Tesla Full Self-Driving impressions after three weeks of ownership
Tesla Full Self-Driving is amongst the most robust and refined semi-autonomous driver assistance systems on the market today. After three weeks of ownership, I’ve driven around half of my miles using it, and my impressions put me right in the middle of it being very impressive and needing some work. Of course, if it were perfect, it would be driving us all around all the time while we sleep, scroll our phones, or watch movies in the cockpit. It does a lot of things very well, and it has managed to impress everyone I’ve put in the passenger’s seat. However, there are some things that are obvious pain points, situations that need improvement, and areas where I believe it has a long way to go. Regardless, these are things I have noticed, and they may differ from your opinions based on your location or traffic situations. Tesla Model Y ownership two weeks in: what I love and what I don’t I’ll try to keep it pretty even and just highlight the things that are truly noticeable with Full Self-Driving. I won’t be too critical of the things that it is bad at, and I won’t try to give it too much of a pat on the back. I will be fair and tell you all what I truly enjoy, as well as what frustrates me about it. *Disclaimer: These Full Self-Driving examples were in use with v13.2.9. Where Tesla Full Self-Driving is Great Highway Driving I have yet to have a critical intervention of any kind on the highway. I have driven on easy highways like Rt. 30 in Pennsylvania, and I have driven on congested four-lane parking lots like I-695 near Baltimore, Maryland. Tesla FSD does a tremendous job on all of it. I usually use the “Hurry” setting of FSD with an offset of between 25 and 40 percent, depending on what I’m doing and where I’m going. Sometimes, I want to push it a bit, and at other times, I’m okay with taking my time and enjoying the drive. I find the driving style of Hurry is more similar to the traffic around me than the Standard, which tends to drive like an 80-year-old on their way to Bingo. It does a great job of being considerate, maintaining an appropriate rate of travel, getting over for cars that are tailgating in the left lane after passing traffic, and it always is where it needs to be when it needs to be there. Taking the Stress Out of Driving A few nights ago, I was having some trouble sleeping, and I was up at 3 a.m. I decided it would be a good time to get up, grab a breakfast burrito and a coffee, and head to the Supercharger. (If you don’t know, I do not have home charging, and I will be diving into EV ownership without that in a future article.) I let FSD drive me to the Supercharger and back while I was done. I was able to enjoy a beautiful sunrise without having to focus all my attention on the traffic around me, while still maintaining enough attention to the road to keep the driver monitoring happy. It was really nice. I enjoyed the ride, and it felt like I was in an Uber with a very careful driver while I enjoyed the rest of my coffee and peeked at the sky every few seconds. Learning and Improving A few weeks ago, I approached an “Except Right Turn” stop sign. I have discussed how these are a Pennsylvania specialty, and the first time FSD encountered one in my Model Y, it stopped, even though we were heading right. I took over, submitted a voice memo to Tesla about it, and went on with my evening. A week later, the car approached the same turn, and, to my surprise, it proceeded through the Stop Sign correctly, safely, and at an appropriate speed. It was nice to see this improvement, especially since this is one of those regional issues that Tesla will need to address before FSD is fully autonomous. The change even impressed my Fiancé, who was with me during both instances we came upon this turn. Where Tesla Full Self-Driving Could Be Better Auto Wipers Good gravy, these Auto Wipers always seem to give me a good laugh. They never really have the right speed; they are either way too fast or not fast enough. There’s never been a happy medium. It also loves to activate a single wipe of the blade at the strangest times. I’ve noticed that it actually seems to activate at the same spots on the road sometimes. There’s a hanging branch near my house, and every time we go under it and FSD is activated, the wipers wipe once. It would be nice to set your own intervals for the wipers, but I am okay with the current presets. I do hope the Auto Wipers improve, because it could be one of the best features the car has if it’s more accurate. It Struggles with Signs That Require Reading The “Except Right Turn” sign is one example, but another is a “Stop Here on Red” sign that is recessed from an intersection at a stop light if it’s a tighter turn. Recently, I had to slam on the brakes as it was headed straight through one of these signs. It can recognize Stop Signs and Yield Signs, but signs with instructions for an intersection appear to present a greater challenge for FSD. Sometimes, It Just Does Things I Don’t Like There is a four-lane light near my house; the two right lanes go straight, but the lane furthest right is for turning into businesses past the intersection. Some people tend to go in that far right lane, even if they have no intention of turning right into the businesses, and take off quickly from the light to cut ahead. I’m not saying it’s illegal or even wrong, but
ESC report details progress for ‘critical component of electricity grid’
ESC report details progress for ‘critical component of electricity grid’ - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content
Tesla Model Y may gain an extra 90 miles of range with Panasonic’s next-gen battery
