Confusion reigns in the wake of a late November announcing how the U.S. Department of Education (ED) could be dismantled, including the impact of the decision on school transportation.

Tim Ammon, owner of Ammon Consulting Group, noted two initial impacts focus on longer decision times and less clarity regarding resolving special needs services concerns.

Staffing reductions and the reorientation of the organization would make it more difficult to obtain guidance on what services are required, having the potential to create longer term uncertainty related to the stability of decisions and policy that can potentially create future exposure for services not provided, he said.

The third item Ammon suggested is uppermost in many minds: The reduction and likely elimination of some funding streams to transportation departments.

“While some perhaps most of these will be felt at the district level, they will filter their way down to transportation as districts begin to make very difficult choices about how to pare back services across all programs due to budget deficits,” he said.

During a Nov. 20 press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted President Donald Trump “took a significant step toward delivering on a core campaign promise to finally close the Department of Education to shrink the bloated federal bureaucracy.”

A coalition of educators, school districts, unions and The Arc of the U.S. — an advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — sued the Trump administration in federal court, arguing the government’s latest attempt to dismantle the ED is unlawful, according to The New York Times.

The ED has entered into new interagency agreements with the Departments of Health and Human Services, Interior, Labor, Interior and State.

The agreements do not address school transportation impacts.

The ED announcement noted “these agreements follow a workforce development partnership signed with the Department of Labor earlier this year which created an integrated federal education and workforce system and reduced the need for states to consult multiple federal agencies to effectively manage their program.”

The interagency agreements are “a key step in our efforts to shift educational authority from Washington D.C. to your state education agency, local superintendent, local school board, entities that are accountable to you,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said at the press conference.

“As we partner with these agencies to improve federal programs, we will continue to gather best practices in each state through our 50-state tour, empower local leaders in K-12 education, restore excellence to higher education, and work with Congress to codify these reforms.”

Leavitt added the agencies will “now ensure the delivery of legally required programs while also refocusing them to better serve students.”

She claimed the 43-day federal government shutdown had “no impacted whatsoever” on the U.S. education system despite ED furloughing 90 percent of its staff. She noted schools nationwide stayed fully open, students attended class and received normal in-person instruction, and teachers received their paychecks uninterrupted.

“Since its creation in 1979 during the Carter administration, the Department of Education has spent over $3 trillion taxpayer dollars without improving student achievement, despite per-pupil spending having increased by more than 245 percent,” said Leavitt, adding math and reading scores are down.

The ED is a pass-through entity, McMahon said, adding “it doesn’t educate a single student. The money it sends to states for education can be sent directly without waste. Education is local. It should be overseen locally by those who best know local needs.”

Jeanne Allen, Center for Education Reform CEO and founder, ED hasn’t worked for students in decades but dismantling it remains complicated.

“It won’t be seamless, and it won’t succeed unless the new agencies clearly communicate with states, communities and parents about their new flexibility, how funds can be better spent, and how to avoid getting snared in fresh compliance traps,” she continued. “But shifting power closer to communities is the right direction.”

In contrast, Denise Forte, president and CEO of left-leaning educational think tank and racial and economic equity advocate EdTrust, released a statement indicating “the Trump administration began the process of selling off the Department of Education for parts. The administration has let down teachers, families and students, those currently in classrooms and the generations to come.

“Further diminishing these offices that protect student rights and stop discrimination and sending them off to be run by agencies that work on public health and short-term training, which lack the skills, expertise, or capacity in education, isn’t about improving student outcomes. It’s about implementing a business model that transforms students into widgets instead of human beings who need support.”

Forte has called on Congress to “stand up for the rights of America’s students and ensure education programs stay where they belong, with the Department of Education. The law is clear. Only Congress can dismantle the Department of Education.”

She also noted students and schools were indeed hurt by the federal government shutdown, noting calls and emails from families desperate to learn about their cases with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) went unanswered. Information requests from schools and districts were left unresolved.

These new directives only serve to further distance students — particularly students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners — from educational opportunities, Forte said, adding the other agencies now charged with protecting students’ educational civil rights do not have the relationships, expertise, or staff capacity to do so.

Multiple media reports, such as one from K12Dive that featured a timeline of the legal and political back-and-forth on shutting down the ED, indicates the ED has asked some OCR employees placed on administrative leave since March 21 to return to work by the end of December to address the current caseload of discrimination complaints.

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Related: Education Leader Challenges Transportation Professionals to Reimagine Compliance and Student Access
Related: Idaho Department of Education Names School Bus Technician of the Year
Related: Office of State Superintendent of Education Launches New Parent Portal for Student Transportation Services in D.C.

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Transportation Focus Amid Uncertainty

Ammon said the most important factor transportation officials should be preparing for “is a lack of certainty about anything we thought was certain. As programs get dispersed across the bureaucracy and funds get commingled into block grants, there will be a shift in the available expertise, guidance and support, meaning departments are more likely to have to go on their own without formal or informal guidance previously provided by ED.

“Until we have a bit more certainty about whether this recent inter-agency transfer of responsibilities and funding levels will hold, districts are better off not making too many changes that would need to be undone if the winds and whims of policy and guidance change again,” he added.

While school transportation is primarily funded at the local and state level, it is indirectly supported by Title 1, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Ammon noted confusion will reign for a period of time, with inevitable funding shifts.

“The shifts may not necessarily be direct cuts, but the bundling of programs into something like broader block grants that make funding more fungible and more likely to be reallocated within a district is inevitable,” he added.

Ammon reiterated that guidance on required services is likely to be even more chaotic.

“Worse still is if you think about how long these things take to play out, it is possible that by the time there is some clarity on requirements the administration could change and we are back to uncertainty,” he said.

While the IDEA law would remain intact, it is unclear in the short term which federal agency would enforce it and while states would likely comply, consistency and oversight could weaken with families facing uneven support depending on state laws or budgets, Ammon said.

As the ED collaborates with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on school bus safety recommendations, the EPA on clean fleet initiatives, and Homeland Security on emergency preparedness, its dismantling could slow coordination of national safety policies and potential inconsistencies in federal guidance for bus manufacturing standards, driver qualifications, student safety training, and emergency planning.

