76 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Thomas Ricker

Thomas Ricker

Deputy Editor

Deputy Editor

    More From Thomas Ricker

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    GM’s adorable electric SUV is just $11,000 in China.

    Meet the Baojun Yep EV with a stated range of 303km (188 miles). It’s made by the GM joint venture SGMW for the Chinese market and features a “car watch” screen on the tailgate that can display different designs.

    It’s proof that SUVs don’t, in fact, need to be giant child killers priced over $30k and powered by dinosaur juice.

    The Baojun Yep EV has a “Car Watch” display on its tailgate.
    The Baojun Yep EV has a “Car Watch” display on its tailgate.
    Image: GM
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Whoa Cowboy.

    Electric bike maker Cowboy is in an intellectual property dispute over the new AdaptivePower feature it released in March via a free software update. Seems the company was originally developing the tech to automatically overcome resistance like wind and hills through a partnership with eBikeLabs before terminating the contract sometime last year. Unsurprisingly, eBikeLabs feels cheated. Coincidence? Decide for yourself after reading TechCrunch’s excellent explainer.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    BioLite BaseCharge 1500 solar generator review within a review.

    My recent live/work experiment in the all-electric VW ID Buzz wouldn’t have been possible without BioLite’s first portable battery and solar panel. It was needed to provide continuous power to my Starlink internet, laptops, phones, and more because the Microbus can’t when parked. The BaseCharge 1500 has some minor quirks, but if it’s specced and priced right for your needs then it’s worth considering.

    Living and working from an all-electric VW ID Buzz

    Two humans and a beagle named Hank spent two weeks and 2,000 miles in Europe with a Ququq camping box to preview the future of #vanlife.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    OpenAI suddenly more open to AI regulation in Europe.

    Somebody must have reminded CEO Sam Altman that he’s no longer operating as a nonprofit, after saying yesterday that he had “many concerns” with the EU AI Act being finalized by lawmakers. “We will try to comply, but if we can’t comply we will cease operating,” he said. And what, cede the EU’s 500 million potential paying customers to Google? Nope.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Another EV battery plant is coming to the US, thanks O’Biden.

    Hyundai and LG Energy are investing $4.3 billion to produce EV battery cells in the US. Production will begin by the end 2025 in Georgia, with an annual capacity of 30GWh in support of 300,000 EVs. LG Energy now has seven battery plants currently operating or being constructed in the US, in compliance with President Joe Biden’s clean energy tax law.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Tesla Cybertruck’s dashboard looks like a comfy place to sunbathe.

    From a few leaked pics being discussed over at the Cybertruckownersclub we see a hybrid of the yoke and round steering wheel that retains the touch-sensitive buttons instead of stalks, no display directly in front of the driver, and a dashboard deep enough to curl up and take a nap upon after doing super serious truck stuff all day.

    At least you can see the top half of a full-sized adult — good luck kids.
    At least you can see the top half of a full-sized adult — good luck kids.
    Image: Cybertruckownersclub forum
    Xgimi MoGo 2 Pro Android TV projector review: automatic entertainment

    An all-in-one portable projector that also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Is your car at risk of exploding air bags?

    The WSJ has identified at least 6.8 million vehicles with a potentially dangerous air-bag part produced by ARC Automotive:

    Air-bag inflators that regulators have warned could explode during a crash and spray the car’s interior with metal shrapnel are in at least 50 different vehicle models spanning 15 automotive brands.

    Click below to see if your Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Kia, Mini, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, or VW is on the list identified so far.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Remote work now means 2.5 days from home each week.

    “Most companies have settled into a hybrid work strategy that shows little sign of fading,” says a new report in the WSJ.

    About 58 percent of companies now allow hybrid work schedules, according to Scoop Technologies’ monitoring of 4,500 companies. Just 42 percent of companies require a full-time office presence. Low unemployment gives workers leverage and they choose flexibility, duh.