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New Zealand’s Lake Manapōuri is often described as the cleanest lake in the world due to its crystal clear water fed by melting glaciers that carved the lake, as well as yearly snow melt. Now the lake’s hydro-electric power station is getting even cleaner with the adoption of the world’s first flying electric hydrofoil ferry.

New Zealand renewable energy company, Meridian Energy, signed an agreement with Swedish electric hydrofoil boat maker Candela that will see the new Candela P-12 electric ferry shuttle the station’s workers back and forth across the lake.

Since Meridian produces only renewable energy, the company’s emissions are internally generated from sources like combustion-engine vehicles and boats. Replacing those emissions sources with electric vehicles can help remove the company’s harmful emissions altogether.

Switching to using the P-12 electric ferry on Lake Manapōuri is expected to save 240 tons of carbon emissions each year.

candela p-12 ferry

Lake Manapōuri is widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s most beautiful lakes. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the world-famous Fiordland National Park. As the site of Meridian’s Manapōuri hydropower station, the lake plays a key role in the country’s hydro storage and produces enough electricity to power more than 600,000 New Zealand homes.

Tania Palmer, Meridian Energy’s GM of Generation, explained that the Candela P-12 electric ferry is one of several ways Meridian will reduce its emissions from internal transport as part of the company’s goal to cut its emissions by 50% before 2030. “We have to be bold and innovative to reduce emissions, and this deal is the result of a global search to identify the latest and best technology for our needs,” said Palmer. “The Candela P-12 is an exciting replacement for the diesel ferry we currently use to transport staff and contractors across the lake to the power station. It’s set to drastically reduce emissions, and at the same time give our team arguably the best commute in the world.”

The announcement also marks the first customer outside of Europe to operate the P-12 electric ferry, which will begin serving the hydro station next year.

“We’re excited to partner with a global leader in the transition to sustainable energy and global decarbonisation, and are thrilled that we’ll soon see our P-12 in action on Lake Manapōuri,” says Gustav Hasselskog, CEO of Candela. “We thank Meridian for leading the charge towards a cleaner, greener future.”

The P-12’s striking look as it flies across seemingly undisturbed water comes from its electric hydrofoil design. The ferry uses ultraquiet underwater motors and computer-controlled underwater hydrofoil wings that lift the boat out of the water for smooth and efficient ride.

In fact, it’s so efficient that it uses around 80% less energy than a typical V-hull boat. That increased efficiency allows for a smaller and lighter battery pack, which is supplied by the electric vehicle company Polestar.

Just as importantly, the unique design of the P-12 creates a minimal wake of just 15 cm (6 inches) high when cruising at 25 knots (46 km/h) or 29 mph), which significantly reduces the impact on Lake Manapōuri coastlines and ecosystem.

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Power through winter with a Yarbo snow blower robot – Save big this Black Friday!

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Power through winter with a Yarbo snow blower robot – Save big this Black Friday!

If you want to ditch snow blowing and shoveling forever, Yarbo’s got just the solution. The robotics company that took home a 2023 CES Innovation Award is redefining what it means to have a “smart yard” in all four seasons. Yarbo’s autonomous outdoor robots use advanced sensors, cameras, and algorithms to do the heavy lifting – literally. From snow blowing to mowing to leaf clearing, these machines handle tough jobs with precision, safety, and zero supervision.

Yarbo’s innovative “1+N” design is centered around one core unit (“1”) that can be expanded with multiple modular attachments (“N”) to meet a variety of yard care needs. This design allows users to save space and cost by owning a single core robot instead of multiple separate machines. Customize functionality by adding modules such as Lawn Mower, Snow Blower, Plow Blade, Cutting Disc, and more. Easily upgrade or adapt to different seasons and tasks without replacing the entire system.

And right now, you can snag a fantastic discount of up to $1,200 at Yarbo’s biggest sale of the year. Check out the official Black Friday launch deals below – you won’t want to miss these!

❄️ Yarbo Snow Blower: The robot that eats snow for breakfast

Yarbo has you covered this winter with the only fully autonomous, 24/7 snow blower on the market, featuring smart scheduling that clears your driveway and sidewalks automatically – with zero human intervention. Once you’ve drawn the areas you want cleared in the app, it requires zero human intervention. The Yarbo 2-stage Snow Blower remembers your layout, wakes up on its own as soon as the flakes fall, and tackles dry, wet, and packed snow with ease.

