Battery degradation has long been one of the reasons new car buyers have held out on purchasing an EV. However, data from a new study reveal that the top-performing EVs lose less than 5 percent of their range after 93,205 miles (150,000 km) of driving, meaning battery packs will easily last the average life of most new cars.

The study, published by Aviloo, has been labeled the largest independent study of used EV batteries ever conducted. More than 500,000 battery tests have been published, and the results show how 20 of the industry’s most popular EVs perform.

Read: A Seven-Year-Old Tesla Model 3 Survived 380,000 Miles, Its Range Did Not

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 performed best after 31,068 miles (50,000 km) of testing, retaining 97.1 percent of its original usable capacity. Other strong performers after 31,068 miles included the Mercedes-Benz CLA at 96.6 percent, the Hyundai Kona EV at 96.3 percent, the Audi Q8 e-tron with 95.7 percent, the BMW i4 with 95.6 percent, and both the Volvo XC40 Recharge and VW ID.4 at 95.2 percent battery retention.

After 93,205 miles of driving, the Mercedes-Benz CLA came out on top with a battery health of 94 percent. This placed it ahead of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (93.6 percent), Hyundai Kona EV (93 percent), Volvo XC40 Recharge (92.8 percent), Ford Mustang Mach-E (92.5 percent), and the Polestar 2, also at 92.5 percent.

Teslas Disappoint

Several popular EVs did not perform as well as the competition. Most notable was the Tesla Model Y, which retained just 90.3 percent of its battery capacity after 93,205 miles, and the Tesla Model 3, which retained 88.9 percent of its battery capacity. Other poor performers included the Renault Zoe (87.3 percent), Mini Cooper SE (87.1 percent), and Nissan Leaf (86.7 percent), all of which have relatively small batteries.

Importantly, the results of this study don’t mean every Mercedes-Benz CLA will have 94 percent battery health after 93,205 miles, or every Peugeot e-208 will have 90.7 percent battery health. The study examined the median across all vehicles and found that good and bad examples of the same car can have battery health ratings that vary by as much as 13.5 percent. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates just how good current EV batteries are.

The Hyundai Staria Electric arrived in Korea earlier this year alongside the rest of the facelifted lineup, and the spaceship-shaped van has now made it to Europe, where Hyundai is positioning it against the VW ID. Buzz. The Staria is the bigger vehicle in every dimension that counts, with more room inside for people and their luggage.

Picking the Staria Electric out from its gasoline and hybrid siblings takes a look at the nose, where a redesigned front bumper hides the grille behind a smooth panel, adds a charging port, and puts active shutters in the lower intake. Aero wheels and a dedicated badge on the enormous tailgate finish the job.

More: Electric Kia PV7 Is Coming For The Ford Transit

At 5,253 mm (206.8 in) long, the Staria towers over the VW ID. Buzz and the Kia PV5. It also out-measures the standard Ford E-Tourneo Custom, VW e-Caravelle, Peugeot e-Traveller, Citroen e-Spacetourer, Opel Zafira-e Life, and Fiat E-Ulysse, though the long-wheelbase versions of those go further. It’s the same story with the new Mercedes-Benz VLE executive shuttle.

Generous Equipment

In Europe, the Staria Electric is available in three trim levels, called Trend, Prime, and Calligraphy. The base version comes standard with full-LED headlights, dual 12.3-inch displays, heated front seats, parking sensors, a reversing camera, a few ADAS and a three-row nine-seater layout.

More: Hyundai Is Now Charging You Extra For A Damn Gauge Cluster

The optional assistance package adds navigation, highway assist and a V2L adapter, while the premium package adds electric sliding doors and tailgate, sliding windows, sunshades, acoustic and heat-insulating privacy glass, plus a wireless charging pad. All of those come standard in the Staria Electric Prime which adds leather upholstery and ventilated front seats while offering an optional sliding roof for the first row and fixed panoramic roof for the second row.

The pictured Staria Electric Calligraphy is the only version with a seven-seat layout, built around a pair of comfort seats in the second row with heating, ventilation, and relaxation functions. The flagship also gets ambient lighting, a Bose sound system, a 360-degree camera, a suede-style headliner, Nappa leather, and the Passenger View and Talk system.

More: You Can Sleep And Even Wash Your Dishes In This Hyundai Van, But You Can’t Buy It Yet

Outside, the Calligraphy separates itself with a different front bumper housing larger projection headlights, Parametric Pixel LED taillight towers that climb to the roofline, and an exclusive Galaxy Maroon paint option.

Space For Nine And Their Luggage

Cargo capacity runs to 1,303 liters (46.0 cu ft) behind the third row in the nine-seater, with a 24-liter (0.85 cu ft) frunk for the charging cables. Towing capacity is 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) and maximum payload is 750 kg (1,653 lbs).

More: Kia Brought Its Electric Van To America As Something New York Actually Needs

Under the skin, the van is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor producing 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS). Energy is stored in a 84 kWh battery pack allowing WLTP range of up to 430 km (267 miles) between charges. Thanks to the 800-volt architecture, the Staria Electric can charge from 10-80% in approximately 20 minutes when connected to a DC charger, while it also gets a standard heat pump and battery heating system.

German Pricing

In Germany, the the Hyundai Staria Electric starts at €57,450 ($66,800) for the entry-level Trend trim, €63,650 ($74,000) for the mid-tire Prime, and €66,950 ($77,800) for the flagship Calligraphy. The assistance and premium packages add €2,100 ($2,400) each, while the panorama package adds €1,300 ($1,500).

By comparison, the smaller VW ID. Buzz Pro with the long wheelbase and the 86 kWh battery starts at €57,887 ($67,300) in the same market. On the other hand, the VW e-Caravelle starts at €66,080 ($76,800) with the short-wheelbase and the 70.9 kWh battery.

