VW has presented a cool addition to the scale model collection of Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland.
The replica of the VW ID. Buzz in 1:87 scale drives around the miniature city while towing a caravan.
The project took 200 hours of work, and is now part of the popular tourist attraction in Germany.
Volkswagen has a long history with campers, from the original T1 to the fully electric ID. Buzz. The latter served as an inspiration for a tiny scale model that roams the streets of Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland while towing an equally small caravan.
Making a replica in 1:87 scale is already a difficult challenge, but the tiny VW also needed to be driveable, complete with an electric motor and functional lighting units. Still, after almost 200 hours of work, the micro camper started its maiden voyage.
The caravan and the roof rack don’t just serve cosmetic reasons; in fact, they provide enough space for the mechanical bits that didn’t fit in the original shell. Despite its size, the model stays true to the design of the original, featuring a yellow and white paint combination.
The miniature Buzz is powered by a microscopic electric motor sourcing energy from a 4 volt system. When the battery runs out of juice, the car automatically drives to a dedicated charging station, where it recharges in 30 minutes using its mirrors as electrical conductors.
Volkswagen
According to VW, the mini ID. Buzz is the smallest moving vehicle in the fully automated road traffic system of the made-up city of Knuffingen in Miniatur Wunderland, and the only one that tows a caravan.
The most popular tourist attraction in the city of Hamburg has over 1,200 trains, and a total of 16 km (10 miles) of tracks and detailed landscapes. It is worth noting that one of these trains is stuffed with VW Polo models – also in 1:87 scale – as a nod to the 50th anniversary of the small hatchback.
The tiny minivan was designed after the ID. Buzz of #BULLILOVEstories that has covered over 125,000 km (77,671 miles) through 41 countries. Presenter Christian Schluter has spent more than 220 nights in the vehicle, as he travels around the world collecting stories about the iconic VW Bus.
Interestingly, VW is keeping track of the distance traveled by the tiny ID. Buzz camper in Miniature Wunderland, converting it to scale to see if it surpasses the mileage of the original. Furthermore, the company has hidden another miniature ID. Buzz within the facilities in Hamburg, as an Easter Egg for visitors.
The US House of Representatives just passed Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ legislation.
It’ll now go to the Senate, where it’ll also have to pass before making it to the president’s desk.
If approved, EV and hybrid owners could face significantly higher annual registration taxes.
After a marathon session in the House, lawmakers passed Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’. While it still has to go through the Senate before becoming a law, the implications are indeed big. Under the proposal, hybrid owners could pay $100 more every year to register their car, while EV drivers would face a steeper fee of $250.
Those new taxes are meant to combat the debt that the government incurs as a result of crumbling infrastructure. Right now, that work is mostly funded by gas taxes which are currently set at $0.18 per gallon. With more people driving EVs and hybrids, people are buying gas less and so the funds are dwindling.
“The bill includes provisions from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to provide historic investments in the United States Coast Guard to strengthen our national and border security, as well as … ensuring that electric vehicles begin contributing to the Highway Trust Fund,” said Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the influential Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
According to TTNews, the last time the Highway Trust Fund received any sort of assistance was back in 2021. Despite that, it goes into tens of billions of dollars of debt every year. Since EVs buy very little fuel, they’ve often been seen as freeloaders on American roads. Hybrids fall into the murky middle. Both tend to weigh more on average than a gas-powered car in the same segment so it’s worth considering that they have the potential to do more damage.
A Broken System Gets a Shakeup
The reality here is that with or without EVs and hybrids, the government’s plan for funding highway infrastructure was a failure. It’s never been tied to inflation, so it’s continually lagging behind, and now we’re here, 20 billion dollars in debt annually.
That said, it seems that the pendulum of failure might be swinging just as strongly but in the other direction now. As we pointed out in our earlier coverage of this topic, now, EV and hybrid drivers will end up paying far more than gas-car drivers. Ultimately, this could still end up getting axed before it becomes law. GOP leaders in the Senate could make several changes before trying to pass it there.
California vows to sue after Senate votes to revoke its clean air standards waiver.
Newsom calls move illegal, says it endangers public health and the environment.
This will be the 23rd lawsuit filed by AG Rob Bonta against the Trump administration.
California is going to war, legally speaking, against the Federal government. On Thursday, the GOP-led Senate voted to strip the state of its longstanding ability to set its own vehicle emissions rules. California’s response? A firm promise to sue the federal government if and when US President Donald Trump signs the measure into law.
When the news broke, California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t wait long to respond. He immediately called the move illegal and said it was harmful to health and the environment. “The party of MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) is making our world smoggier,” he said. To revoke the waiver from California, the Senate did go against counsel from two nonpartisan government entities that both said it would be illegal to do so.
States’ Rights or Regulatory Overreach?
That said, the GOP felt that California had too much power and was leveraging that power to set rules on a pseudo-federal level. Several states had joined California in imposing the same rules, including one that banned new gas-car sales after 2035.
Based on data, those goals were far too lofty considering the current state of EV adoption in the U.S. The GOP decision takes the stress off of automakers, oil companies, and dealers who felt they were going to be stuck with products that wouldn’t sell well.
