A 6-year-old elementary school student died after her school bus struck her moments after she disembarked in a residential Frankfort neighborhood.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to School Transportation News that the child was identified as Jenna Menias. She was pronounced dead Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Menias had reportedly just exited the school bus near her family’s home when she was struck by the same bus, her mother, Yvette Menias, told local media. The article added that it was not the route’s usual bus driver. Police have not confirmed that sequence of events.
In a news release, the Frankfort Police Department said officers were dispatched at approximately 3:24 p.m. for a traffic collision involving a school bus and a juvenile pedestrian.
Officers arrived and found Menias unresponsive with serious injuries caused by the collision, the release states. Witnesses and first responders immediately administered CPR and other lifesaving measures at the scene.
An ambulance transported Menias to a local hospital for treatment, where she was later pronounced dead, according to police.
Several other passengers were aboard the school bus when the collision occurred. Police said no additional injuries resulted from the crash, and arrangements were made to safely reunite the other passengers with their families.
Frankfort School District 157-C confirmed in a Sept. 9 statement provided to STN that Menias was a student at Grand Prairie Elementary School.
“It is with profound sadness that we share that our school community has experienced an unimaginable loss,” the district stated. “Tragically, the bus accident that occurred yesterday has resulted in the passing of one of our Grand Prairie Elementary students.”
The district extended its condolences to Menias’ family and friends, saying the entire District 157-C community was devastated and mourning alongside them.
District officials said schools remained open Wednesday to receive students and employees as they processed Menias’ death together. Additional support resources were made available throughout the district, including social workers, psychologists, and other trained personnel.
The district added that more mental health professionals would be available as needed to offer individual assistance to students and staff experiencing grief, anxiety, or other emotions related to the collision.
“Our hearts remain with the student’s family, friends, classmates, teachers, and all those who have been affected by this tremendous loss,” the district stated.
Police described Menias’ death as a tragedy with far-reaching effects on the community.
“This tragic incident has had a profound impact on those involved, their families, and our community,” the department stated. “We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this heartbreaking event.”
Police also asked the community and media to respect the privacy of those involved and allow their families time and compassion during the period of grief.
Authorities have not said what happened immediately before the collision. The police release did not identify the bus driver. No charges have been announced at the time of this writing.
Follow the adventures of Calvin, an anxious but dutiful bus driver, and his sentient and safety-conscious school bus named Christina. The short story follows Calvin’s route adventures while highlighting very real circumstances that drivers face and underscoring the importance of student transportation safety. Find group discussion prompts at the end of each article. The story advisor is Fredrick Tottenham, student safety specialist with Irving ISD.
Sasha, I whisper.
Usually, Sasha is the one who steadies me when life takes a U-turn. Now she is the one in trouble, and every nerve in my body screams for me to get to her. But Townsend High is still waiting—rows of students depending on me to arrive. The thought presses against my chest like an ever-augmenting weight. How can I run toward Sasha without abandoning the students?
The radio crackles and for a few seconds, all I hear is static. The white noise reminds me that I am not alone, I have help.
Base to Route 7568, please give Dispatch a landline when you are parked in a safe location.
I take a right turn and pull into a quiet neighborhood where tall trees lean over the curb and pour cool shade across Christina’s windshield. Out of the sun’s glare, my phone screen sharpens. I squint, thumb through my contacts, and zoom in on the number for Ervens ISD Transportation Dispatch.
It seems like an eternity passes before Ms. Debbie clicks over and says, “Mr. Calvin, are you in a safe location..? Good, sir. I know you heard the emergency code over the radio, and you must be worried about Ms. Sasha. We have a plan for you and your students, please listen closely…”
A comforting warmth drives through me when I realize Ms. Debbie remembers. She remembers the day that I told her Sasha had become a pharmacy tech, and the smile on my face when I said Sasha had landed a job at the pharmacy just down the road from Transportation. Ms. Debbie smiled, too, when she suggested that I take the opportunity to steal lunch breaks with Sasha to keep the romance alive. I am a darn good bus driver, steady with my hands and sharp with my routes, but romance has no clear directions or traffic signs and so I avoid roads leading to affection like a bus driver avoids cul-de-sacs. Now, with the radio humming and fear sitting bitter in my stomach, I realize that Sasha may be in the kind of trouble that makes a man regret every unattempted romantic notion.
Palms sweaty, I clamp the phone tighter to my ear and listen as Ms. Debbie lays out the plan in that calm, steady voice dispatchers use even when panic is crowding the line. Another driver is on the way to Townsend High to take over my route. After that, someone in a district vehicle will bring me back to base, where I can follow the emergency without putting myself, or my students, in danger. I try to argue, but she cuts through my protest with gentle firmness. The police have already blocked the roads around the pharmacy, she tells me. I would not get within ten feet of Sasha if I tried. All I would find is flashing blue lights, hard barricades, and the feeling of helplessness. She added that I could also put Sasha in further danger—that was enough to win over my consent.
“Ok, Ms. Debbie. I’m headed to Townsend High right now.”
“Perfect, Mr. Calvin. I will keep you updated if anything changes.”
Christina gives a low, eager hum as I ease her back onto the road toward Townsend High.
The urge to call Sasha jerks me like a brake check. Maybe she will answer. Maybe I will hear her voice, shaky but safe, on the other end and finally be able to breathe again. I reach for my cellphone on the tray beneath the dash, but the moment my fingers touch it, it refuses to move. The phone sits there, stubborn and still, as if Christina has glued it to the tray herself. Then her odometer pings, bright and sharp against the dashboard, and one word flashes across the display:
FOCUS
Heat crawls up my neck. Sorry, girl. I pull my hand away from the phone and plant both hands on the wheel, left at nine, right at three. My fear for Sasha had shoved everything else out of my head, even the law I know by heart: no mobile device while operating a school bus.
Finally, I turn into the school driveway and ease Christina into place. Beyond the windshield, the students gather in loose, laughing clusters, backpacks slung low, cellphone postures, and faces bright and impatient to climb aboard. They have no idea that danger is unfolding only five miles away, or that my nerves are rattling beneath my skin like loose lug nuts. For their sake, I smooth my face, swallow the fear, and try to keep it that way.
I secure the bus, set my hand on the door switch, and flick it open so the students can climb aboard. Nothing happens. No hiss of air, no folding door, no rush of chatter spilling into the aisle. Frowning, I flip the switch again. The doors stay sealed tight.
What’s the matter now, girl?
A soft mechanical click answers me. I look down just in time to see the gearshift slide into Drive, and my forehead tightens in a roadmap of confusion.
I can’t leave the students standing out there, Christina. Come on, girl.
Christina stays in Drive. No matter how many times I flip the switch, the doors refuse to open. I let out a slow breath and ask her again what is wrong. In answer, the right crossover mirror dips downward, smooth and deliberate, until the front tire comes into view. That is when I see it: Christina has rolled past the yellow brick line. The line is there for a reason. When the bus stops behind it, the walkway stays clear and the students can board from the safety of the marked crosswalk. Past that line, they would have to step out of their protected path and crowd too close to the bus’s nose. Christina is not being stubborn. She is keeping them safe. I need to follow the safety rules of the yellow brick line.
