Daily EV news · US · 25 October 2026
Electric Vehicles
Volkswagen to restart IG Metall talks on 24 November as operating profit falls to €8.9 billion
Volkswagen Group will begin negotiations with IG Metall on 24 November 2026 after terminating wage provisions covering more than 100,000 workers at its German factories on 30 September 2026. The company's operating profit dropped from €22.6 billion in 2023 to €8.9 billion in 2025, prompting plans to close up to four German plants, cut 50,000 domestic jobs and 100,000 globally over four years. Volkswagen expects its austerity measures to deliver €20 billion in savings across its value chain by 2030 and reduce overhead costs by €11 billion.
Why it matters
Major restructuring at Europe's largest carmaker could reshape procurement priorities and supplier relationships as Volkswagen halves its model range and consolidates production. The labour dispute follows a similar 2024 standoff that led to 35,000 job cuts, signalling potential disruption to manufacturing capacity and capital allocation for electrification projects.
Sunswap Endurance solar-powered electric reefer units enter commercial service in Australia
Wickham Freight Lines has taken delivery of the first regular production Sunswap Endurance solar-powered electric trailer refrigeration unit in Australia, following a trial run from Sydney to Brisbane covering 1,670 km over 30 hours with over 65% battery capacity remaining. The units eliminate diesel-powered generators that run continuously on refrigerated trailers, cutting CO₂, NOx and noise pollution as municipalities move to regulate emissions from transport fleets.
Why it matters
The commercial rollout of battery electric, solar-powered reefer technology offers fleet operators a zero-emission alternative to diesel generators, addressing tightening municipal emissions rules and reducing operational costs on cold-chain logistics routes.
Rivian overtakes Chevrolet in US EV sales with commercial vans driving 45.7% year on year growth
Rivian delivered 19,248 electric vehicles in Q3 2026, climbing from 10th to second place among American EV brands and capturing a 7.2% market share. Commercial vans accounted for 8,469 units, representing the heaviest contribution to the 45.7% year on year increase. Cox Automotive's estimate of 19,239 deliveries closely matched Rivian's published figures, with the brand finishing ahead of Chevrolet despite the overall US EV market remaining below 2025 levels.
Why it matters
The surge in Rivian's commercial van deliveries signals growing fleet electrification demand, creating potential charging infrastructure opportunities at depot and logistics sites. Rivian's leap to second place demonstrates how commercial EV adoption can reshape market dynamics and drive charging procurement beyond consumer focused networks.
Grid & Energy
105 unit affordable housing block in Buffalo installs 3.75 MWh indoor battery system
Peace Bridge Place, a 105 unit affordable apartment building in Buffalo, New York, has installed a 3.75 megawatt hour Viridi lithium ion battery system across seven rooms. Good Carbon Co. says it may be the largest indoor battery in an occupied US apartment building. The system provides backup power for the all electric building and uses RPSLinkIN technology to cut electricity use during peak demand periods, reducing costs and easing pressure on the local grid.
Why it matters
The project demonstrates a procurement model for energy resilience in multifamily housing, where residents cannot install their own systems. It also shows how battery storage can serve dual purposes of backup power and demand management in affordable housing developments.
US rooftop solar output grew fivefold in a decade, with California accounting for 37% of national total
Small scale solar installations under 1 megawatt in the United States generated 92,979 gigawatt hours in 2025, up from 18,812 gigawatt hours ten years earlier, according to the US Energy Information Administration's Annual Electric Power Industry Report cited by pv magazine USA. California led with 34,411 gigawatt hours, representing 37% of the national total, and saw its small scale solar capacity rise from 18 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts between 2024 and 2025. Nationwide growth peaked in 2022 at 25% year on year, partly driven by installations ahead of California's April 2023 shift from Net Energy Metering 2.0 to the Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0), which reduced export credits for new systems.
Why it matters
The surge in distributed solar capacity signals growing on site generation that can support EV charging infrastructure at homes and commercial sites, reducing grid demand and improving the business case for co located charging and solar projects. California's dominance and policy shifts under NEM 3.0 offer a template for other states considering tariff reforms that affect the economics of solar plus EV charging deployments.
Policy & Market
US battery electric vehicle share falls to 6% in Q3 2026, down from 10% year prior after federal tax credit ended
Battery electric vehicles accounted for 6% of new light duty vehicle sales in the United States during Q3 2026, according to the US Energy Information Administration. This represents a decline from 10% in Q3 2025 and follows the expiry of the $7,500 federal tax credit at the end of Q3 2025, which triggered a sales peak of 12% in September 2025 before a temporary market collapse. The Q3 2026 figure matches Q2 2026 levels, suggesting market stabilisation one year after the incentive ended.
Why it matters
The sustained lower EV adoption rate directly affects charging infrastructure demand forecasts and investment cases for charge point operators planning network expansion. Procurement teams and site hosts may need to revise utilisation assumptions and payback models based on slower fleet growth than previously projected under the tax credit regime.