Tesla is making a big change to its Full Self-Driving doghouse that drivers will like. The doghouse is a hypothetical term used to describe the penalty period that Tesla applies to drivers who receive too many infractions related to distracted driving. Previously, Tesla implemented a seven-day ban on the use of Full Self-Driving for those who received five strikes in a vehicle equipped with a cabin camera and three strikes for those without a cabin camera. It also forgave one strike per week of Full Self-Driving use, provided the driver did not receive any additional strikes during the seven-day period. Now, it is changing the timeframe of which strikes will be removed, cutting it in half. The strikes will be removed every 3.5 days, as long as no strikes are received during the time period. The change was found by Not a Tesla App, which noticed the adjustment in the Owner’s Manual for the 2025.32 Software Update. The system undoubtedly helps improve safety as it helps keep drivers honest. However, there are definitely workarounds, which people are using and promoting for monetary gain, and you can find them on basically any online marketplace, including TikTok shop and Amazon: 🚨 Seeing more and more devices like this land on various online marketplaces including TikTok shop and Amazon These devices are NOT to be used when operating Tesla Full Self-Driving and I’d love to see Tesla take action here. These “creators” looking to make a quick buck are… pic.twitter.com/VnY25k2mPL — TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 17, 2025 People are marketing the product as an FSD cheat device, which the cabin-facing camera will not be able to detect, allowing you to watch something on a phone or look through the windshield at the road. The safeguards implemented by Tesla are designed to protect drivers from distractions and also protect the company itself from liability. People are still using Full Self-Driving as if it were a fully autonomous product, and it is not. Tesla even says that the driver must pay attention and be ready to take over in any scenario: “Yes. Autopilot is a driver assistance system that is intended to be used only with a fully attentive driver. It does not turn a Tesla into a fully autonomous vehicle. Before enabling Autopilot, you must agree to “keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times” and to always “maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle.” Once engaged, Autopilot will also deliver an escalating series of visual and audio warnings, reminding you to place your hands on the wheel if insufficient torque is applied or your vehicle otherwise detects you may not be attentive enough to the road ahead. If you repeatedly ignore these warnings, you will be locked out from using Autopilot during that trip. You can override any of Autopilot’s features at any time by steering or applying the accelerator at any time.” It is good that Tesla is rewarding those who learn from their mistakes with this shorter timeframe to lose the strikes. It won’t be needed forever, though, as eventually, the company will solve autonomy. The question is: when?
Invinity hunts flow battery supply chain, manufacturing advantage
The MoU sets out an intent for the pair to collaborate on manufacturing facilities through working capital investment and access to Xiamen C&D’s supply chain capabilities, furthered by support from the regional government of Xiamen. Matt Harper is speaking with ESN Premium on the sidelines of RE+, a few months after Invinity’s announcement of a first China partnership, with Chinese battery materials and manufacturing specialist Guangxi United Energy Storage New Materials Technology Limited (UESNT). In an interview at that time, Harper said the tie-in with UESNT would help achieve lower costs and better supply chain access for the manufacture of Invinity’s flow battery solution, Endurium. The president said then that this would include producing systems for sale in other markets and eventually tackling the ultra-low-cost Chinese market itself. The new partnership adds another layer to Invinity’s China partnership, Harper tells us at RE+. The deal pulls in the involvement of a consortium that includes existing partner UESNT, but now also Hong Kong-based International Resources Limited, which has a controlling interest in a vanadium mining operation in South Africa. These mines have “historically been some of the world’s largest sources of vanadium,” Harper says, and the access to raw materials could transform Invinity’s strategy to encompass “vertical integration, all the way back to the dirt in the ground.” As for C&D, Harper notes that Hithium, one of the fastest-rising among China’s vertically integrated lithium-ion (Li-ion) BESS suppliers, is also headquartered in Xiamen. The regional government is keen to explore whether it can achieve in vanadium flow batteries what has been achieved in the Li-ion BESS space with Hithium. “C&D is going to help us scale up and industrialise the factory that we announced a few months ago, that is going to be manufacturing product for the rest of China, but that will ultimately be part of our global supply chain, based out of that part of China,” he says. Harper notes that the move has some precedence within China, with domestic VRFB player Rongke Power supported by the governments of Dalian and Bolong, an industrial group also rooted in the province. “This is a very prominent example of a very large existing industrial company in China taking an interest in this space. China is the most cost-competitive energy storage market in the world. If you look at the prices at which lithium projects have been successfully bid, prices are lower than anywhere else,” Harper says. “For us to work alongside a partner in country that is confident they are going to have a cost-competitive product for that domestic market, while giving us access to the supply chain for those products for deployment of the rest of the world, is, in our view, the fastest possible way to get our costs way