Globe: Shannon Proudfoot: Justin Trudeau’s detractors are growing more courageous
The holidays are often a time of reflection. And even as everyone is still shaking off their cheese-induced torpor, the internal calls for Justin Trudeau to resign as Liberal Leader are accumulating.
It emerged this week that a majority of the Liberal Quebec caucus wants Mr. Trudeau to step down, though no one involved seems willing to sign their name to their convictions. This follows a meeting of the Ontario caucus just before Christmas, at which more than 50 MPs agreed that the Prime Minister needed to resign, though they, too, wanted to remain anonymous.
Cheese?
Guardian: Early phase-out of full hybrid vehicles may be a political risk too far for UK ministers
The main timetable is set: no new petrol and diesel cars will be allowed to be sold in the UK after 2030, and sales of all new hybrids will be forbidden from 2035. But that phasing still leaves open the critical matter — for the automotive industry, and for a couple of manufacturers in particular — of which new hybrids will be allowed to be sold until the last day of 2034.
Just the variety that comes with a socket — plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)? Or should old-style hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, which have smaller batteries charged by a main internal combustion engine, also be permitted?
Cue an almighty lobbying effort now that the government is finally promising an answer to a question that should have been settled years ago given the long lead times in vehicle manufacturing. A formal consultation was launched on Christmas Eve — and a decision is promised within weeks.
UPI: Ford recalls some F-150 electric trucks as NHTSA cites possible ‘loss of directional control’
The front upper control arm ball joint nut may not have been tightened properly on the Lightning BEV, which could allow it to detach from the knuckle assembly, “which can cause the driver to experience a partial loss of directional control, increasing a risk of a crash,” the administration said in its recall notice.
The NHTSA has provided an online search tool for customers to determine if their vehicle is part of the Lightning recall.
So far, the issue has caused only a single known accident, and Ford said it will begin notifying customers in early February.
Reuters: Constellation inks $1 billion deal to supply US government with nuclear power
- Power purchase deal is largest in U.S. GSA history
- Deal allows Constellation to extend life of nuclear plants, grow capacity
- Agreement is part of broader turnaround of US nuclear industry
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The deal includes $840 million for power supplied by Constellation and $172 million for the company to complete energy efficiency work, including weatherizing federal buildings and expanding the use of LED lighting.
Four buildings in the nation’s capital will be converted to electric boilers and heat pumps from current steam power systems.
CleanTechnica: BYD Bus & Commercial Vehicle Sales Explode — Charts
To start with, we’ve got the matter of electric buses. In December, BYD sold 70.8% more electric buses than it sold in December 2023. But bus deliveries are very up and down. How did 2024 as a whole compare to 2023? Year over year, electric bus sales were up by 18.6%. There were 570 more electric bus sales in December and 875 more across the year as a whole. Clearly, looking at those numbers and/or the chart above, December was the big booster to this segment of BYD’s business. Overall, BYD had solid growth of electric bus sales, but you ain’t seen nothing yet.
As far as non-bus commercial electric vehicles, BYD had huge growth in 2024. It had 3,934 more sales in December and 9,389 more sales across 2024, which meant 6556.7% growth in December and 138% growth across the full year!
So, as well as BYD did growing its passenger electric car sales, it’s probably not going to get enough attention for how much it grew its sales of large commercial electric vehicles.
NPR: Still on the hunt, FBI shares new details about pipe bombs placed ahead of Jan. 6
FBI officials are still trying to identify the individual who placed the devices – which did not detonate – near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021. Authorities say they have conducted 1,000 interviews, reviewed 39,000 video files and sifted through some 600 tips. But the alleged bomber remains elusive, despite a $500,000 reward for information leading to the capture and the conviction of a suspect.
Last Updated: 02.Jan.2025 23:42 EST