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Its 38.4 Ah lithium battery clears up to 6,000 square feet of light snow (or 2,000 square feet of heavy snow) per charge. When the battery drops below 20%, the snow blower robot automatically returns to the charging dock to recharge in just over an hour, and then picks up where it left off. This prevents snow buildup with 24/7 autonomous clearing and recharging.

This robot is rugged. With a 12-inch intake, 24-inch clearing width, 40-foot throwing distance, and a rugged 200+ lb track drive with traction spikes, deep-bite tread, and anti-slip control, the Yarbo Snow Blower clears deep snow in layers and grips icy slopes and gravel like a pro. It can even raise its intake to glide over uneven terrain. With a Q355 steel frame, it’s tough enough for -13°F winters and has an IPX5 waterproof rating for use in wet conditions. It can also clear some serious footage – 6,000 square feet, to be exact.

If heavy, wet snow falls, attach the snow blade to push through it. If the snow is packed, then the two-stage intake breaks it up and clears it in passes. And if powder is coming down, then a 6- to 40-foot throw keeps the drive clear.

In short: You stay inside with cocoa, while the Yarbo Snow Blower clears the storm.

And here’s the good news: From November 20 to December 1, the Yarbo Snow Blower is $700 off.

🌿 Yarbo Lawn Mower: A perfectly cut lawn, hands-free

When spring and summer roll around, the Yarbo Lawn Mower makes traditional mowing look like ancient history. With dual 20-inch cutting discs and up to 210 minutes of runtime per charge, it covers up to six acres.

It uses binocular cameras, ultrasonic radar, and bumper sensors to dodge obstacles and mow right to the edge. Define up to 150 zones in the app to customize cutting heights and schedules for each part of your yard. The Yarbo Lawn Mower Pro glides smoothly over various terrains while maintaining a consistent cut. Set it once, and it takes care of your lawn for the season.

If you purchase a Yarbo Snow Blower, you get a free Yarbo Lawn Mower during the Black Friday sale!

🍂 Yarbo Blower: Meet your all-season cleanup crew

The Yarbo Blower isn’t just for autumn leaves; it’s for all-around yard cleanup. Its 21-newton blowing force means this robot can clear driveways, yard waste piles, help with post-project cleanup, and can even remove light snow.

Powered by RTK-GPS, Stereo Vision, and ODOM navigation tech via app activation or remote control, it moves precisely even under trees or around tricky terrain. You can track the Yarbo Blower in real time with GPS, set geofences, and control it from the Yarbo app. It’s as close to a self-thinking yard assistant as it gets.

From November 20 to December 1, the Yarbo Blower is $1,000 off.

A smarter winter starts with Yarbo on Black Friday

Yarbo’s lineup isn’t just about robots – it’s about giving you your precious time back. Whether clearing snow before your morning commute, mowing a picture-perfect lawn, or keeping your property spotless, Yarbo’s robots handle it all without supervision.

Ready to give your yard an upgrade? Visit Yarbo’s website and take advantage of Yarbo’s Black Friday discounts before they melt away!

Yarbo offers free and fast shipping, a warranty of up to five years, and 0% financing is available.

Follow Yarbo on Facebook and X/Twitter.

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Hyundai wants to cut EV charging time to 3 minutes, as fast as filling up a gas car

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Hyundai wants to cut EV charging time to 3 minutes, as fast as filling up a gas car

Hyundai’s electric vehicles, like the IONIQ 5, are among the fastest charging EVs, but the company says it’s still not quick enough. To match a typical gas fill-up, Hyundai believes 3 minutes is the magic number for EV charging times.

Hyundai aims for 3-minute EV charging

Built on the E-GMP platform, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 can recharge from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes using a 350 kW DC fast charger and 800V system.

Although that’s already among the best in the industry, Hyundai is pushing for even faster charging. According to Tyrone Johnson, head of Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center, drivers are looking for EV charging times of around 3 minutes.

“The expectation from customers is that it will take three minutes to fill a car, the same as it does with an internal-combustion engine,” Johnson told Auto Express, even if it’s only for their own reassurance.

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Hyundai’s exec explained that “It’s maybe perception rather than reality, but they worry about range anxiety and whether they will suddenly need to drive 200 miles,” adding the ultimate goal “is to get to the same speed as ICE.”

