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The Department of Transportation issued a final rule cutting Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to levels lower than those set in 2020, targeting just 34.9 mpg by model year 2031. The rule eliminates emissions credits starting in model year 2028 and removes the favorable treatment that let EVs and plug-in hybrids count as hundreds of mpg toward an automaker's fleet average.
IEEE TryEngineering has launched a six-book STEM series for readers ages 8 to 12, published by Lerner Publishing Group and titled Tomorrow's Technology With TryEngineering, Powered by IEEE. Each title pairs age-appropriate explanations with real-world examples and design challenges, covering subjects like artificial intelligence and communication technology, and draws on ebooks and videos from tryengineering.org. The project involved several IEEE societies, including Communications, Computer, and Oceanic Engineering, plus the Transportation Electrification Council.
The Trump administration is set to release new fuel economy standards Monday that would lower fleetwide mileage requirements for gasoline-powered cars and light trucks, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The proposed target is roughly 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, down from the 50.4 mpg figure projected under Biden-era rules.
Volkswagen confirmed it is discontinuing the ID.4 crossover and replacing it with an all-electric ID.Tiguan, which launches in Europe in early 2027 and will reach the US at an unspecified later date. The ID.4, which sold roughly 950,000 units since 2021, ended production at VW's Chattanooga plant in April 2026, and the new model will join the ID.Polo and ID.Cross in VW's electric lineup.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said the company is in a "leading position" on solid-state battery technology and will release its first vehicle using the tech in 2027. This aligns with earlier statements from BYD battery subsidiary FinDreams, which said mass production of sulfide-based solid-state batteries would follow around 2030, with lithium iron phosphate batteries still used alongside them in lower-tier models.
Tesla held an invite-only launch event in Sparks, Nevada, marking the start of high-volume production of its Tesla Semi truck, first unveiled as a concept in 2017. Vehicle engineering VP Lars Moravy confirmed the long-range version will travel roughly 500 miles per charge, with a standard version rated at about 325 miles. Elon Musk appeared only in a pre-recorded video, having skipped the event to attend a White House state dinner.
Saudi Arabian automaker Ceer revealed two angular EV concepts called the Exobot, a sedan and an SUV, both designed by former McLaren designer Rob Melville. The company says the vehicles will go on sale in Saudi Arabia in 2027, with plans to release five more models by 2030. The sedan features supercar-like proportions and gullwing doors, while the SUV has a boxy, high-clearance military-inspired design.
Rivian's newly released 2025 impact report shows the R2 Performance model produces roughly half the lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of its original 2022 R1 vehicles, hitting a target the company had set for 2030. Rivian credits the result to design choices around aerodynamics, vehicle weight, manufacturing efficiency, and unconventional materials like paper-waste-derived surfacing sourced from Nordic forests. The R2 also reportedly emits 58 percent less over its lifetime than a comparable gasoline vehicle.
Tesla has set up Tesla Motors Vietnam, a locally registered entity, signaling plans to enter Southeast Asia's largest EV market. It would face steep competition from VinFast, which controls roughly 92% of Vietnam's EV sales and is backed by conglomerate Vingroup.
General Motors is rolling out a redesigned infotainment interface on two of its truck models that gives Apple CarPlay and Android Auto a dedicated window alongside native apps, rather than the full screen takeover typically offered by these platforms. GM has not explained why trucks are getting this treatment, only stating it wants to reduce the number of steps drivers need to navigate.
ChargePoint's latest report finds that public charging infrastructure buildout continues to lag behind EV adoption, even as sales remain strong—over 1.8 million EVs sold globally between January and August. CEO Rick Wilmer said demand signals like high used-EV retention rates and steady RFP volume suggest the North American market is healthier than press coverage implies.
Several car manufacturers are planning to remove or reduce support for Apple CarPlay in vehicles starting in 2026, favoring proprietary infotainment systems instead. The shift is driven largely by electric vehicles, which need tighter software integration for functions like battery preconditioning and charging controls that CarPlay cannot manage as a simple phone-mirroring layer.