Daily EV news · UK · 16 October 2026
EV Charging
Ayvens partners with Fellten to offer UK fleets mobile battery charging via Charge Qube
Ayvens has partnered with British firm Fellten to give UK fleet operators access to Charge Qube, a mobile Battery Energy Storage System with built-in high-power DC charging. The containerised system can be deployed and operational within hours, storing electricity and delivering rapid charging from existing site power to help fleets bypass local grid capacity constraints without waiting for grid upgrades or permanent infrastructure. Ayvens said the solution avoids lengthy connection queues and costly upgrades that can delay electrification plans by months or years, targeting fleets with complex or changing needs in remote or temporary locations.
Why it matters
Mobile BESS units like Charge Qube offer fleet operators a workaround for grid connection delays and capacity limits, accelerating deployment timelines for high-power charging. For CPOs and contractors, this signals growing demand for flexible, temporary charging solutions that complement fixed infrastructure in constrained or transitional sites.
Electric Vehicles
MG4 Urban priced from £23,495 with £15 monthly BiK for fleet drivers, Fleetpoint review finds
The MG4 Urban family hatchback starts at £23,495 for the Comfort Standard Range, rising to £25,995 for Long Range and £28,495 for Premium Long Range, according to a Fleetpoint review by Matt Smith. At 4% Benefit in Kind for 2026/27, a 20% taxpayer pays around £15 monthly BiK on the entry model and £19 on the top specification Premium Long Range, with 40% taxpayers paying roughly £38 on the flagship variant. The review, MG's third vehicle tested by Fleetpoint in twelve months, positions the model as undercutting most entry level hatchback EVs while offering family capacity.
Why it matters
Sub £25,000 pricing and single figure monthly BiK costs make the MG4 Urban a compelling fleet proposition for operators targeting cost conscious company car schemes, particularly as the reviewer signals growing fleet manager interest in the MG brand across multiple model lines in 2027.
Grid & Energy
E.ON Next and Allume launch FlatSave scheme to cut bills and pay social housing tenants for grid support
E.ON Next and Allume have introduced FlatSave, a UK first collaboration enabling social housing tenants in flats to lower bills by generating their own energy and earn guaranteed annual payments for supporting the electricity grid. The scheme uses a single rooftop solar array and communal battery to serve every flat in a building, charging when electricity is cheapest and discharging when demand peaks. Presented at an industry event in London, the initiative targets more than five million households living in flats in England and Wales, including almost half of the country's social housing stock, of which fewer than 1% currently benefit from rooftop solar according to Allume estimates.
Why it matters
The scheme opens a new market for shared solar and battery installations in multi occupancy social housing, where procurement of communal energy assets could scale rapidly if housing associations and local authorities adopt the model. With typical household energy bills forecast to pass £2,000 a year, FlatSave offers a revenue generating use case for grid services that may influence future tender specifications for social housing energy upgrades.
Policy & Market
UK may impose Chinese EV tariffs if it joins EU Made in Europe scheme
Downing Street has left open the possibility of imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the Made in Europe package, after France dropped its opposition to British participation in the Industrial Accelerator Act. Under a Franco-German proposal, the UK would have to dynamically align with EU trade defence measures, including tariffs on Chinese EVs imposed by the bloc in 2024. Beijing has warned against what it calls a discriminatory step, expressing serious concern to the UK government.
Why it matters
Any UK alignment with EU tariffs on Chinese EVs could reshape the competitive landscape for charge point operators and fleet buyers, potentially affecting vehicle costs and procurement strategies. The move would also signal closer UK and EU regulatory coordination on electric mobility, influencing long term infrastructure investment decisions.
Public support for 2035 ICE ban hangs by a single point, Venson reveals
Just 42% of UK motorists back maintaining the 2035 phase out of new petrol and diesel cars, against 41% who oppose it, according to research from Venson Automotive Solutions. The findings come as the Department for Transport's consultation on the ZEV mandate closed on 23 October, marking the first formal reassessment of annual sales targets and flexibility mechanisms since the scheme began. Venson said the slim margin is far from the clear public mandate needed to withstand political retreat.
Why it matters
The near even split in public opinion gives the Government little political cover to defend or dilute ZEV mandate targets, creating uncertainty for charge point operators planning infrastructure rollout to 2030 and 2035. Any weakening of the mandate could slow EV adoption rates and reduce the business case for new charging investments.