ev.news Briefly: Hyundai, Omoda, Volvo & more | 27 Aug 2026
Aug 27, 09:13 PM
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➤ HYUNDAI PLANS 41 EUROPEAN MODELS BY 2030
➤ HYUNDAI CLAIMS MORE THAN 600 MILES FOR SANTA FE EREV
➤ HYUNDAI PLANS INTERMEDIATE N PERFORMANCE TIER
➤ HYUNDAI SELECTS KALUZA FOR SMART CHARGING
➤ OMODA 4 SET FOR BARCELONA ESPORTS DEBUT
➤ VOLVO ADDS SHARED ANIMAL HAZARD ALERTS
➤ VOLTPOST ADDS CEILING AND SURFACE EV CHARGERS
➤ PLUG-IN SOLAR PANELS LEGALISED ACROSS GREAT BRITAIN
➤ NIO CERTIFIED USED EVS START AT 26,900 EUROS
➤ APTERA SECURES UP TO $44 MILLION INVESTMENT
➤ VESSEV RAISES $A27 MILLION FOR HYDROFOIL PRODUCTION
It's ev.news Briefly for Thursday 27 August 2026, only today’s headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.
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HYUNDAI PLANS 41 EUROPEAN MODELS BY 2030
Hyundai and Genesis will launch 41 new or updated models in Europe by 2030, targeting more than 420,000 EV sales a year against 116,000 in 2025, with Ioniq 3 production having started at İzmit on 14 August and a small electric SUV, a mid-sized electric SUV and commercial vehicles to follow. CEO José Muñoz said Europe is one of the most competitive regions on the planet and that every EV credit protects the ICE and hybrid business, while the claimed 30% battery-cost reduction is a planned saving on 2027 models using mid-nickel NCM cells rather than an achieved one.
Hyundai and Genesis will launch 41 new or updated models in Europe by 2030, targeting more than 420,000 EV sales a year against 116,000 in 2025, with Ioniq 3 production having started at İzmit on 14 August and a small electric SUV, a mid-sized electric SUV and commercial vehicles to follow. CEO José Muñoz said Europe is one of the most competitive regions on the planet and that every EV credit protects the ICE and hybrid business, while the claimed 30% battery-cost reduction is a planned saving on 2027 models using mid-nickel NCM cells rather than an achieved one.
HYUNDAI CLAIMS MORE THAN 600 MILES FOR SANTA FE EREV
Hyundai's first range-extender EV, the Santa Fe EREV, is due in North America in the first half of 2027 with a claimed 600-plus miles of total range from a battery less than half the size of a comparable EV's, using electric motors for drive and an engine solely as a generator. Production begins in Alabama in early 2027, with Hyundai expecting EREVs to matter more in North America than in Europe, and an Ioniq V EREV planned for China plus a Genesis EREV in early 2027.
Hyundai's first range-extender EV, the Santa Fe EREV, is due in North America in the first half of 2027 with a claimed 600-plus miles of total range from a battery less than half the size of a comparable EV's, using electric motors for drive and an engine solely as a generator. Production begins in Alabama in early 2027, with Hyundai expecting EREVs to matter more in North America than in Europe, and an Ioniq V EREV planned for China plus a Genesis EREV in early 2027.
HYUNDAI PLANS INTERMEDIATE N PERFORMANCE TIER
Hyundai is creating an unnamed performance tier between N Line trims and full N models, using N powertrains but at lower cost and better suited to daily driving. It sees the high-volume middle ground as a sales opportunity that could also free the flagship N cars, such as the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, to become more track-focused, though no technical details have been disclosed.
Hyundai is creating an unnamed performance tier between N Line trims and full N models, using N powertrains but at lower cost and better suited to daily driving. It sees the high-volume middle ground as a sales opportunity that could also free the flagship N cars, such as the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, to become more track-focused, though no technical details have been disclosed.
HYUNDAI SELECTS KALUZA FOR SMART CHARGING
Hyundai has named London-based Kaluza its global partner for EV smart charging and vehicle-to-grid services, starting with Hyundai and Kia in the UK and expanding to Australia, with OVO becoming the first UK retailer to offer smart charging through the Kia App. The deal sits within Hyundai Motor Group's AllDayEnergy programme launched in July, expanding existing pilots in Jeju, the US and the Netherlands, with V2G services planned for next year.
Hyundai has named London-based Kaluza its global partner for EV smart charging and vehicle-to-grid services, starting with Hyundai and Kia in the UK and expanding to Australia, with OVO becoming the first UK retailer to offer smart charging through the Kia App. The deal sits within Hyundai Motor Group's AllDayEnergy programme launched in July, expanding existing pilots in Jeju, the US and the Netherlands, with V2G services planned for next year.
OMODA 4 SET FOR BARCELONA ESPORTS DEBUT
Chery brand Omoda will launch its 4.4-metre Omoda 4 compact crossover in Europe at the Valorant Champions Tour EMEA finals in Barcelona from 28 to 30 August, targeting younger technology-oriented buyers, before an Italian debut at the Turin show on 11 September. Europe accounts for more than 40 percent of Omoda and Jaecoo's global sales, and Chery, Europe's second bestselling Chinese automaker in July behind BYD, opened its first European hub and R&D centre in Barcelona in April.
Chery brand Omoda will launch its 4.4-metre Omoda 4 compact crossover in Europe at the Valorant Champions Tour EMEA finals in Barcelona from 28 to 30 August, targeting younger technology-oriented buyers, before an Italian debut at the Turin show on 11 September. Europe accounts for more than 40 percent of Omoda and Jaecoo's global sales, and Chery, Europe's second bestselling Chinese automaker in July behind BYD, opened its first European hub and R&D centre in Barcelona in April.
