Sam Bankman-Fried was sporting a fresh look at the first day of his trial Tuesday, with a spiffy new haircut reportedly given by a fellow inmate at the jail in Brooklyn where he’s been incarcerated since August over alleged witness tampering. The former CEO of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX was wearing a fresh-pressed suit, and unlike the last time he was in court, he entered the 26th floor courtroom without shackles.
Journalists stood alongside dozens of New York residents clutching jury summonses as they queued in two different security lines. Even after waiting in line for two hours, most reporters were escorted into an overflow room with a series of monitors showing two views of the courtroom via live video feed. The room was cold with fluorescent lighting, and the acoustics left a lot to be desired — loud, high-pitched feedback periodically pierced the room.
Bankman-Fried, who faces seven charges including fraud and money laundering, sat nestled between two of the attorneys from his legal team on the first day of his criminal trial — consulting with counsel and referring to a laptop in front of him as proceedings got underway. The disgraced former titan of the crypto sector has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan presides over the fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 3, 2023 in this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
The day started slowly, as the jury selection process didn’t get going until nearly 11 A.M. with a break for lunch before 12:30 P.M. But the delay didn’t appear to phase 78-year-old Judge Lewis Kaplan — a veteran of the Southern District of New York who has presided over some of the biggest cases to roll through the courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in downtown Manhattan.
In his typical candor, Kaplan said he didn’t “speak computer” after his desktop beeped in court. He then said his clerk was a computer whisperer, and would, therefore, be able to make his computer whisper.
The no-nonsense U.S. District judge kicked off the first day of trial by addressing Bankman-Fried directly before jurors entered the courtroom, telling him that he had the right to testify and that the decision to do so was his alone — not his attorneys’. Kaplan told Bankman-Fried to rise in court in order to indicate his desire to take the stand in his own defense.
The judge said he would take Bankman-Fried standing up from the defense table as a sign to usher the jury out of the courtroom and address him directly. It is not yet clear whether the former crypto titan will testify in his defense.
The list of cooperating witnesses anticipated to take the stand include Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, and his ex-best friend from high school math camp and former MIT roommate, Gary Wang.
Ellison, who is the former chief executive of Alameda Research, and FTX co-founder Wang both pleaded guilty in December to multiple charges and have been cooperating with the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan for months.
The first step in the six-week trial is assembling a 12-person jury, plus a few alternates. District Judge Kaplan instructed the court that he would be asking all of the questions, though the list had been drafted with feedback from lawyers on both sides. He later said that he expects the jury to be seated by Wednesday at the earliest.
One prospective juror worked for Insight Partners, which had an investment in Alameda, the hedge fund that allegedly used FTX customers’ deposits without their knowledge or permission, contributing to the eventual downfall of both companies when the arrangement was exposed and customers raced to withdraw funds. Another tried to get out of jury duty by pleading a six-month trip to Maui, to which the judge responded, “You’re a courageous soul.”
Most of the jurors said they had heard of Bankman-Fried, citing periodicals as their main source, although one cited the Joe Rogan podcast.
— Dawn Giel contributed reporting.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan presides over the fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 3, 2023 in this courtroom sketch.
Cadillac wants to live up to its “standard of the world” tag line so bad they can taste is – but adding $60K to the CELESTIQ’s MSRP might not be the flex the marketing team might think. To teach them a lesson, we’re going to ignore the CELESTIQ and list every new EV you can buy for less than that $60K price hike, instead. Enjoy!
If you’re curious about what those vehicles are actually selling for, what rebates and special rates are out there, or even just want to take one for a test drive, click on one of the links and you’ll be directed to a local dealer who can walk you through it all (trusted affiliate link).
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Zhengzhou Nissan has launched a new, plug-in pickup in the Chinese market called the Z9. It’s the same size as the Nissan Frontier Pro, offers over 35 miles of all-electric range, and pricing starts at just $16,600.
UPDATE 04NOV2025: more details and more markets for 2026.
The rebuilding of Nissan started to pick up earlier this year with the launch of the brand’s first plug-in pickup truck in China this past summer. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model offers 410 hp and an 84 mile electric-only range – more than enough for it to meet the everyday needs of most drivers with easy access to liquid fuel when needed.
