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Microsoft’s hardware business seems to be in disarray on all fronts, especially Xbox, but it’s still trucking along with refreshed versions of its smaller Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13. The big change is the new Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, which aims to be a solid update from the slower Qualcomm chips powering those devices last year. As Microsoft’s smallest PCs, the key for both the Surface Pro 12 and Laptop 13 is portability over raw power. These were also ostensibly low-cost devices last year, with launch prices below $1,000, but as with everything else, the RAMaggedon has bumped…

Tuning culture, especially in the JDM scene, was a big deal back in the ’90s, and then things really exploded after 2001’s The Fast And The Furious brought it into the mainstream. However, as SUVs started to dominate and regular cars became more and more powerful, especially as electrification kicked in, the idea of tuning your own car largely dropped out of favor. We have Toyota RAV4s coming from the factory with over 300 horsepower, remember. Nissan hasn’t forgotten the era, however, and has served up a stunning reminder at the annual ZCON gathering for Nissan Z enthusiasts hosted by…

Nio’s first fully solar-powered battery swap station began operations at the Xingxingxia service area in Xinjiang on September 23, 2026, using solar generation and energy storage to operate off-grid. Credit: Nio. The battery swap station in Xinjiang uses solar power and energy storage to operate off-grid. The station is a key node on Nio’s 3,605-kilometer Silk Road battery swap route, which is scheduled to be fully connected on September 26. Nio (NYSE: NIO) has built its first battery swap station powered entirely by solar energy in Xinjiang, opening a new path for expanding its energy network into remote areas with…

The Drive 🤝 your inbox. Every weekday The Daily Brief wraps up the biggest stories and our exclusive reporting on the auto industry and car culture. Just a month ago, we rode in Crewe’s first-ever EV: the 2028 Bentley Torcal SUV. However, that prototype was covered in camouflage from head to toe, and we couldn’t really see any defining features. Even the cabin was masked, so there wasn’t much to talk about. Now, we can see the Torcal in all of its glory, and frankly, color me impressed. The design is striking and a major departure from anything we’ve seen…

SueWallSt is reminding investors in Hertz Global Holdings, the vehicle‑rental company, of a pending securities class action with a lead‑plaintiff deadline of Sept. 22, 2026. The case covers shareholders who purchased Hertz securities between May 7 and June 23, 2026. The lawsuit centers on whether investors were given an accurate picture of used‑car market conditions and depreciation pressure before Hertz’s stock declined more than 40 per cent following a $300 million exchangeable notes offering and updated second‑quarter earnings guidance. The complaint alleges Hertz described weakness in the used‑car market as temporary and isolated, while recurring softness was already affecting residual…

Automotive Buying an electric vehicle is only part of the equation for first-time EV owners. Figuring out how to charge it at home, what equipment is needed, and how much that charging will cost can be just as important. GM Energy and Pacific Gas and Electric Company are trying to simplify that process with a new Smart Charge Bundle for eligible PG&E residential customers in Northern and Central California. The program brings home charging equipment and utility smart-charging incentives into the EV purchase process at participating Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac dealerships. Eligible customers who purchase or lease a…

Leading our midweek Green Deals is the exclusive 5,040Wh Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus Portable Power Station undercutting the brand’s early Prime Day Sale with $1000 savings to the $2,499 annual low. We also have the Bluetti 6th Anniversary Power Week Sale on its last day with exclusive savings from $799, as well as the Worx GT 3.0 20V 12-inch 2-in-1 Cordless String Trimmer and Edger coming with 2x batteries and a spool at an $80 2026 low. From there, we have the 700 CFM Greenworks 80V Cordless Electric Leaf Blower with $60 savings, as well as some outdoor-ready devices for…

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.Bentley’s first electric vehicle is here. The ultraluxury compact crossover has finally arrived and is now ready to blast silently and quickly from estate to country club as the brand’s most powerful vehicle yet. But more than just quick and luxurious, it is also the company’s most tech-forward vehicle ever. Now to find customers who are equally tech-forward and are willing to spend the cash to spend on a model that isn’t its flagship. This article covers a…

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) have introduced new legislation that would ban anyone from developing artificial superintelligence — a technology the bill describes as capable of the “destruction or disempowerment of humanity,” including by overthrowing the government. Under the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, AI leaders would face up to 20 years in prison for violating the law.The bill doesn’t just take aim at the more powerful superintelligence, a term President Donald Trump said the US will use in place of “AI” in official documents. It would also pause the development of advanced AI systems, which lawmakers…

As great as the Toyota GR Corolla is, it’s not exactly plush or prestigious. It still has most of the interior of a Corolla, and it has Corolla badging. In Japan, if you want all that performance with a dash of luxury, you can get the Lexus LBX Morizo RR. Lexus isn’t fully satisified with the current Morizo RR, though, as we’ve been seeing prototypes of a more intense version testing at the Nurburgring. This latest set of spy shots gets us closer than ever before, and even gives us our first look inside the car. Lexus LBX Morizo RR…