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Electric Vehicles — briefly, then briefly again · tbb.ceo
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/daily ·30 SEPT 2026 ·WEDNESDAY ·2 MIN READ ·5 STORIES

Tesla bets $30B on AI; EVgo scales to 750 kW

Tesla secured $30 billion in credit primarily for AI computing and semiconductor work, not vehicles; Hyundai launched two new models under $15,000 in China; and charging infrastructure took a serious step toward petrol-stop speeds.

01 / The Day

WEDNESDAY 30 SEPT 2026, ranked

05

Tesla takes $30B credit line for AI computing and SpaceX chips

Tesla secured $30 billion in new credit facilities, including a $20 billion delayed-draw term loan funding AI computing infrastructure, solar cell production, and a semiconductor collaboration with SpaceX — as the company's vehicle business approaches unprofitability.

  • $20B delayed-draw term loan for AI compute, solar, and SpaceX semiconductor work — not vehicle manufacturing
  • Tesla's vehicle margins have contracted for eight consecutive quarters; the credit reflects where growth is expected
  • SpaceX semiconductor link formalises the degree to which Musk's companies operate as a single capital unit
Why it mattersThe largest credit facility in Tesla's history is primarily not for cars — an unusually clear statement of strategic direction from a company whose valuation still rests on EV dominance.
01 electrek.co↗

GM and LG plan world's first mass-produced LMR prismatic battery cells

Ultium Cells — the GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture — announced a $1 billion upgrade to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant to produce lithium manganese-rich prismatic battery cells, a chemistry offering 33% greater energy density than LFP at comparable cost, targeting over 400 miles of range in upcoming GM electric trucks.

  • LMR prismatic delivers 33% higher energy density than LFP at a similar manufacturing cost profile
  • Mass production target is 2028 at Spring Hill — the first commercial LMR prismatic line anywhere in the world
  • GM's upcoming full-size electric trucks and SUVs are the primary application
Why it mattersA 33% energy density improvement over LFP at the same cost is the battery development target most EV OEMs have been waiting for to make large-format electric trucks commercially viable.
02 ultiumcells.com↗

Hyundai launches sub-$15K Ioniq V in China and reveals Ioniq 4 and 7

Hyundai launched the Ioniq V electric sedan in China at under $15,000 — a direct entry into BYD's mass-market territory — while simultaneously revealing two further models, the Ioniq 4 and Ioniq 7, signalling an accelerated platform rollout across price segments.

  • 99,900 yuan (~$14,820) positions the Ioniq V below BYD's most affordable sedan offerings in China
  • 650 km CLTC range is competitive with comparably priced Chinese competitors
  • Ioniq 4 and 7 previews suggest Hyundai is expanding its EV range faster than previously announced
Why it mattersA Korean OEM pricing aggressively below $15,000 in China marks the first serious volume entry by a non-Chinese legacy automaker into BYD's mass-market territory.
03 cnevpost.com↗

EVgo's next-generation charger reaches 750 kW — about 10 minutes to fill

EVgo announced its next-generation charging system rated at 750 kilowatts, featuring NACS connectors and dynamic power sharing, capable of fully charging the fastest current EVs in approximately 10 minutes. Final design arrives in 2027.

  • 750 kW is three times the current US fast-charger peak rate of roughly 250 kW
  • Dynamic power sharing distributes capacity across multiple stalls without capping individual sessions
  • 2027 deployment means US charging infrastructure will finally approach Chinese public charging speeds
Why it mattersAt 750 kW, the gap between an EV charge and a petrol stop shrinks from an inconvenience to a preference — a threshold that redefines range anxiety.
04 electrek.co↗

BYD tests ultra-luxury Da Han with solid-state battery, targets 2027

BYD revealed testing of the Yangwang Da Han executive sedan featuring its first solid-state battery, with executive VP Stella Li confirming 2027 limited production of sulfide-based all-solid-state cells — the earliest credible timeline announced by any volume automaker.

  • Sulfide-based chemistry is the variant most advanced toward commercial readiness among solid-state battery types
  • BYD FinDreams targets limited batch production in 2027, mass production by 2030
  • Ultra-luxury positioning limits near-term volume but provides real-world validation at cost
Why it mattersBYD naming a credible production date for solid-state — ahead of Toyota, Samsung SDI, and all Western OEMs — changes the competitive timeline assumptions across the industry.
05 electrek.co↗
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The Daily Archive

/WED 30 SEPTTesla bets $30B on AI; EVgo scales to 750 kW/TUE 29 SEPTStandards finalised, bestseller electrified, count incoming/MON 28 SEPTBattery Swap Goes Mainstream and FSD Speeds in Brussels/SUN 27 SEPTCAFE rollback, 5-minute charging, and a rare-earth supply break/SAT 26 SEPTSemis move, Waymo proves itself, Europe breaks 29%/THU 24 SEPTThe Corolla goes electric, Bentley enters, VW cuts ICE/WED 23 SEPTTesla Semi's Record Order, 4-Minute Charges, and the Robotaxi Pivot/TUE 22 SEPTThe Four-Minute Car/MON 21 SEPTTesla's Roadster gets a date, diesel hits $10, and flash charging arrives/SAT 19 SEPTWireless in Zuffenhausen, Worried in Seoul/FRI 18 SEPTFrom Singapore to open-source semis/THU 17 SEPTThe Price Floor Drops Again/WED 16 SEPTTesla's Regulatory Reckoning, CATL's Megawatt Truck, and the $20K BYD/TUE 15 SEPTIAA and the Cybercab detour/MON 14 SEPTThe Drag Coefficient Race/SUN 13 SEPTWeekend Shift/FRI 11 SEPTDiverging Markets/THU 10 SEPTTrump's China EV Gambit/WED 09 SEPTBYD Breaks Records, PHEVs Fail Tests/TUE 08 SEPTSafety First (and Then Not)/MON 07 SEPTBYD goes global, Cybercab goes 24/7, Chinese brands ace NCAP