It’s only been a little more than a couple of months since the all-electric BMW i3 was unveiled, and already, the German brand is edging closer to lifting the veil on the all-electric M-branded version. The long-awaited model may debut at this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans or be previewed by a motorsport-inspired concept.

Photos snapped in the Le Mans paddock this week show BMW has set up a dedicated fanzone at the event, and within it is a large box with glass doors. An image circulating online provides a preview of the car hidden behind the glass, and it looks to be the electric M3, potentially known as the iM3.

Read: A 1,000 HP Electric M3 And A 552 HP Gas M3 Will Have The Same Price Tag

A couple of months ago, a handful of images reportedly showing this car leaked online, and the car shown at Le Mans looks very similar. Like the standard i3, it features BMW’s Neue Klasse-era front fascia but it is noticeably wider, with two square LED daytime running lights on either side.

The wing mirrors are particularly interesting, as shown in these photos from the German Car Forums. They don’t look like those on any current BMW M production car; instead, they look more like the mirrors we’d expect to see on a race car. This has prompted some to suggest the vehicle previewed won’t be the production-spec iM3, but rather a concept that previews its design.

A Track-Focused Beast

The vehicle’s presence at Le Mans will come just a few days after BMW released the latest episode in its multi-part documentary detailing the development of the electric M3 sedan. This episode focuses on the car’s brutal testing regime at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, where it’s covered more than 4,970 miles (8,000 km).

While many details about the car remain under wraps, we know it will have a quad-motor setup with an electric motor at each wheel and individual gearboxes. This will enable BMW to precisely control torque distribution. In this clip, BMW says, “this new technology allows us to push the boundaries of vehicle dynamics even further.”

“This allows us to send more power to the wheels that can use it most effectively,” BMW adds. “You can get back on the throttle much earlier, exactly to the slippage area of a wheel, so you can step on the throttle very, very early. The car doesn’t push outwards but is pulled and pushed through the corner, without any understeer or oversteer.”

So, while moving to electric power will no doubt upset some purists, it’s clear BMW is committed to making the iM3 as intoxicating to drive as possible.

Nearly one year ago, Peugeot introduced the e‑208 GTi concept on the eve of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The automaker is now returning with the production model, which will be fully detailed on June 12.

While the automaker is keeping information under wraps, they released a handful of pictures and noted the model “remains incredibly close to the original 2025 concept.” They added the car has a “sporty yet elegant design” as well as “performance figures intended to WOW.”

More: The First Electric GTI Isn’t From VW

The hot hatch certainly looks the part as it has a lightly revised Lion logo with a red surround. The sporty hue can also be found on the outside edges of the grille as well as incorporated into the lighting units. They’re joined by a revamped front splitter, which is painted to match the body color.

Further back, we can see gloss black mirrors and dark window trim. Other highlights include black fender flares with red accents as well as “208 GTi” badging on the rear pillar. The car also appears to ride on a set of aerodynamically optimized seven-spoke wheels, which are backed up by a braking system with red calipers.

The rear end largely carries over, but the car adopts a new spoiler with a contrasting red accent on the underside. It’s accompanied by a far more aggressive diffuser and a motorsport-inspired central brake light.

Interior changes are more modest, but we can see a lightly revised flat-bottom steering wheel with “208 GTi” branding. Elsewhere, there are sporty front seats with red center stripes. Other highlights include red contrast stitching, red illumination, and special graphics for the displays.

We’ll learn full details next week, but the concept had a 54 kWh CATL battery that powered an electric motor developing 276 hp (206 kW / 280 PS) and 254 lb-ft (345 Nm) of torque. This enabled the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds, before topping out at 112 mph (180 km/h).

Other highlights included a limited-slip differential and a 100 kW DC fast charging capability that enabled the model to go from 20% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. While Peugeot originally hinted at a range of 217 miles (350 km), the instrument cluster implies the production model can travel 233 miles (375 km) between stops.

Ferrari’s controversial Luce debut got plenty of attention, though perhaps not the kind Maranello was hoping for. Rather than have cross-town rival Lamborghini feeling like it’s behind the times, it appears as though the brand’s CEO is even more content now that the Lanzador didn’t remain on schedule for an earlier debut. He’s openly doubling down on the idea that Lamborghini was right to delay the brand’s first EV.

In a round table with journalists, asked about the reaction to the Luce, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said his company made the “right decision” in postponing its first fully electric car, arguing that customer demand for electric supercars simply hasn’t materialized the way much of the industry assumed it would.

Read: EV Plans Wait As Lamborghini Expands V8 And V12 Lineup

According to Handelsblatt, Winkelmann said Lamborghini has spent years monitoring demand in the luxury segment. To no one’s surprise who’s been paying attention, the company found that acceptance of electric vehicles hasn’t climbed at anything close to the pace many had forecast.

