With load growth projections all over the map and politicians zeroing in on high electricity prices, I take a step back in this audio essay to ask how we should build the grid in the face of massive uncertainty. The answer lies in modular, distributed technologies that strengthen the system regardless of whether the AI bubble eventually bursts.
📌 Instr…
President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office on Feb. 11, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump said Friday he will try to reverse any law, pardon or still-in-effect executive order that former President Joe Biden signed with an autopen, though it wasn’t immediately clear how that would work or whether it would be legal.
Trump declared in a social media post that any documents Biden signed with the autopen are “hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect.”
“I am hereby cancelling all Executive Orders, and anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally,” Trump alleged. “Joe Biden was not involved in the Autopen process and, if he says he was, he will be brought up on charges of perjury. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The White House press office didn’t immediately respond to a request for the list of documents Trump believes he has the ability to rescind based on the manner they were signed.
States Newsroom also asked the Trump administration if officials believe the president would need to sign an executive order in order to implement his social media post.
The post was similar to one Trump published in March when he claimed any pardons Biden signed with the autopen were void, something legal experts said at the time was “absurd” and a “red herring.”
Trump brought up his frustration with autopen use again in June when he ordered the White House legal counsel and U.S. attorney general to investigate when and why Biden administration staff used an autopen.
Trump said during an Oval Office appearance at the time he hadn’t found any evidence Biden aides violated the law.
“No, but I’ve uncovered the human mind,” Trump said. “I was in a debate with the human mind and I didn’t think he knew what the hell he was doing. So it’s one of those things, one of those problems. We can’t ever allow that to happen to our country.”
Biden and spokespeople working for him have repeatedly said he knew what official documents were being signed in his name and rejected claims that White House staff used the autopen without his authorization or knowledge.
Biden released a statement in June following the Trump memorandum, saying the investigation “is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” Biden wrote at the time. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”
While presidents have regularly rescinded their predecessors executive orders, usually within their first few days or weeks in office, Congress would very likely need to act in order to alter or eliminate any laws that Biden signed with an autopen. Trump seeking to overturn a law, or part of a law, unilaterally would likely lead to a lawsuit over whether he holds that power.
It also wasn’t immediately clear what legal authority Trump believes he has as president to undo pardons if Biden used an autopen to sign the documents.
David Super, a constitutional and administrative law professor at Georgetown University, told States Newsroom in March that “the Constitution does not require signatures for pardons. It simply says the president has the power to pardon.”
“So if President Biden wanted to simply verbally tell someone they’re pardoned, he could do that. It wouldn’t have to be in writing at all,” he said. “Administratively, of course, we want things in writing. It makes things a lot simpler, but there’s no constitutional requirement.”
Ashley Murray contributed to this report.
A small memorial of flowers and an American flag outside the Farragut West Metro station in Washington, D.C., near where two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot on Nov. 26. (Photo by Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced Friday it has charged the man who allegedly shot two National Guard members earlier this week with first-degree murder after one of the soldiers died as a result of her injuries.
Other charges include three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
The attack shocked the country and has led to a renewed discussion about immigration policy as well as the war in Afghanistan and how the country withdrew during the Biden administration.
President Donald Trump announced late Thursday night he intends to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” though he didn’t specify which countries would be included or exactly how such an order would be implemented.
Trump wrote on social media he plans to “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”
The post came just hours after U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from injuries she sustained during a Wednesday shooting a couple of blocks from the White House. The other victim, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remained hospitalized in critical condition. Both were West Virginia National Guard members.
The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who worked with United States forces, entered the country on Sept. 8, 2021, as part of Operation Allies Welcome, according to a statement from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The White House press office declined to say Friday which countries would have their residents barred from entering the United States under the new order, referring back to the president’s social media posts, which did not include a list.
“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” Trump wrote. “Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a Thursday afternoon statement the administration would pause immigration applications for Afghan nationals.
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” she wrote.