Backing up a bus full of blind spots is never the safe choice, and Christina knows it. She is not asking me to reverse; she is telling me to move forward, circle the drive, and return to the loading zone the right way. This time, I need to stop with her nose behind the yellow line, where the students can step from the marked crosswalk into the open doors.
Got it, girl. I’m sorry, my mind is with Sasha.
I gesture to the students to wait, and they back up with grins and nods. I circle the driveway and come back to the pickup spot, stopping at the yellow line. I flip the switch to open the doors and, this time, they open wide. Just then, Nathan, one of the stand-by drivers, steps in front of the doorway, blocking the students from entering.
“Hey Cal! I heard the bad news, man, I’m so sorry! They sent me to finish your route!” Nathan yells while entering the bus.
Christina’s dash pings:
WHO?
I didn’t think she would be happy about having a sub-driver. I don’t think I am happy about Nathan being her sub-driver. Is it odd that I’m jealous when other men ride her? Wow, that’s weird.
I throw that thought into neutral before it can roll into the gutter. Nathan is an experienced driver; surely, he can safely drive Christina for one route. Sasha is the one in danger.
Just as I jump out of the driver’s seat Ms. Debbie comes on the radio and announces:
Base to all drivers. Base to all drivers. There is no longer a threat at Culter Road and Pits. This area is now clear and safe. Please proceed as normal on your routes.
The news hits me like clean air after inhaling exhaust. I sink back into the driver’s seat, let out a long, shaky breath, and drag my fingers through my hair. My chest still feels tight but loosens each second I realize Sasha is safe. Then my phone buzzes against the tray beneath the dash. I snatch it up, and Sasha’s name and image glow on the screen.
Heard the news, babe? Don’t worry, I’m safe. I’ve been home since noon, wrapped in a blanket and sipping ginger tea. I’ve felt queasy all morning. Everybody is ok. The police stopped the “gunman” outside—some kid with a realistic water gun. I’ll explain everything when you get home. I love you.
Relief washes through me first. Then my brain, apparently done surviving one emergency, highlights two words in Sasha’s message like hazard lights:
Queasy.
Morning.
Now, I am no doctor, I drive a bus for a living. But even I know those two words ride the same route.
Morning sickness?
“Did you hear that Cal! The coast is clear! I guess I don’t have to finish your route, after all!”
“Well, Nathan, I guess you’re off the hook.” I mutter, my voice still rough from the scare. Nathan grins, gives Christina’s handrail a quick slap, I wince, and he hops back down the steps.
Christina’s dash pings before I can settle myself in the driver’s seat:
Whew!
I pause with one hand on the wheel. Whew? Was Christina relieved because the threat was over or because Nathan would not be driving her after all? Sometimes I wonder if student safety is the only thing that truly stirs her metal heart.
I shake my head, let the question roll away like loose gravel under the tires, and turn toward the waiting students with my best bus driver’s smile.
Then two students climb aboard with their heads hanging low, their steps clumsy and uneven. When they pass me, a sour, yeasty stink rolls off them putting the pub in public school.
My smile disappears.
Surely not.
Before I can decide when to question them, Christina’s dash pings again:
UN-HAPPY HOUR?
Ask Your Team:
What can happen when students load outside of the loading area? And what can you do to keep students safely within loading zones?
Next Stop: Episode 3
Sip, Sip, No Way! – Student Monitoring: Prevent alcohol use and recognize impairment
Latest baby Defender prototype features Defender family’s trademark rear-mounted spare.
EMA architecture promises 800-volt EV charging, though hybrid power will also be available.
Competition will include Mercedes’ baby G-Class and even a Chinese-built Chery Freelander.
Land Rover’s baby Defender is back in front of our spy photographer’s lens, and you’d be forgiven for wondering what’s changed. The camouflage is still doing its job, the shape looks familiar, but there’s one very Defender-like detail we haven’t had such a good look at before. Yep, that’s a spare wheel hanging off the tailgate.
It might seem like a small detail, but the rear-mounted spare is a visual hallmark of both today’s Defender and the classic model that preceded it. Adding one to the compact SUV helps separate it from the endless stream of similarly sized premium crossovers, most of which have swapped spares for cans of tire foam in the pursuit of saving a few lbs – and a few g/km of CO2 as a result.
Same Bones As The Range Rover GT
SH Proshots
Unofficially dubbed the Defender Sport, though its true name is still under wraps, the newcomer goes in completely the opposite styling direction to JLR’s upcoming electric Range Rover GT. The pair share EMA architecture and running gear, but whereas the GT adopts a dramatically low, fastback profile, this SUV embraces an upright roof, squared-off tail and chunky proportions to maximize practicality and Defender attitude.
The EMA platform was conceived around electric power, with an 800-volt electrical system and rapid charging. Previous prototypes have supported that story with blanked-off grilles and no visible exhausts, and this one appears to follow the same recipe.
Hybrid Option Added
SH Proshots
But times have changed, and so has JLR’s plan. It openly acknowledged that the rush toward EVs hasn’t happened as quickly as anticipated (especially in the crucial US market) and that hybrids have proved surprisingly popular. So it’s updated the EMA architecture to also work with hybrid (but not plug-in) powertrains.
Whatever powers it, the baby Defender should have some interesting company when it arrives, potentially in 2027. Mercedes is preparing its own smaller G-Class, giving buyers two compact interpretations of some seriously recognizable off-road machinery.
There’s another familiar name headed its way too. China’s Chery has revived the Freelander, although the new model isn’t a Land Rover despite borrowing a badge and design cues strongly associated with the British brand’s past. But you won’t get a rear-mounted spare on the Freelander…
Hyundai opens European orders for the new Staria Electric.
It packs an 84 kWh battery and offers up to 430 km of range.
The electric van is priced from €57,450 ($66,800) in Germany.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Spy photographers have snapped Kia’s upcoming PV7.
Electric van slots above the PV5 and is aimed at businesses.
Could share some powertrains with its smaller counterpart.
Kia is gearing up to introduce the new PV7 at the IAA Transportation show on September 14 and they recently released a handful of teaser images. Spy photographers are now filling in the blanks as they’ve spotted the commercial vehicle undergoing testing in Europe.
Set to become the second member of the Platform Beyond Vehicle lineup, the PV7 follows in the footsteps of the PV5 that was introduced last year. As a result, it features a stepped front end and an expansive windshield. They’re joined by black upper accents and lower black plastic body cladding.
The model has a “one-box profile” and that’s putting it lightly as the van is essentially a box on wheels. The prototype seen by spy shooters features dual sliding doors with an odd window arrangement in the middle. They’re accompanied by a relatively flat roof that helps to maximize cargo capacity.
Around the back, there’s a vertical liftgate and a small rear bumper. They’re accompanied by vertical taillights as well as a recessed license plate area. The van also has thick rear pillars with black accents to create the illusion of a wraparound greenhouse.
SHProshots
The PV7 was previewed by a concept in 2024 and will reportedly measure around 208.6 inches (5,300 mm) long. To put that into perspective, the PV5 Cargo Long is 184.8 inches (4,695 mm) long and has a 117.9-inch (2,995 mm) wheelbase.
The model will ride on the Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service (E-GMP.S), which is a fleet-focused version of the E-GMP architecture that underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60, among others.