The automaker had planned to launch the all-electric Lanzador before the end of the decade. Initially, production was simply delayed. Now, it won’t happen until at least 2030, if not later, because acceptance for EVs within the brand’s target demographic was “close to zero.” For now, Lamborghini has scrapped it and is looking at a new hybrid model to join the lineup in the near future.

Importantly, European regulations currently call for a ban on the sale of new combustion-powered vehicles beginning in 2035, although exemptions for e-fuels and certain low-volume manufacturers remain under discussion. While many exotic-car makers spent the last several years announcing ambitious EV programs, Lamborghini now appears content to let others test the waters first.

That’s probably a wise move considering its positioning. While nowhere near as successful as Ferrari, Lamborghini has its position underneath Volkswagen Group going for it. It’s currently one of the most profitable divisions. In 2025, it generated €3.2 billion ($3.7 billion) in revenue. Even though operating profit slipped from €835 million ($970 million) to €768 million ($892 million), the company still posted a remarkable 24 percent operating margin.

Volvo’s current lineup leans hard on SUVs, but the brand built its reputation on wagons, and there’s reason to believe it hasn’t given up on them. Neither has at least one of the people who used to design its cars. A former Volvo designer set out to bring the old formula back with a pair of digital concepts, the V77 and XC77, each built around a mix of minimalism and sustainability.

The man behind them is Julien Fesquet, a Los Angeles-based professional designer currently working for Slate Auto. His resume reads like a grand tour of the industry, with stops at Volvo, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, and Ferrari.

More: Volvo’s Prettiest Wagon Returns, But Only A Lucky Few Will Own One

The V77 and XC77 are a personal project, drawing on Bauhaus principles and the work of Dieter Rams, the industrial designer whose thinking eventually shaped the look of Apple products. Both wear a three-door shooting brake body with a low nose and an aerodynamic roofline. Staying true to Volvo’s playbook, the V77 is built for the road while the XC77 adds crossover cues and a lifted stance.

Illustrations: Julien Fesquet

Beyond the compact footprint and genuinely handsome proportions, the concepts trade in clean surfacing and restraint. The low-mounted headlights fade into a covered grille via a digital gradient, and the Volvo emblem has been pared down to a single horizontal line.

More: Volvo 240R EV Study Throws A Brick At Electric Performance

The profile is distinguished by large alloy wheels, supercar-style creases on the front fenders, a flat beltline, and a bi-tone livery with a darker finish for the lower bodywork. The rear section is even more striking, with a glass tailgate surrounded by ultra-slim LEDs. The designer also placed emphasis on the Color, Materials, and Finish (CMF) strategy, proposing the use of recycled materials and an unpainted body for the V77.

Inside, we find two rows of seats and a rather large boot. The V77 adopts a Cream Yellow interior theme inspired by the Volvo 850 T-5R, while the XC77 gets an Orange interior that complements its earthy brown exterior panels.

Illustrations: Julien Fesquet

Fesquet didn’t list any specs, but the absence of cooling vents and tailpipes suggests the digital concepts were envisioned with a fully electric powertrain.

More: The EX30 Is Dead, But Volvo’s Next Cheap EV Is Already On The Way To America

Fesquet told CarScoops: “Volvo is a brand with iconic station wagon, very minimal functional boxy designs in the past. It still has beautiful cars, but it tends to be oriented to more traditional automotive design. I thought it would be interesting to break the modern Volvo codes and imagine what it could look like if it was still a more minimal, functional, and industrial design. Something modern, sophisticated yet boxy, but without forgetting the need of aerodynamic performance. This led to this shooting brake silhouette with a low nose, sleek roof and low ground clearance.”

What About Real Volvo Wagons?

Volvo has recently wound down production of the aging V60 and V90, along with the adventurous XC60 and XC90. Even so, wagon fans aren’t completely out of luck.

Chief technology officer Anders Bell has said the new SPA3 architecture, which debuted underneath the EX60 SUV, can support a range of bodystyles, low-slung models included. Volvo hasn’t confirmed any wagon yet, so the question comes down to whether demand will be there to justify the spend. For now, we wait.

Illustrations: Julien Fesquet

For years, automakers, including Lexus that once pledged to go EV-only by 2035, told us the future would be electric. Now that EV growth has cooled in several key markets, many of those same companies are quietly changing course, often at a huge cost. Lexus, however, thinks it has found a smarter, less financially painful way forward.

Related: The 2027 Lexus TZ Borrows The Highlander’s Bones And The LFA’s V10 Voice

Instead of betting everything on dedicated EV platforms, or U-turning in favor of old-fashioned gas cars, Toyota’s luxury division is developing vehicles that can be built as either hybrids or fully electric models using much of the same underlying architecture. It’s a strategy designed to give Lexus maximum flexibility while competitors wrestle with expensive shifts in demand.