“Because much of this is in statute, it would theoretically require Congress to do something which it has seemed incapable of recently so those things feel like they won’t change much,” said Ammon.

“The regulatory issues are likely to be more impacted because of the scope of authority over them,” he continued. “My sense is that theme of uncertainty will be the thing most felt. I suspect that the key agencies transportation operations work with will still want and maybe be even more desirous of providing guidance in order to push the revised thinking down, but the reductions in staffing will make this more difficult because there will be so many fewer people to do the work. As a result, the changes may not be as fast or significant as expected.”

With the OCR and the National Center for Education Statistics playing a key role in tracking transportation access, identifying inequities, monitoring discipline and restraint/seclusion policies on buses, and conducting research on school travel behavior, national visibility regarding data collection and research could be fragmented under the states.

The ED’s data systems track everything from student ride times to transportation spending. With no single entity responsible for collecting nationwide data, the gap would make it more difficult for policymakers and researchers to identify trends or create informed solutions.

“This is one of the areas I am most troubled by,” Ammon said. “As an industry, we already have challenges on gathering and reporting data from at least 50 different state systems and thousands of operations.

“Losing the one source where even if the data isn’t perfect – it was pretty consistent – is a real degradation of the ability to do the trend analysis and comparisons vital to identifying best, emerging, and worst practices out there,” he added.

Ammon noted while he has no idea of the impact, it’s “interesting” to contemplate that without the ED, states may develop different rules affecting interstate collaboration, emergency evacuations, rural and tribal transportation funding, and charter, magnet, and school choice program compliance.

While the ED sets guidance on whether transportation is required or optional, transportation for choice programs becomes a state decision, with a potential increase in inequities.

“With the increased push for school choice at the federal and state level, this may become a bigger issue sooner than a lot of other issues,” Ammon said.

With respect to school bus fleets, drivers and operations, the ED dismantling would interfere with how fleets qualify for federal grants; access to low-emission/green fleet initiatives, and transportation tied to federal programs such as IDEA and Title I with rural districts – which are highly dependent on federal dollars – hit the hardest.

Ammon said this will be a massive and disproportionate influence.

“While federal funding is only about 10 percent of overall funding, for certain districts it is a much higher percentage,” he said, adding that it often affects poorer and more diverse districts.

While the funding reduction will be felt as more of a top-line, district-level resource reduction, it won’t take long to trickle down to transportation, Ammon noted.

“We will see notable reductions in services and the elimination of services in many districts,” Ammon said. “We will also see program reductions because service providers who may offer services for special needs, OT/PT or homeless end up closing due to lack of funding.”

That places the burden of service provision back on districts that are neither staffed nor equipped to provide it, he added.

“It doesn’t take long to get into a doom loop here where it becomes impossible to figure out how to maintain any semblance of what has seemed like normal for a generation,” Ammon said.

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Related: (STN Podcast E286) End of Year Review: Safety & Technology Trends of 2025
Related: NASDPTS Sunsets School Bus Manufacturers Technical Council, Announces Updates
Related: Deploying Electric School Buses in Rural and Suburban Districts

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While buses would still meet safety standards through NHTSA, the ED coordinates student evacuation, emergency planning, bullying, restraint and seclusion, and disability access, with such guidance slated to become patchwork on a state-by-state basis.

Ammon said statutory concerns won’t change as much as the regulatory piece, which will likely change due to changes in regulatory scope and a lack of regulators.

“Anything that appears like ‘soft side’ enforcement of things like bullying will be completely gone as that will be perceived to be an enforcement and definition function that should be made at the local level,” he added.

While the move to dismantle the ED is major, “We have to recognize it will be experienced by different populations very differently,” said Ammon. “The groups that have had to rely on federal legislation or support — especially special needs, homeless and socio-economically challenged — will feel this right away.

“It also is important to recognize that concerns such as school desegregation required federal intervention,” he added. “It is difficult to know with a great degree of certainty how this will ultimately be resolved or predict the next area that would require broad federal input in education.”

Whether that is good or bad will be for policy makers and the public to decide.

“We can be reasonably certain that in the current moment, it is going to require a very high bar or severe crisis to get that support,” Ammon added.

The post Funding Among Potential Impacts of U.S. Education Department Dismantling on School Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) sent an email to members providing an update on the 17th National Congress on School Transportation’s (NCST) National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures Manual (NSTSP), which was already updated over the summer to fix the inadvertent omission of the new alternative transportation section.

The online version was removed from the National Congress on School Transportation website as of Sept. 19, pending the update. On Sept. 29, the updated NCST was republished to include the alternative transportation section.

However, on Tuesday, NASDPTS said two other updates were made to the book, including pages 61-78 and page 377. Details on the specific updates were not provided. NASDPTS said the NSTSP “is designed to be a living document, meaning it can be updated at any time if necessary.”

Ronna Weber, executive director of NASDPTS, clarified that changes include “grammatical, formatting or inconsistency related to the Congress approved items … .”

“Proposed changes [are] often reviewed and updates are issued from the various committees as needed. However, the NSTSP itself is not officially revised until each Congress votes on the proposed changes,” she added. “Additionally, there is an interim process, which could be employed, should it be necessary between congresses. This process is very rarely used, but it exists should action be needed prior to the next Congress.”

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Related: NASDPTS Weber Provides EXPO Attendees with Updates from NCST
Related: National Specifications Manual Republished to Fix Alternative Transportation Section Omission
Related: National Congress Finishes Early After 10-Year Hiatus

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The decision on whether to hold the NCST every five or three years has yet to be made, but following last May’s NCST, delegates provided input on suggestions.

The electronic version has been updated to reflect the two updates, and the electronic version of the book is now dated December 2025. Each updated section is also saved as a separate link, should readers want to print the updated sections only.

“Future updates, should they be necessary, will also be handled in this manner, but communications will not necessarily be sent so please check the page periodically and refresh your link as needed,” NASDPTS said in a statement.

The post NCST Book Updated Again appeared first on School Transportation News.

