BYD Atto 8

BYD’s 764-hp seven-seater wants to end charging anxiety

The Atto 8 is BYD’s new flagship SUV for Europe, and it is the first BYD-badged car to get the company’s Flash Charging system. Until now, that tech lived only on the Denza Z9GT from BYD’s luxury brand.

The numbers are big. A 115 kWh second-generation Blade battery gives the rear-drive version about 405 miles of range on the European WLTP cycle. The dual-motor Excellence AWD trades some range (about 374 miles) for 764 hp and a 0–62 mph time of 4.9 seconds. That is quick for a three-row family hauler.

But the headline is charging. On a Flash charger, BYD claims 10% to 70% in about five minutes and 97% in about nine. Even in brutal cold, around -22°F, it says the job takes about 12 minutes.

Here is the memorable comparison: a typical modern EV on a fast charger takes about 20 to 30 minutes for a similar top-up. The Atto 8 claims to do it in the time it takes to fill a gas tank and pay at the counter.

The catch is the plug. Those times need BYD’s own Flash chargers, and BYD plans to install 3,000 of them across Europe by the end of 2027. On a normal public charger, expect normal-ish speeds. Price has not been announced yet.

Why it matters to you: range anxiety is really waiting anxiety. If charging gets as fast as fueling, the last big practical argument for gas in a family SUV gets very thin. The real test is whether those chargers show up where people actually drive. For readers in East Africa, where fast chargers are still rare, that infrastructure question matters even more than the 764 hp.

Smart #2

The Fortwo is back as a €19,990 electric city car

Smart has revived its tiny two-seater. The new #2 is only 2,746 mm long, about 5 cm longer than the old electric Fortwo, and turns in just 6.95 m. A 35.8 kWh LFP battery feeds a 60 kW rear motor, good for up to 290 km (about 180 miles) of WLTP range, pending EU approval.

DC fast charging tops out at 65 kW, with 10–80% in about 20 minutes. Prices start at €19,990 in Germany, and a 999-unit Couture Edition sits at €25,690. European orders open today, with deliveries in 2027. Not for the US.

Volkswagen

VW’s cheap EVs pile up nearly 150,000 orders

Volkswagen Group says its new small electric family, the VW ID. Polo and ID. Cross plus the Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq, has collected close to 150,000 orders since production began in June. The ID. Polo starts at €24,995 with 334 km of range.

In Germany, electric orders now outnumber combustion orders. Globally, though, VW’s EV deliveries slipped 5.4% in the first nine months, dragged down by steep falls in the US and China.

US EV Sales

Tesla still rules, but Toyota’s bZ doubles

Kelley Blue Book data shows Americans bought 266,630 EVs in Q3, up 7.7% on Q2 but down nearly 39% year over year after the federal tax credit ended. The Model Y (262,491 so far this year) and Model 3 hold the top two spots. Toyota’s bZ more than doubled its sales to take fourth, a sign the brand Kenyans trust for durability is finally finding its EV footing.

Tesla Robotaxi

NHTSA weighs a probe into robotaxis speeding near schools

US safety regulators opened a preliminary file on October 9 after a petition claimed Tesla Robotaxis drive too fast through active school zones. It covers about 1,000 Model Y and Cybercab vehicles. NHTSA cites four incidents and no injuries, and has until around January 21, 2027 to decide whether to investigate formally.