One Platform, Two Powertrains

Future products will be designed so the two brands can install either a battery pack or a hybrid powertrain within essentially the same vehicle structure, according to Lexus and Toyota executives who presented the plan to Handelsblatt and other media at the Shimoyama development center in Japan. That means Lexus can react faster if customer demand swings toward EVs, hybrids, or somewhere in between. Or if the next US president reinstates tax credits for cleaner vehicles.

Toyota CTO Hiroki Nakajima told reporters that Lexus’s upcoming TZ electric SUV is expected to be profitable from launch in North America. That’s a claim many automakers would love to make right now, because some, like Honda/Acura and Porsche, are hurting badly from having written off billions of dollars in EV development, and US EV sales are dire.

Christopher Richter, an automotive analyst at CLSA in Tokyo, traces that edge to Lexus’s lower cost base. Toyota doesn’t break out Lexus financials, but Richter told the German outlet he figures the brand’s margins sit well into the double digits. By comparison, Mercedes posted a return on sales of 5% last year and BMW managed 5.3%. The trick, Richter says, is that Lexus can charge BMW money while leaning on the purchasing volume and development resources of the world’s largest carmaker.

The TZ isn’t the first Lexus or only Lexus to benefit from common-platform thinking. The new ES sedan is already available as a hybrid or EV, both versions built from the same basic architecture. It’s not a strategy peculiar to Lexus. BMW and Mercedes also build some EVs and hybrid cars on shared platforms, including the X1 and iX1, 5-series and i5, and CLA.

But the two German brands also have EV-specific platforms. BMW’s new ICE 3-series sedan, for instance, will look almost identical to the i3 electric 3-series, yet they’ll ride on totally different architectures.

Profit Over Volume

BMW and Mercedes both sell more than twice as many cars as Lexus, which moved 882,291 vehicles worldwide in 2025, nearly half of them in North America. In particular, Mercedes shifted around 1.8 million that year and BMW close to 2.2 million under its core brand. But in the luxury game it’s profit, not registrations, that counts, and Toyota’s upscale division seems convinced it holds the better hand.

Lexus, Rivers/Carscoops

Nearly four years ago, Massachusetts landed $64 million from the Biden administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, the massive $5 billion national push to seed thousands of new charging stations across the country. It is now mid-2026, and the state has yet to turn any of that money into a single working charger.

Two years ago, the state selected three vendors to identify possible locations for the new charging stations. Only two of them, Applegreen and Global Partners, have signed contracts, and both companies, along with the state Department of Transportation, have stayed conspicuously tight-lipped about what’s actually happened since.

Read: Sixteen States Say Trump’s Admin Is Illegally Holding EV Money Hostage

The Commonwealth Beacon reports that Applegreen and Global Partners have spent roughly $4 million between them on engineering, permitting, and procurement. There are finally signs of progress, but MassDOT isn’t saying why things have crawled along this slowly.

According to MassDOT spokesperson Marshall Hook, Applegreen recently placed an order for EV charging equipment for sites in Greenfield and Newburyport, with construction expected to begin in July. Global Partners, meanwhile, has ordered the equipment needed to set up stations in Lancaster, Raynham, and Wrentham.

Too Slow For The EV Transition

“The slowness of adoption here is mystifying,” former state transportation secretary Jim Aloisi said. “If your approach to transportation sector decarbonization is largely about the transition to EVs, then you should be spending a fair amount of effort accelerating the process of getting people to adopt EVs, and one way to do that is obviously to roll out the NEVI initiative. That’s the disconnect.”

Massachusetts is hardly the only state dragging its feet on getting these federally funded chargers running. A website tracking the NEVI program shows that plenty of states have received tens of millions of dollars without building a single station, including Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oregon, Alabama, Arizona, and, surprisingly, even California.

On the flip side, some states have put the money to work. Texas, for one, already has several NEVI-funded charging stations in operation, with many more at various stages of construction.

Tesla’s trouble moving the Cybertruck in any meaningful quantity on US soil is by now thoroughly documented. Before the electric pickup ever reached a showroom, Elon Musk boasted that Tesla could move as many as 500,000 a year. The reality has been less kind. In 2025, American buyers took home just over 20,000 of them.

While it seems the Cybertruck has lost a lot of its initial luster in the US, it is slowly being introduced in other markets. One of them is Kazakhstan, where a handful are being used by government departments, proving that the car’s controversial design does have its perks.

Read: Unplugged’s $18K Cybertruck Package Adds What Tesla Left Out

In mid-May, a matte black Cybertruck served the State Security Service during the Summit of the Organization for Turkic States, held in Kazakhstan’s Turkistan region. Fitted with flashing blue and red lights, the Tesla was reportedly donated to the authorities by a local entrepreneur.

It started out as a mobile command center, and from here it will take on a central role at major security events across the country, handling field coordination between units and providing communications support.

