For most folks, a car that accelerates on its own is a dangerous proposition. Just ask Toyota — those unintended acceleration headlines weren’t exactly a PR dream. According to Stellantis, though, that’s a meticulously engineered safety feature. It just happens to be one that we haven’t really heard about before today.

In fact, it only entered the spotlight after Edmunds experienced the issue firsthand with its Dodge Charger Daytona long-term tester, which began picking up speed without the driver’s input.

More: Watch This Tesla’s FSD Do What It Definitely Wasn’t Supposed To Do Without Crashing

To put things lightly, the launch of the Charger Daytona hasn’t gone as well as Stellantis might have hoped. That said, it’s still a vehicle worthy of testing and reviewing, and that’s why Edmunds has one. What they likely never expected was that it would speed up on its own one day.

An Unexpected Moment

According to the tester who was behind the wheel at the time, things went sideways almost immediately:

“I was pulling out onto a thoroughfare street from a strip mall parking lot when warning lights appeared on the Charger’s instrument panel for the stability control, frontal collision warning system, regenerative braking, and more. There was also a short-lived message — it might have been something about the forward collision warning system — and that the car would be in low power mode. This wasn’t good. I could tell something was wrong because the car accelerated sluggishly.

Once up to speed, the Charger did the thing we’re all here to talk about. It kept accelerating even after the driver lifted their foot off of the pedal. That’s weird in any car, but even stranger in an EV, where regenerative braking usually slows the car down faster than in a combustion car.

According to the driver, this wasn’t rapid acceleration, but more akin to the speed one typically gains in an automatic car when letting off of the brakes from a dead stop. Except, rather than only being capable of picking up a little speed, it managed to add around one mile per hour each second that the brakes weren’t applied. That said, the brakes did work, albeit with more force necessary (according to the driver) than normal.

“I let the car accelerate by itself as a test. It reached about 45 mph before I had to apply the brakes again for another stop sign. That was enough. Using the time-tested fix for all things tech. I pulled off onto a side street from the stop sign and parked. Fortunately, the acceleration stopped when I put the transmission in Park.”

For its part, Stellantis says that this is the way it’s designed, but we’ll circle back to that. First, it’s important to point out that Edmunds isn’t alone. Thomas Hundal over at The Autopian compiled a list of similar instances documented online.

That included one complaint directly to the NHTSA, where a driver claimed that the car sped up even after they were off the accelerator. They finished their complaint with an important detail. “I regained control using the brake alone.” When confronted with this evidence, Stellantis responded, and the statement it gave was a whopper.

All Of This Is Intentional, Says Stellantis

Here’s the statement in full before we break it down a little.

“In the rare event of an accelerator pedal fault, Stellantis has implemented a ‘drive-by-brake’ safety feature, which allows the driver to control speed through the brake pedal. In this instance, the feature worked as intended, and the driver was able to safely maneuver the vehicle off the road. This feature has been in Stellaris internal combustion engine vehicles for many years and has been carried over to battery electric vehicles.”

That’s right, folks, nothing to see here. “The feature worked as intended.” This is especially gobsmacking because the car doesn’t tell the driver what is happening. It doesn’t alert drivers to, you know, drive via the brake pedal. Of course, many electric cars now feature one pedal driving, but those ones use active regenerative braking to slow down when no input is provided.

It seems that the Charger Daytona is fitted with technology that does the exact opposite. It’s worth noting that while Stellantis says this is a feature carried over from combustion cars, we can’t find any examples of it. There’s no mention of it in past press releases, owner’s manuals, or any other documentation we’ve checked up until now, though we’re still digging, and if anything turns up, we’ll update the story.

For now, at least, several outlets are trying to get the word out to Charger Daytona owners that if their cars accelerate when they don’t expect it, it’s totally normal. Honestly, this doesn’t sound like a totally terrible feature so long as owners know what to expect and when to expect it. We’ve reached out to Stellantis in hopes of learning more about the situation. If we hear back, we’ll update you here. 

The Polestar 4 debuted over two years ago, but the model has finally gone on sale in the United States. However, customers still have a wait ahead of them as production for US-bound models won’t begin in South Korea until this summer. The electric crossover, which replaces the rear windshield with digital cameras, will arrive in America sometime this fall.

Pricing starts at $56,400 for the entry-level Long Range Single Motor. It comes nicely equipped with LED lighting units, rain-sensing wipers, flush-mounted door handles, and 20-inch wheels. They’re joined by a panoramic glass roof and a power liftgate.

Review: We Drove The Polestar 4 And It Wants To Change Your Mind On EVs

Moving inside, drivers will find a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.4-inch infotainment system. Other highlights include a wireless smartphone charger, a dual-zone climate control system, and power heated front seats wrapped in MicroTech upholstery. Customers will also find an eight-speaker audio system and up to 54.2 cubic feet (1,535 liters) of cargo space.

The Polestar 4 comes with a long list of standard driver assistance systems including Adaptive Cruise Control, Pilot Assist, and Lane Change Assist, The model also has Forward Collision Warning, Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Information, and a 360° camera system – just to name a few.

Buyers looking for more luxury can upgrade to the Plus Pack, which features a lightly revised exterior with an illuminated Polestar logo and auto-dimming side mirrors. Bigger changes occur inside as there’s a heated steering wheel, fancier front seats, and rear seats with heating and power recline. The mid-level variant also sports a tri-zone climate control system, a head-up display, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

Speaking of options, dual motor variants can be equipped with a Performance Pack that adds 22-inch wheels and a Brembo braking system with Swedish Gold calipers. The package is also notable for having unique chassis tuning, summer performance tires, and golden seat belts.

2026 POLESTAR 4 US PRICING

Rear-wheel drive variants have a rear-mounted motor developing 272 hp (203 kW / 276 PS) and 253 lb-ft (343 Nm) of torque. It’s powered by a 100 kWh battery pack, which delivers an estimated combined range of 300 miles (483 km).

