ev.news Briefly: Walmart, BYD, Leapmotor & more | 13 Oct 2026

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It's ev.news Briefly for Tuesday 13th October 2026, only today's headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.WALMART DOUBLES US FAST-CHARGING STALLS PAST 1,000Walmart has doubled its US fast-charging network in roughly four months, reaching more than 1,000 stalls across 120 locations, with CCS and NACS chargers rated at up to 400 kW. The retailer was America's second-largest installer of new fast-charging ports in the second quarter, behind Tesla, establishing itself as a significant charging operator rather than simply hosting third-party equipment.BYD ATTO 8 BRINGS NINE-MINUTE FLASH CHARGING TO EUROPEBYD has unveiled the seven-seat Atto 8 electric SUV for Europe, featuring a 115 kWh Blade battery capable of a claimed 10–97% charge in nine minutes using dedicated Flash chargers, with two powertrains offering up to 405 miles of WLTP range. Arriving in early 2027, the SUV's charging capabilities depend on BYD's ambitious infrastructure rollout, targeting 3,000 European Flash charging stations by the end of 2027, while pricing and charging performance on conventional public chargers remain unknown.LEAPMOTOR B03 SETS UP A RENAULT 5 CHALLENGE FOR 2027Leapmotor will introduce its B03 electric supermini to the UK in early 2027, targeting the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo with an expected price in the low £20,000s, a 53 kWh battery and 242 miles of WLTP range. Its 145 kW motor delivers 0–62 mph in 7.6 seconds, while 133 kW DC charging enables a claimed 10–80% recharge in 21 minutes, with a spacious 405-litre boot strengthening its practicality credentials.VOLKSWAGEN'S EV ORDERS RISE AS GLOBAL SALES FALLVolkswagen Group's global vehicle deliveries fell 9% to 6.01 million during the first nine months of 2026, with battery-electric deliveries declining 5% to 678,700, reflecting particularly severe weakness in China and the US. European EV demand tells a different story, with third-quarter electric deliveries rising 20%, EVs representing approximately 40% of the European order