VOLVO ADDS SHARED ANIMAL HAZARD ALERTS
A Volvo software update lets EX60, EX90 and ES90 cars use sensors and cameras to detect large animals such as deer and sheep, upload the location to the cloud and warn approaching vehicles, including those on the European Data for Road Safety programme, with added alerts for pedestrians, cyclists, roadworks and accidents ahead. Safety chief Åsa Haglund said the newer models' computing power makes this possible but that warnings must be trustworthy, since false positives deteriorate trust in driver-assistance systems.
A Volvo software update lets EX60, EX90 and ES90 cars use sensors and cameras to detect large animals such as deer and sheep, upload the location to the cloud and warn approaching vehicles, including those on the European Data for Road Safety programme, with added alerts for pedestrians, cyclists, roadworks and accidents ahead. Safety chief Åsa Haglund said the newer models' computing power makes this possible but that warnings must be trustworthy, since false positives deteriorate trust in driver-assistance systems.
VOLTPOST ADDS CEILING AND SURFACE EV CHARGERS
Voltpost has extended its Voltpost Air range beyond lamppost retrofits with ceiling-mounted chargers that lower retractable cables in parking garages and surface-mounted units for walls, pedestals and kerbside sites without poles. It claims installations take hours rather than days and can cut costs by up to 70%, though it has told Massachusetts regulators each charger needs 40A and dual-port units 80A, with some sites requiring power upgrades or a new meter.
Voltpost has extended its Voltpost Air range beyond lamppost retrofits with ceiling-mounted chargers that lower retractable cables in parking garages and surface-mounted units for walls, pedestals and kerbside sites without poles. It claims installations take hours rather than days and can cut costs by up to 70%, though it has told Massachusetts regulators each charger needs 40A and dual-port units 80A, with some sites requiring power upgrades or a new meter.
PLUG-IN SOLAR PANELS LEGALISED ACROSS GREAT BRITAIN
Plug-in solar panels became legal to buy and use across Great Britain on 27 August, with kits generating up to 800W, meeting up to 20% of a home's electricity use and saving up to £110 a year, after independent safety testing found compliant panels safe under a specification stricter than Germany's. Complete kits are expected to cost around £400–£600 initially and will be stocked by Amazon, Argos, Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes, with government assuming 15% of households pay for mounting help and 20% need minor electrical work.
Plug-in solar panels became legal to buy and use across Great Britain on 27 August, with kits generating up to 800W, meeting up to 20% of a home's electricity use and saving up to £110 a year, after independent safety testing found compliant panels safe under a specification stricter than Germany's. Complete kits are expected to cost around £400–£600 initially and will be stocked by Amazon, Argos, Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes, with government assuming 15% of households pay for mounting help and 20% need minor electrical work.
NIO CERTIFIED USED EVS START AT 26,900 EUROS
Nio's cheapest certified used EV in Europe costs 26,900 euros without a battery, which buyers instead subscribe to under Battery as a Service at 169 euros a month for 75kWh or 289 euros for 100kWh in Germany and the Netherlands, adding close to 7,000 euros over the remaining warranty for the larger pack. All cars are 2023 or 2024 builds with roughly two years of warranty left, drawn from Nio's own fleet and given full technical, cosmetic and structural inspections, original-parts repairs and no scheduled servicing for six months or 10,000 kilometres.
Nio's cheapest certified used EV in Europe costs 26,900 euros without a battery, which buyers instead subscribe to under Battery as a Service at 169 euros a month for 75kWh or 289 euros for 100kWh in Germany and the Netherlands, adding close to 7,000 euros over the remaining warranty for the larger pack. All cars are 2023 or 2024 builds with roughly two years of warranty left, drawn from Nio's own fleet and given full technical, cosmetic and structural inspections, original-parts repairs and no scheduled servicing for six months or 10,000 kilometres.
APTERA SECURES UP TO $44 MILLION INVESTMENT
Aptera Motors has secured a strategic investment of up to $44 million from Shanghai Launch Automotive Technology, or Launch Design, covering fixtures, tooling, testing and pilot production for its first 40 solar electric vehicles at its planned Carlsbad, California site. The company is targeting the start of production in Q4 2026, with first vehicle bodies and chassis expected in October 2026.
Aptera Motors has secured a strategic investment of up to $44 million from Shanghai Launch Automotive Technology, or Launch Design, covering fixtures, tooling, testing and pilot production for its first 40 solar electric vehicles at its planned Carlsbad, California site. The company is targeting the start of production in Q4 2026, with first vehicle bodies and chassis expected in October 2026.
VESSEV RAISES $A27 MILLION FOR HYDROFOIL PRODUCTION
Auckland-based Vessev has raised $US19 million in Series A and follow-on funding led by Blackbird Ventures to scale production of its electric hydrofoiling vessels, grow its market team and develop onboard software and telemetry. The 2017-founded firm, which launched the 40-nautical-mile VS-9 in 2024 and has since added the VS-12, has delivery agreements in Sydney, Perth and Tasmania and named FlyTahoe as its first US customer, though its first Perth VS-9s only arrive in early 2027 pending classification and regulatory approval.
Auckland-based Vessev has raised $US19 million in Series A and follow-on funding led by Blackbird Ventures to scale production of its electric hydrofoiling vessels, grow its market team and develop onboard software and telemetry. The 2017-founded firm, which launched the 40-nautical-mile VS-9 in 2024 and has since added the VS-12, has delivery agreements in Sydney, Perth and Tasmania and named FlyTahoe as its first US customer, though its first Perth VS-9s only arrive in early 2027 pending classification and regulatory approval.