The dual-motor all-wheel drive crossover packs 544 hp (406 kW / 552 PS) and 506 lb-ft of torque, which lowers the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time from 6.9 to 3.7 seconds. However, range takes a hit as these models can only travel an estimated 270 miles (435 km).

Canada Also Opens The Order

Polestar Canada has also begun accepting orders of the new EV and deliveries are slated for this fall. Pricing starts at $64,900 CAD and the model appears virtually identical to the one sold stateside.

2026 POLESTAR 4 CANADIAN PRICING

Sometimes ambition outpaces planning, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the story of two would-be car thieves who bit off way more than they could boost.

In Detroit last month, a pair of would-be car thieves tried their luck with two brand-new GMC Hummer EVs, and let’s just say, it didn’t exactly go as planned. While most car thieves stick to dealership lots in search of easy targets, this crew aimed higher. They went straight to the source: GM’s Factory Zero plant in Detroit. Maybe it was the irresistible lure of that fresh-off-the-assembly-line smell, but for whatever reason, they decided to swipe the EVs directly from a train.

Read: GMC Just Made The 2026 Hummer EV Crabbier Than Ever

There is no word on how they managed to gain entry to the GM plant, let alone access the train yard on site, but somehow, they succeeded. After entering the train yard, they were able to open the doors to one of the trains and attempted to drive off in two Hummer EVs. Presumably, the duo was left unlocked and had the keys inside.

We don’t have any security camera footage, but we do have a clip that shows the aftermath of the failed theft. One of the Hummers, finished in black, can be seen stranded on the train tracks after it appears that the passenger-side front tire was ripped off the wheel.

Train Hopping, Minus the Grace

Meanwhile, the second GMC didn’t even make it off the train. It appears that the thieves attempted to simply drive the EVs off the edge of the train, without using any ramps. The silver model appears to have slammed down into the tracks, and once again, a tire was ripped from the wheel. It has also suffered extensive damage to the front fascia and some damage to the rear quarter panels as well.

According to The Metro Detroit News, the incident is being investigated, but it doesn’t appear as though any arrests have been made at this stage.

Screenshot The Metro Detroit News

Not every sales jump in the auto industry follows a straightforward narrative, and Kia’s latest numbers are a good example of that. The company had a solid May, moving 5 percent more vehicles than it did in the same month last year. But that top-line figure doesn’t tell the whole story.

While its flagship electric models took a hit, one unassuming sedan, the K5, surged with a 256 percent increase in monthly sales. Kia’s not alone in this EV slowdown, either.

More: Mercedes’ Electric G Flops So Hard It Could Change What Comes Next

It’s worth noting that the K5 has been out for several years. Its huge jump in sales during May doesn’t seem to be an outlier either. For the year, it’s up 220 percent. Put into raw sales figures, the company had sold just 9,036 through May last year. This year, it’s shifted 28,951 of them. Combined with the K4, Kia has already made over 90,000 sales this year.

Electric Models Lose Steam

No doubt, the brand wishes its flagship electric vehicles were seeing even a modicum of that success. The recently refreshed EV6 is great to drive, but buyers aren’t snatching it up with the same vigor they did last year. Through the first five months of the year, it’s down 40.8 percent. The EV9, Kia’s flagship electric SUV is having an even tougher time as it’s down 48.2 percent in that same period.

That trend doesn’t appear ready to change either. In May alone, the EV6 was down 69.8 percent. The EV9 sold just 37 units across the country and, as such, was down a whopping 98.3 percent during the month. It’ll be interesting to see what Kia does to incentivize buyers to return as the new model year version rolls in to dealerships. These are both impressive cars, but consumers seem apt to favor hybrids now more than ever.

To Kia’s credit, this trend away from EVs and toward combustion cars isn’t one isolated to the brand. Ford announced its May sales figures recently and saw a similar trend. While the Mustang Mach-E continues to do well, the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit are dozens of basis points off where they were last year.

KIA USA SALES

While electric vehicles continue to grab headlines and show up in more driveways each year, a new national survey suggests the average American still isn’t ready to plug in. EV adoption in the US is lagging behind much of the world, and the latest annual survey from the American Automobile Association (AAA) helps explain what’s slowing things down. Interest in EVs among US drivers is not just stalling, it’s actually shrinking.

More: Europeans Are Done With Tesla Except For One Country That Can’t Stop Buying

In the 2025 edition of the AAA survey, just 16% of respondents said they are likely or very likely to purchase an EV, marking the lowest percentage recorded since 2019. Meanwhile, 63% reported they are unlikely or very unlikely to go electric. That’s a noticeable shift from three years ago when 25% expressed interest and 51% were against it.

Confidence in the timeline for broader EV adoption is also fading. Only 23% of US drivers now believe most cars will be electric within the next decade, down from 40% in 2022.

Why Americans Are Saying No to EVs

When asked which is the main reason behind their decision not to go electric, 62% of the respondents mentioned high battery repair costs, while 59% cited the overall purchase price. Long-distance practicality was another key issue, with 57% saying EVs don’t suit extended travel, and 56% pointing to the lack of a convenient public charging network. Another 55% simply worry about running out of charge while on the road.

Other issues were mentioned less frequently. About 31% raised concerns about safety, 27% said they couldn’t install a home charging, and 12% noted the potential loss of EV-related incentives.

Those who are still considering an EV say the main draw is savings on fuel. That was the top reason cited by 77% of interested respondents. Another 59% referenced environmental benefits, and 47% said they expect lower maintenance and repair costs compared to traditional vehicles.