The auto industry’s pivot to electric vehicles was never expected to be seamless, but a recent shift in buyer sentiment suggests the transition may be hitting more resistance than anticipated. According to a new study, a growing number of car shoppers are once again leaning toward combustion engines, reversing some of the momentum EVs had built in recent years.

A report from professional services firm EY indicates that EV adoption is slowing worldwide, in part due to shifting policies like those recently enacted in the United States.

Read: Ford’s CEO Applauds Trump’s CAFE Rollback, Says They Were Forced Into EVs

Among consumers planning to buy a new or used vehicle within the next 24 months, about half now say they intend to purchase one powered by a combustion engine. That marks a 13 percent jump from the previous year, a sharp turn in consumer preference.

Declining Appetite for Electrics and Hybrids

That’s not the only surprising conclusion from this study. EY’s report also notes that the preference among new and used car buyers to buy a battery-electric vehicle has dropped by 10 percent, landing at just 14 percent overall.

The picture for hybrid models isn’t much brighter. Interest in those models has dipped by 5 percent, now sitting at 16 percent. And among those still considering an EV, more than a third, or 36 percent, say they’re either rethinking their decision entirely or planning to delay their purchase, citing geopolitical developments as a major factor.

It’s possible that this trend could continue. Less than a year into President Trump’s second term, several policy changes have already been implemented that are more favorable to internal combustion engine vehicles. These measures are expected to influence both consumer behavior and manufacturer output in the coming years.

Policy Reversals Take Hold

Earlier this month, he officially rolled back CAFE standards, opening the door for car manufacturers to build more combustion models. Automakers argue this aligns with actual consumer demand, claiming Americans still largely prefer these vehicles over their electric counterparts.

Europe is seeing a similar recalibration. Two years ago, the European Union announced plans to effectively ban the sale of new combustion vehicles by 2035.

However, this ban appears increasingly likely to be relaxed, opening the door for hybrid models, and combustion-engine cars using e-fuels to be sold beyond 2035. This will no doubt have a significant impact on EV sales throughout the region.

Sources: EY, Reuters

Unplugged Performance has never been shy about making bold claims, but this one caught attention even by their standards: earlier this year, the company declared its Road Warrior wheels for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y to be the “world’s first indestructible wheel.”

Now, it’s aiming even higher with an even stronger version of the same concept, this time developed specifically for the Tesla Cybertruck.

Read: Tesla Tuner Dares You To Break Their New Wheels

While the original Road Warrior was already beefy, the updated Cybertruck-ready Forged UP-RW wheel steps things up with a significantly higher load rating. The Model 3 and Y variant of the wheel is rated at 950 kg (2,094 lbs), but this Cybertruck version is engineered to handle up to 1,450 kg (3,196 lbs)

According to Unplugged Performance, this wheel offers better resistance to “bending, cracking, and fatigue” than the current wheel, although it doesn’t make the same “indestructible” claim as it did earlier this year.

The design of the wheel may not be to everyone’s liking, but it does have a feature that we’re sure many will appreciate. Each wheel features a replaceable aluminum curb-guard ring designed to take any damage from parking mishaps.

Even better, that guard can be swapped out without removing the tire. So if you do scrape it, there’s no need to pay for a full wheel repair or replacement. For anyone who’s wrestled a low-profile tire off a rim, that convenience alone might be reason enough to consider the upgrade.

The California-based tuner also says its Road Warrior wheel for the Cybertruck is on par with Tesla’s available Core wheel when it comes to aerodynamics, performs better than the standard Cyberwheel, and is designed to fit the standard 20-inch Cybertruck tires.

For any Cybertruck owners out there who take their electric pickup off-roading, or simply those looking for something to help their Tesla stand out, these wheels may suit.

That said, the options list is short. The Road Warrior is currently only available in one finish: black spokes with a gray curb guard. Whether that works for you will depend on taste, but some buyers will surely wish for more variety.

As for the price, it’s not exactly a budget choice. A full set of 20-inch wheels will cost $3,195. Still, in the context of forged wheels, particularly those rated for a 1,450-kg load, it falls within expected territory. For some, the mix of utility, design, and spec could be worth it.

In 2021, Ford and South Korean battery manufacturer SK On committed to a massive $11.4 billion investment aimed at building several joint-venture electric vehicle battery plants across the United States. It was a huge business decision that showed Ford’s commitment to the EV market.

That was then. As 2025 winds down, the two companies are pulling the plug on the battery partnership altogether, a sharp turn that underscores how turbulent the EV landscape has become.

Also: Ford’s CEO Applauds Trump’s CAFE Rollback, Says They Were Forced Into EVs

The move follows two key developments. First, the rollback of the federal EV tax credit, which has hit sales across the board. Second, the U.S. administration’s recent decision to revise fuel economy standards, a move expected to favor gasoline-powered vehicles over electric ones.

Disruption in the Battery Game

Through the high-profile breakup, SK On will take over the joint venture factory that’s already been established in Tennessee, known as the BlueOval plant. Ford will then take control of two factories in Kentucky located next to each other.

SK On was the one to formally dissolve the partnership, although the company maintains that it intends to continue working with Ford around the Tennessee facility.

It believes that ending the joint venture will allow it to enhance productivity and improve operational flexibility. Additionally, it notes the split will allow it to accelerate its North American energy storage system business.

What Happens to the Government Loan?

One of the more immediate consequences of the split is a reassessment of a government loan approved near the end of the Biden administration. Originally pegged at up to $9.6 billion for the joint venture, the loan will now be reduced under the Trump administration’s oversight.

Exactly how much it will be cut remains to be seen. According to Bloomberg, the loan will be restructured to “reduce exposure to taxpayers and ensure its prompt repayment.”

Read: Ford And SK On Get $9.6 Billion Loan From US Government For Local Battery Plants

It’s understood that Ford is working voluntarily with the Energy Department to repay the loan more quickly than originally planned.

Bleak Outlook for EV Sales

In the background, Ford’s local EV sales are falling, and chief executive Jim Farley expects further carnage. He recently said that because of the Trump administration, EV sales could fall by as much as 50 percent in the US.

Ford also lost $5.1 billion before interest and taxes on its EV business in 2024 and expects to lose even more this year.