Powertrain details remain a mystery, but the PV5 offers a 43.3 kWh LFP battery pack as well as 51.5 and 71.2 kWh NCM batteries. They power electric motors with outputs of 120 hp (89.4 kW / 122 PS) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque as well as 161 hp (120 kW / 163 PS) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm).
Given the PV7’s size, we wouldn’t be surprised to find the 51.5 and 71.2 kWh batteries, and they could potentially be joined by an even larger pack. The 161 hp (120 kW / 163 PS) electric motor also seems like a safe bet and it could be joined by an even more powerful one as well. That being said, we’ll find out for sure later this month.
Tech Youtuber MKBHD cast doubt on Elon Musk’s Cybercab timeline.
With less than four months to go, it looks like the bet could be safe.
However, MKBHD concedes that Tesla is at the forefront of change.
Back in October 2024, Tesla’s “We, Robot” event introduced the world to Optimus, the Robovan, and the Cybercab. Drawing design inspiration from the Cybertruck, the Cybercab offered yet another look at the proposed driverless car future, this time sans a steering wheel and pedals.
But the biggest shocker was the Tesla CEO’s claim that not only did he expect the Cybercab to be offered to customers at under $30,000, but that it would also enter high-volume production before 2027. Granted, by his own admission, Elon Musk said at the time that he tends to be “a little optimistic with timeframes,” but it got tech creator Marcus Brownlee, aka MKBHD, thinking.
So confident was MKBHD that Tesla wouldn’t meet such a timeline, he made a bit of a one-sided bet: he offered to shave his head live on camera if they made good. To be specific, Brownlee said that Tesla wouldn’t sell a Cybercab to a customer for $30,000 before 2027.
Semantics aside, that moment triggered a bunch of AI videos and memes, particularly from fans of Tesla, with Elon Musk even replying to one such post on X, saying, “Gonna happen. 😂”
A Long Time Coming
Since the Cybercab reveal, we’ve seen more information about the car trickle out, including it would likely deliver around 300 miles (482 km) of range, use large castings to save costs, and still projected to cost $30,000 or less. In February, the team even appeared to be ahead of schedule, with the first Cybercab rolling off Tesla’s Texan production line.
Brownlee himself admitted he was a little nervous when it came to light that a new Cybercab event had been scheduled for the 3rd of September. But luckily for him (and his hair), the event had nothing to do with customer sales. Instead, it announced that the Cybercab would be added to the Tesla Robotaxi network within their existing geofenced areas.
But while it looks like his hair is safe for now, the Tech Tuber went on to say that although he thinks Tesla may be ahead of its time with the Cybercab, he expects self-driving cars to become more mainstream in the next 10 years. Oh, and regardless of whether he wins the “bet” or not, he’ll be donating to Cancer Research in January.
School bus drivers, aides and other transportation staff will gain practical American Sign Language (ASL) training to develop skills and emergency-planning strategies during a returning general session at the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference this November.
“American Sign Language for Student Transporters” is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco in Frisco, Texas. The session will be led by specialists Rachella Moore and Ursa Rewolinski with the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin.
The ASL training builds on a takeaway general session Moore and Rewolinski presented at the 2025 TSD Conference. It introduced attendees to common misconceptions about the deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) community, transportation accessibility challenges, collaboration with special education departments, and routine ASL phrases that can help build relationships with students.
This year, Moore and Rewolinski will place additional emphasis on emergency preparedness and practical communication. Moore noted that transportation staff cannot assume deaf students will receive the same auditory warnings as other riders during an emergency.
“When there’s no hearing, there’s no warning sound, no siren, no shouted instruction,” she wrote in an email to School Transportation News. “Deaf students need visual signals.”
Attendees will use the ASL training to discuss evacuation planning, assigned seating, visual signals for commands such as danger and stop, and the importance of regularly practicing those procedures. Moore and Rewolinski will also address the need for transportation personnel to communicate with special education staff, parents and interpreters so they understand an individual student’s communication method, calming strategies and emergency plan.
The session will also be hands-on. Participants will pair up to practice ASL and receive feedback while learning signs they can immediately use with students, including “bus,” “stop,” “sit” and “thank you.”
Moore is an outreach specialist with the Texas School for the Deaf Statewide Outreach Center and holds a master’s degree in deaf education. She has served as a deaf mentor and brings both professional and personal experience to her work, having grown up in a deaf family and raising two deaf children.
Rewolinski is a sign language specialist with the Texas School for the Deaf Outreach Center and earned a master’s degree in sign language teaching and education from Gallaudet University. She has taught ASL in secondary and higher-education settings.
The 2026 TSD Conference runs Nov. 4-10 in Frisco. Main conference registration is currently available for $499 with the Early Bird discount through Oct. 2, a savings of $100 off the standard rate. The agenda includes general and keynote sessions, educational workshops, networking events, the Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration, and the trade show and reception. Visit the TSD Conference website and click Register Now to reserve a seat.
The entry-level Hyundai Ioniq 3 isn’t available with a 9.9-inch digital display.
Korea’s Avante / Elantra can be optioned with the small screen for $255.
Hyundai is following the trend that Tesla started a decade ago with the Model 3.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nikkei Asia reported that Toyota Highlander EV production slipped again.
Kentucky assembly is reported to start in January 2027 “at the earliest.”
Toyota tells Carscoops nothing has changed since its July announcement.
Update: A Toyota spokesperson in the US told Carscoops the company has not changed the timeline it announced back in July, which targets a 2027 launch, likely within the first months of the year. That framing sits at odds with Nikkei Asia’s report of a fresh delay to “2027 or later”. Revised article follows below.
The Highlander EV will be built in Georgetown, Kentucky. According to Nikkei Asia, the three-row SUV is expected to reach the line in January 2027 “at the earliest.” The same publication says Toyota has already notified its supplier network about the revised schedule. A January start would sit inside the early-2027 window Toyota says it has been working toward all along.
A representative for Toyota’s North American division clarified that the extra time is allocated to final checks and quality validation before rolling out full-scale production. This aligns with the automaker’s previous stance in July, when a media preview was postponed.
Subaru’s Getaway Is Stuck Too
Toyota has insisted that the holdup has nothing to do with EV demand in the US, and points out that its EV sales are “still growing.” The numbers back that up, to a point, as US EV sales fell 21% year-over-year in Q2, while Toyota’s own EV deliveries more than tripled over the same stretch. Growing from a small base is easier when the lineup keeps expanding, which is exactly what Toyota has been doing in the region.
The Highlander EV shares its bones with the Subaru Getaway, and both three-row EVs will be built on the same Georgetown line. Subaru confirmed its own delay in July, saying production would slip “to allow sufficient time for final adjustments before launch.” Toyota used almost identical wording, which suggests the two are moving in step. Subaru still hasn’t named a new date or said whether deliveries will shift.
While routing and infrastructure shape fuel use at a macro level, vehicle idling represents one of the most immediate and controllable sources of waste.
Most districts have idling policies that meet or exceed state requirements, with exceptions for extreme weather. Historically, however, enforcement has been inconsistent due to a lack of data.
Telematics has changed that. School districts can now track idling time by vehicle, route, and driver, making it possible to identify patterns and enforce policies more effectively.
