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Polestar has unveiled a new collection of one-off “Arctic Circle” EVs designed to showcase the brand’s performance DNA. The rally-inspired upgrades have now been applied to the Polestar 2, 3, and 4 EVs and were put through their paces in the frigid Arctic before they make their public debut at an ice race in Austria. See more in Polestar’s video below.

Although Polestar is technically a Chinese brand since it is majority-owned by Geely Holding, its roots and design are still very Swedish. The premium EV brand is just now starting to gain some clout with consumers as its lineup of available vehicles has expanded to three models: the Polestar 2 sedan, 3 SUV, and 4 crossover.

Aside from several additional models in its pipeline, Polestar has developed several performance variants of its models. Well, actually, up until now, there has been just one model, the Polestar 2. Nevertheless, we’ve seen two high-performance BST Editions as well as a unique “Arctic Circle” Polestar 2 that made its debut in February 2022.

Three years later, Polestar’s lineup has grown by two, and the automaker has returned to the chilly tundra of the Arctic Circle with unique one-off variants designed to kick up some snow and drift across the ice. Today, Polestar shared images and a video of the new Arctic Circle collection before the three unique EVs perform some hot laps on the ice of Austria this weekend.

  • Polestar Arctic
  • Polestar Arctic

Polestar shows off its tuning prowess in the Arctic Circle

According to news shared by Polestar this morning, the previously mentioned one-of-a-kind Polestar 2 Arctic Circle is now part of a trio of ice-ready EVs alongside its Polestar 3 and 4 siblings. The new Arctic Circle collection is a design exercise in rally-inspired EVs that showcase Polestar’s performance prowess. Company CEO Michael Lohscheller elaborated:

The Arctic Circle collection illustrates our unique performance DNA, rooted in motorsport and combined with Scandinavian design. We develop our cars under challenging conditions within the Arctic Circle in Sweden, and at the FAT Ice Race we will showcase that on ice there is nothing better than a Polestar. We are really excited to be part of this special event with our full model line-up, where it’s all about car culture and the performance experience.

Following today’s online debut of the new Arctic Circle EVs, Polestar said the three one-off models will make their public debut during the 2025 FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, on February 1. We asked the Polestar team if the Arctic Circle EVs would be competing, but they unfortunately will not.

However, Polestar told us the Arctic Circle EVs will be out on the ice track for some hot laps in front of the race attendees, operated by professional drivers and Polestar engineers, including Polestar’s Head of Driving Dynamics Joakim Rydholm and multiple STCC and WTCC champion Thed Björk.

The vehicles were built at one of Polestar’s Swedish R&D facilities and feature raised ride heights with custom 3-way adjustable Öhlins dampers, specialized Pirelli studded tires, and OZ racing wheels. The Polestar 2, 3, and 4 Arctic Circle EVs also showcase new Quad Evo front spotlights from Stedi, bucket seats from Recaro, and a slew of exterior winter accessories like skis, roof racks, storage containers, and recovery equipment.

Per Polestar, here’s how each of the Arctic Circle EVs break down in terms of specs and accesories:

Polestar 2 Arctic Circle Polestar 3 Arctic Circle Polestar 4 Arctic Circle
MY21 Long Range Dual
Motor with Performance Pack
and software upgrade
469 hp / 502 lb-ft (350 kW)
MY24 Long Range Dual
Motor with Performance Pack
517 hp / 671 lb-ft (380 kW)
MY24 Long Range Dual
Motor with Performance Pack
544 hp / 506 lb-ft (400 kW)
Custom Öhlins 3-way
adjustable dampers (2-way
compression, 1-way rebound)
with external gas reservoirs
Custom Öhlins 3-way
adjustable dampers (2-way
compression, 1-way rebound)
with external gas reservoirs
Custom Öhlins 3-way
adjustable dampers (2-way
compression, 1-way rebound)
with external gas reservoirs
+1.2-inch ride height +1.6-inch ride height +0.8-inch ride height
Front and rear strut braces Front strut brace Front strut brace
Specialized 19” Pirelli
Scorpion All-Terrain Plus with
250 4-mm studs (245/45R19)
(for ice track driving)
Specialized 20” Pirelli Scorpion
All-Terrain Plus with 300 4-mm
studs (295/40R20) for ice track
driving
Specialized 20” Pirelli Scorpion
All Terrain Plus with 300 4-mm
studs (295/40R20) for ice track
driving
Pirelli P Zero Winter
(245/45R19) (for road driving)
Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2
(255/50R20 front, 285/45R20
rear) (for road driving)
Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2
(255/50R20) (for road driving)
OZ Racing Rally Racing
wheels (19”)
OZ Racing Rally Legend
wheels (20”) (world premiere)
OZ Racing Rally Legend
wheels (20”) (world premiere)
Recaro Pole Position bucket
seats
Recaro Pole Position bucket
seats
Recaro Pole Position bucket
seats
Paddle-operated launch control  Stedi ST4K roof light bar  Drift-inspired hydraulic hand
brake
Stedi Quad Pro LED front
spotlights
Stedi Quad Pro LED front
spotlights
Stedi Quad Pro LED front
spotlights
Rally-inspired mud flaps 
and Swedish gold tow hooks
Rally-inspired mud flaps 
and Swedish gold tow hooks
Rally-inspired mud flaps 
and Swedish gold tow hooks
Thule WingBar Edge roof rails
and SnowPack ski mounts
Thule WingBar Edge roof rails
and custom roof basket
Specialized ski mounts
Blackcrows all-terrain skis  Fiskars SnowXpert shovel,
Peli 1650EU Protector Case,
and snow ladders
Blackcrows all-terrain skis 