“We believe the writing was on the wall this partnership was not going to work moving forward,” WedBush securities managing director Dan Ives told the Detroit Free Press.

“Ford has to make some difficult moves and this was a smart strategic one to rip the band-aid off. The EV market is dramatically scaled down for Ford now and they have to adjust accordingly.”

As BMW prepares for a significant leadership change at the very top of the pyramid, a key shift is also happening within its high-performance division. Just days after the company confirmed that Milan Nedeljkovic will succeed Oliver Zipse as CEO next year, BMW M has named a new head of development.

Stepping into the role is Alexander Karajlovic, best known for overseeing one of M’s most polarizing recent projects, the BMW XM SUV.

Read: BMW’s Next Boss Already Has 40 New Models On His Plate

Karajlovic’s track record within BMW includes a range of roles that place him squarely in the performance and SUV space. Between November 2017 and 2020, he led development for BMW’s X derivatives and served as project manager for the XM, the M division’s first standalone model since the M1 in 1978, and arguably one of its most divisive to date.

He also served as vice president for the BMW M Product Line for two years, before heading back to the broader BMW group and worked in the areas of Requirements, Concepts, and Driving Experience Integration.

He now steps in for Dirk Hacker, a veteran who’s been with the BMW Group for 37 years and spent the last 11 of those at BMW M. Hacker has led development since 2015, a tenure that included not only technical oversight but hands-on involvement as a driving instructor with BMW’s Driving Experience program. The last model launched under his direction was the new M5 Touring.

“Dirk Hacker’s departure sees the long-term Head of Development at BMW M GmbH bow out to start his well-earned retirement,” BMW M chief executive Franciscus van Meel said. “His name is inextricably linked with an unprecedented product offensive, superior product quality and yearly sales records at BMW M.”

BMW M’s Future Plans

Karajlovic takes over at a time of transition, as the M brand begins laying groundwork for its next-generation lineup. Among the most closely watched projects is the upcoming M3, which is being developed in both all-electric and twin-turbo six-cylinder versions.

The fully electric model, a major technical shift for the badge, is expected to feature four electric motors and deliver upwards of 700 hp, a configuration that will likely spark no shortage of conversation among fans and skeptics alike.

Renault may have wound down its RenaultSport division a little too soon. The decision to pull the plug on sporty models like the Megane RS and Clio RS wasn’t exactly met with cheers, and now there’s a hint it might not be permanent.

According to Renault’s global sales and operations director, Bruno Vanel, if there’s enough public appetite for a return, the RS badge could make a comeback.

Read: The World’s Favorite Renault Got Longer, Wider And Weirder

While recently speaking with Auto Express, Vanel confirmed that Renault has the technical resources on hand to resurrect a performance model, most likely in the shape of a new Clio RS. The brand’s existing portfolio of electric and high-power hybrid powertrains, he explained, includes hardware well-suited to a modern hot hatch.

Even though we’re sure many Renault enthusiasts would also love to see the Megane RS stage a comeback, that seems far more unlikely now that the Megane has morphed into an all-electric crossover.

In contrast, the new-generation Clio, unveiled just a few months ago, offers a more fitting foundation. The sixth-gen model arrived with a more aggressive design and enough visual punch to imagine it in RS trim. And crucially, it remains a hatchback.

“The good news is that we have the know-how internally to make such a car [a Clio RS],” Vanel told the magazine. “We also have hybrid powertrains; solutions to get high power with low CO2 emissions. This is really important now that we are more and more challenged on CO2.”

Vanel added that while there is no immediate plan to bring back the RenaultSport brand “for now,” he said that with enough interest, “maybe [Renault] can reconsider. We’ll wait a couple of months, and then we’ll think about it,” he added.

If Renault were to greenlight an RS version of the new Clio, it would most likely build on the current car’s hybrid system. In its range-topping E-Tech form, the Clio combines a 1.8-liter engine with an electric motor to produce 158 hp.

With some tuning, if that figure was lifted closer to 220 hp, it would position the Clio RS firmly into small hot hatch territory, largely matching the previous-generation on performance.

Source: Autoexpress

Electric power has opened up a new world of possibilities for tuners, letting them stuff serious performance into cars that were never designed for big engines in the first place.

Take this unassuming classic VW Beetle, for example. While it still looks like something you’d see puttering through a sleepy village, it’s packing the kind of firepower that will put a modern supercar on edge.

Read: This Puny Bug Pulled Nearly $100K After Triggering A Bidding Frenzy

Built by Knepper Bugs & More in Germany, this VW Beetle was originally discovered rotting in a California salvage yard. Knepper bought the car and shipped it home, then began the long process of rebuilding it, ripping out the original powertrain in favor of something much more powerful, and more fitting of the times.

A Classic with a Modern Heart

Knepper Bugs & More

The motor now driving the Beetle is the same unit found on the rear axle of a Tesla Model S. However, it’s been modified to run at a higher voltage, which boosts output to more than 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. That’s not a misprint. This thing has nearly triple the power of some modern hot hatches.

Power delivery is handled by a set of Porsche 930 drive shafts, while energy comes from 17 battery modules sourced from a Porsche Taycan. It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of high-end EV tech, all crammed into a car originally designed to max out around 50 horsepower.

There’s no word on how much weight the electric conversion has added, but it has turned this Beetle into an absolute weapon.

According to Knepper, it takes just 2.9 seconds for the Beetle to hit 100 km/h (62 mph). That’s deep into supercar territory, for those keeping score. The new Lamborghini Temerario, armed with a twin-turbo V8 hybrid setup, does the same sprint in 2.7 seconds. The latest Porsche 911 GT3? It needs 3.4 seconds, which means it’ll be shrinking fast in the Beetle’s rearview mirror.

On a full charge, it can travel about 250 kilometers (155 miles). Drive it like it was built to be driven, and range drops to closer to 100 kilometers (62 miles). Not that anyone will be counting.

Also: Toyota Revives Classic Land Cruiser With A Modern Twin Turbo Surprise

To help it cope with the massive performance bump, much of the suspension and braking hardware has been lifted from Porsche 944s. There are also several parts from KW and Bilstein to ensure the VW is capable of handling all of its extra grunt.