More: Huge Study Shows EVs More Reliable Than ICE Cars With One Surprising Common Issue

Support for federal and state incentives has also declined. Only 39% of respondents in 2025 listed tax credits and rebates as a reason to go electric, down from 60% in 2022. That drop aligns with the direction of the current political landscape, as the Trump administration continues efforts to scale back EV-related subsidies. Interest in EVs for their advanced tech features also dropped, with just 22% citing innovation as a motivator.

Uncertainty About The EV Future

AAA concludes that the public perception regarding the future of EVs remains uncertain. Despite the wide variety of EVs which are now available in the US market, many buyers find hybrids more appealing.

“Since we began tracking interest in fully electric vehicles, we’ve seen some variability,” said Greg Bannon, director of automotive engineering at AAA. “While the automotive industry is committed to long-term electrification and providing a diverse range of models, underlying consumer hesitation remains.”

The 2025 survey was conducted between March 6-10, with 1,128 participants. According to AAA, the respondents provide sample coverage of approximately 97% of the US household population.

Electric cars are evolving fast, and Nissan wants the next Leaf to prove it still has a place in the conversation. The company is preparing for the full debut of its next-generation EV later this month, teasing more of its design and offering a behind-the-scenes look at its development through a series of new videos.

Nissan gave us our first look at the third-generation Leaf back in March 2025, trading in the familiar hatchback shape of past models for a crossover profile, complete with a fastback-style rear. We now get a closer view of key design elements, including the LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, and an active grille shutter that adjusts for airflow.

More: Mitsubishi’s American EV Will Be A Nissan In Disguise

We can also see the NACS-compatible charging port, and the optional panoramic roof with an e-Dimming function. The later uses electrochromic technology and an infrared reflective coating, eliminating the need for a physical sunshade.

According to Nissan’s design director Nobutaka Tase, this Leaf will be the most aerodynamic production model the company has ever built, boasting a drag coefficient of 0.25 in Europe and 0.26 in the US and Japan. The slight difference comes down to region-specific tweaks like wheels and mirror designs, with the European version coming out just a bit more streamlined.

Shared Platform, Promised Range

Underneath, the Leaf shares the CMF-EV platform with the larger Ariya, which means a flat floor and a roomier cabin layout. Exact specs haven’t been released yet, but Nissan confirmed it will offer a single-motor setup with no all-wheel-drive option, and is aiming for a driving range north of 300 miles (482 km).

More: Nissan’s New Hybrid System Promises EV-Like Benefits But At A Cost

Richard Candler, Nissan’s vice president of global product strategy, says the goal was to make the new Leaf a real contender for buyers used to gas-powered vehicles. That meant designing a sleeker body without giving up on practicality, and ensuring long-distance driving was part of the deal. Target range spans from 300 to 500 kilometers (186 to 311 miles), with the ability to add around 200 kilometers (124 miles) of range in just 40 minutes of charging.

Overall, Nissan has sold nearly 700,000 examples of the Leaf since 2010, taking valuable insights from existing owners for the development of the new generation. We’ll have more details when the full reveal happens on June 18.

We’re approaching the halfway point of the year, and things have already been wild. Tariffs, both the ones in effect and those merely looming, have changed the automotive industry, regulations are changing, and automakers are trying to keep up.

For its part, Ford has managed to have a positive year so far. Sales across the Ford and Lincoln brands are up 6.1 percent in the USA. At the same time, its EV business just took a huge hit during the month of May.

Also: Volvo’s EV Crash Hits Harder Than Expected As Buyers Walk Away From Batteries

It was only a couple of months ago that Ford’s EV sales looked like they were sliding, but not by too much. After April, they were down 2.9 percent year over year. That, though, seemed like it could be an aberration since sales in April alone were down 39.4 percent. With this new sales data in hand, it seems clear that buyers are flocking away from EVs and toward hybrids and gas-powered cars.

Ford doesn’t break up sales figures for its hybrid Lincoln products, but as a group, hybrids were up 28.9 percent in May. They outperformed every other propulsion type by at least ten basis points or more. Internal combustion cars came in second with a 17.2 percent bump over last year’s sales. Electric vehicles were down a whopping 25 percent. Due to the heavy volume of hybrid and internal combustion sales, the group was ultimately up 16.3 percent in May.

FORD AND LINCOLN SALES

Digging a little deeper into the data provides further insights. For example, the Mustang Mach-E continues to be a hit among consumers despite the EV downturn for Ford. It was up 11 percent in May and is still up 2.8 percent year over year. That’s a big rebound after it was down 40.2 percent in April. The big issues for Ford’s EV business seem to be the work vehicles.

More: This Raptor Was Flipped For $24K Over Sticker And It’s Not Even New

The F-150 Lightning was down 41.7 percent in May and is down 17.3 percent year over year. The E-Transit saw a sales drop in May of 93.3 percent and is down 24.8 percent for the year. It appears that buyers are leaning into the middle ground more than ever at Ford. The automaker’s hybrid business is up 31.2 percent this year. 

The Bigger Picture

Incentives likely helped boost May’s overall results, with employee pricing offers and consumer concerns about incoming tariffs giving shoppers extra motivation. Several models posted standout gains. The Bronco surged 51.1 percent year over year in May and is now up 46.5 percent for 2025. The Ranger also turned in a strong performance, rising 34.4 percent for the month and jumping 157.9 percent for the year.

On the flip side, the Mustang, despite having the ICE muscle car segment to itself, continues its downward trend, slipping 3.2% in May and falling 18% since the start of the year.

Lincoln had a solid month as well, climbing 39 percent in May and 13 percent for the year so far. The Navigator was a key driver of that growth, rocketing 133 percent in May and up 75.5 percent year to date.

FORD US SALES

LINCOLN US SALES

Considering it’s the most premium brand in the Hyundai Group, it’s strange that Genesis has waited so long after Kia and Hyundai delivered their own performance EVs to jump in on the action. But the automaker’s first fast EV is almost ready to drop and thanks to a fresh set of spy shots we now know how it’ll look.

