Daily EV news · UK · 4 November 2026
EV Charging
Believ takes over more than 110 Blink public chargers in Brighton and Hove
Charge point operator Believ has taken over operation of more than 110 public chargers across over 30 locations in Brighton and Hove, upgrading technology where required. The estate covers Standard, Standard Plus and Rapid chargers previously run by Blink Charging, offering both long stay and on the go top ups. The news was published by Zapmap on 4 November 2026.
Why it matters
The handover shows continued consolidation of local authority area networks, with operators picking up existing estates rather than building from scratch. CPOs and bidders should note that upgrading inherited hardware is part of the model when taking over sites.
Electric Vehicles
Vauxhall passes 100,000 UK battery electric vehicle sales
Vauxhall has sold 102,852 electric vehicles in the UK as of October 2026, with the 100,000th sale a Grandland Electric 213PS Ultimate delivered by Drive Vauxhall Nuneaton. The brand reached 10,000 EV sales in 2021 and 50,000 in 2023, a tenfold rise in customer demand, and the Mokka Electric (more than 26,000 sales) and Corsa Electric (more than 23,000) lead its range of eight electric models. The figures come from Vauxhall's milestone announcement, which also cites its 2023 Electric Streets of Britain campaign inviting drivers to register the need for on-street charging.
Why it matters
A mass-market brand with over 100,000 UK EVs on the road points to a growing base of drivers, many in mainstream segments, who will need public and on-street charging. For CPOs and local authority procurement teams, the Electric Streets of Britain campaign is a signal of registered demand for on-street provision.
Used EV values rise by up to 28% in the UK as petrol and diesel prices climb
Solera cap hpi data shows trade values for several used EVs have recovered as diesel reaches around £2.00 a litre and petrol around £1.70. Online searches for used EVs are up 50%, and the Mini Electric leads gains, with a three year old, 30,000 mile model up 28.3% from £9,905 to £12,710. The Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 each rose 20.9%, to £22,188 and £21,822 respectively, while the Cupra Born gained 19.9%, the Subaru Solterra 19.3%, the Peugeot e-208 17.4% to £11,262 and the MG4 15.4% to £13,110.
Why it matters
Rising fuel costs are pushing more UK drivers towards second hand EVs, which points to a wider pool of drivers who will need charging access and a partial reversal of earlier steep depreciation. CPOs and fleet buyers should note the firmer residual values when planning demand, site utilisation and funding cases.
UBS analyst says car makers will not slow EV rollout even if the 2035 ICE phase out is diluted
Patrick Hummel, automotive analyst at UBS, said recently that if the UK or EU watered down emissions legislation to extend the combustion engine exit route, "the manufacturers are going to change exactly nothing", adding that he would accelerate the rollout of a proper EV portfolio. The piece notes that EV demand has soared this summer as the gap between fuelling costs for ICE cars and EVs has widened sharply, with new EVs offering long ranges at prices little different from ICE equivalents, and that charging infrastructure has markedly improved.
Why it matters
A major bank's view that manufacturers will keep pushing EVs regardless of regulatory softening points to continued vehicle supply and demand growth, which supports the long term case for charge point investment. For CPOs and funders, it suggests policy risk around the 2035 timetable may matter less than commercial momentum.
Mahindra plans 2027 UK launch with three electric SUVs designed in Oxfordshire
Autocar reports that Mahindra is around a year from putting cars in UK showrooms, led by three electric SUVs styled at its Banbury design studio. Early pricing points to the upper end of the mainstream market, in a similar space to Cupra and DS, with the BE 6 reportedly priced from around £41,000. Customer clinics have reportedly taken place to define positioning, and the plans follow earlier UK entry attempts dating back to the 2016 e2o city car.
Why it matters
Another new electric brand entering the UK in 2027 adds to the future public charging demand that CPOs and site funders need to plan for. Procurement teams may also want to watch for any Mahindra charging partnerships or network commitments as the launch approaches.
BYD Dolphin G plug in hybrid, priced at £26k, is tested against the Renault Clio in Europe's supermini class
The comparison, run in Denmark, sets the BYD Dolphin G PHEV against the sixth generation Renault Clio. The article notes that four superminis (the Clio, Dacia Sandero, Peugeot 208 and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa) still sit in Europe's top 10 best sellers, and that Chinese manufacturers, chiefly in the UK, have so far focused mostly on bigger cars. The excerpt is cut off before any test results are given.
Why it matters
A Chinese plug in hybrid aimed at the high volume supermini segment suggests Chinese brands are moving into mainstream small car territory, which could widen the mix of plug in vehicles that UK charging networks serve. As a PHEV it may lean less on public charging than a full battery electric rival, so CPOs should watch how it is used in practice.
DP World, Howard Tenens and Port Express acquire electric HGVs following Project JOLT trials
Three UK hauliers, DP World, Howard Tenens and Port Express, are acquiring new electric trucks after taking part in Project JOLT, a joint venture between academia and industry testing the economic viability of electric HGVs. The project involves 2 universities, 15 fleet operators, 5 truck manufacturers and 3 enablers, with the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight led by Professor David Cebon producing evidence on what affects battery performance and range. HGVs account for 6% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, and the Government has committed to phasing out diesel HGV sales by 2040.
Why it matters
Hauliers are moving from range and payload testing to securing eHGVs through contract hire, which signals real depot charging demand ahead. CPOs and installers should note that the JOLT evidence base may also inform the policy options the Government pursues for the 2040 phase out.
Grid & Energy
Network innovation has delivered more than £263m in financial benefits since the start of RIIO-2, says ENA
The Energy Networks Association's latest Annual Innovation Summary report says innovation projects across Great Britain's electricity networks have delivered more than £263m in financial benefits since the beginning of RIIO-2. It was published alongside the Energy Innovation Summit in Glasgow and covers projects now deployed in business-as-usual operations. Examples include Northern Powergrid's Artificial Forecasting project, which uses AI to identify available network capacity and reduce reinforcement costs, and SP Energy Networks' VEST Enhancement Project, which uses data and mapping tools to identify barriers such as no off-street parking for a charge point.
Why it matters
Better identification of spare network capacity and lower reinforcement costs could ease and speed up grid connections for charge point projects. CPOs and procurement teams should watch how these tools reach business-as-usual practice at their local distribution network operators.
Policy & Market
EDF UK chief executive calls for an 'electric Britain' to cut energy costs and import dependency
Speaking at Cornwall Insight's CI Live 2026 conference, EDF UK chief executive Simone Rossi argued that Britain must move beyond decarbonising power generation and replace fossil fuel use with domestically produced electricity. He said the UK now imports more than 40% of its energy requirements, and that total primary energy consumption has fallen by approximately 1,000TWh since its 2005 peak, even as the economy grew by around 30% in real terms and the population by approximately 15%. Rossi also noted that the UK has invested heavily in electricity infrastructure over two decades while electricity consumption has fallen.
Why it matters
A senior utility voice making the case for wider electrification supports the demand-side argument for transport charging, which could strengthen the policy and investment backdrop for CPOs and those bidding for charging work. It also signals that better use of renewable capacity is likely to remain central to energy strategy debates.