Welcome to Electro Beat, where we round up the biggest stories powering the EV world forward. This month, we’re looking at new signage for EV charging in the UK, EV powerhouse BYD producing their 13 millionth vehicle, new EU mandates for EV car rentals, and so much more!
Let’s get plugged in…
Chinese EV powerhouse BYD just rolled its 13-millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) off the production line, and it’s showing no signs of easing up.
The milestone model? The luxury Yangwang U7 sedan, part of BYD’s growing premium line-up, marking a shift into high-end EV territory. The company’s production pace has been staggering: they hit 1 million
NEVs in 2021 and passed the 10 million mark just last year. In July 2025, they've officially become the first automaker ever to reach 13 million NEVs.
But it’s not just production- BYD is outselling everyone, too.
13 million NEVs produced – a global record
+31.5% growth in China year-on-year (H1 2025)
472,000 overseas units sold in H1 2025 – up 128.5%
Global NEV leader in both production and sales
BYD isn’t just dominating in China, it’s rapidly expanding across Europe, Southeast Asia, and beyond. With new launches in markets like India, Thailand, and several European countries, BYD is positioning itself as a serious global competitor.
From sleek sedans to family SUVs, the brand is steadily building out a diverse international line-up to suit a wide range of drivers and driving needs.
The UK government has announced a new push to make EV driving more accessible, and a big part of that is making it easier to spot charging hubs while on the move.
Soon, new signs for EV charging hubs will start appearing along major A roads in England. The aim? To make long-distance journeys feel more EV-friendly and help reassure drivers that reliable public charging is within reach.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander summed it up: “We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, and we are tackling that head-on.”
The government is also investing in electrifying public sector fleets, with £8 million set aside to upgrade NHS vehicles across more than 200 sites in England.
New signage for public chargers: Making charging hubs easier to find on major roads
£8m NHS EV upgrade: Supporting the shift to electric across key public servicesMore visible infrastructure: Helping build driver confidence for long-distance travel
To make the upfront cost of switching easier, the government is also launching a new EV grant.
Discount: £1,500 to £3,750
Cars priced under £37,000
Orders from 16th July onwards
Applies to leased and salary sacrifice cars
Eligibility based on sustainability of production
For more detail check out our blog: The Electric Car Grant is back: Get up to £3,750 off a new EV in the UK
The European Union has furthered the green agenda by looking to introduce a mandate for rental car companies and large corporations to only purchase EVs for their fleets from 2030, according to German publication Bild).
The regulation targets companies like Sixt and Europcar and will speed up the EU’s shift away from gas-powered cars - five years ahead of its broader 2035 combustion engine ban. Since rental fleets and corporate fleets make up a massive chunk of new car sales (around 60%), EV adoption should ramp up across Europe.
More demand for electric cars = carmakers will need to ramp up EV production.
More investment in public charging infrastructure.
More people trying EVs for the first time via rentals - great news for converting new drivers.
Higher upfront costs for rental companies? Maybe. But they’ll likely save on fuel and maintenance in the long run.
The mandate has sparked conversations around it’s focus on “just one technology” (that being EVs). German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the move could put pressure on the region’s traditional auto industry and that Europe shouldn’t rely too heavily on EVs.
Merz’s comments highlight the growing debate but also show how central electric vehicles are to Europe’s future. Many in the EV world see this as the kind of bold move that’s needed to drive investment, innovation, and a chance for Europe to lead globally in sustainable mobility!
Charging your EV just got a whole lot sleeker. Forget bulky roadside stations - Germany has been testing a clever new way to juice up your car, and the results are in!
Rheinmetall - a German tech company - has been developing an exciting, new piece of charging tech: a curb charger. Instead of towering over the pavement, this charger hides in plain sight, integrated right into the curb on the pavement. This means no more large charging units - just a neat, discreet solution that works for crowded cities and quiet rural streets alike.
So, what’s under the curb? A surprisingly powerful setup. Each charger delivers up to 22 kW through a Type 2 connector, and it’s loaded with smart tech like a 4G modem (a device that connects to a 4G mobile network, allowing it to send and receive data without relying on wifi), Ethernet connection, and OCCP 1.6 (Open Charge Point Protocol version 1.6) for seamless backend communication. In other words, it talks to central systems, supports real-time updates, and even does over-the-air software fixes.
And don’t worry about bad weather ruining your charge. These units are IP68-rated - meaning they’re dustproof and can handle a dunk in water. They’ve got built-in heating for icy days, cooling for hot spells, and sensors that shut things down if water levels get too high. Safety? Check. Reliability? Double check.
For the past year, four of these chargers have been quietly powering EVs in Cologne as part of a field trial with Rheinmetall and TankE GmbH. After 12 months, the verdict is clear: the curb charger is road-ready. Drivers clocked up over 50 MWh (megawatt-hour) of energy during the trial, averaging around 19 kWh (kilowatt-hour) per session - that’s about 120 km of range per charge.
