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Two months into his term as the new CEO of Subaru, Atsushi Osaki is making some admirable changes that could soon benefit US consumers and our planet’s ecosystem. The Japanese automaker looks to ride a wave of massive annual profits into a new transition of bolstered EV production that includes at least four all-electric Subaru models.

After years and years of stubbornness and minimal effort to expand EV production, Subaru appears to have pulled its head out of the sand and joins the race to try and catch nearly all its competitors that began their sprint years ago.

In early January, fellow Japanese automaker, Toyota, announced a changing of guard at the CEO position, finally recognizing the world’s shift to electric vehicles (although it still counts hybrids jumping, one by one, over a farm fence when it goes to sleep at night).

Nevertheless, Subaru Corporation, which has had strong collaborations with Toyota, took a similar route, appointing its former director and EVP of manufacturing, Atsushi Osaki, to president and CEO this past March.

Under its former chief, Subaru said it would not build EVs in the US because it can’t compete with McDonalds’ $20 starting wage. That appears to still be the case under the Osaki era, but that doesn’t mean new Subaru EVs won’t hit the US market. According to comments from the new CEO this week, we can expect to see four all-electric crossovers by 2026.

Subaru EV
The Solterra EV, currently Subaru’s only all-electric model / Credit: Subaru

Subaru to build 400,000 EVs per year by 2028

Lots of news coming out of Subaru HQ this week. Today, the company shared its financial results for its 2023 fiscal year end on March 31. The company is reporting a near tripling of operating profits compared to a year prior, led by steady sales in Subaru’s key market – the US.

Following today’s report, Subaru CEO Atsushi Osaki laid out the Japanese automaker’s electrification plans going forward, and they’re encouraging. Osaki explained that Subaru will add an additional dedicated EV assembly line to it Oizumi plant in Japan in 2027, adding annual production capacity for another 200,000 vehicles.

Oizumi will compliment a separate EV line at the automaker’s nearby Yajima plant that will also deliver 200,000 EVs a year from around 2026. Combined, Subaru expects to be cranking out as many as 400,000 EVs in Japan per year by 2028.

Even before EV production has completely ramped up overseas, Subaru is planning to be building and delivering new, all-electric models to US consumers. According to Osaki, all four of the EVs that are expected to roll out before the end of 2026 should reach the US market.

The new CEO did also confirm that those models will be built entirely in Japan to start, so hopes of garnering any federal tax incentives stateside have already been shot down. Instead, Subaru hopes its EVs can entice US consumers based on lease incentives… Well that and brand loyalty alone. Per outgoing Subaru CEO Tomomi Nakamura:

I wonder if American consumers choose their cars solely based on tax breaks. Our US customers are quality customers. We have a higher ratio of customers buying Subarus with cash, and we also have low loan and lease rates. We also keep our incentives at low levels. We will try not to rely only on the subsidy program.

Looking ahead, Subaru says it plans to source the batteries to support its EV transition with the help of partner Toyota. The automaker now aims to have at least 40% of its global sales come from BEVs by the end of the decade and intends to offer an entirely electric lineup by the “early 2030s.”

Finally, guys.

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The new Kia EV6 GT is a 650 hp powerhouse and it’s even more affordable

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The new Kia EV6 GT is a 650 hp powerhouse and it's even more affordable

The new EV6 GT is the fastest Kia vehicle to date, packing nearly 650 horsepower. It’s quicker than a Ferrari and less than half the cost. Kia’s first electric sports car just got a big upgrade with added power, style, in-car tech, and more “GT” than ever before. And somehow, it’s even cheaper than the outgoing model in the UK.

Meet the new Kia EV6 GT, an affordable electric sports car

In 2021, Kia introduced the EV6 GT, its most powerful production vehicle ever made, boasting 576 hp. With a significant mid-life refresh, the new model takes it to the next level.

Powered by a dual-motor AWD powertrain, the new Kia EV6 GT is now capable of producing up to 650 hp (+11% from the outgoing model) and 770 Nm (+4%) max torque.

The added power is good for a 0 to 62 mph sprint in just 3.5 seconds. It’s also equipped with a new 84 kWh battery pack, 8.5% bigger than the previous EV6 GT, providing a WLTP range of up to 279 miles.

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With 800V ultra-rapid charging capabilities, the Kia EV6 refresh can recharge from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes, even with the bigger battery.

Kia-new-EV6-GT
The new Kia EV6 GT (Source: Kia UK)

Kia added a few fun features, including an enhanced GT Mode, which “unleashes the full, untapped potential of the EV6” with max power and torque at the push of a button. A dedicated neon button on the steering wheel activates the new dedicated drive mode.

The new model features the popular Virtual Gear Shift, a first for a Kia vehicle. Borrowed from the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, the feature simulates the feeling and sounds of a six-speed paddle-operated transmission.

Kia-new-EV6-GT
The new Kia EV6 GT interior (Source: Kia UK)

Kia refined the interior with “a significant overhaul,” including new materials and its next-gen infotainment system.

The new Kia connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system features dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens in a curved panoramic setup.