The Trump administration will also review “all asylum cases approved under the Biden Administration,” McLaughlin said, saying those cases required more vetting.
In a separate post, Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for allowing the alleged shooter into the country.
McLaughlin echoed that sentiment.
Lakanwal “was paroled in by the Biden Administration. After that, Biden signed into law that parole program, and then entered into the 2023 Ahmed Court Settlement, which bound (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to adjudicate his asylum claim on an expedited basis. Regardless if his asylum was granted or not, this monster would not have been removed because of his parole.”
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, following two decades of war that began as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has been widely criticized.
Many of the Afghan nationals who aided the United States and allied countries were left behind as the Taliban quickly regained control.
The nonprofit #AfghanEvac, formed in August 2021 to help resettle Afghan refugees, criticized the administration’s proposal to indefinitely halt the processing of immigration requests from Afghans.
“Our allies are under attack today because of the actions of one deranged man. Those actions should not be ascribed to an entire community,” the organization posted on social media late Thursday.
In a lengthier statement issued Wednesday following the shooting of two National Guard members, the organization’s president, Shawn VanDiver, said #AfghanEvac “expects and fully supports the perpetrator facing full accountability and prosecution under the law.”
VanDiver continued: “AfghanEvac rejects any attempt to leverage this tragedy as a political ploy to isolate or harm Afghans who have resettled in the United States.”
Lakanwal had been residing in Washington state and drove across the country before the shooting, according to Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
Officials investigating the shooting have yet to release a possible motive.
Lakanwal was granted asylum in the U.S. in April, according to reporting by many media outlets, including NPR.
The Department of Homeland Security did not confirm for States Newsroom the date Lakanwal was granted asylum.
FBI Director Kash Patel, left, at a press conference on Nov. 27, 2025, looks at photos of the two West Virginia National Guard soldiers shot in Washington, D.C., the previous day. They were identified as Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Beckstrom, 20. (Photo by Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — West Virginia National Guard member U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, one of the victims of a shooting near the White House, died Thursday, President Donald Trump said.
“She’s just passed away,” Trump said. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us.”
Trump, who was speaking with members of the military via video, said she was “magnificent in every way.”
A White House official said Trump spoke with Beckstrom’s parents on Thursday night.
The other victim, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, underwent surgery and remained hospitalized in Washington, D.C., in critical condition.
“The other young man is fighting for his life,” Trump said.
Earlier Thursday, federal law enforcement officials examined evidence collected from the home of the alleged lone gunman, who drove to the nation’s capital from Washington state to target the troops, officials said.
They did not disclose a motive for the attack in a busy area of offices and retail just blocks from the White House, the day before Thanksgiving.
Beckstrom and Wolfe underwent surgery and were hospitalized after the suspect allegedly shot them in broad daylight Wednesday, according to Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
A military press release said Beckstrom, of Summersville, was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade. Wolfe, of Martinsburg, was assigned to the Force Support Squadron, 167th Airlift Wing.
Wolfe entered service on Feb. 5, 2019 and had been on orders in the district since the beginning of the mission in August. Beckstrom entered service on June 26, 2023 and also had been in the district since August.
“Their families are with them now. They are critical. I think you understand the meaning of that,” Pirro told reporters at a Thursday morning briefing.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan refugee who worked with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, is currently facing three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, Pirro said, adding the charges are “appropriate” for now.
“It’s not clear, you know, how this is going to end up. But let me be perfectly clear about how it will end up in this office if one of them is to pass. And God forbid that happens, this is a murder one (charge). Period. End of the story,” Pirro said.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Thursday morning the Department of Justice will seek the death penalty if either of the guard members succumbs to their injuries.
Bondi said Beckstrom had volunteered to work over the holiday.
Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard, commanding general of the National Guard in the District of Columbia, told reporters, “Regardless of the outcome, we know that their lives, their family life, their families’ lives are all changed forever because one person decided to do this horrific and evil thing.”
Pirro said the suspect “drove his vehicle across the country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital.”
