Welcome to the September edition of Electro Beat - your monthly roundup of the biggest stories shaping the electric vehicle world. This month, there’s no shortage of buzz: Duracell powers up its own UK charging network, Toyota races toward solid-state battery breakthroughs, and Türkiye speeds into Europe’s electric vehicle top three. Plus, Aberdeen gets the green light for a UK-first drive-thru charging hub, and Portugal hits record-breaking charging highs.
Let’s get plugged in…
You read that correctly; the iconic battery brand Duracell is charging into the UK electric vehicle (EV) market with its first-ever fast charging network, Duracell E-Charge. With UK plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the timing couldn’t be better for electric vehicle infrastructure growth.
Backed by £200 million ($266 million) investment over the next decade, Duracell E-Charge is aiming to build 400 kW ultra-fast chargers at strategically located hubs along motorways, retail and hospitality venues, and city gateways.
The design of the chargers? You might just recognise them.
The network will be run by Elektra Charge, a licensed operator, with hubs developed and funded by The EV Network (EVN), one of the UK’s leading charging infrastructure companies.
The first six Duracell sites will launch in 2025, with plans to expand to 100 stations and 500 charging points by 2030.
“Charging your car should be as simple as changing a battery,” says Mark Bloxham, managing director of Duracell E-Charge.
Think smooth and steady is the secret to electric vehicle longevity? Think again.
A new Stanford University study published in Nature Energy has turned conventional wisdom on its head - finding that real-world driving actually extends electric vehicle battery life by around 38%. That’s the equivalent of an extra 195,000 miles of healthy battery use compared to what lab tests predict.
Researchers found that electric vehicle batteries that experience normal driving patterns - the kind with starts, stops, and bursts of acceleration - age more slowly than those tested in perfectly steady lab conditions.
In other words:
Constant, predictable power drains wear cells out faster.
Real driving, with “pulses” of energy use and rest periods, gives batteries time to rebalance.
The result? Up to 38% longer usable life before a pack reaches its end-of-life point.
That’s roughly 300,000 km (195,000 miles) of extra life on average.
Daily driving isn’t one smooth line - and that’s good news. Those little breaks (when you lift off, coast, or stop at lights) reduce stress inside the battery.
Low-frequency current pulses help prevent lithium build-up.
Time at rest reduces heat, a major ageing factor.
Stop-and-go traffic keeps cells healthier than constant highway-style loads.
Myth busted: You don’t have to drive like you’re carrying eggs. Normal driving - even the occasional quick launch - is perfectly fine for your battery.
This study could reshape how we think about electric vehicle value and longevity.
For example:
Tesla offers 8 years (with model-specific mileage caps and 70% minimum capacity).
Hyundai goes up to 10 years / 100,000 miles with similar guarantees.
If real-world driving adds 38% more life, most electric vehicle owners will hit time limits, not battery wear, before their warranty runs out.
The bottom line? Drive normally. The data says your electric vehicle can take it.
Electric vehicle technology is growing and developing at a rapid pace, but for Toyota, they’ve set a deadline! Toyota have announced its goal to create and mass-produce the world's first solid-state battery as an epic alternative to current electric vehicle batteries.
Working with Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, on the 8th October 2025, Toyota announced its collaboration project. The plan is to combine the Japanese technology with Toyota vehicles and create a product fit for mass production. The goal is to roll out customer vehicles by 2028.
With over 1,000 patents for solid-state battery research, Toyota continues to monopolise the market over the new technology, allowing for rapid advancements.
Clues in the name - the whole battery is made of solid materials. Where a battery would usually have the middle section as liquid electrolytes, manufacturers are working to make a solid electrolyte layer in the middle. Using a brand new “highly durable” cathode material, it is aimed to run for significantly longer than the current battery technology.
They are a safer and more effective alternative in their nature, as the fire risk is hugely reduced and is efficient in its energy consumption, reducing the frequency of charges. With less charging usage, alongside the durable material, we can expect a longer lifespan for these new battery designs. All the more driving for you!
To learn more about solid-state batteries, check out our blog: How long do electric car batteries last and what are they made of?
Alongside Toyota, Honda is working at a rapid pace to get the optimum range for its solid-state batteries. Their goal for 2030 is to create a solid-state battery which offers 620 miles on a single charge, doubling what the current long-range electric cars provide.
There’s been a bit of a shake-up in the rankings of electric vehicle sales during the month of August. According to recent data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Türkiye has emerged as Europe’s fastest-growing electric vehicle market, prompted by the nation entering the continent’s top three for the first time ever in August!
Türkiye's electric car sales surged to 17,480 units during that month, pushing it past established electric vehicle markets like France, Norway, and Belgium. Plus, overall growth has been phenomenal: the market grew by a staggering 154% in the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2024.
Top Electric Vehicle Sales in August:
| 1st | Germany | 39,367 units |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | United Kingdom | 21,969 units |
| 3rd | Türkiye | 17,480 units |
YTD Electric Vehicle Sales across Europe:
| 1st | Germany | 336,707 units |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | United Kingdom | 276,635 units |
| 3rd | France | 184,871 units |
| 4th | Türkiye | 119,640 units |
The rate of adoption is driven by the influence of major players, with significant deliveries from Tesla's Model Y and strong sales from domestic manufacturer Togg.