down.” He argues that adding access to vanadium from South Africa, which will be brought into China as ore and processed into electrolyte, is a level of vertical integration comparable to that achieved for lithium batteries. “That level of vertical integration is one of the reasons why China’s lithium battery industry has been so phenomenally successful. This will give us the chance to do exactly the same thing.” China deal could make Invinity a ‘fast follower,’ even in the US Through the partnership, Invinity hopes to target “a couple of very large storage solicitations in China that would require product to be delivered starting in the latter half of next year,” along with opportunities in other countries like the UK’s Cap and Floor long-duration energy storage (LDES) solicitations, similar procurements in California and the Eastern US seaboard as well as in two provinces of Canada. All of those would require delivery from the first half of 2027. However, as may be obvious to regular readers of Energy-Storage.news by now, flow batteries made in China in the next couple of years will likely find new foreign entity of concern (FEOC) rules on investment tax credit (ITC) eligibility and import tariffs are major barriers, if not outright prohibitive, to supplying the US market. “That’s absolutely true. What we will be able to do is leverage some of the manufacturing technologies,” Harper says. Invinity already has existing production facilities in Scotland, UK and in Canada. “A lot of the work that we’re going to be doing is to rationalise the manufacturing of these devices. As we are learning how to do that through the capital backing of our partners in China, to build those factories over there, that will allow us here in North America to be essentially fast followers into those manufacturing techniques.” “A lot of those programmes that we’re looking at here in North America for hundreds of megawatt-hours or more are looking for non-lithium [technologies], and they’re looking for delivery starting in late 2026, early 2027. That should give us the runway to go and do those based on what we’ve learned.” India partnership and investment, C&I product launch During the show, a few days later (11 September), Invinity announced a £25 million (US$34 million) investment from, and partnership with, India-headquartered biofuels, LDES and urban mobility group Atri Energy Transition and Next Gen Mobility, a new energy tech IP company incorporated in the UK Channel Islands tax haven Guernsey. Both companies agreed to purchase 12.5 million ordinary shares of Invinity stock each. As reported by our colleagues at Solar Power Portal, the flow battery company hopes the relationships will, among other things, enable better access to the growing stationary energy storage market in India and help it establish a cost advantage in manufacturing there in future. Our interview took place two days ahead of the announcement, and with Invinity bound by market rules, Harper had been unable to mention or discuss the deal at the time. However, he hinted that a deal announcement in a new territory was imminent and said the company was excited by its prospects. Another announcement that Harper could talk about was the launch of Endurium Enterprise, an adapted version of the utility-scale Endurium product,
Tesla called 'biggest meme stock we've ever seen' by Yale associate dean
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is being called “the biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen” by Yale School of Management Senior Associate Dean Jeff Sonnenfeld, who made the comments in a recent interview with CNBC. Sonnenfeld’s comments echo those of many of the company’s skeptics, who argue that its price-to-earnings ratio is far too high when compared to other companies also in the tech industry. Tesla is often compared to companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft when these types of discussions come up. Fundamentally, yes, Tesla does trade at a P/E level that is significantly above that of any comparable company. However, it is worth mentioning that Tesla is not traded like a typical company, either. Here’s what Sonnenfeld said regarding Tesla: “This is the biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen. Even at its peak, Amazon was nowhere near this level. The PE on this, well above 200, is just crazy. When you’ve got stocks like Nvidia, the price-earnings ratio is around 25 or 30, and Apple is maybe 35 or 36, Microsoft around the same. I mean, this is way out of line to be at a 220 PE. It’s crazy, and they’ve, I think, put a little too much emphasis on the magic wand of Musk.” Many analysts have admitted in the past that they believe Tesla is an untraditional stock in the sense that many analysts trade it based on narrative and not fundamentals. Ryan Brinkman of J.P. Morgan once said: “Tesla shares continue to strike us as having become completely divorced from the fundamentals.” Dan Nathan, another notorious skeptic of Tesla shares, recently turned bullish on the stock because of “technicals and sentiment.” He said just last week: “I think from a trading perspective, it looks very interesting.” Nathan said Tesla shares show signs of strength moving forward, including holding its 200-day moving average and holding against current resistance levels. Sonnenfeld’s synopsis of Tesla shares points out that there might be “a little too much emphasis on the magic wand of Musk.” Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever This could refer to different things: perhaps his recent $1 billion stock buy, which sent the stock skyrocketing, or the fact that many Tesla investors are fans and owners who do not buy and sell on numbers, but rather on news that Musk might report himself. Tesla is trading around $423.76 at the time of publication, as of 3:25 p.m. on the East Coast.
