ev.news Daily: Polestar 4 SUV Launches, Scout Reveals Traveller Concepts & France Hits 38% BEV | 03 Sep 2026

0:00Welcome back to the podcast on EV News Daily, the poll star for SUV launches. Scout reveals the travel of concepts in France hits 38% BEV. Plus they tuned later in the show while telling why the fad of adding passenger screens might soon be coming to an end. Over an hour, spin off show EV News China today. We're talking about the Lee Auto relaunch of the Mega MBV. Now with even more luxury inside, BYD now earns more overseas than it does from China. And Neo posting another quarterly profit. Check out your feed for a special bonus edition of EV News. It's an EV News tech episode as we talk about battery health, a new piece of data coming out from Avaloo who do battery health testing. It looks a 500,000 data points. And concluded some very interesting things about battery health. We get Nathan Gore-Brown on from Test EV. Of course a sponsor of this podcast. We'll actually bring you the story in today's EV News Daily Podcast.

1:00And also check out his show in the feed. And we talked for about 10, 12, 15 minutes or so about what it really means for battery health. Fascinating interview. Check it out when you get a chance. Now we start with news of poll star launching a new estate car. Sorry, an SUV in Europe. The poll star for wagon. Sorry, SUV is in Europe. It's largest market. A more practical body variant of the poll star for. Now we know nobody wants to buy estates or wagons. I love an estate car, personally. But nobody wants to buy an estate car. So they've called this the poll star for SUV. But if you look at it from the side profile. Well, they've added an estate slash wagon boot to the thing. And called it the poll star for SUV. You might be thinking hang on. Have they raised the ride height or something like a Volvo cross country branded car? No, no, it's it's the same poll star for just with an estate slash wagon boot. But don't call it that whatever you do, they'll get very upset.

2:00It's the poll star for SUV Canada. We'll get the model after Europe. Of course, the United States won't. The changes sit behind the rear doors. The estate version has a more linear roof line, a steeper rear section, and a vertically positioned tailgate always to describe a wagon. It has a rear window if you really want one in a poll star for and a rear view mirror. Wow, we're really moving forward with technology, aren't we? The coupe version uses a camera and a digital rear view mirror for rear visibility. Instead, the digital mirror remains an optional extra on the SUV version. Rear passengers gain 25 millimeters of headroom beneath a larger panoramic glass roof that extends toward the tailgate. Full length roof rails with a load of 100 kilograms of standard. So it's a rear wiper and an integrated washer beneath the rear spoiler so that you can actually see out of the rear window. Now that we've got a window and a mirror on the inside to look backwards, this is next generation technology.

3:05Capacity is 1665 litres with the 6040 split seats folded down. There's a 15-litre front trunk. Rear motor is a 200 kilowatts motor, a WLTP at 391 miles, that's 630 kilometres. The dual motor version doubles it up. It's 400 kilowatts, WLTP, not much less, not much of a range hit because that front motor decouples now. So 372 miles or 600 kilometres. Big pack inside the four, it's 100 kilowatt hour battery, it'll peak at 200 kilowatts DC 30 minutes 10 to 80. In Germany, it starts at 58,000 euros, that's 67,000 US dollars equivalent. In the UK, it starts at 55,000 pounds, orders are open now, first customer delivery is coming Q4. Now, Scout motors has a revealed two concepts, the mountain side and the trail ready, based on its Traveller SUV. They show refined or rugged versions of the same vehicle, but they haven't confirmed whether they will both be coming,

4:08or things like the roof rack seen on this one would be an optional extra, maybe. Both concepts, debuting at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience Jazz Festival, where attendees can have a little sniff round in person. Scout says initial Traveller production starts next year, customer deliveries beginning of 2028. The trail ready concept is a hard-edged version galvanized steel paint job, looks like it should resemble bare metal while its roof is painted canvas. Front rear bumpers are full metal, elevated roof rack, trail lights, an integrated winch at the front, with 18 inch black bidlock wheels, 35 inch off-road tire layouts. The mountain side, by contrast, is the opposite, it's their refined interpretation of the Traveller vehicle, a morning dusk paint job, a deep charcoal brown interior, 22 inch dish wheels. With some grey fabric to complement the light brown leather, and recycled walnut wood trim.

5:10Scout plans to launch the range extended harvester, maybe not either of these, but we haven't talked about Scout for a while, so I thought I would do today. Before the Bev version, it turns out that everybody who ordered one, wants the range extended, 4 cylinder engine, 63 kilowatt hour LFP pack, 500 miles of range real world in total is what they're aiming for. That makes perfect sense for these kind of vehicles in the market that is the US adventure vehicle. Market doesn't make sense everywhere by the way, a lot of people would want the pure Bev version, but they'll come with the e-rev first. OK, France just hit 38% in August for their Bev share of the new passenger car market. Battery electric vehicles went from 35% in July to 38% in August. Bev registrations up 113% year on year, according to the French automotive manufacturers committee, the CCFA. Chinese brands were about 7.5% of the markets in August, BYD led them, followed by MG. The French brand still hold the big volumes.

