Charging Without a Cable, a Cheaper VW Electric SUV and the Big FSD Question in Europe
From the first NTK News episode on the Mașina Timpului channel: Porsche Cayenne Electric wireless charging, the entry-level VW ID. Cross, native Spotify in Audi and Tesla's Q3 2026 results. Figures checked against official sources.
On October 24 I posted the first episode of NTK News on my Mașina Timpului channel. I filmed it behind the wheel in one take, with no editing, and kept it that way on purpose so I'd remember where this started. It covers four EV stories and ends with a longer take on FSD in Europe. Below is what I said in the video, with every figure checked against the manufacturers' own releases. Where I slipped up while filming, I've corrected it here.
Porsche Cayenne Electric: park it and it charges itself
The first story comes from "Porsche". The Cayenne Electric can now get Porsche Wireless Charging, an inductive home charging system. A weatherproof pad goes on the floor of your garage or driveway, and a second pad sits under the car. You stop over it, shift into Park, and charging starts without touching a cable. It delivers up to 11 kW, the same as a typical AC wallbox, at roughly 90% efficiency.
One correction to the video: I said it comes as standard. The "Porsche Newsroom" release describes it as an option made of three parts: the vehicle preparation, the vehicle pad and the ground pad. It can be ordered now in Germany and other European markets, with the rest of the world following in stages.
The detail I joked about on camera is also the most practical one. The system cuts power if it senses movement nearby, such as a cat or a dog, and it won't start if a metal object that could heat up is lying on the pad. A qualified electrician has to install it. I also raised a question with no clever answer: if you don't park over the pad, you wake up with last night's battery level.
VW ID. Cross: a small electric SUV with a smaller battery
The second story is about entry prices. "Volkswagen" has opened German pre-sales for the ID. Cross with a 37 kWh battery (net, LFP chemistry according to ADAC's spec sheet). The Trend version with 85 kW (116 PS) starts at €27,995. There's also a 99 kW (135 PS) option, and the battery is offered across all three trims: Trend, Life and Style.
VW quotes up to 324 km (about 201 miles) WLTP, a 160 km/h top speed and standard DC fast charging at up to 90 kW, with 10 to 80% in around 23 minutes. It's aimed squarely at city driving and commuting rather than daily long trips.
In the video I wondered what it would cost in Romania with the national scrappage bonus. For now the official price is German only, and I couldn't find a Romanian list price from VW yet, so any local figure would be a guess.
Audi: Spotify built right into the car
A smaller story, but it made me smile. Since October 21, "Audi" is the first carmaker with a fully native Spotify app that runs on the car's own system, with no phone tethered. You install it from the Audi Application Store, it works on free and Premium accounts, and it's available on the A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, and the 2026 model-year A5, Q5 and A6. While you're driving, the center screen hides music videos and lyrics to limit distraction. I joked that this should have arrived around the year 2000, but better late than never.
Tesla: a third quarter above expectations
Then I moved on to "Tesla", with one more correction: I said "billions of euros" in the video, but the report is in dollars. According to Tesla's official Q3 2026 update, revenue came in at $28.05 billion, roughly flat year over year. Adjusted earnings were $0.48 per share, ahead of the $0.43 analysts expected, according to "CNBC".
The same report says Tesla produced and delivered its 10 millionth vehicle, hit record production at Giga Berlin, and grew active FSD subscriptions to 1.74 million, up 67% from a year earlier. Tesla also says it ended the quarter with its largest order backlog in four years, and that it added Cybercab to the Robotaxi fleet in Austin.
In the video I said the first Cybercab results showed zero incidents. That's how I understood the presentation, but I couldn't find an official incident figure in the quarterly report, so treat it as my impression rather than a Tesla statistic.
FSD in Europe: my take
The last part of the video is opinion, not news. I believe FSD has proven useful where it's allowed, and that a system that never takes its eyes off the road can be safer than a tired or distracted human. I'd like to see it approved in Romania too. I also criticized the requirement for Tesla to rename the system "Tesla Assisted Driving" in Europe, because I don't think a name misleads drivers. According to "TeslaNorth", FSD (Supervised) is now approved in nine EU countries. Romania isn't one of them yet.
What it means for drivers
- Wireless charging is real and orderable, but for now only as an option on an expensive SUV. A cable and a wallbox will stay the practical choice for a while.
- The 37 kWh ID. Cross shows where European prices are heading: small electric SUVs close to €28,000 in Germany. Wait for local pricing and incentives before running the numbers.
- If you drive a new Audi, check the Application Store: native Spotify no longer needs your phone.
- For Tesla owners, the figures show FSD is becoming a bigger part of the business. Where it isn't approved, the decision still sits with regulators.
That was episode one. More are coming, better prepared. The full video is above.