It’s Not Just the Powertrain

Knepper Bugs & More

Extensive work has been done to the exterior of the Beetle, and it’s now finished in a lovely shade of Marathon Blue. It also sits on classic Porsche wheels and the ride height has been lowered, giving it a more aggressive stance on the road.

There’s also a small carbon fiber spoiler, but nothing else to suggest that this Bug is packing nearly as much power as a Lamborghini Huracan.

More: The Weirdest Mustang You’ll Ever See Is Actually A Porsche 911 In Disguise

The cabin remains impressively simple. It retains the original gauge cluster and dashboard, now refinished but still true to the car’s roots, and has been fitted with a pair of Recaro seats sourced from a BMW 2002. The old shifter has also been replaced with a small digital touchscreen to select the appropriate gear.

Eager to show how well-built the car is, Knepper’s found took it on an 8,000 km (~5,000 km) journey earlier this year through Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, and even across the Strait of Gibraltar to North Africa.

Knepper Bugs & More

Volkswagen had high hopes for EVs as the company pivoted in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal. The ID.4 marked a solid start, but things quickly went wrong from there.

Plans to sell the ID.7 in America were abandoned, while the ID. Buzz failed to live up to expectations. As a result, huge markups have now given way to discounts of nearly $20,000.

More: VW Scraps ID.7 For North America Due To Frosty EV Climate

The company is now said to be considering offering range-extended powertrains in sedans and crossovers for Europe and the United States. The discussions are reportedly part of a larger conversation as the automaker is preparing a new five-year investment plan.

Bloomberg reports the details of these investments will be announced in March of next year. That’s a ways off, but a spokesperson told the publication they’re “monitoring market developments and has reserved the range extender concept for its future EV platform.”

They added that consumer demand will ultimately determine when and where range-extended vehicles are offered.

While we’ve seen a few range-extended vehicles in the United States, a number of new models are on the horizon. Besides the Scout Terra and Traveler, Stellantis is gearing up to launch range-extended versions of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Ram 1500.

Ford CEO Jim Farley has also praised them as he said they give customers an electric experience without range anxiety. More importantly, they enable companies to offer an “electric vehicle that’s fully comparable to an ICE vehicle in terms of cost.”

This is largely due to the fact that range-extended EVs can use a significantly smaller and cheaper battery pack. This is made possible by an engine, which acts as a generator.

As more legacy automakers navigate the shift to electric vehicles, the complexity of servicing and supporting them is beginning to reveal fault lines, especially when it comes to who pays for what.

Ford is now facing allegations that it underpaid two New York dealerships for comprehensive EV battery replacements, according to a lawsuit filed in US District Court.

Read: Ford Accused Of Advertising A Missing Feature On New Trucks

And the trouble may not stop there, as attorneys say similar legal actions are in motion and could eventually be consolidated into a class action, raising the stakes for the company.

Jericho Turnpike Auto Sales and Patchogue 112 Motors allege that Ford has sidestepped state warranty reimbursement laws by issuing low flat-rate payments for full battery pack replacements, rather than covering the actual costs of the repairs.

The dealer says it has completed 15 EV battery replacements on Ford models since early 2024. Of those, Ford allegedly reimbursed the dealer just $600 per battery for 13 jobs that should have cost $22,600 each, leaving a gap of $286,200. In the remaining two cases, the dealer received $13,000 per battery. Even so, the lawsuit claims Ford still failed to pay the full amount.

Patchogue 112 Motors reports a similar pattern, stating it was paid only $600 per battery instead of the expected $22,600.

What Are Ford’s Responsibilities?

At the heart of the lawsuit is the question of how franchised dealerships are compensated for warranty and service contract repairs.

The filling alleges that Ford ignored legal requirements despite a state statute requiring manufacturers to reasonably cover repairs and manufacturer service contracts not “less than the price and rate charged by the franchised motor vehicle dealer for like services to non-warranty and/or non-service contract customers.”

That includes the cost of parts plus a 40 percent markup. Dealers are also allowed, under the law, to apply their typical non-warranty retail markup on labor, which can range from 70 to 200 percent depending on the service. The lawsuit claims Ford has not followed these provisions.

Leonard Bellavia, one of the attorneys representing the dealerships, told Auto News that Ford isn’t alone. His firm is pursuing similar claims against other automakers in multiple states, all centered on what he describes as a pattern of failing to meet warranty payment obligations

A lot has changed since Caterham introduced its fully electric Project V concept all the way back in July 2023. Zero-emission sports cars don’t sound as appealing as they did, with many automakers now rethinking and delaying their electrification plans. But not Caterham.

The British company is preparing to unveil the first working prototype of its EV coupe at the Tokyo Auto Salon next month, a move that signals continued investment in a project it believes has long-term potential.

More: Caterham’s CSR Twenty Is The Priciest, Most Premium Seven Ever

According to the latest update, this initial prototype is being used for “testing and evaluation” as Caterham moves toward full-scale production. The company hasn’t pinned down a new launch window, but it’s understood that the previously suggested timeline of late 2025 or early 2026 is no longer on the table.

The last major update came in October 2024, when Caterham confirmed the Project V would use a Yamaha-supplied e-axle. The concept had originally promised 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) from a single electric motor, the same configuration Yamaha previously used on the 2022 Subaru STI E-RA concept. That figure still appears to stand.

A few months later, in December 2024, Caterham shared another technical development: the car will use immersion-cooled battery packs supplied by Xing Mobility. These cells, which use CTP (cell-to-pack) architecture, are said to provide 200 Wh/kg of energy density, outperforming traditional liquid-cooled alternatives. In practice, that likely means more range and less weight to carry around.

What’s Next for Project V?

The company’s next steps include continued evaluation of the electric powertrain, additional testing of the Xing battery system, and a round of chassis durability assessments. All of this will help shape the final production model, which still appears to share much with the original design study.

Besides the rolling prototype set to debut on January 9, Caterham also confirmed that the show car will make its US debut at the 2026 CES in Las Vegas on January 6. It’s likely this will be the same white vehicle displayed at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich last September

More: Another Gas Sports Car Dies So An Electric One Can Live

Having both cars on the circuit at once suggests that the Project V’s exterior and interior designs will carry over largely intact into the next stage of development.

