Russia is a dominant player in the global nuclear market.
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Russia’s nuclear fuel industry remains conspicuously untouched by European sanctions more than seven months into the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine — much to the dismay of Kyiv officials and environmental campaigners.
Despite eight rounds of sanctions, targeted measures against energy exports and calls from Ukraine to impose a full embargo on nuclear trade, shipments of nuclear fuel to EU member states continue to make their way from Russia.
Ariadna Rodrigo, EU sustainable finance manager at environmental group Greenpeace, told CNBC via telephone that it is “absolute madness” for the bloc to continue bankrolling the Kremlin by ignoring Russia’s nuclear fuel trade.
“If EU governments are serious about stopping war, they need to cut the European nuclear industry’s umbilical cord to the Kremlin and focus instead on accelerating energy savings and renewables,” Rodrigo said.
On presenting its latest sanctions package, the European Commission did not propose targeting the trade of Russian nuclear fuel. The EU’s executive arm has previously targeted Russian oil, gas and coal as part of a broader strategy to ratchet up the economic pressure on the Kremlin.
Hungary and Bulgaria were the most vocal in opposing sanctions on Russian uranium and other nuclear tech last week, according to Rodrigo.
The fact that we are not discussing this properly just shows the double standards of the EU.
Ariadna Rodrigo
EU sustainable finance manager at Greenpeace
The commission has repeatedly condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine, accusing President Vladimir Putin of using energy as a weapon to drive up commodity prices and sow uncertainty across the 27-nation bloc. Moscow denies weaponizing energy supplies.
The few EU prohibitions on Russia’s nuclear energy sector that are in place, such as a port access ban on Russian-flagged vessels for the transport of nuclear fuel, contain numerous loopholes and campaigners argue much tougher measures are needed to reduce the bloc’s dependency on Russian nuclear services.
That sentiment is echoed by Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in early August that he had spoken with European Council President Charles Michel about the need for the EU to impose sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry.
“Russian nuclear terror requires a stronger response from the international community – sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry and nuclear fuel,” Zelenskyy said via Twitter at the time.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L to R) face the press during their meeting in mid-September in Kyiv, Ukraine.
More recently, a top economic advisor to Zelenskky doubled down on this message, saying it was “extremely important to impose sanctions, not only on Russian oil.”
“Oil, gas, uranium and coal, all this should be banned. Because they are using this money in order to finance this war,” Oleg Ustenko said in late September, according to The Associated Press.
The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in London did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.
Russia’s energy influence goes beyond oil and gas
In April, a European Parliament resolution called for an “immediate” embargo on Russian imports of nuclear fuel and urged member states to stop working with Russia’s state-run nuclear giant Rosatom on existing and new projects.
But Russia is a dominant player in the global nuclear fuel market and any move to break the EU’s reliance on its services would likely be far from pain-free, particularly with Rosatom at the heart of Europe’s dependency.
Backed by Putin, Rosatom not only dominates the civilian industry but is also in charge of Russia’s nuclear weapons arsenal and is currently overseeing the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine.
The European Commission has repeatedly condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine, accusing President Vladimir Putin of using energy as a weapon to drive up commodity prices and sow uncertainty across the 27-nation bloc.
Mikhail Metzel | Afp | Getty Images
There are 18 Russian nuclear reactors in Europe, in countries including Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. All of these reactors rely on Rosatom for the supply of nuclear fuel and other services.
Underlining the scale of Russia’s nuclear energy influence in some member states, even as the Kremlin’s onslaught in Ukraine continues, Hungary in late August announced the construction of two new nuclear reactors by Rosatom.
Opponents of nuclear power march through the German town of Lingen in Lower Saxony holding placards with inscriptions such as “Your profit – our risk”, “Exit instead of entry”, “No business with Rosatom.”
The EU paid around 210 million euros ($203.7 million) to import raw uranium from Russia last year, according to estimates reported by Investigate Europe, and another 245 million euros was paid to import uranium from Kazakhstan, where mining of the nuclear fuel is controlled by Rosatom.
“We are talking about a serious amount of money here,” Greenpeace’s Rodrigo told CNBC, noting that these estimates only accounted for uranium imports and the EU’s dependency covers services across the supply chain.
Asked to what extent Europe’s uranium imports from Russia undermines its efforts to encourage others to stop importing Russian energy, Rodrigo replied: “The fact that we are not discussing this properly just shows the double standards of the EU.”
A spokesperson for the commission did not comment when contacted by CNBC.
How ‘green’ is nuclear energy?
Advocates of nuclear power argue it has the potential to play a major role in helping countries generate electricity while slashing carbon emissions and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
However, critics argue that nuclear power is an expensive and harmful distraction to faster, cheaper and cleaner alternatives. Instead, environmental campaign groups argue technologies such as wind and solar should be prioritized in the planned shift to renewable energy sources.
