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Electric Vehicles — briefly, then briefly again · tbb.ceo
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/daily ·24 OCT 2026 ·SATURDAY ·2 MIN READ ·5 STORIES

Range Rover reviewers want the electric one

Tesla abandons Australia and NZ, Range Rover's EV earns better reviews than the petrol version, and Volvo's 50,000 orders prove demand isn't the constraint — production is.

01 / The Day

SATURDAY 24 OCT 2026, ranked

05

Tesla Cancels Cybertruck for Australia and NZ

Tesla has confirmed it will not bring the Cybertruck to Australia or New Zealand, citing right-hand-drive conversion economics and the vehicles' size incompatibility with most urban parking infrastructure in both markets.

  • Australia and NZ were the only major right-hand-drive markets where Cybertruck was still listed as coming soon
  • Decision follows similar quiet cancellations in Japan, India, and the UK in 2025
  • Tesla says it will prioritise Model Y updates and the new Model 3 Performance for both markets
Why it mattersThe Cybertruck's global reach is contracting to North America — a stark contrast to BYD, which is expanding its flagship across the same markets Tesla is exiting.
01 electrek.co↗

Range Rover Electric: Reviewers Say It Beats the Petrol Version

First-drive reviews of the Range Rover Electric are consistently rating it above the equivalent petrol and mild-hybrid models on ride quality, refinement, and practicality — with critics noting the battery's low centre of gravity resolves the traditional Range Rover's high-speed handling compromise.

  • Range rated at 385 miles WLTP; 350 kW charging capability for 100-mile top-up in 12 minutes
  • Air suspension tuned specifically for the battery floor's weight distribution
  • Most reviewers preferred it to the plug-in hybrid variant at equivalent price points
Why it mattersWhen a legacy nameplate's electric version consistently outscores the original in objective reviews, the narrative around EV inferiority in premium segments stops being credible.
02 insideevs.com↗

Volvo EX60 Hits 50K Orders; Sub-$50K EV Confirmed for 2027

Volvo has announced the EX60 midsize SUV has exceeded 50,000 pre-orders worldwide, becoming the brand's fastest-selling model at this stage of production, and confirmed a sub-$50,000 EV built on the same platform for a 2027 launch.

  • 50,000 orders in 14 weeks, predominantly from Europe and North America
  • 2027 model confirmed at under $50,000 before incentives; name not yet disclosed
  • Production bottleneck at the Ghent plant cited; Volvo is qualifying a second manufacturing site
Why it mattersThe production constraint is the story — 50,000 orders for a car not yet widely available shows the demand side isn't the EV market's problem in the mid-premium segment.
03 electrek.co↗

BYD's Yangwang Flagship EV Goes Global

BYD has announced the Yangwang U9 and U8 will begin sales in Western Europe and Southeast Asia in Q1 2027, marking the first time the ultra-luxury Yangwang sub-brand has left China — with the U9's 1,287 bhp price set above £200,000.

  • U9 sports car priced at €235,000 in initial European markets
  • U8 luxury SUV will be sold at approximately €180,000
  • BYD has appointed distributors in Germany, the Netherlands, and Singapore
Why it mattersChina exporting a Rolls-Royce competitor is a different story from China exporting budget EVs — this tests whether Western premium buyers will accept the brand.
04 electrek.co↗

BMW iX5 and Kia EV3 Bracket the Premium-to-Affordable Range

Two new EV launches this week illustrate how thoroughly electric has penetrated every price tier: BMW's iX5 starts at £87,000 for a 600-mile range flagship, while Kia's EV3 delivers 300 miles for under £30,000 — both earning critical praise in first drives.

  • BMW iX5: 600-mile WLTP, 350 kW charging, 0-60 in 3.4 seconds; on sale January 2027
  • Kia EV3: 302-mile WLTP, 150 kW charging, £28,500 in the UK; highest-rated Kia ever in initial reviews
  • Both share solid-state chemistry in thermal management subsystems, though neither uses full solid-state cells
Why it mattersThe £30K-to-£90K EV market is now fully competitive — range anxiety as a purchase objection is increasingly a choice, not a constraint.
05 insideevs.com↗
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Past days

The Daily Archive

/FRI 30 OCTBudget Day in Britain; Foxconn Adds Three/THU 29 OCTEurope crosses the threshold and GM bets on a new chemistry/WED 28 OCTWednesday: Waymo Sprawls, Ford Gets Cheap, Korea Cracks Down/TUE 27 OCTTuro Deals, Tax Credit Hope, and a Luxury Arms Race/MON 26 OCT2026-10-26/SUN 25 OCTUnder $12K and over budget/SAT 24 OCTRange Rover reviewers want the electric one/FRI 23 OCTFriday charge: maps, megawatts, and €20K/THU 22 OCTTesla's quarter, Musk's merger, Lucid's robots/WED 21 OCTWednesday: BYD Goes Below $10K, Rivian Goes to #2, GM Closes a Plant/TUE 20 OCTCorolla electrifies in China, Tesla eyes SpaceX/MON 19 OCTThe $30K Test/SUN 18 OCTThe 67% Line/SAT 17 OCTPost-Reveal Saturday/FRI 16 OCTSafety Cracks and Market Splits/THU 15 OCTThe EV Brief — October 15, 2026/WED 14 OCTTesla Tomorrow, VW Cheaper, BYD Further/TUE 13 OCTTuesday dispatch/MON 12 OCTParis reveals the small EV moment/SUN 11 OCTThe price point and the proof/SAT 10 OCTSaturday Drive