On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we explore the Tesla Q4 earnings call’s high-level weirdness, including the impact Bitcoin had on the bottom line, what it means for stock prices, and whether or not you’ll die without Tesla’s solar roof.

You’ll also hear Jo ask, “What even is a P/E Ratio, and why does it matter?” before asking if we’ll all be killed without a solar roof, and learning about what happens when our phones run out of power. All this and more – enjoy!

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Not-for-profit power cooperative Great River Energy, which serves 1.7 million people across Minnesota and Wisconsin, has partnered with Prisma Photonics to roll out real-time monitoring technology across 90 miles of transmission lines in northern Minnesota. Prisma Photonics will provide its PrismaPower system to track threats like wildfires, ice, wind, and physical damage to the Minnesota grid.

The multi-year project will install PrismaCircuit and PrismaClimate across five key transmission lines connected to four substations using existing fiber optic lines. The goal is to strengthen the grid ahead of Minnesota’s next winter season. These lines, spread across central and northern Minnesota, will now be under constant surveillance without the need for traditional sensors.

“We’re leveraging innovative new technologies that maximize our existing infrastructure investments,” said Priti Patel, vice president and chief transmission officer at Great River Energy. “This solution allows us to utilize our current fiber optic network in a new way to increase resilience in areas of northern and central Minnesota.”

Instead of installing physical sensors on power lines, Prisma Photonics’ technology taps into fiber optic cables already in place, transforming them into an advanced sensing system. Here’s how the company’s works:

Prisma Photonics Fiber Sensing works by connecting an optical interrogator unit into a standard single-mode optical fiber. It is one fiber, part of a cable laid alongside the monitored asset, probably for communications purposes. The Interrogator transmits optical pulses that propagate down the fiber. A minute fraction of the light is reflected from each point along the fiber. The Interrogator measures the reflected light to determine the strain, temperature, pressure, and other quantities over hundreds of kilometers of fiber with sub-meter resolution. The fiber is turned into a continuous acoustic sensor – as if there were tens of thousands of microphones spanning hundreds of kilometers.  

Prisma Photonics says this means faster deployment, no service interruptions, and no need for specialized crews in all weather conditions.

Dr. Eran Inbar, CEO of Prisma Photonics, said, “Our partnership with Great River Energy demonstrates how utilities can extract additional value from their existing infrastructure to enhance grid resilience while avoiding traditional sensor-based solutions’ complexity and maintenance requirements.”

Read more: Minnesota’s largest coal plant goes solar: Sherco Solar comes online

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Mitsubishi confirmed plans to finally launch its first EV in the US in 2026. The new electric car is expected to look similar to Nissan’s next-generation LEAF, which will debut later this year.

Mitsubishi plans to launch its first EV in the US in 2026

After notching its highest sales in the US since 2019 last year, Mitsubishi intends to keep the momentum going with a revamped lineup, including its first electric vehicle.

Mitsubishi told US dealers during a meeting earlier this week (via Automotive News) that the brand’s first EV will arrive in the US in 2026 alongside a new Outlander model.

According to sources, it will be a small electric crossover, similar to what the next-gen Nissan LEAF is expected to look like. Nissan is updating the iconic hatch with a new style closer to the Ariya, its electric SUV.

The new LEAF will use the same CMF-EV platform that underpins the Nissan Ariya. Nissan said its Chill-out concept from 2021 previewed the next-gen LEAF model. It will be more of a crossover coupe rather than the hatchback we are used to seeing.

Nissan is expected to unveil the new model later this year. Earlier this month, the new LEAF was spotted testing in the US, giving us our best look at the new EV so far.

Although RC Hill, chairman of the Mitsubishi National Advisory Board, said US dealers would “embrace” the brand’s first EV, it’s not expected to replace the Mirage. “It’s probably a solution to the OEM problem, but not a solution to move volume,” he explained.

The Mirage was the brand’s second-best-selling model in the US last year, behind the Outlander, but Mitsubishi ended production in December. To make up for it, Mitsubishi may cut Outlander Sport prices and introduce a new lower-priced trim ahead of its first EV arriving.

Although Mitsubishi was initially included in Nissan and Honda’s EV merger plans, the automaker is reportedly considering backing out.

With a wave of new electric crossovers and SUVs arriving in the US from Hyundai, GM, Volvo, Rivian, and several others, will Mitsubishi be able to stand out? Would you buy a Mitsubishi EV? Let us know in the comments below.