Health First, Says California
For many in California, the state’s regulations are prioritizing health and wellness above all else. “We have real-world evidence that these rules are improving public health,” said Dr. John Balmes, of UC Berkeley. A recent study from the University of Southern California showed a significant reduction in asthma-related emergency room visits for children and adults associated with the number of electric vehicles in a zip code.”
Others in the state see the revocation of the waiver as a positive move. “I think this was a good middle ground that we can still talk about EVs,” said John Pitre, CEO of Motor City Auto Club in Bakersfield, to BakersfieldNow. “We can still develop them. We can still have future opportunities to explore different types of EVs. But it’s not at the detriment of people having a selection of gas or diesel-powered vehicles that they may really want.”
Ultimately, only time will tell whether or not California’s lawsuit will claw back its freedom to set its own standards. This will be the 21st lawsuit filed by the state attorney general against the Trump administration. “The federal government’s overreach is illogical,” Bonta said in a press conference in Sacramento. “It’s politically motivated, and it comes at the expense of Californians’ lives and livelihoods.”
Tesla slashed lease costs on Model Y Long Range with lower payments.
Dual-motor version now leases for $530 monthly before fees and incentives.
It also confirmed that the 1.99% financing deal for the AWD will end next month.
Tesla is pushing hard on its updated Model Y lineup, trimming lease costs and setting an end date for a low-interest financing offer that’s been floating around for a while.
Tesla has reworked the lease terms (likely by reducing the Money Factor / interest rate) so the Long Range RWD can be had for $491 a month on a 36-month, 10,000-mile-per-year lease with zero down, before taxes and fees. That figure drops even more if your state throws in EV incentives. In Massachusetts, for example, a $3,500 state rebate brings the payment down to just $380 a month. Prefer a shorter lease? A 24-month term with the same mileage costs $525 per month before taxes and fees.
Step up to the dual-motor Long Range AWD version and the numbers have been lowered too. Tesla has knocked around $75 off the previous monthly lease rate, bringing it down to $530 per month for 36 months and 10,000 miles. Apply that same Massachusetts incentive and you’re looking at $421 a month. The 24-month lease for this trim is $560.
In terms of financing deals, the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive is still available with an APR of just 1.99 percent. Notably, that deal is available for a minimum down payment of 15% plus applicable taxes and fees for up to 72 months. Those who do need to use the 84-month term are subject to a much less appealing 6.44 percent APR. That has been the case for a little while now, but Tesla is putting a deadline on it. It’ll end after June 16.
Finally, the Long Range RWD version isn’t available with 1.99 percent financing. The best rate available on it right now is 5.49 percent. Granted, the total price difference between the two versions is just $4,000 total so moving up to the AWD variant is probably what Tesla wants customers to do.
Tesla being Tesla, just because those better APRs expire on June 16 doesn’t mean they’re gone for good. All it takes is a little patience. If inventory doesn’t move fast enough, there’s a decent chance Tesla brings them back, or maybe even throws out a zero percent deal before the year’s over.
All US C-HRs come standard with dual electric motors and can hit 60 mph in 5 seconds.
European versions will also be sold in single-motor 165 hp and 221 hp configurations.
Toyota benchmarked rivals and claims this SUV now belongs in the premium group.
Electric cars aren’t exactly uncharted territory anymore, but that doesn’t mean every automaker has found its footing. After years of dominating the hybrid world, Toyota is finally getting serious about fully electric vehicles. Enter the next-generation C-HR, a compact SUV with a much sharper edge than the one you might remember. It’s not just a redesign – it’s practically a reboot, and yes, it’s fast enough to leave Toyota’s own GR86 sports car in the dust.
After easing into the EV market with the awkwardly named bZ4X, now rebranded simply as bZ, Toyota seems determined to make an impression. In developing the all-electric C-HR, the company says it benchmarked the SUV against both mainstream and premium rivals, and confidently claims it now belongs in the latter camp. A substantial 338 horsepower from dual electric motors certainly strengthens that argument.
While recently speaking with Road & Track, the chief engineer for the Toyota bZ and C-HR, Daisuke Ido, acknowledged that adding power boosts the new model’s appeal.
In an interview with Road & Track, Daisuke Ido, chief engineer for Toyota’s bZ and C-HR programs, made it clear the brand is aiming higher. “During benchmarking, we brought some of the competitors into two groups — the normal, let’s say daily use cars, and the premium cars,” he said. “Now, we are in the premium group. The new numbers are more powerful. More power is more appealing.”
That message is echoed by Chad Moore, marketing manager for the bZ and C-HR lineup, who said Toyota is “positioning it as more sporty and fun to drive” compared to the outgoing model. Additionally, he pointed out that Toyota has made it “much more premium inside and outside, not just with the BEV powertrain and the acceleration.”
Toyota says the 338-hp C-HR can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in a respectable 5 seconds. In Europe, it’ll also be sold in 165 hp and 221 hp configurations, but these models won’t be available in the United States.
Admittedly, the C-HR is far from an outright performance car, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or Kia EV6 GT. It’s more similar to the (larger) EV6 GT-Line AWD, which delivers 320 hp and can hit 60 mph in around the same 5 seconds. That should be more than enough for most shoppers, and there were times not too long ago when those figures were reserved for high-end sports cars.
The U8 L has an 127.9-inch wheelbase and will be sold exclusively in 2+2+2 configuration.
