different ways as long as you charge
it. This is a path,
a journey that we're on. It's not a switch
that we're flicking overnight where we all drive EV.
This is vehicle to load,
vehicle to grid. All these things could
be used in terms of the trailer
itself. It's really cool. Right,
a couple more stories. General Motors
faces $8 billion
in write downs from its
faltering EV strategy and now pins recovery
on lithium manganese
rich batteries. The battery chief
Kurt Kelly calls the approach ambitious
and risky with industry critics
questioning whether LMR can achieve
viability. GM targets
2028 for LMR vehicles
following its first $6
billion charge disclosed in January
related to scaling back its EV
production. Stalantas and Ford
booking things similar.
Kelty attributes GM's
difficulties partly to market stagnation
in the United States after rapid
growth with no recovery
anticipated in the U.S. They say
till after the 2030s, I'm a little
more optimistic about that. Western
carmakers trail China's cost structures
significantly. Battery
and plug-in hybrid vehicles captured over
50% of Chinese new car sales last
year. Monthly we saw 60%
LMR chemistry.
Well that reduces reliance on
expensive nickel and cobalt. It
adds manganese positioning between
cheaper LFP cells and more premium
high nickel cells. Mr.
Kelty claims GM Motors
has solved voltage fading
the degradation problems that plagued
earlier LMR batteries. Meanwhile
China is going in on
all in on sodium ion
batteries as a another solution.
Let's talk about eon
drive next. And finally
eon drive infrastructure
Italy. Just one
three different lots from
the Autostrada per Italia
that is for ultra fast charging
infrastructure on Italian motorways. Next time
you drive through Italy
on the motorway system, well maybe not next time
but either way the project will cover
18 service areas
they're adding 104
new charging points to Italy's
motorway network by the end of the year
serving major east west and north south
routes including the A4, Turin
to Trieste's routes
and the A14, Bologna and
Toronto motorways. Each site
will feature up to eight Alpetronic
HYC400s and I mention that because
that's the good stuff.
So up to 400 kilowatts
per charging point. Eon will
integrate PV canopies
so again it's nice to have
PV at a charging station
doesn't really make a... it doesn't really move the needle
but still it's a canopy
and we like that. Also some
battery storage at every location
this design aims to maximize local solar power
and reduce peak grid demand
we'll see how big those solar
arrays are though but that is
a great bit of news for my Italian
listeners. I've not got many
I got some. Thanks for listening
and that's your podcast for today
thanks to National Car Charging on the US mainland
and the Low Heart Charge in Hawaii
Avalu's trusted partner for independent
EV battery health testing in Australia
and New Zealand. Have a good one see you tomorrow
and remember there's no such thing as a
self-charging hybrid.
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