Hyundai

Hyundai has an all-new generation of interiors, introduced first on the Grandeur in Korea and since carried over to the Ioniq 3, Avante/Elantra, and Tucson. Every one of them is built around Pleos Connect, a large central infotainment screen that borrows its layout and its logic from Tesla, and there is no shortage of processing power behind the glass. On the cheaper trims, though, one piece of hardware got left off the list.

It has now emerged that the new 2027 Avante/Elantra, which just launched in Korea, and the global-market Ioniq 3 go without a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver in base trims, an item which has been standard-fit on most of Hyundai’s current-generation cars.

A Cluster You Have To Pay For

According to Motor1, Korean buyers can add a slim 9.9-inch cluster to the Avante, though it costs 350,000 won (US$255). No such option box appears to exist for base Ioniq 3 models, leaving owners to read everything off the central touchscreen. The Ioniq 3 also goes without a head-up display, exactly like a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y. In the UK, the entry-level £22,245 (about $30,000) Ioniq 3 Advanced arrives without the cluster, while the £25,595 (roughly $34,500) Premium trim and above include it.

Read: Hyundai’s Radical New Tucson Makes The RAV4 Look Half-Asleep

It’s hardly a secret that screens are the cheaper option for manufacturers. A panel of glass and the software behind it costs less than the gauges, bezels, wiring, and physical switchgear it replaces, which explains why the industry has moved this way with so little resistance. Cost is not the whole story, though. Buyers have been asking for this kind of interface, the tablet-style layout with app menus and over-the-air updates, and Hyundai’s new setup answers that request.

Hyundai Should Know Better

Even so, it’s pretty poor form from Hyundai to make such a small screen an optional extra, rather than fitting it as standard equipment. The display includes important functions like speed, speed-limit signs, range figures, and efficiency details. We’ve yet to try out the new Pleos system, but having to glance over to the infotainment display to check your speed is a bit of a nuisance.  

The new Elantra and Tucson will be the first Hyundai models sold in the US with the Pleos Connect system next year. Here’s hoping we get slightly more well-equipped versions that include the cluster screen as standard equipment.

The post Does your school district have a policy on how to use AI? appeared first on School Transportation News.

Hyundai’s massive product push dominated their investor day event, but it wasn’t the only thing the company announced. Quite the opposite as the automaker talked about increasing production, ramping up autonomous driving efforts, and offering improved technology.

Starting with autonomous driving, the first Ioniq 5 Waymo robotaxis will be delivered in the fourth quarter and they’ll “enable an international expansion of robotaxi services as early as 2027.”

More: Hyundai Is Launching More Than 100 New Vehicles By 2030

Besides the Waymo effort, Hyundai-owned Motional will use Ioniq 5 robotaxis. They’re scheduled to begin commercial operations later this year in Las Vegas. Additional cities should then follow in 2027.

On the consumer front, “Hyundai Motor Group is standardizing its sensor architecture around the NVIDIA ecosystem so that data acquired by Hyundai Motor, Kia, 42dot, and Motional can be integrated and used to a single consistent standard.” This means learnings from one company can be applied to others.

Hyundai is also working to deploy its autonomous driving artificial intelligence, known as Atria AI, by the end of the year. It will eventually be used to power the company’s Level 2+ system, which arrives in 2028.

The automaker went on to say “Atria AI will be extended progressively across mass-produced vehicles, building a full lineup of autonomous driving capability from Level 2+ to Level 4.” Since Hyundai sells millions of vehicles annually, they’ll collect a ton of data, and this will be used to rapidly improve the AI’s self-driving capabilities and performance.

Improved EVs

Hyundai has been an electric vehicle pioneer and this experience is about to pay off as the company has developed its own battery cells. They “deliver more than double the output of the high-nickel cells … used previously, while cutting charging time by 40 percent.” The new cells will apparently debut in the upcoming Santa Fe or Genesis range-extended vehicle.

Starting next year, EVs will use new “mid-nickel NCM cells.” This will reduce battery costs by approximately 30%, while “maintaining optimal performance under real-world driving conditions.” Furthermore, the new batteries will have 30% more energy than equivalent LFP batteries of the same size.

Lastly, the company will improve its cloud-based battery management system by 2028. This will reportedly extend battery life by an average of 20%.

Amazon Partnership

Hyundai’s partnership with Amazon on Amazon Autos appears to be a success as they’ll expand listings to markets outside of the United States next year. Alexa built-in will also roll out across the Hyundai lineup, while Genesis models will follow.

Speaking of tech, Hyundai is relying on Amazon Web Services to accelerate their “cloud and AI capabilities.” Amazon is also said to be looking at using Hyundai fuel cell vehicles.

Increased Production Capacity

With more than 100 new models coming by 2030, Hyundai is ramping up their production capacity by 1.27 million units globally. North American plants will be able to build an additional 500,000 units, while Indian facilities add 320,000 units. Korean production will increase by 200,000 vehicles, while CKD sites will see their capacity grow by 250,000 units.

Focusing in on North America, Hyundai is increasing their local parts sourcing target to 80%. That’s up from 60% and the automaker confirmed there will be more than ten hybrids on the continent by 2030, which are produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.

Hyundai has announced plans to introduce more than 100 new or refreshed models by 2030. Seven new vehicles are coming in the next eight months and the automaker promises there will be more than 18 different entries into “new products and market segments.”

While there’s a lot to cover, the company used their 2026 CEO Investor Day to announce a major product offensive. It’s a global effort as there will be “58 launches in North America, 49 in Korea, 41 in Europe, 26 in India, and 22 in China.” We’ve already seen a number of these as Hyundai said they include the new Elantra, Tucson, and Ioniq 3.

