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IONNA AND WALMART PRESSURE FAST-CHARGING PRICES https://evne.ws/rb5cg

ZEEKR TO LAUNCH 8X AND 9X IN AUSTRALIA https://evne.ws/mgyut

LI SHUFU LEAVES GEELY AUTO CHAIR https://evne.ws/d4zqd

LEIPZIG PREPARES FOR NEUE KLASSE https://evne.ws/4we4k

SPARKCHARGE EXPANDS UK ENERGY NETWORK https://evne.ws/zi829

FEDERAL PACKAGE TARGETS HEAVY EV BARRIERS https://evne.ws/bzw6r

ŠKODA ADDS V2L AND CAMP MODE https://evne.ws/trhsr

BEACHMAN TARGETS OLD BIKES FOR ELECTRIC CONVERSION https://evne.ws/oyenk

BRISBANE RIVER E-SCOOTERS STAY UNDERWATER https://evne.ws/d7n9m

It's ev.news Briefly for Tuesday 18 August 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 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 Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnews

IONNA AND WALMART PRESSURE FAST-CHARGING PRICES
Walmart is expanding its own network with Electrify America, ABB and 400-kW Alpitronic NACS/CCS chargers offering Walmart+ members 10% off, while automaker-backed Ionna targets 30,000 US and Canadian ports by 2030 with stores and restrooms. Paren data shows Ionna averages $0.37/kWh, the cheapest of 17 networks and about 40% below Tesla and Electrify America's $0.56, though home charging still dominates at more than 90% of sessions and $0.18/kWh.

ZEEKR TO LAUNCH 8X AND 9X IN AUSTRALIA
Zeekr will add the 9X and 8X luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs to its all-electric Australian range from late 2026 into 2027, after passing 10,000 local sales in under two years. The three-row 8X targets the BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport below A$100,000 with 900-volt charging, while the 9X moves upmarket at around A$150,000 with six-seat luxury and Naim audio; both are heavy, road-focused monocoque vehicles rather than off-roaders.

LI SHUFU LEAVES GEELY AUTO CHAIR
Li Shufu has resigned as chairman of Geely Automobile after 40 years, with An Conghui succeeding him on 18 August 2026 and Li becoming honorary chairman for life while remaining controlling shareholder and chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding. Gan Jiayue becomes CEO as the group shifts from family-centred management toward professional systems, targeting two-thirds of sales outside China and 5% market share by 2030 across Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia.

LEIPZIG PREPARES FOR NEUE KLASSE
BMW halted Leipzig production for a five-and-a-half-week summer shutdown in which over 2,000 contractors replaced 240 hydraulic lifting tables, installed 160 body-shop robots and swapped roughly 1,500 tonnes of steel to handle Neue Klasse underbodies integrating the battery and powertrain. BMW spent a low three-digit million sum on top of nearly €2 billion over five years, though it has not named which models Leipzig will build, as new i3 production began in Munich this month.

SPARKCHARGE EXPANDS UK ENERGY NETWORK
SparkCharge is bringing its US distributed energy model to the UK, serving autonomous fleets, construction and industrial sites that cannot wait for adequate grid connections. Founded by CEO Joshua Aviv and already operating across North America, the company will combine AI-optimised software, battery storage and on-site generation under new UK managing director James Taylor.

FEDERAL PACKAGE TARGETS HEAVY EV BARRIERS
Australia has committed $400 million to heavy-vehicle reforms targeting charging barriers, automated permits, curfews and weight limits, announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers after a Productivity Commission report found road-freight productivity had stalled for over a decade. The Commission estimated wider access for high-productivity and zero-emission trucks could add up to $4 billion to GDP annually, with electric trucks currently under 1% of Australian heavy-vehicle sales.

ŠKODA ADDS V2L AND CAMP MODE
Škoda has added Vehicle-to-Load bidirectional charging, which powers external devices via a 230V boot socket, and an app-activated Camp Mode that maintains overnight cabin temperature with at least 30% charge. The new Peaq will also offer a Relax Package with AGR-certified massaging seats, electric leg rests and Sonos audio, plus a Wellbeing app, ventilated Phone Box and up to four 45W USB-C ports.

BEACHMAN TARGETS OLD BIKES FOR ELECTRIC CONVERSION
Beachman Bikes is seeking broken motorcycles for electric conversion, building on founders Ben Taylor and Steve Payne's first prototype, a modified 1979 Kawasaki KZ200 completed in 2020, and a production run of 30 bikes on a 1970s 125cc platform. Having sold the 45 mph '64 as a Class II e-bike, the company is moving to pedal-free low-speed motorcycles in Canada and plans to end US e-bike sales next year to become a moped and motorcycle manufacturer.

BRISBANE RIVER E-SCOOTERS STAY UNDERWATER
August low tides exposed dozens of dumped Lime, Neuron and Beam e-scooters in the Brisbane River, including 24 near the CBD, with Ocean Crusaders having collected around 150 in the past year and storing the waterlogged batteries privately. Water experts warned that lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese could accumulate in sediment and harm macroinvertebrates, while the council caps operators at 7,100 devices and reportedly earned just over AUD$5m last financial year.

