News
Volkswagen partners with bp for EV fast charging rollout in Europe
Volkswagen will partner with bp to launch a strategic partnership to roll out up to 4,000 fast-charging electric vehicle charge points in Germany and the United Kingdom within the next two years.
The first charger was unveiled in Dusseldorf, Germany on Thursday, which will be the first of perhaps 8,000 total charging points across Germany, the UK, and other European countries by 2024. Initially, the Dusseldorf fast charger is now live and is the first of at least 4,000.
The partnership will utilize Volkswagen’s Flexpole 150kW charging units, which each offer two charge points and have an integrated battery system, which enables a high-powered grid connection to make fast charging possible. The Flexpole units can be connected to a low voltage grid, which removes the need for a dedicated substation and costly and time-consuming construction projects. The Flexpole chargers can provide up to 160 kilometers, or roughly 100 miles of driving range in as little as 10 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
Phase One of the rollout will see an additional 4,000 total charge points at bp’s Aral retail sites in Germany and bp retail sites in the United Kingdom over the next 24 months, Volkswagen said. Up to 8,000 total fast-charging points could be available by the end of 2024, but there are no guarantees to the supplemental 4,000 locations, it seems. However, bp is “rapidly expanding its EV charging network, including at its extensive and conveniently located network of retail sites,” it said. EV drivers are able to charge in safe, well-lit stations that have food and drinks and other convenience features.
“Volkswagen has been pioneering the transformation to e-mobility across Europe,” Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess said. “Today, we have the broadest offer of electric cars in the market and sold more EVs in the region than any other carmaker last year. Investing in everything from software, to batteries and charging is part of our strategy to make individual mobility safer, more convenient, and fully climate-neutral. The decarbonization of Europe’s economy requires close collaboration across borders and sectors. We’re pleased to team up with bp to accelerate the rollout of the fast-charging network across Europe.”
Volkswagen’s electric vehicle sales soar in Q1, led comfortably by ID.4
The Volkswagen-bp charging locations will be integrated into the navigation systems of Volkswagen, seat, and ŠKODA vehicles, and also into Volkswagen’s charging application, Elli.
Volkswagen’s Power Day outlined a need for more EV charging infrastructure in Europe, and plans to launch at least 18,000 new charge points in Europe with several different partners by 2025. Volkswagen also wants to install at least 17,000 charging points in China by the end of 2025.
“As we promised at our Power Day, we are driving the expansion of charging infrastructure in Europe at high speed,” Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, said. “Together with bp, we will bring thousands of fast-charging stations to life within a very short time. Rapid expansion of the charging network is crucial now. To make that happen, our pioneering flexible, fast chargers offer a perfect solution, since the time and costs required for installation are minimal.”
The VW Flexpole chargers are produced in Suzhou, China, and Hanover, Germany. They can be installed almost anywhere needed or where a charging infrastructure is not yet in place. When connected to the low voltage grid, the station becomes a permanent charging point without the additional cost and effort required for a comparable conventional fast-charging station,” Volkswagen said.
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Tesla has given its biggest hint that Full Self-Driving in Europe is imminent, as a new feature seems to show that the company is preparing for frequent border crossings.
Tesla owner and influencer BLKMDL3, also known as Zack, recently took his Tesla to the border of California and Mexico at Tijuana, and at the international crossing, Full Self-Driving showed an interesting message: “Upcoming country border — FSD (Supervised) will become unavailable.”
FSD now shows a new message when approaching an international border crossing.
Stayed engaged the whole way as we crossed the border and worked great in Mexico! pic.twitter.com/bDzyLnyq0g
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) January 26, 2026
Due to regulatory approvals, once a Tesla operating on Full Self-Driving enters a new country, it is required to comply with the laws and regulations that are applicable to that territory. Even if legal, it seems Tesla will shut off FSD temporarily, confirming it is in a location where operation is approved.
This is something that will be extremely important in Europe, as crossing borders there is like crossing states in the U.S.; it’s pretty frequent compared to life in America, Canada, and Mexico.
