ev.news Briefly: Range Rover, Norway, Volvo V2L & more | 02 Sep 2026
Sep 02, 06:58 PM
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➤ NORWAY ELECTRIC CARS REACH NEW RECORD
➤ VOLVO EX30 GAINS V2L IN SOFTWARE UPDATE
➤ RENAULT SCENIC LONG RANGE REACHES 399 MILES
➤ GENESIS PLANS FOUR MORE EUROPEAN MARKETS
➤ FORD SHOWS FATHOM PICKUP IN DESERT TESTING
➤ CHINA ISSUES OVERSEAS GUIDELINES FOR CHINESE AUTOMAKERS
➤ CANADA RELEASES 24,500 CHINA-MADE ELECTRIFIED-VEHICLE PERMITS
➤ BMW IX3 CROSSES PORTUGAL ON ONE CHARGE
➤ US ADDS RECORD STORAGE CAPACITY IN SECOND QUARTER
➤ SOLAR PANELS COOL HYPOTHETICAL TOMATO FARM
It's ev.news Briefly for Wednesday 02 September 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
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JLR LAUNCHES ELECTRIC RANGE ROVER FROM £154k
Land Rover's first fully electric Range Rover arrives next year from £154,070 (about $208,473), using a 120kWh battery and two motors producing 542bhp, with a WLTP range of 372 miles and claimed real-world range of 330 miles. Built on the MLA-Flex architecture designed from the outset for battery power, it weighs around 2885kg but sits 88mm lower in centre of gravity than the V8, retains 900mm wading depth (960mm practical), and tows 2500kg versus 3500kg for the combustion model, with JLR's analysis of 360 million customer journeys concluding it suits 97% of them.
Land Rover's first fully electric Range Rover arrives next year from £154,070 (about $208,473), using a 120kWh battery and two motors producing 542bhp, with a WLTP range of 372 miles and claimed real-world range of 330 miles. Built on the MLA-Flex architecture designed from the outset for battery power, it weighs around 2885kg but sits 88mm lower in centre of gravity than the V8, retains 900mm wading depth (960mm practical), and tows 2500kg versus 3500kg for the combustion model, with JLR's analysis of 360 million customer journeys concluding it suits 97% of them.
NORWAY ELECTRIC CARS REACH NEW RECORD
Battery-electric cars took a record 98.7% of Norway's 13,451 new passenger-car registrations in August, up from 96.9% a year earlier and 97.6% in July, according to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council. Volkswagen led brands and the ID.4 led models ahead of the Toyota bZ4X and BMW iX3, while Xpeng and BYD together took 11.4% of the market against 4.9% in August 2025.
Battery-electric cars took a record 98.7% of Norway's 13,451 new passenger-car registrations in August, up from 96.9% a year earlier and 97.6% in July, according to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council. Volkswagen led brands and the ID.4 led models ahead of the Toyota bZ4X and BMW iX3, while Xpeng and BYD together took 11.4% of the market against 4.9% in August 2025.
VOLVO EX30 GAINS V2L IN SOFTWARE UPDATE
Volvo has added vehicle-to-load charging to the EX30 via an over-the-air update, delivering up to 3kW at 16 amps through a separate adapter connected to the charge port, with supply cutting off automatically below 20% battery. The feature will not be offered in the US, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan or Japan, and arrives alongside a customisable contextual bar, redesigned settings menu and Plug & Charge in some European markets for model-year 2026 cars onwards.
Volvo has added vehicle-to-load charging to the EX30 via an over-the-air update, delivering up to 3kW at 16 amps through a separate adapter connected to the charge port, with supply cutting off automatically below 20% battery. The feature will not be offered in the US, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan or Japan, and arrives alongside a customisable contextual bar, redesigned settings menu and Plug & Charge in some European markets for model-year 2026 cars onwards.
RENAULT SCENIC LONG RANGE REACHES 399 MILES
The Renault Scenic Long Range now covers up to 399 miles, a 20-mile gain from an extra 2kWh of capacity, and though peak charging stays at 150kW it holds that rate longer, cutting 10% to 80% charging to 28 minutes from 38. A revised Comfort Range version, possibly not returning to the UK, switches to LFP chemistry with 7kWh more capacity, 290 miles of range and 165kW charging, both paired with the existing 215bhp rear motor.
The Renault Scenic Long Range now covers up to 399 miles, a 20-mile gain from an extra 2kWh of capacity, and though peak charging stays at 150kW it holds that rate longer, cutting 10% to 80% charging to 28 minutes from 38. A revised Comfort Range version, possibly not returning to the UK, switches to LFP chemistry with 7kWh more capacity, 290 miles of range and 165kW charging, both paired with the existing 215bhp rear motor.
GENESIS PLANS FOUR MORE EUROPEAN MARKETS
Genesis will start selling in Austria, Denmark, Poland and Portugal next year despite a 19% fall in European sales, relying on expansion and electrification to fix weak regional performance. Its range is now almost entirely electric, with battery-electric vehicles making up 95% of European sales through July led by the GV60 and GV70, far above the 27% BEV share of the wider European premium market.
Genesis will start selling in Austria, Denmark, Poland and Portugal next year despite a 19% fall in European sales, relying on expansion and electrification to fix weak regional performance. Its range is now almost entirely electric, with battery-electric vehicles making up 95% of European sales through July led by the GV60 and GV70, far above the 27% BEV share of the wider European premium market.
