ev.news Briefly: Walmart, BYD, Leapmotor & more | 07 Oct 2026

It's ev.news Briefly for Tuesday 13th October 2026, only today's headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.

WALMART DOUBLES US FAST-CHARGING STALLS PAST 1,000

Walmart has doubled its US fast-charging network in roughly four months, reaching more than 1,000 stalls across 120 locations, with CCS and NACS chargers rated at up to 400 kW. The retailer was America's second-largest installer of new fast-charging ports in the second quarter, behind Tesla, establishing itself as a significant charging operator rather than simply hosting third-party equipment.

BYD ATTO 8 BRINGS NINE-MINUTE FLASH CHARGING TO EUROPE

BYD has unveiled the seven-seat Atto 8 electric SUV for Europe, featuring a 115 kWh Blade battery capable of a claimed 10–97% charge in nine minutes using dedicated Flash chargers, with two powertrains offering up to 405 miles of WLTP range. Arriving in early 2027, the SUV's charging capabilities depend on BYD's ambitious infrastructure rollout, targeting 3,000 European Flash charging stations by the end of 2027, while pricing and charging performance on conventional public chargers remain unknown.

LEAPMOTOR B03 SETS UP A RENAULT 5 CHALLENGE FOR 2027

Leapmotor will introduce its B03 electric supermini to the UK in early 2027, targeting the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo with an expected price in the low £20,000s, a 53 kWh battery and 242 miles of WLTP range. Its 145 kW motor delivers 0–62 mph in 7.6 seconds, while 133 kW DC charging enables a claimed 10–80% recharge in 21 minutes, with a spacious 405-litre boot strengthening its practicality credentials.

VOLKSWAGEN'S EV ORDERS RISE AS GLOBAL SALES FALL

Volkswagen Group's global vehicle deliveries fell 9% to 6.01 million during the first nine months of 2026, with battery-electric deliveries declining 5% to 678,700, reflecting particularly severe weakness in China and the US. European EV demand tells a different story, with third-quarter electric deliveries rising 20%, EVs representing approximately 40% of the European order book and nearly 150,000 orders secured for forthcoming affordable electric models.

XPENG G9L ARRIVES IN EUROPE WITH AUSTRIAN ASSEMBLY

Xpeng has launched its six- or seven-seat G9L electric SUV in Europe, priced from €74,990 in France, offering up to 591 km of WLTP range and a claimed 10–80% charge in just 11.7 minutes using compatible high-power chargers. Trial assembly began at Magna Steyr's Austrian factory on 7 October, potentially reducing exposure to European tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, although full production and delivery dates remain unconfirmed.

OMODA 4 HEADS TO BRITAIN — BUT THE EV COSTS MORE

Chery-owned Omoda has unveiled its compact Omoda 4 crossover for UK introduction in 2027, with the initial petrol-hybrid version expected to cost under £25,000 and a fully electric variant following at approximately £27,000. The EV is reportedly equipped with a 61 kWh battery offering around 248 miles of range, although final specifications, charging performance and the range test cycle remain unconfirmed.

FIAT REVEALS FOUR-SEAT MULTIPLINA FOR 2028

Fiat has unveiled the Multiplina, a four-seat electric microcar inspired by the original 1950s Multipla, with sales planned for 2028 and a body measuring less than three metres long. Positioned above the two-seat Topolino, it will comply with Europe's L7 heavy-quadricycle regulations, although Fiat has yet to reveal battery capacity, range, performance or charging specifications.

LANCIA GAMMA OPENS ORDERS WITH 740-KM ELECTRIC CLAIM

Lancia has opened European orders for its new Italian-built Gamma fastback crossover, offering hybrid and electric powertrains, including a Long Range EV claiming more than 740 km of range, although a final certified figure has not been established. Built on Stellantis' STLA Medium platform, the range also includes a 375 hp all-wheel-drive HF Integrale capable of 0–100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, while battery specifications, charging speeds and market-specific prices remain undisclosed.

LI AUTO PUSHES EUROPEAN I6 LAUNCH INTO 2027

Chinese manufacturer Li Auto has postponed its European debut until the first quarter of 2027, when its i6 electric SUV, renamed Li 6, will launch initially in Norway and the Netherlands rather than arriving in late 2026 as previously indicated. The company has also revised its European strategy to include extended-range electric vehicles alongside battery-electric models, although pricing, specifications and additional model launches remain unconfirmed.

ELECTRIC BUSES OUTNUMBER HYDROGEN ORDERS 200 TO ONE

A new international procurement register covering 388 records across 81 countries reveals 13,165 firm orders for battery-electric buses compared with just 65 hydrogen fuel-cell buses, representing a purchasing ratio exceeding 200 to one. Although the dataset is not a comprehensive global census, the findings demonstrate operators' overwhelming preference for battery-electric technology on urban routes, with hydrogen increasingly needing to justify its higher infrastructure complexity and operational costs.