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What a difference an administration makes! Almost 200 countries ratified the Paris climate accord at COP21 in 2015, agreeing to limit the planet’s temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. Afterward, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement. On Friday, US President Joe Biden hosted a virtual climate summit titled the “Virtual Meeting of the Major Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.”

Biden spoke about the “urgency of this moment” and the need for a collective “plan to contribute to the climate ambition the world so urgently needs.”

The Power of Story to Make the Climate Crisis Relevant

Former President Donald Trump denied that the climate crisis was a reality, attacked the value of clean energy, and fired scientists in federal departments in favor of installing political friends. Taking a completely different approach, President Biden has acknowledged scientific consensus that the climate crisis poses an existential threat and implored leaders during Friday’s climate summit to take action.

During opening remarks, the President affirmed his promise that the US “would return immediately to the world stage and address the climate crisis.” With some of the most powerful economic forces in the world surrounding him, Biden expressed hope in a “silver lining” — one that would restrict global temperatures from rising to catastrophic levels through “real and incredible economic opportunities to create jobs and lift up the standard of living of people around the world.” The public opening to the Forum was a counterpoint to the otherwise private talks.

Always forthright, Biden told his audience that countries representing the Major Economies Forum account for 80% of global emissions.

The backdrop stage set was specially designed with virtual solar panel arrays as the global leaders were visible on thumbnail screens. Biden called upon the power of story and described the “damage and destruction” in the US and the destructive flooding in Europe. He zoomed in on the experience of seeing California firefighters battling powerful, widespread, and deadly wildfires more than ever before due to rising temperatures and unrelenting drought. He spoke how natural disasters like numerous hurricanes have wreaked havoc on US regions from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast.

Pledges to Do More to Mitigate the Effects of the Climate Crisis

The Biden administration has pledged to cut emissions 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030 and is working to pass historic investments — to modernize what can become a more climate-resilient infrastructure and to build a clean energy future. In doing so, the administration hopes to create millions of jobs and usher in new industries of the future.

To reach such levels, Biden said the US would:

  • have a power sector free of carbon by 2035;
  • sell 50% of total cars as electric by 2050;
  • align efforts with the work of forums like Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation (which the US will chair next year);
  • focus on ocean initiatives in advance of the Our Ocean Conference in February;
  • convene a leaders-level gathering to take stock of the collective progress the countries in attendance make; and,
  • work with the European Union and other partners to launch a Global Methane Pledge to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.

Specifically, Biden’s prodding at the Forum for participants to join a global pledge of cutting methane (aka “natural gas”) was deconstructed recently by CleanTechnica‘s Joe Wachunas. “Burning methane is currently responsible for nearly 25% of all carbon emissions in the US, and its use is growing,” Wachunas began. “Methane is also deeply embedded in many of our homes, and this will make it a challenge to extricate. We aren’t anywhere near hitting peak natural gas usage on our current trajectory.”

Methane is one of the most potent agents of climate damage, bursting by the ton from countless uncapped oil and gas rigs, leaky natural gas pipelines, and other oil and gas facilities. Although methane has a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it is, per unit, more than 20× as potent at warming the planet. During the Forum, Biden pointed to US efforts to plug leaks and cap abandoned wells as “big steps domestically to tackle these emissions.”

“Swift & Bold Action” Necessary beyond the Collegiality of the Climate Summit

It will take substantive effort to push through legislation to put into place the types of emissions levels that Biden outlined. China and India aren’t any better than the US, either, having yet to announce their new targets.

An area of contention at the Forum was pressure for the largest economies to assist less wealthy countries to transition to cleaner energy and to make sense of the changes to their countries that the climate crisis has created. In April, the Biden administration pledged to deliver $5.7 billion annually to these countries by 2024. During today’s Forum, Biden increased that amount by pointing to a “collective goal of mobilizing $100 billion a year.”

During a letter sent earlier this month to the climate summit’s invited guests, Biden offered the opportunity for “a focused, private discussion” to address the “profound generational challenge” posed by the climate crisis. Not to be deterred by the enormous task, Biden affirmed that the world’s largest economies possessed an “extraordinary opportunity to create a more prosperous and sustainable economy benefitting all.” Ever the negotiator and compromiser, Biden used the imperative of strengthening climate efforts so that action might be “swift and bold enough” to make a lasting impact that would “benefit […] both present and future generations.”

The invitation to Argentinian President Fernandez was posted on that country’s website.

Final Thoughts about the Climate Summit & What’s Ahead

From October 31 to November 1, the United Nations conference in Glasgow — the COP26 summit — will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Nearly 200 nations are expected to announce more ambitious emissions-cutting targets than they had previously set in order to keep the world from overheating.