Samsung SDI to start US BESS manufacturing from 2026
Samsung SDI to start US BESS manufacturing from 2026 - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content
SpaceX is partnering with chipmakers to enable Starlink satellite-to-cell service
The Tesla Semi has led to a new partnership between the company and Uber, as the two are launching a program that aims to revolutionize logistics by making sustainable commercial vehicles more accessible. Uber announced on Tuesday that it was planning to launch the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program in a new partnership with Tesla. Uber’s Freight division is mainly responsible for the new program, which it calls a “first-of-its-kind buyer’s program designed to make electric freight more affordable and accessible by addressing key adoption barriers.” Tesla and Uber will work together, using the company’s all-electric Semi, to make sustainable Class 8 electric trucks more affordable with three main strategies: Subsidized Pricing, Predictable Growth, and Optimization of Utilization. Subsidized Price: Fleets purchasing Tesla Semis through this program will receive a subsidy on the purchase price. Predictable Growth: Fleets will integrate their Tesla Semis into Uber Freight’s dedicated solutions for shippers for a pre-determined period. This creates an opportunity for carriers to forecast revenue with confidence, while shippers gain consistent access to reliable, zero-emission capacity. Optimize Utilization: Uber Freight taps into its extensive freight network to match carriers with consistent, high-quality freight from our strong shipper base—helping ensure the addition of these Tesla Semis stay fully utilized and carriers see dedicated, real, measurable returns from the start Tesla will work directly with interested companies to iron out technical details about the Semi, as well as its cost of ownership based on the tailored needs of their business. Fleets can expect savings on the first day, Uber says, as they will avoid diesel fuel costs and reduced maintenance, a widely known advantage of EVs. Uber announced that it had partnered with select carriers to pilot the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program prior to its launch: “During the 2-month pilot program, the Tesla Semis showcased both reliability and efficiency for Uber Freight’s shipper network. Over 394 hours of drive time, carriers covered 12,377 miles. With an average net energy consumption of just 1.72 kWh per mile and only 60 hours of total charge time, these results highlight the operational viability of Tesla Semis on demanding freight lanes. “ In its press release launching the program, Uber effectively highlights how the use of the Semi can impact a company’s margins and profitability through fuel savings, reduced maintenance costs, and lower total cost of ownership. This is something that turns so many people away from gas cars and toward EVs, so it’s no surprise that Uber wanted to emphasize this point on a larger scale with a company that utilizes a fleet of vehicles. Tesla Semi shows strong results in ArcBest’s real-world freight trial Tesla has been experimenting with a select group of companies, as well. It partnered with PepsiCo. several years ago, in an effort to launch a pilot program for the Semi. It had excellent results, showing higher efficiency, lower costs, and an exceptional ability to handle long runs. Drivers have had a lot of positive things to say: Tesla Semi earns strong reviews from veteran truckers The Semi will enter mass production next year, but we anticipate that some companies will commit to Uber’s new platform well before then.
China targets 180GW of installed BESS capacity by 2027
China targets 180GW of installed BESS capacity by 2027 - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content
JLR halts global production for almost entirety of September
JLR will not produce any vehicles for almost the entirety of September, raising concerns about its supply chain and financial prospects. By Will Girling Following a "cyber incident" on 1 September 2025, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has decided to extend its production pause to 24 September. This will allow time for a forensic investigation into the attack and ensure global operations can be restored safely, according to a statement from the automaker. Subscribe to Automotive World to continue reading Sign up now and gain unlimited access to our news, analysis, data, and research Subscribe Already a member? Join our LinkedIn Group Let us help you understand the future of mobility "*" indicates required fields
Why Everlane switched to a ‘clean luxury’ message
Everlane launched 14 years ago as an ethical apparel brand extolling “radical transparency,” a term that it trademarked. This year, the company has shifted to a “clean luxury” message to elevate its image and focus on sustainability. Advancing lower-impact, certified and mostly natural materials supports the company’s net zero goal for 2050 and hedges against future regulatory risks. The strategy also seeks to rebuild trust lost five years ago, after workers blasted Everlane for greenwashing and poor labor and social practices. Steering Everlane forward is Alfred Chang, a former Fear of God and PacSun chief executive. Last October, he became Everlane’s third CEO since co-founder Michael Preysman stepped away in 2021. Katina Boutis, the senior director of sustainability and sourcing who joined Everlane early in 2021, described the label as “moving from transparency of pricing to transparency of supply chain to a very robust and holistic view of sustainability across social and environmental impacts.” For instance, the company is closing in on a goal of 100 percent “preferred” materials that eliminate virgin plastics by the end of this year, according to Boutis, previously the sustainability director at luggage maker Away. Ninety percent of Everlane’s materials in 2024 met such “lower-impact” standards, such as being organic, recycled or responsibly sourced. “We’ve proven over the years that we can build a strategy that is meaningful and also attain very lofty goals,” Boutis told Trellis. Shifting recognition “Everlane now stands out less for its marketing claims and more for the tangible steps it’s taking on materials, emissions and accountability,” said fashion industry veteran and consultant Liz Alessi. The company recently topped a list of 52 brands in the 2024 Fashion Accountability Report by Remake, a San Francisco advocacy group. External estimates, which the privately held Everlane declined to verify, peg its 2024 sales around $200 