Trump mobilized 800 National Guard members to the district in August, on the grounds of a “crime emergency,” despite a nearly 30-year low in violent crime in the city.
Some of the guard troops were instructed they would be carrying service weapons while deployed in the district, according to an Aug. 17 report in the Wall Street Journal.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday the administration will send an additional 500 National Guard troops to the district.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, at 17th and I streets NW, near the Farragut West Metro station, Lakanwal allegedly shot the first guard member, then “leans over and strikes the guardsman again,” Pirro said, not identifying which member was initially struck.
Lakanwal then struck the second guard member “several times,” she said.
“Fellow guardsmen who were there responded immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat, and subduing him at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains as we speak, under heavy guard. Thanks to the swift and coordinated response of the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department, no additional victims were harmed, and the scene was secured within minutes,” Pirro said.
Kash Patel, director of the FBI, said the agency searched Lakanwal’s home last night in Bellingham, Washington, seizing multiple electronic devices and interviewing family members. Patel said the suspect is believed to have five children.
The gun Lakanwal used in the attack, a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, is being analyzed at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, Patel said.
Patel said the FBI is also interviewing interested parties in San Diego but would not provide further details on the “ongoing investigation.”
Patel told reporters that he spoke to CIA Director John Ratcliffe Wednesday night and obtained “confirmation now that the subject had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces.”
“We are fully investigating that aspect of his background as well, to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United States of America,” Patel said.
Patel would not answer reporters’ questions about whether and when Lakanwal had been granted asylum in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for a timeline.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a statement Wednesday night confirming Lakanwal arrived in the U.S. on Sept. 8, 2021, as part of the Operation Allies Welcome.
The program was established after the U.S. military’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan “to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to Department of Homeland archived information.
Noem did not provide any further information on Lakanwal’s asylum process.
The administration announced Wednesday night it will immediately halt any immigration requests from Afghan nationals.
Lakanwal had worked with a CIA-backed military unit in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, Fox News reported Wednesday night. The CIA did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.
Last week, a District of Columbia federal judge found the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard in the city illegal. However, Judge Jia Cobb paused her order for three weeks to give the Trump administration time to remove the guard members along with appealing her ruling.
More than 2,000 members of the guard have remained in the district, and are expected to stay until the end of February, according to Cobb’s order.
The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in an emergency motion to intervene.
A pedestrian lifts his bike over snow piles after a storm in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo is among the older industrial cities where residential properties have drawn interest from corporate investors. (Photo by John Normile/Getty Images)
As corporate ownership of residential property across the country rises nationwide, researchers from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Center for Geospatial Solutions, which is housed at the institute, warn this rising trend has complicated the housing market for first-time buyers.
According to a joint “Who Owns America” report, nearly 9% of residential parcels in 500 U.S. counties are owned by a corporation. The concentrations exceed 20% in some cities, including St. Louis, Missouri; Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Franklin, Ohio.
Researchers told Stateline they define “corporate ownership” as any rental property held under a formal business entity, whether a single-property LLC or large institutional investors such as Blackstone. They also track three factors: whether the owner is a business entity, whether it is based in- or out-of-state, and the size of its housing portfolio.
Roughly 2% of residential lots are owned by out-of-state investors. Investors have shifted their capital to older industrial metros such as St. Louis, along with Buffalo, New York, and Akron and Toledo in Ohio, where rents are rising and vacancy rates are extremely tight.
Although corporate owners currently hold a modest share of all residential parcels nationwide, their footprint is expanding steadily, said Reina Chano Murray, associate director at the Center for Geospatial Solutions.
“Corporate ownership may look small on paper, around nearly 9% across the counties we studied, but that share is steadily increasing,” said Chano Murray. “Even if corporate owners don’t make up a huge percentage right now, the trend line is clear. They’re growing.”