New pics taken in Europe show a GV60 Magma prototype testing minus its usual front-end disguise. In previous spy images the first car from Genesis’s new Magma performance sub-brand was either wearing a full set of black vinyl covers or, as on a recent Nurburgring outing, a swirly camo wrap.

Related: Genesis Cranks The Ioniq 5 N Formula Up To 11

This time it’s mostly covered in the trash bag disguise but the front end is completely uncovered, giving us a clear view of the entire grille and bumper arrangement. The pics confirm that the production Magma will stick close to the design of the 2024 Magma concept, with a big double-deck mesh grille taking up most of the bumper and three additional lozenge-shaped vents mounted above.

Although the GV60 is an EV, and so doesn’t have the same cooling requirements as a combustion car, Genesis’s reason for losing the front camouflage must be cooling-related – particularly since the prototype was towing a trailer.

Like the concept, this test car has small canard aero fins on either side of the bumper. And we wouldn’t pay too much attention to the current location of the license plate – judging from the various slots and subtle cutouts in the bumper, production EVs will have their plates mounted below the three mini vents, not above.

The small 911 GT3 RS-style vertical fins we noticed behind the front wheels during a Nurburgring test are present, though whether they’ll end up body color or black, as seen here, we don’t yet know. The concept’s arch trims were color-coded, but they had a different design featuring two slim vents behind each front and each rear wheel.

The GV60 is built from the same E-GMP component set as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, and will share much of its hardware with the N and GT performance versions of those cars, including an 84 kWh battery.

But intel suggests Genesis will make up for being late to the party by pushing power beyond the 641 hp/650 PS (on overboost) its sister cars generate. The Magma could generate close to 700 hp (710 PS) while still offering the same simulated gearshifts that have helped make the Ioniq 5 N such a hit with enthusiasts. The N is good for zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) in a claimed 3.3 seconds, and the Magma could potentially prove even quicker.

Given that the concept made its debut at last July’s Goodwood Festival of Speed it’s highly likely the production car will be unveiled at the 2025 event, and Genesis has already said it plans to start production in Q3 of this year.

Credit: SHProshots

Hydrogen has the potential to be a climate-friendly fuel since it doesn’t release carbon dioxide when used as an energy source. Currently, however, most methods for producing hydrogen involve fossil fuels, making hydrogen less of a “green” fuel over its entire life cycle.

A new process developed by MIT engineers could significantly shrink the carbon footprint associated with making hydrogen.

Last year, the team reported that they could produce hydrogen gas by combining seawater, recycled soda cans, and caffeine. The question then was whether the benchtop process could be applied at an industrial scale, and at what environmental cost.

Now, the researchers have carried out a “cradle-to-grave” life cycle assessment, taking into account every step in the process at an industrial scale. For instance, the team calculated the carbon emissions associated with acquiring and processing aluminum, reacting it with seawater to produce hydrogen, and transporting the fuel to gas stations, where drivers could tap into hydrogen tanks to power engines or fuel cell cars. They found that, from end to end, the new process could generate a fraction of the carbon emissions that is associated with conventional hydrogen production.

In a study appearing today in Cell Reports Sustainability, the team reports that for every kilogram of hydrogen produced, the process would generate 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its entire life cycle. In comparison, fossil-fuel-based processes emit 11 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of hydrogen generated.

The low-carbon footprint is on par with other proposed “green hydrogen” technologies, such as those powered by solar and wind energy.

“We’re in the ballpark of green hydrogen,” says lead author Aly Kombargi PhD ’25, who graduated this spring from MIT with a doctorate in mechanical engineering. “This work highlights aluminum’s potential as a clean energy source and offers a scalable pathway for low-emission hydrogen deployment in transportation and remote energy systems.”

The study’s MIT co-authors are Brooke Bao, Enoch Ellis, and professor of mechanical engineering Douglas Hart.

Gas bubble

Dropping an aluminum can in water won’t normally cause much of a chemical reaction. That’s because when aluminum is exposed to oxygen, it instantly forms a shield-like layer. Without this layer, aluminum exists in its pure form and can readily react when mixed with water. The reaction that occurs involves aluminum atoms that efficiently break up molecules of water, producing aluminum oxide and pure hydrogen. And it doesn’t take much of the metal to bubble up a significant amount of the gas.

“One of the main benefits of using aluminum is the energy density per unit volume,” Kombargi says. “With a very small amount of aluminum fuel, you can conceivably supply much of the power for a hydrogen-fueled vehicle.”

Last year, he and Hart developed a recipe for aluminum-based hydrogen production. They found they could puncture aluminum’s natural shield by treating it with a small amount of gallium-indium, which is a rare-metal alloy that effectively scrubs aluminum into its pure form. The researchers then mixed pellets of pure aluminum with seawater and observed that the reaction produced pure hydrogen. What’s more, the salt in the water helped to precipitate gallium-indium, which the team could subsequently recover and reuse to generate more hydrogen, in a cost-saving, sustainable cycle.

“We were explaining the science of this process in conferences, and the questions we would get were, ‘How much does this cost?’ and, ‘What’s its carbon footprint?’” Kombargi says. “So we wanted to look at the process in a comprehensive way.”

A sustainable cycle

For their new study, Kombargi and his colleagues carried out a life cycle assessment to estimate the environmental impact of aluminum-based hydrogen production, at every step of the process, from sourcing the aluminum to transporting the hydrogen after production. They set out to calculate the amount of carbon associated with generating 1 kilogram of hydrogen — an amount that they chose as a practical, consumer-level illustration.

“With a hydrogen fuel cell car using 1 kilogram of hydrogen, you can go between 60 to 100 kilometers, depending on the efficiency of the fuel cell,” Kombargi notes.

