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35+ min ago (520+ words) What is a premium brand, anyway? Chinese auto brand Xpeng is the latest to use the "p" word, which has been used by brands from Alfa Romeo to Jeep and through to Zeekr. "I think with the quality of the car, it"s definitely a premium brand," said Jason Clarke, CEO of Xpeng"s Australian distributor TrueEV. Mr Clarke describes Xpeng as a premium brand despite its sole product in Australia thus far, the G6 mid-size electric SUV, undercutting rivals from Ford, Hyundai, Kia and others on price. It starts at $54,800 before on-road costs, more than $20,000 less than the most affordable Hyundai Ioniq 5. "You would have seen any number of those sorts of brand pyramids of car quality in Chinese EVs, and Xpeng is seen as a tech leader slash premium brand," he added. Industry analyst Felipe Mu'oz of JATO Dynamics…...

45+ min ago (376+ words) A plug-in hybrid car has made history by claiming the Guinness World Record for the lowest fuel consumption on a trip from Sydney to Melbourne, completing the iconic 1000-kilometre journey on just one charge and a single tank of fuel. Two Geely Star Ray EMI vehicles completed the challenge along the East Coast Road to Victoria's capital, marking what experts say is a promising future for eco-friendly travel in Australia. Speaking on Sunrise, science journalist Dr Jonika Newby, who served as an expert witness for the record attempt, said the achievement highlights how far electric vehicle technology has advanced. "I actually did one of the first-ever stories on EVs in Australia. I flew to America back in 2010 and drove some of the first ones, and they were little cars," Dr Newby told Nat and Shirvo. "You had an EV range…...

1+ hour, 10+ min ago (440+ words) Incat has powered up the world's largest battery-electric vessel in Hobart, marking what has described as a global achievement built on home soil. The 130-metre ship called Hull 096, powered by 250 tonnes of batteries delivering more than 40 megawatts of electricity, will carry 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles in near-silent operation. "Today isn't just significant in Tasmania, it has global implications, and the eyes of the world are on Incat," Premier Jeremy Rockliff said. The vessel is four times more powerful than any marine electrical system previously constructed worldwide. The ship successfully completed its first e-motor propulsion trial today, the first in a series of trials for the ferry before it departs for South America in the coming months. Former premier turned Incat Strategic Adviser Peter Gutwein said the ship represents a world first in battery-electric short sea shipping. "Never before in the history…...

1+ hour, 31+ min ago (693+ words) That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper reaches of the world's largest auto market. A prolonged property downturn in China has left many consumers with little appetite for big purchases. Meanwhile, the well-to-do are becoming increasingly shy about publicly displaying their wealth, said Paul Gong, UBS head of China Automotive Industry Research. Many car buyers have been swayed by a 20,000 yuan ($2,830) trade-in subsidy offered by the Chinese government for purchasing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. People tended to purchase cheaper, entry-level cars where the discount will count more and those cars are mostly Chinese made, Gong said. "Slowing economic growth is one key driver behind weaker demand for premium cars," said Claire Yuan, director of corporate ratings for China autos at S&P Global Ratings, referring to…...

1+ hour, 32+ min ago (313+ words) Tech News News: Elon Musk believes major breakthroughs require more than a 40-hour workweek, suggesting 80 hours or more is necessary. He cited personal experiences a Tesla CEO Elon Musk once said that major breakthroughs cannot be achieved on a standard 40-hour workweek In 2018, the tech billionaire shared a X (formerly Twitter) post where he responded to an article about Tesla being one of Silicon Valley's most in-demand employers by saying that "nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." Musk later said the number varies by person, but suggested that around 80 hours a week " sometimes rising above 100 " is what it takes Elon Musk has repeatedly pointed to his own experience working long hours during critical moments at Tesla, SpaceX and X.Elon Musk on long working hoursAfter the 2018 post, a user asked Elon Musk what the "correct" number of hours…...

1+ hour, 37+ min ago (404+ words) SpaceX could be a feast for investors in 2026. Friday, Bloomberg reported that SpaceX had set a secondary share sale, which valued the startup at about $800 billion, citing a company memo. The price in the secondary offering was $421 a share, the report said, up from a July price of about $212 from a private market transaction. SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Barron's request for comment. The $800 billion figure would put SpaceX's valuation above that of OpenAI, as well as that of TikTok's parent ByteDance. SpaceX is the dominant provider of space launch services, accounting for more than half of global orbital launches. Most of its value, however, is tied up in its profitable space-based broadband service Starlink, which currently has more than 8 million customers, up from about 5 million a year ago. AI data centers in space would also offer a way to…...

1+ hour, 38+ min ago (443+ words) US News: In the 1980s, limitations on computing constrained robot development. Watching insects, pioneering roboticist Rodney Brooks realised that they possess....

1+ hour, 39+ min ago (296+ words) International Business News: The richest man in the world could more than double his $460.6 billion fortune if SpaceX succeeds in going public next year at a valuation of $1.5 tri. The richest man in the world could more than double his $460.6 billion fortune if SpaceX succeeds in going public next year at a valuation of $1.5 trillion.SpaceX is moving forward with an insider share sale that values Elon Musk's rocket and satellite maker at about $800 billion, setting up what could be the largest initial public offering of all time In a company message seen by Bloomberg on Friday, SpaceX said it's preparing for a possible public offering in 2026 that would be aimed at funding an "insane flight rate" for its developmental Starship rocket, artificial intelligence data centres in space and a base on the moon.The per-share price of $421 in its…...

1+ hour, 39+ min ago (255+ words) According to sources in the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the decision was made over concerns about environmental damage and the negative attitude of the local population - Russian Politics & Diplomacy Russian Politics & DiplomacyInto section "- Business & Economy Business & EconomyInto section " - Military & Defense Military & DefenseInto section " - Science & Space Science & SpaceInto section " - Society & Culture Society & CultureInto section " Japan to suspend support of new solar parks " newspaper TOKYO, December 14. /TASS/. The Japanese government will suspend subsidies for the creation of giant solar power plants from the fiscal year of 2027 that starts on April 1, 2027, Yomiuri reported. According to sources in the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the decision was made over concerns about environmental damage and the negative attitude of the local population. Deforestation and clearing of mountain slopes to install tens of thousands of panels destruct the ecosystem. It said…...

2+ hour, 15+ min ago (300+ words) KGM's Musso EV is Australia's first affordable fully electric ute. It's marketed as 'purpose-built for lifestyle drivers', so Guardian Australia's Jessica O'Bryan took it for the ultimate driving test, with a few challenges along the way: a Bunnings car park, a Red Rooster drive-through, and finding an EV charger along the way. It's the first electric ute by the South Korean car brand, who claim the vehicle combines 'the refined styling of an SUV' with the 'rugged practicality' of a uteToo fancy? Not rugged enough? Or a mainstream sweet spot? We took Australia's cheapest EV ute out for a day Continue reading... We took the KGM Musso, Australia's first 'affordable' electric ute, to Bunnings " video KGM's Musso EV is Australia's first affordable fully electric ute. It's marketed as 'purpose-built for lifestyle drivers', so Guardian Australia's Jessica O'Bryan took it for…...