Data-driven approaches to idling typically combine policy enforcement with education and route optimization. Rather than treating idling as a disciplinary issue, district leaders use data to identify root causes and adjust operations accordingly.
“Idling is the clearest example of a problem that was previously invisible and is now entirely measurable,” said Craig Berndt, Geotab business segment manager of people transportation. “Most districts have an idling policy. Very few, until recently, had any way to know whether it was being followed.”
Berndt noted the emerging standard across many of the school districts with which Geotab works is a two- to five-minute engine-on idle limit. It can be longer in extreme weather conditions.
“Some states have regulatory requirements that align with this,” he said. “But the policy itself only has value if it’s enforced, and enforcement requires data.”
Complicating matters is H.R. 9317, which was introduced to Congress in June. Known as the BUSES Act, short for Buses Utilizing Safety and Environmental Standards, it would amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit state and local governments from enforcing engine idling restrictions on over the road buses and school buses if the engine idles for less than 15 minutes. It would also ban lawsuits filed against school bus owners or operators for alleged idling violations. The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced the BUSES Act on Wednesday.
Still, Berndt noted telematics enables automatic idling alerts: A notification to a supervisor when a bus has been idling beyond the threshold, with location, driver and duration.
“This shifts enforcement from reactive, a complaint from a principal about exhaust near the front entrance, to proactive. And it creates an accountability loop that changes behavior over time,” he said. “Drivers who know their idle time is visible tend to idle less, not because of punitive pressure but because the visibility makes the issue concrete rather than abstract.”
Berndt noted the cost case is straightforward: A diesel school bus burns approximately 0.8 gallons per hour at idle.
“For a 100-bus fleet idling an average of 30 excess minutes per day, that’s 40 gallons per day in waste, $80 to $120 at current prices every operating day of the year,” he said. “With telematics-driven enforcement, districts routinely cut excess idle time by 30 to 50 percent.”
Beyond fuel, the idling conversation matters for public perception in ways that are becoming more acute, noted Berndt.
“School communities are increasingly attentive to emissions around buildings and bus queues, and districts that can demonstrate they’re actively managing and measuring this are in a much better position when parents or advocacy groups raise the issue,” he said.
St. Louis (Missouri) Public Schools supports school bus and vehicle contractor Zum’s idling policy, and Zum’s engine‑on/engine‑off data helps them enforce it, said Transportation Director Kacy L. Davis.
While Zum does not publicly state its idling policy, the company limits unnecessary school bus idling and trains drivers to minimize idle time by using routing technology to reduce waiting and fuel consumption. Meanwhile, The Missouri Department of Natural Resources encourages school districts to adopt anti-idling policies for school buses. Several counties including St. Louis and the Kansas City Ozone Maintenance Area restrict bus idling to 15 minutes in any 60-minute period to maintain passenger comfort.
“Reducing idling lowers fuel costs, improves air quality around schools and reduces engine wear,” he added. “Together, these tools give us a clear picture of how routing decisions affect fuel use, maintenance, and overall operational efficiency.”
SLPS also is preparing to launch a 30‑bus electric fleet in the 2027–2028 school year through the EPA Clean School Bus Program as part of the district’s broader Future Ready initiative to modernize operations and improve the student transportation experience.
Subaru sales climbed 1.3% last month to 62,028 units.
Ascent saw a 37.2% increase, while WRX soared 191%.
New EVs helped to grow sales, but Solterra plummeted.
It’s a new month and that means sales data is slowly trickling in. Some of the latest is from Subaru and it reveals August sales climbed 1.3% to 62,028 units.
While the brand didn’t break any records like Kia, they noted the Ascent, Crosstrek, Outback, and WRX had their best month of the year. The Crosstrek was the top performer with 19,541 sales, which was a 4.4% decline from a year ago.
The Forester was up 17.8% to 16,760 units, while the Outback slid 3.4% to 15,233. It’s also worth noting dealers sold five Legacy sedans, despite the fact that production ended nearly a year ago.
The biggest surprise for August was the Ascent, which saw sales climb 37.2% to 5,155 units. The 2027 model was announced in June and only received minor changes such as a new Deepwater Blue Pearl paint job and USB Type-C charging ports. Those are hardly the kind of things that would drive sales in a crossover that was introduced in 2017.
While the Ascent’s sudden sales jump is a mystery, the WRX’s 191% increase is a no-brainer. The brand slashed pricing earlier this year and focused on affordability.
That brings us to EVs, which paint a mixed picture. Solterra sales fell 86.6% to a dismal 197 last month. At the same time, Subaru sold 1,248 Trailseekers and 320 Uncharted EVs.
This implies the new Trailseeker and Uncharted could be cannibalizing sales from the older Solterra. However, it may not be that simple as a quick search suggests dealers only have 70 new Solterras in stock. That’s less than two weeks of supply, so the lack of product appears to be hampering sales.
That being said, overall sales of EVs were up slightly as Subaru sold 1,765 in August. That’s a 21.3% increase compared to the 1,466 sold a year ago.
We examine the potential fallout from proposed changes to the Head Start program, increased danger as students return to school, a tornado that devastated a Wisconsin bus contractor, and updates from NAPT and TSD Conference.
Parker Muirbrook, strategic sales director at EverDriven, discusses new research and real-world examples that show how alternative transportation assists both district financials and student needs by providing safe and consistent school transportation.
The company will offer customers both electric and combustion-powered models.
BMW’s electric M3 will have four electric motors and advanced torque vectoring.
The electric model will be sold alongside the next-gen combustion-powered M3.
BMW’s all-electric M3 is just around the corner, debuting a couple of months ago as a concept and set to be sold alongside the combustion model we all know and love. While it’d be easy to assume the EV, perhaps badged the iM3, is only being built for regulatory compliance, the German brand insists that’s not the case.
The boss of BMW’s M division, Frank van Meel, says the electric M3 isn’t being built because BMW has to do it, but instead because it wants to give customers the choice of either an EV or a car using combustion power, hence why it’s still committed to its six- and eight-cylinder engines.
“We are not doing this because it has to be done, but because we are convinced you can build a fast and even better car this way,” van Meel told Motor1 while speaking about the electric M3. “The timing has to be right, though. It only works if we can do it 100 percent the way we want to do it.”
A New Platform
The key enabler for the quad-motor M3 is BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, which allows the car to be developed from the ground up rather than relying on a pre-existing architecture that might have required modifications to support a large battery pack and powerful electric motors. “We said we could only make a high-performance M with four electric motors, torque vectoring, individual control, a central control unit, and our own software,” he added, noting the car has to feel “M-like.”
It’s possible some BMW M enthusiasts may feel like they’re being force-fed a high-powered EV they don’t necessarily want. However, van Meel says the company does “not decide for our customers what they have to drive,” but rather wants to “build cars that we ourselves love” and that buyers can choose whether they want an EV or a combustion-powered car.
The new model, previewed with the M Concept Neue Klasse, draws on the design of the standard i3 but includes all the upgrades you’d expect of an M car, including flared arches, new bumpers, distinctive wheels, and a custom hood. Chances are, the production model will look very similar.