The luxury SUV uses the standard model’s quad-motor, turbo-four range-extender unit.
All up, the U8 delivers 1,180 hp and 944 lb-ft (1,280 Nm) of torque and can even do tank turns.
There’s no shortage of over-the-top SUVs these days, but the Yangwang U8 manages to stand out in a sea of excess, and not just for its wild features. It recently even caught the attention of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who seemed suitably impressed.
Apparently, though, BYD’s high-end sub-brand decided the original U8 wasn’t quite lavish enough, because now there’s an even longer and more luxurious version named the Yangwang U8 L.
According to new details out of China, the U8 L rides on a massive 3,250 mm (127.9-inch) wheelbase, which is 200 mm (7.8 inches) longer than the base model. This extra length makes room for a custom 2+2+2 seating configuration, bringing a touch of private-jet layout to your daily school run or mountain retreat. Unfortunately, Yangwang hasn’t shared interior photos yet, so we’ll have to imagine how those second-row thrones might look once you slide in.
Longer, Flashier, Shinier
However, some obvious changes have been made to the exterior of the new flagship U8. For starters, the Yangwang badge on the front grille can be finished in 24-karat gold, as can the emblem at the rear. The automaker’s designers have also crafted new 23-inch forged wheels for the U8 L that have floating center caps, just like a Rolls-Royce. These new wheels are wrapped in wider rubber than the standard model.
Around back, Yangwang has cleaned up the design by removing the spare wheel carrier. The result is a sleeker, more upmarket profile that dials down the rugged SUV cues and turns up the executive limo vibe.
Same Power, Same Party Tricks
Underneath, the U8 L doesn’t mess with the formula. China’s Autohome reports that the U8 L shares the same drivetrain as the standard U8: four electric motors, a 2.0-liter turbocharged range-extender, and a 49.05 kWh battery pack. The numbers are hefty at 1,180 hp (880 kW) and 944 lb-ft (1,280 Nm) of torque, and the party tricks remain intact. That includes the ability to float in water and execute tank turns, thanks to each wheel getting its own motor.
Yangwang provided the world a glimpse at the U8 L at the recent Shanghai Auto Show, with production scheduled to kick off later this year. Prices could start at around 1.5 million yuan, or the equivalent of around $205,000 at current exchange rates. That’s a lot for a Chinese-built SUV, but it’s a relative bargain compared to a Rolls-Royce Cullinan that starts at over $400,000 in America.
That’s no small sum for Chinese-built SUV, but compared to a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which starts at over $400,000 in the U.S., it almost feels like a deal, especially if your idea of a bargain includes gold trim and amphibious capabilities.
While attending the STN EXPO East conference in March, School Transportation News connected with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools student transportation professional in North Carolina. One of these individuals is Monique Jackson, an education veteran who recently wrote a children’s book focused on school bus safety.
Jackson is an area manager for Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the second largest school district in the state. One of 14 area managers, Jackson oversees services for over 5,000 families across 12 different schools. Jackson recalled her time as president of her senior class in high school, where in the yearbook she had said that she would like to be a kindergarten teacher. Little did she know, that would only be the start of her over 25-year career working with students.
Her educational career began at Crispus Attucks Children’s Center, a non-profit childcare center in Roxbury, Massachusetts as a preschool teacher. Jackson transitioned from early childhood care to a program director in Boston that led to her education advocacy work with a group that she described as a “inner city network of childcare provider professionals.”
She later became the president of this group, serving for three years. Her job included working on legislative bills to provide quality and affordable child-care for all the children in the community. She also led the Dorchester Neighborhood Cluster, an organization that utilized funding from the state’s Department of Education for parent advocacy, continuing education for educators, training and workforce development.
Additionally, she was the director of court child-care, where she helped to provide a safe and therapeutic environment for children whose parents were in the courtroom, so they would not be exposed to all the things being discussed in courts.
“I’ve been around for quite some time in terms of the education field,” said Jackson. “I have worked in diverse programs, that are traditional and nontraditional.”
After moving to North Carolina in 2004, Jackson continued her educational journey in after-school care programs and later as a teacher for another five years before entering the world of student transportation.
As a young child, Jackson shared that her mother would walk her to school. However, she rode the school bus for one year during middle school.
“One of the things that we were dealing with at the time, which is really sad, was some issues around racism, because they integrated the schools, and we were basically bused into areas [where] people that look like me did not live,” she recounted.
She described a traumatic incident when someone outside the bus threw a glass soda bottle that struck her black school bus driver in the face.
“I have never forgotten that as a child on the bus and seeing that happen,” she said, adding she believes that everything happens for a reason and there was a silver lining to witnessing the shocking event.
“I think for me, it helped me to realize I still want to work in education and work with children and families. However, it made me realize the importance of cultivating and fostering an environment that is inclusive and inviting for all, and then, of course, focusing on the component of safety as a core value,” she said.
This sentiment is highlighted in Jackson’s first children’s book, “Mommy, Why is Everyone So Mad?” Published in 2020, Jackson shared the book unfolds the feelings surrounding the lack of acceptance that many people face in today’s world and, despite that, how we can all model respect and kindness in our interactions.