If you happen to be in Zell am See, Austria, this weekend, bundle up and check out some ice races and hot laps from Polestar. If you’d rather stay where you are and remain nice and warm, you can enjoy winter driving footage in the Arctic Circle from Polestar below:

https://plstr.car/arctic-circle-documentary

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Subaru enters Uncharted EV territory

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Subaru enters Uncharted EV territory

Subaru today launched its compact AWD SUV at an event in New York City. With 300 miles of range, NACS charge port, a speedy 0-60 time of under 5 seconds, you could say that this is Subaru’s first modern EV, no offense to the rebadged Toyota BZ/Solterra…

The exterior looks a bit like a $100K Lotus Eletre with an off road flair. Uncharted will compete with Volvo’s EX30 Rivian’s R2S and other AWD EVs that might not be as rugged like the VW ID.4, Hyundai Kona and even the Chevy Equinox. Subaru’s lighting signature, shared with the 2026 Solterra and Trailseeker, along with its aggressive, rugged off-road styling will set it apart from the crowd.

It features new 18- or 20-inch wheel designs, as well as a high-contrast, available two-tone roof on Uncharted GT for enhanced curb appeal. At the rear, the sleek combination lamps, black badging, high beltline, and seamless rear design, complemented by a silver-painted lower rear fascia, add to the visual presence of the Uncharted. Low-profile roof rails on all-wheel-drive models add more options for carrying gear.

A NACS charge port with speeds up to 150 kW ensures convenient and fast charging options at more than 15,000 Tesla Supercharger stations nationwide. Even in cold weather conditions, the Uncharted can recharge its battery from 10% to 80% in nearly 30 minutes thanks to an onboard battery preconditioning system. At home, you can charge up to 11KW level 2 charging.

The interior is modern Subaru with rugged textile around a big 14-inch CarPlay/Android Auto screen experience (pictured below). There are 2 wireless phone chargers up front and 2 USB-C chargers in the rear.

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All trim levels of the Subaru Uncharted are equipped with an All-Weather Package, including heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, and windshield wiper de-icer; power rear gate; interior ambient lighting; and DriverFocus® Distraction Mitigation System. The Uncharted Sport adds X-MODE® Dual-Mode with Grip Control, heated steering wheel, StarTex® water-repellent upholstery, panoramic view monitor, and more. Uncharted GT will include a panoramic moonroof with motorized shade, 20-inch wheels, ventilated front seats, Harman Kardon® premium audio system, smart rearview mirror, and more.

The Uncharted battery is just under 75kWh, around the same size as a long range Tesla Model Y and it will get close to 300 miles in its FWD model (boo). Uncharted Sport and GT models are equipped with standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with X-MODE, an anticipated range of up to 290 miles, and 338 horsepower which will appeal to more Subaru customers.

Full gallery below:

Electrek’s take

While Subaru maintains its close relationship with Toyota in EVs, and this is a C-HR rebadge, the Uncharted breaks some new ground. I love the NACS port, I love the range and the acceleration. Subaru’s fans might finally have an EV they can upgrade their ICE vehicle for.

That’s one thing that might be concerning for Subaru in the EV age: In ICE vehicles, Subaru makes one of the best, complicated AWD systems. However with EVs, AWD is almost table stakes at this point. Subaru will have to continue to innovate in the off road capable small SUV segment if it hopes to compete with all of the EV encombants. At this point, Subaru is a suspension and branding mod for Toyota.

The Uncharted certainly seems to be a good start.

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Trump targets solar and wind with tighter federal permitting in another blow to renewable industry

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Trump targets solar and wind with tighter federal permitting in another blow to renewable industry

Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior speaks during the Pennsylvania Energy And Innovation Summit 2025 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on July 15, 2025

David A. Grogan | CNBC

Solar and wind projects that need federal permitting will face even closer scrutiny by the Trump administration, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum now making the final decision on whether they proceed on U.S.-owned lands.

Burgum will now have “final review” of leases, rights-of-way, construction plans and every other aspect of the Interior Department’s federal permitting process for wind and solar projects, according to an internal memo published by the department on Thursday.

The Interior Department said in a statement that it is “levelling the playing field” for coal and natural gas “after years of assault” by Biden administration. The renewable industry’s main lobby group the American Clean Power Association said the action amounted to politically motivated obstruction.

“The Interior Department adds three new layers of needless process and unprecedented political review to the construction of domestic energy projects,” ACP CEO Jason Grumet said in a statement.

“This isn’t oversight. It’s obstruction that will needlessly harm the fastest growing sources of electric power,” Grumet said.