A New Hand on the Wheel

In other news, Caterham announced last month that Bob Laishley had stepped down as CEO after four years at the helm. Laishley, a former Nissan executive, has been succeeded by Kazuho Takahasi, who is also the President and Founder of parent company VT Holdings.

Commenting on the prototype’s debut, Takahasi said:

“This is a significant milestone in the development of Project V, with our prototype making its public debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon. This next step enables us to begin a comprehensive vehicle testing program in collaboration with our technical partners. Our objective remains unchanged: to realise our vision of a pure electric sports car that embodies the unmistakable DNA of a Caterham.”

Caterham

VinFast’s bid to break into the American market has struggled to gain traction. The Vietnamese automaker’s US adventure has been marked by sluggish sales, dwindling dealership support, and a strategy that appears to be unraveling faster than it came together.

As more partners step back from the brand, questions are beginning to surface about the future of VinFast’s presence in the States.

Read: Owners Sue VinFast After VF 8 Takes Almost 24 Hours To Charge

VinFast currently offers the VF 8 crossover and the three-row VF 9 locally, and at one point, it floated plans to bring a compact VF 3 and even a pickup truck to American buyers. Those ambitions now seem increasingly out of reach.

Stalled Expansion Plans

Adding to that, the company ceremoniously broke ground on a North Carolina factory in 2023, aiming to begin production just a year later. That timeline quickly fell apart. Construction was halted, and the plant’s opening has now been postponed until 2028.

The signs aren’t encouraging. According to a report from AutoNews, VinFast now has fewer than two dozen stores operating across the US. That figure continues to shrink, as one location shut down in July, another closed in November, and a third in North Carolina is scheduled to close before the year ends.

Even among the remaining dealers, many are operating in name only. Several locations have no vehicles on site, and some are down to just a handful of units.

Indeed, of the 22 active dealers that VinFast says it has, just 17 of them have EVs in stock. Most of them have 15 or fewer vehicles available. In the case of one dealer in Florida, it has just a single 2024 VF 8 in stock, priced at $52,910.

Sales Collapse

VinFast sales have taken a big hit this year. Through the first ten months of this year, just 1,413 of its vehicles were registered in the United States, representing a 57 percent decline from the year prior. This comes despite the fact that total EV sales across the US have jump 11 percent this year.

The company’s expansion has clearly not gone as it would have liked. It originally expected to quickly sign 125 dealers, and then planned to have hundreds of outlets across the country by the end of 2024. As of August, it claimed to have “nearly 30 authorized dealerships.”

According to VinFast chairwoman Thuy Thu Le, the company has paused its aggressive push into the US and won’t open any more dealerships for the time being.

“Given the tariff situation and the instability in the EV market, we just need to see how that settles before we kind of push hard in the U.S.,” Thuy told Autonews. “Until we see some growth and stability in the U.S. market, we don’t intend to open more dealerships. Instead, we cultivate the relationship with the existing dealers and make sure they can get to profitability faster.”

Fiat is stepping into the spotlight once again, this time with a crossover that will expand the growing Panda lineup. The new model carries forward the Panda’s character, scaled up with a larger footprint and shaped by a fastback silhouette.

Two camouflaged prototypes of the production version of the 2024 Fastback concept were recently spotted in a parking lot, offering a clearer look at the exterior and, for the first time, a glimpse inside the cabin. The latest test cars have ditched some of their camouflage, revealing more of what’s in store.

Review: New Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid Makes Budget Look Cool Again

The LED headlights look similar to the Grande Panda, but they are slimmer and have tear-style extensions for a more modern look. These flank a concealed front grille that’s expected to carry over the pixel-like graphics and retro Fiat emblem found on the smaller sibling.

We can also see the lower bumper intake and a discreet skid plate with a metal-style finish. One of the prototypes has a red bodywork and rides on black steel wheels, which if intended for a base trim, are likely to be paired with hubcaps on the final production version.

Baldauf

The side view reveals standard door handles and sculpted fenders that add some definition to the bodywork. More notably, both the greenhouse and metal panels appear distinct from those on the Citroen Basalt, a related model currently on sale in markets like South America and India.

More: Fiat’s Panda Camper Is Back Pretending It’s An Overlander

Naturally, the standout feature of the Fastback is its rear section, where a sloping roofline meets slim LED taillights for a clean, tapering finish. One of the prototypes has shed its heavy camouflage, exposing the rear glass and an integrated ducktail spoiler. The rest of the tail keeps things more upright, with boxy surfacing, a wide tailgate, and the license plate positioned on the rear bumper.

The model, overall, feels like a natural evolution of the original concept, though its design has been moderated in typical fashion for production. If the Grande Panda is any indication, expect the exterior to include a handful of playful Easter Eggs, likely paying homage to the classic four-stripe Fiat emblem.

How Does It Look Inside?

Baldauf

Surprisingly, one of the prototypes had an uncovered interior. The interior layout diverges from that of the Grande Panda and even from its mechanical relatives, the Opel Frontera and Citroen C3 Aircross.

The dashboard pairs a compact digital gauge cluster with a larger central infotainment screen. Below that, leather-effect trim lines the dash, while glossy black plastic surrounds the oval-shaped center console for a bit of contrast.

A row of physical buttons sits along the lower part of the console, and the automatic gear selector appears to be the same unit used in several Stellantis models.

Other highlights include the two-spoke steering wheel that has the same shape with the Opel Frontera, and the new seats with a square pattern and semi-integrated headrests.

Multiple Powertrain Options

As with the rest of the future Panda family, the fastback will ride on the budget-oriented Smart Car architecture. It is expected to be offered with gasoline, mild-hybrid, and fully electric powertrain options, most likely shared with the aforementioned Citroen and Opel SUVs.

Fiat plans to offer the model in both European and South American markets, with an official reveal expected in early 2026. A year after that, it may be joined by a more traditionally shaped sibling, an SUV with a boxier rear end and added cargo space.

That model is rumored to revive the Multipla name and could square off against the likes of the Dacia Duster and Bigster.