Kia-new-EV6-GT-UK
Kia EV6 GT refresh interior (Source: Kia UK)

Kia opened orders for the EV6 GT refresh in the UK on Wednesday, June 18, starting at £59,985 ($80,500), a £2,690 ($3,500) price reduction from the previous model. Deliveries in the UK will begin over the next few days.

The new EV6 GT was first launched in Korea last November, starting at 72.2 million won ($50,000). According to a Kia official, the upgraded model “will become a new standard that will change the paradigm of high-performance electric vehicles.”

The 2025 EV6 GT starts at $63,800 in the US, with up to 641 hp. That’s nearly half the cost of the Porsche Taycan 4S, which starts at $119,400. It also has a built-in NACS port, allowing you to recharge at Tesla Superchargers.

Looking to test out Kia’s electric sports car for yourself? We’ve got you covered. You can use our link to find 2025 Kia EV6 GT models in your area (trusted affiliate link).

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Pro-Israel hackers destroy $90 million in Iran crypto exchange breach, analytics firm says

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Pro-Israel hackers destroy  million in Iran crypto exchange breach, analytics firm says

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, was hacked for more than $90 million Wednesday, according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.

The funds were drained from platform wallets into addresses bearing anti-government messages explicitly referencing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, pointing to a politically motivated cyberattack, Elliptic said.

Pro-Israel hacking group Gonjeshke Darande, or “Predatory Sparrow,” claimed responsibility for the attack and said it would release the exchange’s source code. Elliptic said the exchange was offline at the time of its post.

Predatory Sparrow also claimed credit for a separate cyberattack on Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah this week.

Fighting erupted between Israel and Iran on Friday and the countries have continued to trade missile fire. Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened the U.S. with “irreparable damage” Wednesday in response to President Donald Trump’s demand that the country surrender.

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Though the stolen assets have not been conclusively attributed to the group, Elliptic said the funds were sent to cryptographic addresses the hackers likely cannot control — suggesting the money was intentionally destroyed as a symbolic act rather than stolen for profit.

Elliptic’s research linked the exchange to the IRGC, a powerful branch of the military designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Canada.

Past investigations have connected the platform to sanctioned IRGC-linked ransomware operatives and individuals close to Khamenei.

Blockchain data also shows activity between the Nobitex exchange and wallets associated with Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis.

Elliptic said it’s continuing to monitor virtual asset flows tied to Iranian entities and has updated its compliance tools to reflect emerging threats in the region’s crypto ecosystem.

Former Mossad analyst: The ideal outcome of the conflict should be an Iran with no nuclear program

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U.S. Steel ceases trading on the NYSE as Japan’s Nippon finalizes takeover

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U.S. Steel ceases trading on the NYSE as Japan's Nippon finalizes takeover

Rolls of steel are seen before the US president speaks during a rally at US Steel – Irvin Works in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on May 30, 2025.

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

U.S. Steel shares stopped trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday after Japan’s Nippon Steel completed its acquisition of the iconic American industrial name.

President Donald Trump has insisted for weeks that the companies would form a “partnership” in which U.S. Steel would remain American owned.

But the New York Stock Exchange notified the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday that U.S. Steel’s shares would be removed from listing, after the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Steel North America.

U.S. Steel shares stopped trading at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday after Nippon completed its acquisition, according to a notice from the NYSE. The delisting will be effective on June 30, NYSE said.

Trump opposed Nippon’s bid to acquire U.S. Steel in the runup to the 2024 presidential, but he changed his mind after he took office. Trump ordered a new review of the deal in April after former President Joe Biden had blocked Nippon’s acquisition in January, citing national security concerns.

Trump announced a “partnership” between U.S. and Nippon in a May 23 post on his social media platform Truth Social, causing confusion among investors and union members about whether the structure of the original deal had changed somehow.

U.S. Steel and Nippon started adopting the president’s “partnership” language, though they never backed off from the terms of the original December 2023 merger agreement in their filings with SEC. U.S. Steel will continue to operate under its name though it will be subsidiary of Nippon.

Golden share

Trump did compel U.S. Steel and Nippon to sign a national security agreement with the U.S. government as condition for him clearing the deal.

The U.S. president will wield a “golden share” under the terms of the agreement. U.S. Steel said Wednesday that the golden share gives the president veto power over the following decisions:

  • Changing U.S. Steel’s name or moving its headquarters from Pittsburgh
  • Moving U.S. Steel outside the U.S.
  • Moving production or jobs outside the U.S.
  • Some decisions regarding the closure or idling of U.S. Steel’s domestic manufacturing facilities, trade, labor, and sourcing outside the U.S.
  • Reductions in capital investments under the national security agreement.
  • Material acquisitions of competing businesses in the U.S.

A majority of U.S. Steel’s board members and its CEO will be U.S. citizens, according to the terms of the national security agreement. Nippon also agreed that U.S. Steel will remain incorporated in the U.S.

Nippon will invest $11 billion in U.S. Steel by 2028, including $1 billion in initial spending on a greenfield project that will be completed after 2028, according to the agreement.

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