More: Hyundai’s Radical New Tucson Makes The RAV4 Look Half-Asleep

They’ll be joined by a range-extended Santa Fe as well as an all-new global B-segment SUV. Europe will get a second B-segment model, while India will get an even smaller A-segment electric crossover.

The Santa Fe EREV arrives in the first half of 2027 and it’s expected to have a combined range of more than 600 miles (966 km). It will be built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and deliver an EV-like driving experience, but without “range and charging anxiety.”

Europe Is Getting Five New EVs

The company was largely coy on additional nameplates, but confirmed Europe will have a “fully electrified portfolio” that includes five all-new crossovers and light commercial vehicles. Hyundai hopes this will increase European EV sales from 116,000 units in 2025 to more than 420,000 units by 2030.

While Hyundai didn’t say much, they quietly revealed the two upcoming B-segment vehicles will be fully electric. They’ll be joined by a large D-segment electric crossover as well as two electric vans.

In India, a new electric crossover arrives in the fourth quarter with a next-generation infotainment system as well as a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system. It will be followed by an ICE-powered mid-size SUV in the future.

A Chinese Turnaround With Fresh Product

Hyundai is “pursuing a turnaround” in China, which will be spearheaded by the Ioniq V. The model will be followed by electric and range-extended vehicles in 2027.

The B-SUV will be fully electric, while the C-SUV will offer electric and range-extended powertrains. The latter will provide up to 373 miles (600 km) of range overall.

They’ll eventually be followed by three D-segment vehicles including a sedan, crossover, and MPV. These will have Level 3 autonomous driving technology as well as what sounds like a next-generation powertrain.

Genesis Looks For Growth

Genesis’ revamp is being led by the new GV90 as well as the GV80 Hybrid. The company also confirmed plans for a range-extended SUV in 2027, which will deliver more than 640 miles (1,030 km) of range.

While Genesis was coy on specifics, a slide mentioned 22 launches from the luxury brand in North America alone. That’s nearly a third of the models coming to the continent, but the figure undoubtedly includes variants.

The luxury brand will also enter new markets including India and the Asia Pacific region in the near future. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll be in more than 40 countries by 2030 and have annual sales of 350,000. To put that number into perspective, Lexus sold 370,260 vehicles in the United States last year.

Getting back to Hyundai, the company will expand the N lineup and try to increase sales to 100,000 units annually by 2030. The automaker is also targeting so-called ‘white spaces,’ where they don’t have much of a presence and there’s “significant opportunities for growth.” To fill these voids, the company will launch body-on-frame vehicles including a midsize pickup.

The Hyundai N performance division has won over many automotive enthusiasts, and the company capitalized on its popularity with the softer and more affordable N Line variants. Now, Hyundai has confirmed plans to introduce a third performance tier positioned right in between, targeting high-volume segments.

The news was shared during Hyundai’s 2026 Investor Day event in Korea. Jose Munoz, Hyundai President and CEO, said that performance is a “profitable business” and “not just an emotional one”. He added that Hyundai N currently covers around 30% of the performance market, and they plan to go over 60% by 2030.

More: Hyundai’s IONIQ V Has Lambo Looks And 225 HP, So We Imagined The N

To do that, the N lineup will grow from the current five models to over seven. Those will be offered across 40 markets, targeting 100,000 sales per year by 2030, which is five times the 20,000 sales of 2025.

A New Family Of Performance Models

More importantly, Munoz said: “We are adding something between N and N Line: a new volume high-performance variant carrying over powertrain and parts from N, so a customer who wants that feeling every day on the way to work can have it without buying a track car.”

More: Hyundai Wants Soft Ride And Sharp Handling From One Clever Sway Bar

While the upcoming “High-Volume Performance” tier does not yet have a commercial nameplate, Australian media Drive fittingly described it as the “N Lite”. Judging from the CEO’s comments, Hyundai engineers could harvest components from the existing N models and repackage them with a greater focus on everyday usability.

In terms of aero and styling, differences between the N Line and the N are already subtle, so we expect the new series to follow a similar path, bringing more aggression compared to the standard Hyundai models. As for the powertrain, we expect a mix of electric and hybrid depending on the model.

Targeting Sales Growth

The CEO explained why they decided to expand its performance lineup: “N sold 20,000 units last year; N Line sold 161,000. This sits between them, and it is where the volume is.”

More: The New Elantra N Could Be The Poor Man’s RS6 Avant, But The Wagon Isn’t Happening

The automaker currently has five N and twelve N Line models worldwide, although the current i20 and i30 hot hatches will soon get discontinued and the Elantra sports sedan is about to enter a new generation.

More To Come, Including A RWD Surprise

Future additions include an entry-level performance SUV that could replace the discontinued Kona N, and a yet-unnamed model riding on a new front-engine, RWD/AWD architecture. The latter sounds exciting for driving enthusiasts and has the largest market-covering potential of 22% – at least according to Hyundai. However, the graph suggests it will be priced above the Ioniq 5 N and the Ioniq 6 N, so don’t expect it to come cheap.

Other whitespace high-performance opportunities yet to be explored by Hyundai include an even cheaper entry-level RWD/AWD model (7%), a compact EV (1%), a premium EV (6%), a premium SUV (18%), a Luxury GT (8%), and others (3%). Among those, we can only think of the rumored Hyundai Ioniq 3 N, which sounds fitting to the subcompact/compact EV description.

In any case, Hyundai has more than a few aces up its sleeve, potentially creating one of the largest performance lineups among mainstream automakers.

Hyundai

When Hyundai launched the original Ioniq Hybrid in America in 2017, it started at $22,200. Almost a decade later, Chinese buyers can order an entirely new, fully electric Ioniq sedan for less. The wedgy Ioniq V has entered pre-sales at just 119,900 yuan, which equates to only $17,800 at current exchange rates. That’s nearly $3,000 less than the cheapest new car in America right now, which also happens to be a Hyundai, the Venue.