Baldauf

Death cap mushrooms look harmless, but are responsible for the majority of the world's mushroom-related deaths. California officials say 21 people have been sickened in recent weeks, one fatally.

(Image credit: William West)

A former school bus driver has been arrested and is facing multiple felony charges after investigators alleged he molested at least one child, reported Arizona Family.

Authorities say Charles Ellington, who worked for a school district northwest of the Valley, was taken into custody on Dec. 1 and booked into jail the following day. District leaders reported they were first notified of an active investigation on Sept. 3, at which time Ellington was immediately placed on administrative leave while the district cooperated fully with law enforcement.

Ellington received a notice of intent to terminate on Sept. 11, and his employment officially ended on Oct. 8. He had worked for the district since Aug. 26, 2021.

According to the news report, district officials said all identified victims are currently assisting investigators. They emphasized that Ellington had passed all required pre-employment and ongoing background checks, including maintaining a valid commercial driver’s license, a clean drug and alcohol testing history, and an active fingerprint clearance card through the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

“These processes involve rigorous, ongoing checks,” said the district via the news report. “The district receives daily notifications from DPS if any employee’s card is suspended or revoked, allowing us to act immediately.”

The specific details of the allegations have not been released. According to authorities, Ellington was booked on charges including molestation of a child, sexual conduct with a minor and failure to comply with a court order. The investigation remains ongoing.

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The post Former Arizona School Bus Driver Arrested on Child Molestation Charges appeared first on School Transportation News.

After plenty of waiting, the new Toyota GR GT is here, and so is the return of the Lexus LFA. These two new Japanese supercars might not have shown up in all the ways we expected but one thing is clear: while they’re linked, they’ll have very different personalities from behind the wheel.

Now, a new in-depth video shows us just how Toyota and Lexus made each of their respective cars stand out from the other.

More: Toyota GR GT Looks Like A Batmobile And Hits Like A Supercar

Many might consider the GR GT to be a more faithful successor to the LFA. That’s due heavily to its hybrid V8 engine that makes some 641 horsepower (477 kW). That said, it’s clear that Toyota wasn’t trying to steal the LFA’s thunder when you take a quick look at the finer details.

That’s exactly what Top Gear just offered, with a detailed breakdown of both cars from nose to tail. The GR GT, in particular, leans hard into its driver-first philosophy. Its design is dominated by functional aero, from oversized intercooler openings to a rally-style hood vent that channels air up and over the windshield.

Much like the AMG GT or if we go further back in time, the Dodge Viper SRT and its derivatives, the GR GT has a lengthy hood, a small but highly functional cabin, and a squat, wide stance.

Presenter Tom Ford highlights how the driving position communicates intention. The seat height, digital gauge cluster, and steering wheel are all set up for optimal visibility. That’s key because the car has shift lights and vital information there.

The car only has four drive modes, custom, normal, sport, and track. The center control stack features physical buttons and switches. The cupholders are behind the occupants and in the middle because they’re not the focus here.

Of course, the track-only FIA-compliant GT3 race car version is even more extreme. It gets every bit of roll cage one might expect and then some. The cabin features almost zero creature comforts but what it lacks there it makes up for in naked carbon and switchgear. The spoiler at the rear is as wide as the car itself.

Then, there’s the LFA, and when we say it’s different, it’s not just because the V10 is gone in favor of all-electric propulsion. Ford points out that Lexus took full advantage of the EV powerplant, going as far as to design the exterior with it in mind. As such, the LFA gets almost none of the same venting and aero from the GR GT. It simply doesn’t need it.

The lines are more elegant. Take, for example, the hood where long strakes run from the top of the lights to the windshield. Instead of hard edges everywhere, the design is smoother with more compound curves.

That approach carries into the interior, which leans heavily on refinement. The split-cabin layout gives the driver their own space, while the controls are smaller and more delicate, matching the car’s calmer energy.

In short, these two sport models might have a lot of shared DNA, but there’s no doubt that they’ll drive quite differently. In fact, there’s little question that they’ll feel different for occupants even when they’re powered down.

California has set an ambitious goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. That path runs straight through mass electric vehicle adoption, which means saying goodbye to traditional gas-powered cars, and with them, a major chunk of how the state pays for its roads.

With gas tax revenue poised to shrink, officials are now exploring a new alternative: a per-mile road tax for EV drivers.

Also: Plug-In Hybrid And EV Drivers Face Pay-Per-Mile Tax In The UK

As it stands, approximately 80 percent of California’s road maintenance budget is funded through a gas tax. For every gallon pumped at the station, around 61 cents goes toward keeping the state’s vast network of highways, freeways, and local roads in working order.

How Will EVs Pay Their Share?

Obviously, as more and more people shift to EVs, this revenue stream will slowly dry up. This is where the road tax could come into play. California recently completed a pilot program for a road tax earlier this year, charging EV owners between 2 and 4 cents for every mile that they drive.

In theory, it’s a straightforward way to recover the funds needed for upkeep without relying on fossil fuels. But implementation may be anything but simple.

For one, it could end up costing quite a bit to set up and run. For another, drivers who rack up serious mileage, often those in rural areas or with long commutes, might bear the brunt of the expense.

As noted by Fox 26 News, a commuter traveling daily between Hanford and Fresno could face around $11 a week under the proposed system. Multiply that over a month or a year, and it becomes a noticeable new cost for people who may not have easy alternatives.

Then there’s the question of how the state would monitor each vehicle’s mileage. One proposed method involves installing a tracking device that plugs into the car and logs the miles traveled.

That could get expensive fast, especially if it needs to be rolled out across every EV on California’s roads. And even if the technology is viable, it brings up a different kind of cost, one to driver privacy.

Read: California EV Drivers Now Risk A $490 Fine Under New Rules

Many Californians would likely have reasonable concerns about being monitored so directly, especially if the data is handled by third parties or used beyond just tax purposes. Balancing effective tracking with individual privacy rights could prove to be a sticking point.

According to David Kline from the California Taxpayers Association, the logic behind the tax is simple: “Someone’s got to pay for the roads,” he said. “It should be the people who use the roads.”

