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

DAILY: Volkswagen Launch ID Polo, BMW iX3 Adds Range and Citroen Plans Sub-15k City EV | 30 Apr 2026

Annotations will appear as you listen

0:00

20:20

Car

Bmws Ix3

BMW’s iX3 is an electric SUV based on the X3. The episode says BMW is improving it with more range, meaning you should be able to drive farther on a charge.

Brand

Huawei

Huawei is a big tech company mentioned here because it’s involved in very fast EV charging. The episode is focusing on the charging systems and the supporting energy infrastructure.

Concept

megawatt charging

Megawatt charging means charging an EV using extremely high power—much faster than typical public chargers. To do it, the car and the charging station both have to be built for that level of power.

Concept

Grid integration is about making sure EV charging works smoothly with the power system. Instead of charging randomly, the charging demand is managed so it doesn’t overload the grid and can work well with renewable energy.

Company

BYD

BYD is a major Chinese company that makes electric cars and batteries. The hosts mention it because it has a new top model coming out.

Car

Volkswagen ID Polo

Volkswagen is launching an all-electric version of its Polo-sized car called the ID Polo. It’s part of Volkswagen’s EV lineup, so it’s designed to be electric from the start rather than converted from a gas car.

Concept

order books

“Order books” means the company has started taking customer orders for a new car. It’s the step where people can actually place an order instead of just hearing about the car.

Car

BYD Dolphin

The BYD Dolphin is an EV model from BYD. The hosts mention it to show the kind of cheaper Chinese electric cars Volkswagen is trying to beat in Europe.

Car

Citroën ë-C3

The C3 mentioned here is an electric car model from BYD. The podcast groups it with other small, lower-cost EVs to talk about what’s becoming available. It’s mainly discussed as part of the expanding EV lineup.

Term

MEB Plus platform

An EV platform is the shared design and engineering underneath an electric car. Volkswagen’s MEB Plus is an updated version that helps make room inside the car.

Term

LFP pack

LFP is a type of EV battery chemistry. In this case, the smaller ID Polo trims use LFP batteries, which are generally selected to help keep costs down.

Term

WLTP range

WLTP is a standardized test used in Europe to estimate EV range. It’s a consistent way to compare cars, even though real-world range can differ.

Term

DC charging at 90 kilowatts

DC fast charging is the quicker way to charge an EV at public chargers. The segment says this version can charge at up to about 90 kilowatts.

Term

10 to 80 in 27 minutes

This is a charging-time comparison. It tells you how long it takes to go from a low battery level (10%) to a fairly full one (80%).

Term

NMC chemistry

NMC is another type of EV battery chemistry. It’s typically used when you want more energy stored in the battery for longer driving range.

Term

11 kilowatt, three phase AC on board charging

This describes how fast the car can charge using regular AC power (like many home wall boxes). “Three-phase” usually means you can charge faster than with basic single-phase power.

Car

ID. Id2

The ID. Polo is an upcoming small electric car concept mentioned in the podcast. It’s discussed with details about how charging works and how the doors are designed. The point is to show what features and design ideas could make it into a real EV.

Term

digital instrument cluster

Instead of regular gauges with needles, the car uses a screen to show things like speed and battery/range info. It can be easier to read and can show more information.

Term

13 inch tablet style touchscreen

This is the car’s big screen for controlling things like media and settings. The host says it also keeps big physical buttons, which can be easier than only using touch.

Term

ADAS system

ADAS is a set of safety and convenience features that help the driver. It uses sensors to assist with things like staying in the lane or reducing the chance of a crash.

Term

boot space

Boot space is how much stuff the car’s trunk can hold. They’re quoting the liters you get with the seats up and then more when you fold the seats down.

Term

3.6 kilowatts

3.6 kilowatts is how much power the car can send out to something plugged in. More kW usually means you can run bigger or more power-hungry devices.

Term

vehicle to load

Vehicle-to-load means the car can act like a power source for things outside the car, like tools or appliances. In this case, they say it can provide up to 3.6 kW.

Term

EPA range

EPA range is the official U.S. test estimate for how far an EV can go on a full charge. Your real range may be different depending on how you drive and the weather.

Company

Deborah Sen plant

This refers to BMW’s production facility in Hungary where early iX3 production began. The plant name is tied to where the vehicles are built, which can matter for supply timing and production ramp-up.

