It's ev.news Briefly for Sunday 18 October 2026, only today's headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.

GLOBAL EV SALES FALL AS EUROPE SETS A RECORD

Global electric vehicle sales fell 2% in September to 2.15 million, despite Europe setting a new record with almost 600,000 vehicles sold, up 39%, while North American sales dropped 44% and China's declined 18%. China exported a record 558,000 new-energy passenger cars as domestic demand weakened, but proposed EU restrictions on Chinese hybrid imports could complicate its export strategy, even as global EV sales remain 3% higher for the year.

RIVIAN LIMITS NEW DRIVING SYSTEM TO INVITED OWNERS

Rivian will begin testing its point-to-point autonomous driving system with selected US owners of second-generation R1 vehicles and the R2 in December, initially in California and Florida, with wider availability planned for 2027. Participants must have paid Autonomy+ subscriptions, share driving data and provide feedback, while remaining responsible for monitoring the road, as Rivian targets hands-off, eyes-off driving capabilities in 2027.

CHANGAN BRINGS 450 KM FAMILY EV TO EUROPE

Chinese manufacturer Changan will launch its Nevo Q05 electric crossover in Italy and Spain in early 2027, with a UK version called the E06 offering 450 kilometres of WLTP range, a 63.8 kWh battery and 174 kW rapid charging capable of replenishing 30–80% in approximately 15 minutes. Competing against the BYD Atto 3, Leapmotor B10 and Kia EV3, Changan plans to expand its European dealership and service network from nearly 400 locations this year to 650 in 2027, although pricing remains unannounced.

FRANCE AND GERMANY AGREE CAR PLAN WITH UK CONDITIONS

France and Germany have agreed a proposed European automotive policy that could give British manufacturers access to EU subsidies and public contracts in exchange for reciprocal market access and tighter safeguards against circumventing European trade restrictions, potentially affecting Chinese EV imports. The agreement proposes requiring 70% European-made components, excluding batteries, and 10% European battery content for qualifying vehicles, while reducing the EU's 2035 emissions target from 100% to 90%, allowing combustion-engine cars to remain on sale beyond 2035 if the proposals secure legislative approval.

LEAPMOTOR STARTS SPANISH B10 PRODUCTION

Leapmotor has begun assembling its B10 electric SUV at Stellantis' Zaragoza factory in Spain, with customer deliveries expected in December or January and production of the B05 scheduled for early 2027. European assembly avoids additional EU tariffs on Chinese-built electric cars, although the B10's current local content of more than 40% may not satisfy proposed Made in Europe requirements, while British customers will continue receiving Chinese-built vehicles.

VOLKSWAGEN WEIGHS CHINA-DEVELOPED CARS FOR EUROPE

Volkswagen is considering importing China-developed electric vehicles into Europe, potentially including the ID Unyx 09 saloon developed with Xpeng in just 24 months, exploiting China's faster development cycles and lower manufacturing costs. However, European regulatory requirements and import tariffs could undermine those savings, making local production increasingly attractive as Volkswagen simultaneously supports Made in Europe policies favouring European manufacturing.

RIMAC REVEALS NEVERA THRUSTER STUDY

Mate Rimac has revealed that his engineers investigated compressed-gas thrusters for the Nevera electric hypercar in 2020, exploring technology capable of delivering extraordinary acceleration, additional downforce and potentially lifting the vehicle off the ground. The concepts never reached production, with engineering resources redirected towards the Bugatti Tourbillon, whose naturally aspirated V16 engine is supplemented by three electric motors and a 24 kWh battery.

US CLEAN-ENERGY RECORD FORECAST AS GAS ALSO EXPANDS

BloombergNEF forecasts a record 89 gigawatts of new US clean-energy capacity this year, driven by data-centre electricity demand and expiring tax incentives, but also expects 67.8 gigawatts of additional gas-fired generation by 2030 against just 14.3 gigawatts of retirements. Grid connection bottlenecks could require 48 gigawatts of on-site gas generation by 2035, illustrating how growing electricity demand is driving investment in both renewable energy and fossil fuels, with US wholesale electricity prices forecast to rise 11% this year.