million or more, with 420 employees across six continents. Although not a brand leader by size, Everlane’s transparent and ethical selling points have invited scrutiny since its founding. It holds a longtime narrative of eliminating middlemen to sell finely crafted, timeless fashions directly to consumers at a markdown. Its graphic of the “true costs” of a garment went viral. Tracing the trouble Despite this focus, Everlane was from its earliest days subject to watchdog complaints that it was short on sustainability details. And those complaints paled next to a March 2020 tweet by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who shamed the company after it had laid off hundreds of retail and customer support roles following attempts to unionize. That summer, former employees (self-described as the “Everlane Ex-Wives Club”) penned a public letter complaining of the company’s systemic racism and “convenient transparency.” Following an apology and investigation, Everlane changed leadership and began publishing annual impact reports. Still, the company’s social responsibility disclosures fall short of being “radical,” according to Luke Smitham, a senior manager at Kumi Consulting in London. “Currently they are very much within the pack but their communication tends to be more detailed and in some places refreshingly honest,” he said. For instance, the company explains why achieving living wages within its supply chain is very challenging, according to Smitham. Material matters Although the company declined to comment on past controversies, it is eager to discuss its progress on sourcing and manufacturing. Both are pivotal to hitting its net zero target, validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative. Sixty percent of the business’s climate footprint originates from materials, and 99 percent from Scope 3 sources. Boutis described leading sustainability and sourcing across “a very tightly wound, cross-functional team.” She reports to a senior vice president who reports to Chang and the board. “While many brands dabble in sustainable fabrics, Everlane has created a clear roadmap toward 100 percent preferred materials and tied it directly to science-based climate targets,” consultant Alessi said. “They’ve already achieved 90 percent of their materials meeting those standards and they’re one of the few brands close to fully sourcing sustainably. The choices they make in closing that final gap will define what true material leadership looks like in the industry.” Everlane’s preferred materials ramp-up Credit: Everlane 2024 Impact Report Last year, the company counted an emissions drop of 52 percent per product unit against a baseline year of 2019 — close to the 2030 aim of 55 percent. So far, 95 percent of its cotton is either organic, regenerative, recycled or traceable back to the farm. Everlane invests in climate- and soil-friendly farming projects. In addition, all of Everlane’s virgin leather, manmade cellulosic fibers and down meet third-party standards. The company has switched 45 core materials to recycled versions, although 4 percent of its polyester and nylon still included virgin sources in 2024. Everlane originally sought to eliminate virgin plastics by 2021 for products and packaging, too. It succeeded with packaging, but moved the product goal to 2025. “We see this less as pushing out a deadline and more as doubling down on a systems-level challenge,” Boutis said. After realizing that the hard-to-recycle items such as zipper pulls, buttons and stretchy fabrics were an industry-wide problem, Everlane sought to support related startups. In addition, 91 percent of the label’s goods were made under third party-certified chemicals standards, such as Oeko-Tex. And 78 percent of its Tier 2 mills, including for dyeing and finishing, had cleaner chemistry certifications. “Once we achieve one goal or one milestone, we have to set our sights further,” Boutis said. “Sometimes, what we’ve noticed is that the solutions don’t even exist today.” That applies, for example, to Everlane’s participation with the Apparel Impact Institute in its efforts to help suppliers adopt low-emissions practices. And although bottle-to-textile recycling may be the best “circular” solution so far, textile-to-textile recycling could be better. To that end, Everlane is partnering with Fiber Club, a multi-brand project by the startup Circ, to feature Circ’s recycled lyocell in a small 2026 collection. Reducing plastic risks The natural fiber-forward approach is also about risk reduction. Everlane actively supports policies, including the nation’s first extended producer responsibility law,
Is your company a Top Workplace for Engineers? Nominations are open
Engineering.com is excited to launch its second annual Top Workplaces for Engineers program, recognizing companies that prioritize positive and sustainable work environments for engineers. Last year, we acknowledged 35 companies that exemplify a people-first workplace culture where engineers can thrive and innovate. Once again, we’re teaming up with Energage, the HR technology company behind the Top Workplaces employer recognition program, to discover more companies that should be at the top of your list of potential employers. Whether you’re a mid-career professional looking to move to the next level, a new graduate trying to decide on the best companies to pursue, or a student looking for a specific field of engineering study, this program is a go-to resource for you. To be eligible, participating companies must employ at least 35 engineers or have an engineering workforce comprising 10% or more of their total workforce. The award is based on employee feedback captured by the confidential, research-backed Energage Workplace Survey. Participating companies will be evaluated against the industry’s most robust benchmarks based on more than 18 years of culture research. The award will honor companies that create exceptional workplace environments for engineering professionals across various industries, and we will publish the list of winners in the spring of 2026. If you believe you work at a company that deserves such recognition and meets the criteria, nominate them at: engineering.com/topworkplaces. The nomination period runs through mid-January, but submit your nomination much sooner, before the busy end-of-year season kicks in with full force. Reach out to Rachael Pasini at rpasini@wtwhmedia.com or any Engineering.com editor with questions, and stay tuned for the exciting results next year! The post Is your company a Top Workplace for Engineers? Nominations are open appeared first on Engineering.com.