Tesla has been working to get FSD approved in Europe for several years, and it has been getting close to being able to offer it to owners on the continent. However, it is still working through a lot of the red tape that is necessary for European regulators to approve use of the system on their continent.
This feature seems to be one that would be extremely useful in Europe, considering the fact that crossing borders into other countries is much more frequent than here in the U.S., and would cater to an area where approvals would differ.
Tesla has been testing FSD in Spain, France, England, and other European countries, and plans to continue expanding this effort. European owners have been fighting for a very long time to utilize the functionality, but the red tape has been the biggest bottleneck in the process.
Tesla Europe builds momentum with expanding FSD demos and regional launches
Tesla operates Full Self-Driving in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.
Elon Musk
SpaceX Starship V3 gets launch date update from Elon Musk
The first flight of Starship Version 3 and its new Raptor V3 engines could happen as early as March.
Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX’s next Starship launch, Flight 12, is expected in about six weeks. This suggests that the first flight of Starship Version 3 and its new Raptor V3 engines could happen as early as March.
In a post on X, Elon Musk stated that the next Starship launch is in six weeks. He accompanied his announcement with a photo that seemed to have been taken when Starship’s upper stage was just about to separate from the Super Heavy Booster. Musk did not state whether SpaceX will attempt to catch the Super Heavy Booster during the upcoming flight.
The upcoming flight will mark the debut of Starship V3. The upgraded design includes the new Raptor V3 engine, which is expected to have nearly twice the thrust of the original Raptor 1, at a fraction of the cost and with significantly reduced weight. The Starship V3 platform is also expected to be optimized for manufacturability.
The Starship V3 Flight 12 launch timeline comes as SpaceX pursues an aggressive development cadence for the fully reusable launch system. Previous iterations of Starship have racked up a mixed but notable string of test flights, including multiple integrated flight tests in 2025.
Interestingly enough, SpaceX has teased an aggressive timeframe for Starship V3’s first flight. Way back in late November, SpaceX noted on X that it will be aiming to launch Starship V3’s maiden flight in the first quarter of 2026. This was despite setbacks like a structural anomaly on the first V3 booster during ground testing.
“Starship’s twelfth flight test remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026,” the company wrote in its post on X.
News
Tesla China rolls out Model 3 insurance subsidy through February
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
Tesla has rolled out a new insurance subsidy for Model 3 buyers in China, adding another incentive as the automaker steps up promotions in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
A limited-time subsidy
The insurance subsidy, which was announced by Tesla China on Weibo, applies to the Model 3 RWD, Long Range RWD, and Long Range AWD variants. Tesla stated that the offer is available to buyers who complete their purchase on or before February 28, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The starting prices for these variants are RMB 235,500, RMB 259,500, and RMB 285,500, respectively.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance, which starts at RMB 339,500, is excluded from the subsidy. The company has previously used insurance incentives at the beginning of the year to address softer seasonal demand in China’s auto market. The program is typically phased out as sales conditions stabilize over the year.
China’s electric vehicle market
The insurance subsidy followed Tesla’s launch of a 7-year low-interest financing plan in China on January 6, which is aimed at improving vehicle affordability amid changing policy conditions. After Tesla introduced the financing program, several automakers, such as Xiaomi, Li Auto, Xpeng, and Voyah, introduced similar long-term financing options.
China’s electric vehicle market has faced additional headwinds entering 2026. Buyers of new energy vehicles are now subject to a 5% purchase tax, compared with the previous full exemption. At the same time, vehicle trade-in subsidies in several cities are expected to expire in mid-November.
Tesla’s overall sales in China declined in 2025, with deliveries totaling 625,698 vehicles, down 4.78% year-over-year. Model 3 deliveries increased 13.33% to 200,361 units, while Model Y deliveries, which were hampered by the changeover to the new Model Y in the first quarter, fell 11.45% to 425,337 units.
Tesla gives its biggest hint that Full Self-Driving in Europe is imminent
SpaceX Starship V3 gets launch date update from Elon Musk