It’s exciting to see more nations ramp up their electric vehicle adoption, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down! We’re excited to see who jumps into the top three next.
The German government is officially relaunching a major €4 billion electric vehicle subsidy programme in January 2026. After a previous scheme was cut, this new, smarter initiative is clearly focused on pushing volume and making electric accessible to everyone - a win for fleet managers who are thinking about things like total cost of ownership (TCO).
This new scheme offers up to €4,000 off the price of an electric car, but there’s a key difference: it targets more affordable models. Only vehicles with a net list price under €45,000 are eligible, making models like the upcoming Volkswagen ID Polo, or the popular Renault 5, prime choices - effectively leaving out the high-end luxury vehicles that benefited from the previous scheme.
Focus on 100% electric: The subsidy is strictly for fully electric cars - plug-in hybrids are excluded.
A boost for the used market: In a European first, the scheme will also include used electric cars. This is actually pretty big, providing a crucial TCO advantage and a model that other European countries may look to replicate.
Affordable models win: This approach mirrors similar initiatives in the UK, France, and Italy, aligning European policy toward boosting the market for more cost-effective electric vehicle options.
For fleet managers in Germany, this policy can be used as a lever in scaling up fleet electrification and helping keep the cost down - a win for both businesses and the planet!
Electric vehicle charging in the UK is about to get a major glow-up.
Fastned has just received the go-ahead from Aberdeen City Council to build the UK’s first-ever indoor, drive-thru ultra-rapid charging hub - turning a warehouse in the heart of Aberdeen into a futuristic charging space.
Fastned will transform the Grampian House warehouse (just off Virginia Street) into a 12-bay indoor ultra-rapid charging hub, offering:
400kW chargers - up to 100 miles of range in just 5 minutes
Shop, toilets, and seating area inside for comfort
Sheltered charging - perfect for Scotland’s unpredictable weather
Target opening: Winter 2026
Sitting right on Aberdeen’s inner city ring road, the site is ideal for both local drivers and those passing through!
Instead of building from scratch, Fastned is repurposing an existing warehouse, cutting down on construction waste and environmental impact. The drive-thru layout mirrors the flow of a petrol station - allowing:
Easier access for any vehicle type
Faster entry and exit
Less congestion
A smoother charging experience overall
“This shows Scotland can lead the way in transforming how people choose to travel. We’ve already hit our target of 6,000 public charge points two years early - and projects like this will take us even further.” - Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Scotland
Drivers can pull in, plug in, and roll straight out - no reversing, no awkward angles. It’s designed for speed and accessibility, especially for bigger electric vehicles.
As an emerging market in the world of electric vehicles, the rapid growth of Portugal’s charging infrastructure is something to watch. Since September 2024, Portugal has seen an increase of 47% in charging consumption (kWh), and while we love to see this increase, what we really want to know is how has Portugal reached this milestone?
Earlier this year, Portugal was named one of the fastest-growing electric vehicle markets, hitting over 6 million shipments by September 2025. With this increased accessibility to electric vehicles on the road comes increased demand for charging points. It's a tough job to keep up with the state of growth, and the speed at which the electric vehicle culture is growing - but they are thriving! The electric vehicle charging network in Portugal spans across 12,860 charging points across the nation - creating an average of 118 sockets per 100km of road and 160 sockets per 100,000 people!
As electric vehicle adoption accelerates across Portugal, concerns have emerged about the potential strain on the national power grid. E-Redes, Portugal’s mainland distribution system operator, has addressed this challenge by developing smart charging technology that dynamically adjusts energy output based on real-time usage.
Since 2010, government initiatives and policies have steadily built momentum, leading to a surge in public engagement with electric vehicles by 2025. A major turning point came in 2018 with the rise of PowerDot chargers, which introduced the concept of “destination charging.” By placing chargers where people naturally stop - such as shopping centres and workplaces - PowerDot made electric vehicle charging as simple and convenient as charging your phone. Read our interview with PowerDot to learn more about their innovative approach.
Looking ahead, Portuguese policymakers aim to avoid the pitfalls seen in other countries, where charging infrastructure is heavily concentrated in urban areas. Efforts are underway to ensure that the electric vehicle network expands into rural regions, supporting equitable access to sustainable mobility nationwide.
DHL Express is accelerating its push toward zero-emission logistics with the addition of 45 all-electric Mercedes-Benz eSprinter vans to its U.S. delivery fleet. The rollout marks a major step in DHL’s mission to build a sustainable, fully electric last-mile network and supports its goal to electrify 66% of delivery vehicles by 2030.
The eSprinter rollout supports DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap, which focuses on:
Electrifying 66% of last-mile vehicles by 2030
Expanding carbon-neutral facilities
Increasing use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
The new eSprinters will be delivered by October 2025 and deployed in major metropolitan markets, including Chicago, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Elizabeth (NJ), and Moonachie (NJ).
DHL’s new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter vans deliver advanced technology, extended range, and practicality for urban and suburban logistics. While officially rated for 206 miles per charge, DHL reports real-world performance exceeding 240 miles, the longest range of any electric vehicle in its U.S. fleet.
“Electrifying our fleet is one of the most impactful ways we’re building a sustainable future,” said Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express U.S.
This rollout marks the first U.S. phase of DHL’s global partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans, which has already integrated over 10,000 eSprinters into DHL’s worldwide operations.
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