6:11Renault, France's best selling brand in August, was over 13,000 vehicles, followed by Peugeot, almost 12,000. Renault alone registered more vehicles than all the Chinese brands counted together. The most registered model was the Tesla Model Y. Now, most used electric vehicles retain 90% of their original usable battery, after 150,000 kilometers, according to a new Avaloo study, of 500,000 battery health tests. This is the story that I refer to at the beginning of the podcast today. It's a really decent number, isn't it? Good sample size. 500,000 battery health tests, across 20 different vehicle models. And it matters to drivers, weighing an EV against a combustion car, though it turns out age and mileage don't settle the condition of the battery. Austrian-based battery diagnostics company, looked at 20 popular models in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia over the last four years.

7:12Chinese models were excluded because they didn't have enough data to be robust. Median state of health, at 150,000 kilometers, was 87% to 94%. EV warranties typically cover, eight years or 100,000 miles, that's 160,000Ks, and they often require replacement battery below 70%. You see, this is why there isn't widespread large-scale battery replacements happening. Happens to Tesla in the early days, of course. They quietly got on with replacing batteries as they were learning 10 years ago. And we just don't see it now, because we're not losing loads of states of health. The Hyundai Arnick 5 and the Mercedes-Benz EQA, led the way they get a gold star, they are typically larger battery packs in those vehicles and some decent thermal management. Avalue identified the Renault Zoe and the old Renault Nissan Leafs, the old ones, as outliers, both are among the few models studied with no active thermal management.

8:13They had air cooled batteries in some cases, smaller batteries like the Zoe and the Leaf, degrade faster, because you might need more charging sessions to cover the same distance, or lack of the active thermal management, although people do call blowing air across it a form of active thermal management. The average is high details, though, which are not precise. The Nissan Leafs showed a 13.5%-point difference between the same spec vehicle with different owners. So same state of health, same mileage, 150,000 kilometres, and yet the state of health, entirely different. So it depends on climate, charging how you leave it parked. And other things, not only, well here's a Nissan Leaf at 150,000 kilometres and it's this old, is the pack the same? No, they could be wildly different, which is why many organisations in the industry are calling for mandatory battery health certification from an independent company.

9:13The study suggests why two used EVs, the same age, same mileage, treated differently, the only way to know is to have some sort of battery analysis done. Alright, let's talk about Kia opening factory orders for the new EV4 GT dealerships in Canada. Dual motor model starts at 58,500 Canadian, that's 42,000 US equivalent, while the standard EV4 launched in Canada in late 2025 from about $39,000 Canadian, which Kia describes as the most affordable EV in Canada. The GT is the third affordable EV to get the GT treatment in Canada. Front wheel drive motor turns into a dual motor or wheel drive system at 288 horsepower. The pack is still 81.4 kilowatt hours, it'll do your 267 miles or 431 kilometres. But the GT gets the neon brake calipers, the 20 inch alloys swayed and synthetic leather seats, the GT themed instrument cluster,

10:17and a steering wheel GT button to give you a bit more oomph when you need it. Let's take a break, we'll come back and talk Honda and charging and more, stick around. Alright, welcome back to the podcast. Honda is seeking savings of 1.5 trillion yen, that is $9.4 billion by 2030, while attempting to improve the performance of its car business. The company expects total EV-related losses to exceed $12 billion, and it's shifting towards hybrids. It's also under pressure from Chinese EV makers like BYD, gaining market share across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe, with better software, better batteries, and lower prices than Hondas. Honda managers are meant to have met suppliers in the spring of this year to brief them. On the plan, they want their suppliers to chip in and help them save money. Internal documents said Honda is targeting a 30% cost reduction in pressed or forged components, electrical parts, and parts associated with software-defined vehicles.

11:21Suppliers received individual cost reduction targets following the meetings. spokesperson for Honda refused to comment on the story, coming via CNBC saying that these are private negotiations. Alright, let's move on. This is really interesting. The Minnesota DOT, MNDOT, is offering $41.2 million for fast charging sites in greater Minnesota, expecting to award grants at 40 locations. It's third and largest round of federal Neville infrastructure funding. I shouldn't say Neville infrastructure, because Neville stands for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. I'd be doubling up. Is intended to fill charging gaps and support longer EV journeys. The money can now reach beyond interstates 35, 90, and 94. The federal government has certified those routes as fully built out. Now, they're called alternative fuel corridors in politician speak, allowing Minnesota to use the remaining Neville money on other highways.

12:21So developers can propose stations in 74 eligible areas. MNDOT will fund no more than one station in each. The program has gained room to move beyond the interstates now. So there must be four NACs and four CCS connectors, each site delivering 150 kilowatts, when all charging ports at a site are being used simultaneously. Sites must be open to the public, obviously, but that needs to be spelled out, doesn't it? During the businesses operating hours and, including at least one charging space compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, have lighting and are the security cameras or staff operators must also remove snow within two hours of a storm ending. Interesting detail. Now, moving on. Motor intelligence estimated Tesla sold 41,000, just under 41,000 vehicles in the US last month in August. Of course, not official Tesla data, but that would be 26% below the 55,000 last August.