It seems like a neat truck, but since it was designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, its great specs and nearly impossible $24,800 starting price (on the entry-level Frontier Pro model) meant it would have limited impact – and limited interest – in other markets.
You can read the original post, first published back in June, below, then let us know what you think of Nissan’s plans to export its plug-in pickup to other markets in the comments.
What’s more, if you feel like spending a bit more, you can get a Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 equipped with a 32.85 kWh battery that’s good for almost 85 miles (135 km) of all-electric range. And even that extended-range model, at ¥168,900 (about $23,400) is still price-competitive with the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate EV.
In short, it’s bound to be a winner.
It’ll sell, but it won’t sell here
US-market Nissan Frontier.
With excitement surrounding the Kia Tasman, Slate, and other, similarly affordable light-duty pickups building on the success of the Ford Maverick hybrid, it should come as no surprise that Nissan has international ambitions for its newest electrified pickup.
“In alignment with our ‘In China, For China, Toward the World’ strategy for electrification and smart transformation, Nissan will fully support ZNA’s ‘off-road strategy,’” explained Stephen Ma, Chairman of Nissan (China) Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We are working to strengthen our research and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing our presence in the core markets of pickups and off-road vehicles, with the ultimate goal of achieving global expansion.”
It’s exciting stuff, but with all the recent troubles it’s been experiencing, it’s doubtful that Nissan will bring either of its new, Chinese-built mid-size pickups to the US (electrified or otherwise).
“The mission of the new generation of Chinese automotive professionals is clear – to ensure that made-in-China cars are driven across the world. ZNA will utilize its dual-brand and dual-channel advantages to expand its global footprint,” Mr. Mao Limin, Executive Vice President of ZNA, at the Z9’s launch. “We aim to be one of the top exporters of pickups within three years and to reach a sales milestone of 100,000 units.”
I’ve already written out my own comeback plans for Nissan, and this new Chinese-market pickup truck doesn’t really fit into them. Like many of you, I’m of the belief that a PHEV isn’t an EV – but I do see their value as “lilypad” cars, and the two Lightning owners I know? Their previous Ford F-150s were hybrids.
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Finnish energy giant Wärtsilä has announced the latest addition to its massive network utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Australia: a record-breaking 1.5 GWh deployment that brings the company’s total energy storage capacity in the nation to 5.5 GWh.
The future of large-scale energy projects in Australia is looking increasingly DC-coupled thanks to Wärtsilä, which just announced plans to build the largest BESS of its kind in the National Electricity Market (NEM). The massive hybrid battery project that marks the company’s ninth site down under, and pushes its total capacity to a formidable 5.5 GWh.
The company says its latest, “record-breaking” energy storage plant is a blueprint for how to efficiently combine solar generation and storage to create a more resilient and decarbonized grid.
“This project is significantly larger than our earlier DC-coupled project, underscoring the need for this type of technology in expanding at scale,” said David Hebert, vice president of Global Sales Management at Wärtsilä. Hebert called the DC-coupled technology, “a breakthrough for hybrid renewable plants and a critical step towards establishing a financially viable renewable energy future.”
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Hebert believes projects like this one play a hugely important role in stabilizing Australia’s grid while, at the same time, advancing the country’s ambitious net-zero emissions targets from the energy sector by 2045.
With a 20-year service agreement already in place and the order set to be booked this quarter, this project is a working prototype for the next generation of global renewable assets. As nations worldwide grapple with the challenge of moving beyond fossil fuels, the success of this massive DC-coupled system will provide a real-world model for how to build a grid that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient than ever before.
Electrek’s Take Explainer
If you’re not familiar with DC-coupling, it’s an efficiency game-changer. Unlike traditional AC-coupled electrical systems that require converting solar-generated direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use by the grid, and then back to DC to use in a battery, a DC-coupled system connects the solar array and battery directly. This architecture cuts energy losses that occur during conversion, capturing more solar power and significantly improving project economics and overall system efficiency.
In other words: it saves money, and shores up the grid. Wins all ’round!
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