Finance a new EV for less: EV deals with 0% interest this September
Lease deals get all the headlines, but 75% of new car buyers still finance their cars, indicating that they want to own their vehicles once the payments are done. If that sounds like you, and you’ve been holding out for relief from sky-high payments, a wave of new EVs are now available with 0% financing — making it one of the best months yet to buy a new EV. more…
SAE launches global EV battery mineral traceability standard
SAE International has introduced the J3327 Surface Vehicle EV Battery Global Traceability standard, which it calls the first industry-wide framework designed to document and track the journey of critical minerals used in EV batteries. The standard covers stages from extraction and manufacturing to use and end of life. SAE says that J3327 addresses urgent needs for consistent and reliable mineral traceability, helping EV manufacturers and suppliers meet evolving compliance requirements and supporting reuse and recycling operations. J3327 is developed by SAE’s Battery Global Traceability Committee. The standard creates a structured record—an Electric Vehicle Battery Traceability Record—that enables transparent tracking of mineral sourcing and custody throughout the battery’s production and lifecycle. SAE notes that adopting this consistent approach can help companies streamline processes, manage compliance more efficiently, and support safe end-of-life battery processing. J3327 is designed for compatibility with international supply chain requirements, including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) protocols and the European Union’s Digital Product Passport for batteries. SAE claims that the standard enhances verification and security, supporting accurate country-of-origin verification and helping to prevent falsified sourcing claims, while also reducing risks associated with battery management systems. Technical and compliance professionals in the EV industry can access SAE J3327 directly from SAE International. “This framework for an Electric Vehicle Battery Traceability Record, SAE J3327, establishes a foundation for transparent, consistent identification of critical mineral sourcing and chain of custody during processing and manufacturing of EV batteries,” said Frank Menchaca, circular economy leader at LiBridge and chair of the SAE Battery Global Traceability Committee. “It provides a consistent approach that will save companies time and money while enabling recycling and safe end-of-life processing.” Source: SAE International
Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares rose on Monday after CEO Elon Musk disclosed a rare insider purchase of company stock worth about $1 billion. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that Musk acquired 2.57 million shares last Friday at various prices. The move represents Musk’s largest TSLA purchase ever by value, as per Verity data. Elon Musk’s TSLA purchase The disclosure sent Tesla shares up more than 8% in premarket trading Monday, as investors read the purchase as a notable vote of confidence, as stated in a CNBC report. Tesla stock had closed slightly lower Friday but remains more than 25% higher over the past three months. It should be noted that prior to this latest move, Musk’s most recent purchase was for about 200,000 shares worth $10 million in 2020. Market watchers say the purchase could help shore up investor sentiment amid a volatile year for TSLA stock. Shares have faced pressure from a variety of factors, from year-over-year sales challenges due to the new Model Y changeover, political controversies tied to Musk, and reduced U.S. incentives for EVs under the Trump administration. Nevertheless, analysts such as Wedbush’s Dan Ives stated that Musk’s purchase was a “huge sign of confidence for Tesla bulls and shows Musk is doubling down on his Tesla A.I. bet.” BREAKING: Elon Musk bought over 2.56M $TSLA shares in a Form 4 filing, worth over $1B. pic.twitter.com/65liXMokUj — Herbert Ong (@herbertong) September 15, 2025 Tesla and Elon Musk Musk already owns about 13% of Tesla, and his latest purchase comes as the company prepares for a key shareholder vote in November. Investors will decide whether to approve a compensation package for Musk that could ultimately be worth as much as $975 billion if ambitious market value milestones are achieved. The package has a long-term target of pushing Tesla’s market capitalization to $8.5 trillion, compared with about $1.3 trillion at Friday’s close. Wall Street’s current consensus price target still implies a roughly 20% decline from current levels, though some Tesla bulls remain optimistic that the company could shift its focus toward autonomy, AI, and robotics. Musk has also asked shareholders to approve an investment into his latest venture, xAI. The post Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever appeared first on TESLARATI.
Why Venus Williams wore wool at the U.S. Open
Tennis legend Venus Williams turned heads at this year’s U.S. Open, carrying a high-fluff shearling tennis racket case by small Venice Beach brand ERL. She flashed more sheep-forward fashion while playing with John McEnroe in a black Merino wool dress by Brooklyn designer Luar. For more than 10,000 years, wool was an OG outdoor fiber. Like Merino sheep, people benefit from wool’s temperature-regulating properties in extreme cold and heat. Athletes like its moisture-deflecting, odor-resistant properties. In a few short decades, though, stretchy synthetic blends became the materials to beat in sports. Pro leagues play in highly engineered polyester, nylon, spandex and elastane. Lightweight, fast-drying and highly specialized blends endure friction, torque and frequent washings. Adidas, Nike, Puma and Under Armour are continuing their commitments to synthetics for uniforms, but also investing in recycling systems and startups to slim the virgin petro-fibers from their climate footprints. And with those synthetics making up two-thirds of all fashions, many younger adults have little experience with wool, thinking of the itch factor of rougher fibers rather than pliable, cushiony Merino. A ‘breakout’ for wool? But now, sustainability experts see the pendulum swinging back. “Anything that one of the Williams sisters is promoting could be a breakout moment in tennis products,” said Cynthia Power, a former Eileen Fisher director who co-hosts the Untangling Circularity