Lifeboat Foundation

The Biden administration has today announced new vehicle emission standards for 2027–2032, as it pushes for wider adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Tesla Model 3 at a charging station in Delaware, United States. Credit: K.A

Automobile emissions in the United States could be slashed by half within the next eight years, thanks to new standards finalised and published today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ambitious set of rules – not only aimed at reducing air pollution, but also cutting fuel costs – are to be phased in between 2027 and 2032.

Two men are accused of starting a business in China using battery manufacturing technology pilfered from Tesla and trying to sell the proprietary information, federal prosecutors in New York said Tuesday.

Klaus Pflugbeil, 58, a Canadian citizen who lives in Ningbo, China, was arrested Tuesday morning on Long Island, where he thought he was going to meet with businessmen to negotiate a sale price for the information, federal authorities said. Instead, the businessmen were undercover federal agents.

The other man named in the criminal complaint is Yilong Shao, 47, also of Ningbo. He remains at large. They are charged with conspiracy to transmit trade secrets, which carries up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

In this episode, Peter and Will dive into satellite technology, what it takes to create a company like Planet, and its effect on ecosystems across the world.

Will Marshall, Chairman, Co-Founder, and CEO of Planet, transitioned from a scientist at NASA to an entrepreneur, leading the company from its inception in a garage to a public entity with over 800 staff. With a background in physics and extensive experience in space technology, he has been instrumental in steering Planet towards its mission of propelling humanity towards sustainability and security, as outlined in its Public Benefit Corporation charter. Recognized for his contributions to the field, Marshall serves on the board of the Open Lunar Foundation and was honored as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Continue reading “Building The World’s Most Powerful Satellites w/ Will Marshall | EP #90” »

The process is ludicrously energy intensive, with experts estimating that the industry could soon suck up as much electricity as an entire country.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is looking for cheaper alternatives. During a Bloomberg event at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the billionaire suggested that the AI models of tomorrow may require even more power — to the degree that they’ll need a whole new power source.

“There’s no way to get there without a breakthrough,” Altman told audiences, as quoted by Reuters. “It motivates us to go invest more in fusion,” adding that we need better ways to store energy from solar power.

Video footage meant for investors has leaked, showing Aptera Motors co-founders and co-CEOs Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony discussing many topics about the solar EV startup’s future, including a potential IPO.

Usually, when we share progress updates from notable solar EV developer Aptera Motors, they come directly from the horse’s mouth. The born-again startup is known for keeping an open line of communication with its growing fanbase of investors, Accelerator program reservation holders, and EV enthusiasts who want to see a company bring solar-powered vehicles to mass production.

Continue reading “Aptera CEOs discuss IPO plans, solar EV production, 3-wheel variants, and a possible 4-wheel model” »

Amid a flood of new competition, Ford is shifting plans to build more affordable electric vehicles. Ford is developing a new low-cost EV platform to power a small electric pickup and SUV, with starting prices around $25,000. However, due to the pivot, plans for its three-row electric SUV have been put on the back burner.

Although low-cost Chinese passenger EVs, like BYD, are not sold in the US, they are having a big impact on domestic automakers.

Ford’s CEO Jim Farley reiterated his concerns over the low-cost overseas rivals during a Wolfe Research conference last month. Farley explained that if you cannot compete with Chinese automakers, “20% to 30% of your revenue is at risk.”

Tesla has confirmed that it has ramped battery cell production enough to 1,000 Cybertrucks a week at Gigafactory Texas.

The automaker hasn’t been releasing many details about its effort to ramp up its own battery cell production at Gigafactory Texas.

At first, it was 4,680 cells for the Model Y, but with the start of Cybertruck production, Tesla switched production to a new version of the cell for the electric pickup truck.

As part of its energy transition strategy, energy giant Shell plans to shed some of its retail locations, including gasoline stations, to focus more on EV charging sites.

“We are upgrading our retail network, with expanded electric vehicle charging and convenience offers, in response to changing customer needs,” Shell said in its 2024 Energy Transition Strategy report. The company plans to “divest around 500 Shell-owned sites (including joint ventures) a year in 2024 and 2025.” The company’s plans were first reported by Bloomberg News.

The closures will shrink the company’s retail footprint by 2.1%. In 2023, the company operated 47,000 locations.

Oregon State University scientists studying ways to filter greenhouse gases from the air recently discovered that when molecules of the metal vanadium are bound with oxygen molecules as peroxide, they can pull carbon dioxide from the air. The carbon molecules can be siphoned off using a small amount of energy that’s then funneled into other uses, like making limestone for buildings or enhancing the atmospheric carbon in greenhouses, accelerating plant growth.

The process could help improve nascent technologies in capturing carbon dioxide from the air to slow the impacts of global climate change. The discovery was published in the journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry in December.

Carbon dioxide is responsible for about two-thirds of the atmospheric heating causing global climate change, and it is primarily released in the burning of fossil fuels for energy, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.