In terms of power, BMW M has revealed that the concept includes four motors, and while horsepower hasn’t been confirmed, the production car is tipped to have between 700 hp and 1,000 hp. Expect to see the first-ever electric M3 presented in its final form next year.
Porsche wasn’t the first automaker to sell an SUV that felt quick. It was, however, the first to prove that an SUV could be truly athletic on pavement. The original Cayenne was somewhat unloved by many in the automotive sphere, but it set a new bar for an SUV that could do more than hustle down a straight road with a loud exhaust and too much body roll. It could attack curves in a way no other similar vehicle could.
Now Porsche has a different, arguably tougher job. The 2027 Cayenne Electric arrives in a market already full of expensive electric SUVs, including the Lucid Gravity, Cadillac Vistiq, Volvo EX90, Mercedes EQS SUV, and BMW’s upcoming iX5. This time, being fast is not enough. The question is whether Porsche can make an EV SUV feel special enough to rewrite the rulebook again.
The Cayenne Turbo Electric certainly has the hardware to try. Its dual-motor system produces 1,139 hp and 1,106 lb-ft of torque with Launch Control engaged. That is four-figure power in a five-seat family SUV. The real question isn’t just whether or not the driving experience will be memorable. It’s whether it’ll be memorable enough and engaging enough to be a true sales success for the brand at a time when Americans are overlooking impressive EVs all over the market.
Quick Facts
› Model:
2027 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
› Starting Price:
$165,350, including destination ($198,180 as tested)
› Dimensions:
196.3 x 78.0 x 65.9 in (4,985 x 1,980 x 1,674 mm)
› Wheelbase:
119.0 in (3,023 mm)
› Curb Weight:
5,860 lbs (2,658 kg)
› Powertrain:
Dual electric motors / AWD / 113-kWh battery
› Output:
Up to 1,139 hp (850 kW) / 1,106 lb-ft (1,500 Nm)
› 0-62 mph
2.4 seconds (0-100 km/h)
› Transmission:
Single speed
› Range:
Up to 298 miles
› Towing Capacity:
7,716 lbs (3,500 kg)
› On Sale:
Now
SWIPE
Styling Befitting A Cayenne
Credit: Stephen Rivers for Carscoops
The overall look of the Cayenne Electric is stately. Not everyone will love the changes made in favor of identity and aerodynamics, but at least it doesn’t feel overstyled or too much like a jelly bean. Simple designs tend to age the best. That does not guarantee the Cayenne Electric will become a classic, but it has a much better shot than many.
The headlights are the one element I am still not fully sold on. They are technically impressive and help emphasize the Cayenne’s width, but they do not have quite the same immediate warmth as the best Porsche lighting signatures. Everything else works. On the Turbo, the active aerodynamic blades at the rear even extend at speed to clean up airflow. You will never see them work from the driver’s seat, of course, but they are genuinely cool.
The reference vehicle here wears Monteverde Metallic over a brown Espresso leather cabin with black accents. It also gets rear-axle steering, Porsche Active Ride, the SportDesign package, 22-inch SportTechno wheels, performance summer tires, HD-Matrix headlights, a panoramic roof, and the Premium Package. The $163,000 starting point climbs to $198,180 quickly. That is Porsche ownership in a single sentence.
There are plenty of nods to the original Cayenne inside. The high center tunnel is still there. The steering wheel is recognizably Porsche. The seating position remains appropriately sporty for a Porsche, not just an SUV. It’s capable of settling in quite low, and that’s a big win. The chairs could plausibly come from one of Porsche’s sports cars, excluding the most hardcore GT models. They are supportive, comfortable, and genuinely attractive. The dashboard itself is a different deal entirely.
The centerpiece is Porsche’s curved Flow Display, which stretches down from the center stack toward the physical climate controls. It looks theatrical but is actually very functional in practice. The wrist rest below it enables genuinely easy use as the controls typically sit on the lower portion of the screen while the upper level shows the occupants what they’re managing. Many automakers expect drivers to operate giant touchscreens with one hand floating in mid-air. The wrist rest fixes that issue.
Some buyers will absolutely decide there is too much screen here. They will not be wrong. In 10 years, this cabin could look dated in the same way early digital dashboards eventually do. Or it could develop the occasional electrical gremlin that turns its futuristic charm into a very expensive service appointment.
Right now, though, it feels appropriately over the top. The optional passenger display is one of the more feature-rich units in the business, and it reacts quickly enough that it does not feel like a tablet trapped in a dashboard. Users can connect bluetooth headphones, watch YouTube, and other things while their phone charges on the wireless dock in the console.
Porsche also put the physical volume control in the middle of the climate controls, where the passenger can reach it without leaning across the cabin. More automakers need to figure this out. There is no reason the passenger should need to reach toward the driver’s side for a knob when the driver already has audio controls on the steering wheel.
Credit: Stephen Rivers for Carscoops
The seats, upholstery, and major touchpoints feel appropriately expensive. The physical switchgear works well and provides a really nice tactile sensation during use. Some of it feels a little underwhelming, perhaps with its flat black color, but it should age well. The rear seats aren’t what I’d call spacious, but at six-foot-six, I still fit back there without feeling cramped. The seats themselves also offer quite a bit more lateral bolstering than just about everything else on the market. More performance-slanted SUVs should take note.
Finally, the cargo space is genuinely useful. The Turbo model offers 26.4 cubic feet of space, while the Base and S versions offer 27.6 cubic feet. The Coupe models see a significant drop-off to 18.9 for Base and S and just 17.7 for the Turbo.
Range And Charging
The Cayenne Turbo Electric is EPA-rated for 298 miles of range, or 303 miles with its range-oriented tire. That is fine. Not great, not embarrassing, just fine. The base Cayenne does better at 317 miles, while the Cayenne S is rated at 299 miles. Those are respectable numbers, but the Lucid Gravity makes the Porsche’s range look merely ordinary with up to 450 miles in Grand Touring form.
Where Porsche fights back is charging. Its 800-volt architecture can accept up to 400 kW under ideal conditions, allowing a 10-80 percent charge in as little as 16 minutes. That requires the right charger and the right battery conditions, obviously, but the capability matters. The Cayenne is built for drivers who will use it hard and cover long distances, not just people who want a fast commute appliance.
Driving Impressions: A Serious Testing Space
Speaking of driving hard over long distances. Of all the places to test an EV, several mountain passes in the Colorado Rocky Mountains aren’t what most would consider ideal. After all, range is heavily affected by the environment, and climbing can diminish it quickly. Despite that, Porsche brought us out to Aspen, Colorado, to test these cars and then sent us on a 234-mile trek through Crested Butte and Buena Vista as well as over Independence and Cottonwood Pass.
Driving the Turbo variant, with up to 1,139 hp (850 kW) when using launch control, the most immediate sensation is just how comfortable, quiet, and composed the car feels. Thanks to the active suspension, the Cayenne Turbo is almost always adjusting to suit the moment. By that, I mean that it has features that attempt, and almost always succeed, in countering any forces that a lesser SUV would feel under normal driving actions.
Under medium acceleration, the rear suspension actually lifts up very gently while the front lowers to keep the body level and cancel out the nose lift that is typical in just about every other vehicle, period. On braking, the opposite happens as the nose lifts rather than dips. In turns, the outer suspension lifts and the inner lowers.