podcast. Wool makes up just less than 1 percent of the global fiber mix, according to the International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO). That was about a million metric tons’ worth in 2023, based on a count by the Textile Exchange. However, the demand for natural textiles will nudge the annual wool market from $43.9 billion in 2025 to $52.6 billion by 2030, with annual growth just under 4 percent, according to Mordor Intelligence. And while brand giants are not yet championing wool, numerous small companies are using the material, casting it as free of the chemical and carbon burdens of oil-based fibers. The list of these makers includes Mons Royale, Ibex, Devold, Woolx, Woolly, Wool&, Ryker, Röjk Superwear, Ridge Merino and Duckworth. “We’re excited to see Merino on a global stage,” said VF Corporation’s Alicia Chin, director of sustainability and social impact for emerging brands. VF, the parent of The North Face and Vans, snapped up wool labels Icebreaker in 2018 and Smartwool in 2011. Chin predicted that wool will reach the mainstream as companies further enhance its quick-dry time, moisture-wicking and cooling properties. Smartwool, launched by ski instructors in 1994, helped to popularize fine Merino. The label’s formula blends in recycled polyester and Tencel fiber. VF does not break out sales of sub-brands or fibers, but Smartwool took in $31 million in 2024, according to ECDB analytics. Since 1965, Woolmark of Australia has represented wool producers. To elevate the fiber, it has collaborated with a wide spectrum of designers. Among the examples of wool in high-sweat settings: Running: Optim technology, by Woolmark with Nanshan Group, stretches 100-percent fine Merino fibers before spinning, for a super-dense, windbreaking and water-resistant outerwear fabric. In 2023, a Woolmark-sponsored ultramarathon in Korea clad runners in Optim jackets made by The North Face. Wool also appears in shoes: Circle Sportswear’s Supernatural Runner, the Salomon PULSAR PRG KNIT and numerous Allbirds. Sailing: The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team wore wool at the Americas’s Cup last year. Golf: The TaylorMade label, which partners with Tiger Woods, has marketed Merino apparel in South Korea. Swimming: Several companies are making wool swimsuits, with ads showing Olympic swimmers. “Wool truly is an ideal fiber” for sports and recreation, said Nica Rabinowitz, who manages brand engagement and supply chain efforts at the nonprofit Fibershed. “A lot of these synthetic fibers are trying to recreate what wool does, but are not able to do it as well and likely never will.” Wool’s edge Merino base layers outperformed synthetics for regulating body temperatures in hiking, cycling and golf, according to a study by North Carolina State University (which was funded by Woolmark). Norwegian brand Devold’s $818 Trollkyrkja jacket uses Merino-based Optim fabric. Credit: DevoldSource: Devold “Wool already has a meaningful share in base layers and multi-sport, next-to-skin applications,” said John Roberts, the managing director of Woolmark in London. He foresees wool helping brands to phase out PFAS forever chemicals and combat microplastics. Engineering wool to create outerwear without toxic water-proof coatings also aligns with regulatory pressure, Roberts added. Anti-PFAS laws are already on the books in New York and California, and spreading throughout Europe. As evidence builds about the health harms and prevalence of microfiber pollution, plastic textiles pose future risks to brands and retailers. The sustainability question Australia, China and New Zealand are wool production hotspots, and industrial transparency is scant. However, sustainability-driven brands emphasize their vetting of smallholder suppliers. Smartwool, for one, sources 85 percent from ZQRX-approved “regenerative” farms in New Zealand. Wool meeting the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) for animal and land welfare practices, grew in market share slightly in 2023, to 4.8 percent over 4.2 percent a year earlier. The sustainability picture for wool is complicated. Not least, sheep require ample land for grazing and emit a lot of methane. Wool boosters complain, however, that lifecycle analyses unfairly depict polyester and its ilk as less impactful. They point out orange-to-apples equations of the emissions of petrochemical fiber production against those from wool, which remain within the natural carbon cycle. “One challenge is that natural fibers are often assessed on the wrong terms using models that don’t account for their ability to regenerate land or to biodegrade,” said Roberts of Woolmark. “Regenerative grazing sheep, for example, can improve biodiversity, store carbon and build soil health, so the farm itself becomes part of the circular system.” The recycling rate for wool is only 6 percent, but that’s much higher than for other fibers. Only 1 percent of fabrics overall were recycled from waste textiles. And although 12.5 percent of polyester comes from recycled sources, most derives from things like plastic bottles or fishing nets rather than fashion waste. Recycling 100
Ask questions, make mistakes: Succeeding as a young engineer
Fernando Sarmiento grew up watching airplanes. Now, as a manufacturing engineer at Swift Engineering, he’s helping them fly. The first of his family to become an engineer, Sarmiento forged his own path into the profession. Driven by a passion for planes and a ceaseless curiosity, in 2022 he graduated from UC Irvine with a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering. He worked as a chemical engineer at Axiom Materials after graduating and moved on to Swift Engineering in April 2025. Now, with a few years of experience on his back, Sarmiento wants to help other young engineers find their footing. Engineering.com spoke with Sarmiento to learn about his engineering journey, his advice for engineers starting their careers, and his thoughts on getting more people involved in engineering. Fernando Sarmiento, manufacturing engineer at Swift Engineering. (Image: Fernando Sarmiento.) The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity. Engineering.com: What first drew you to engineering? Fernando Sarmiento: I grew up really close to LAX, so as a kid I would always watch the airplanes fly over. I was always super fascinated by them. Like, how are these things even flying right now? As I grew