From Comcast SportsNet LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Dustin Brown practically snatched the Stanley Cup away from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, skating directly to center ice and thrusting it skyward.Forgive his haste. The Los Angeles Kings' captain had only been waiting his whole life for this moment. The Kings' long-suffering fans had been waiting nearly 45 years for somebody to lift that 36-pound silver trophy and remove the burden on a franchise that had never won an NHL title.Brown, MVP goalie Jonathan Quick and the late-blooming Kings never flinched under all that weight. After an unbelievable postseason run that ended in a triumphant flurry of blood, sweat and power-play goals in Game 6, they're all champions.Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis scored two goals apiece, Quick finished his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance with 17 saves, and the Kings beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 Monday night, becoming the first eighth-seeded playoff team to win the Stanley Cup finals.When Lewis scored into Martin Brodeur's empty net with 3:45 to play, the Kings' decades of tension and frustration finally turned into raw anticipation. After 45 years of existence, one tumultuous regular season and two missed chances to clinch the Cup, the Kings knew they were about to be champions for the first time.Even the sober, serious Quick got happy."You get that four-goal lead, you know, it's hard for it not to creep into your head a little bit," he said. "That's when you take a big, deep breath, relax a little bit, and know it's going to happen."The Kings can exhale. They're reigning over the NHL for the first time.Brown had a goal and two assists for Los Angeles, which ended its spectacular 16-4 postseason run in front of a crowd including several dozen Kings faithful who have been at rinkside since the team's birth in the Second Six expansion in 1967."Every single guy worked so hard for us this season," said defenseman Drew Doughty, who began the year as a contract holdout and finished with six points in the finals, including two assists in the clincher. "Everyone deserves this. We got used to each other, we developed a chemistry, and we just went sailing from there."After taking a 3-0 series lead and then losing two potential clinching games last week, the Kings finished ferociously at Staples Center just when the sixth-seeded Devils appeared capable of matching the biggest comeback in finals history.One penalty abruptly changed the tone of the series. Brown, Carter and Lewis scored during a five-minute power play in the first period after Steve Bernier was ejected for boarding Rob Scuderi, leaving the veteran defenseman in a pool of blood. Quick took it from there, finishing a star-making two months by allowing just seven goals in six finals games."You never know. You get to the dance, you never know what's going to happen," Brown said. "We calmed down after losing two. It was the first time we had done that all playoffs, and we finally got off to a good start."Rookie Adam Henrique ended Quick's shutout bid late in the second period after the Kings had built a 4-0 lead, but Lewis and Matt Greene added late goals. Brodeur stopped 19 shots for the Eastern Conference champion Devils, just the third team to force a Game 6 in the finals after falling into an 0-3 hole."It's disappointing, but it's been a great season for the Devils," the 40-year-old Brodeur said. "We came a long way to challenge for the Stanley Cup from not making the playoffs last year. There's only one team that can win. It's not us this time, but we're proud of what we've done."The Kings steamrolled everyone in their path after barely making the playoffs, eliminating the top three seeds in the Western Conference in overwhelming fashion as they matched the second-fastest run to a title in modern NHL history. Although the Devils gave them a little trouble, the Kings boasted a talented, balanced roster that peaked at the absolute perfect time under midseason coaching hire Darryl Sutter.Quick is the third American-born Conn Smythe winner, adding one more dominant game to a run in which he set NHL records for save percentage (.946) and goals-against average (1.41) among goalies who played at least 15 postseason games.Brown, just the second American-born captain to raise the Cup after Dallas' Derian Hatcher, capped his own impressive playoff work by finishing with 20 points, tied for the postseason scoring lead with linemate Anze Kopitar. And don't forget: Brown accomplished what even Wayne Gretzky couldn't do in eight years in Los Angeles by lifting the Cup.Brown handed off the trophy to Willie Mitchell, the 35-year-old defenseman who had never won a title. Mitchell gave it to long-injured and recently returned forward Simon Gagne, who nearly tripped before raising the Cup for the first time.Sutter, the stone-faced Alberta farmer from a family of hockey-playing brothers, smiled like a kid at his first chance to lift the prize. Later, Brown and Justin Williams sat their crying children in the Cup, and Kopitar -- the first Slovenian NHL champion -- raised it while wearing a gold crown on his head.After going on a 12-2 tear to the Western Conference title, the Kings won the first two games of the finals in overtime by identical 2-1 scores in New Jersey. Los Angeles then flattened the Devils 4-0 in Game 3, but missed its first chance to clinch on home ice in New Jersey's 3-1 win in Game 4.The Devils then beat Los Angeles 2-1 in Game 5, earning another cross-country trip after becoming the first team since 1945 to win twice after falling behind 0-3 in the finals.The Kings were the West's bottom seed after failing to clinch a playoff berth until right before their 81st game, but only because they underachieved for much of the season, spending most of it as the NHL's lowest-scoring team. The talent coalesced under Sutter, who replaced the fired Terry Murray shortly before Christmas and turned Los Angeles into a competent offensive club by late February.Five years after the Anaheim Ducks won California's first Stanley Cup, the Golden State's oldest team raised the second. The Kings also are the first team to win the Cup at home since those Ducks, and their fans appreciated the Hollywood touch.Despite coming off their first back-to-back losses of the playoffs, the Kings started with impressive energy in Game 6, getting most of the good early scoring chances -- and then they got the break they needed when Bernier pushed Scuderi headfirst into the boards behind Quick's net. Scuderi stayed motionless for quite a while, eventually heading to the dressing room after leaving plenty of blood from his lacerated nose.Bernier, a 27-year-old journeyman and depth forward with two goals in 24 playoff games this season, went to the locker room. The Devils complained Jarret Stoll received no penalty for checking Stephen Gionta into the boards between the benches a moment earlier."I wish I could take that play back," Bernier said. "I didn't want to hurt my team. I wanted to help them. This is extremely hard. It's been a long playoff run for us. To finish on that note, it's not fun for sure. But there's nothing I can do now."Brown scored 53 seconds into the power play, slickly redirecting Doughty's low pass in front for his first goal since the Western Conference finals opener. Carter then deflected home his seventh goal of the postseason after Brown walked the puck out of the corner and fired a shot at Brodeur's glove side while skating away from the net.With the Los Angeles crowd on its feet, the Kings added another as rookie Dwight King ferociously drove the net and left a rebound for Lewis, who tucked it home for his first goal in 18 games. Staples Center was deafening for the rest of the first period, and Los Angeles went up 4-0 just 90 seconds into the second when Brown found Carter unchecked in the slot for a one-timer."It's pretty awesome," Sutter said. "It's the feeling of seeing them so happy, the work that you go through. The first thing you think about as a coach -- these guys are all young enough, they've got to try it again."NOTES: Linemates Brown and Kopitar finished tied for the NHL postseason scoring lead with 20 points in 20 games, and fellow first-liner Williams had 11 points in the final 14 games, finishing with 15 points. ... New Jersey LW Ilya Kovalchuk, who spurned the Kings' advances two years ago to sign with the Devils, managed just one empty-net goal in six finals games. Captain Zach Parise scored his only finals point on a Game 5 goal off a misplay by Quick. ... My Chemical Romance attended the game. Their song, "Welcome to the Black Parade," has become the black-jerseyed Kings' unofficial anthem after its incorporation into a clever pregame video featuring photos of several Kings as kids.