A Second Cybertruck

This isn’t the only Cybertruck roaming the roads of Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has folded one into its fleet too, this one wrapped in matte white with orange and blue graphics. According to vice minister Yerbolat Sadyrbayev, the truck has proven itself capable of tackling the treacherous terrain of the country’s mountainous Almaty Region.

🇰🇿 The future has arrived in #Kazakhstan’s spiritual capital – #Turkistan#Cyber-police are patrolling the Turkic States Summit @Turkic_States #Cybertruck @Tes @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/ofKCXROnli

— Consulat général du Kazakhstan à Strasbourg (@KazStrasbourg) May 14, 2026

“Our ministry deals with situations where assistance must be provided as quickly as possible and every minute counts,” Sadyrbayev told Kazinform. “The Cybertruck has proven to be highly effective in responding to various emergency situations. We are talking about saving people’s lives.” The minister added that the government plans to add more Cybertrucks to its fleet, although he didn’t specify how many.

At this stage, it seems Tesla will take any Cybertruck order it can get. With US sales sliding from 39,965 in 2024 to just 20,237 in 2025, the company has been eager to sell the truck wherever there’s an appetite for one, even if it’s just for show. Earlier this year, it even started selling the electric pickup in the Middle East.

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A Waymo robotaxi can be fooled into rolling straight into a flooded street, but it turns out the same self-driving cars have no trouble pulling getaway duty for a crime. They are, it seems, alarmingly good at helping criminals disappear.

Earlier this year, an unidentified suspect walked into a Hot 8 Yoga studio in San Francisco and left in a hurry with an armful of pricey activewear. He had arrived by Waymo and used the same car to escape, dumping the loot into the trunk of the autonomous I-Pace before riding off.

Watch: Dozens Of Empty Waymo Robotaxis Keep Circling An Atlanta Cul-De-Sac For Hours

As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, local authorities took their time looking into the theft. A search warrant landed on Waymo in April, ordering the company to hand over everything it knew about the account behind the ride, along with video from inside and outside the car to help identify the thief.

However, by the time the search warrant was filed in April, Waymo had already wiped the cabin footage. The company doesn’t publicly say how long it keeps video, and on top of that, its exterior cameras always blur faces for privacy reasons. So despite each robotaxi packing a small arsenal of high-definition cameras, none of them helped track down the thief.

That’s a tough pill to swallow when you consider the hardware involved. According to Waymo’s website, its latest Jaguars feature 29 cameras that provide a full 360-degree view of their surroundings. The user’s account information didn’t lead police to a suspect either, perhaps because whoever booked the ride used stolen credentials or a burner phone.

All For Some Men’s Shorts

The studio manager of Hot 8 Yoga says footage from outside the location shows the Waymo dropping off the individual and waiting for him to return with the stolen loot. Although he only made off with a bunch of men’s shorts, it’s certainly possible this case might encourage other criminals to escape in robotaxis.

Los Angeles saw a version of this last year, when someone bolted from a grocery store theft in a Waymo. That one ended differently. Police caught up with the robotaxi, forced it to the side of the road, and arrested the suspect.

The second-generation BMW iX3 has been well received by most, marking a serious step up from its predecessor and delivering the kind of driving range usually reserved for Chinese EVs. But the launch hasn’t gone off without a hitch. Two recalls have already been issued for the electric SUV in Germany, and one of them sounds genuinely unpleasant.

The first recall landed at the end of May and covers 145 vehicles built between November 25, 2025, and February 20, 2026. According to BMW, these iX3 models carry an onboard charger, the component that converts AC power to DC, that may be faulty. The defect could leave the SUV’s body panels buzzing with electricity while the car is plugged in.

Read: BMW Adds A 395-Mile Base iX3 And A Black Package For Summer

BMW says it isn’t aware of any injuries so far, but it admits owners could get a nasty shock if they touch the car at the wrong moment. The fix is straightforward enough, as the onboard chargers on affected models will be swapped out, whether or not they actually turn out to be defective. With high-voltage EVs, better safe than sorry. All told, the recall covers 145 cars worldwide, 28 of which are in Germany.

Dangerous Airbags

Then a few days later, on June 1, a second recall followed. This time, BMW says the side airbags may not have been bolted in to spec. The concern is twofold: the airbag might not deploy properly in a crash, and the gas generator could shift out of position and strike occupants.

The affected iX3s were built between December 18, 2025, and May 8, 2026. It’s the bigger of the two campaigns, covering 4,843 vehicles worldwide, including 1,071 in Germany. As with the charger issue, there are no known accidents or injuries tied to the airbag fault.

In this case, BMW says it will inspect the screws that hold the side airbags in place and, if necessary, resolve any issues.

