Hyundai Motor Group has shared details of the development of an autonomous lunar exploration rover it is designing with Korean aerospace partners to one day navigate the surface of the moon. The Group is aiming to deliver a launch-capable model utilizing Kia and Hyundai technologies by 2027.
Hyundai Motor Group’s journey beyond the land, sea, and air of Earth dates back to the summer of 2022 when it signed a joint multilateral agreement with six different Korean institutes in the aerospace sector. Combined, the teams have created a consultative entity, working together to develop an autonomous, solar-powered mobility vehicle to support lunar exploration.
This “consultative body” currently includes the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI), Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH).
Hyundai Motor Group looks to combine its robotics and autonomous technologies with the body of aerospace knowledge to first create a “mobility development model” for moon exploration.
Credit: Hyundai Motor Group
Hyundai’s moon rover should begin testing in 2024
According to Hyundai Motor Group, it has decided to begin its journey to the moon with an initial development model at the discretion of its stakeholders. Following tests with the initial rover unit, the Group will then build a launch-capable model that may one day explore our moon.
The Group shared that the rover will be implemented with combined technologies from both Hyundai Motor Group and Kia Corporation subsidiaries, including cameras and LiDAR enabling autonomous capabilities, solar panels and batteries for charging, and electric motors for its drive system.
The Group’s heavy industry division, Hyundai Rotem, will also provide robot manufacturing technology that will be utilized to develop a multipurpose mobility platform for moon exploration and beyond. That upper section of the rover above the HMG components mentioned above will be able to haul scientific payloads and equipment up to 70kg (154 pounds).
Yong Wha Kim, executive vice president and head of R&D planning and coordination center of Hyundai Motor and Kia, spoke:
Hyundai Motor Group has consistently stated its goal is to contribute to expanding human reach and the scope of human mobility experiences. The creation of the lunar exploration mobility development model not only reflects this goal, but also shows our ambition to achieve tangible results in the face of significant challenges. With the rover’s development, we are moving beyond land, sea and air mobility to expand into space mobility.
Before Hyundai’s rover actually gets sent to the moon, the Group says it will conduct mission-based performance tests with the aforementioned development model in an environment that closely mimics the lunar surface.
That testing should lead to further development and refinement that will enable the launch-capable rover, which Hyundai states will be sent to the south pole of the moon, where it will conduct various scientific missions autonomously while powered by the sun. The target for that launch is currently 2027.
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Ford’s “From America, For America” deal, offering employee pricing for all, is helping drive sales. But, with Trump’s new tariffs, how long will the savings last?
A handshake with every American
The campaign was introduced a little over a month ago, but CEO Jim Farley said it’s already giving the company a lift.
Ford launched the “From America, For America” campaign on April 3, promoting its “American-made” vehicles with some serious savings opportunities.
The offer includes employee pricing across most 2024 and 2025 Ford and Lincoln models. According to Ford, it’s a “handshake deal with every American.”
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Ford is offering savings across all powertrains, including gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and electric vehicles. The only models excluded are Raptors, specialty Mustang and Bronco vehicles, the 2025 Expedition, Navigator, and Super Duty Trucks.
After seeing early success, the company extended the offer through the Fourth of July. Farley said the company has sold over 150,000 vehicles with employee pricing since April.
Customers are appreciating @Ford’s ‘From America, For America’ offer. We’ve sold 150,000+ vehicles w/ employee pricing since April. Grateful for our dealers and glad to be offering a good deal to our customers!
Like most of the auto industry, Ford is bracing for the impact of Trump’s new auto tariffs. However, it may be in a better position than other major automakers.
Since Ford builds a greater percentage of its vehicles in the US than any other major OEM, outside of Tesla, it isn’t expected to take as big of a hit.
After releasing first-quarter earnings last week, Ford warned that Trump’s tariffs could cost the company up to $2.5 billion in 2025. Crosstown rival GM estimated the extra tariffs could add an extra $4 billion to $5 billion in costs this year.
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)
Ford made around 2 million vehicles in the US last year, according to S&P Global Mobility. With another 391,000 built in Mexico and 54,000 in Canada, Ford imported around 21% of its vehicles sold in the US. GM, on the other hand, imports around 46%.
Last week, a spokesperson confirmed with Electrek that Ford will raise prices on vehicles built in Mexico, including the Mustang Mach-E, Maverick pickup, and Bronco Sport.
The move is part of Ford’s “usual mid-year pricing actions combined with some tariffs we are facing,” the spokesperson told Electrek.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)
It will not impact vehicle prices at the dealership or in transit. The higher prices will affect imported cars from May 2, which are expected to arrive at dealerships in late June. By how much? Although full prices were not revealed, the spokesperson said the Bronco Sport Heritage saw a $600 increase, while the Maverick XLT AWD’s price increased by $700.