“You know, children have a squabble in the sandbox. They go back to being friends again. They forgive each other. They give second chances,” said Jackson. “And sometimes as adults, we lose that softness and that ability to be forgiving and to realize that guess what, we’re human beings. We’re not perfect, we’re going to make mistakes, you know, different things are going to happen. But we have to remember that it’s all about building community and supporting each other.
“We need to breathe,” she continued. “Recognize our humanity. That’s the piece that’s missing. Because when you look at humanity, it doesn’t matter about color, race, politics, religion, socioeconomic background. It matters about people, and what people need to thrive and grow and be successful and happy in our lives.”
Before joining student transportation, Jackson went back to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in school administration with the goal of becoming a principal. She expressed that she was looking for something different, and a friend recommended that she apply for an open position of transportation manager for the Hopewell area. She was hired and she has stayed in the transportation arena since 2018.
Monique Jackson poses with her book “Gus the Talking Safety Bus,” at the 2025 STN EXPO East conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jackson channeled her love of storytelling, education and safety into her latest children’s book, “Gus the Talking Safety Bus.” The two characters are based on her own twin granddaughters, Ava and Libby, who know all about Gus, a robot used by CMS to train students in kindergarten and first grade about school bus safety.
Jackson said Gus served as her inspiration to use a familiar face to teach children about the importance of safety in the Danger Zone at bus stops and onboard the bus.
She explained that it’s important for students to know what is expected of them from a safety perspective before they get on the school bus. She outlines five safety basics in her book, which she hopes is used as a teaching tool. Her advice is to confirm the expectations, restate them to students, and develop a routine so that they know exactly what to do. This ranges from waiting until the bus has come to a complete stop to how to sit securely in the school bus seats.
Of course, school bus safety doesn’t rely simply on the students but also the school bus drivers. Jackson said she considers her drivers to be “rockstars.”
“Drivers do a lot behind the wheel and then also keep those students safe every day. This is a tough job, and I tell people the same way teachers have a tough job, school bus drivers do too,” she said. “Who knows what it’s like to get behind the wheel of a one-ton machine, and you have precious cargo on board? They don’t realize the things that drivers face and what they run into every day in order to keep those children safe and to get them to school and get them back home every day.”
She said she tries to provide a strong safety foundation by encouraging her drivers to keep in mind that it takes 21 days to form a habit. She encourages them to start the new school year by reinforcing safety rules consistently with the students and modeling them. This sets the tone for the year and can be adjusted to developmental age with each route.
Jackson said she makes sure to let her drivers know that they are fully supported by her, which means following up on behavioral incidents that may require action from school administration. She said she makes sure to follow due process, which includes reporting incidents as referrals to lead drivers and forwarding to school administration. If a resolution isn’t reached, she said she can pull evidence of past referrals as well as videos of the infractions to ensure that the driver is best equipped to handle the school bus and students safely.
As she shared on Episode 254 of the School Transportation Nation podcast, Jackson said she supports a multi-prong approach to school bus and Danger Zone safety, an effort that includes transportation leadership, the drivers, the students and their families and educational material.
Jackson’s passion for educational access and transportation safety is evident to anyone who interacts with her. “I love children and families, and I think that it’s important that all children have access to a quality education, whether it’s before school, after school, of course for our daily school routines as well,” she said.
To add to her ever-growing list of accomplishments, Jackson is also the founder of Kingdom at Work, an online faith platform that she created during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide support for people struggling during a time of isolation. She said of transportation “when there’s a crisis, we transform,” and that the group assisted in transporting educational materials, devices and meals to students.
Jackson said she is excited to continue her journey as an author and has plans for future writing projects. Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and directly from her website.
A teen girl who was on the receiving end of profanities and a racial slur from a woman while riding a Currituck County Schools bus spoke out on how shocked she was by the incident, reported WAVY 10.
The incident reportedly occurred May 15, when 35-year-old Samantha Spoor boarded the school bus and started yelling at eighth-grade Moyock Middle School student Savannah Bailey.
Bailey told local news reporters that Spoor was told by her son that he had been kicked on by another student on the school bus. When the bus got to Spoor’s stop, she made her way inside the bus. Bailey said she stood up from her seat only to better hear what the woman was saying, but that’s when Spoor directed the profane comments at Bailey.
According to the news report, Bailey was shocked and felt disrespected. Her mother, Christina Bailey, told local news reporters that this incident was uncalled for. Bailey’s father, Anthony Bailey, also stated that he is now unsure if he wants his daughter riding on that school bus route anymore.
The district said only authorized personnel and students are permitted to board school buses, and that Spoor’s behavior was unacceptable. The matter was reported to law enforcement.
Spoor now reportedly faces misdemeanor charges of trespassing, disorderly conduct and communication threats.
Last year, CATL received more government subsidies than any other company.
Other brands receiving significant subsidies include BYD, SAIC, and GWM.
As electric vehicles continue their steady march toward becoming a dominant force on global roads, one country has pulled far ahead of the rest- and it didn’t happen by accident.
By now, it’s widely understood that Chinese automakers have taken a commanding lead in the EV race, while many Western legacy brands are still scrambling to catch up. It’s also well known that Chinese battery companies are driving much of this momentum, leading with rapid innovation and serious scale. But how did they manage to surge ahead so dramatically in such a short time? The answer is fairly straightforward: money. More precisely, billions in government subsidies every single year.