This past year, states took a major step in attempting to use legislation to rein in corporate ownership of rental homes. According to an August report by the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, lawmakers in 22 states have introduced such legislation in 2025, including in California, New York and Texas. Cities in Indiana have capped the percentage of single family homes that can be rented in a neighborhood.
AEI, however, believes the issue of corporate land ownership is a “narrative [that] is not supported by empirical evidence,” highlighting that less than 1% of institutional investorship is in residential property, according to its report.
Earlier this year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, proposed a 75-day moratorium on institutional or corporate investors buying single- and two-family homes to disincentivize those groups from buying up housing stock at the cost of individual buyers.
Washington state lawmakers have floated caps on how many units a single investor may own. In 2024, Colorado enacted a law that gave cities a right of first refusal on some multifamily property sales. Locally, some redevelopment authorities in Cincinnati and Minneapolis are using their own capital to compete, by directly acquiring and preserving single-family homes for low- and moderate-income buyers.
The impact of corporate residential ownership, researchers at the Lincoln Institute say, is most severe for first-time buyers, who are increasingly outbid by cash offers from well-endowed investors.
“For first-time homebuyers, it’s a double whammy. Units are being removed from the marketplace, and investor competition is driving up prices,” said George McCarthy, president and CEO of the Lincoln Institute. “Cash-only transactions make up nearly a third of single-family sales this year, and those aren’t families with briefcases full of cash.”
Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@stateline.org.
This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Wisconsin Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
Earlier this month, Toyota pulled the covers off its long-awaited battery-electric Hilux, built on the thoroughly reworked ninth-generation platform. While powertrain specifications for the model have been released, Toyota has yet to confirm pricing, saying only that it will be “attainable.”
Read: New Toyota Hilux Brings Sumo-Inspired Looks And EV Option
The complete list of markets where the Hilux BEV will be sold is unclear, but we do know that Australia will be among them. Local buyers will see the Hilux BEV arrive in the first half of 2026, with Toyota initially targeting fleets rather than private owners.
Large mining operations are expected to be the main customers, given the suitability of electric drivetrains for underground work.
Pricing Expectations
While recently speaking with local outlet Drive about the new truck, Toyota Australia vice president for sales and marketing Sean Hanley acknowledged the Hilux BEV will “be dearer than the diesel cars we’ve got right now.”
Prices for the new Hilux equipped with the mild-hybrid diesel engine will start at AU$65,990 ($42,800), and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the BEV could add AU$15,000 ($9,700) to that figure, meaning this model could be positioned near the top of the Hilux range.
“We know this is not going to be our biggest seller, but it’s got to be competitive and affordable for those that want it, so it’s got to be attainable,” Hanley added.
“There’s no point putting it out there if it’s going to be a hundred grand (AU$100,000), you know what I mean, like maybe you’re referencing. It’s got to be achievable, it’s got to be attainable.”
Toyota has equipped the Hilux BEV with a small 59.2 kWh battery pack and dual electric motors delivering 193 hp. The pickup has a quoted range of just 149 miles (240 km).
A Niche Future
Despite some interest from private buyers, Hanley is realistic about where this model fits. He describes it as a niche vehicle, built with clear intent rather than broad market ambition.
“Where this will appeal will actually be mining – massively. Again, I don’t wanna sit here and say to you ‘it’s gonna take the world by storm and volume’. [It’s] not going to do that. It’s not meant to do that. That’s not why we’re launching it,” he said.
Still, he admits there could be some crossover appeal. “There is a niche market out there where we can put this car, and in mining it will be, I think, our biggest target market. Now, that’s not to say some tradies may not want it. They may… it’s possible.”
While Ford has walked back some of its more ambitious electric vehicle goals lately, the company is still pushing forward with notable investment and new product launches.
The Ford Truck division’s first-ever, production battery-powered creation, however, isn’t something customers will find parked at their local dealership. Instead, it’s a dedicated all-electric rig called the F-Line E.
