Latest news with #utility
The Verge
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Verge
Slate Auto FAQ: your questions answered
Alright, we get it. Y'all are excited about Slate. We thought the little Slate Truck was cool, but based on the number of clicks and comments on our Slate Auto articles so far, you'd like to know more. Many of you wrote in with questions and more than a few people raised some doubts. So, we wanted to address as many of those as we could. Here's your one-stop shop for Slate answers based on your questions — plus a few of our own. What are the Slate's full specs, and how does it compare to a Ford Maverick or F-150? The Slate is clearly a vehicle built for everyday utility, and while it'll make for a handy machine for hauling a lot of things, big towing and heavy cargo were clearly not a top priority. Here are the key specs, compared against the four-wheel drive hybrid Ford Maverick with the 2.5-liter engine and a Ford F-150 4x2 with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. Slate Truck Ford Maverick Ford F-150 Horsepower (hp) 201 191 325 Curb weight (lbs) 3,602 3,674 4,171 Max payload (lbs) 1,433 1,500 1,775 Max towing (lbs) 1,000 2,000 8,400 Bed length (ft) 5 4.5 5.5, 6.5, or 8 Bed width (max / min, in) 50 / 54.9 42.6 / 53.3 50.6 / 66.9 Seats 2 5 5 It's worth noting that these Ford numbers vary widely based on configuration. For example, you can get a '4K Tow Package' on the Maverick that boosts towing to 4,000 lbs, and the F-150 has hundreds of variations depending on need. Max towing on an F-150 is 13,500 lbs. The numbers above represent the figures quoted by Ford for a base, option-free vehicle. And one final note: towing substantially reduces the efficiency of the tow vehicle, due to the weight of the trailer and its additional aerodynamic drag. For an electric vehicle like the Slate, that will surely result in reduced range, perhaps by as much as half depending on the trailer. Where will the vehicle be manufactured? Slate has confirmed manufacturing will take place in a former catalog printing facility in Warsaw, Indiana, which closed in 2023. Slate hopes to renovate the facility and eventually employ 2,000 workers, with an annual production volume of 150,000 vehicles. And the company is seeking tax abatements on the factory site from the county government to begin construction. Full details on that here. That domestic production should mean that vehicles produced by Slate are eligible for the full $7,500 federal rebate — if the credit still exists late next year when the Truck enters production. Does the Slate Truck have a cellular connection? No, the Slate Truck does not have built-in cellular connectivity. LTE is an increasingly common feature in new cars, enabling auto manufacturers to do all sorts of stuff, including good things like software updates and some perhaps not so good things like selling your driving data. For the former, o-the-air updates will still be possible via the Slate smartphone app. Updates will be downloaded to the phone and then pushed to the Slate Truck via USB cable. As for the latter, that leads us to our next question. Will Slate harvest and sell my driving data? Not your driving data, no, but you can upload data about the health of your vehicle. Jeff Jablansky, Slate Auto's head of public relations and communications, gave us this example: 'A 'check engine' light comes on: if the driver has their phone plugged in and has opted in to data movement, the company will send a notification to the Slate app so they can be aware of potential service needs.' Jablansky confirmed that no data will be sold to third parties. Can I precondition my Slate Truck? One of the joys of owning a modern EV is easy preconditioning. Regardless of where your car is parked, you can get the interior warmed up or cooled down from just a few taps on your smartphone, all without having to worry about filling your garage with carbon monoxide. Can you do that in the Slate Truck? Maybe. The lack of cellular connection means you won't be able to wirelessly connect to your Truck from anywhere, but Jablansky didn't rule it out entirely, saying, 'This is something we are working on through the app.' Will Slate make models available for designing 3D-printed accessories? Ready to download some STL/3MF files today and start designing your ultimate cupholder? Us, too, but we'll need to be patient for a little bit. 'The Maker community is incredibly important to Slate, and we are on track toward delivering on this commitment closer to launch,' Jablansky says. So stay tuned on that front. Jablansky says this will also include details on third-party accessory providers and licensing. Why didn't Slate use standard DIN slots for ease of installing audio? The DIN slot, also known as the ISO 7736 or Deutsches Institut für Normung 75490 slot, has long been the standard for in-dash audio. Why, then, are there no DIN slots on the Slate Truck? Slate says it was to offer greater flexibility. 'We wanted to allow the customer to pick and choose their accessories without forcing combinations of options together in packages. This comes to life in our audio strategy to allow customers to choose to install anything from a Bluetooth speaker to a full audio system,' Jablansky says. So the bad news is if you want to use a standard DIN receiver, then you'll need to DIY an enclosure for it. The good news is if you just want to mount a Bluetooth sound bar, then you won't have to worry about filling any gaping rectangular holes in the dashboard. Is a more advanced active driver assistance system in the works? No. 