Fresh data from Nikkei Asia shows just how significant this financial support has been. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., better known as CATL, the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer, has been raking in the kind of government funding that would likely make Elon Musk reconsider his next big tax tweet.
While CATL has not reveal full-year details of the government help it received in 2024, it has disclosed that in the first half it got 3.84 billion yuan ($532 million) in state subsidies. This made it one of the largest beneficiaries of the Chinese government’s policy, only behind state-owned oil company Sinopec, which received 4.06 billion yuan ($563 million). Importantly, however, that’s how much Sinopec received for the full 2024 calendar year, whereas CATL’s figure is only for the first six months of 2024 – thus, it total, the latter’s figure far exceeded Sinopec’s.
The subsidies CATL has received appear to have jumped in the second half of 2024. As noted by Nikkei Asia, in 2023, it disclosed its subsidies under ‘other income’ in its financial reports. In 2023, ‘other income’ totaled 6.26 billion yuan (~$868 million), and of this, 5.72 billion yuan (~$793 million) were subsidies. In 2024, its full-year report revealed 9.96 billion yuan (~$1.3 billion) in ‘other income,’ but didn’t specify how much of this was subsidies.
Of course, it’s not just CATL that is benefiting from this practice Full-year data from 2024 reveals that BYD received almost 3.8 billion yuan (~$527 million) in subsidies last year, no doubt playing a significant role in the firm’s ability to release so many new models so frequently.
Great Wall Motor was the fourth-largest recipient of subsidies, earning a touch under 3 billion yuan (~$416 million). SAIC Motor closely trailed GWM, receiving more than 2 billion yuan (~$277 million) in subsidies for the year.
All this answers the questions we posed at the beginning. There’s no secret sauce at play here; the Chinese managed to leapfrog the competition and undercut their rivals at the same time simply due to immense state help. No wonder, then, that the US and the EU are seething as they watch their own brands trying to compete in an uneven playing field.
Senate republicans voted to revoke California’s ability to self-govern on the matter of cars.
Vote passed 51–44 despite warnings from nonpartisan legal experts questioning its legality.
California’s 2035 gas car sales ban faces major obstacles after losing federal emissions waiver.
In a move that could reshape the future of clean transportation policy in the U.S., Senate Republicans just voted to strip California of its long-standing authority to set its own vehicle emissions rules, including blocking its plan to stop sales of gas-powered vehicles.
The decision targets California’s ambitious clean-air mandates, which critics say are too aggressive for the current market to handle. Supporters of the state’s standards, however, argue that this vote undermines state rights and sets a troubling precedent for federal overreach.
California has long set its own rules regarding air pollution standards. These included regulations on heavy-duty trucks, trains, and cars. It had even declared that it wouldn’t allow the sale of gas-powered new cars and trucks after 2035. But that authority was just revoked using the Congressional Review Act, or CRA.
This happened despite warnings from two nonpartisan agencies, the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office, both of which warned the Senate that this move was likely illegal. Nevertheless, the Senate voted 51 to 44 to overturn the waiver that grants California the power it had to set its own rules.
A Shift With National Consequences
This is a huge move because California, by itself, equates to the fourth-largest economy on the globe. Automakers have largely followed California’s guidance on emissions to keep selling cars there. Several states have also taken up the same standards. Now, all of that is in question as Donald Trump’s signature will axe the waiver for good.
Reacting to the news, California Governor Gavin Newsom said, “The United States Senate has a choice: cede American car-industry dominance to China and clog the lungs of our children, or follow decades of precedent and uphold the clean air policies that Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon fought so hard for. Will you side with China or America?”
The Conservative Pushback
Those on the other side of the political aisle obviously have a different view. “California has imposed the most ridiculous car regulations anywhere in the world, with mandates to move to all electric cars,” Trump said during his campaign, reports The Guardian. “I will terminate that.”
“The fact is, these EV sales mandates were never achievable,” John Bozzella, president and chief executive of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement. “There’s a significant gap between the marketplace and these EV sales requirements.”
How did the party of small government justify stepping in and imposing its will on a state this way? It says that since California has such a large sway on the auto industry that it was effectively setting Federal policy all along. This move stops that ability and returns that power to the Federal level alone.
“Over the past two decades, California has used its waiver authority to push its extreme climate policies on the rest of the country, which was never the intent of the Clean Air Act,” Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Republican of West Virginia, said to the New York Times.
The Hard Numbers
As we recently pointed out, data does seem to indicate that California’s goals surrounding the end of gas-powered new car sales are too ambitious. While EVs are gaining traction around the world, the U.S. is one of the slowest markets concerning adoption.
No doubt, that’s the result of several factors like distance between destinations, charging infrastructure, and pricing. Regardless of why the uptake is slower, it still makes California’s goals tough to imagine coming true. This new move from the Senate makes it appear altogether impossible now.
A new Tesla Model 3 crash reportedly happened while running on Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
Video from the car shows it driving across the oncoming traffic lane, into grass, and ultimately a tree.
If this video is everything it purports to be, Tesla will need to sort out exactly what happened ASAP.
Autonomous driving may be the future, but the present still has a lot of explaining to do. Especially when cars with so-called “Full Self-Driving” capabilities start careening off the road for no obvious reason.