13:22It was Tesla's largest year over year decline this year. The patent was described as indicating demand is now stabilized in the United States at around 40,000 vehicles for Tesla, below the average 47,000 per month in the first half of last year. But of course, there is an elephant in the room and that's the end of the federal tax credit. Tesla also ended Model X and Model S production, extended offers for the Model Y and Model 3, it launched the Model Y L, and a certified pre-owned program as well with vehicles offered from $20,000. California's allocation of the My First EV money was also depleted first by Tesla. It endays, and yet all these line-up changes, incentives, delivery developments and used vehicle pricing haven't materially helps Tesla. The Tesla changed their trajectory, which is declining in the US, but that is always compared year on year. It's the worst month I know in 2026, but some are months, so people are way not buying cars. You can pair stuff the last year and it was a different market.

14:23Volvo sold just under 150,000 vehicles globally, from June through August, as sales fell. The sales were down by 7.4% for Volvo, but there was one bright moment, and that would obviously be EVs. That is a 13% increase in sales of fully electric and plug-in vehicles. That's now 54% of Volvo's business globally. They blamed the downturn in China and their weaker demand in the US. The fully electric cars up 27%, plug-in hybrid sales down 1% of Volvo. It's pure beves doing the heavy lifting there. Volvo says, it's been a tough time, but we expect the second half of the year to be up because of the EX60 production began in Gothenburg during the spring. Vehicle around $60,000 is equivalent. They're also going to grow in Europe. They say with that vehicle and moving production of the XC60 to South Carolina to help the US tariff situation.

15:24XPUN is next in the news, establishing their own UK National Sales Company. Taking ownership of its UK operations and responsibility for the brand's development, as they widen their range. The Chinese EV maker said the structure will retain international motors, operational infrastructure, international motors, import the likes of Subaru. Initially managing XPUN's UK shipping and retail, they will continue to provide services they say. XPUN meanwhile is taking control commercially. XPUN entered the UK market last year with the G6 across over against the Model Y. Still a little bit, 1800 of them so far here to UK customers. It has a retail network of 48 dealers that stock them across England, Wales and Scotland. Maybe XPUN will do their own dealerships. We'll wait and see. They haven't said that. The next editions will be some really interesting cars. Actually there's a big MPV called the X9. Man, this is a beast of a people carrier. This is a rival to the Volkswagen ID bars.

16:25Also launching the L03. That's a coupé crossover. That's a Mona vehicle, by the way, at home in China. XPUN hasn't announced the launch date. Or UK pricing for the Mona L3 or XPUN, L3 as it'll be here. But if it comes in below £40,000, about $54,000 USD equivalent, up against things like Schott or any X and Ford explorers, could sell well. And finally, passenger screens are spreading throughout new vehicles. If you want evidence of that, look at any new Chinese EV launched in China. And if it's at all premium, by which I mean above about $25,000, then it's going to have a big screen across the front of the dash. It'll have a driver's display. It'll have the infotainment in the middle. And it'll have a big old screen for your passenger up front. But JD Powers US tech experience index found that 35% of owners who bought a new car with a passenger screen. I guess this obviously brings in Tesla owners who have a screen in the back of presuming. However, 35% of owners who bought a vehicle with a screen aimed at passengers

17:29found that they were never used. And the findings point towards a preference for technology that behaves predictably because owners said they like technology like smart ignition. I guess that means that you just get in with the car and put the foot on the brake. As all EV should, by the way, here's looking at you, many new EVs that have a stop start button. Things like smart climate control and driver preference settings that change when you get in the car as opposed to your partner who has a key as well. They affect overall driver satisfaction way more than things like passenger screens. Passenger screens. Only 6% of surveyed owners even report them being used every time they drove. The screens are not without uses. Passengers can set the heating and cooling, even watch films during long road trips. Some of them up front have technology which means the driver can't see that display. They're not going to be distracted. It's relatively inexpensive and quite a straightforward way. Strap a big old iPad in front of the passenger and it can look premium to some people.

18:32I'm going to die on this hill, though, by the way. I can't wait for a time when EVs have fewer screens. Now, I'm not sure it's ever going to happen, especially if you look at what's happening in China and now Spinoff show EV news China, I just don't think it's that premium. So if you look at the new really premium cars that are going to be coming, they've got the hang of it. So second gen or even now, a Rolls Royce Phantom, the new Ferrari Lucha. And all the other cars that are going to be up at that crazy price point, the ones we can't afford, they haven't got big screens. And there's a reason for that. Because big old slabs of glass just don't age really well in terms of being premium. I just date quite quickly. And so I get it. You can add features. You can put it on the spec list. It can look impressive. And maybe they're genuinely useful for some people. But at the minute, EVs are being packed with screens and it turns out aren't necessarily being used.

19:33And that's your podcast for today. Thanks to our premium partners, National Car Charging on the US mainland and the Lohar Charging Hawaii. And Test EV, Avaloo's trusted partner for independent EV battery health testing in Australia and New Zealand. Have a good cinema. And remember, there's no such thing as a self-charging hybrid.