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• Polestar 4 Unveiled. Rear Windows Are So 2022.

• Tesla Dodges Lawsuit Like An Autopilot Swerve

• Would A $25K EV Start Mass Adoption?

• Toyota Admits Chinese EVs Are Ahead

POLESTAR 4 UNVEILED. REAR WINDOWS ARE SO 2022.

At the Shanghai Auto Show, Polestar unveiled its peculiar love child, the Polestar 4, a so-called "SUV Coupé". Don't be fooled, it's still an electric SUV - just with an identity crisis.

So what's new with the Polestar 4 at first sight? The rear window. The absense of it. Get that s#!t out of here. The Polestar 4 ditches the old-school window for a rear-view camera, claiming it offers better visibility. We've seen this in other cars like the Chevy Bolt, but unlike them, Polestar 4 goes all-in, abandoning the mirror option altogether. The future is now.

What's more, the glass roof extends above rear passengers' heads, creating an "immersive rear occupant experience". Okay bro. Electrochromic tech lets you switch between transparent and opaque at will.

The Polestar 4 will outrun its siblings, boasting a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds with its 544hp dual-motor setup. Opt for the single-motor version, and you'll crawl to 60 in 7.4 seconds, but hey, at least you'll squeeze out 300 miles of range from the 102kWh battery.

As for the tech inside, Polestar is committed to its relationship with Google, featuring built-in Android Automotive OS. Fear not, Apple devotees; you can still access Apple CarPlay.

If you're itching to get your hands on this bizarre creation, start saving now. The Polestar 4 will be priced around $60K USD, with full pricing details and release coming in 2024.

TESLA DODGES LAWSUIT LIKE AN AUTOPILOT SWERVE

In a California state court, Tesla scored a sweeping win as a jury ruled that the company's Autopilot feature wasn't responsible for a crash, marking the first trial related to a collision involving the partially automated driving software.

Justine Hsu, an LA resident, sued Tesla in 2020, claiming her Model S veered into a curb on Autopilot, with an airbag that deployed "so violently it fractured Plaintiff's jaw, knocked out teeth, and caused nerve damage to her face." She sought more than $3 million in damages, alleging defects in the Autopilot design and the airbag.

However, Tesla dodged the blame, stating in court filings that Hsu used Autopilot on city streets, despite the user manual's explicit warning against it. In the end, the jury awarded Hsu a grand total of zero dollars in damages, deciding that the airbag functioned correctly and that Tesla didn't intentionally withhold any facts.

Jurors concluded that driver distraction was the real culprit and that Tesla's clear warnings about the limitations of Autopilot should have been heeded. Tesla shares rose 1.3% to close at $165.08 following the verdict.

Though the trial's outcome isn't legally binding for other cases, experts see it as a bellwether to help Tesla and plaintiffs' lawyers refine their tactics.

Still, some warn that Tesla shouldn't get too comfortable. "While Tesla won this battle, they may end up losing the war," warns Raj Rajkumar, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, with people realizing that Tesla's tech is far from becoming fully autonomous despite Musk's grandiose promises.

WOULD A $25K EV START MASS ADOPTION?

You'd think the government throwing $7,500 tax credits at electric vehicles is the most important thing ever, but surprise, surprise, it's actually the car companies doing their own fancy tech and manufacturing work. And now, we're about to see a bunch of shiny new EVs that are more affordable than your morning latte (okay, maybe not that cheap, but you get the point).

This mass-market EV revolution is a big freaking deal for the environment, economy, and even politics. And it's all thanks to Biden's aggressive EV push. You better watch out, gas-guzzling cars, we're coming for you.

The new EV models are about to make everyone forget that they used to be just for the rich and famous. Instead, they're becoming the new "it" thing for everyone. Even your grandma. And who do we have to thank for that? Tesla, Ford, GM, and a bunch of other startups trying to be the cool kids on the block.

Lower-priced EVs are joining the party, with over 60 new models expected in the next few years. But not all of them will survive the EV Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in their favor.

Now, with all these budget EVs, there are a ton of questions for car makers to answer. How will they cut costs? How quickly do they need to move to stay ahead of the competition? Will these cost-saving techniques trickle up to more expensive vehicles? Most importantly, will people even want these cheaper EVs? No one really knows, but analysts seem to think it's worth a shot.

The key to making these EVs cheaper, according to some smarty-pants analysts, is new factories, bigger scale, and better battery technology. And who's best positioned to be all over that? Tesla. Tesla is claiming their next-gen strategy will slash production costs by 50%. But this is Elon we're talking about, so take that with a grain of salt and hope.

It's all eyes on Tesla now to see how low they'll go with their prices. Will they keep their promises, or will they pull a fast one on us? Only time will tell.

TOYOTA ADMITS CHINESE EVS ARE AHEAD

As the world of electric vehicles flourishes, Toyota has been dragging its feet like a stubborn child, only now realizing it needs to play catch-up. Toyota's new CEO, Koji Sato, has heavy expectations that he will get Toyota to shed its anti-EV attitude.

Sato wasted no time announcing a fresh approach, promising ten new battery-electric models by 2026 and an "ambitious" 1.5 million EV sales annually. However, Toyota's EV rollout so far has been less accelerate and more stalling in the driveway. Just look at China, where Toyota's EV sales are a laughable 0.25% of overall sales.

Desperate to stay in the game, Toyota slashed prices on its first global EV, the bZ4X, after market leaders like Tesla and BYD showed them how it's done. The automaker also recently launched its first electric sedan, the bZ3, which shockingly garnered over 5,000 orders on day one.

This week, Toyota revealed two more fully electric models: the bZ Sport Crossover, aimed at cool, young Gen Z buyers, and the bZ FlexSpace concept, designed to woo families. Sato, well aware that Toyota needs to step on the gas in China's booming EV market, told Reuters they must increase our speed and efforts to keep up with customer expectations.

While Toyota's EV production lags behind its competitors in China, Sato claims the company will take a phased approach by first improving battery tech and then ramping up production. Better late than never, right?

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.