That’s for the Standard Edition. Upping the spend to 129,900 yuan ($19,300) gets the Smart Driving Edition, while 139,900 yuan ($20,800) buys the Long Range model, Auto Home reports. Those are some startling numbers when viewed from America or Europe, and remind us how cutthroat the competition is in the Chinese car market.

Related: Police Are Slipping Warning Cards Under Hyundai And Kia Wipers Again

The Ioniq V is a China-focused model developed under Beijing Hyundai, and despite what the prices suggest, it’s no cramped subcompact. At 4,900 mm (193 inches) long with a 2,900 mm (114-inch) wheelbase, it occupies roughly the same footprint as a Hyundai Sonata or a Toyota Camry. The Sonata measures 193.3 inches long on a 111.8-inch wheelbase; the Camry 193.5 inches on a 111.2-inch wheelbase.

The Ioniq V wraps frameless doors and fastback proportions around some properly cyberpunk styling, and the paint chart runs eight colors deep, well past the silvers and grays Western buyers get stuck with. Cyber Gold, Gamma Green and a funky Dimensional Purple are all on the list.

Inside, there’s a vast 27-inch 4K display running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 chip, plus a head-up display. Hyundai has also thrown Chinese AI models from Baidu and ByteDance into the infotainment system, while Momenta supplies the driver-assistance technology. Hyundai’s site additionally boasts nine airbags and extensive active safety equipment.

404 Miles Of Range, But Not Really

Power comes from a single electric motor with either 188 hp (191 PS / 140 kW) or 225 hp (228 PS / 178 kW). CATL supplies 53.5 kWh and 66.8 kWh LFP batteries, producing four claimed CLTC ranges spanning 323 to 404 miles (520 to 650 km). Those optimistic Chinese-cycle numbers don’t translate directly into equivalent EPA range, naturally, but even if they’re 20 percent lower the value proposition is difficult to ignore.

There’s no guarantee the Ioniq V will ever reach Western showrooms, much less at anything resembling Chinese pricing. Or that Hyundai will ever create the N version to capitalize on that Lamborghini-esque design, even though our own renders suggest it would look fantastic. But $17,800 for a brand-new electric sedan this stylish sounds like a great deal whichever side of the Pacific you’re on.

Hyundai

Tesla remains far and away the biggest seller of electric cars in the United States, and despite rivals’ efforts, very little progress has been made in eroding the EV leader’s commanding market share.

July brought 77,266 new EV sales, up 3.2 percent from June and down 41.5 percent from the same month last year. Electric models made up 5.6 percent of all new-vehicle sales. The year-over-year drop has a simple explanation. In July 2025, the federal EV tax credit was still alive, and buyers rushed to cash it in before the Trump administration killed the incentive in September.

Read: Tesla Delivered More Cars Than Any Q2 Ever, And Its Stock Had The Worst Day Ever

Of last month’s electric cars, 42,435 were Teslas, according to Cox Automotive, good for 55 percent of the market. Tesla’s volume climbed 4.9 percent from June. The Model Y did the heavy lifting, as it always does, accounting for 37 percent of every new EV sold in the country. Basically, the nameplate outsold every rival automaker’s entire electric portfolio.

Tesla’s share throughout the entire second quarter was slightly lower at 50.5 percent, with the company selling a total of 124,800 EVs in the US during this period, down 13.1 percent from last year, when 143,535 were sold. In Q2, the brand with the next-largest slice of the EV pie was Chevrolet at 6 percent, followed by Hyundai at 5.8 percent, Cadillac at 4.9 percent, Toyota at 4.8 percent, and Rivian at 4.6 percent. Ford’s share remains a disappointing 3.9 percent, although its July sales were up 18.9 percent from June.

Hyundai posted the strongest month-over-month gain among the major brands in July, up 36 percent. Kia also moved higher, largely on the strength of the EV9.

Sales Surge Pinches Supply

As EV sales climbed in July, the average days’ supply of new EVs fell 6.2 percent month over month to 80 days, and 1.7 percent below where it sat a year earlier. Electric inventory now runs four days above ICE models, down from a nine-day gap in June. Volkswagen carried the heaviest load at 147 days, with Porsche at 138 and Nissan at 133. Subaru ran leanest at 46 days, then Hyundai at 52, and Lexus at 58. Used EVs moved the other way, rising 14.2 percent from June to 46 days, above ICE models for the first time since February 2026.

Used EV sales rose 7.9 percent month over month to 36,810 in July, 10.1 percent better than a year ago. Secondhand electrics took 2.4 percent of the market.

The Price Gap Hasn’t Closed

Electric cars remain the more expensive choice on both the new and used side. Average transaction prices for new EVs rose 1.2 percent in July to $56,126, against $49,649 for the average combustion model, and 1.6 percent higher than a year earlier. Incentives shrank over the same stretch, from 13.1 percent of ATP, or $7,290 per vehicle, in June to 11.8 percent, or roughly $6,626, in July. Used electrics average $37,832 against $34,865 for gas equivalents. Those prices slipped 1.2 percent from June but hold 8.3 percent above where they were a year ago.

Back to school safety is forefront as an illegal passing PSA features a retired Detroit Lions offensive lineman; meanwhile, a South Carolina student was fatally shot at a school bus stop. Plus, send your best school bus photos to taylor@stnmedia.com.

Special education attorney Julie Weatherly discusses how recent federal changes to the U.S. Department of Education affect school transportation and students with special needs, as well as issuing a caution on using AI in education planning. She will deliver a keynote at the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show this November.

Read more about special needs.