Read: Mercedes Takes On Tesla Semi With New eActros 600 EV Offering 311 Miles Of Range
Ford Trucks operates as the heavy-commercial arm of Ford Otosan, the long-running joint venture between Ford and Turkey’s Koç Holding. The partnership oversees the design, engineering, and production of tractors, construction vehicles, and heavy-duty haulers serving markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Production of the F-Line E will take place under Ford Otosan, with the model making its first appearance at the Solutrans fair in France, displayed in both 4×2 and 6×2 configurations.
The largest of the available models has no fewer than four 98 kWh nickel manganese cobalt batteries, making for a combined 392 kWh or a usable 314 kWh. Ford says this is enough to give the F-Line a driving range of up to 186 miles (300 km).
Power is provided by a single electric motor at the rear wheels with 415 hp and 1,010 lb-ft (1,370 Nm) of torque during regular driving, but capable of producing up to 523 hp and 1,821 lb-ft (2,470 Nm). The 6×2 model also supports peak charging speeds of up to 285 kW.
By comparison, the smaller 4×2 version has three battery packs and a combined capacity of 294 kWh or 235 kWh usable. It also relies on a less powerful motor with 315 hp and a peak of up to 389 hp.
Ford says this version can travel up to 155 miles (250 km) on a single charge. Peak charging speeds on the 4×2 are capped at 213 kW. Both the 4×2 and 6×2 models are capped at 56 miles (90 km/h).
Built for Work
Ford Trucks positions the F-Line E as a flexible platform suitable for delivery fleets, municipal operations, and various vocational applications, including garbage collection. The truck’s modular design allows operators to tailor it for specific roles without major reconfiguration.
Alongside the F-Line E, Ford also revealed the updated F-Max at the same event. Significantly larger and powered by a revised 12.7-liter engine for 2025, the F-Max promises to trim fuel costs by 11 percent, showing that Ford’s commercial lineup isn’t going all-in on electrification just yet.
Chinese automakers are steering the electric era into a new phase, flooding the market with low-cost EVs and plug-in hybrids at the Guangzhou Motor Show.
With prices starting between 100,001 yuan ($14,100) and 150,000 yuan ($21,100), this new generation of vehicles sends a message that’s hard to miss: China intends to own the mass market for electrification.
Read: The Company That Started The EV Price War Now Says It’s Gone Too Far
According to Nikkei Asia, many of China’s biggest automakers are getting ready to export these budget-friendly newcomers. For Western legacy brands still wrestling with production costs and emissions targets, those prices don’t signal healthy competition so much as the opening act of a global price reckoning.
The Global Push Begins
Several new EV and PHEV models took the stage at the show, among them the Leapmotor A10, which is expected to start around 100,000 yuan ($14,100) and head for export worldwide. The company’s Lafa 5 electric hatchback is set to launch at roughly the same figure.
Nio made a strong impression with its Firefly, shown for the first time in right-hand drive. Priced around 100,000 yuan ($14,100) in China, the Firefly will enter 17 new markets next year, reaching into Central America and beyond. GAC joined in with its Aion i60, a range-extender SUV starting at 109,800 yuan ($15,500).
Price Wars Continue
The Chinese automotive industry has been in a price war for the past few years, and there are no signs of cooling, as carmakers feverishly battle to gain market share. The lower end of the market is proving to be an especially fierce battleground, Nikkei Asia reports.
During the first nine months of this year alone, 2.35 million EVs and plug-in hybrids priced between 100,001 yuan ($14,100) and 150,000 yuan ($21,100) were sold in China. That makes it the nation’s largest market segment, up from fewer than 1.5 million in the same range last year.
By contrast, models priced between 150,001 yuan and 200,000 yuan ($21,100–$28,200) have held steady at around 2.3 million sales.
There has also been significant growth in even more affordable NEVs. The number of vehicles sold in the $11,300 – $14,100 and $11,300-or-less price brackets has doubled to over 1 million units.