older I learned that engineers play a really big part in making these aircraft. So I saw that that was a career path that could potentially lead to working on one of these things. That was always a dream of mine, being able to work on something that was able to fly in the sky. So I’ve been working away at that dream of mine since I was a kid. I was also super curious and always asking questions. And built a lot of Legos too. Were there any influential engineers who helped shape your decision to become an engineer? Growing up, in my family there were basically no engineers. I’m a first generation Latino, so not much of my family went to college here in the States, and the ones that did are not engineers. So I didn’t really have anyone from my family that was an engineer to look up to. I kind of had to do my own research and figure it out on my own, or in school they would mention that career path from time to time. So I wouldn’t say I had anyone who helped shape my decision, in terms of an engineer. I would just say I had a really, really solid family backing me to whatever decision I wanted to make. I have my mom and dad to thank for who I am today and the position I’m in today. When I mentioned to them that I wanted to be an engineer, they gave me their full support. And I’m just happy to say that they’re proud of their son, proud he was able to become an engineer. Where are your parents from? My dad is from El Salvador and my mom is from Guatemala. Both immigrants. And they met over here and they raised me here in LA. How did you find your way into materials science? That was in college. I went in undeclared to college, but I knew I wanted to do some type of engineering. I really liked the mix of chemistry and physics that materials science gave at the time. I felt like mechanical engineering was more physics heavy, and then chemical was just full on chemistry. So I really liked having a mix of a little bit of everything. I love materials science. Could you describe your involvement in an engineering project that went well? At my previous company we were trying to launch a new material, and we had a machine that no one had used. So we were trying to figure it out on the fly. I was involved by running small lab-scale samples in the lab, and from there, getting data to try at a full production scale to see what could potentially work, what wouldn’t work, what we shouldn’t bother using our time on. So I was collaborating with a few of the other engineers and technicians to help standardize a new product line of material. And I believe I was able to improve the team by training technicians on how to run the machine. I definitely gained a lot of experience there. I wrote basically all the procedures, all the paperwork for how to properly operate that equipment. I also learned a lot about working with technicians. It was kind of just learning through trial and error. I definitely made a lot of mistakes, but an important thing is it’s okay to make mistakes. Just try to not repeat them, and you can learn from them. I think I was able to help the team by taking my knowledge from an engineering standpoint and being able to translate it down to the technician standpoint, putting all the paperwork in line. And I believe even to this day they’re still using that to train new hires to work on that machine. At the end of the day, it was a pretty successful project. We were able to ship good material to our customers and got good feedback. It’s probably still a work in progress, but that’s just the nature of R&D. What do you do in your current role at Swift Engineering? I’m a manufacturing engineer now. Before, I was making the materials to make the parts, and now I’m actually making parts that could potentially go onto aircraft. And that’s the path I was looking to take in my career. So when I saw the opportunity I jumped at it. I’m working a lot with the production floor on day-to-day tasks of making composite parts and troubleshooting. There’s always issues with any part that you’re going to make. So I’m working with them, trying to iron out any issues, again working on documentation, on procedures to make their life easier, giving them the right steps to follow for making good parts. That’s my role now. What
2026 Nissan Leaf 3rd-generation first drive impressions: don’t you dare call it a hatchback
Nissan unveiled its third-generation Leaf earlier this year, but we were allowed some initial drive impressions on Wednesday. Of course, the first thing that stands out about the new Leaf is its design. Nissan says it’s adopting a subcompact crossover style instead of the hatchback style in the previous two iterations. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the quirky design of the first-generation Leaf, but the design was polarizing to say the least. The second-generation Leaf was more widely palatable, but bland and almost forgettable. The design team at Nissan stepped up hugely with the 2026 Leaf, channeling looks from the Nissan Ariya, which shares the same EV platform. more…
BASF launches low-conductivity coolants to enhance EV battery safety and performance
BASF has introduced a range of low electrical conductivity coolants (LECCs) under the GLYSANTIN ELECTRIFIED line, developed specifically for electric vehicle battery systems to comply with China’s new GB 29743.2-2025 standard, which becomes effective on October 1, 2025. The new coolants are produced at BASF’s Pudong manufacturing facility in Shanghai and are designed to enhance battery safety and stability by reducing fluid decomposition and hydrogen generation. The GLYSANTIN ELECTRIFIED LECCs are engineered to maintain low and stable electric currents even under exposure to high-voltage EV battery components, aiming to prevent overheating, fire, and explosion by minimizing decomposition and hydrogen formation. BASF says the formulation also provides corrosion protection and long-term material compatibility, validated by external certifications from SGS and RATTC, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Transport of China. Initial production and market focus for these LECCs are centered in China, which BASF identifies as the largest market for new energy vehicles. According to BASF, the coolants are intended to support the evolving safety requirements in China’s electric vehicle industry. The company notes that future expansion plans depend on customer demand in other regions. Source: BASF