That said, it’s rare to see what we just have in a newly released set of videos involving a Tesla. According to the title, it shows a crash while running what Tesla calls its autonomous system, Full Self-Driving (Supervised). What’s worse, though, is that it seems to do so without rhyme or reason in broad daylight with no traffic on a straight road.
Tesla famously uses vision-based software and hardware to run its semi-autonomous Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. In theory, it makes complete sense since we humans also drive almost entirely via vision-based mechanics. In practice, though, there are some major concerns, and this video highlights them. We’ll circle back to that.
The Incident: Straight Road, Sharp Left Turn
A YouTube channel recently uploaded four videos showing each side of a car during a crash. They say this is a Model 3 and that it’s running FSD 13.2.8, which is almost the latest available version. On May 11, Tesla released 13.2.8, but this crash happened on February 26 so indeed, it was up to date given that information.
That said, what the video shows is the most shocking part of this entire situation. Across three of the four clips, we see the car moving for 45 seconds. In all of them, everything appears totally normal for the first 31 seconds as the car trundles down a two-lane road. Then, just as a car passes going the opposite way, all hell seems to break loose.
The car turns hard to the left, goes across the opposing traffic lane, goes off the road, and hits a tree before rolling over. From the moment it begins to turn to the moment it impacts the tree is less than three seconds. While that’s tough to swallow, it’s the conditions that really make this a bad deal for Tesla.
The road was perfectly straight. This appears to be at some time in the relatively early or later part of the day as the shadows cast on the ground are long. Despite that, the sun is bright and seemingly unobstructed by clouds, so there’s no lack of lighting in the scene. Finally, there’s no complex traffic situation here with markings, other cars, or road signs.
Still, for whatever reason, it appears as though this car allegedly on FSD just decided that it needed to leave the roadway and did exactly that. Adding even more confusion to this crash are videos of YouTubers testing FSD against inanimate objects on the road. In almost every case, the technology focuses on slowing itself down, stopping even, to avoid an obstacle. Very rarely does it try this sort of hard steering input at speed.
The Lidar Elephant in the Room
And this brings us back to vision-based autonomous driving systems. Again, we humans use vision to determine how to control our cars. Tesla is trying to do that too, but it’s caught flack, and I suspect is about to catch far more, over its choice to skip using lidar and radar tech.
While vision can work, and obviously does for most people on most days, Lidar and radar offer the ability to easily see through bad weather conditions like fog or haze. They could simply be used as a redundancy to confirm what a vision-based system thinks it sees too. Nevertheless, Tesla ditched it years ago and its CEO Elon Musk appears committed to never bringing it back.
Reports From The Driver
According to the person who posted the videos on Reddit, he was going around 55 mph when the crash happened. He says of the experience, “I loved the FSD until this happened. I was a full believer in autonomous vehicles until this happened to me. Lesson learned.” Thankfully, the only injuries he suffered included a cut on his chin, some lower-back discomfort, and “emotional damage,” as he calls it.
It’s worth pointing out that there are many unknowns here. While there appears to be no reason to suspect these videos and their description are inaccurate, there could be more to the story that we’re not being told. If that doesn’t end up being the case, though, Tesla is likely in a lot of hot water over this. The owner has submitted requests for all of the data relating to the crash so hopefully more of that sees the light of day.
Previous crashes involving the software typically offered some sort of purchase for Tesla defenders to cling to. Based on everything available in the four videos here, it appears as though FSD just made its most blatant mistake in the public sphere.
If this is possible with the hardware and software running Tesla’s planned Robotaxi service, it might have to be even more careful than it’s already planning on being. When asked if he’d ever buy another Tesla, the owner of this car’s words were damning. “I want another but would NEVER use FSD again.” Yeah, I think we can all understand why.
Xiaomi has launched their first crossover in China and it’s called the YU7.
It features a stylish design as well as a high-tech cabin with a panoramic display.
The model offers three powertrains including a dual-motor AWD system with 681 hp.
The electric SUV game just got a little more interesting. Xiaomi gave us our first look at the stylish YU7 last year, and now the crossover has officially been launched in China. It’s big news as the YU7 is the company’s second model and their first SUV, following the SU7. That sedan has been a runaway success in its home market, racking up 258,000 sales in just 14 months, including 28,000 deliveries in April alone.
The crossover follows in the footsteps of the SU7 and is a high-performance luxury SUV with an impressive design. It features a shark nose front end that is flanked by “waterdrop” headlights, which have channels that direct air out through the hood. Speaking of which, the crossover has the largest clamshell aluminum hood among mass-produced vehicles.
Aerodynamics played a huge role in the YU7’s development and the production model has “10 through-flow air channels and 19 optimized vents to manage airflow precisely.” They’re joined by aerodynamically optimized wheels and an active grille shutter system. Thanks to all this attention, the model has a drag coefficient of 0.245.
Since we’ve already seen the crossover before, we’ll just briefly mention a few highlights including flush-mounted door handles and a standard panoramic glass roof. They’re joined by a distinctive rear end with “halo” taillights and two spoilers. The model is being launched in three eye-catching colors – Emerald Green, Titanium Silver, and Lava Orange – and they contrast with gloss black accents.
In terms of size, the YU7 measures 196.8 inches (4,999 mm) long, 78.6 inches (1,996 mm) wide, and 63 inches (1,600 mm) tall with a wheelbase that spans 118.1 inches (3,000 mm). That means the crossover is 2.3 inches (58 mm) shorter than the Tesla Model X and has a 1.4-inch (35 mm) longer wheelbase.