Concept

European import tariff to the US

A tariff is a tax the government adds to imported products. If the US adds a tariff to EVs coming from Europe, it can make those cars more expensive to sell in the US.

Brand

Model E

Model E is Ford’s EV team. The hosts are talking about how much money that EV division lost and what that means for EV pricing and profits.

Car

Ford Mustang

The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s electric SUV/crossover. The hosts mention it to show which cars are included in Ford’s EV business.

Car

Ford Capri

The Ford Capri is a smaller SUV/crossover type of car from Ford. It’s meant for everyday driving and people who want something more compact. It’s mentioned because Ford’s EV plans can affect how these models are sold and priced.

Car

Ford Puma

The Ford Puma is a small SUV/crossover made by Ford. It’s designed for normal daily driving, especially in smaller cities. The podcast mentions it because Ford is changing its lineup and pricing as it expands EVs.

Car

Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer is a family-sized SUV made by Ford. It’s the kind of vehicle people use for everyday driving and road trips. The podcast brings it up because Ford’s EV plans can influence how the Explorer is priced and updated.

Concept

average selling price per vehicle

Average selling price is basically the average price of each car sold. If the company sells more cars but makes the same total revenue, it usually means the average price per car went down.

Car

Ford F-150 Lightning

The F-150 Lightning is Ford’s electric pickup truck. The hosts are saying that because it costs more, fewer people may be able to buy it, which can hurt sales volume.

Car

Ford Etransit

The Ford E-Transit is an electric delivery van made by Ford. It’s meant for businesses that drive routes every day. The podcast mentions it because it doesn’t sell as much as some other EVs, so it’s part of the business conversation about what’s working.

Concept

sub-15K electric city car

“Sub-15K” means the goal is to sell an electric city car for under about $15,000. The hosts are saying this kind of low price is the big challenge—and the new rules may help make it possible.

Brand

Citroën

Citroën is a car brand that the hosts say is planning a very low-cost electric city car. They connect the plan to new rules that could help small EVs be cheaper.

Concept

e-car legislation

The “e-car legislation” is new government rules for small electric cars. The idea is to set limits on size and power, and then give benefits so these cars can be sold at lower prices.

Concept

K-Car legislation

K-Car legislation refers to Japan’s rules that allow small, low-power vehicles to qualify for favorable tax and regulatory treatment. The segment compares upcoming “e-car” rules to this model, implying that limits on size/power can come with benefits that make tiny EVs more viable.

Concept

Autobahns

Autobahns are Germany’s highways, known for high-speed driving. The hosts are saying small city cars don’t need the same high-speed capability as bigger cars used on those roads.

Concept

speed-limited small city car

This means the car is intentionally limited in how fast it can go. The idea is that for city driving, a lower top speed can help keep the car safer and cheaper.

Car

Citroen 2CV

The Citroën 2CV is an older, simple small car that became famous for being practical. The podcast compares it to a “new 2CV” idea to explain what a modern version could try to achieve. The focus is on making a car that works well for everyday life.

Car

Citroën 2CV

The Citroën 2CV was a famous, low-cost French car from the post-war era. The hosts are comparing a new cheap car idea to the original 2CV’s goal of getting cars back into everyday life.

Car

Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 is a well-known small city car. In this discussion, it’s used as an example of a cheap car that helped more people get access to driving after World War II.

Car

Volkswagen Beetle

The VW Beetle is a famous, long-running Volkswagen model. The hosts mention it as a historical example of an affordable car that helped many people start driving.

Topic

Paris Motor Show

The Paris Motor Show is a big car event in France where companies show off new cars. Here, it’s where they plan to reveal the new car preview.

Car

Jeep Avenger

The Jeep Avenger is Jeep’s small electric car. They’re talking about a refresh to its look (like the front grille) and Jeep’s plans to keep pushing it in Europe.

Car

Dodge Avenger

The Dodge Avenger is a car model from Dodge. The podcast mentions it because it’s getting a major styling update. That means the outside look is being changed to feel newer.

Part

seven-slot grille

The grille is the front opening area of the car. A “seven-slot” grille means it has seven vertical sections, and here it’s part of the Avenger’s refreshed front-end look.

Car

Jeep Compass

The Jeep Compass is another Jeep SUV. They’re using it as a comparison to say the Avenger’s new front lighting looks similar to the Compass.