However, he is concerned that the road tax could end up “switching the burden to different people,” questioning whether some of those who have to drive long distances can afford the new tax. That tension between fairness and practicality remains unresolved as the state weighs its next move.

China’s electric vehicle market isn’t just growing, it’s evolving faster than most can process. With new models rolling out at breakneck speed, the country’s automakers aren’t simply keeping pace with global trends, they’re driving them.

And they’re not building EVs in a vacuum either. Domestic demand, especially among younger and first-time buyers, is pushing the shift forward.

Read: Forget EVs, China’s Dumping Millions Of Gas Cars On The Rest Of The World

It turns out, more of these buyers are now leaning electric than ever before. A recent study conducted by Bloomberg Intelligence has revealed that 47 percent of prospective first-car buyers in the country plan to buy an EV within the next 12 months. This represents a massive spike from the 25 percent in February.

Widen the scope to include all prospective car buyers in the country, and the trend holds. A full 52 percent now say they intend to make their next vehicle an EV, compared to 34 percent back in both February and March 2024.

Interest in extended-range EVs, those that offer additional miles from an onboard generator or similar tech, is also gaining ground. As of the latest figures, 8 percent of surveyed buyers said they’d consider one for their next purchase.

Interestingly, the Bloomberg survey also found that plug-in hybrids are losing ground fast. Just 12 percent of respondents now say they’re considering one for their next car, a steep drop from 23 percent in February.

Conventional hybrids have slipped even further. Once viewed as a sensible middle option, their share has fallen from 15 percent in February to just 9 percent by November.

Demand for traditional combustion-engine cars hasn’t disappeared though, which comes as somewhat of a surprise. 19 percent said they’d opt for an ICE model for their next car. Admittedly, just 1,000 people participated in the survey, so it’s hard to make definitive conclusions based on this small sample size.

What’s Behind the Surge?

According to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Joanna Chen, the competitive prices of EVs in China have contributed to the exceptionally strong demand for them.

“The country beats Europe and the US with battery electric vehicles already reaching price parity versus gasoline cars, while consumers’ strong interests in advanced tech features give local startups and tech giants Huawei Technologies Co. and Xiaomi Corp. stronger edge in the fierce market competition,” she said.

It’s no secret that electric vehicles still carry a steeper price tag than their gas-powered counterparts, and a recent report from COX Automotive puts that gap into sharper focus. In November, the average new car cost $49,814, while the average electric vehicle rang in at $58,638.

Now, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is calling out this price discrepancy, along with the lack of variety in the USA, as one of the two main reasons behind the lackluster demand for all-electric vehicles.

More: Ford CEO Hints At Affordable RWD Performance Sedan

Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm AI conference, Scaringe argued that America doesn’t offer anywhere near the variety that buyers in Europe and China enjoy. He especially hit on price point as the reason that EV adoption in the U.S. sits at just 8 percent.

He went as far as to call it a “shocking lack of choice,” while claiming that American buyers have “well under five great choices” near the average new-car price.

Somewhat surprisingly, he cited Tesla as the automaker with the only truly compelling EVs under $50,000. The Model Y is available for under $50,000, and the Model 3 starts below $40,000.

“And that’s not a reflection of a healthy market with lots of choice,” Scaringe said. “If you think of it as a consumer, you have 300 different internal combustion engine choices at that price or lower, and you have maybe one highly compelling EV choice.”

Of course, the CEO didn’t miss the opportunity to tout his brand’s upcoming R2, an SUV with a target starting price of $45,000.

While American EV buyers wait for more options, rivals overseas are battling in crowded markets. Europe offers a flood of choices from Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, and a growing list of Chinese imports.

China itself remains the most competitive EV battleground in the world, where BYD, Nio, Xpeng, Leapmotor, and even newcomer Xiaomi are fighting tooth-and-nail for market share.

To that end, Scaringe aligned himself with the Trump administration in pushing to bring more manufacturing back to the U.S. He believes it’ll help domestic brands to scale EV supply and ultimately lower costs. Now, we wait to see if he’s right.

Stephen Rivers for Carscoops

Compared to some of the battery juggernauts in China and South Korea, Rimac Technology is still a relatively small player. But that hasn’t stopped it from pursuing next-generation EV tech and among its most ambitious efforts is a solid-state battery project that could power a future Bugatti model due within the next five years.

Read: Rimac Wants To Buy Porsche Out Of Bugatti

Rimac Technology became a standalone engineering firm in 2022, spun off from the Croatian carmaker to focus on supplying electric components to third-party manufacturers.

Behind the Battery Development

According to chief operating officer Nurdin Pitarevic, the company is now working with composite material specialists from Mitsubishi and solid-state cell developer ProLogium to bring its new battery to life.

The prototype battery in question is a 100 kWh pack that weighs 30 kg (66 lbs) less than a typical equivalent. Rimac says it delivers 20 to 30 percent more energy density than traditional batteries, with the long-term goal of reaching price parity with conventional NMC cells by 2035.

Speaking with Autocar, Pitarevic revealed that testing of the new batteries will start soon and hinted at them being used in a mid-volume production model from Bugatti in 2030.

Details about the new Bugatti model are few and far between, but it would likely be the company’s long-awaited car to sit alongside the Tourbillon, rather than a special version of that V16-powered monster.

Rimac’s e-Axles

It’s not just advanced batteries that Rimac Technology is developing. New e-axles that combine electric motors, gearboxes, and electronics into a single package are also in the works, being flexible enough to be used for front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive models.

They can also be specced to deliver between 200 hp and 470 hp, making them suitable for a broad range of performance models. Porsche and BMW are among the automakers currently sourcing e-axles from Rimac.

A Saudi startup called Ceer, developed in partnership with Foxconn Technology Group, is also on board. Ceer’s upcoming SUV will feature a Rimac rear e-axle with output comparable to the 1,288 horsepower rear motor in the Rimac Nevera, yet the unit weighs only 132 kg (291 lbs), a full 66 kg (145 lbs) lighter than the Nevera’s setup.

Rimac is also working on a smaller e-axle, weighing just 48 kg (106 lbs), with a projected output of 500 horsepower.

Source: Autocar