While the growing number of affordable models is good for Chinese customers, it’s hurting the automakers themselves. During the July-September quarter, BYD’s net profit fell 30 percent, its first decline in four years. Great Wall saw a similar hit, with profits falling 30 percent despite a 20 percent rise in sales.
Exports, meanwhile, are accelerating. Over the first three quarters of this year, Chinese brands shipped 1.75 million EVs and plug-in hybrids abroad, an astonishing 89 percent increase from the same period last year.
Five years ago, Lotus vowed to go fully electric, rolling out a host of battery-powered models like the Eletre, Emeya, and Evija. Yet, like several other automakers now revisiting the middle ground, it seems the British brand can’t entirely turn its back on hybrids.
Read: Lotus Hyper Hybrid Can Run 100% On ICE-Power
The first compromise looks set to arrive in the form of a plug-in hybrid Eletre, blending the company’s electric ambitions with a dose of combustion practicality. About a year ago, Lotus offered a glimpse of its newly developed hybrid system but has since kept the details close to its chest. That quiet stretch appears ready to end.
Hybrid Plans Take Shape
During the company’s most recent earnings call, chief executive Feng Qingfeng confirmed that Lotus’s first plug-in hybrid will pack 912 hp. The model will reach Chinese showrooms in the first quarter of 2026, with European deliveries following later that year.
The company has so far committed to launching three PHEVs. If the first of these is a new version of the Eletre, the second may be a hybrid version of the Emeya sedan.
As for the third model, Lotus has confirmed it will be a smaller SUV, slotting below the Eletre. This model will be launched in 2027 and is currently known as the Vision X.
Inside the Hyper Hybrid
Lotus has named its new powertrain the ‘Hyper Hybrid,’ built around a 900-volt electrical platform designed for ultra-fast charging. The system allows the battery to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just ten minutes when connected to suitable infrastructure.
The company also notes that the combustion engine will serve as a generator for “on-the-drive” charging, replenishing the battery while the car is in motion.
Lotus has not provided any details about the combustion engine it will use. That said, it’s a safe bet that it will be a turbocharged four-cylinder, as reported by Autocar.
Expanding The Range
Feng explained that adding hybrid models broadens the company’s reach, particularly in regions where full EV adoption has been slower.
“The introduction of hybrid models offers more choice for luxury vehicle buyers and will help us expand into broader markets, including regions with slower EV adoption, such as Italy and Spain and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Review: We Drove Lotus’ Electric SUV To See If It Can Silence Its Haters
In addition to offering performance comparable to its all-electric models, the PHEVs from Lotus will boast far greater driving ranges. Whereas the electric Eletre has a range of between 254 and 373 miles (409 – 600 km), models equipped with the Hyper Hybrid system will be able to travel up to 684 miles (1,100 km) between stops.
Mahindra has rolled out a fresh take on its BE6 electric SUV, arriving a year after the model’s debut in India. This new BE6 Formula E Edition celebrates the brand’s ongoing presence in the FIA Formula E championship, carrying a range of design tweaks.
More: Land Rover’s Owner Built A Baby Land Rover For Less Than A Bespoke Paint Job
When most carmakers release a special edition, the updates stop at paint colors, wheels, or graphics. Mahindra went a step further, reshaping parts of the body to make the BE6 Formula E Edition stand out for more than its decals.
What Sets It Apart?
The BE6 Formula E Edition features a distinct front bumper framed by round LED headlights and sharply contoured detailing. A new skid plate and a generous spread of dark liquid metal cladding make it look more like a dune-conquering rally car than a formula-inspired build.
The rear bumper has also been redesigned, joined by a double spoiler. Furthermore, the vertical LEDs have been blocked for a cleaner look.
The SUV sits on new 20-inch alloy wheels, though Mahindra also offers the familiar 19-inch set from the standard BE6. Along the profile, the glass roof and pillars wear racing-inspired graphics that contrast neatly with the four body colors on offer: Everest White, Firestorm Orange, Tango Red, and Stealth Black
The fully electric SUV has also gained Formula E badges on the front fenders and special branding on the windshield. The cabin combines black upholstery with Firestorm Orange inserts, FIA-branded seat belts and plaque, the Formula E logo on the dashboard, and a custom startup animation.