Topic

mid-life refresh

Carmakers often update a model partway through its life. It’s usually small changes—like new front styling or updated features—to keep it feeling current.

Brand

MG

MG is a car brand. Here they’re talking about putting advanced self-driving technology into lower-cost electric cars.

Topic

EVs on the road in the UK and Sweden

They’re talking about how many electric cars are actually being driven in the UK and Sweden. That helps show how popular EVs are and how far the market has progressed.

Car

Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 is an electric car that Rivian is planning to build in larger numbers. The podcast mentions it because Rivian is adjusting its factory schedule to increase production. That usually means they expect more buyers for the model.

Topic

South by Southwest

South by Southwest is a big event where tech companies make announcements. In this segment, it’s where Rivian’s software chief talked about how employees will keep the cars for testing.

Concept

over-the-air updates

Over-the-air (OTA) updates let a car receive software changes via a wireless connection, similar to how phones update apps. This matters for EVs because features, bug fixes, and even driving-assistance behavior can be improved after the car is sold.

Term

self-driving hardware

Self-driving hardware is the set of sensors and compute components used for advanced driver-assistance and autonomous driving functions. It typically includes cameras, radar, lidar (if used), and an onboard computer that processes sensor data in real time.

Company

SAIC

SAIC is a major Chinese automaker group that owns the MG brand. In this segment, SAIC is mentioned in the context of putting advanced autonomy hardware into lower-cost cars.

Car

MG MG7

Term

R7 Autonomy

R7 Autonomy is Momenta’s advanced driving software. It’s meant to help the car handle driving tasks more automatically, and the hosts compare it to Tesla’s top self-driving option.

Company

Momenta

Momenta is a company that makes software for advanced driving automation. They’re saying MG07 will use Momenta’s autonomy system to help the car drive more intelligently.

Term

full self-driving

“Full self-driving” is Tesla’s name for its most advanced driver-assist feature. It’s meant to take over more of the driving, but you still usually have to stay alert and ready to take control.

Term

post-training iterations

Post-training iterations are follow-up improvements made after the main training is done. The idea is that some tweaks can be tested and updated much faster than starting training from scratch.

Term

fleet

A fleet here means many cars operating in the real world. The company can use those cars to gather experience and send software updates to all of them.

Term

robo-taxi

A robo-taxi is a self-driving taxi. Instead of a person driving, the car’s computer handles the driving.

Term

Tesla FSD

Tesla FSD is Tesla’s software that tries to make the car drive more on its own. People compare it to other self-driving systems to judge how good the technology is.

Concept

zero emission vehicles

“Zero emission vehicles” are vehicles that don’t emit exhaust fumes while they’re driving. The UK government counts not just cars, but also other vehicle types like vans and buses.

Concept

electric car grant

An electric car grant is money from the government to help lower the cost of buying an EV. In this case, it’s described as a £4,000 discount for eligible new EVs.

Concept

Plug-in EVs

Plug-in EVs are cars you can charge by plugging them into electricity. That group can include fully electric cars and some hybrid cars that also plug in.

Concept

BEVs

BEV means a fully electric car. It uses a battery for power and doesn’t burn gasoline while driving.

Car

Volvo EX30

Volvo EX30 is a small electric SUV from Volvo. The hosts are saying it sold the most EVs in Sweden during the period they’re discussing.

Car

EX60

Volvo EX60 is Volvo’s electric model mentioned here. The hosts are talking about when it launched and why it matters for EV sales in Sweden.

Term

cylindrical cells

Cylindrical cells are EV battery cells that look like small round tubes. They’re made in specific sizes so manufacturers can build battery packs more consistently.

Term

46 series

The “46 series” is a named type of EV battery cell. It’s basically a particular size of cylindrical battery cell designed to store energy efficiently.

Term

Tesla 4680s

“4680” is Tesla’s name for a bigger battery cell size. The numbers describe the cell’s diameter and height, and the idea is that bigger cells can help the battery store more energy efficiently.

Term

4695 battery

“4695” is another battery cell size name. It means the cell is 46 mm wide and 95 mm tall, aiming to pack in more energy and work efficiently.

Term

lithium ion cell

A lithium-ion cell is the basic battery unit that powers an EV. It’s the part that stores electricity and then releases it to run the motor.