Minimalist Interior, Maximalist Screens
While the exterior is stylish and expressive, the cabin is overly minimalist. It’s dominated by a 16.1-inch infotainment system and a HyperVision Panoramic Display, which sits at the base of the windshield.
The latter echoes BMW’s Panoramic iDrive Display and spans 43.3 inches. It’s customizable, but can act as a speedometer, a navigation display, and a front passenger display.
Putting screens aside, the crossover has Nappa leather zero-gravity front seats with one-touch recline and a 10-point massage function. They’re joined by power-adjustable rear seats with backrests that can tilt from 100° to 135°.
Rear seat passengers will also find dedicated climate controls and a dual-screen entertainment system. Other highlights include a wireless smartphone charger, hidden air vents, and soft-touch materials throughout.
The crossover can accommodate 23.9 cubic feet (678 liters) of luggage and that can be expanded to 62.1 cubic feet (1,758 liters) by folding the seats down. There’s also a small frunk, which provides 5 cubic feet (141 liters) of space.
Power, Range, and Charging Speed
Three different configurations are available and the entry-level YU7 has a single electric motor producing 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) and 389 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.9 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h). Buyers will also find a 96.3 kWh battery pack that delivers a CLTC range of 519 miles (835 km).
The mid-level YU7 Pro has a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing 489 hp (365 kW / 496 PS) and 509 lb-ft (690 Nm) of torque. This cuts the dash to 62 mph (100 km/h) to 4.3 seconds, but the top speed remains unchanged. Unfortunately, the range drops to 472 miles (760 km).
The range-topping YU7 Max has an upgraded dual-motor all-wheel drive system with 681 hp (508 kW / 690 PS) and 639 lb-ft (866 Nm) of torque. 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) comes in a blistering 3.2 seconds and drivers will eventually hit 157 mph (253 km/h) if they keep their foot planted on the accelerator. The Max is also notable for having a larger 101.7 kWh battery, which delivers 478 miles (770 km) of range.
When the battery is low, owners can go from a 10% to 80% charge in as little as 12 minutes. After 15 minutes, they can get up to 385 miles (620 km) of range.
The YU7 has a double wishbone front and five-link rear suspension with air springs. The latter provide five levels of adjustment, meaning the crossover can provide up to 8.7 inches (222 mm) of ground clearance. Other highlights include continuous damper control and a high-performance braking system with four-piston Brembo calipers.
Xiaomi also confirmed the crossover will have advanced driver assistance technology. This is made possible by a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, 11 high-definition cameras, and 12 ultrasonic radars.
Pricing and Availability
While pricing details haven’t been released yet, Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun dismissed earlier rumors suggesting a starting price around 200,000 yuan ($27,800). “The Model Y starts at 263,500 yuan ($36,600), and based on these (YU7) configurations, this car should cost 60,000 to 70,000 yuan ($8,300 to $9,700) more,” Lei said during the presentation, according to Reuters. “But we’ll talk about the price in July.”
Average EV discounts in China climbed to 16.8 percent last month, continuing upward trend.
Only BYD, Li Auto, and Seres are currently profitable among China’s many EV makers.
Expanding exports has become a key strategy for Chinese EV brands seeking higher margins.
As automakers worldwide scramble to future-proof themselves in the electric era, China has been comfortably in the lead, cranking out next-gen EVs packed with cutting-edge tech and advanced battery systems one after the other at record pace. But behind the buzz and impressive new models, there’s a financial reality dragging at the wheels: most of China’s EV brands are still burning cash, not banking it.
At last count, there were around 50 EV brands competing for space on Chinese roads. Out of those, just three of them are thought to be profitable. These include BYD, Li Auto, and Seres. Despite this, brands continue to offer generous discounts to grow their footprint, forgoing financial security in the pursuit of sales.
Discounts Keep Climbing
According to a JP Morgan study cited in a South China Morning Postreport, industry-wide discounts averaged a record high 16.8% in April, up from an already steep 16.3% in March. The China Passenger Car Association puts the average discount for 2024 at 8.3%. To top it off, average EV prices were trimmed by 10% back in December. That’s not just aggressive, it’s unsustainable.
Last year, the difference between the selling price of an EV and an automaker’s costs, including raw materials, labor, and logistics, known as the vehicle margin, dropped to 10%. This is down from approximately 20% just four years ago. Analysts believe that most of China’s smaller EV manufacturers will be forced out of the market or will be acquired by larger rivals over the next couple of years.
“Nearly all of them were the victims of price competition,” said Phate Zhang from CnEVPost. “But if any of them chooses to exit the price war, their sales will decline and make it more difficult to post a net income.”
Looking Beyond China’s Borders
One potential lifeline is exports. Chinese carmakers have begun shipping more EVs abroad, where they can command better margins. According to JPMorgan’s Nick Lai, international sales are proving to be more profitable and could provide the breathing room these companies need.
“Price competition has turned fiercer this year. Unfortunately, we have not seen a jump in [EV] demand so far,” Lai noted. The domestic market, while massive, isn’t growing fast enough to offset the steep discounts.
