BRIEFLY: Global EV Sales, Electric Golf, China Ban & More | 14 May 2026

It's EV News Briefly for Thursday 14 May 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.

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GLOBAL EV SALES HIT 1.6 MILLION IN APRIL
Global EV sales reached 1.6 million units in April 2026 and 5.6 million year to date, with April up 6% year over year but down 9% from an unusually strong March. Europe led growth with 400,000 sales, up 27% year over year, driven by rising petrol prices and strong gains in Germany, France and Italy, while Chinese-built EVs grew their European market share from 19% in 2025 to 22% in 2026.
ELECTRIC GOLF SLIPS TO DECADE'S END
Volkswagen has pushed the electric Golf back to the end of the decade, later than the previously expected 2028 launch, due to delays with the SSP platform that will underpin it. SSP-based vehicles will now begin with Audi and Porsche from 2028, with Volkswagen following later, as the brand needs greater scale to achieve margin parity on the platform.
HOUSE BILL SEEKS PERMANENT BAN ON CHINESE CARS
A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers has introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act, which would permanently ban Chinese-developed connected vehicles from US roads. The bill would codify and expand a Biden-era executive order, barring passenger vehicles from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran if they contain software or connectivity systems developed in those countries.
JAGUAR NAMES FIRST EV TYPE 01
Jaguar has confirmed its first all-electric production car will be called the Type 01, with the "0" representing zero tailpipe emissions and the "1" marking it as the first model of a new era. The full production reveal is planned for September 2026, with customer deliveries expected to begin in early 2027.
FORD STARTS STATIONARY BATTERY BUSINESS
Ford has launched Ford Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary, to compete in the stationary battery storage market, with its first product being the DC Block — a modular LFP battery container offering 5.45 MWh of storage and a 20-year service life. Built at a repurposed factory in Glendale, Kentucky, the DC Block will be sold in two- and four-hour discharge versions, with first customer deliveries due in early 2027 and planned annual output of 20 GWh.
APTERA BUILDS FIVE VALIDATION VEHICLES
Aptera Motors has completed five validation vehicles on a newly established 14-station low-volume assembly line at its Carlsbad, California facility, marking a significant step towards production readiness. The vehicles will now enter a comprehensive testing programme covering road performance, durability, safety, software integration and solar energy generation efficiency.
FILOSA: CHINESE OEMS FACE US DELAY
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said Chinese OEMs will not enter the US market for at least a few years, citing the current tariff and regulatory climate. He left the door open to future partnerships, suggesting Chinese technology could still find common ground with US operations, even if direct car sales remain off the table in the near term.
ANDROID AUTO STRETCHES TO FIT ANY SCREEN
Google is giving Android Auto its first major display overhaul in 11 years, with a new version that adapts to fill any car screen shape and eliminates the black borders previously seen on round, trapezoidal and other non-standard displays. The update also introduces pinnable widgets that stay over the active map, alongside a redesigned Google Maps with 3D Immersive Navigation showing buildings, lane markings, traffic lights and stop signs.
CATL ADDS 5 GWH MODULE LINE IN DEBRECEN
CATL has opened a new 5 GWh batt