Term

lithium ion technology

EVs usually use lithium-ion batteries. This is the battery type that stores energy and powers the electric motor, and its design affects how long it lasts and how well it performs.

Term

cycle life

Cycle life means how many times the battery can be charged and used before it starts to wear out. Higher cycle life generally means the battery will last longer.

Car

BMW i3s

The BMW i3s is an electric car from BMW. It’s a more performance-focused version of the i3, meant to drive a bit more enthusiastically. The podcast mentions it while discussing BMW’s EV lineup and how the cars are built.

Car

Cullinan

The Cullinan is Rolls-Royce’s big luxury SUV. The segment says the next electric Rolls-Royce SUV may look similar, but it might not be called “Cullinan” and may not be a direct replacement.

Car

Spectre

The Spectre is Rolls-Royce’s electric car. The segment is basically saying Rolls-Royce isn’t stopping with that one EV.

LIVE

My name's Mark and this is my NHS story. The sensation in my neck was painful all the time.

Once I spoke to my GP, they referred me to my CDC. They got me in very, very quickly.

The amount of pain I went through for something so easy, why hadn't I done this four months before?

The government is opening new community diagnostic sensors with many already available 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

So the NHS can be there for all of us when we need it.

Find your closest one at gov.uk slash NHS fit for the future, available England wide.

Indeed presents. Hires you can't afford to get wrong. Like a warehouse operations manager.

Where are the forklifts?

I sold them. They were too expensive. I got a great deal on these scooters though.

You expect us to move a two-ton pallet on a scooter?

It'll be fun. Just think of the core strength you'll build.

This is a job for sponsored jobs!

This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.

So the next time you need someone to get the job done right, get matched with quality candidates with an indeed sponsored job.

Visit indeed.com slash next hire and sponsor your job today.

My name is Karen and this is my NHS story.

You don't realise how blind you are until you have cataract surgery.

I was referred to a surgical hub and they booked us in for an operation.

It was about three weeks before I was there. It's very, very quick.

The government is opening more surgical hubs with more than 120 already operating across England.

So the NHS can be there for all of us when we need it.

Find your closest one at gov.uk slash NHS fit for the future.

Indeed presents. Hires you can't afford to get wrong. Like a warehouse operations manager.

Where are the forklifts?

I sold them. They were too expensive. I got a great deal on these scooters though.

You expect us to move a two-ton pallet on a scooter?

It'll be fun. Just think of the core strength you'll build.

This is a job for sponsored jobs.

This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.

So the next time you need someone to get the job done right,

get matched with quality candidates with an Indeed sponsored job.

Visit indeed.com slash next hire and sponsor your job today.

Welcome back to EV News Daily.

Today, Volkswagen launched the ID Polo BMW's iX3 ads range and Citroën

plans a sub 15k city EV with the coolest name.

Plus they've tuned later in the show.

I'll tell you why Rolls-Royce isn't done yet with just the Spectre.

Another fully V coming from them.

Over on our spin-off show today, EV News China.

There's so much happening with the auto China show in Beijing.

We're talking about Huawei's megawatt charging.

Really the whole infrastructure around it.

The batteries, the solar charging, the grid integration.

Chinese brands hitting highs overseas and BYD's new flagship C-Line 08.

Get that podcast in your usual feed.

If you don't want it, just delete it.

But that should show up in the usual place that you get this podcast.

Let's get into it.

Volkswagen has opened order books for the ID Polo

and all electric take on the Polo name plate.

Volkswagen positions the ID Polo as its high volume mainstream product

built to defend its European mass market share against the lower priced Chinese EVs.

And boy, have we got them coming.

They're here.

There's more of them.

Chinese car makers using lower production costs and vertically integrated supply chains.

Here's looking at you BYD to compete on price.

Volkswagen now wants to meet the threats with an affordable EV of its own.

How affordable? 25,000 euros.

That's less than 30,000 US dollars in Europe's small car segment.

ID Polo goes up against everything from BYD's Dolphin surf to the Renault 45,

Citroen EC3, MG's and loads more.

Under the body, ID Polo uses the upgraded MEB Plus platform.

More interior space than the original MEB platform.

Three power outputs, 85 kilowatts, 99 kilowatts or 155 kilowatts.

That's up to 206 horsepower.

The smaller two, 85 and 99 kilowatt motors, use an LFP pack.