“Glasgow,” President Biden told his audience at the Forum, “is not our final destination.” Instead, countries around the world must “continue strengthening our ambition and our actions next year and throughout the decisive decade to keep us at one point — below 1.5 degrees and to keep that within reach.”

Participants at Friday’s climate summit included:

President Alberto Fernandez, Argentine Republic
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Commonwealth of Australia
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
President Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission
President Charles Michel, European Council
President Joko Widodo, Republic of Indonesia
Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Italian Republic
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Japan
President Moon Jae-in, Republic of Korea
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, United Mexican States
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Secretary-General António Guterres, United Nations
Special Envoy of the President and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua, People’s Republic of China
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Federal Republic of Germany
Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, India
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change Ruslan Edelgeriyev, Russian Federation

Image screenshot taken from YouTube during Presidential welcome remarks

 

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Lotus Cars quietly updates its 900+ hp Eletre and Emeya EVs for 2026

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Lotus Cars quietly updates its 900+ hp Eletre and Emeya EVs for 2026

Lotus Cars’ compelling, high-performance electric sports sedan and SUV received a number of fresh updates earlier this week, but packs superior infotainment tech, styling tweaks, and (of course) a mind-bending 905 electric horsepower. (!)

I haven’t checked the numbers, but I’d bet a dollar or three that Tesla moves more cars in a good week than Lotus sells in a year. Still, Lotus has managed to preserve its reputation as a maker of truly engaging drivers’ cars. Its latest EVs, the Emeya sedan and Eletre SUV, are generally regarded as dynamic, exhilarating machines that credibly carry Colin Chapman’s yellow badge.

For 2026, though, the Chinese versions of the updated Lotus EVs have black badges (the UK versions were announced back in April), but the new doesn’t stop there.

The next update on the list is the addition of 22″, 10-spoke ultralight alloy wheels across the entire Eletre lineup. Both the 600 and 600 SE variants retain last year’s 6-piston fixed front and floating rear brake calipers, while the top-tier 900 model gets a high-performance, 10-piston, carbon-ceramic braking system that’s more than capable of hauling the Eletre SUV down from speed, lap after lap.

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They’ll need those brakes, too – because these things are fast, and getting faster with seemingly every new software update. “Things can always go faster,” reads the official Lotus copy. “The new Eletre and Emeya ‘900’ provide unmistakable evidence, representing superlatives in terms of performance. Both rely on a 675 kW (~915 hp) strong dual-motor powertrain.”

Both Lotus 900s can put that power to the ground effectively enough to rocket from 0-62 mph (100 km) in a well under 3.0 seconds on their way to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph (256 km/h) in the Eletre, and 160 mph (265 km/h) in the Emeya. The 600s aren’t exactly slow, either, packing 405 kW electric motors (~600 hp) good for 0-60 times in the mid 4s.

Inside, the Eletre and Emeya designs carries over without major changes. Lotus enhanced the features list on various trims. The 600 models now include 12-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, as well as 15-speaker audio systems from KEF. The 600 SE further adds a PDLC smart panoramic sunroof, 20-way power-adjustable front seats, front seat massage function, and active rear-wheel steering.

CarNewsChina reports that the updated 900 model builds upon the 600 SE’s new offerings with an intelligent, active anti-roll control suspension system.

Pricing for the 2026 Lotus EVs starts at 538,000 yuan (74,800 USD) in China, and climbs to over 838,000 yuan (116,500 USD) for the top-shelf Lotus Eletre 900 SUV. All models carry the same two-speed transmission and 112 kWh battery (102 kWh in the UK), good for up to 610 km (~375 miles) of driving between charges.

No word yet on if or when these updates will make it to America.

Electrek’s Take


It wasn’t that long ago that a 900+ hp car was a cammy, rough-riding mess of a machine that you could barely take through a drive thru, but could probably land on the cover of a car magazine. Today, that same 900 hp in a quiet, smooth, reliable EV hardly generates a headline. And, almost in defiance of the “everything just keeps getting more expensive” truism, these mind-bending supercars can be had for less than what cars like this used to cost with gas engines and a third of the power.

How far we’ve come!

SOURCE | IMAGES: Lotus Cars, via CarNewsChina.


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E-quipment highlight: 50 kW portable DC fast charger from Lincoln Electric

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E-quipment highlight: 50 kW portable DC fast charger from Lincoln Electric

The welding equipment experts at Lincoln Electric know a thing or two about high-voltage equipment. Now, they’re bringing that electrical expertise to a whole new market with a portable, self-contained, 50 kW DC fast charger designed to deliver a quick shot of range and get stranded drivers back on the road.

