BYD Chargers, London Robotaxis, and Grid Bargaining Reshape Power
June 12, 2026
The physical layer of the energy transition—BYD’s European charging networks, GM’s vehicle-to-grid buffers, and London’s incoming robotaxis—is rapidly becoming the primary terrain for corporate control, labor organizing, and geopolitical competition. As US tariff walls clash with open European markets and Colombian fossil fuel dependencies strain under climate pressure, autonomous fleets and unionized gig workers are forcing a direct reckoning over who commands urban infrastructure and algorithmic management. These converging supply chains and digital governance models are hardwiring new dependencies into the roads and power grids that sustain daily life, turning mobility and energy into contested public utilities rather than neutral markets.
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BYD to install thousands of 5-minute EV chargers across Europe
Chinese EV colossus BYD has announced plans to speed up its conquest of the European auto market with the rollout of superfast Flash Chargers across the continent. BYD has already installed the first new chargers in Germany and the UK, and plans to roll out 3,000 across Europe by the end of next yea…
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GM thinks EVs can help offset AI’s energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech
At an event in San Francisco today, General Motors made a series of announcements around EV batteries, energy storage, and grid resiliency in the face of growing electricity demand from AI data centers. The automaker announced that it would be activating new vehicle-to-grid capabilities for its curr…
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As the world embraces EVs, the U.S. hits the brakes
Canada and the EU opened their doors to Chinese electric cars this year while the U.S. watched from behind a tariff wall.
- AI governance
- media and technology
- geopolitics
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Uber tells London to get ready for robotaxis
Uber is getting ready to put robotaxis on London's streets, opening an interest list for riders who want to be among the first to hail one of Wayve's autonomous vehicles when the service goes live later this year. The rollout would be a milestone in one of Uber's biggest markets and an early test of…
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Uber Drivers in Victoria Successfully Bargained a Collective Agreement, and Here’s What They Got
Labour experts say the union's contract reins in Uber's 'largely unfettered authority to do whatever it wants' The post Uber Drivers in Victoria Successfully Bargained a Collective Agreement, and Here’s What They Got appeared first on PressProgress.
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Breaking free from fossil fuels is urgent but hard – Colombia shows why
Javier Crespo / shutterstock Colombia’s outgoing president Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla and the country’s first leftist leader, came to power in 2022. He promised something few leaders of fossil fuel-producing countries have seriously attempted: to reduce his country’s dependence on oil, gas an…
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A Waymo nearly hit me, but I'm still optimistic about driverless cars
A near miss with a Waymo while cycling through London hasn't changed my optimistic stance on driverless cars, but we can't ever let our guard down, says Matthew Sparkes