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XIAOMI SU7 PASSES 500,000 DELIVERIES https://evne.ws/qokf5

BYD DA HAN OPENS CHINA PRESALES https://evne.ws/igfzb

GEELY AUTO NAMES ANDY AN AS CHAIRMAN https://evne.ws/s5kf6

GEELY TO USE VOLVO PLANTS FOR LUXURY CARS https://evne.ws/o9sk5

GEELY LIFTS EXPORT TARGET TO 920,000 https://evne.ws/uciob

GEELY PROFIT RISES AS EXPORTS GROW https://evne.ws/o88zl

SAIC OVERSEAS GROWTH SHIFTS TOWARDS LOCAL OPERATIONS https://evne.ws/12t1y

CHINA'S CAR MARKET SHIFTS UP MARKET https://evne.ws/ygcgi

Can you help me make more podcasts? Consider supporting me on Patreon as the service is 100% funded by you: https://EVne.ws/patreon

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HYUNDAI STARTS IONIQ 3 PRODUCTION IN TURKEY https://evne.ws/ecxr1

HYUNDAI OPENS IONIQ 3 ORDER BOOKS https://evne.ws/nmnlb

LUCID UNVEILS GRAVITY GT-S https://evne.ws/9rmyj

FRANCE TO BACK USED ELECTRIC VEHICLES https://evne.ws/y7y0y

PORSCHE REPORTS POINT TO TAYCAN PHASE-OUT https://evne.ws/aj913

TESLA ADDS V2L TO MODEL Y PREMIUM https://evne.ws/xbilb

TESLA LEASES POWERWALL BACKUP IN TEXAS https://evne.ws/pvqgl

CORVUS TO SUPPLY BATTERIES FOR BC FERRIES SUMMIT CLASS https://evne.ws/x809n

FERRARI LUCE SELLS FOR $40 MILLION https://evne.ws/4xbek

It's ev.news Briefly for Monday 17 August 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 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 Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnews

HYUNDAI STARTS IONIQ 3 PRODUCTION IN TURKEY
Hyundai has begun building the IONIQ 3 at its Izmit plant in Turkey, the site's first EV, following a €250 million ($290 million) investment that modernised around half the facility. Initial output is 30,000 units a year, with Dutch prices from €27,995 ($32,000) and the next-generation BAYON and i20 to follow next year.

HYUNDAI OPENS IONIQ 3 ORDER BOOKS
Hyundai Motor UK has opened orders for the IONIQ 3 compact hatchback from £22,245 on-the-road, positioning it against the Kia EV2, Renault 5 and VW ID Polo. Buyers choose a 42.2kWh battery with up to 213 miles or a 61kWh version with up to 308 miles, both charging 10-80% in about 30 minutes, and the car debuts Hyundai's Android Automotive-based PleOS Connect system. Grant eligibility is still pending.

LUCID UNVEILS GRAVITY GT-S
Lucid's 2027 Gravity GT-S produces 1,070hp from a dual-motor powertrain and hits 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds, priced from $127,750 — about $14,000 below the outgoing Dream Edition. It comes with rear-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension as standard, while a 926V architecture supports 400kW charging that Lucid says adds 200 miles in under 12 minutes.

FRANCE TO BACK USED ELECTRIC VEHICLES
From September, France will subsidise used EV purchases and leases through the Energy Savings Certificates scheme, funded by energy suppliers including EDF, Engie and TotalEnergies under the polluter-pays principle. Cars must have been first registered in France between 2017 and 2023 and retain at least 80% battery capacity, with buyers required to keep the vehicle three years and to purchase through a dealer rather than privately.

PORSCHE REPORTS POINT TO TAYCAN PHASE-OUT
Porsche is reported to have agreed in principle with employee representatives to end Taycan production by 2029 or 2030, closing a roughly decade-long run, though nothing has been formalised or confirmed. Output has collapsed from 39,397 cars in 2023 to 11,510 in 2025, with first-half 2026 deliveries down 25% and no successor named as Porsche appears set to prioritise the electric Macan and Cayenne.

TESLA ADDS V2L TO MODEL Y PREMIUM
Tesla has enabled vehicle-to-load for the Model Y Premium in the US and Puerto Rico, delivering 2.4kW at 120V via an $80 adapter that requires the Gen 3 Mobile Connector. Eligibility is narrower than the badge suggests, with reports indicating only newer Juniper-built cars from around May 2026 carry the necessary hardware, and Tesla still trails rivals offering up to 10.2kW.

TESLA LEASES POWERWALL BACKUP IN TEXAS
Tesla Electric is offering a whole-home Powerwall lease in selected Texas retail-choice areas for roughly $35 a month plus tax in year one, achieved by applying an $87 monthly credit to a two-unit lease costing about $122. The deal carries a 3% annual escalator, a $100 order fee, a 20% minimum backup reserve for virtual power plant dispatch, and credits that may not start until two billing cycles after installation and utility approval.

CORVUS TO SUPPLY BATTERIES FOR BC FERRIES SUMMIT CLASS
Corvus Energy will supply 40MWh of battery storage across four hybrid-electric Summit Class ferries for BC Ferries, each carrying 360 vehicles and 2,100 people and fitted with a 10MWh Dolphin NxtGen system. The hardware is scalable to 70MWh per vessel for near-zero-emission running once shore charging exists, with China Merchants' Weihai Shipyard delivering the first ship in 2029 and all four in service by 2031.

FERRARI LUCE SELLS FOR $40 MILLION
Chassis 0 of the Ferrari Luce, the marque's first EV and a one-off Tailor Made build designed by Sir Jony Ive's LoveFrom, sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby's Monterey auction, over 36 times its estimate and a record for a new car. The sale was offered without reserve and with no buyer's premium, sending the full amount to The Ferrari Foundation, with winning bidder Dr Herbert Wertheim taking delivery early next year.