Hyundai-EV-charging
Hyundai IONIQ 5 at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Hyundai)

Drivers who can’t charge at home need to know how quickly they can recharge at public fast charge stations, Johnson said. The biggest hurdle is to deliver faster charging speeds, without just plugging in bigger batteries.

To achieve 3-minute charging times, Hyundai is working to bring 400 kW charging to market. By doing so, Hyundai will not only cut EV charging times to match the time it takes to fill up a gas tank, but also provide a longer driving range without using a bigger, more expensive battery.

Hyundai-EV-charging
SK Innovation executives drive the Hyundai IONIQ 9 and Genesis electrified G80 equipped with SK On batteries (Source: SK Innovation)

Although Hyundai promotes 350 kW charging, actual charging rates are typically closer to 250 kW, depending on factors such as battery temperature and charging station speed.

The Porsche Taycan is currently the fastest-charging EV, capable of up to 320 kW. Several new EVs, including the Lucid Gravity and Porsche Cayenne Electric, are rolling with peak charging power of 400 kW as charge times continue to improve.

Interested in testing one out for yourself? With leases starting at just $189 per month, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 is hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find Hyundai’s EVs in your area.

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Tesla delays next-gen AI5 chip to mid-2027, Cybercab will launch on AI4 hardware

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Tesla delays next-gen AI5 chip to mid-2027, Cybercab will launch on AI4 hardware

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the automaker’s next-generation self-driving computer, known as AI5, will not be available in volume until mid-2027.

The new timeline confirms that Tesla’s upcoming Cybercab, scheduled for 2026, will launch on current-generation AI4 hardware – raising more questions about the capability of the vehicle, which isn’t supposed to have pedals or a steering wheel.

As usual with Tesla timelines, we are seeing a significant slip from the previously promised timeline.

For the past year, Musk has been hyping “AI5” (formerly known as Hardware 5, or HW5) as the key to unlocking the next phase of Tesla’s self-driving capabilities. The new computer is expected to be significantly more powerful than the current Hardware 4 (AI4) in Tesla vehicles today and produced since 2024.

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Back in June 2024, Musk officially renamed HW5 to AI5 and gave a specific timeline for its release, stating it would be “applied to autos in the second half of next year [2025].”

He also claimed at the time that the new system would be “10x” the power of the current hardware, creating the impression that the current computers might soon be obsolete for the true “unsupervised” autonomy Tesla has been promising for a decade, but as yet to achieve.

However, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) this weekend to provide a “clarification” that effectively pushes that timeline back by nearly two years.

When discussing the production ramp of the new chip, Musk stated:

“AI5 will not be available in sufficient volume to switch over Tesla production lines until mid 2027, as we need several hundred thousand completed AI5 boards line side.”

This is a massive delay from the “second half of 2025” timeline provided just last year.

Perhaps more importantly, this delay creates a conflict with Tesla’s product roadmap. Tesla has scheduled the production of its dedicated robotaxi, the Cybercab, for 2026 (Musk recently cited Q2 2026 as the target).

Suppose the Cybercab enters production in 2026 and AI5 isn’t ready until mid-2027. In that case, the purpose-built robotaxi will have to launch on AI4 hardware, the same computer currently in the cars Tesla is selling today, which can’t achieve an unsupervised level of autonomy.

Musk seemed to confirm this implementation path, noting that while “samples” of AI5 might exist earlier, the volume needed for a vehicle launch won’t be there.

Recently, Tesla chairwoman opened the door to the automaker adding a steering wheel and pedals to the Cybercab if unsupervised autonomy is not ready by the time it launches.

Musk shut down this idea, which came from his board chair, just days later – claiming that Cybercab won’t have pedals or a steering wheel.

Electrek’s Take

There’s good news and bad news here.

The good news is that AI4 will remain on top for an extended period of time, which means that Tesla will have to keep working the software to fit the computer rather than take advantage of the higher compute power of AI5.

However, it’s also bad news because Tesla is delaying another tech improvement, and Tesla is still not capable of delivering unsupervised self-driving on the hardware.

I have a feeling that Cybercab is going to have a steering wheel and pedals. It’s too big a risk otherwise to launch a vehicle program that would be virtually worthless beyond a very limited use case in some geo-fenced area.

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