Daily EV news · US · 17 June 2026
EV Charging
Five EV brands still offer free charging in 2026 as industry scales back incentives
A handful of automakers continue to provide complimentary public charging in 2026, even as the practice becomes rarer across the industry. The shift follows the end of federal tax credits in September and rising costs for manufacturers, with EVs now representing 5.7% of the US market at the end of 2025, up from 0.7% in 2015. Nationwide petrol prices have reached a four year high of 4.18 dollars per gallon, making operating cost comparisons more relevant for fleet and infrastructure planners.
Why it matters
Free charging programmes directly affect utilisation forecasts at public charge points, as bundled incentives can shift demand away from pay per use networks. Understanding which OEMs still subsidise sessions helps CPOs model revenue risk and negotiate commercial partnerships with automakers seeking preferred access.
Inspiration Mobility Group acquires Electrada assets to expand commercial fleet charging and CaaS offering
Inspiration Mobility Group has acquired select assets of Electrada, including its team, project pipeline, depot development capabilities and energy management software, folding them into its Inspiration Energy division. Electrada has built and operated more than 375 depots across the United States since 2020, delivering over 99 per cent uptime and powering more than 10 million clean miles annually for public agencies, Fortune 500 companies and institutional customers. The deal expands Inspiration's Charging as a Service capabilities and customer reach in the commercial fleet electrification market.
Why it matters
The acquisition consolidates two established commercial fleet charging players, creating a larger competitor in the depot and CaaS segment with a proven track record of high reliability infrastructure. Procurement teams and CPOs serving fleet customers will see an expanded pipeline and service footprint under a single operator, potentially reshaping competitive dynamics in the commercial charging market.
Electric Vehicles
Tesla SpaceX merger talk resurfaces as BYD pledges to become world number one in five years
Reports in Korean outlet 디지털투데이 highlight renewed speculation about a potential Tesla and SpaceX merger, alongside BYD's public commitment to become the world's top automaker within five years. The story frames the two developments as defining the next phase of global EV and mobility competition between the United States and China.
Why it matters
BYD's aggressive growth target signals intensifying competition in EV manufacturing and, by extension, charging ecosystem partnerships globally, while any Tesla corporate restructuring could reshape its Supercharger network strategy and third party access plans.
Tesla (us) · SpaceX (us) · BYD (cn) · Source