More: Mahindra Built A Batman SUV And Somehow It’s Completely Serious
Equipment is generous, with a standard digital cockpit, dual wireless charging, a Harman Kardon audio system, and an ADAS suite.
Performance And Range
The Formula E special doesn’t get any performance upgrades over the high-spec BE6. The rear-mounted electric motor produces 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) and 380 Nm (280.3 lb-ft) of torque, sending the SUV from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds and on to a 202 km/h (126 mph) top speed. A 79 kWh battery provides an estimated 500 km (311 miles) of real-world range.
The top FE3 trim adds adaptive suspension as standard, making it the most sophisticated version yet.
Pricing
Mahindra prices the BE6 Formula E Edition from ₹23.69 lakh ($26,500) for the FE2 and ₹24.49 lakh ($27,400) for the fully equipped FE3. Unlike the limited-run Batman Edition, this one will be widely available, though still exclusive to India. Orders open on January 14, with first deliveries due by February 14, 2026.
For younger fans, Mahindra even plans a BE6 Formula E Ride-On toddler car, arriving in April 2026 for ₹18,000 ($200).
Mahindra has competed in Formula E since the series began in 2014, claiming five victories and 29 podiums to date. While a championship title remains elusive, the team’s consistency has secured its place on the grid for the next era of the sport, continuing into the GEN4 generation for the 2026–2027 season
Audi is preparing a host of upgrades for the 2026 model year, covering the A5, A6, Q5, A6 e-tron, and Q6 e-tron. It’s not just a set of software tweaks or safety updates either. The brand says these revisions are designed to make some of its most popular models more enjoyable behind the wheel.
Read: Audi’s AUDI Bets Big On China With A 671 HP Electric SUV That Means Business
However, Audi hasn’t yet said whether these updates will cross the Atlantic for American buyers, leaving the U.S. lineup unchanged for now.
What’s Changing Inside?
The biggest transformations happen inside. Like Volkswagen, Audi has come to appreciate that customers never really warmed to capacitive steering-wheel buttons. So from 2026 onward, all affected models will adopt a redesigned wheel fitted with two physical scroll controls, restoring the tactile precision that many drivers missed.
One of the upgrades that’s bound to be enjoyed by S5 and S6 e-tron customers will be the addition of a Dynamic Plus driving mode. Audi says that this will maximize the dynamics of both models, allowing for controlled oversteer despite their advanced quattro all-wheel drive systems and brake torque vectoring.
For all models built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), the regenerative braking system receives further refinement. Drivers will be able to use true one-pedal operation, bringing the car smoothly to a halt without engaging the friction brakes.
Smarter Tech
Audi is also introducing a more advanced version of its driver-assistance system across its PPE and PPC models. From next year, these cars will include an autonomous lane-change function where the driver simply needs to toggle the turn signal, and the car will automatically change lane.
Following BMW’s lead, Audi will introduce a trained parking feature capable of autonomously navigating up to 200 meters on private property, retracing a saved route to or from a parking space.
Moreover, starting next year, the new A6 will come equipped with digital matrix LED headlights and digital OLED taillights that include configurable light signatures.
Select models will gain the option of an integrated dashcam mounted at the base of the rear-view mirror. The 4K camera records both driving and parking footage, offering a built-in alternative to aftermarket systems.
Audi has also introduced several mood scenarios, or what it calls ‘experience worlds,’ into the cabin, which adjust the interior lighting, sound, climate control settings, and massage functions. Updates have also been made to the onboard gaming system, meaning controllers can now be paired over Bluetooth.
Cupra has peeled back just enough camo to give us our first proper look at the little Raval, its feisty new electric compact hatch that promises to inject some welcome attitude into the small-EV segment when it lands in early 2026.