That's sell to pack care technique, by the way, with 37 kilowatt hours.

A WLTP range of 329 kilometers, DC charging at 90 kilowatts.

Not fast, but also it's a small pack, 10 to 80 in 27 minutes.

The more powerful version, 155 kilowatt motor, using a bigger battery pack as well.

52 kilowatt hours and that's an NMC chemistry for over 455 kilometers WLTP.

Charges a lot faster, 10 to 80 in 24 minutes.

But all of them have 11 kilowatt, three phase AC on board charging.

The front stays close to the ID2 all concept.

The rear door handles disappear inside the C pillar, which itself looks like a nod to the original Golf.

Inside, we've got the 10 inch digital instrument cluster that looks honestly way better.

I didn't mind the old instrument cluster on the ID cars.

And then you see the nice new really big one.

It actually looks a lot better.

And the 13 inch tablet style touchscreen, of course, all the buttons are back and huge steering wheel, which is much, much better.

The car also includes their latest ADAS system, driver assistance.

It's over four meters in length.

Volkswagen claims 441 liters of boot space, which is 25% more than the gas guzzling Polo.

Fold down the rear seats, you've got 1240 liters in a very small car.

Volkswagen offering vehicle to load so you can pull 3.6 kilowatts to an external device.

And lots more about that vehicle.

Maybe I'll do a special podcast, a bonus show, all about the new ID Polo, a crucial vehicle for Volkswagen in Europe.

Now, BMW is upgrading the IX3's range in the United States.

A EPA range improvement of almost 10%, actually, the US spec IX3 XDrive 50 will be 434 miles, 434 EPA.

That joins a very elite club of EVs that do more than 430 miles.

And the figure still needs final EPA approval.

If it holds, there aren't many EVs that will go that far.

Early production started in BMW's Deborah Sen plant in Hungary.

Initial US shipments will go to demo vehicles and media drives, things like that.

Market launch in the US should be sometime next month in May.

Online configurator live in June.

Mass production for US-bound units starts in September.

First customer deliveries around that time, maybe early October, should start around $60,000.

That's unless, I don't know, tariffs change because they sort of do with the wind these days.

Let's hope the automotive industry can enter a period of stability from the current White House.

Let's put it that way so that businesses can get on and make plans and go trading and selling cars with a bit more certainty.

Let's hope it stays at high loose track.

What is the European import tariff to the US? 15%, I think.

I'll correct myself tomorrow if I'm wrong.

I think it's 15%, which is, yeah, it's not nothing, but it's not like the amount European Union tariffs are on Chinese EVs coming in, for instance.

Okay, let's move on.

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

It's called Model E, the division behind the Mustang Mach-E, the Ford Explorer, the Capri, the Puma Gen-E.

And the loss improved by $72 million year on year, but it's still the same as losing $23,000 per vehicle sold.

The margin, deep in the red, but revenue flat, volumes were up.

So flat revenue, more product being sold, so that's a conclusion would be a much lower average selling price per vehicle.

That's likely because, well, there's just less for Americans to buy at higher ticket prices like the F-150 Lightning,

and more cheaper European models like the little Puma Gen-E, big price cuts on Explorer and Capri as well.

Model E covers the electric cars, doesn't cover the E-Transit, not a massive seller, but they sit that within Ford Pro, which makes money.

A lot of it.

The near-term plan centres on improving margins.

Beyond that, the next-gen lower-cost models for the Ford Universal EV platform, the UEV, announced in August 2025.

And of course, their new battery storage business as well, so try and offload some of those cells that they don't need to put in cars yet.

OK, Citroën will build a sub-15K electric city car.

CEO Xavier Chardon confirming the brand plans as a full-sized electric microcar.

Under the new forthcoming e-car legislation, think of Japan's K-Car legislation.

That limits power and size of vehicle, and in return, gets favourable terms.

Well, the European car makers have been pointing out that an increase of regulations, of safety and things like that has just jacked up the prices of small city cars.

Cars that might never need technology that a family saloon or a much bigger SUV that might be doing 80, 100, 120 miles an hour on German Autobahns.

A level of safety with ADAS systems and sensors.

Well, if you've got a speed-limited small city car, then maybe there's some money that can be saved while still being safe.

Mr Chardon cast the car in really broad terms, saying that the new 2CV should do today what the Citroën 2CV did after World War II.

Restore mobility to the masses.

