EVMagz

Hyundai Motor Group presented its multi-pathway electrification strategy at the Aachen Colloquium on 6 October 2026, outlining development across battery-electric vehicles, hybrids, extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Manfred Harrer, President and Head of the group’s R&D Division, highlighted the integration of engineering and artificial intelligence as an important part of the company’s approach to future vehicle development.

Croatia plans to introduce a new electric vehicle purchase incentive programme in October 2026, offering subsidies of up to €9,000 for eligible new electric cars. The Croatian Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) has announced a total budget of €20 million, which is expected to support approximately 3,000 applications. The programme will also cover light electric vehicles, including mopeds, motorcycles and three- and four-wheeled vehicles.

Octopus Energy has launched FleetBoost, a subscription service offering discounted public EV charging for business fleets through its Octopus Fleet platform. The company says the scheme could reduce public charging costs by up to 30% annually, with potential savings of up to £730 per vehicle after the subscription fee. The service initially covers charging networks operated by MFG EV Power, Ionity and BE.EV, with additional charge point operators expected to join in the future.

Ionity is installing centralised contactless payment terminals at selected charging parks across Europe, using units designed to resemble birdhouses. The terminals allow drivers to pay by debit or credit card for charging sessions at multiple charging points without requiring a separate payment terminal at every charger. The rollout is part of Ionity’s efforts to retrofit older charging locations to meet the European Union’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) requirements.

Winduction, a spin-off from ETH Zurich, has developed an inductive charging system designed to supply electricity to electric buses through their wheels at bus stops. The technology could allow operators to use smaller batteries and reduce vehicle weight, with a pilot project planned for 2028. The system transfers energy from a charging plate embedded in the road surface to a coil integrated into a specially developed bus tyre.

Gelion has signed a material transfer agreement with an unnamed global automaker ranked among the top 15 manufacturers to evaluate its NES sulfur-based cathode technology for potential use in electric vehicle batteries. The evaluation will cover liquid and solid electrolyte cells using either lithium-metal or graphite-based anodes. The batteries are being considered for potential applications in both luxury and mass-market vehicles.

Polestar reported estimated retail sales of 14,371 vehicles in the third quarter of 2026, an increase of approximately 1% from 14,222 vehicles in the same period last year. For the first nine months of 2026, estimated retail sales reached 44,790 vehicles, up 0.6% from 44,511 vehicles in the corresponding period of 2025. The company said the figures for 2026 are estimates and remain subject to revision. Polestar’s estimated third-quarter sales increased by 149 vehicles year-on-year.

Waymo has secured $5 billion in debt financing from a group of institutional lenders as the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company expands its robotaxi operations in the United States and prepares to enter additional international markets. The financing marks Waymo’s first debt transaction. The company said the funding would support its development as it increases commercial operations across existing markets and prepares for expansion into Europe and Japan.

EV charging operator Believ will install more than 600 new charging points across East, North and South Ayrshire under a 15-year partnership with the three Scottish councils. The rollout will cover approximately 300 locations, with the first installations expected to begin in early 2027. The project will expand public charging provision across urban and rural communities, including the Isle of Arran.

Uber and Pony.ai plan to begin testing autonomous vehicles in London in the coming weeks, extending their partnership into the UK and expanding their presence in the robotaxi market. The tests are expected to use Pony.ai’s Gen-7 robotaxis. The companies have not disclosed who will own or operate the London fleet, although the arrangement is expected to follow a model similar to their existing service in Zagreb, Croatia. https://t.co/xQ9peelwgh on @Uber is coming to London.