Still, exports are trending upward. In the first four months of 2025, EVs made up roughly 33% of China’s total vehicle exports, up from about 25% over the past two years. It’s not a total solution, but it’s a glimmer of hope for brands looking to survive the increasingly brutal home turf battle.
The kit includes a military-inspired matte green wrap and black steel wheels.
iCar sells single and dual-motor versions of the V23 with up to 211 hp.
A special front grille, black bumpers, and a hood-mounted spotlight are featured.
A small but growing number of automakers are figuring out how to make EVs weird in all the right ways. Among them is Chery’s iCar brand, which has a few unconventional offerings, but none more intriguing than the V23. This chunky SUV looks like someone merged a Land Rover Defender with a Suzuki Jimny in a design studio that really loves straight lines. And now, it’s gotten even more eccentric with a retro-styled body kit.
The standard V23 already plays the retro card well, thanks to its squared-off profile, upright front and rear ends, and pronounced fender flares that give it a solid presence. But the new ‘Retro Emotion Package’ takes it further with a matte green wrap that feels perfectly suited to its aesthetic. It might look slightly out of place in a downtown traffic jam, but out in the wild, it fits right in.
Complementing the special wrap is a unique front grille and a blacked-out front bumper. iCar has then added a large spotlight on the hood. Admittedly, it looks a little cheap, and the brand perhaps would have been better to add a set of more traditional circular spotlights to the front end.
Adding to the visual makeover are black rocker panels, side steps, and a set of 19-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. So yes, it’s dressed to look like it could leave the pavement behind, whether or not it ever will.
Apparently, iCar was quite serious about developing an upgrade kit that doesn’t just look the part but serves some purpose. According to a report from China’s Ithome, that the matte green wrap has a special anti-glare treatment to meet military vehicle concealment standards. Additionally, the front grille can be quickly and easily removed and replaced by owners.
Considering how affordable most EVs are in China, it’s no shock that this upgrade kit follows suit. Depending on the configuration, it’s priced between 4,000 and 10,500 yuan, or roughly $550 to $1,450 at current exchange rates. As for the V23 itself, pricing starts at 109,800 yuan (about $15,000) and tops out at 149,800 yuan (around $20,500), which keeps the whole setup firmly planted in the budget EV bracket.
To put that in perspective, the base version costs about the same as a used 2021 Nissan Versa with 65,000 miles on the clock – and considerably less personality, if we’re being honest.
Performance-wise, entry-level models come with a 136-horsepower motor driving the rear axle. Higher trims get a dual-motor setup with a total output of 211 horsepower, both modest numbers, but likely enough to keep this small SUV feeling sprightly on back roads and city streets alike.
Tesla will initially set up geofencing for its robotaxis operating in Texas.
The fleet could start with as few as 10 cars using Unsupervised Full-Self Driving.
Elon Musk believes Tesla can be a serious competitor to Waymo.
Tesla boss Elon Musk has made plenty of wildly ambitious – and frequently inaccurate – claims about Tesla’s upcoming fleet of robotaxis. But now, after years of eyebrow-raising promises, the first of them is actually set to hit public roads next month. As part of a pilot program in Austin, Texas, Tesla will finally launch its long-hyped robotaxi service in a bid to close the wide lead Waymo currently holds in the autonomous vehicle race.
In 2019, Musk infamously claimed that by the end of that year, Tesla would have 1 million robotaxis on US roads. It does not currently have a single one, but next month, it will deploy approximately 10 robotaxis in Austin, and, if all goes well, could dramatically expand this to thousands of vehicles. Importantly, these will not be Tesla’s Cybercab, but rather versions of its current models equipped with the new Unsupervised Full-Self Driving system.
During a recent interview with CNBC, Musk said it will be prudent for the company to be cautious in its roll-out of the system and that Tesla employees will monitor the fleet of robotaxis remotely.
“It’s prudent for us to start with a small number, confirm that things are going well and then scale it up,” Musk said. “We’ll be watching what the cars are doing very carefully and as confidence grows, less of that will be needed.”
To help ensure the roll-out of the robotaxi fleet is as smooth as possible, vehicles will be geofenced to certain areas of Austin. As the robotaxi fleet expands, Musk predicted that by the end of 2026, Tesla will have “hundreds of thousands, if not over a million Teslas doing self-driving in the US.” Like with all predictions from the world’s richest man, we’ll have to wait and see if this becomes a reality.
Buying Uber?
During the same interview, Musk was asked why Tesla doesn’t buy Uber. Musk sees no need to make such a move, noting the brand already has a large fleet of vehicles and everything it needs to run a successful robotaxi service. This will include the ability for private Tesla owners to add their vehicles to the fleet, meaning they can be used as robotaxis whenever the owner doesn’t need their car.
“We have millions of cars that will be able to operate autonomously,” Musk said. “And I should say that it’s a combination of a Tesla-owned fleet and also enabling Tesla owners to be able to add or subtract their car to the fleet, so that existing Tesla owners will be able to earn money by adding their car to the fleet for autonomous use.”
Grilling usually involves burning fossil fuel. But some manufacturers are offering electric grills and citing climate change and convenience as reasons to switch.
Forecasters expect 13 to 19 storms to form in the Atlantic between June 1 and the end of November. At least 6 of those are forecast to be full-blown hurricanes.
Login
