The Charged

NIO delivered 35,934 vehicles in July 2026, a 71.0% year-on-year increase. The total comprised 20,008 NIO-brand vehicles, 10,155 ONVO vehicles and 5,771 FIREFLY vehicles. January–July deliveries reached 227,057 vehicles, up 68.0% YoY, while cumulative deliveries reached 1,224,649 vehicles by July 31. The results show substantial volume growth across NIO’s multi-brand EV portfolio and take the company above 1.2 million cumulative deliveries.

XPENG reported 38,027 vehicle deliveries in July 2026, up 4% year over year, taking cumulative global deliveries beyond 1.2 million vehicles. The company is simultaneously expanding internationally: its L03 global model is planned for 65 countries and regions in 2026, while XPENG has announced five additional models for Australia in the second half. XPENG estimates that vehicles delivered from January through July 2026 will avoid more than 3.23 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions compared with equivalent ICE vehicles.

Rivian reported Q2 2026 revenue of $1.66 billion, up 27% year over year and ahead of the roughly $1.51 billion analyst consensus. Software and services revenue increased 37% to $515 million, including $308 million associated with Rivian’s Volkswagen joint venture. Rivian raised its 2026 delivery forecast to 65,000–70,000 vehicles from 62,000–67,000 and cut projected capital spending to $1.7–1.8 billion from $1.95–2.05 billion. Adjusted loss per share was $0.46 versus $0.63 expected, while management said R2 reservation-to-order conversion was running meaningfully above internal projections and expects positive R2 vehicle gross margin in the second half.

Renault Group reported first-half revenue of approximately €30.3 billion, up 9.5%, with automotive revenue of €26.8 billion. Fully electric vehicle sales increased 47.6% year over year, supported particularly by the Renault 5, and BEVs accounted for about one in five Renault vehicle sales. Group operating margin was €1.6 billion, equal to 5.2% of revenue, while net profit reached around €700 million, reversing the prior-year loss heavily affected by Nissan-related accounting charges. Renault maintained its 2026 operating-margin target while continuing investment in EVs and software.

Factorial Energy and SK On signed an MoU to evaluate whether Factorial’s FEST solid-state battery technology can be industrialised using SK On’s existing lithium-ion manufacturing infrastructure and global production network. SK On has more than 200 GWh of annual battery production capacity worldwide, including about 100 GWh in the United States. Factorial’s previously tested 77 Ah FEST cells have demonstrated 375 Wh/kg energy density, more than 600 cycles, 15–90% charging in 18 minutes, operating temperatures from -30°C to 45°C, and discharge rates up to 4C. The agreement targets one of solid-state batteries’ main commercial challenges: transferring high-performance cells into scalable automotive manufacturing.

BYD launched the RACCO, its first EV specifically designed around Japan’s kei-car regulations, deepening its push into a segment that represents roughly a third of Japanese vehicle sales. The model offers up to 320 km of range and BYD’s launch materials list vehicle dimensions of 3,395 mm long × 1,475 mm wide × 1,800 mm high with a 2,520 mm wheelbase. The RACCO brings sliding rear doors and an SDV/OTA architecture into the kei segment, creating a direct Chinese challenge to Japanese incumbents. Independent reporting has also highlighted BYD’s aggressive pricing and growth ambitions in the category.

The City of Dallas placed a follow-on order for ten Beam Global EV ARC solar-powered, off-grid EV charging systems for its municipal fleet. The systems are scheduled for deployment in Q3 2026 and represent Dallas’s fourth separate EV ARC deployment since its initial purchase in April 2025. Each unit generates and stores renewable electricity locally and can be installed without trenching, conventional construction, electrical permitting or a utility-grid connection. The procurement demonstrates a fleet-charging model that can avoid grid-upgrade lead times while providing resilience during grid outages.

BMW said its new Plant Woodruff in South Carolina will begin series production in December 2026 of high-voltage batteries for the fully electric BMW iX5. The plant is built around BMW’s Gen6 battery architecture and employs AI-supported manufacturing, digital twins and virtual-reality applications, with a focus on zero-defect pack production. The project supports BMW’s localization strategy linking battery assembly at Woodruff with EV production at nearby Spartanburg. BMW previously committed $1.7 billion to expanding its South Carolina operations and has said it intends to assemble at least six fully electric BMW models in the U.S. by 2030.

Energy In Motion, an associate of Ravindra Energy, entered an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. to establish fast-charging and battery-swapping infrastructure for electric heavy commercial vehicles at selected HPCL retail outlets. Initial rollout will focus on the Mumbai–Pune, Delhi–Jaipur and Chennai–Bengaluru freight corridors over the next 18–24 months. HPCL has a network of more than 25,000 retail outlets; EIM will own and manage batteries and swap/charging hardware while HPCL provides sites, utilities and amenities. Compatible electric trucks can complete a battery swap in approximately seven minutes. EIM has already commissioned six heavy-duty swapping stations in Delhi-NCR and the JNPA port area with combined capacity for 840 swaps per day and is targeting 40 operational HCV swap-cum-charging stations by March 2027.