Some automakers have caved to buyer demand and started bringing physical buttons back, including VW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai. Rivian, on the other hand, has no interest in joining them, insisting its advanced AI-driven voice assistant is simply a better way to control a vehicle’s functions.

While recently speaking with Rivian’s chief software officer, and co-CEO of the Rivian and VW joint venture, Wassym Bensaid, The Verge dug into the new Rivian Assistant, which rolled out to existing R1 models in mid-May. It’s built on a shared, multimodal AI foundation and can handle core vehicle functions, HVAC included.

Read: For $50 A Month, Rivian Will Make You A Passenger In Your Own EV

Existing Rivian R1 models, along with the new R2, are largely free of physical buttons, and given the brand’s commitment to its new assistant, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

“I deeply believe that voice has the chance to be the primary interface in the car,” Bensaid told The Verge. “I also think that buttons can exist, but they shouldn’t be the primary way with which you interact with the car. I think there’s more that is possible with voice since you can do more than one single function. You don’t have to fiddle with so many functions.”

Are Scroll Wheels The Solution?

“You don’t have to go deep into the touchscreen to look into specific features. A great voice experience can elevate all of that, allow users to talk to the car as a human would, and really take the overall experience to the next level,” he added.

Bensaid went on to note that in the R2, there are no traditional HVAC buttons; instead, the large scroll wheels on the steering wheel can be used to adjust settings like fan speed on the fly. While not quite a button, they do seem like a better solution than tapping on a small icon on the touchscreen to tweak the fan speed.

According to Rivian, “the only reason that drivers and consumers do not interact with the car through voice is that, to put it really bluntly, the technology has been broken,” up until this point. A key difference between Rivian’s Assistant and those of competitors is that it uses its own Android-based infotainment system, which doesn’t offer support for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, so the AI-assistant works seamlessly regardless of what screen is displayed.

Rivian also points out that the system takes a more conversational approach than traditional voice assistants. Instead of barking “Open the frunk,” for instance, you can simply say “I have a bag in the front of the car,” and the assistant will pop the frunk for you. It all sounds rather slick, though we’d still take a few physical buttons. What about you?

Last year, the appetite for electric school buses waned. The reason had a lot to do with President Donald Trump retaking the Oval Office and signing numerous executive orders that changed course on the drive toward zero emissions.

The Clean School Bus Program was shelved until recently, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected at press time to finally announced it would make good on awarding the final $2.5 billion remaining in the five-year $5 million program. Seemingly it comes the official re-emergence of diesel, which had been obvious across all sectors.

Diesel is 90 percent cleaner than it was two decades ago and, while it still emits harmful particulate matter especially for children’s developing lungs, it remains the fuel type of choice for many fleets due to its workhorse and longevity characteristics. That makes federal subsidies for drop-in biodiesel blends, which many school districts have been using for decades, and renewable diesel especially attractive.

Granted, maintaining diesel systems has become more arduous and expensive. And those costs extend to the fuel pump.

Petroleum prices were already volatile, then the Iran war broke out. The Strait of Hormuz closed, and the price of oil soared well past $100 a barrel. Diesel and gasoline prices followed suit globally. Despite the U.S. opening domestic oil reserves, those prices have stayed high, and there is no end in sight. This has spelled doom for school districts and school bus operators.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation and AASA: The Superintendents Association conducted a survey last month that illustrates the impacts. Of the 188 school districts responding, 22 percent said their diesel fuel costs increased by 11- to 20 percent over their current school year budget. Another 20 percent said they
are 6- to 10 percent over budget.

Scott Lee, the director of transportation for Washoe County School District in Nevada, said diesel costs increased a whopping 89 percent from January of this year to May, rising from $3.01 per gallon to $5.69 per gallon. The Reno-area school district, however, seemingly has it better than a lot of states in terms of actual prices being paid. Outside of Portland, Oregon, the Beaverton School District was paying $6.57 per gallon through April, a 38-percent increase from $4.77 paid last July.

The saving grace for school districts like Beaverton and Washoe is a reliance on electric and propane school buses. Craig Beaver, who retires as director of transportation this summer, said the fleet of electric school buses is closing in on the sweet spot of achieving 1.5 kWh per mile efficiency. In April, the school district’s Type C and Type D electric school buses averaged 1.6 kW per mile, the best mark since last October, when the average was 1.59.

Meanwhile, both he and Washoe County’s Lee are also increasingly relying on propane. Lee shared that propane fueling cost remains relatively flat with an increase of 4 percent for fiscal year 2027, at which point the district also is purchasing another six propane school buses for the 2026-2027 school year.

Beaver said he kept the budget the same for the coming school year, as more electric and propane school buses will be on the road at a cheaper cost. This, he added, will hopefully offset the increase in diesel cost per gallon over the course of the year.

“It’s a good plan, as long as the Strait of Hormuz opens up in the next month or two. We will have minimal diesel usage this summer as well,” he shared. “Only use those buses for long trips. Everything else will be EV supplemented by propane.”