Ford’s employee pricing is still available on these vehicles through July 4. For EV buyers, Ford is offering a few extra savings opportunities.
Through its “Power Promise,” Ford is offering a free Level 2 home charger on any new EV lease or purchase. The company is sweetening the deal with some extra perks, including 24/7 live EV support, proactive roadside assistance, and an 8-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty.
Looking to score some savings while they are still here? We’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to find deals on new Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E models in your area.
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The bitcoin mining company backed by President Donald Trump‘s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is set to go public on the Nasdaq through an all-stock merger with Gryphon Digital Mining.
Shares of Gryphon were up more than 300% Monday.
The combined company, American Bitcoin, will trade under the ticker symbol “ABTC,” with the transaction expected to close as early as the third quarter of 2025.
Existing stockholders of American Bitcoin, including the president’s two eldest sons, will own about 98% of the new entity.
It is the latest high-profile move from the Trump family’s growing crypto empire, which already includes the controversial $TRUMP meme coin that is offering a private dinner with the president to top holders of the coin.
Eric Trump, who is a co-founder and chief strategy officer of the mining firm, framed the move as part of a broader strategy to cement the country’s leadership in the global bitcoin mining race.
“Every single sophisticated country is using their excess power to mine bitcoin,” Trump previously told CNBC.
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He distanced himself from any direct involvement with his father’s administration but made clear his belief that the U.S. must maintain a competitive edge in the crypto sector.
“We won the space race. We better win the crypto race,” he said.
On the campaign trail, the president repeatedly promised to support U.S.-based bitcoin miners, including telling executives at a closed-door event in Mar-a-Lago that he wants all future bitcoin should be minted on American soil.
The crypto market showed little reaction. Bitcoin is trading at around $104,000, roughly flat over the past 24 hours.
A young marine electrification specialist called E-Dolphin is… making waves… with its flagship product – a 160-horsepower electric watercraft called the S300. Aside from a futuristic design with 90s-style neon green speckled flair, this vessel supports DC fast charging and can reach speeds over 55 mph.
E-Dolphin evolved from a sobering moment for its founder, Nicolas Florès, who grew up on the southern coast of France and realized that local dolphins were being exposed to pollutants (fuel, exhaust, and noise) expelled from traditional combustion watercraft.
In 2018, Florès took his knowledge from working in the EV industry and initiated an intensive R&D phase to electrify personal watercraft. This entailed creating an entirely custom powertrain system, including batteries and specialized motors.
After several prototype builds, E-Dolphin patented its first powertrain in 2020. That technology was implemented in the company’s first market-ready electric watercraft, the S300. The company has begun taking pre-orders for the personal watercraft before deliveries start later this year.
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The S300 / Source: E-Dolphin
You can pre-order the S300 electric watercraft now
As you can see from the images above, E-Dolphin’s S300 electric watercraft blends sleek, modern styling with nostalgic flair, reminiscent of its Kawasaki and Yamaha predecessors from the 80s and 90s. While its neon spots might nod to the past, everything else in this vessel is highly modern.
The electric watercraft features a lightweight carbon fiber hull and an ergonomic seat for two. E-Dolphin also boasts that its vessels have an average lifespan double that of traditional personal watercraft. At the core of its performance (literally and figuratively) sits E-Dolphin’s proprietary powertrain, which delivers 160 horsepower and a top speed of 50 knots (57.5 mph).
The front features a 50-liter storage compartment below its handlebars, which features a full-color HD screen riders can use to monitor their speed, battery life, and navigation in real time. E-Dolphin is not sharing the chemistry of the 30 kWh battery pack in its electric watercraft but says it can navigate the waters for up to two hours on a single charge.
Another impressive feature is that the S300 electric watercraft supports CCS DC fast charging and can be replenished in under 30 minutes, making it easier to get back out to rip some aquatic donuts.
Standard charging : 8 hours with monophase (220V)
Fast charging : 2 hour 30 mins with monophase AC (220V) & Type 2
Ultra Fast Charging : less than 30 mins with triphase DC (380V) & CCS
E-Dolphin has begun pre-orders for its S300, available with a €1,000 ($1,112) deposit. The entire electric watercraft costs €39,990 plus VAT ($44,500), and E-Dolphin plans 50 initial builds. Each early purchase comes with a lifetime warranty on the S300 electric watercraft.
After that, E-Dolphin targets scaled production to approximately 1,000 units per year in the next five years, with plans to expand availability to North America and Asia after European deliveries are steady.
First deliveries are expected to begin in Europe during Q3 of 2025.
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