They performed the analysis using Earthster — an online life cycle assessment tool that draws data from a large repository of products and processes and their associated carbon emissions. The team considered a number of scenarios to produce hydrogen using aluminum, from starting with “primary” aluminum mined from the Earth, versus “secondary” aluminum that is recycled from soda cans and other products, and using various methods to transport the aluminum and hydrogen.

After running life cycle assessments for about a dozen scenarios, the team identified one scenario with the lowest carbon footprint. This scenario centers on recycled aluminum — a source that saves a significant amount of emissions compared with mining aluminum — and seawater — a natural resource that also saves money by recovering gallium-indium. They found that this scenario, from start to finish, would generate about 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every kilogram of hydrogen produced. The cost of the fuel produced, they calculated, would be about $9 per kilogram, which is comparable to the price of hydrogen that would be generated with other green technologies such as wind and solar energy.

The researchers envision that if the low-carbon process were ramped up to a commercial scale, it would look something like this: The production chain would start with scrap aluminum sourced from a recycling center. The aluminum would be shredded into pellets and treated with gallium-indium. Then, drivers could transport the pretreated pellets as aluminum “fuel,” rather than directly transporting hydrogen, which is potentially volatile. The pellets would be transported to a fuel station that ideally would be situated near a source of seawater, which could then be mixed with the aluminum, on demand, to produce hydrogen. A consumer could then directly pump the gas into a car with either an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell.

The entire process does produce an aluminum-based byproduct, boehmite, which is a mineral that is commonly used in fabricating semiconductors, electronic elements, and a number of industrial products. Kombargi says that if this byproduct were recovered after hydrogen production, it could be sold to manufacturers, further bringing down the cost of the process as a whole.

“There are a lot of things to consider,” Kombargi says. “But the process works, which is the most exciting part. And we show that it can be environmentally sustainable.”

The group is continuing to develop the process. They recently designed a small reactor, about the size of a water bottle, that takes in aluminum pellets and seawater to generate hydrogen, enough to power an electric bike for several hours. They previously demonstrated that the process can produce enough hydrogen to fuel a small car. The team is also exploring underwater applications, and are designing a hydrogen reactor that would take in surrounding seawater to power a small boat or underwater vehicle.

This research was supported, in part, by the MIT Portugal Program.

© Credit: Courtesy of the researchers

A Colorado school district paid $16.2 million for abuse of a five-year-old student by a bus attendant. Additionally, New York’s electric school bus mandate is nearing and questions persist. Read more in STN’s June issue, out now.

Following the death of an Ohio student near a transit bus stop, safety conversations have reignited. Michael Miller, transportation director for Sycamore Community Schools and president of the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation, is joined by Todd Silverthorn, second OAPT vice president and transportation director for Kettering School District. They discuss how legislation and the driver shortage complicate operations and analyze the controversial use of transit buses and vans to provide required transportation to non-public schools.

Read more about safety.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E260) Beneficial and Safe: Ohio Standouts Talk Safety vs. Reactionary Legislation appeared first on School Transportation News.

AKRON, Ohio – Beacon Mobility, a national leader in student transportation services, today announced the official launch of Beacon Connect, the industry’s first fully integrated communications platform designed specifically for school transportation professionals. The new platform marks a significant step forward in improving transparency, safety, and coordination across districts, families, and transportation providers.

Beacon Connect was developed by Beacon Mobility’s technology team in response to long-standing communication challenges in the student transportation space. Drawing from cross-industry practices and ongoing user feedback, the platform provides a streamlined, user-centric experience for families, drivers, dispatchers, and school officials.

“Beacon Connect reflects our commitment to improving the daily transportation experience for the communities we serve,” said Judith Crawford, CEO of Beacon Mobility. “By focusing on accessibility, real-time communication, and operational insight, this platform helps schools and families stay connected and informed.”

VIDEO: Learn More About Beacon Connect

Key Features of Beacon Connect:

Live and Historical Vehicle Tracking
The newest and most anticipated feature, this tool gives families and school staff real-time visibility into bus locations during active routes. Parents can view exactly where their child’s bus is at any moment, helping reduce uncertainty and improve peace of mind. Historical trip data also supports operational reviews and allows schools to track past bus activity for greater accountability.

Beacon Connect Family App
Offers parents an intuitive interface with real-time alerts and seamless trip tracking.

Digital Routing Requests
Enables families to submit route changes digitally, improving efficiency and responsiveness.

Secure Video Access
Allows for request-based access to onboard video recordings to support safety and incident review.

Incident Reporting & Safety Tools
Drivers can quickly log issues while dispatchers receive live fleet updates to improve awareness and response times.

Two-Way Communication
Real-time messaging between dispatch, drivers, and school staff improves coordination and reliability.

Beacon Connect has already earned support from school districts currently utilizing the technology, including the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District in Massachusetts:

“The new online portal for communication works very well for office referrals and video requests,” said Kathleen Taylor, Principal, Ashburnham – Westminster Regional School District. “The turn around this year for video requests has been greatly improved.”

“Beacon Connect has improved the timeliness of Incident Reports and Routing Requests on the bus side.” Heather Dupont, Executive Assistant to the Director of Pupil Services Ashburnham – Westminster Regional School District.

Beacon Connect was developed under the leadership of Chief Technology Officer Gaurav Sharda and a multidisciplinary team committed to advancing innovation in mobility services. “We wanted to build more than just a technology product,” said Sharda. “We wanted a platform that reflects the values and needs of the communities we serve.”

The platform sets a new standard for communication in student transportation and reinforces Beacon Mobility’s position as a forward-looking technology partner for school districts nationwide.

