EV Geek Podcast

Global EV sales are telling two VERY different stories in 2026. 🌎⚡

While Europe’s EV sales surged 33% in July, North America went in the opposite direction, with EV sales falling 27%. And that’s just the beginning.

In this episode of The Mini Charge from EV Geek Studios, Joel breaks down the latest global EV sales numbers for the first seven months of 2026 and explores why the electric vehicle market is increasingly splitting into regional winners and losers.

We’ll look at:

⚡ Global EV sales: Roughly 11.5 million plug-in vehicles sold worldwide so far in 2026
🇪🇺 Europe: EV sales up 33% in July, with France, Germany and the UK seeing major growth
🇺🇸 North America: EV sales down 27% in July as federal incentives disappear
🔋 BEVs vs. PHEVs: Battery-electric vehicles are surging while plug-in hybrids decline
🇨🇳 China: New Energy Vehicles reached a record 65.1% of retail auto sales
⛽ Gas cars in China: ICE vehicle sales plunged an astonishing 44% in July
🚗 BYD vs. Tesla: The two automakers continue to battle for global EV dominance
🌎 Chinese automakers: BYD, Geely, SAIC and Leapmotor continue expanding globally

The biggest question may not be whether the EV transition is happening — it’s where it is happening fastest.

With Europe accelerating, China transforming its automotive market, and North American sales slowing, can U.S. legacy automakers continue competing on the global stage?

Or are some automakers in danger of being left behind?

👇 What do you think?
Is the United States falling behind in the global EV race, or is this just a temporary slowdown?

Let us know in the comments!

Walmart just hit a HUGE milestone in the EV world—and this could be the beginning of something much bigger.

The retail giant has officially opened its 100th Walmart EV charging location, with 400kW chargers and at least 8 charging plugs at each site. But 100 locations is just the beginning. Walmart says it plans to expand to thousands of EV charging locations by 2030 across Walmart and Sam's Club stores.

With roughly 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of a Walmart, this could become one of the most accessible EV charging networks in the country.

And Walmart isn't just installing chargers. The company is developing its own charging backend, working on credit card and tap-to-pay options, and building out a network designed around convenience and accessibility.

On this episode of The Friday Charge, Joel and Sebastian break down:

⚡ Walmart's 100th EV charging location
⚡ Why Walmart is installing 400kW chargers
⚡ The plan for THOUSANDS of charging locations by 2030
⚡ Why charger reliability and the number of plugs may matter more than raw charging speed
⚡ Walmart's plans for credit card and tap-to-pay charging
⚡ What Walmart's massive retail footprint could mean for EV adoption
⚡ Tesla Cybertruck sales and Tesla's surprising $5,000 price increases
⚡ Hyundai's plan for 100 new models by 2030
⚡ Hyundai's upcoming 600-mile Santa Fe EREV
⚡ Why bigger EV charging sites may be better for drivers

Is Walmart quietly building one of the most important EV charging networks in America?

Let us know what you think in the comments!

🔌 The Friday Charge is brought to you by EV Geek Studios.

Polestar has effectively been kicked out of the U.S. market—and the reason why is raising some serious questions.

Starting with model year 2027, Polestar has been denied authorization to sell its EVs in the United States under the federal government's new Connected Vehicle Rule. That means no new Polestar 2, Polestar 3, or Polestar 4 sales in America unless something changes.

But here's where this story gets WILD:

The Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 are built side-by-side in South Carolina, share the same SPA2 platform, and have closely related software and technology. Yet Volvo received approval to continue selling the EX90 in the U.S.—while Polestar was denied.

And Polestar says the U.S. government hasn't even told them why.

In this Mini Charge, we break down:

⚡ Why Polestar was denied U.S. authorization
🇺🇸 How the Connected Vehicle Rule works
🇨🇳 How Polestar's ownership by China's Geely became a major issue
🚙 Why the Volvo EX90 was approved while the Polestar 3 wasn't
💰 Why Polestar is offering discounts of up to $25,000
⚖️ Why a Polestar dealer is suing the automaker
🔥 Allegations that Polestar may have been planning its U.S. exit for years
📉 What this could mean for Polestar owners, resale values and future software support
🌎 What this means for other automakers with Chinese ownership or technology ties

And perhaps the biggest question of all:

Would YOU buy a Polestar 3 for nearly $25,000 off knowing the brand is being pushed out of the U.S.?

Let us know in the comments!

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Vs under $30,000 are finally becoming a reality — and the next few years could completely change the electric car market. From the redesigned Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf to the upcoming Slate Truck, Kia EV3, and Ford Fathom, there are more affordable EVs coming than ever before.

In this episode of The Friday Charge, Joel and Sebastian break down the cheapest electric vehicles available in the U.S. right now, what you get for your money, and which upcoming EVs could shake up the market.

We cover:

⚡ 2027 Chevy Bolt — The cheapest new EV in America, with 262 miles of range and a starting price under $30K
⚡ 2026 Nissan Leaf — 303 miles of range in the base model and a major redesign
⚡ 2027 Toyota bZ — Toyota's more affordable electric crossover
⚡ 2027 Subaru Uncharted — Over 300 miles of range for around $35K
⚡ Chevrolet Equinox EV — 319 miles of range at its $35K starting price
⚡ Slate Truck — A bare-bones electric pickup starting around $25K
⚡ Ford Fathom — Ford's upcoming affordable electric pickup
⚡ Kia EV3 — One of the most anticipated affordable EVs coming to America

And the biggest question:

If you had $30,000 to spend on an EV, would you buy one today or wait for what's coming?

Let us know in the comments!

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Genesis has finally pulled the wraps off its all-new GV90, but that's just the beginning of this week's EV news.

The GV90 is a massive electric luxury SUV packed with features that sound like they came straight from a concept car—including coach doors, no B-pillar, 657 horsepower, rear-wheel steering, air suspension, rotating front seats, heated wood floors, and even a built-in refrigerator. But with a huge 123 kWh battery producing just 310 miles of range, is Genesis leaving efficiency on the table?

And that's not all we're covering.

🤖 Waymo's Ojai robotaxi is now open to the public in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. We'll talk about what this new Chinese-built EV means for the U.S. robotaxi market.

🚕 Tesla gets approval for robotaxis in Las Vegas, but there's a catch. Tesla wanted up to 5,000 vehicles across Clark County, including airport service. Instead, regulators approved just 10 vehicles, with strict geofencing, a 45-mph speed limit, and no airport service.

We'll break down the latest developments in the robotaxi race, compare Tesla's approval with competitors like Waymo and Zoox, and look at what these restrictions could mean for Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions.

Which story are you most interested in—the Genesis GV90, Waymo's Ojai, or Tesla's Vegas robotaxis? Let us know in the comments!

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