Also: Cupra Builds A Street Hatch That Thinks It’s A Race Car With Removable Rear Seats
The Raval sits on Volkswagen Group’s updated MEB+ platform, the same one that will underpin the VW ID. Polo, ID. Cross and Skoda Epic.
All four will be built in Spain and Cupra didn’t just design its own version – it actually led the chassis-tuning development for the whole family. Each brand still gets its own flavor, but the Raval is, predictably, the spicy one.
What Sets It Apart?
At just over 4,000 mm (157.5 inches) long, the Raval is subcompact-sized, but Cupra insists it’s not just for the school run. That’s why the engineers dropped the chassis 15mm lower than on other MEB+ cars, stiffened the suspension, added progressive steering and fitted disc brakes at both ends.
There are Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive dampers – presumably not standard, details are still TBC – and even base models at launch come with a single, front-mounted electric motor making 208 hp (211 PS / 155 kW). That gives a range of 278 miles (450 km) from a battery of an unspecified capacity.
Stepping up from base Dynamic trim to Dynamic Plus adds more ADAS features, intelligent parking functions, Matrix LED headlights, bucket seats, and a posh Senhheiser 12-speaker audio system.
The Performance Step-Up
However, the flagship VZ is a different animal altogether thanks to its more powerful 233 hp (226 PS / 166 kW) motor, electronic differential and sporty steering knuckle.
The VZ also gets a 10 mm (0.39 inches) wider track, standard 19-inch wheels with an awesome circular-saw-style design and Dinamica bucket seats, though Cupra’s teaser pics don’t show the interior.
The downside is a range drop to 249 miles (400 km). Other less powerful models could arrive down the line to make the Raval more affordable once the initial buzz has died down, but the launch range is targeting a starting price of €26,000 (£23k / $30k).
Xiaomi’s YU7 has quickly found its stride in China. Only a few months into its launch, the electric SUV has seen a sharp rise in sales and, in October, even edged past the Tesla Model Y. For now, though, buyers outside China are still waiting for Xiaomi to take its EVs beyond the domestic market.
Last month, Xiaomi sold an impressive 48,654 vehicles across China. Of these, 33,662 were YU7s, meaning it is now comfortably outselling the SU7 sedan. By comparison, Tesla shipped approximately 61,500 Model Ys in October, but 35,400 of these were sent to overseas markets, meaning Chinese buyers snapped up roughly 26,100 units.
Read: A 60-Week Waitlist Just Made Xiaomi’s SUV A Flippers Goldmine
Since customer deliveries of the YU7 began in July, Xiaomi is believed to have shipped around 70,000 units in total. That’s a rapid rise for a newcomer, suggesting the SUV has struck a chord with Chinese buyers.
New Customization Options
On the back of continued SUV sales success, Xiaomi announced its new Customization Service at the Guangzhou Auto Show, presenting a YU7 Max painted in Crystal Purple to mark the occasion.
The new service is effectively Xiaomi’s take on Porsche’s Paint to Sample program, with plans to roll out more than 100 new paint colors over the next three years. It’s a striking contrast to Tesla’s strategy, which restricts buyers to just a few standard colors and trims in the name of production efficiency and fatter profit margins.
The full list of paint colors has yet to be announced, but Xiaomi did say that the special finishes will be priced from 11,000 yuan ($1,500). Through the Customization Service, shoppers will also be able to choose from a selection of alloy wheels and colored Brembo brake calipers.
For buyers with a taste for extravagance, Xiaomi will also offer 24-karat gold badges or black-and-white emblems, along with gold carbon fiber versions.
Powering single motor versions of the YU7 is a rear-mounted unit delivering 315 hp (235 kW) and 389 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque, fed by a 96.3 kWh battery pack. Xiaomi also offers dual-motor versions with 489 hp (365 kW) and 681 hp (508 kW), respectively.
An even more potent version of the YU7 is on the cards, but it’s too early to say if it will reach the same heights as the SU7 Ultra.
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