As part of the EU’s taxonomy — a mechanism that defines which investment options can be considered “green” — the bloc controversially recognized nuclear power and gas, a fossil fuel, as sustainable under some circumstances.
Austria on Monday launched a lawsuit against the EU and is seeking help from allies over the bloc’s labeling of nuclear power and gas as sustainable investment options, calling it “irresponsible and unreasonable.”
The 2026 BMW i4 is bringing a few key improvements, including a longer driving range and added power. Here’s what to expect.
The 2026 BMW i4 can drive further with added range
BMW is giving the people what they want. The German luxury brand upgraded its most popular EV lineup for the 2026 model year with new silicon carbide (SiC) inverters that unlock greater driving range while improving efficiency.
The 2026 i4 uses the same SiCs as the i5, which BMW said are not only more efficient but also more powerful and more heat-resistant than traditional semiconductors.
BMW said that regardless of what wheels and tires you choose, the 2026 i4 eDrive40 is now expected to have over 300 miles of range.
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The new 2026 BMW i4 eDrive40 with 18″ wheels is now estimated to have 333 miles of range, 15 miles more than the outgoing model. With 19″ wheels, BMW estimates the base i4 can drive 307 miles on a full charge, 12 miles more than the 2025 version.
The 2026 BMW i4 (Source: BMW)
Thanks to the new SICs, BMW’s range-topping i4 M60 gains a notable boost in power. The 2026 BMW i4 M60 now delivers up to 510 hp, 41 hp more than the outgoing model.
When My Modes Sport is activated, the i4 packs up to 592 hp, 57 hp more than the M50. The added power is good for a 0-to-60-mph sprint in just 3.6 seconds.
Other upgrades include a new Seal & Drive Tire Kit included as standard. BMW also added Drive Recorder to its Parking Assistant Professional Package and Glass Controls as an option across all i4 trims.
2026 BMW i4 trim
Estimated Blended Range
Improvement Over 2025 Model
Wheel Size
18”
19”
20”
18”
19”
20”
i4 eDrive40
333 mi
307 mi
—
15 mi
12 mi
—
i4 M60
—
278 mi
232 mi
—
11 mi
5 mi
2026 BMW i4 driving range compared to the 2025 model (Source: BMW)
The i4 eDrive40 and xDrive40 now offer black mirror caps and M Sport brakes if you choose the Shadowline package.
The 2026 BMW i4 eDrive40 starts at $57,900, while the 2026 xDrive40 Gran Coupe is priced from $62,300. The range-topping 2026 i4 M60 starts at $70,700.
With the 2026 model year arriving at dealerships, BMW is offering clearance prices on 2025 models. The 2025 BMW i4 is available to lease for as low as $399 per month.
Formula E revealed its new “GEN4” vehicle for next season, with a huge step up in performance – the series’ biggest advancement yet.
Formula E is the FIA’s biggest top-level electric racing series, having started all the way back in 2014 and hosting open-wheel all-electric races all around the world.
It started with somewhat modest performing vehicles, with around 250hp and a top speed of 140mph. The cars also had relatively small 28kWh batteries, which meant they couldn’t complete a full race – drivers would actually get out and swap into a new car with a fully charged battery halfway through, then continue the race.
In Gen 2, things got a little less silly, and batteries got better enough to allow for a full race distance. Power went up and the cars got faster around the track.
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Gen 3 was another improvement, with a more angular look and an innovative braking system which removed the front friction brakes entirely, instead using a front motor for more regenerative braking. Later on in the car’s lifecycle, that motor was activated for drive power, not just regen, and it became the only all-wheel drive open-wheel racecar. But, it could only be used in qualifying or specific circumstances within a race.
Now, with the Gen 4 car, Formula E is throwing caution to the wind and going all-time all-wheel drive, which no other open-wheel racing series does (it’s been tried a few times, but never stuck). There are other types of vehicles that race with all-wheel drive, but no other open-wheel single-seaters.
But that’s not all, there have also been a lot of spec improvements from the new vehicle.
Max power improves from 350kW to a whopping 600kW (805hp) – a near doubling. The Gen 3 cars were limited to 300kW in race mode, but the Gen 4 will have that boosted to 450kW (603hp). Max 600kW will be available in qualifying and in “attack mode,” a temporary boost that drivers can activate during the race.
With the higher performance, Formula E will offer new downforce packages. In the beginning, Formula E cars didn’t quite travel fast enough for downforce to matter a whole lot (especially since it also harms efficiency), but now that the series is getting more powerful, there will be more options available to optimize bodywork for certain racetracks.
All that fits into a package thats just 1,012kg (2,230lbs), and accelerates from 0-60 in 1.8 seconds. That’s about 30% faster than an F1 car can make the same sprint – though, admittedly, racecars only go 0-60 one time per race. But it’s still useful to zip out of a turn real quick.
