BRIEFLY: EV Satisfaction, BYD vs. Tesla, Ford & More | 26 Jul 2026

It's EV News Briefly for Sunday 26 July 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyBEVS OUTSCORE PETROL CARS IN OWNER APPEALBattery electric vehicle owners rated their cars higher than gas-powered vehicle owners in JD Power's 2026 US APEAL Study, with BEVs posting the biggest year-over-year gain, up 22 points. BEVs beat ICE vehicles in nearly every category, with the widest gap in powertrain satisfaction at 109 points.BYD DRAWS LEVEL WITH TESLA IN EUROPEBYD more than doubled its European market share to 2.4% in the first half of 2026, matching Tesla and edging ahead in absolute registrations with 174,144 vehicles versus Tesla's 170,351. Chery also surged, nearly quadrupling its share to 2.2%, helped by plug-in hybrid models across its Chery, Jaecoo, Omoda and Jetour brands.FORD TURN TO APPLE FOR $30,000 ELECTRIC PICKUPFord will integrate Apple Maps into its new Universal Electric Vehicle platform, using Apple's MapKit for Automotive SDK for navigation and to enhance BlueCruise hands-free driving. The tie-up supports Ford's planned $30,000 midsize electric pickup launching in 2027 as the first UEV-platform vehicle.HONDA EUROPE CHIEF WANTS TOUGHER, BROADER CO2 RULESHonda's European boss Hans De Jaeger called for stricter overall CO2 targets but more flexibility in how automakers meet them, criticizing the EU's narrow focus on battery-electric vehicles. He argued this approach limits customer choice, hurts sales, and contributes to Europe's ageing car fleet, urging room for hybrids, PHEVs and alternative fuels.HONDA INDIA TAKES A PHASED EV LINEHonda Motorcycle & Scooter India said electrification won't suit every market, favoring a multi-fuel, multi-pathway approach with EVs prioritized in dense urban areas with reliable charging. Its new QC3 Family electric scooter, featuring a 3 kWh battery and 145 km range, will launch first as a pilot in select cities rather than nationwide.NEXT EQUINOX EV MAY SHIFT TO BEV-NGeneral Motors is reportedly planning a second-generation Chevy Equinox EV for late 2028 or early 2029, shifting from the BEV3 platform to a new BEV-N architecture alongside a broader electronics overhaul. The current Equinox EV has topped 100,000 U.S. sales through June, and the 2027 model will add a native NACS port for Tesla Superchargers.SPAIN LAUNCHES AUTO+ EV GRANT SCHEMESpain approved Auto+, a new EV subsidy program running through 2030 that replaces MOVES III and covers only vehicles meeting the DGT ZERO emissions label. Grants range up to €4,500 for private buyers' passenger cars and up to €12,000 for vans under the Climate Social Fund, with extra incentives for EU-built models and batteries.VOLKSWAGEN OPENS ID. CROSS ORDERS IN GERMANYVolkswagen opened German orders for the ID. Cross, initially only in a 155 kW front-wheel-drive version with a 52 kWh battery, priced from €34,025 after incentives in Life trim. The cheaper €27,995 Trend base version, positioned above the ID. Polo, won't be available until orders open in mid-October.BMW PITS ELECTRIC M3 AGAINST PETROLBMW plans to develop its next electric M3 alongside a new petrol M3, letting the two compete for the same buyers in what M boss Frank van Meel calls an internal contest. Previewed by the M Concept Neue Klasse, the four-motor electric M3 will prioritize balance and agility over raw power figures.