This is what Porsche called “helicoptering,” and while it sounds like a party trick, it basically eliminates the sometimes jarring feeling that an EV can create with its instant torque and regen. It also never makes the car feel disconnected, numb, or artificial, which could be the most impressive bit of that technology.
Then, there’s the real party trick in this SUV: its ability to go from stately five-passenger luxury cruiser to an absolute maniac. Spin the dial into Sport Plus, come to a stop, mash the brake, then the accelerator, let go of the brake, and it’ll do 0-60 in the real world in 2.4 seconds. Importantly, Porsche claims that figure, but we tested it on a real road literally less than a minute after driving on gravel, and it delivered a 2.5-second 0-60 time that registered as 2.3 when subtracting rollout.
Porsche tells us it managed its run on a prepared surface. Car And Driver recently managed 2.1 seconds, also on a prepared surface. We intentionally tested on a real road and are happy to tell you that this car will basically do its published number whether you’re at the track or not. Still, those numbers alone really cannot express properly just how insane that type of acceleration feels.
The Cayenne needed under 116 feet to go from not moving to highway speed. The feeling from the driver’s seat is akin to being shot out of a cannon at your local Six Flags. Perhaps the most impressive bit, though, is that it requires basically zero skill to pull this off. Hold the wheel straight, and the clever differentials and motors will ensure the car does the job. Don’t get me wrong. A car that requires the driver to have genuine skill to pilot it at the very edge is far more enjoyable and engaging, but if you want a car that helps someone with less skill to catch the bug for improving their own ability, this is a serious gateway drug.
The fun doesn’t stop when the straight lines run out, though. When not using launch control, the car moves around with a constant 844 hp (630 kW) on tap. The roads we drove were about as curvy and elevation-varied as they get. The Cayenne never ever felt overly heavy despite a curb weight similar to some full-size pickup trucks. In fact, the car feels much smaller than its wheelbase would suggest.
Then, there’s the braking situation. Porsche doesn’t offer one-foot driving. That singular statement is somewhat intentional. The brand wants to encourage engagement and the way this car brakes demonstrates that. Often, the transition from regen to friction braking can be jittery or jarring. In the Cayenne, it’s indistinguishable. That level of granular control feels like it’s a part of everything this SUV does. Rear-wheel steering makes the SUV feel more nimble both on mountain roads and in town when a slightly tighter turning radius can make a gigantic difference.
The Base Cayenne with 435 hp (325 kW) doesn’t come with all the same party tricks. It lacks the active suspension, the active aero, and rear-axle steering. Still, it feels properly composed and quick. In one section with a Turbo version both ahead and behind us, it didn’t feel overpowered or incapable of managing serious pace with its more powerful siblings.
One more note. Porsche will sell the Cayenne with an off-road package and while we didn’t truly test it off-road, we did take it on several dedicated gravel roads where it continued to feel composed and confidence-inspiring. For those who want or need it, the SUV can tow 7,716 pounds (3,500 kg).
The Lucid Gravity is the Cayenne Electric’s biggest problem. It starts at $79,900 in Touring form, while the 828-hp Grand Touring starts at $98,900 and promises as much as 450 miles of range. Even the new 1,070-hp GT-S starts at $125,900, hits 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, and offers room for up to seven people along with a claimed 120 cubic feet of cargo space.
The Lucid cannot match the Cayenne Turbo’s 2.4-second sprint, nor does it have the same decades-long performance pedigree. But it makes a far more convincing case as the one EV in a well-off family’s garage that can genuinely do everything. It is quicker than almost anything needs to be, dramatically roomier, and better suited to long trips. Porsche has the badge, the chassis, and the more compelling driving experience. Lucid has the more rational argument.
Cadillac’s Vistiq makes a different kind of case. It starts at $77,395, offers three rows, up to 305 miles of range, 615 hp, a 3.7-second sprint to 60 mph, and standard Super Cruise. It is nowhere near as athletic or outrageous as the Cayenne Turbo, but it does much of the luxury-EV job for a lot less money. The Volvo EX90 takes an even calmer route. It is a safety-first, three-row family hauler with up to 305 miles of range and, in Twin Motor Performance form, 670 hp. Neither will tempt someone looking for a Porsche sports car in SUV form, but both make a strong argument for spending less.
Before BMW pulled it from America earlier this year, the iX was the closest traditional German alternative, particularly in M70 guise. The replacement is the new iX5, though Americans have to wait twice over, once for its Stateside launch next year, and again for the hotter M Performance and full-fat M versions, since the launch car tops out at 570 hp in iX5 60 AWD form. Mercedes’ EQS SUV leans harder into quietness and comfort. Both are good luxury EVs. None of these, though, feels as if they was engineered by people who spent their lunch breaks figuring out how to make a 5,860-pound SUV behave on a mountain road.
The Cayenne Turbo Electric does not make physics disappear. It is still enormously heavy, very expensive, and only fine when it comes to range. Its cabin also leans heavily into screens at a time when some buyers are already suffering from digital fatigue. And as impressive as the whole thing is, Porsche cannot ignore the ugly depreciation story surrounding some of its other EVs.
But it absolutely feels like a Porsche.
That might sound like faint praise in a vehicle with 1,139 hp, but it is not. Making an EV absurdly fast is easy compared with making one feel engaging, predictable, and genuinely enjoyable on a road that does not point straight ahead. The Cayenne manages that trick. It has the acceleration of a supercar, the composure of a luxury SUV, enough off-road ability to be more than a pavement princess, and the sort of granular brake and chassis control that makes driving it hard feel rewarding rather than intimidating.
No, it probably will not rewrite the rulebook in quite the same way the original Cayenne did. The electric-SUV market is too crowded, and too good, for that. But Porsche has built one of the first electric SUVs that feels like it has a legitimate reason to exist beyond its powertrain.
The harder question is whether buyers will pay $110,000 – $200,000 for it—and whether they will still want to own it once the newness wears off. That part isn’t up to Porsche’s engineers anymore, but regardless of what happens next, they should be proud of what they’ve created.
Jeep has quietly updated the performance specs for the Recon.
It produces an extra 20 hp, but the range remains pretty bad.
Model starts at $65,000, but some dealers already list discounts.
The Jeep Wagoneer S was an overpriced flop and dealers are still struggling to get rid of 2025 models. A quick search online reveals a number of massive discounts including one model that stickered for $67,590 being listed for $40,855. That’s a savings of $26,735 and it even includes an $855 documentation fee.
Unfortunately for Jeep, the Wagoneer S is closely related to the upcoming Recon. It starts at $65,000 before a $1,995 destination fee.
The hefty price tag puts the model in an awkward spot as it will arrive shortly after the smaller Rivian R2. It costs $57,990 in Performance guise and will be followed by a more affordable Premium – which begins at $53,990 – later this year.
While we’ve already compared the two models, it appears some Jeep dealers are worried about history repeating itself. As a result, they’re already slapping discounts on the Recon ahead of launch.
These aren’t anything to write home about and they’re nowhere close to the massive markdowns we’ve seen on the Wagoneer S. However, Jeff Wyler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Columbus shows a $720 discount on their Recon Moab.