All-wheel drive will also help corner exit speed, as it allows drivers to put the power down earlier without spinning out. Another new feature on the Gen 4 cars which will enhance driveability is the addition of anti-lock brakes and traction control – features that aren’t seen on most racecars (and, to be quite honest, I’m not a fan of this – makes the car too easy to drive, and numbs the racing).
More importantly, in initial testing, a Gen 4 car was clocked at 211mph, which is, uh, fast as hell:
Regenerative braking capacity is boosted to 700kW from the previous 600kW, so more energy will be recaptured throughout the race, enhancing efficiency. That might also translate into faster mid-race charging speeds, as Formula E finally got its mid-race charging plans working this last season with a feature it calls “pit boost.”
Formula E says that the goal of this car was to build “the world’s most sustainable race car”, and says that 100% of the materials used in its construction are recyclable, and at least 20% of the materials used in it are recycled content, which is double the amount of the outgoing generation.
The car will start racing next season, in late 2026. Formula E’s 12th season, the last season of the Gen 3 cars, starts on December 6 in São Paulo.
Electrek’s Take
It’s exciting to see the advancements in electric racing, and having such a huge jump in power from one generation to another is quite impressive. Remember, the first FE cars in 2014 had just 250hp, and now we’re here at 805hp – more than three times as much as where we started. For comparison, today’s F1 cars have around 1,000 horsepower.
I’m less enthused about the addition of driver’s aids. Traction control and anti-lock braking take a lot of the skill out of driving, make races less unpredictable, and restrict performance of the vehicles as compared to a perfectly-driven car (well, traction control does at least – because it cuts motor power when it detects wheel slippage).
These aids are great for road cars and unpracticed drivers, but for professional drivers seeking to extract every tiny bit of performance, and to do so in an exciting way that is entertaining to watch, I think these are a big step down. We hope they reconsider this, or add some sort of restriction on the use of the systems.
Nevertheless, it’s always exciting to see what these new cars can do after each upgrade, and this one seems like more of a doozy than ever. We’re looking forward to seeing it all at the end of 2026.
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Nissan is selling its global headquarters and trimming production as part of its recovery efforts. Although the Japanese automaker is starting to show signs of life, it still has a long way to go. Nissan is betting on new vehicles, including the next-gen LEAF, to help it turn things around.
Nissan is ramping up its recovery efforts
After reporting first-half earnings on Thursday, Nissan gave an update on its recovery efforts. As part of its comeback plan, “Re:Nissan,” the company aims to return to operating profitability and positive free cash flow by fiscal year 2026.
Despite a challenging first half, Nissan’s CEO Ivan Espinosa claimed that the company is “firmly on the path to recovery.”
Nissan’s sales revenue fell nearly 7% to 5.6 trillion yen ($36.5 billion) due to lower global vehicle sales, particularly in Japan. Espinosa said sales are improving in the US and China, with new vehicles launching, including the 2026 LEAF and the Roox kei car.
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In the first half of the fiscal year, Nissan reported an operating loss of 27.7 billion yen ($180.7 million), a stark contrast from the 32.09 billion operating profit it generated in the first half of fiscal 2024.
The new Nissan LEAF (Source: Nissan)
However, the loss was significantly lower than the 180 billion yen ($1.1 billion) loss Nissan had forecast just a few months ago.
Nissan said it has identified 200 billion yen ($1.3 billion) in potential variable cost savings. It has already reduced fixed costs by over 80 billion yen ($500 million) and is on track to hit its goal of 250 billion yen ($1.6 billion) by fiscal 2026.
Nissan unveils the new LEAF in Japan (Source: Nissan)
As part of its recovery efforts, Nissan announced it’s selling and leasing back its global headquarters in Yokohama.
With a new 20-year leaseback agreement, Nissan said it will have no impact on employees and operations at the facility. It will use the funds to support its recovery efforts.
Nissan has now closed or consolidated six of the seven planned manufacturing plants. The company said it has significantly improved efficiency, and the engineering cost-per-hour improvement is now 12%, well on its way toward its 20% goal.
2026 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek edition (Source: Nissan)
Espinosa added that the second half will “bring its own hurdles,” but Nissan is confident it will “deliver even stronger results.”
Nissan confirmed it’s still on track to generate an operating profit in fiscal 2025, excluding the impact of tariffs. The company expects to take a 275 billion yen ($1.8 billion) hit from US tariffs in the fiscal year.
According to reports, Nissan is also planning to cut production of its best-selling Rogue SUV in Japan due to a supply shortage from chipmaker Nexperia. Nissan plans to cut Rogue output by about 900 vehicles, starting next week, a source told Reuters.
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