'Consistent with our broader approach, we focused our engineering to make a Slate a great truck to drive,' Jablansky says. Keep those hands on the wheel, folks. Why choose a Truck to start instead of a sedan or compact SUV? Cost and simplicity, it turns out. Jablansky says that 'a two-door form factor meant less material, less complexity, lower cost.' He adds that the lockable frunk means there's sedan-like secure storage for your stuff, with the added benefit of a big bed out back. And, of course, you can add on the SUV kit if you need more seating or more covered storage. Will any special tools be required for any of the DIY upgrades and add-ons? Per Jablansky, special tools are not expected to be required. Will this thing really sell for $20,000? What about tariffs? What if the EV incentives go away? It's a dynamic world and dynamic industry out there right now, but Slate isn't backing down. 'We are committed to our expected price point of $20,000 after federal incentives,' Jablansky says, which implies an MSRP of roughly $27,500. 'If incentives go away, Slate will remain well-positioned in the U.S. with a strong proposition of value, safety, and customization.' Will those attributes be enough to woo people away from a Ford Maverick, which starts at just over $28,000? We'll have to wait and see. Jablansky says that Slate is also committed to US manufacturing, which should fend off most of the tariff fears, and that the company is still on track to start manufacturing in 2026.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Unlocking massive gains: 4 Best cryptos for 100x potential to watch closely in 2025
A recent wave of blockchain legislation in Europe and Asia has rattled the markets, pushing coins with utility and compliance into the spotlight. While short-term volatility remains, long-term conviction is building around a new set of contenders. One of those names — Qubetics — is being whispered in the same circles that once buzzed about Ethereum in 2015. It's not listed yet, but momentum is clearly forming. Contents1. Qubetics ($TICS): Rebuilding Blockchain Around Utility, Not HypeApplication, Cross-Border Transactions, and Business Use in Central Asia2. Ethereum (ETH): Still the Smart Contract Standard3. Solana (SOL): Speed Is Its Secret Weapon4. Cardano (ADA): Long-Term Thinking, Real-Time ActionConclusionFor More Information: When centralized platforms stumble under pressure or legal uncertainty, decentralized alternatives with real infrastructure use cases often take the lead. Ethereum is evolving again, Solana is correcting fast but promising faster finality, and Cardano's research-driven model is finding new traction. However, one crypto quietly preparing for liftoff is doing more than innovating — it's trying to rewrite the rules: Qubetics ($TICS). What makes these projects stand out amid thousands? Real-world applications, developer traction, and forward-thinking mechanics. Let's explore each in detail. 1. Qubetics ($TICS): Rebuilding Blockchain Around Utility, Not Hype Qubetics has been gaining attention for solving interoperability issues across fragmented blockchain networks. With its native tools — QubeQode and Qubetics IDE — it empowers both enterprise and freelance developers to deploy dApps quickly across chains without mastering complex protocols. Its decentralized VPN stack, which supports remote operations, is also attracting attention in Central Asia's logistics and fintech sectors. In May 2025, Qubetics confirmed a partnership with a regional supply chain firm in Uzbekistan to enable trustless, cross-border tracking for food and textile exports. Meanwhile, the Qubetics IDE rolled out new smart contract templates tailored for B2B settlements. These updates come as the $TICS crypto presale advances through its 36th stage. Application, Cross-Border Transactions, and Business Use in Central Asia Qubetics isn't just for coders — it's becoming essential for businesses managing sensitive data across regions with unstable network infrastructures. The decentralized VPN and interoperable smart contract tools enable: Cross-border invoice verification for logistics firms in KazakhstanSecure communication for remote legal teams operating between Kyrgyzstan and UkraineReal-time inventory ledgers for wholesalers across Uzbekistan and Belarus These use cases highlight how Qubetics stands apart from meme coins and one-use-chain tokens. Presale Status & Analyst Projections Stage: 36Tokens Sold: 514M+Holders: 27,200+Raised: $17.5M+Token Price: $0.3064 Analyst Price Targets: $1 after crypto presale – 226% ROI$5 after crypto presale – 1531% ROI$15 post-mainnet – 4794% ROI Why did this coin make it to this list: Qubetics isn't waiting for others to fail — it's actively closing the gap between isolated blockchain protocols and real-world adoption. That rare combination of tools, regional focus, and enterprise traction signals strong upside potential. 