Podcast: Tesla Semi, mixed bag of EV sales, Chinese EVs in the US, and more

This week's Electrek podcast rounds up several EV industry stories, though most are aimed at car shoppers and industry watchers rather than homeowners with rooftop solar or home charging setups. Tesla revealed European specs for its Semi truck, an electric big rig, with 550 kilometers of range and 800 kW fast charging. Meanwhile, EV sales are climbing in Europe but falling in North America, and Volvo is discontinuing another electric model in the US, with a replacement planned for 2027.

On the policy side, a senator raised concerns that the Trump administration might open the US market to Chinese-made EVs as part of a trade deal with China. Chinese automakers continue expanding their lineups abroad: Xiaomi launched four SkyNomad SUV models in China starting around $31,275, and BYD cut prices on its Denza Z9 GT with a new trim starting near $50,000. Nissan also gave an early look at its upcoming entry-level Pixo EV.

None of this points to a specific rebate, incentive, or program change for home energy upgrades. If you're weighing whether to add an EV charger or solar setup at home, the bigger picture here is about the broader EV market: production, pricing, and trade policy shifts that could eventually affect which vehicles and chargers are available and how they're priced, but nothing in this roundup changes home energy programs or rebates you might already be considering.