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Brigade Electronics showcased its latest bus safety technologies at STNEXPO West in Reno, introducing attendees to advanced AI pedestrian detection, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree and passenger vision systems, and a new preventative solution designed to help protect students during loading and unloading.

This marked Brigade’s first participation in STNEXPO West, an informative and engaging event that brought together school transportation professionals focused on student safety. The expo’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired “Wonderland of Ideas” theme created a lively setting for conversations, demonstrations, and collaboration among attendees and exhibitors.

Edward Renna, Brigade Western Regional Business Development Manager, said, “STNEXPO West is an important event for Brigade. The energy and commitment of the attendees reflect the industry’s shared focus on student safety.”

Advanced bus safety technology introduced:

At the event, Brigade demonstrated a range of safety solutions, including advanced AI pedestrian detection technology, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree camera systems, and passenger vision systems. The company also introduced its latest preventative solution focused on one of the most critical moments in student transportation: loading and unloading.

Although recent reporting indicates some progress in reducing incidents during student loading and unloading, the continued risk to students makes this an urgent area for innovation and improvement. The primary causes of these incidents according to NHTSA studies include:

· Students enter a bus driver’s blind spot while retrieving or carrying objects.

· Motorists illegally pass a stopped bus despite an activated stop arm.

· Students move through blind zones while crossing in front of or behind the vehicle, depending on the route and crossing path.

· Misinterpretation of a bus driver’s hand signal by another road user, creating confusion at the exact moment a student may begin crossing.

· Inattentive students during loading/unloading process.

Although stop-arm cameras have proven to be an effective enforcement and documentation tool, they do not fully address the primary causes of loading and unloading incidents.

Corey Heniser, Brigade Electronics Inc’s CEO, states “Presented with the issues, our engineering team was tasked with developing a truly preventative tool that would effectively warn the students and bus driver when a student was in danger. The result is a technology designed to go beyond recording and reporting by helping prevent incidents during the critical loading and unloading process.”

The new solution consists of a specialty radar, AI, and algorithms to detect time to collision between a student and the object moving towards them. When activated, the system monitors the detection zone, then provides an external audible and visual alert to those outside the bus of the danger when a moving vehicle is not slowing down and within 4 seconds of a probable collision. This gives the student or bus driver time to react to prevent the collision.

Brigade is currently beta testing this solution. Organizations interested in participating as real-world testers and providing feedback are encouraged to contact Teresa Prisbrey at Teresa.prisbrey@brigade-inc.com. Beta opportunities are limited and will be assigned in the order requests are received. Thank you to all the attendees that voted for our new safety solution and to the STNEXPO team for creating an event where ideas, education, and great times come together to keep our students safe.

The post Brigade Introduces Advanced Bus Safety Technology at STN West in Reno appeared first on School Transportation News.

The August issue explores the people, technology and strategies keeping school bus fleets running safely and efficiently. Learn how school districts are investing in modern maintenance facilities, meet this year’s Garage Stars, discover how routing analytics reduce fuel costs, and read key takeaways from STN EXPO West. Plus, find out why building a smarter parts inventory program is essential to maximizing fleet uptime.

Read the Full August 2026 issue.

Cover Story

Built for Uptime
School districts are making strategic investments in maintenance facilities, shop equipment and technology to improve fleet reliability, reduce downtime and prepare for the future of school transportation.

Features

The Sum of All Parts
Supply chain challenges and rising costs are making parts inventory management more important than ever. Fleet leaders share strategies for getting the right parts to the right technicians at the right time.

2026 Garage Stars
Meet the outstanding technicians, mechanics and maintenance professionals recognized in the 11th annual Garage Stars program for their dedication to student safety and fleet excellence.

Special Report

‘Routing’ Out Fuel Waste
Transportation leaders are using routing analytics, GPS, telematics and other data-driven tools to reduce fuel consumption, optimize routes and lower operating costs.

STN EXPO West: Insights in Action
From AI adoption and active-threat response to leadership and propane infrastructure, revisit key lessons and takeaways from educational sessions at STN EXPO West.
Conversations
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
The People Behind Fleet Uptime

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
It’s All About Them

The post August 2026 appeared first on School Transportation News.

Hyundai unveiled a new concept car at the 2026 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, pitching it as an upcoming three-row minivan with a fully electric powertrain. Instead of a clean-sheet design, though, the new model is a rebadged Kia Carens Clavis EV that already sits on sale in India.

The 4,550 mm (179.1 inches) long minivan reads instantly as a Kia, with the styling changes kept to a minimum. The only differences are the Hyundai emblems, the slim intakes on the front bumper, and the silver accents on the plastic cladding around the bodywork.

More: Hyundai’s New Kona Looks So Much Like An Ioniq You’d Think It Went Electric

Dig into the details, and the Hyundai-specific work is found in the lower section of the bumpers and side moldings, along with the alloy wheels. The rest of the bodywork carries over unchanged, right down to the LED graphics on the headlights and taillights.

Photos from the auto show suggest the interior is identical to the Kia’s, save for Hyundai’s signature four dots on the steering wheel and black upholstery on the seats. The digital cockpit runs dual 12.3-inch displays, and the cabin seats seven across three rows.

Hyundai Neira Prototype | Photos: Hyundai Motors Indonesia / X

Hyundai didn’t share any specifications, but the Kia Carens Clavis EV comes with two powertrain options. The base version pairs 133 hp (99 kW / 135 PS) with a 42 kWh battery, while the flagship trim steps up to 169 hp (126 kW / 171 PS) and a 51.4 kWh battery good for a maximum range of 490 km (305 miles).