Well, Europe remains the only major car market that hasn't fully recovered from COVID-era disruptions.

We buy 3 million fewer cars over here in Europe than before the pandemic.

Chardon said that 60% of the gap comes from the disappearance of cars below 15K, not just EVs, but gas guzzlers as well.

Small cars are expensive.

Now, the average age of cars is therefore rising, as people realise that whatever you go and buy, not just EVs, is more than it used to be.

The average age of a car in Europe is now over 12 years old, increasing by more than two years in the last five years.

Chardon linked the slump to the late 1940s, comparing to the Citroën 2CV, the Fiat 500, VW Beetle and Austin Mini as the new breed of ultra-affordable cars at the time that restarted mobility and car ownership post-war.

Citroën expects the preview to happen at the Paris Motor Show in October.

I'd love for them to use the 2CV name.

Maybe they won't, but effectively the old petrol-powered C1.

Yeah, maybe below the EC3, that kind of vehicle.

They're more likely to use that rather than calling it a 2CV, but wouldn't that be cool?

Jeep has given the Avenger its first major styling update since the model launched in 2023.

The revised car made its public debut on the streets of Rio de Janeiro during the festival.

A main change is the front grille, the new seven-slot grille to look chunky, dropping the chrome surrounds.

The grille now lights up at night, looking much more like a Jeep Compass.

Jeep plans a dedicated European launch later in 2026, and that matters because the Avenger

has done more than just fill a gap in the range.

It's built in Poland, it won the European car of the year.

It previously has helped drive Jeep's recovery in Europe.

The little Jeep electric Avenger is quite a ditty car, actually.

It's quite a small one, but I think it looks great.

And I see a fair few of them driving around.

So great to get a little mid-life refresh on that little freshen up on the front design and stuff like that.

All right, we can take a quick break if you want, and I'll take a slurp of this coffee.

We'll get back and we'll talk about MG putting in some really good self-driving hardware into some cheap EVs.

And how many EVs are on the road in the UK and Sweden?

Well, we'll look at their figures in a moment. Stick around.

My name is Kathleen, and this is my NHS story.

Having a persistent cough is quite socially embarrassing,

so I went to see a respiratory nurse who sent me off for an x-ray at my local CDC,

and they were offering Sunday appointments and evening appointments, which was great.

The government is opening new community diagnostic centres with many already available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week,

so the NHS can be there for all of us when we need it.

Find your closest one at gov.uk-nhs-fit-for-the-future, available England-wide.

Indeed presents.

Highers you can't afford to get wrong, like payroll manager.

Hi, I was just checking my pay slip and it's all in Japanese yen.

Yes, you're welcome.

Sorry?

Given the exchange rate between the pound and the yen, you're technically a millionaire now.

Don't spend it all in one place.

I can't really spend it anywhere.

This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.

So the next time you need someone to get the job done right, get matched with quality candidates with an Indeed-sponsored job.

Visit Indeed.com slash next hire and sponsor your job today.

My name is Kathleen and this is my NHS story.

Having a persistent cough is quite socially embarrassing,

so I went to see a respiratory nurse who sent me off for an x-ray at my local CDC

and they were offering Sunday appointments and evening appointments, which was great.

The government is opening new community diagnostic centres with many already available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week,

so the NHS can be there for all of us when we need it.

Find your closest one at gov.uk slash NHS Fit for the Future, available England-wide.

Indeed presents.

Hires you can't afford to get wrong, like payroll manager.

Hi, I was just checking my pay slip and it's all in Japanese yen.

Yes, you're welcome.

Sorry?

Given the exchange rate between the pound and the yen, you're technically a millionaire now.

Don't spend it all in one place.

I can't really spend it anywhere.

This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.

So the next time you need someone to get the job done right,

get matched with quality candidates with an Indeed-sponsored job.

Visit indeed.com slash next hire and sponsor your job today.

Hey, welcome back to the podcast.

All right, let's get into this great news coming out of Rivian over the last 24 hours.

It appears they're adding another shift to build the R2 models.

This came from a LinkedIn post, actually, from someone who works there who's a group leader

and says that there's going to be working on ramping production of the night shift.

And if you put two and two together and don't get five,

that would appear to be confirmation that there's the second shift going in.

And Rivian have talked about a third shift in time as well.

Volume and saleable R2 production began on April 22nd to be specific.

