The Brief Brief Electric Vehicles
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Electric Vehicles — briefly, then briefly again · tbb.ceo
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#015 ·18 SEPT 2026 ·FRIDAY ·5 MIN READ ·10 STORIES + 12 EXTRAS

Cheaper Than Everything

BYD launched cars at $11,150 and $29,000 this week, Europe crossed 30% BEV share for the first time, China hit 61% plugin, Tesla's US market share rose because everyone else left the field, and NHTSA asked Tesla to prove the Cybercab is legal under oath. The bottom line: the EV price war stopped being about making electric cars competitive with combustion and started being about making combustion cars look expensive.

01 / The Ten

The week, ranked

10

BYD Collapses the Price Floor at Every Tier

BYD launched three price benchmarks in a single week: the Atto 2 at $11,150 with 501 km range in China, the Formula S sedan at $29,000 undercutting the Tesla Model 3, and the Atto 1 below $20,000 driveaway in Australia.

Why it mattersWhen one manufacturer delivers 500 km range for $11K, Tesla Model 3 specs for $29K, and ICE-undercutting pricing in a third market simultaneously, the sticker-price objection to EVs reverses.
01 electrek.co↗

NHTSA Orders Tesla to Prove Cybercab Is Legal Under Oath

NHTSA issued a formal demand requiring Tesla to certify under oath by September 30 that the Cybercab meets safety standards designed for driver-controlled vehicles.

Why it mattersSafety standards were written for cars with drivers, and the Cybercab never has one. If the certification framework does not fit the product, its legal basis for commercial operation is in question everywhere.
02 electrek.co↗

European EV Sales Hit a Record 30.5% Share

Battery-electric vehicle sales across 16 major European markets surged 54% year-over-year in August, reaching 30.5% of all new passenger car sales.

Why it mattersThirty percent BEV share in a major market is the inflection point where policy trajectories, supply chain investments, and charging infrastructure commitments lock in. Europe just crossed it.
03 acea.auto↗

China's Plugin Share Hits 61% in August

Plugin vehicle sales reached 61% of total Chinese passenger car sales in August, the highest monthly share ever recorded for any major auto market.

Why it mattersChina now sets the global EV cost curve. What sells there at scale determines the technology, pricing, and component supply the rest of the world can access.
04 cleantechnica.com↗

Tesla Reclaims 52% US Market Share by Default

Tesla rebuilt its US EV market share above 52% through August. The gain came not from Tesla growth but from Ford, GM, and Toyota scaling back or delaying EV commitments.

Why it mattersA market leader whose share rises while absolute volumes decline is winning by survival, not growth. That is a blunt commentary on legacy automakers' commitment to electrification.
05 electrek.co↗

EVs Are Now Cheaper Than the Average New Car

Cox Automotive data shows average EV transaction prices fell 12% to $47,200 in August, while the overall average new vehicle price crossed $50,000 for the first time.

Why it mattersThe 'EVs are too expensive' objection just shifted from fact to perception. The pricing crossover is unlikely to reverse given competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturers.
06 electrek.co↗

IAA Rewrites the Electric Truck Spec Sheet

At IAA Transportation, BYD unveiled the ETT-44 with 600 km range and 1.5 MW charging, while CATL introduced the Tectrans II platform rated for 1,000 km heavy-truck range.

Why it mattersLong-haul trucking was the last segment where 'too hard for batteries' was a defensible position. When two major players independently deliver range matching diesel workflow requirements, the debate shifts to unit economics.
07 electrek.co↗

Waymo Goes International: Japan, Then Singapore

Waymo announced commercial robotaxi operations in both Japan and Singapore, its first and second markets outside North America.

Why it mattersTwo Asian markets in one week signals an expansion strategy, not an experiment. Each deployment validates that a system trained on US driving data can generalise to different road rules.
08 waymo.com↗

BYD Builds a Shipping Empire to Match Its Car Empire

BYD ordered ten additional purpose-built car carriers, is on pace for 2 million exports in 2026, and saves roughly $6,000 per vehicle through localised assembly and proprietary fleet.

Why it mattersThis is the same vertical integration logic BYD applied to batteries: own the supply chain, control costs, and price competitors off the market.
09 electrek.co↗

Lucid and Bolt Plan 25,000 Autonomous EVs Across Europe

Lucid Motors and European ride-hailing platform Bolt announced a partnership to deploy up to 25,000 autonomous electric vehicles across Bolt's 45-plus city network.

Why it mattersA 25,000-vehicle deal between a credible hardware manufacturer and an established ride-hailing platform is the first announcement at genuine commercial scale on the continent.
10 electrek.co↗
02 / Also

Worth knowing

12
Tesla Roadster Reveal Confirmed for October 2
Tesla confirmed the next-generation Roadster will be revealed on October 2, six years after the originally promised 2020 delivery date.
electrek.co ↗
Windrose Open-Sources Its Class 8 Electric Semi
Windrose released the full CAD library for its E700 Class 8 electric semi truck under an open-source licence.
electrek.co ↗
VW ID.3 GTI: Most Powerful GTI Ever, Now Electric
Volkswagen unveiled the ID.3 GTI with 240 kW and 545 Nm, making the first electric GTI also the most powerful in the nameplate's 50-year history.
electrek.co ↗
Chevy Silverado EV Is America's Cheapest Full-Size Electric Pickup
After Ford discontinued the F-150 Lightning, the Silverado EV became the most affordable full-size electric pickup in the US.
electrek.co ↗
Toyota Delays the Highlander EV Again
Toyota deferred its planned Highlander EV, adding to a pattern of US-market EV delays from legacy automakers.
electrek.co ↗
Volvo Launches Long-Range PHEVs with Up to 200 km EV Range
The new XC60 and XC90 plug-in hybrids offer 200 km and 160 km of pure electric range respectively.
electrek.co ↗
NYC to Install 700 Curbside EV Chargers in Underserved Areas
New York City selected Brooklyn startup 'it's electric' to build a curbside charging network across all five boroughs.
electrek.co ↗
Factorial Signs Solid-State Battery Deal with Mitsui Kinzoku
Factorial Energy partnered with Mitsui Mining and Smelting to scale solid-state battery production.
electrek.co ↗
Tesla's Accordion Supercharger Deploys 16 Stalls from One Truck
Tesla deployed its first pre-assembled modular Supercharger unit at 20% lower cost than conventional sites.
electrek.co ↗
Zurich Airport Runs L4 Electric Shuttle Without a Safety Driver
Zurich Airport began operating fully autonomous Level 4 electric shuttles with no human on board.
electrek.co ↗
EPA Moves to Scrap Power Plant Emission Limits
The EPA announced plans to eliminate power plant pollution limits, estimated to impose $120 billion in long-term health costs.
electrek.co ↗
BYD Sealion 08 Takes 12,000 Orders in 24 Hours
BYD's new flagship electric SUV attracted 12,000 reservations on day one at roughly $26,000.
electrek.co ↗
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The Archive

#015Cheaper Than Everything#014Four Crashes, Four Milestones#013Record Highs, Redacted Lows#012Price Parity Gets a Nameplate#011The Ferrari opened, the Cybercab didn't#010The Crossover Week#009The floor keeps falling#008The Surge, the Exit, and the Robot in London#007The Combustion Engine's Worst Week#006Prices Down, Margins Down, Honda Out#005Two million in a month#004BYD pulls away, legacy retreats#003The week the floor dropped and the ceiling rose#00263 Percent and Counting#001BYD vs Everyone, Again
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