More: Kia’s New ICE Minivan Looks Like A Crossover EV

It is worth noting that Kia also offers the Carens Clavis with non-electrified gasoline and diesel engines. Both displace 1.5 liters and can be paired with either manual or automatic transmissions. Whether the Hyundai Neira will borrow them is unclear, since the press release mentions it only as an EV.

Production of the Hyundai Neira is expected to take place at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (HMMI) plant in Cikarang. Indonesian pricing will be announced closer to the market launch, but the Kia Clavis EV is already on sale in India starting from 12.85 Lakh ($13,400).

Beyond the Neira, Hyundai Indonesia has also given its other budget three-row minivan, the Stargazer Cartenz, a new starting price of IDR 241,400,000 ($13,400).

Kia Carens Clavis EV | Photos: Kia India

RENO, Nev. — School districts nationwide are opening the new school year with less money for student transportation, and three sessions at STN EXPO West challenged directors to change how and to whom they make their case for resources.

Ryan Hahn of Strategic School Consultants presented back-to-back sessions, “Budgeting in Uncertain Times: Navigating the Fiscal Cliff Without Losing Ground” on July 12 and “Advocating for Resources: How to Get a Seat at the Table Before the Cuts Are Already Made” on July 13. Another session presented later during STN EXPO West on July 14 by Tim Purvis focused on using AI to help with budgeting decisions.

Hahn started as a school bus driver in college 26 years ago and went on to direct transportation, maintenance and operations for districts in Washington state and Oregon. He earned a chief business official certification through California’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), served as chief financial officer of a 25,000-student Washington district, and now owns Strategic School Consultants.

Federal pandemic relief is spent, Hahn said, and districts that used that one-time money to fund recurring positions are paying for it now. Add inflation, fuel volatility and liability costs — he said insurance at his former district rose 150 percent in 10 years — and operations departments are absorbing across-the-board reduction targets.

“Every operational unit is going to have to cut 10 percent of their budget,” Hahn said, describing a conversation he said is playing out across the country. “You cannot defer a bus ride.”

His central argument was that transportation directors lose budget fights before the budget is built. Most, he said, live entirely in an operational network — covering routes, filling trips, solving problems — and never develop the personal and strategic networks that determine who and what gets funded.

“Your value as the leader of the unit dictates what you get in your unit, every single time,” he said.

That means lateral and vertical relationships with principals, executive directors and the superintendent, not just the CFO. It also means translating requests into the language cabinet members already use. Hahn told attendees to find their board’s adopted strategic goals and tie every ask to one of them.

He urged directors to request a copy of their district’s position control, the roster of every funded position with wages, steps and employer-paid benefits. Staffing consumes 86 percent to 90 percent of a transportation budget, he said, yet many directors have never seen the document. Districts resist adding lines to position control because it shifts staffing ratios districtwide, he said, so directors who need to pilot a new function should ask instead for substitute dollars or contracted services, which are treated as temporary expenses.

Hahn also warned that efficiency can be punished in reimbursement states. After cutting roughly $1 million in overtime at an Oregon district, he said, his CFO called him into a meeting but not to thank him. The savings reduced the following year’s reimbursement. He was told to spend the money on purchasing new buses.

Funding models differ sharply, he noted. Oregon reimburses roughly 70 cents on the dollar. California reimburses about 60 percent of eligible operating costs but excludes capital purchases such as school buses. Washington funds based on ridership, routes and destinations and maintains a vehicle replacement fund, though the legislature recently extended the replacement cycle from 13 years to 15.

On electric school buses, Hahn advised directors to follow board priorities but to be candid about range and infrastructure limits. Remaining grant money, he added, generally requires an older diesel bus as a trade-in. He cautioned against buying every technology product from a single vendor.

“It costs a lot to get divorced and remarried to another product,” he added.

Deferred maintenance was a recurring theme. Directors should cost out preventive maintenance cycles, track fuel economy and failures by brand, and bring trend data, not feelings, to the business office. Hahn told the room not to volunteer training and conference dollars when cuts are demanded.

For advocacy beyond the district, he recommended working through state school business and transportation associations rather than lobbying independently and aligning with the National Association for Pupil Transportation where interests match.

Related: (STN Podcast E316) Recap STN EXPO West: Harmonicas, Great Gatsby & Transportation Teambuilding
Related: Fuel Choice, Budgets & Fresh Ideas
Related: (STN Podcast E309) Summer’s Here & So Is a Budget Cliff: Advocating for Transportation Solutions
Related: State Budget Calls for Real-world Range Testing for Electric School Bus Sales

The Role of AI

In a separate session, Purvis, principal and founder of consultancy Pupil Transportation Information and a former California director of transportation with four decades in the industry as well as a California FMCAT member, walked attendees through using artificial intelligence in budget decision-making. His message: AI is a tool, not a decision maker, and its value depends almost entirely on the prompt and the data behind it. And, of course, verify the result.

Purvis demonstrated a case study built from an actual client — 58 approved driver positions with 12 vacancies, 20 general education routes, 30 special education routes, an aging fleet and rising overtime. His actual prompt ran more than two pages. The output flagged driver vacancies as the leading cost driver, projected expenditures rising from $4.8 million to $5.8 million over four years, and recommended stabilizing labor before expanding the fleet. It also provided bell schedule optimization, which Purvis called one of the largest budget levers after labor, without being prompted.

The three-year projection, he said, is what secured the school district with a fully funded vehicle replacement schedule.

He cautioned against uploading a proposed budget that has not been adjusted midyear, said inaccurate data should be left out entirely, and warned that student identifiers routinely appear in routing exports sent outside the district. Once uploaded to an AI system, he said, it cannot be recalled.

“Verify all calculations,” Purvis said. “We’re human, we make mistakes.”

Article written with the assistance of AI and session transcripts.

The post Learn Budget Language Before Cuts Come, STN EXPO West Consultants Advise appeared first on School Transportation News.