The CEO, RJ Scarridge, confirming the production start in a Bloomberg Tech interview.

Rivian also started putting early cars and employee hands as well.

The chief software officer, Wasim Ben Said, said at South by Southwest in March

that employees will keep the vehicles for many months.

And the aim is simple, build mileage as much as they can to get software data

sent back to the company before too many of those external deliveries begin.

You've got to launch.

You've got to get something out the door.

It won't be perfect on day one.

But they, like all car companies, I guess these days with over-the-air updates,

they plan to do as many fixes and patches as they possibly can.

Now, MG owned by the Chinese company SAIC are putting in some of the best,

if you look at the review, some of the best self-driving hardware

into some very cheap cars.

And could it come to Europe?

Well, that's a really interesting question.

First up will be the MG07.

Now, the MG07 is not a car that I get here.

That's a fastback sedan.

And it's going to feature Momenta's R7 Autonomy.

Momenta unveiled the R7 at the AutoChina show in Beijing.

And it's a direct competitor to Tesla's full self-driving.

So Momenta said that the R7 post-training iterations finish in under three hours,

while full training cycles take days.

It said that PACE supports weekly over-the-air updates in the fleet that gets deployed,

which is currently 80,000 vehicles today.

They expect 200,000 deployed vehicles by the end of the year.

And a long-term target of 10 million deployed vehicles to learn from.

Europe is in its sights.

Momenta plans robo-taxi deployments there in 2026 through a partnership with Uber.

And some of the English-speaking and English-language YouTube channels that I watch,

some of them from Chinese journalists who speak incredible English.

And also some of the English-speaking auto journalists that may be moved over there and what not.

We're grateful for all the coverage that comes out of China.

Obviously, they have to be a little careful with what they say.

You will never get a completely negative review of a Chinese EV.

There's always some gentle notes about what could possibly be improved or in comparison,

just to do with the way that messaging gets managed and things like that,

from certainly maybe ex-pats that have moved over there and living in China.

But you can always read between the lines.

But when you watch some of those channels,

the Momenta technology is, I think, pretty universally regarded as, if not the best.

I think the Huawei one is pretty good as well.

But certainly completely up there with Tesla FSD, the latest.

And in some Chinese cities where the traffic is pretty horrific and it's regional.

Some Chinese cities are more polite than others in terms of driving.

But some of them, it's brutal.

There's just thousands of scooters going everywhere on pedestrian crossings,

not respecting lights.

And the Momenta hardware is able to navigate those streets with a degree of safety and aggression

and all those things that are deeply impressive and MG putting that in vehicles

that MG is the most popular Chinese brand over here.

Not that many people think of it as Chinese, of course.

Now the UK has 2 million EVs on the road.

That's a huge milestone.

The Department for Transport put the total at 2 million and 12 thousand zero emission vehicles.

The count covers cars, motorcycles, vans, buses and trucks.

Zero emission vehicles were almost 5% of all licensed vehicles by the end of 2025.

Growth stayed brisk.

528 thousand zero emission vehicles were registered in 2025.

Electric passenger cars were almost 25% of the new car market.

The numbers matter because the UK faces mandates, deadlines in, well, every year to 2030 and 2035 as well.

So whilst the new car market has scale, the actual car park as it were of vehicles on the road

shows how much work is to be done when only 5% of cars are zero emission.

Ministers point to price support as well.

We have the grant, the electric car grant which was 4,000 pounds off a newly qualifying EV

and 100,000 people have so far used that extra financial support.

Hey, let's move on.

Sweden could be the new Norway, at least in terms of EV sales.

Plug-in EVs took 65% of Sweden's car market in the first quarter of this year.

That's up from 58% first quarter last year.

And most of them were BEVs.

BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicle.

That was 41% of the market.

Plug-in hybrids actually declined a little in Sweden.

Sweden's overall car market was down 2% and yet EVs up, BEV volumes up 21%.

The targeted BEV incentive scheme launched this year aimed at below average income households in rural areas.

At model level Volvo led the charts.

EX30 was the top selling BEV.

And EX60, the electric version of the most popular car that Volvo's ever sold, the EXC60 in its entire history.

EX60 made its debut in Q1 as well.

Roughly half of the 107 units probably went to customers.

And that matters because now the EXC60 has an electric version.