Beaverton’s long-term plan includes transitioning all 140 Type D school buses in the fleet to propane over the next five to eight years, once Blue Bird comes to market with an option.

The writing on the wall, no matter the politics at play, is the TCO of both electric and propane pencil out. Despite higher upfront costs, both options are often surpassing diesel in terms of lifetime fuel and maintenance csts. That story was also told at ACT Expo last month, in the 2026 State of Sustainable Fuels report.

With the Clean School Bus Program relaunching and no matter the assumed new funding mechanism for biodiesel and renewal diesel, millions if not billions of dollars will be spent in the coming years to add more electric and propane school buses to the national fleet.

And that is welcome news in a world where fuel volatility and higher new vehicle purchase prices will continue.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the June 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E308) Past & Future: Fuel Volatility, 10 Years of School Transportation Trends
Related: (STN Podcast E307) Buy With Confidence: Fuel Price Frustration, School Bus Buying Tips
Related: Survey: Half of School Districts Paying At Least 6% More for Diesel
Related: Survey Shows 87% of Parents Support Low-Emissions School Buses, Yet Diesel Dominates

The post Alternative to Fueling Discomfort appeared first on School Transportation News.

Two of the most recognized and respected names in student transportation safety will be at STN EXPO West to share their expertise with conference attendees.

Industry veterans Richard “Dick” Fischer and Pete Baxter will present a half-day seminar “The Best of the Dick and Pete Show” on Wednesday, July 15. This in-depth session will give attendees invaluable education from two National Association of Pupil Transportation Hall of Fame inductees on safety leadership, organizational learning and risk governance in student transportation.

In this seminar, STN EXPO West attendees will receive a comprehensive student transportation safety training that will dive into real-life school bus safety cases, including Danger Zone safety incidents and the “Titanic tragedy,” a 2016 incident in England, where a school bus carrying 26 children got stuck in deep floodwaters, and reveal the lessons learned. Fischer and Baxter will highlight the dangerous pitfalls of overconfidence, ignoring warning signs or a lack of preparedness or emergency training.

The message of the training will contain an overall theme of continuous improvement through the fostering of a strong safety culture. Attendees will be given safety training modules designed to give student transportation leaders what they need to know to implement safe practices, communication, accountability all to protect every child and school bus driver on every bus ride.

Fischer has spent over six decades championing school bus safety as a school district transportation director, school-bus safety trainer and consultant. He successfully petitioned President Richard Nixon in 1969 to proclaim the first School Bus Safety Week. Even following his official retirement announcement in 2013, he has continued to present training, advocate for the industry, and become involved in national safety discussions.

STN presented Fischer with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.

Baxter is a former state director of student transportation at the Indiana Department of Education and past-president of both the National Association for Pupil Transportation and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, one of only two industry professionals to hold both offices.

Both Fischer and Baxter have served as expert witnesses in court for legal cases involving school bus collisions and have extensive experience and knowledge to equip student transporters to further safety at their operations.

STN EXPO West will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The conference will feature hands-on training classes, educational sessions, a dynamic keynote presentation, and networking opportunities. Register now at stnexpo.com/west.

Related: WATCH: Active-threat Response Training Subject of Opening STN EXPO West Session
Related: Safety Impact of School Bus Seatbelts Topic at STN EXPO West
Related: School Bus Fuel Innovation, Technology Education Meet at STN EXPO West

The post Industry Veterans to Present School Bus Safety Leadership Seminar Next Month appeared first on School Transportation News.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has partnered with Zūm, a leader in modern student mobility, to be an official transportation provider during the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament in Los Angeles.

From June 12 – July 10, Zum will deliver shuttle service at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium for Zones 1, 2 and 3 for athletes, teams and ticket holders during eight World Cup matches, including the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) opening match. This decision reinforces Zum’s reputation as a trusted mobility provider and its growing momentum across the country.

“At Zum, we take great pride in providing safe, reliable and equitable mobility for thousands of schools nationwide,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “FIFA World Cup 2026 will give millions of fans all over the world a chance to connect and celebrate, and, through this partnership with LA Metro, we are honored to be part of it. We look forward to serving athletes and fans at this historic event in Los Angeles.”

Zum is a national leader in modern student mobility. Adopted in 17 states, serving over 4,500 schools in some of the largest districts in the country, including Los Angeles Unified, Boston Public Schools, San Francisco Unified, Omaha Public Schools, and Kansas City Public Schools. It is revolutionizing mass mobility with Zum CMX, a fully integrated system that coordinates people, vehicles and operations in real time.

In addition to student mobility, Zum’s charter services provide bus and van rentals for school trips, sports travel, vacations and other events. Zum’s state-of-the-art vehicles are fully updated with the latest technology and are priced fairly.