Hyundai pulled the wraps off the second-generation Kona in December 2022, but rather than settle for a mid-cycle nip and tuck, the automaker is preparing a more thorough redesign for 2027. After earlier runs of camouflaged prototypes, the new Kona has now turned up completely undisguised in Korea, and the exposed sheetmetal reveals a taller, more upright stance than the car it replaces.

The styling is only part of the story here, as reports suggest Hyundai wants to fold the Kona and Creta lines into a single global model, a logical move given their size and where each sits in the market. There’s also talk that the SUV’s underpinnings could be shared with the next Chevrolet Tracker, the product of an agreement struck with General Motors.

More: Redesigned Hyundai Tucson Spied Alongside The Current Model

The photos making the rounds on social media, including a set posted by @EWVexillary, point to a Kona that borrows the rugged cues from the Crater concept. At the same time, the cleaner surfacing pulls it visually closer to the Ioniq EV family, splitting the difference between off-road attitude and electric-era modernity.

Mature Styling

The front end keeps the split-headlight arrangement of the previous generations, though the main units are much smaller now and the full-LED bar runs thicker than before. Below sits a sculpted bumper with smaller intakes and what looks like a covered grille.

More: Hyundai’s Popular Three-Row SUV Is Going Under The Knife

The profile is defined by what’s gone, namely the unpainted plastic cladding, which lends the car a more modern stance. A subtle two-tone treatment reinforces the effect, pairing gray pillars against matte silver bodywork. The flanks trade the diagonal creases of the outgoing model for cleaner surfacing, and the greenhouse is entirely new, its straight belt line running back to a more upright tail.

Dimensions haven’t been confirmed, but the SUV could grow, following the lead of the mechanically related Kia Seltos, which stretches to 4,430 mm (174.4 inches) long. By comparison, the current Hyundai Creta measures 4,330 mm (170.5 in), and the Kona is slightly longer at 4,350 mm (171.3 in).

Hyundai Kona 2027
Tamamen sızdı .

Segment büyüdü stil Ioniq ‘leşti.
Pleos gelecek https://t.co/tXX8fNP2po pic.twitter.com/TNuBdBLW6e

— Elvis Will Vexillary 🔋 (@EWVexillary) July 21, 2026

A further increase in size could help the Kona cement its position between the subcompact and compact SUV segments in Europe, bridging the gap between the smaller Bayon and the larger Tucson. Rivals will include the likes of the VW T-Roc, the Toyota C-HR, the Honda HR-V, and the Mazda CX-30.

New Tech Inside

Inside, the crossover will most likely gain a digital cockpit with larger screens, following the lead of the Ioniq 3. Those run on the new Hyundai Pleos Connect infotainment, built on Google’s Android. Hyundai isn’t ditching buttons either, keeping physical controls for the functions that matter. Practicality should improve too, with a slightly larger footprint freeing up more room for passengers and their bags.

More: Hyundai Strips The New Ioniq 3 Down To Its Cleaner, Cheaper Self

Depending on the market, the powertrain range may include a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter, a turbocharged 1.6-liter, and a self-charging hybrid 1.6-liter in FWD and AWD forms. Hyundai might also keep the fully electric variant around and potentially add a range-extender setup.

The unified third-generation Kona and Creta is expected to make its formal global debut within the next few months, likely as a 2027 model.

Baldauf

Less than a month after the all-new BMW X5 premiered, long-wheelbase versions of it and the electric iX5 have arrived in China, and beyond the added length you would struggle to spot anything separating them from the X5s headed to Western markets.

The stretch comes from reworked underpinnings, giving the Chinese models a wheelbase 5.1 inches (130 mm) longer and pushing the gap between the axles to 124.6 inches (3,165 mm). To put that into perspective, the larger X7 sold globally measures 122.2 inches (3,105 mm) between its wheels, so anyone who plans to spend more time in the back seat than behind the wheel might find this X5 the smarter buy.

Read: BMW’s X5 Will Remind You Of Musk Every Time You Turn On The Lights

When BMW rolled out the domestic long-wheelbase versions of the new i3 and iX3 earlier this year, it dropped the pop-out door handles used on those models globally, switching to flap-style handles to satisfy Chinese regulations. The X5 L and iX5 L needed no such fix, keeping the handle tabs built into the pillars, an approach shared with the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Chinese Autonomy

Perhaps the biggest change related to the driver-assistance systems. It runs software from Chinese company Momenta, using locally trained end-to-end artificial intelligence and providing ‘address-to-address driver assistance.’ While it does not include a LiDAR, as many new cars from China do, it’s likely to be more advanced than the system BMW offers elsewhere.  

One minor visual change made to the SUV is the presence of distinctive graphics near the Hofmeister kink and different wheel designs. As standard, the X5 L and iX5 L also feature diagonal daytime running lights, rather than the X-shaped lights of their global model. However, these units will be offered as an option. BMW’s Chinese team has also added extra light strips between the DRLs and the kidney grilles. The front bumper is also slightly less imposing.

Interior Upgrades

Several changes have been made to the cabin, making the long-wheelbase model even more luxurious than the standard model. These include new seats for the front passenger and rear occupants, and a fold-down theatre screen in the second row that supports 8K streaming and gaming. There are also different color options.

BMW has yet to publish powertrain figures for either car, but the company says the local iX5 L will cover more than 621 miles (1,000 km) between charges on the CLTC cycle.

Volkswagen’s driver assistance tech in the West has never threatened the class leaders, but in China the company plans to put Level 3 automated driving in customer cars in the second half of 2027. Level 3 means the car handles the driving within set conditions and the driver stops being the moment-to-moment backup, something no VW-badged model in Europe or North America can do today.

