ev.news Daily: Ford Opens Fathom Pre-Pre Orders, US Fast Charging Increases & Tesla Pauses Canadian Imports For 6 Months | 14 Oct 2026
ev.newsShow Notes
FORD OPENS $29,945 FATHOM SIGN-UPS WITHOUT RANGE FIGURES Ford has opened an invitation list for its $29,945 Fathom electric pickup, with official pre-orders expected in early 2027 and deliveries later that year, but no range, charging or payload figures yet. The four-door truck will debut Ford’s Universal EV platform with a 400-volt system and lithium-iron-phosphate battery, leaving buyers unable to assess its practicality ahead of a full reveal expected before year-end. US FAST CHARGING PASSES 80,000 PORTS AS USAGE RISES America’s public fast-charging network has passed 80,000 ports after adding 4,106 in the third quarter, while charging sessions rose 26% year on year to 50.4 million. Some 73% of new ports were rated at least 250 kW, but average charging prices rose to $0.540 per kWh and about 90% of new stations opened in urban markets, leaving rural coverage uneven. TESLA PAUSES CANADIAN MODEL 3 ORDERS UNTIL MARCH Tesla has suspended Canadian orders for its lower-cost, Shanghai-built Model 3 until March 2027 after exhausting its import allocation, although around 33,000 permits remained within Canada’s national quota. Its expected return follows the quota reset, but China’s export VAT rebate cut from 13% to 9% on 1 April 2027 could subsequently pressure pricing; Tesla has announced no related increase. JAGUAR'S ELECTRIC RELAUNCH DRAWS OVER 50,000 SIGN-UPS Jaguar’s electric relaunch has attracted more than 50,000 registrations of interest, around 80% from newcomers, as its Type 01 four-door GT targets a more exclusive luxury market with Bentley as its reference point. The electric-only strategy depends on converting that interest into purchases at higher prices, with Jaguar’s managing director previously estimating that up to 85% of existing buyers could leave. ICAUR V25 SPOTTED CHARGING IN BRITAIN A camouflaged iCaur V25 range-extender has been photographed charging in Britain, suggesting Chery’s off-road brand may be preparing a UK launch, although none is confirmed. It combines a petrol generator, two electric motors and a 33.7 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, with a reported 130-mile electric range on an unspecified test cycle; a battery-only version is expected, but its market availability remains unclear. GM WEIGHS STARTUP ACCESS TO $145M BATTERY LAB General Motors is considering opening its $145 million battery laboratory in Warren, Michigan, to help startups develop cell-manufacturing skills, but no programme has been approved and access is not imminent. Construction is expected to finish in December, with development work covering lithium manganese-rich and sodium-ion batteries, although GM’s existing sodium-ion partnership with Peak Energy concerns grid storage rather than an announced EV battery. SOLAR AND BATTERIES HELP TEXAS THROUGH SUMMER HEAT Solar and batteries helped Texas’s grid through a relatively uneventful summer despite hotter weather and rising demand, with 3,440 MW of solar added in the first half of 2026 and utility-scale storage reaching 33.1 GWh. Storage can shift low-cost electricity into peak periods, while solar and storage projects can be built faster than gas plants, but transmission bottlenecks still constrain delivery to areas needing the power. MERCEDES TESTS E-CLASS-SHAPED CAR WITHOUT VISIBLE EXHAUSTS Mercedes has been photographed testing an E-Class-shaped vehicle without visible exhaust outlets at the Nürburgring, prompting speculation about a more conventionally styled electric successor to the EQE. Such a model could attract buyers seeking familiar saloon styling with electric propulsion, but the sighting does not confirm a launch. VOLKSWAGEN'S US EV SALES FALL 90% AFTER SUPPLY CUTS Volkswagen’s US EV sales fell 90% to 1,421 in the third quarter after it ended US-specification ID.4 production to make room for petrol SUVs and halted ID. Buzz imports. Supply cuts make this a poor standalone measure of EV demand, although discounts up to $12,500 indicate stock-clearing difficulties; a
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