About Beacon Mobility: Beacon Mobility is a growing family of transportation companies committed to serving the diverse needs of their customers. Now operating 28 local brands in 26 states, their experienced, compassionate, and dedicated team takes pride in their ability to create customized, mobility-based solutions that empower people to get where they need to go. To learn more, visit: https://gobeacon.com/

The post Beacon Mobility Launches Beacon Connect, an Integrated Platform Advancing Communication in Student Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

A George Read Middle School bus driver helped a student in New Castle, Delaware by teaming up with a nonprofit organization to provide the student with a wheelchair ramp from her home, reported ABC 6.

The veteran school bus driver, identified as Tim Kelleher, observed each morning that a student’s parents carried their daughter down the front steps of their home on Westbury Drive to reach the bus stop.

According to the news report, Kelleher began reaching out to organizations that could help. He connected with Good Neighbors Home Repair, a nonprofit organization, that built a wheelchair ramp at the student’s home.

Tom MacAuley of Good Neighbors Home Repair told local news reporters that Kelleher saw the need the student’s family had and wanted to facilitate that need.

The article states that this is not the first time Kelleher has gone the extra mile. He helped get a ramp installed for another student in 2019.

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Related: Georgia School Bus Driver Named “Hidden Hero” After Saving Student’s Life
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BMW’s Neue Klasse 3-series sedan is just around the corner, but barrelling up to the next curve down the road, and coming in hot, is its M3 brother. The M3 will be available with both electric and ICE power, and our spy photo team has has papped the EV (possibly named the iM3, following a recent BMW trademark) wearing its fat production fenders and no distracting M-color camouflage for the first time.

Although we’ve seen electric M3 test cars before, they’ve always been fitted with riveted arch extensions or fender graphics that make it hard to see what the shape of the rear quarter panels. But now we get to see the true contours of the real fenders that will add more than 3 inches (76 mm) of girth versus a stock i330 sedan.

Related: BMW M Knows You Don’t Like EVs But They’re Making Them Anyway

The extra width of the front fenders is fairly subtle, though combined with the suspension drop gives the M3 a much lower, wider and meaner look than the i330 prototypes we’ve seen. But there’s no missing the rear-end makeover. Those new swollen fenders are huge, meaning the charging flap on the nearside rear quarter lies almost at 45 degrees.

How do we know this is the electric M3? There’s the lack of tailpipes, of course – we see a diffuser for the first time on a prototype – but that’s not the only clue. Electric versions of the Neue Klasse 3-series, including the M3, have a much shorter gap between the front door and front wheel arch opening, a more sloping windshield and a forward-angled window post in the middle of the rear door. On combustion-powered NK Threes, which get an updated version of today’s 3-series’ CLAR platform, rather than the Neue Klasse architecture, that window post is vertical.

Though this M3 prototype gives us a look at the production fenders, it’s still keeping plenty of secrets – it won’t be launched for at least 18 months, after all. The front and rear bumpers remain literally under wraps and we’re yet to see the final design for the front and rear lights. 

But one shot showing a glimpse of the interior through the passenger window confirms the presence of the same Panoramic iDrive centrally-mounted tablet touchscreen and full-width head-up display at the base of the windshield that BMW showcased at CES in Las Vegas at the beginning of 2025.

Under the skin the electric M3 will have as many as four electric motors delivering just over 700 hp (710 PS) in standard form, while the ICE version will get a mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine.

Credit: SHProshots

Faraday Future has used their Annual Stockholders’ Day to release the first teaser image of the upcoming FX 4. We’ll learn more in the third quarter and it promises to be a “disruptor of [Toyota] RAV4 in the AIEV era.”

This appears to be the first time the company has announced the FX 4 as they’ve previously talked about the FX 5, FX 6, and FX Super One van. The FX 5 is being pitched as a “large-space sporty AIEV” that costs between $20,000 and $30,000, while the FX 6 has been billed as a large family vehicle that’s targeted to cost between $30,000 and $50,000.

More: Faraday X Super One Minivan Teased With A Big Honkin’ Grille

Little is known about the FX 4 at this point, but the teaser suggests the company could be working on a Tesla Model Y competitor. That remains to be seen, but the vehicle has a full-width light bar as well as curvaceous bodywork. We can also see a sculpted hood and thin A-pillars.

That’s not a lot to go on, but Faraday said they’ll begin accepting pre-orders before the end of the year. The company also said the model has the “greatest potential to become a true blockbuster and unlock the mainstream market.”

Speaking of teasers, the company released an image showing several prototypes that are said to be the FX 4, FX 6, and FX Super One. They all look pretty generic, but the car in the middle piques our interest.

On the topic of the Super One, the AI-MPV is expected to have its “exclusive offline product launch” on June 29, followed by a public debut on July 17.

The company has been talking about the van for months and they’re now suggesting it could “disrupt the market dominance of some leading market players such as the Cadillac Escalade.” If that wasn’t enough to make your eyes roll, the company boasted about having over 2,500 non-binding pre-orders.

The van has “now officially entered the parts procurement and production preparation phase,” and assembly is slated to begin later this year. However, with Faraday’s track record, we’ll believe it when we see it.

Enhanced teaser

Electric vehicle drivers in New Jersey may want to rethink their charging routines. A major shakeup is underway on the New Jersey Turnpike, and it involves the one company that’s basically synonymous with EV charging.

The state’s Turnpike authority isn’t renewing a contract with Tesla but is instead going to employ chargers from Applegreen. The move could prove more costly and trialsome for New Jersey residents, but Tesla appears ready for anything.

More: Tesla Dumping Unsold Cybertrucks At Mall Parking Lot And The City’s Fed Up

The automaker, rather than the state, actually announced the change on Friday. “The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (“NJTA”) has chosen a sole third-party charging provider to serve the New Jersey Turnpike and is not allowing us to co-locate. As a result, NJTA requested 64 existing Supercharger stalls on the New Jersey Turnpike to not be renewed and be decommissioned,” it said in a statement on X.