Over in California, Van Nuys Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram has a $500 discount on their Moab. This means the $67,590 MSRP has been knocked down to $67,090 before a $122 document and electric filing fee.
Bomnin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Doral also has a $500 discount on their incoming Recon, but the savings is more than offset by massive fees. This includes a $999 dealer fee as well as a $499 electronic fee.
As for the handful of other vehicles listed online, they’re largely priced at MSRP. That being said, it’s too early to read into anything as the crossover hasn’t even launched yet.
Recon Has More Power Than Originally Announced
Digging a little deeper, we discovered that Jeep quietly updated specifications for the Recon. When the model was introduced in 2025, it was rated at 650 hp (485 kW / 659 PS) and 620 lb-ft (840 Nm) of torque.
The company has now bumped the output up to 670 hp (500 kW / 679 PS). This will enable the crossover to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in as little as 3.6 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h).
Besides having an additional 20 hp (15 kW / 20 PS), Jeep has tweaked the range estimate. It originally stood at 250 miles (402 km), before being lowered to a maximum of 230 miles (370 km).
Jeep now lists the range as 222 miles (357 km) for the Recon Moab and 240 miles (386 km) for the Overland trim. The latter will arrive sometime after launch and details remain to be seen.
Lexus is gearing up to launch a next-gen EV in China.
Will use gigacasting to save weight and increase range.
Crossover could play a big role in growing Chinese sales.
After a slow start, Toyota and Lexus have significantly expanded their electric lineups. However, one of their most important models will reportedly go into production in the fall of 2027.
According to Nikkei Asia, Lexus will build a next-generation electric vehicle at a new plant in Shanghai. Little is known about the model at this point, but it’s reportedly a crossover that will be “made with leading-edge technology, including gigacasting to mold multiple aluminum body parts together as a single large piece.”
The use of gigacasting was pioneered by Tesla and has been slowly spreading across the auto industry. It will be used on the upcoming Ford Fathom and it promises significant weight savings. In the case of the Lexus EV, this could increase the crossover’s range by “several percent.”
While Toyota usually reserves its most advanced production techniques for Japan or the United States, the Lexus is being billed as the “rare exception.” Electric vehicles dominate in China and the company has struggled there as they only sold 182,458 vehicles in 2025. For comparison, the luxury brand moved 370,260 units in the United States that same year.
Lexus is reportedly planning to build around 1,000 units per month in the model’s first year. However, production is slated to ramp up to “tens of thousands” of units annually.
The model appears to be a Chinese-exclusive, which would be a bit of a change for the automaker. A quick look at the company’s current lineup reveals an assortment of familiar models including the NX, RX, GX, and LX. They’re joined by the ES, LS, LM, and RZ. The latter is the brand’s sole electric vehicle in a market that practically demands them.
Underpinning the all-electric ID. Tiguan is VW’s updated MEB+ platform.
The SUV adopts a classic VW shape and profile, unlike the ID.4 and ID.5.
This lightly-camouflaged prototypes includes distinctive front and rear fascias.
Like so many other legacy brands, VW has stopped pretending its EVs need to exist as a separate species from the combustion cars parked beside them, with their own naming logic and their own marketing language. That rethink is why the replacement for the ID.4 and ID.5 is expected to show up wearing an ID. Tiguan badge rather than another number, and why the car underneath the badge looks set to change more than the name suggests.
Our spy photographers have snapped the new electric SUV testing on several occasions, most recently back in June, wearing the body of the ID.4. This triggered speculation that the new model wouldn’t be a dramatic departure from the ID.4 and ID.5 it’s designed to replace, which was a bit of a shame. It seems VW was fooling us all.
The crew from YouTube channel Autogefühl was recently given an up-close look at the new EV, and it bears little resemblance to those earlier prototypes. This camouflaged example, which appears to be wearing production-ready sheetmetal, breaks cleanly from the ID.4 and carries a more muscular, upright stance than the current Tiguan.
Visible at the front of this prototype are a distinctive LED light bar, unique DRLs, and distinctive headlamps. It also lacks a traditional front grille, making do with a blacked-out lower grille. We’re not provided with a good look at the sides of the vehicle, but we can see it also has unique windows and black roof rails.
The rear end is also a dramatic departure from the ID.4 and ID.5. For example, it ditches the curvy taillights of those models in favor of more muscular ones, each rocking two square-shaped lighting signatures. Positioned in the center of the rear bumper is a larger black element.
Carscoops understands the new electric ID. Tiguan will use the new MEB+ platform, likely joined with upgraded batteries compared to the current model’s 58 kWh and 79 kWh packs. VW would also be wise to boost peak DC charging speeds beyond the current 175 kW to rival new offerings from China.
Acura execs say Nexera could be more than a bellwether for the brand’s design future.
Design boss Yasutake Tsuchida told Motor Trend he wants Acura to build a sports car.
Honda’s American CEO would prefer the Nexera with combustion, not electric, power.
When Acura revealed the Nexera Vision at Monterey Car Week, we were told not to start saving. The dramatic two-seater was primarily a design manifesto for future models, including the next RDX SUV. But it turns out some important people inside Acura would quite like to build it.
The Nexera is a sporty coupe that features a long, but low hood, butterfly doors, 22-inch center-lock wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes and an active rear spoiler. Its V-shaped hidden lighting previews a signature destined for production models, beginning with the next-generation RDX Hybrid. Acura didn’t reveal what powers the concept, although its packaging – specifically that plunging hood – suggest electric not combustion engines.
Though Acura made no production promises, when Motor Trend asked Acura creative director Yasutake Tsuchida whether his vision eventually included producing a sports car like the Nexera, his answer couldn’t have been more encouraging. Or much shorter: “Yes.”
American Honda president and CEO Eiji Fujimara proved a little more chatty.
“I would like to do this car,” Fujimara told Motor Trend. “I would like to do it with an engine, personally, but we will do what the customer wants, if that’s engine or hybrid or EV.”
NSX Flop Casts A Long Shadow
That’s still miles from production confirmation, obviously. Acura knows better than most that a gorgeous sports car doesn’t guarantee showroom success. The market for these kinds of cars is contracting and the second-generation NSX was technically fascinating but struggled to find enough buyers during its run.
Any Nexera would also arrive as part of a full Acura reboot. Fujimara says the next three to four years are “critical” as the company rebuilds the brand, cuts its hefty incentives and prepares for major changes around 2030.
Hybrids will play a bigger role, but not plug-ins, according to Gary Robinson, vice president of auto strategy, who told Motor Trend “PHEVs just don’t work in the market.”
EVs remain in the longer-term plan despite Honda’s recent retreat from them, which involved late-stage cancellations of two electric Hondas and the planned Acura RSX crossover. And it sounds like maybe we shouldn’t bury the Nexera in the concept-car graveyard just yet.
Introducing a new story series from author Gabrielle Marie Kelley, a school bus dispatcher for Irving Independent School District in Texas. The story advisor is Fredrick Tottenham, student safety specialist with Irving ISD. Follow the adventures of Calvin, an anxious but dutiful bus driver, and his sentient and safety-conscious school bus named Christina. The short story follows Calvin’s route adventures while highlighting very real circumstances that drivers face and underscoring the importance of student transportation safety. Find group discussion prompts at the end of each article. The series will resume on the second Tuesday of each month.