Lincoln Electric’s Velion 50 kW DC fast charger is pitched as a durable, compact mobile charging unit that’s perfect for tow truck operators and construction fleets dealing with vehicles and fleet assets that couldn’t quite make their way back to a charger. So, you’re looking at this and thinking of one of those red, 5-gallon gas tanks that helps get drivers off the highway and to the next exit, congratulations: you get it!

“[Velion is] Designed for flexible, mobile use,” said Bruce Chantry, Vice President, Electric Vehicle Solutions at Lincoln Electric, during a buzzword-packed introduction of the new machine. “Designed in collaboration with the market and leveraging decades of expertise in power electronics, our solution is engineered to provide the flexibility customers need today, with a future-ready design to meet the demands of tomorrow.”

Designed, engineered, and assembled in the United States with over 70% domestic content, the Velion charger meets all National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements.

LINCOLN ELECTRIC

Lincoln Electric plans to sell the Velion DCFC to municipal fleets and state highway agencies, first, and envisions it being deployed in tough environments like construction sites, emergency response arenas, and complex fixed fleet depots. Car dealerships, museums, and probably ambulances too, could benefit – but I’m sure that’s just scratching the surface.

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Watch the Lincoln Electric launch video for the Velion from earlier this summer, below, then let us know how you’d like to see a mobile fast charger get deployed in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Lincoln Electric Velion DCFC


Velion 50 kW mobile charger; via Lincoln Electric.

The company hasn’t announced pricing or battery energy capacity (in kWh) for the new Velion, but I’d guess it’s something higher than 15 kWh, but less than 20. If you guys have a better guess, I’d love to hear it!

SOURCE | IMAGES: Lincoln Electric.


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How CATL is changing EV battery tech in Europe [Video]

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How CATL is changing EV battery tech in Europe [Video]

Electric vehicles have come a long way, but let’s be real—they still have their hangups: “range anxiety,” long charging times, and questions about safety and sustainability. But what if all those worries could be put to rest?

At IAA Mobility in Munich, CATL, one of the world’s biggest battery makers, unveiled a new technology that could revolutionize EVs.

Shenxing Pro: Go Far, Last Long

CATL debuted two versions of its next-gen Shenxing Pro battery. One is all about distance and durability. Picture this: a single charge gets you up to 758 km (or about 470 miles). That’s enough to drive from Houston to Memphis without a single stop. And it’s not just about the distance; this thing is built to last. It promises a lifespan of 12 years or 1,000,000 km, with only around 9% degradation after 200,000 km. That’s a huge leap from today’s EV batteries, which often lose up to 30% of their capacity over the same period.

Fast Charging, Even When It’s Freezing

Tired of waiting around for your car to charge? The second version of the Shenxing Pro is for you. It’s the Super Fast Charging model, designed to get you back on the road in minutes. CATL says it can add a whopping 478 km of range in just 10 minutes under perfect conditions. And here’s the best part: it holds its own in the cold. We all know how much cold weather messes with most EV batteries, but the Shenxing Pro still delivers up to 410 km of range in just 20 minutes at a chilling -20°C. That’s better than many EVs perform in normal temperatures!

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No Propagation 3.0: Safety First

Safety is a top concern with EV batteries, especially the risk of thermal runaway—that’s when one cell overheats and triggers a dangerous chain reaction. CATL’s new No Propagation 3.0 platform is engineered to stop that domino effect cold. It uses special fireproof coatings and a cell structure that quickly cools down and relieves pressure. In the rare event of a problem, the battery can still provide stable power for over an hour. That extra time is a lifeline, giving drivers the chance to get to safety and ensuring critical systems like advanced driver-assistance features stay online when you need them most.

Getting Greener, At Scale

CATL is also tackling the sustainability issue head-on. Through a new initiative called the Global Energy Circular Commitment (GECC), they aim to cut the use of new raw materials by half over the next two decades. They’re already a leader in this space, operating the world’s largest battery recycling network. Since 2024, they’ve recycled over 130,000 tons of used batteries, recovering 99.6% of crucial metals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

The Whole Package

What’s so impressive about the Shenxing Pro isn’t just one feature—it’s everything working together. By improving range, charging speed, safety, and sustainability all at once, CATL isn’t just fixing a single problem; they’re taking on the biggest obstacles to widespread EV adoption. If these batteries live up to the hype, the next wave of EVs could be more efficient, more reliable, and a whole lot greener.

The bottom line? CATL’s latest battery tech in tandem with other commitments could prove to be the building blocks for the next wave of EVs in Europe and beyond.

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