FORD SHOWS FATHOM PICKUP IN DESERT TESTING
Ford chief executive Jim Farley posted footage on September 1, 2026 of the Fathom electric midsize pickup undergoing hot-weather desert testing, revealing the name via a QR code on the camouflage that links to a Ford landing page. Production begins at Louisville Assembly in Q1 2027 ahead of an early 2027 sale date, with Ford claiming more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4 but withholding full specifications.
Ford chief executive Jim Farley posted footage on September 1, 2026 of the Fathom electric midsize pickup undergoing hot-weather desert testing, revealing the name via a QR code on the camouflage that links to a Ford landing page. Production begins at Louisville Assembly in Q1 2027 ahead of an early 2027 sale date, with Ford claiming more passenger volume than a Toyota RAV4 but withholding full specifications.
CHINA ISSUES OVERSEAS GUIDELINES FOR CHINESE AUTOMAKERS
Chinese regulators issued guidelines on September 1 for automakers' overseas operations, telling them to price with reference to costs and market conditions rather than to gain unfair competitive advantage, avoid frequent or substantial price changes, and refrain from misleading advertising. The rules also demand stronger anti-monopoly, anti-corruption, antitrust and social-responsibility compliance, protection of Chinese brand reputation abroad, adherence to local labour laws and better management of political, economic and safety risks in host countries.
Chinese regulators issued guidelines on September 1 for automakers' overseas operations, telling them to price with reference to costs and market conditions rather than to gain unfair competitive advantage, avoid frequent or substantial price changes, and refrain from misleading advertising. The rules also demand stronger anti-monopoly, anti-corruption, antitrust and social-responsibility compliance, protection of Chinese brand reputation abroad, adherence to local labour laws and better management of political, economic and safety risks in host countries.
CANADA RELEASES 24,500 CHINA-MADE ELECTRIFIED-VEHICLE PERMITS
Canada released 24,500 further permits for China-made electrified vehicles on September 1, completing the 49,000 first-year quota introduced in January under a trade deal with Beijing that replaced a 100% tariff, though imports still face the standard 6.1% most-favoured-nation rate. Global Affairs Canada issued permits for 15,344 EVs and 259 hybrids in the first six months, leaving importers able to bring in 33,397 vehicles including 8,897 carried-over permits, as BYD, Chery and Geely pursue certification, hiring and dealers ahead of expected sales by early next year.
Canada released 24,500 further permits for China-made electrified vehicles on September 1, completing the 49,000 first-year quota introduced in January under a trade deal with Beijing that replaced a 100% tariff, though imports still face the standard 6.1% most-favoured-nation rate. Global Affairs Canada issued permits for 15,344 EVs and 259 hybrids in the first six months, leaving importers able to bring in 33,397 vehicles including 8,897 carried-over permits, as BYD, Chery and Geely pursue certification, hiring and dealers ahead of expected sales by early next year.
BMW IX3 CROSSES PORTUGAL ON ONE CHARGE
A 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive drove 739km (459 miles) the length of Portugal on National Road 2 without recharging, finishing with 20% battery left after three days and 14 hours at the wheel with BMW Portugal ambassador Ana Varela driving. The route mixed mountains, winding roads, valleys, plains and towns rather than maximising range, and falls short of a December 2025 run of 1,007.7km from BMW's Debrecen plant to Munich that ended on 2%.
A 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive drove 739km (459 miles) the length of Portugal on National Road 2 without recharging, finishing with 20% battery left after three days and 14 hours at the wheel with BMW Portugal ambassador Ana Varela driving. The route mixed mountains, winding roads, valleys, plains and towns rather than maximising range, and falls short of a December 2025 run of 1,007.7km from BMW's Debrecen plant to Munich that ended on 2%.
US ADDS RECORD STORAGE CAPACITY IN SECOND QUARTER
The US installed a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours of energy storage in the three months to June, with a Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence outlook forecasting 71 gigawatt-hours added across 2026. More than 74% of second-quarter capacity was built in states Donald Trump won in 2024, driven largely by Arizona, Texas and Utah, with growth partly tied to data centres using batteries to handle rapid demand swings from artificial intelligence.
The US installed a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours of energy storage in the three months to June, with a Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence outlook forecasting 71 gigawatt-hours added across 2026. More than 74% of second-quarter capacity was built in states Donald Trump won in 2024, driven largely by Arizona, Texas and Utah, with growth partly tied to data centres using batteries to handle rapid demand swings from artificial intelligence.
SOLAR PANELS COOL HYPOTHETICAL TOMATO FARM
A simulation found tomato leaves under solar panels ran 1.84°C cooler through the day and up to 7.56°C cooler at peak afternoon heat than in open field, receiving 47% less sunlight but losing only 31% of carbon uptake. Panels above crops were 5.6°C cooler than those over bare soil, recovering about 15% of the efficiency lost to heat, while perceived temperatures for workers fell 4.46°C, and the model could be applied to other climate and crop combinations.
A simulation found tomato leaves under solar panels ran 1.84°C cooler through the day and up to 7.56°C cooler at peak afternoon heat than in open field, receiving 47% less sunlight but losing only 31% of carbon uptake. Panels above crops were 5.6°C cooler than those over bare soil, recovering about 15% of the efficiency lost to heat, while perceived temperatures for workers fell 4.46°C, and the model could be applied to other climate and crop combinations.