Lifeboat Foundation

The world’s EV leader, BYD (OTC: BYDDY), announced a stock buyback plan as it continues expanding into new markets. BYD is pushing into different segments with new luxury EVs and mid-size electric SUVs.

After selling a record 526,409 all-electric vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2023, BYD topped Tesla to become the best-selling EV maker globally.

The automaker’s success was fueled by its lineup of affordable EVs like the Dolphin, Atto 3 (Yuan Plus in China), and Seal. However, BYD is quickly expanding into new segments.

Fashioned from the same element found in sand and covered by intricate patterns, microchips power smartphones, augment appliances and aid the operation of cars and airplanes.

Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are developing computer simulation codes that will outperform current simulation techniques and aid the production of microchips using plasma, the electrically charged state of matter also used in fusion research.

These codes could help increase the efficiency of the manufacturing process and potentially stimulate the renaissance of the chip industry in the United States.

A nanoporous material that holds hydrogen at twice the density of cryogenic liquid H2 could address the challenges of large-scale liquid and gas storage that have held this clean fuel back.

Hydrogen is finding plenty of applications as a clean fuel – in trucking and commercial vehicles, short range aviation and shipping, for example, where it carries considerably more energy per weight and volume than lithium batteries and can deliver superior range figures and quick refueling. You can burn it more or less like gasoline, or run it through a fuel cell to generate electric power.

It has the highest energy per mass of any fuel, but it’s a pain to store. Keep it in gas tanks and you’ll need some 700 atmospheres’ worth of compression. Keep it as a liquid, and you’ll need to maintain cryogenic temperatures just 20 degrees above absolute zero. And even when squashed into a supercooled liquid, it might be lightweight, but it takes up a surprising and inconvenient amount of volume, making it both energy-hungry and tough to package where space is an issue.

Speaker’s Bio: Catherine (Katie) Schuman is a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee (UT) in 2015, where she completed her dissertation on the use of evolutionary algorithms to train spiking neural networks for neuromorphic systems. She is continuing her study of algorithms for neuromorphic computing at ORNL. Katie has an adjunct faculty appointment with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UT, where she co-leads the TENNLab neuromorphic computing research group. Katie received the U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Award in 2019.

Talk Abstract: Neuromorphic computing is a popular technology for the future of computing. Much of the focus in neuromorphic computing research and development has focused on new architectures, devices, and materials, rather than in the software, algorithms, and applications of these systems. In this talk, I will overview the field of neuromorphic from the computer science perspective. I will give an introduction to spiking neural networks, as well as some of the most common algorithms used in the field. Finally, I will discuss the potential for using neuromorphic systems in real-world applications from scientific data analysis to autonomous vehicles.

Continue reading “Neuromorphic Computing from the Computer Science Perspective: Algorithms and Applications” »

With less than three weeks until the R2 is finally unveiled, Rivian (RIVN) confirmed it will bring the more affordable electric SUV to Europe.

After opening the R2 website last week, Rivian gave us our first look at the new EV during a teaser video.

The shadowy image shows a smaller-looking version of the R1S, aligning with what we’ve seen in the past. A patent filed by Rivian last month showed a more compact electric SUV with slightly smaller headlights and a rear quarter panel.

As we get closer to the official debut of Rivian’s more affordable R2, we are finally getting a better idea of what to expect. After teasing the model for the first time yesterday, Rivian’s R2 was reportedly spotted filming in downtown LA shortly after.

Rivian opened the R2 website yesterday, teasing the first look at the new EV in an intro video. The new EV will be revealed on March 7 at its new flagship Laguna showroom.

Although Rivian teased the new model leading up to its highly anticipated debut, we have yet to see what it looks like in full, until now. A patent filed by Rivian last month revealed a more compact electric SUV than the R1S with slightly smaller headlights.

Pint-size Chinese electric hatch could become Australia’s cheapest EV

Australia could have a new ruler of the budget EV market by the end of the year and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it looks like it will come from BYD.

The flourishing Chinese auto brand confirmed on Tuesday it would release the Seal U mid-size SUV and three other new BYD models in Australia by the end of this year, one of which we know to be the recently spied but still unnamed plug-in hybrid ute.

A designer revealed an Infiniti-inspired QX90, a concept car that looks oddly similar to the Tesla Cybertruck with a few key differences.

Lucid has cut prices on the Air electric vehicle lineup by as much as $8,000 in an attempt to surge demand.

The Lucid Air Pure Rear-Wheel-Drive is now priced at $69,900. The most affordable and accessible trim of the Air features a sleek interior and exterior design and a driving range of up to 410 miles. It was previously priced at $77,400.

The Lucid Air Touring is now priced at $77,900 and features an All-Wheel-Drive powertrain that produces 620 horsepower. It was previously $85,900.