ev.news Briefly: Smart #2, Rivian Gets Licence and Diesel Getting More Expensive | 28 Sep 2026
Sep 29, 10:47 AM
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➤ SMART DETAILS ELECTRIC #2 AHEAD OF PARIS REVEAL
➤ RIVIAN GAINS WASHINGTON LICENCE FOR DIRECT SALES
➤ USED-DIESEL VALUES FALL; DIESEL COSTS AROUND 14PC MORE
➤ GM AND PG&E OFFER FREE CHARGERS AND BILL CREDITS
➤ HYUNDAI CONTINUES SOLID-STATE BATTERY DEVELOPMENT DESPITE COSTS
➤ HYUNDAI TESTS 200 KWH USED-BATTERY STORAGE
➤ POWERCO CANADA POSTPONES $7-BILLION ST. THOMAS FACTORY OPENING
➤ BOSCH WARNS COSTLY BATTERY REPAIRS COULD SHORTEN EV LIVES
➤ KIA PV5 CHASSIS UK CONVERSIONS DUE FOURTH QUARTER 2026
➤ THREE-QUARTERS OF 20 LEADING UK PHEVS CANNOT USE RAPID CHARGERS
➤ VERTICAL OPENS £1.5M VALO ASSEMBLY CENTRE
SMART’S TINY #2 HAS SURPRISINGLY SERIOUS ENGINEERING
smart’s new sub-3-metre electric #2 uses rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight distribution, five-link independent rear suspension and a compact 11-in-1 electric-drive unit to maximise cabin space and manoeuvrability. Its 35.8 kWh CATL battery targets about 300 km WLTP range and 10–80% charging in 20 minutes, while seven airbags and a body made from more than 78% high-strength steel underpin its safety pitch ahead of the 12 October Paris debut.
RIVIAN GAINS WASHINGTON LICENCE FOR DIRECT SALES
Rivian has obtained a Washington motor vehicle dealer licence allowing it to sell directly through company-owned locations, although it has not said when in-state sales, test drives or deliveries will begin. It is also preparing a showroom and service centre with 13 service bays and 21 chargers for an expected early-spring 2027 opening, serving a state with almost 10,000 registered Rivians.
USED-DIESEL VALUES FALL AS DIESEL COSTS AROUND 14% MORE
UK diesel prices are around 14% higher than petrol, contributing to falling used-diesel values as motorists reconsider whether the fuel still makes economic sense. Higher fuel costs following geopolitical disruption and the arrival of cheaper EVs are accelerating diesel’s decline, although Britain’s 4.8 million diesel vans have had fewer alternatives until the recent arrival of longer-range electric vans.
PG&E WILL PAY GM EV DRIVERS TO HELP TAKE PRESSURE OFF THE GRID
GM and PG&E are offering eligible Northern and Central California buyers of new Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC EVs a free GM home charger, although customers must pay installation costs. Drivers using participating chargers and OnStar can receive a $15 monthly bill credit plus up to another $50 for allowing PG&E’s Charge Manager software to shift charging towards periods of lower grid demand or cheaper electricity.
HYUNDAI: “YOU MUST BE IN THE GAME” ON SOLID-STATE BATTERIES
Hyundai will continue developing solid-state batteries despite R&D chief Manfred Harrer saying he does not expect their raw-material costs to become suitable for mass-market vehicles within five years. Hyundai is working internally and with partners including Solid Power, with Harrer expecting small-volume halo vehicles using solid-state packs to reach the market within that period while broader adoption remains further away.
HYUNDAI TESTS 200 KWH USED-BATTERY STORAGE
Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution are testing a 200 kWh stationary storage system using retired batteries from E-GMP vehicles at a fast-charging site in South Korea. The pilot will charge the batteries during off-peak periods and discharge during high demand, testing whether used EV packs can safely and economically reduce grid peaks and charging-station costs.
POWERCO DELAYS $7-BILLION ST. THOMAS BATTERY FACTORY BY TWO YEARS
Volkswagen’s PowerCo has delayed the opening of its $7-billion St. Thomas battery factory in Ontario by two years, citing changing market demand, technological developments and Volkswagen Group strategy. Construction is continuing on the 16-million-square-foot plant, which has received commitments of $700 million from Canada’s federal government and $500 million from Ontario.
BOSCH WARNS COSTLY BATTERY REPAIRS COULD SHORTEN EV LIVES
Bosch warns that ageing EVs could be scrapped prematurely if owners cannot economically repair individual battery components once their original warranties expire. It argues that module-level repairs could keep otherwise usable cars on the road, avoiding situations where the cost of replacing an entire battery exceeds the vehicle’s value.
KIA PV5 CHASSIS UK CONVERSIONS DUE FOURTH QUARTER 2026
Kia has introduced the PV5 Chassis, an E-GMP.S-based electric commercial-vehicle platform designed for specialist body conversions including UK tipper, dropside and Box/Luton versions from TGS Automotive Group. UK models will use the 71.2 kWh Long Range battery exclusively, while other European markets will also receive a 51.1 kWh Standard Range version.
THREE-QUARTERS OF 20 LEADING UK PHEVS CANNOT USE RAPID CHARGERS
ChargeUK says three-quarters of the UK’s 20 best-selling plug-in hybrid models cannot use rapid chargers, with only 26% of vehicles sold across those models capable of charging at 50 kW or more and none supporting 150 kW ultra-rapid charging. The charging-industry group argues that limited public charging capability encourages PHEV drivers to rely on petrol and warns the government against treating higher PHEV sales as equivalent to wider electrification.
VERTICAL OPENS £1.5M VALO ASSEMBLY CENTRE
Vertical Aerospace has opened a £1.5 million, 60,000-square-foot assembly centre at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire to build Valo electric aircraft for certification testing. Assembly of the first certification aircraft is expected in the fourth quarter of 2027, with commercial certification targeted for 2029 and around 1,500 pre-orders reported from customers including major airlines and aviation operators.