Interior is adding bureaucracy and red tape that will slow electricity production growth at a time when demand is rising from artificial intelligence data centers, said Stephanie Bosh, a spokesperson at the Solar Energy Industries Association.

“It is deeply unfortunate that this administration’s energy policy continues to favor specific technologies rather than advance true American energy dominance,” Bosh said in a statement.

Interior’s action is the latest blow delivered to the renewable energy industry by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress. President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act terminates key tax incentives that have supported the growth of wind and solar projects in the U.S.

Trump issued an executive order shortly after the legislation passed that called for Interior “to eliminate preferential treatment for wind and solar facilities compared to reliable, dispatchable energy sources,” a reference to coal, natural gas and nuclear power.

About 5% of solar projects and 1% of wind projects are located on federal land, according to ACP.

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Lucid (LCID) shares surged +50%, so why did it announce a major reverse stock split?

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Lucid (LCID) shares surged +50%, so why did it announce a major reverse stock split?

Lucid Motors’ (LCID) shares soared over 50% after the company secured a multi-hundred-million dollar investment from Uber to deploy robotaxis. So, why did Lucid just announce plans for a reverse stock split?

Why did Lucid announce a reverse stock split?

Lucid and Uber announced a new alliance on Thursday to deploy 20,000 electric robotaxis over the next six years.

The new robotaxi service, set to launch next year, will combine Lucid’s advanced software-defined EV platform with Nuro’s Level 4 self-driving tech.

As part of the new alliance, Uber plans to make “multi-hundred-million-dollar investments” in Lucid and Nuro. The first autonomous prototype is already in operation on a closed track at Nuro’s facility in Las Vegas.

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Lucid’s interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, said, “This investment from Uber further validates Lucid’s fully redundant zonal architecture and highly capable platform as ideal for autonomous vehicles.” Winteroff claimed that the new alliance “is the start of our path to extend our innovation and technology leadership into this multi-trillion-dollar market.”

Lucid-Uber-EV-robotaxi
Lucid Gravity SUV fitted with Nuro’s self-driving tech (Source: Lucid)

The Lucid Gravity boasts an impressive EPA-estimated range of 450 miles. Its electric sedan, the Lucid Air, just broke a Guinness World Record after traveling 749 miles (1,205 km) on a single charge.

Lucid’s partnership with Uber sent share prices surging over 50% during trading hours on Thursday. In a separate filing with the SEC today, Lucid announced plans to initiate a 1-for-10 reverse stock split.

Lucid-reverse-stock-split
Lucid Air (left) and Gravity (right) Source: Lucid

The split won’t affect shareholder ownership, except in cases where fractional shares are created. In that case, shareholders will receive a cash payment.

Lucid said it believes the reverse stock split “will allow the company’s common stock to be more attractive to a broader range of investors and other market participants.”

Lucid-stock-uber-robotaxi
Lucid Gravity Grand Touring in Aurora Green (Source: Lucid)

A vote of confidence

During an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday, Winterhoff explained that a portion of the $300 million investment from Uber will be used to develop the self-driving tech with Nuro. Winterhoff added that Lucid’s surging share price was “a vote of confidence.”

According to Winterhoff, the reverse stock split is not due to Lucid’s fear of being delisted, but rather to attract larger investors.

It was also more of a “technical” strategy to reduce volatility and help Lucid participate in the broader stock market.

Lucid-reverse-stock-split
Lucid Gravity and Air models (Source: Lucid)

Many institutional investors avoid stocks priced below $5 due to the higher risk and price swings. The proposed stock split still requires shareholder approval, which will be voted on at an upcoming special stockholders’ meeting.

After that, Lucid’s Board of Directors will determine whether it’s still in the best interest of the company and its stockholders to proceed.

Lucid’s stock rose over 36% on Thursday, closing at $3.12 per share. Although shares of LCID are up just slightly (+2%), they are now up year-to-date. However, they are still down 18% over the past year and nearly 95% from their all-time high of over $58 a share in February 2021.

Lucid-reverse-stock-split
Lucid Group (LCID) stock chart July 2024 through July 2025 (Source: TradingView)

Last week, after meeting with Lucid’s CFO, Taoufiq Boussaid, Benchmark analyst Mickey Legg set a target share price of $5.00, which was subsequently raised to $7.00 following the announcement of the Uber partnership.

Legg wrote a note to investors, “After meeting with LCID’s CFO Taoufiq Boussaid on Tuesday and reviewing 2Q production and deliveries, we remain confident in the company’s path to scale.”

Lucid-midsize-EV
Lucid midsize electric SUV teaser image (Source: Lucid)

Lucid delivered a record 3,309 vehicles in Q2, its seventh straight quarter with higher deliveries. The company aims to produce 20,000 vehicles this year, more than double the roughly 9,000 it made in 2024.

After ending the first quarter with $5.76 billion in liquidity, Lucid said that it has sufficient funding to last until the second half of 2026, when it plans to launch its more affordable midsize EV platform. The first two models will be a midsize SUV and sedan, starting at about $50,000.

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