Users loved it, too. Feedback from 100 participants averaged 4.38 out of 5 stars, with older drivers especially giving it top marks for convenience. The biggest wins? Easy parking, no protective posts, and simple one-hand operation. The only gripe? Visibility - because these chargers are so discreet, they can be hard to spot. (Rheinmetall is aiming to fix this with better lighting and app integration.)
At under €10,000 (£8,647) per unit and boasting over 99% uptime during the trial, curb chargers could slash installation and maintenance costs compared to traditional solutions. Their modular design means quick swaps if something goes wrong, keeping downtime minimal.
Serial production has already started, and Rheinmetall is gearing up to roll these out in more German cities and even beyond. So, the next time you’re walking down a street in Europe, look down - your future EV charger might already be in the curb.
It’s not just Germany innovating. Over in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, a brand new trial is underway - making charging without a driveway that much easier.
The answer might be ‘charging gullies’. These clever channels run underneath the pavement, letting residents safely pull a charging cable from their home to their car without tripping hazards. For millions living in terraced housing or flats, this could be a game-changer.
The local council has already approved the scheme, and the trial is set to kick off soon. While residents will pay for installation, costs could be reduced thanks to government support.
Councillor Andy Hadley summed it up: “Charging gullies could make owning an electric vehicle a more attractive option for residents that do not have off-street parking.”
And this isn’t just in Bournemouth - councils in Devon and Suffolk are looking at similar setups. It’s all part of a nationwide push to make EV ownership fairer, easier and cheaper for everyone, regardless of where they live.
With unanimous backing from the state’s Public Service Commission, Georgia Power’s 2025 plan is now in full swing, rolling out more EV infrastructure. They’re also taking it up a notch with a first-of-its-kind vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot of electric school buses.
$52 million will go to the Make Ready Program, helping build the grid connections needed for EV chargers.
Nearly $6 million is allocated to the Community Charging Program, which aims to bring more chargers to the underserved areas and expand access across the state.
The V2X pilot will see EV chargers installed in 10 public school districts and test how electric school buses can support the grid by sending power back during peak times and even powering up for backup during outages.
While California leads the race on EVs per capita, new EV sales and total chargers, programs and pilots like this place Georgia as a real leader in EV adoption. According to a study by Recurrent, Georgia had 15 charging ports per EV (as of May 2025), and the Georgia Power 2025 plan should pump this up even more.
California: 52,192 ports
New York: 16,951 ports
Florida: 11,940 ports
Texas: 11,180 ports
Washington: 6,986 ports
Colorado: 6,216 ports
Georgia: 6,152 ports
New Jersey: 4,940 ports
Illinois: 4,445 ports
Arizona: 4,260 ports
Oregon: 3,841 ports
Vermont: 1,191 ports
Source: Recurrent
The good news is that industry groups are very much on board. The Electrification Coalition called it a “win for both clean transportation and long-term economic growth”. Georgia already leads the U.S. in EV manufacturing and creating new EV jobs, accounting for 16% of the country’s EV-related manufacturing job announcements. But there’s plenty more to be done.
Anne Blair, Vice President of Policy & Freight at the Electrification Coalition, called for a dedicated charging program for residents of multifamily housing and a more robust EV charger rebate programme for business customers.
“These initiatives are essential to guaranteeing fair access to electric vehicle charging stations and enabling all Georgians, irrespective of their residence, to fuel the vehicle of their choice.”
It’s an electrifying time for the state of Georgia; with electric school buses doubling as mobile power sources and investments aimed at underserved communities, the state is showing how smart EV policy can support not just sustainability, but resilience, equity, and economic growth.
Octopus Electric Vehicles has revealed its top 5 most popular electric vehicles in Q2 (April to June) 2025! The OMODA E5 took the number one spot, signaling growing demand for affordable, high-spec models from newer EV-first brands. The full top five includes:
The OMODA E5 stands out for its strong value proposition, available via salary sacrifice for just over £300 per month, including insurance and maintenance. Salary sacrifice schemes remain a major driver of EV adoption, offering significant savings on leasing and public charging through Octopus Electroverse!
Octopus EV notes a market shift from early adopters to mainstream drivers, with new brands challenging established players.
“We’ve hit a tipping point. The early adopters have paved the way, and now we’re seeing everyday drivers make the switch because it just adds up – from cost and convenience to cutting carbon. The OMODA E5 topping the charts is proof that if a car delivers on style, spec and savings, drivers are all in.”
Procurement Director and EV Guru at Octopus Electric Vehicles, Alvin Castillo
Upcoming models, like the JAECOO J5 and Geely EX5, are expected to keep demand strong in Q3.
Octopus EV has also introduced a scheme that helps drivers save up to 40% on public EV charging via salary sacrifice, using Octopus Electroverse - Europe’s largest public charging network.
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