The EXC60 has always consistently ranked as Sweden's overall top three cars.

Electric choice is crucial for that.

LG said it secured a new order of 100 gigawatt hours for their cylindrical cells like basically big AA batteries.

They call them the 46 series.

These are large cells that will probably be going to BMW.

South Korea outlets Chosun and MK said the business was a single customer and that would point it to BMW.

The deal's worth about 6 billion euros.

And if it is BMW, and it probably is, the deal would mark the first time LG supplying these 46 series cylindrical cells.

The 46 series of cells was really introduced to many people by Tesla named after its dimensions.

So they had the 4680s, 46mm in diameter and 80mm in height.

Promising more performance and efficiency.

The 4695 battery moves that forward again, 46mm in diameter but 95mm in height.

Focusing on more energy storage and efficiency as well.

It's a pretty typical cell, I would say, in terms of being a lithium ion cell.

Looking at things like nominal voltage of around, I think, 3.7 volts.

And a top voltage of whatever that would be like 4.2 volts or say, bottom voltage would be what, around 2.83 volts.

So all really kind of typical specs for electric vehicles in terms of lithium ion technology.

So a thousand cycle life, which pretty much covers the life of what that battery is going to need to do anyway.

And then for larger vehicles within BMW, the 4695 goes to 46120.

So if you've got a larger vehicle, you can have a larger, a taller cell.

Because you haven't got to focus so much on getting the car close to the ground.

That would be for something larger, like the IX5, whereas they might use 4695s in IX3s, I3s, I7s.

Okay, let's move on. Rolls Royce is our final story today.

Spy photo showing Rolls Royce testing.

It's second electric vehicle, an unnamed electric utility vehicle.

So in terms of proportions and what it looks like, you know, the Cullinan would be...

That's their flagship SUV, by the way, and its most popular model would be a really good comparison.

A blocky front profile, a blocky rear profile, very wide stance, generous wheelbase.

Yeah, it looks like a Cullinan. We don't think it'll be called that though.

It did, well, reshape the Rolls Royce business, by the way, launched in 2018 as a utility vehicle.

It built order backlogs that lasted for months, pushing Goodwood to capacity,

lowering the average age of Rolls Royce buyers as well, celebrities wanted them.

Looking at the automotive news future product pipeline, they report that Rolls Royce doesn't plan a next generation Cullinan.

So it might not be called the electric Cullinan, but either way, a separate product, not a direct successor.

Looks just like one though. They're not stopping with the Spectre.

There's more posh stuff from a Rolls Royce coming with batteries.

And that's your podcast for today. Thanks for listening.

Thanks to our premium partners, National Car Charging on the US mainland

and the Low Heart Charge in Hawaii, and Test EV, Avalu's trusted partner,

for independent EV battery health testing in Australia and New Zealand.

Have a good and cinema, and remember there's no such thing as a self-charging hybrid.

My name is Beverly, and this is my NHS story.

I had to make regular journeys to my local CDC at La Tess,

because I had an lymphoma. I think it really helps to know that you've got somewhere local.

It was really a godsend.

The government is opening new community diagnostic sensors with many already available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week,

so the NHS can be there for all of us when we need it.

Find your closest one at gov.uk slash NHS Fit for the Future, available England-wide.

Hiring isn't just about finding someone willing to take the job.

You need the right person with the right background who can move your business forward.

If you want candidates who match what you're looking for, trust Indeed Sponsored Jobs.

And listeners of the show will get a 100-pound sponsored job credit

to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed.com slash broadcast.

Just go to indeed.com slash broadcast right now,

and support this show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.

Indeed.com slash broadcast.

Terms and conditions apply.

Hiring, do it the right way, with Indeed.

Ready for sunshine culture and new stories?

Sun Express Airlines takes you non-stop from London-Stanstead to Turkey.

From the Turkish Riviera's turquoise coast to the heart of Anatolia,

your next getaway awaits in Antalya, Izmir, Papadokia, Adana, or Gaziantep.

Book now from just 59.99 pounds, and let Turkaya welcome you.

0:00

20:20

DAILY: Volkswagen Launch ID Polo, BMW iX3 Adds Range and Citroen Plans Sub-15k City EV | 30 Apr 2026

Deborah Sen plant

Citroën 2CV

EVs on the road in the UK and Sweden

post-training iterations

About this episode

Original notes