Benefits of Zum include highly trained drivers that meet all state and federal requirements along with the Zum CMX system that optimizes routes, reduces ride times and increases transparency and communication between families, drivers and schools.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in safe and reliable student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Metro

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines. The latest October 2025 customer experience survey showed that customer satisfaction has risen to 87%. Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, x.com/metrolosangeles, x.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.

About Zum

Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

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One of VW’s most influential board members believes that once automakers actually convince buyers to go electric, internal combustion cars could end up viewed the same way we now see horses, an outdated form of transportation.

According to Martin Sander, VW’s board member for sales, marketing, and aftersales, more needs to be done to persuade people to buy an EV, rather than simply talking about ICE bans, such as the 2030 deadline in the UK.

More: VW’s Cheapest Golf Left America In 2021, Mexico Could Bring It Back

“[Today] I look out of the window: not many horses – it’s predominantly cars,” he told Auto Express. “This is why I hate the discussion about the ICE (internal combustion engine) ban. Everyone is just talking about the ICE ban. How do you convince customers about a new technology if you’re only talking about when there will be a date when you are not allowed to use these vehicles – vehicles you have got used to over the last decades – anymore?”

Sander believes that “over time, more and more customers will be convinced” to buy an EV if barriers to ownership, such as improvements to charging infrastructure, are removed. “Let’s talk about what we need to do to actually convince customers: the charging infrastructure; talk positively about the advantages of electric vehicles, and possibly do something around the energy prices,” he noted.

Read: VW Kills Its Last Manual Gearbox Model In America

The board member suggested that if these conditions are met, the number of customers interested in owning an ICE-powered vehicle could drop to as little as “three, four, five percent” by 2035.

No EREVs For Europe

Interestingly, while VW transitions towards electrification in Europe, it doesn’t plan to introduce any of the range-extender EVs it offers in China, suggesting that demand for this powertrain won’t be strong enough in Europe.

Read: VW’s New $16,200 EV Sedan Is Longer Than A Jetta And Runs On Xpeng Tech

Despite this, Sander notes that the lessons VW is taking from its expansion of electrified vehicles in China will help it overseas.

“Everything we are learning in China will help us to be competitive in all the other markets around the globe where we are competing with the Chinese,” he said. “On our end it’s very much about scale, efficiency and cost, and this is what we are working on diligently. We have to be competitive. There’s no alternative.”

Some car manufacturers have caved to demand from buyers to bring back physical buttons, including VW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai. Rivian doesn’t seem interested in following suit, declaring that its advanced AI-driven voice assistant system is a better way to control a vehicle’s functions.

While recently speaking with Rivian’s chief software officer, and the co-CEO of the Rivian and VW joint venture, Wassym Bensaid, The Verge dived head-first into the new Rivian Assistant, introduced to existing R1 models in mid-May. It’s built on a shared, multimodal AI foundation and can control core vehicle functions, including HVAC.

Read: For $50 A Month, Rivian Will Make You A Passenger In Your Own EV

Existing Rivian R1 models, as well as the new R2, are largely devoid of physical buttons, and given the brand’s commitment to its new assistant, it doesn’t appear as though this will change.

“I deeply believe that voice has the chance to be the primary interface in the car,” Bensaid told The Verge. “I also think that buttons can exist, but they shouldn’t be the primary way with which you interact with the car. I think there’s more that is possible with voice since you can do more than one single function. You don’t have to fiddle with so many functions.”

Are Scroll Wheels The Solution?

“You don’t have to go deep into the touchscreen to look into specific features. A great voice experience can elevate all of that, allow users to talk to the car as a human would, and really take the overall experience to the next level,” he added.

Bensaid went on to note that in the R2, there are no traditional HVAC buttons; instead, the large scroll wheels on the steering wheel can be used to adjust settings like fan speed on the fly. While not quite a button, they do seem like a better solution than tapping on a small icon on the touchscreen to tweak the fan speed.

According to Rivian, “the only reason that drivers and consumers do not interact with the car through voice is that, to put it really bluntly, the technology has been broken,” up until this point. A key difference between Rivian’s Assistant and those of competitors is that it uses its own Android-based infotainment system, which doesn’t offer support for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, so the AI-assistant works seamlessly regardless of what screen is displayed.

Rivian also notes that it provides a more conversational approach than traditional voice assistant systems. For example, you don’t have to say “Open the frunk,” and can instead say “I have a bag in the front of the car,” and the system will automatically open the frunk. It all sounds rather nice, but we’d still prefer some physical buttons. What about you?

Ford announced its “Model T Moment” a year ago. With it came the promise of an affordable electric pickup and other models on the same platform. According to a new report, we’re about to see prototypes on the road in Dearborn prior to its release next year.