A Smaller Network With Higher Prices

It went on to claim that it offered the state “above-market commercial terms” and access for all EVs to keep the contract going. It would’ve built more stations and upgraded existing ones with screens and CCS1 ‘magic docks’ as well. For whatever reason, the state said no and instead went with Applegreen for the foreseeable future. That’s a fascinating decision since Applegreen’s network is almost comically smaller than Tesla’s.

At present, in the USA, it only serves a few states like New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In New Jersey, it has only a few stations installed. Elon Musk went as far as to posit that “corruption” played a part in the decision. Even after it finishes installing the chargers it plans to put in place, things might be worse off for most drivers.

Sounds like corruption

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 30, 2025

Notably, a little number crunching from InsideEVs suggests that this won’t help consumers. “Superchargers along the NJ Turnpike range from $0.20 to $0.45 per kWh, depending on the time of day. Applegreen, on the other hand, varies from $0.35 to $0.59,” it found.

If those figures hold, drivers could end up paying more to power their cars than they did before. It’s possible the state stands to gain more financially under the new arrangement, though no public statements have been made by the NJTA to confirm or clarify that.

Tesla Already Moving On

All of that said, Tesla says it knew this was a potential outcome and has already supplemented the decommissioning of 64 charging bays with the creation of 116 stalls off of the turnpike. Interestingly, this might not be how the story ends. Tesla says it’s willing to return to the negotiating table should NJ authorities change their tune.

“We are still willing to invest in New Jersey Turnpike sites if the NJTA or Governor Murphy decide to reverse this decision. Otherwise, we will continue expanding the best charging infrastructure off the Turnpike to serve EV drivers in New Jersey,” the automaker said. In a part of the world where charging infrastructure isn’t exactly super-reliable, this could be a step in the wrong direction. Only time will tell. 

It turns out not every icon translates easily to electric power, no matter how much fanfare is involved. Mercedes made a big song and dance about the iconic G-Class going electric, but would-be buyers don’t want to hear it. Sales are so bad the automaker is considering adapting its planned EV-only baby G-Class to work with combustion power to avert disaster, according to a new report out of Germany.

Related: Mercedes Teases Baby G-Class, Electric E-Class, And More, V8 And V12 Live On

The all-electric G580 with EQ Technology was introduced last April, but things haven’t exactly gone to plan. Handelsblatt reports that sales have been dismal in the year since its debut. “The car is sitting like lead at dealers; it’s a complete flop,” one Mercedes executive told the publication. Another internal source added, “It’s a niche model; production numbers are very low.”

The report claims that the terrifyingly pricey ($161,500 in the US) EV had found only 1,450 European buyers by the end of this April based on Dataforce and Marklines figures, 61 in South Korea and just 58 in electric-loving China. The report even suggests Mercedes had failed to sell a single example in the US, which sounds dubious and is something we’ve asked MB USA to check.

Gas G-Class Still Dominates

While the electric G stalls, its combustion counterpart is doing brisk business. The also expensive ICE SUV outsells its electric brother seven to one, Handlesblatt says. And unlike the EQS and EQE, the G EV’s poor showing can’t be blamed on boring design because it looks almost exactly the same as the in-demand combustion model. So what gives?

One possible criticism is that unlike traditional EVs, which have a long wheelbase, flat floor and tons of interior space as a result, the G-Class EQ mirrors the dimensions and roominess of the ICE model. And what it does have a lot more of – weight – means it’s far less useful as a tow vehicle than the petrol G-Class and has a pathetic 239 miles (385 km) of EPA range.

Luxury buyers also remain unconvinced about the merits of electric power, preferring the traditional luxury and status that comes with a big, powerful petrol engine – though the G550 downgraded from a V8 to an inline six for the latest generation.

Mercedes had already confirmed earlier this year in response to slow EV sales that it would invest more in ICE technology while still introducing new EVs. One of those EVs is the upcoming baby G-Class, but Handelsblatt’s sources at Mercedes now say the automaker is seriously considering adapting the SUV to take a combustion  – or more likely, hybrid – powertrain.

Also: This Not-So-Serious Fake G-Class Sold For Seriously Real Money

This switch is apparently still possible late in the game because the the mini G is built on the company’s MMA architecture found under the new CLA in both electric and combustion forms, the report says. This contradicts earlier rumors swirling around the web suggesting Mercedes would use a different platform.

Electric vehicle startups tend to live fast and fluctuate wildly, but Zeekr’s latest chapter is turning heads for a different reason. Geely is looking to take electric automaker Zeekr private, barely a year after it went public in the United States. However, investors fear that Geely is undervaluing the company, and are demanding more.

Given that Zeekr is viewed as one of Geely’s best automotive assets, it’s perhaps little surprise that the conglomerate wants to take full control of it.

Read: Zeekr 9X Is A Rolls Royce Cullinan Clone For The Price Of A BMW X5

As it stands, Geely already owns about two-thirds of Zeekr, alongside a slew of other electric carmakers that make up the group. In 2023, a fundraising round valued Zeekr at $13 billion, but when it went public in the US twelve months ago, its fully diluted valuation was cut to $5.5 billion, less than half the estimate.

Investors Push Back on Geely’s Bid

In early May, Geely said it offered to pay $2.2 billion to take Zeekr private, for the remaining 34.3% stake. But significant investors in Zeekr, including CATL, Intel Capital, and Boyu Capital, all of whom invested in Zeekr’s original fundraising round, don’t believe Geely’s offer accurately reflects the firm’s fair value. Other investors to express their displeasure include Bilibili and Cathay Fortune Group.

According to Reuters, the five firms sent a letter to Geely arguing that the offer pegs Zeekr’s total value at just $6.5 billion. That’s a steep discount compared to competitors like Xpeng, Nio, and Li Auto, all of which command higher valuations despite similarly rocky roads.