2. Ethereum (ETH): Still the Smart Contract Standard Ethereum continues to dominate the smart contract ecosystem, and its move toward sharding under Ethereum 2.0 is central to its 2025 revival. The Dencun upgrade successfully implemented Proto-Danksharding, reducing rollup costs and easing congestion across Layer-2s like Arbitrum and Optimism. Ethereum remains the primary chain for DeFi, NFTs, and DAO infrastructure, but 2025 has seen increased competition from Solana and modular blockchains. In response, Ethereum's developer ecosystem is now focused on Layer-2 consolidation, aiming for seamless onboarding of new users through embedded wallet solutions. Vitalik Buterin recently stated that scalability upgrades will double throughput within months — a bold claim supported by recent testnet results showing 20k TPS benchmarks. 3. Solana (SOL): Speed Is Its Secret Weapon Solana has surged back in relevance after last year's network instability concerns were addressed through validator upgrades and runtime enhancements. In Q2 2025, the Firedancer validator client — built independently by Jump Crypto — entered public beta, promising sub-second finality and unrivaled efficiency. With NFT marketplaces like Magic Eden expanding to multiple chains but maintaining Solana as their fastest backend, confidence is returning. Solana Pay is now being trialed in Eastern Europe for high-frequency retail payments, offering
CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Liberals call for probe into N.S. Power breach
Nova Scotia's Liberals say there should be an emergency meeting with the utility's executives, given the scope and seriousness of the ransomware attack. Gareth Hampshire reports.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
UK regulator fines Thames Water a record $165 mln for legal breaches
LONDON, May 28 (Reuters) - Britain's water regulator Ofwat imposed a higher-than-expected 122.7 million pounds ($165.36 million) fine on Thames Water, saying on Wednesday that the utility had significantly breached its legal obligations. The watchdog, which was earlier considering a 104.5-million-pound penalty on Thames, said its final amount was the largest fine it had ever issued and that the company's failures had caused "an unacceptable impact on the environment and customers". It also issued an enforcement order which would require the company, Britain's biggest water supplier with 16 million customers, to take steps to ensure its future compliance. "This is a clear-cut case where Thames Water has let down its customers and failed to protect the environment," Ofwat boss David Black said in the statement. The company, which has been struggling with billions of pounds of debt, secured a 3 billion pound loan in February to stave off financial collapse. On Wednesday, Ofwat said the company was seeking new buyers to fund its turnaround. In a separate statement, Thames Water said its lenders continued to support its liquidity position and that its equity raise process was continuing. "We take our responsibility towards the environment very seriously," it said. ($1 = 0.7419 pounds)
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
US private equity giant KKR ready to inject £4bn into ailing Thames Water
Private equity behemoth KKR is prepared to control ailing utility Thames Water for a decade to repair the disgraced firm's fortunes and reputation. It is also understood that, as part of a rescue package being put together by Thames Water chairman Adrian Montague, New York-based KKR is preparing to pump £4 billion in equity and loans into the business. Britain's largest water company, which supplies 25 per cent of the country's water, is regarded as a national disgrace. It has an appalling pollution record and only avoided financial collapse by taking on a £3 billion emergency loan. KKR aims to inject Thames Water into an infrastructure fund, ending years of complex ownership that has seen billions of pounds flow overseas in dividends and interest payments. Thames Water's top brass found themselves in the headlines last week after it was revealed that executives could receive large bonuses under the rescue plan. But the group promised to 'pause' these payouts after the intervention of the Government following heated Parliamentary hearings. KKR has not been directly involved in the bonus row. But it is thought to believe that if executives are in charge of £20 billion of capital expenditure – and they make it 5 per cent more efficient – that's £1 billion, of which a bonus of £500,000 is a tiny proportion. Thames Water is also competing with other utilities such as National Grid and Centrica, owner of British Gas, to attract the best managers and thus needs to provide pay awards of a similar level. The private equity group hopes that by working around the clock with Thames Water, its debt holders and industry regulator Ofwat, it can put together a credible rescue package by the end of July. Most of the negotiations with the authorities have been conducted with Ofwat, which has agreed to a huge 30 per cent price increase in household bills, seen as necessary to meet investment targets. But stewardship of Thames Water is thought to be a bid by KKR to repair its own reputation too. The private equity group recognises it has an image problem dating back to its role in the infamous 1988 takeover of US food and tobacco group RJR Nabisco. Its goal at Thames Water is to improve service levels, its environmental impact and create sustainable cashflows. It also intends to eventually return the firm to the UK stock market. The private equity group is aiming to reduce borrowing at Thames and is pledging not to pay any dividends until the finances are repaired. Thames Water's borrowings stand at 88 per cent of its assets, which Ofwat considers unsustainably high.