Hi. My name is Calvin, and I am a bus driver for Ervens Independent School District in Ervens, Texas. I’ve been driving for nine years, and by now, you’d think I’d have everything figured out. Well, you’d be wrong.
You see, my anxiety is a constant passenger, and without permission, it rides along whenever it wants. Things are always changing around here. Routes and rules disappear like ghosts and reappear in dierent forms, only to haunt me
until they become familiar.
I have a girlfriend named Sasha. Olive skin, beautiful ebony locs, and a smile that could stop a fleet. She always knows the right thing to say and her touch washes away the stress of any day. She is something, alright, but she is not the only special lady in my life.
There’s also Christina.
I know what you’re thinking. You named your bus? Yeah, I know it’s sort of odd. But I’m sort of an odd guy. Besides, if you spend enough early mornings sitting behind the wheel, hearing the low hum of the bus speak into the quiet and dark streets, you start to feel like your bus has a personality of its own.
Christina does.
And when it comes to student safety, her personality shines as bright as her yellow coat. She hears everything. And sometimes I swear she knows things before I do. Don’t believe me? Well, you’ll see for yourself, I’m sure.
Right now, I’m standing in front of the dispatch counter, waiting to grab my smart tablet. Beads of sweat forming on my forehead while I try to focus on the cinema that Benjamin Stevens, known as Ben to fellow drivers, is recounting. His flailing expressions reveal armpits that have also succumbed to the summer’s heat. I cross my arms as he gets to the end of his story and I think to myself, Christina would never allow such a thing.
“Cal! You should have seen it! My crossover mirror flew—”
“Mr. Stevens. In my office, please.” Mr. Pottenham, the safety specialist, calls with a stern expression.
With his arms frozen in gestures, Ben looks at Mr. Pottenham, smiling sheepishly. I wring my hands and say, “Well, I guess I’ll catch you later Ben!”
Would I see him later? The safety of our students was no laughing matter, and the look on the safety specialist’s face proved it.
But I have enough problems of my own, don’t I? My nerves are all over the place ever since Sasha stood in the doorway this morning and said, “We need to talk.”
Maybe she wants to talk about our prolonged engagement. Perhaps it’s the dishes I left in the sink last night. Maybe it’s something deeper. God, I hope she’s not pregnant.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Calvin, ready for your PM route?” Ms. Bineht, the dispatcher asks chipperly as she reaches for my smart tablet and keys.
I greet her and Ms. Debbie, the other dispatcher, and quickly make way for other drivers to do the same. I dash to the parking lot to escape the hustle and bustle of animated drivers and to keep my promise. Christina hates it when I’m late.
She is parked in her usual spot, facing me. I wave inconspicuously and a driver with her back to Christina thinks the greeting is meant for her. Christina’s left windshield wiper rises and then falls without a squeak before the driver turns.
I climb the steps of the bus to put away my backpack so that I can start the exterior inspection. Christina’s odometer beeps and flashes: 7 MIN.
“I know, I know. I’m on it, girl.”
I dismount the bus and inspect the front, the passenger’s side, and then I go around the back. I close the back door and just like a phantom, Ben appears and is so close he’s almost kissing my lips.
“Man, you’re not going to believe your ears!”
I swear, all the saliva in his mouth lands on my upper lip. I’m sure this counts as a French kiss. Second base, minimum.
“…And they wrote me up for that!”
Aggressively wiping my mouth, I reply, “A slap on the wrist for attempted murder?” His face says that, unlike his saliva, my joke didn’t land.
“Listen, I’m sorry Ben. I really am. But my route starts in less than seven minutes. Glad you’re still with us, buddy—And the students, too.”
I wink and pat his shoulder. He relaxes but his demeanor is screaming for a more sympathetic ear.
I perform the interior inspection and then I climb into the driver’s seat and turn the key.
Nothing.
“Come on, girl. What’s the deal?”
Again. Nothing.
The doors slowly swing open.
What is it?
I exit the bus with my back to Christina’s doors and the smart tablet in my hands. I look to my left. Nothing is out of place. I look to my right: Christina’s passenger side. I go around the back and as soon as I turn to the other side of the bus, it dawns on me: I forgot to perform the driver-side inspection. I must have accidentally tapped “Next” when Ben startled me. Thanks, Ben.
No. Thanks, Christina.
“Alright girl, let’s try this again.”
Her engine roars awake and the doors close.
As I exit the bus lot, the radio crackles with excitement and then Ms. Debbie’s voice comes through, loud and clear:
Base to all drivers! Base to all drivers! A 9-32 is in effect. Please avoid Culter Road and Pits. This area is blocked due to a 9-32 at the pharmacy on the corner. Please avoid this area.
My heart dropped into a bottomless pit in my stomach. What would an active shooter want with the local pharmacy?
Thankfully, for the students’ safety, my route is in the opposite direction, but my satisfaction quickly fades into a sickening sensation: The pharmacy on Culter and Pits—Sasha works there.
Ask Your Team:
What steps can you take to avoid distractions while performing pre-trip inspections?
Next Stop: Episode 2
Follow the Yellow Brick Line—Proper student loading and unloading
The Yangwang U7 makes 1,287 hp from motors on both axles.
BYD says the test car was pulled at random from a showroom floor.
Daily temperatures during the run topped 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ultra-luxurious U7 sedan from Yangwang has already been updated, barely a year after its market launch, and BYD is boasting about how comprehensive its testing regime has been and how well the new Blade Battery 2.0 performs.
To wrap up testing of the Yangwang U7, which has a starting price of around $95,400 in China, BYD says it randomly selected a U7 from one of its stores and spent 8 days, 19 hours, and 58 minutes driving it 18,600 miles (30,000 km), cruising at an eye-watering average speed of 149 mph (240 km/h). This test isn’t dissimilar to the tests Mercedes-AMG performed last year with its GT XX Concept. In that case, the German EV was driven 24,901 miles (40,075 km) in 7 days, 13 hours, and 24 minutes.
BYD conducted the test in Nanning, where average daily temperatures exceeded 36°C (97°F) and relative humidity reached as high as 80 percent. The air conditioning was also set to 24°C (75°F) throughout the endurance run.
Beyond the test demonstrating how well the U7 can perform at high speeds and over long distances, BYD also wanted to ensure the battery would hold up. It says the U7 used was flash-charged more than 350 times. At the end of the test, the battery had retained 98.7 percent of its capacity.
This was far from the only test Yangwang conducted for the updated U7. It says it has been testing 758 vehicles across the country, cumulatively covering more than 6.5 million miles (10.49 million kilometers).
The Yangwang U7 was first unveiled in early 2024 and hit the Chinese market roughly 12 months ago. Less than six months after the first deliveries started, it was revealed that Yangwang was preparing to update it, equipping it with new 135.5 kWh and 150 kWh battery packs.
Both versions of the electric U7 have 644 hp electric motors at the front and rear axles, combining to deliver 1,287 hp. The 135.5 kWh version has a CLTC driving range of 497 miles (800 km), while the 150 kWh model can travel up to 625 miles (1,006 km) on a charge. A plug-in hybrid version with a 52.4 kWh battery and 1,341 hp is also available.
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