According to Ford CFO Sherry House, prototypes of the automaker’s upcoming electric midsize pickup are already being built and tested as the company pushes toward a planned 2027 launch. While Ford later clarified that the camouflaged trucks aren’t yet driving on Michigan roads, spokesman Dave Tovar confirmed to The Detroit Free Press that they’ll be out in public within the next few weeks.

That means Detroit-area motorists could soon catch a glimpse of the vehicle Ford hopes will reshape its electric future.

Read: Ford Working On Affordable EVs, Setup A “Skunkworks Team” For New Platform

The truck is significant for more than simply being a brand-new platform and model. It’s the first product of Ford’s “skunkworks” team at the brand’s Electric Vehicle Development Center in Long Beach, California. More importantly, it will be the debut model for Ford’s new Universal Electric Vehicle platform.

Ford CEO Jim Farley first revealed the architecture in 2025, promising a family of affordable EVs built around a radically different cost structure. The first vehicle is expected to be a four-door midsize pickup starting at roughly $30,000.

House told investors the project remains on schedule. “We’re on plan for our 2027 launch,” she said, noting that Ford is already validating suppliers, testing prototype vehicles, and evaluating new manufacturing technologies, including megacasting.

Also: Ford Gives A Tiny Glimpse Of The $30K EV Truck Slate Should Be Worried About

The process, popularized by Tesla, can significantly reduce manufacturing complexity and costs. Ford believes those savings will be key to making the new truck profitable at a relatively low price point. “It’s going to be very feature-rich. It’s going to be very tech-forward,” House said. “It’s going to be affordable.”

Ford’s EV business has struggled to generate profits, making the success of this new architecture especially important. If House’s comments are any indication, Ford is betting that this vehicle and platform will turn the tide. We’ll get our first real look at that strategy once those heavily disguised prototypes start appearing on public roads.

New research from scientists at the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary finds that some birds living in cities are changing their songs to compete with traffic and other urban noise.

India plans to build a major port, airport and town on pristine, remote Great Nicobar Island. Supporters say it could boost trade and jobs, but critics worry about environmental damage.

The Indian government is spending $9 billion to create a megaport, airport and city on this remote island. Critics fear the impact on pristine forests and the lives of indigenous inhabitants.

(Image credit: Omkar Khandekar/NPR)

Jason Momoa has developed an electromod habit that would make most petrol-loving classic car purists break out in hives. First came an electric 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. Then a one-off miniature Bentley Blower EV. Now Hollywood’s Aquaman has handed a pair of rare Land Rovers and a trio of century-old Harley-Davidsons to an EV conversion company.

The latest chapter in Momoa’s increasingly eclectic garage comes courtesy of British EV specialist Electrogenic, which features prominently in the second season of his HBO Max documentary series On The Roam. This time, the company tackled five classic conversions, while also creating a battery-packed adventure trailer for extended off-grid expeditions.

Related: Jason Momoa Put A 666 Badge On His Tiny Bentley, But It’s Not What It Looks Like

Let’s start with the motorcycles, because they put a really different spin on the whole idea of converting old ICE machines to electricity. Rather than removing the original engines, Electrogenic transformed a pair of Harley-Davidson Model JDs from the 1920s into plug-in hybrids.

Choose Your Power

Momoa can choose the bikes to be propelled by 15 hp (15 PS / 11 kW) of electric power, the original 20 hp (20 PS / 15 kW) gasoline power, or both at once on his 1924 and 1927 model JD plug-ins. There’s even enough electric assistance from the 190 lb-ft (260 Nm) electric motor to eliminate the traditional kick starter.

A third bike, a 1921 Harley-Davidson Model FD, went fully electric after its original engine was deemed beyond repair. All three use discreet 2.7 kWh battery packs hidden inside period-style panniers good for more than 50 miles (80 km) of electric riding, and feature modern braking upgrades.

Photos Electrogenic

The Land Rover conversions are definitely more conventional. A 1949 Series I and a highly collectible 1961 Series IIA 109 Dormobile camper have both been converted to full electric power. Electrogenic retained the Landies’ original four-wheel-drive systems and transfer cases, meaning they should still be every bit as capable off-road, only much faster and quieter on it.

The Series I gets a 48 kWh battery and a 201 hp (204 PS / 150 kW) motor, while the Dormobile uses a larger 62 kWh pack paired with a 161 hp (163 PS / 120 kW) motor. Both offer around 150 miles (240 km) of real-world range and CCS fast charging. The Dormobile even swaps its original gas cooking setup for an induction hob, creating what is effectively a fully electric classic camper.

And finally, Electrogenic also kitted out Momoa’s Schutt Industries XVENTURE XV-2 camping trailer with a massive 93 kWh battery pack for those long, wilderness getaways. It can reportedly power camping equipment for up to a month while also serving as a mobile charging station. What do you think Momoa’s next EV commission should be?

Photos Electrogenic