It's EV News Briefly for Thursday 26 February 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
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EV LIST PRICES FALL AS GAS GUZZLER PRICES RISE
New EV list prices (excluding Tesla) dropped 2.3%, or roughly $1,500, from an average of $63,327 in September 2025 to $61,860 in January 2026, while average new gas-powered vehicle prices rose 2.5% to $47,427 over the same period. The sharpest cuts came after the federal EV tax credit expired, with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 leading the slide at a 13.8% drop of over $7,000, followed by the Chevrolet Equinox EV at nearly $4,000 off — six models in total posted drops above 5%.
FORD TEASES EUROPE CAR RETURN AFTER FIESTA, FOCUS
Ford CEO Jim Farley used the Q4 2025 earnings call to signal "exciting plans" for passenger cars in Europe, framing the comeback as a selective, profitable return to specific segments rather than a volume land grab. Two new EVs built on Renault's Ampere platform are expected in the subcompact segment from the Ford–Renault partnership, with new passenger cars set to start arriving in 2027 under a new dedicated Europe passenger-car leadership role.
UBER EXPANDS EV RIDES ACROSS EIGHT UK CITIES
Uber has rolled out its EV ride option to eight more UK cities — Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Belfast and Merseyside — at standard UberX prices, after falling short of its pledge to run an all-electric London fleet by end-2025. Only 40% of London miles are now covered by EVs, with UK General Manager Andrew Brem citing charging access as "the biggest barrier," prompting Uber to announce driver support measures including discounted home and public charging in partnership with Pod Point.
BMW TALKS PRICE FLOOR TO DODGE EU MINI DUTY
BMW and the European Commission are in advanced talks to replace the EU's 20.7% countervailing duty on China-made Mini BEVs with a minimum import price agreement, according to Handelsblatt — covering the Mini Cooper Electric and Mini Aceman, both built at BMW's Zhangjiagang joint venture with Great Wall Motor. The approach would mirror the "price undertaking" the EU accepted from Volkswagen Anhui in early February, which freed the Cupra Tavascan from countervailing duties in exchange for a confidential price floor, volume cap and EU investment commitments.
EU CITY BUS SALES HIT 60% ZERO-EMISSION
Six in ten new city buses registered across the EU in 2025 were zero-emission — 56% battery-electric and 4% fuel cell — a dramatic jump from just 12% when the Clean Vehicles Directive was adopted in 2019. Five member states hit 100% zero-emission city bus sales in 2025 (Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia), and Transport & Environment says a fully zero-emission EU city bus market is achievable as early as 2028.
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MG2 SET FOR 2027 UK LAUNCH AT £20,000
MG will enter the electric supermini segment in 2027 with the all-new MG2, targeting a starting price of around £20,000 (~$25,200), to take on rivals including the Renault 5, Citroën e-C3, Fiat Grande Panda and the incoming VW ID. Polo. The car will use the newer E3 architecture from the MG4 Urban, run front-wheel drive with a torsion-beam rear axle for cost efficiency, and feature a 12.8-inch touchscreen with physical climate controls — a reveal is expected in the second half of 2026.
MG CONFIRMS MGS9 PHEV SEVEN-SEATER FOR UK
MG will launch the MGS9 plug-in hybrid SUV in the UK later in 2026 as its new flagship, offering three full adult-sized rows and targeting rivals such as the Peugeot 5008, Kia Sorento and Skoda Kodiaq at a value-led price point. The model already holds a five-star Euro NCAP rating and could reach UK showrooms as early as summer 2026, extending MG's line-up to 11 models.
AUSTRALIA NVES DATA SHOWS HYBRIDS DO THE HEAVY LIFT
Australia's National Vehicle Emissions Standard published its first half-year performance data (July–December 2025), showing EVs made up roughly 12% of new vehicles supplied, with about two-thirds of manufacturers — including BYD and Polestar — meeting their fleet-wide emissions targets. Petrol- and hybrid-focused brands such as Mazda and Hyundai fell short and face penalties if they don't improve, while the data reveals that near-term emissions gains are leaning more on efficient hybrids than on full EVs.
LECTRON ADAPTERS WIN UL 2252 SAFETY CERTIFICATION
Lectron has earned UL 2252 safety certification across its full range of EV charging adapters — covering J3400, CCS1 and J1772 in both AC and DC variants — with its two DC adapters handling up to 500 amps at 1,000 volts for peak power of 500 kW, and built-in thermal sensors that trigger derating if heat rises during fast charging. The certification comes as the North American charging landscape remains split between NACS and CCS1 on DC networks and J1772 on AC infrastructure, making a certified bridging adapter an increasingly essential tool for EV drivers navigating the transition.
South Africa