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Electric Vehicles — briefly, then briefly again · tbb.ceo
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#007 ·24 JUL 2026 ·FRIDAY ·4 MIN READ ·10 STORIES + 10 EXTRAS

The Combustion Engine's Worst Week

China's ICE sales fell 42% year-over-year, Germany saw BEVs outsell petrol and diesel for the first time, and Toyota's leadership used the word 'survive.' The bottom line: the internal combustion engine lost ground on every continent simultaneously this week, and the companies that built empires on it — including the ones making EVs — discovered that the transition does not wait for anyone to be ready.

01 / The Ten

The week, ranked

10

Toyota admits it 'cannot survive' without going electric

Toyota's leadership publicly stated the company cannot sustain itself on traditional vehicle development and is betting its future on a next-generation all-electric Corolla designed to compete with BYD on cost and volume.

Why it mattersThe company that spent a decade lobbying against EV mandates now calls electrification existential. Everything downstream — supplier contracts, dealer networks, workforce planning — follows from that concession.
01 electrek.co↗

Tesla loses $140 billion in market value in a single session

Shares fell more than 12% on July 23 after Q2 results showed negative free cash flow, a 6.2% operating margin against a 7.1% consensus, and management offering no timeline commitments on the Robotaxi program.

Why it mattersTesla's valuation has long been priced for a robotaxi future, not a car-company present. Q2 forced investors to reconcile the two, and $140 billion evaporated in the gap.
02 electrek.co↗

Plugin vehicles take 63% of China's car market as ICE collapses

June data show plugin EVs captured a record 63% share of the Chinese auto market while ICE sales fell 42% year-over-year. BYD, Geely, and Li Auto led the gains.

Why it mattersA 42% annual ICE decline in the world's largest car market means global automakers that depend on Chinese volume are running out of combustion-powered revenue faster than their EV products can replace it.
03 cleantechnica.com↗

Battery-electrics outsell petrol and diesel in Germany for the first time

BEVs outsold combined petrol and diesel cars in Germany in a calendar week — a first for the country that invented the internal combustion engine.

Why it mattersGermany is the spiritual home of the combustion engine. A BEV sales majority there, even for a single week, rewrites the narrative for every boardroom in Wolfsburg, Stuttgart, and Munich.
04 electrek.co↗

US EV model selection shrinks to its smallest in three years

Honda pulled the Prologue, Polestar abandoned its US import appeal, and several European nameplates quietly departed — the largest single-year contraction in American EV model choice on record.

Why it mattersMass adoption requires variety of choice. American buyers now face fewer EV options than they had in 2024, at exactly the moment when charging infrastructure and battery costs were supposed to make the case easier.
05 insideevs.com↗

Volkswagen's cheapest EV sells out while 100,000 jobs hang in the balance

The ID Polo accumulated 25,000 orders in weeks, prompting VW to launch a stripped-down variant at an even lower price. The same week, VW acknowledged potential workforce cuts of up to 100,000.

Why it mattersVW's simultaneous product success and existential restructuring is the clearest illustration of the European auto industry's central paradox: the market wants what they are building, but the cost base was designed for a different century.
06 thedriven.io↗

Volvo EX60 hits 330-mile EPA range, beating Model Y

The 2027 Volvo EX60 received an EPA-estimated 330-mile range, placing it above the Tesla Model Y Long Range at comparable pricing.

Why it mattersRange anxiety has been the default excuse for skipping an EV. When a Volvo SUV exceeds 330 miles, the excuse needs updating.
07 electrek.co↗

Ford's $30,000 mid-size EV pickup spotted charging at a Tesla Supercharger

Ford's unnamed mid-size electric pickup was photographed using a Tesla Supercharger, confirming NACS port adoption and a starting price around $30,000.

Why it mattersA $30K electric pickup from a domestic manufacturer with Supercharger access checks every box the American mainstream has been waiting for.
08 electrek.co↗

US fast-charging reliability climbs into the mid-90s percent

The US DC fast-charging network has more than doubled in size since 2023, and national reliability scores have climbed from roughly 85% to the mid-90s.

Why it mattersCharging reliability was the second-most-cited barrier to EV adoption. Mid-90s reliability is the threshold where long-trip anxiety starts to feel irrational rather than prudent.
09 insideevs.com↗

BYD's Denza Z9 GT arrives in Europe with 5-minute recharge

BYD launched the Denza Z9 GT shooting brake in Europe and the UK at roughly three times its Chinese retail price, featuring 5-minute rapid recharge capability and approximately 400 miles of range.

Why it mattersFive-minute recharging in a production vehicle attacks the last durable consumer objection to EV ownership. That it comes from BYD, not a European or American manufacturer, is the competitive story in miniature.
10 electrek.co↗
02 / Also

Worth knowing

10
EVs hit 25.6% of European new car sales in June
Plugin electrics took a quarter of June registrations across 17 European markets, with sales up nearly 40% year-on-year.
insideevs.com ↗
Hyundai's $5 billion Georgia battery plant opens
The largest single EV battery manufacturing investment in US history held its opening ceremony.
electrek.co ↗
US Q2 EV sales down 21% but stabilising quarter-over-quarter
Battery-electric sales reached 247,226 units in Q2 — a 20.5% annual decline but a 14.7% sequential rise from Q1.
cleantechnica.com ↗
Honda permanently discontinues the Prologue
Honda ended production and sales of its only North American BEV, with remaining inventory available through early 2027.
cleantechnica.com ↗
Polestar abandons US import appeal, leaving dealers stranded
Polestar confirmed it will not contest the import ban, saying an appeal has no viable path.
insideevs.com ↗
Xpeng L03 launches in Europe at EUR 34,990, undercutting Model Y
Xpeng's SUV-coupe went on sale in Germany and several European markets roughly EUR 3,500 below a comparable Model Y.
insideevs.com ↗
Senate bill targeting Chinese car content catches European brands too
Legislation restricting automakers with above-threshold Chinese ownership or manufacturing ties advanced.
insideevs.com ↗
Tesla opens first Megacharger station at 1.2 MW per stall
The first public Megacharger location can deliver 1.2 megawatts per stall, purpose-built for the Semi.
thedriven.io ↗
Massachusetts launches V2G pilot paying EV owners up to $275 per kilowatt
A bidirectional charging pilot is installing 60 V2G-capable chargers, letting enrolled EV owners earn incentive payments.
electrek.co ↗
NHTSA demands Tesla's internal radar document in FSD crash probe
Federal regulators formally demanded a specific internal document focused on the decision to remove radar sensors.
electrek.co ↗
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#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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