Everything that happened in EVs on 16 September 2026

BYD is targeting Japan’s tightly regulated kei-car market with the compact and surprisingly practical Racco. The tiny EV offers an adaptable cabin, generous rear space and up to 320 km of claimed range, with prices expected to start near €12,000.

Heavy transport is getting several new zero-emission options. The BYD ETT 44 promises up to 600 km of range and charging above 1.5 MW, while the Maxus eDeliver 420L brings a 615 kWh battery to European long-haul operations alongside new distribution and autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, the Iveco S-eWay Fuel Cell targets more than 900 km using Toyota technology, with public-road testing planned for 2027.

At the more extreme end of the market, the Geely Galaxy Cruiser 700 combines 830 kW with serious off-road ambitions. Its three electric motors and turbocharged gasoline engine propel the large plug-in hybrid to 100 km/h in 3.95 seconds.

Tesla is showing the Cybercab publicly in China, although only as a static exhibit rather than a commercial robotaxi launch. The company has also opened Cybercab inquiries to fleet and infrastructure operators, without disclosing prices or delivery dates. Volkswagen’s robotaxi plans face their own uncertainty as Moia reportedly struggles to attract outside investment, though neither its ride service nor the autonomous ID. Buzz has been cancelled.

Charging perceptions and real-world performance are also in focus. A survey finds that German combustion-car drivers show the strongest intent to switch to EVs, while charging availability and user experiences appear better than their reputation. Our guide explains why charging losses occur and how drivers can reduce their cost. In the United States, the Tesla Oasis completed 6,038 holiday-weekend charging sessions without reported queues, supported by solar generation and Megapack storage.

China wants new energy vehicles to reach 70% of new passenger-car sales by 2030, alongside wider deployment of highly automated driving and tighter industry oversight. Its battery market is already accelerating, with BYD gaining ground as LFP reaches a record 85.6% share, while CATL remains the overall leader.

Two very different small electric vehicles are arriving for leisure and city use. The Porsche 550 J recreates the 550 Spyder at roughly 80% scale, costs about €81,000 and is limited to 250 non-road-legal examples. The more accessible Fiat Topolino Dolcevita adds a large retractable fabric roof while retaining the standard model’s urban-focused range and L6e specifications.

Volkswagen has raised the ID. Polo GTI’s top speed to 190 km/h ahead of launch, although its 6.8-second sprint to 100 km/h remains unchanged.

In African micromobility, Yadea and Spiro are developing battery-swapping electric motorcycles and scooters, combining Chinese manufacturing scale with a network of more than 2,500 swap stations.

Finally, the BMW iX3 has passed 100,000 European orders, giving the Neue Klasse platform a company record and securing a substantial share of BMW’s EV and X3-family demand.