The German automaker is working alongside Chinese firm Horizon Robotics to make it happen. The duo operate a joint venture known as Carizon and, through a strengthened deal agreed to between the companies, Horizon’s AI foundation-model capabilities will be used to develop and accelerate the creation of an advanced new AI driving solution for VW.

Read: VW Ruled China For 25 Years, Now Young Buyers Call It Their Parents’ Car

The automaker’s unified AI driving model will be trained to handle end-to-end driving tasks and, thanks to Horizon’s technologies, better anticipate the behavior of other road users, creating a safer and more reliable system.

This driving stack will be integrated within VW’s China Electronic Architecture (CEA), its first locally developed zonal electronic and electrical architecture. This will ensure the complex automated driving functions can be added to several model lines not only in China, but also in the “Global South,” according to VW.

Carizon’s L2+ ADAS already appears in several VW models sold in China, among them the ID. Unyx 07 and ID. Unyx 06, with highway Navigate on Autopilot and memory parking. An L2++ version arrives later this year, extending Navigate on Autopilot into cities and destined for seven of VW’s new energy vehicles in the Chinese market.

“China has become one of Volkswagen Group’s key innovation and technology hubs, particularly in software, artificial intelligence and automated driving,” VW Group chief executive Oliver Blume said. “Our deepened collaboration within CARIZON further strengthens our ability to develop and scale AI-based solutions for automated driving.”

RENO, Nev. — STN EXPO West 2026 took place July 9-15 in Reno, Nevada, offering a week of professional development, leadership training, technology demonstrations and networking for student transportation professionals.

The conference began with registration, a kick-off reception and a poolside welcome event. Friday and Saturday featured specialized training on school bus inspections, active-threat response, mobility securement, reasonable suspicion and transportation supervision. The Transportation Director Summit kicked off that night with leadership discussions and an interactive session at Lake Tahoe the next day.

Main conference programming began Sunday with the Innovator of the Year Award, Green Bus Summit and Bus Technology Summit. Sessions explore alternative fuels, electric school bus infrastructure, artificial intelligence, routing, cameras, illegal passing and student safety. The day concludes with the Ride & Drive and live technology demonstrations.

Monday opened with the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence and a keynote presentation by Bruce Turkel. Breakout sessions address fleet management, communication, employee fatigue, artificial intelligence and safety technology. Attendees can later visited the “Wonderland of Ideas” Trade Show and networking reception.

Tuesday included a state-of-the-industry presentation, a leadership-focused general session with military veterans and the second day of the Trade Show. Afternoon sessions covered dispatch, budgeting, fleet operations, personnel productivity and practical uses of artificial intelligence.

The conference concluded Wednesday with an executive training session led by NAPT Hall of Fame members Dick Fischer and Pete Baxter. The session focused on safety leadership, emergency preparedness and recognizing warning signs before incidents occur.

Throughout the event, attendees connected with industry peers, explored new products and gained practical strategies for improving student transportation safety, efficiency and leadership. (Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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Automakers have been introducing 2027 models on a regular basis, but Hyundai is just getting around to announcing the 2026 Ioniq 5 N. It’s better late than never as the company has confirmed it will be “more attainable than ever.”

While last year’s model began at $66,200⁠, the 2026 Ioniq 5 N has been slashed to $59,900. That’s a savings of $6,300 and Hyundai didn’t do any shady stuff with the destination fee as it remains unchanged at $1,600.

Review: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is A Ballistic Missile That Redefines EVs

The company said the move aligns with their “broader strategy to increase N leadership by making track-ready performance and technology accessible to more driving enthusiasts.” $61,500 is far from affordable, but what do you expect for a high-performance EV with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system developing 641 hp (478 kW / 650 PS) and 568 lb-ft (769 Nm) of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.25 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 162 mph (261 km/h).

Getting back to the changes, the 2026 Ioniq 5 N adopts a new North American Charging Standard port for easier access to Tesla Superchargers. Buyers will also find CCS-to-NACS adapters as well as a newly standard Level 1 and Level 2 combination charger.

Additional changes are limited, but there’s a new Performance Blue Pearl paint job as well as a lightly revised interior with rear windows that now have an auto down/up function. Buyers will also find a Forward Attention Warning system with an interior camera as well as an upgraded N Drift Optimizer, which now features ten settings instead of one.

Battery fires rank among the worst things that can befall an everyday motorist. Kia and Hyundai have each just issued a fresh recall tied to exactly that danger. Both companies say misaligned electrodes can create an internal short and start a fire in the affected cars. The two campaigns cover just 14 vehicles in total, but every owner still needs to park outside until the problem is fixed.

Hyundai says six Ioniq 5 models from the 2023 and 2024 model years may carry high-voltage battery cells with these skewed electrodes. The automaker warns the defect could eventually spark a blaze whether the car is parked or on the move.

More: Fuel Leaks Spark Recall Of Nearly A Quarter Million Kia And Genesis Vehicles

Kia’s recall identifies the same root cause. According to documents filed with the NHTSA, the supplier, SK On Co, blames a quality deviation for the problem. The automaker says the issue affects seven 2022-2024MY EV6s and a lone 2024MY EV9 SUV.

Hyundai has not yet detailed its repair procedure. The normal NHTSA documentation isn’t viewable as of this writing, but Kia will replace the entire high-voltage battery pack with one containing properly aligned battery cells. We expect Hyundai will do the same thing given that the issue is basically identical and from the same supplier.

Until that work is completed, the automaker is instructing owners to limit charging to 80 percent and park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures as a precaution. While it’s not explicitly stated in the recall, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to park away from other vehicles even when outside and away from structures.

Much like the recall of nearly half a million Tellurides we reported on earlier today, dealer notification letters for this recall went out on July 6. Owner notification correspondence will go out on August 7.