Geely’s offer to acquire the remaining stake in Zeekr valued each share at $25.66, or a 24% premium over the average share price in the four weeks prior. Zeekr’s shares have since jumped to over $26 after news of the potential move first broke.

Control Without Consensus?

The early investors have urged Zeekr’s special committee to review and evaluate Geely’s offer. They also don’t want a deal to proceed until there’s an agreement among the majority of Zeekr’s “independent minority” shareholders.

Unfortunately for these shareholders, they may not have any say in the matter. According to some analysts, Geely’s current 65.7% stake in Zeekr means it may have sufficient votes to carry out the privatization without needing approval from other shareholders.

Tesla’s global sales may be slipping, but not every market is turning cold. In a few corners of the world, the brand is still pulling off unexpected wins. In Norway, for example, where a staggering nine out of every 10 new cars sold is an EV, Tesla sales went berserk, jumping 213 percent in May versus the same month in 2024.

A total of 2,600 Tesla EVs were delivered in Norway in May, according to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV). Unsurprisingly, the boom was led by the launch of the facelifted Model Y, which debuted this spring. The compact SUV has been the country’s best-selling car for three-years running, and this May it took a chunky 16.5 percent market share.

Also: The Once Unthinkable Has Happened To Tesla’s Brand

That was more than double the 7 percent of the second-place finisher, Toyota’s bZ4X, and four times the VW ID.4’s showing (4.2 percent). Tesla’s overall performance in Norway was way beyond the healthy 39 percent sales uplift for all cars sold in the country last month.

The Norwegian government’s pro-climate stance going back 25 years, despite being a huge oil exporter , has helped switch its population on to electric cars even though the country’s winter weather shows off EVs in their worst light. Strong financial incentives and a huge number of available chargers created sufficient demand that Norway is now close to the 100 percent EV goal in 2025 it set out to reach eight years ago. The last few combustion holdouts will be tough to convert, however.

BEST SELLING MODELS NORWAY MAY 2025

Tesla Sales Plunge 67% In France

But other European nations who also had access to the facelifted Model Y and had previously seen the old model become the best-selling car in their country, didn’t replicate Norway’s numbers. In Sweden, which shares a border with Norway, Tesla sales sank by 54 percent to just 503 vehicles. In France, they were down 67 percent to 721 units, data from AAA says.

European sales of Teslas halved as buyers shunned the brand that once dominated sales charts, becoming the first to outperform not just other EVs, but every combustion-engine car. The arrival of stronger competition, both from legacy brands and also Chinese newcomers like BYD is a factor, as is a certain level of disappointment that Tesla’s facelifts to the Model 3 and Model Y don’t go far enough.

But another major reason for Tesla’s weak sales is its declining brand image and public disgust at Musk’s support for right-wing political parties such as Germany’s AfD. In a March poll 94 percent of Germans said they would never buy a Tesla.

BEST SELLING BRANDS NORWAY MAY 2025

Ball joints are the unsung heroes of the car world. They’re the mechanical glue that holds the various bits of your vehicle’s suspension together and keeps you on the road. But now Ford is recalling thousands of their popular F-150 trucks because of fears that ‘glue’ might come unstuck.

Also: Ford Tells Three Lightning Owners Their EVs Might Be Missing A Nut Or Two

A total of 29,501 Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks built for the 2024-25 model years are being recalled to check the front upper control arm ball joint nuts. Ford thinks some of the nuts haven’t been correctly tightened and could come loose, even come off altogether. And if that happens, the steering knuckle could potentially part company with the control arm, leading to a loss of control.

A Loose Nut Is More Than Just a Metaphor

Ford has a specified torque setting for the ball joint nuts, but says some might not have been torqued properly due to a variation in alignment between the nut and the fancy wrench. If the nut were to come loose, there’s a good chance owners would have plenty of warning before the suspension components head off in opposite directions. Ford says drivers need to listen out for unusual vibrations, clunks or rattles when crossing bumps and uneven surfaces.

According to Ford, it first became aware of the problem on March 6, 2025, when it received a report about a missing right front upper control arm nut on a 2024 F-150 Lightning built just three days earlier. The truck had roughly 634 miles on the odometer when the customer reported a front wheel failure while driving. It was towed to a dealership, where a technician confirmed the nut was missing and the control arm had detached from the knuckle.

This Isn’t the First Time

Getting a sense of déjà vu? Ford already announced a recall for an identical problem in December 2024 for Lightnings built for the 2023-24 model years. It introduced a secondary torque verification step into the production process, but in March of this year received a field report about a Lightning suffering a major suspension collapse while driving. When the truck was towed to a dealership, technicians discovered that the right front upper control arm nut was completely missing.

Owners of the 20,528 MY24 and 8,973 MY25 Lightnings at risk will be asked to take their trucks to a dealership to let technicians check the torque on their nuts. If the nut passes the test, it’ll be replaced anyway, but if it fails, Ford will pony up for an entirely new knuckle.

A school bus driver in Greenville, Michigan, stopped a stranger from entering a school bus through the rear emergency exit while several students were on board, reported Fox 17.

The incident reportedly occurred Thursday, when a Flat River Academy school bus was transporting students to school. A 17-year-old grabbed the rear emergency door handle while the bus was stopped at a light in an attempt to enter the vehicle.

According to the news report, when the bus started to move the teen was able to get the door open, setting off the emergency door alarm. That’s when the driver stopped the school bus and ran to the back to figure out what was happening.

The driver, who was not identified in this writing, confronted the teen as he was trying to climb into the bus and used his foot to bar entrance and then to close the door.

The Michigan State Police said troppers were already in pursuit of the teen prior to the incident and took him into custody at the scene. The teen is believed to have been involved in the vandalism of a nearby business.

The teen, who has autism, was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. The teen had left his home without his family’s knowledge. The students and staff on board the school bus were not injured during the incident and the driver was able to finish his route without further interruption.

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