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Cam Newton sheds light on Justin Fields' late hits with eye-opening, personal anecdote - NBC Sports Chicago

Chinese geologists have unearthed a groundbreaking new mineral in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, boasting a never-before-seen composition of heavy rare-earth elements.

It's the world's first discovery of such a mineral, offering valuable insights into the formation and abundance of these crucial elements in Bayan Obo, a major rare-earth depository.

Professor Li Guowu from the China University of Geosciences Beijing announced the discovery during a recent seminar, noting that the International Mineralogical Association has confirmed its status as a new mineral and approved its naming.

The project, led by Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Li Xianhua, aims to map the extent and formation history of rare-earth element mineral reserves within Bayan Obo.

The newly discovered mineral, a novel flurocarbonate composed of heavy rare-earth elements like yttrium, dysprosium and gadolinium, lies deep within the rock core of the deposit. The team did not disclose the estimated abundance of the mineral.

"This is a groundbreaking discovery," Li Xianhua told the seminar.

"It sheds light on the distribution and abundance of heavy rare-earth elements in Bayan Obo, providing significant clues about the mine's formation and how these elements are concentrated."

Bayan Obo, near Baotou in Inner Mongolia, has been a mining area for decades, primarily known for its iron ore.

However, advancements in technology have led to the continual discovery of new minerals within the deposit. Since 1959, a staggering 18 new minerals have been identified there, constituting roughly 10 percent of all new mineral discoveries in China.

In recent years, growing demand for rare-earth elements in cutting-edge electronics and new materials has spurred renewed interest in Bayan Obo's previously neglected or discarded rare-earth element minerals.

Efforts are underway to curb unsustainable and low-quality exploitation of this strategically vital resource.

The Baotou government reports that Bayan Obo covers 48 square kilometers and boasts proven rare-earth element reserves accounting for 80 percent of China's total and 38 percent of the world's total.

Baotou is also developing industrial zones to process these minerals locally, minimizing transportation and promoting efficient separation and smelting processes.

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Novel mineral sheds light on rare-earth formation - China Daily

Tesla saw its market valuation shed $94 billion over the first two weeks of 2024, marking one of the sharpest share price drops in the electric vehicle companys history.

The number represents 12% of the companys valuation at the start of the month and is only surpassed by a 14% decline seen in January 2016. The surprise shift comes after a relatively successful year, which saw the brand claw back most of its valuation from a pandemic-era collapse, set new sales records, and retain its market share in an increasingly competitive sector. However, 2023 was not without its own controversies and concerns. The EV segment has experienced stagnating demand for the last 12 months due to issues with high car prices, limited driving ranges, and inadequate charging infrastructure. To prevent a sales cooldown, Tesla introduced frequent, previously rare discounts across its entire lineup over the year, causing some vehicles to lose more than 20% of their original value.

These price cuts were so significant that they affected average prices across the entire electrified segment, even as other manufacturers declined to lower MSRPs in response. While this strategy did allow the EV brand to generate impressive sales numbers, its profit margins suffered considerably as a result, shrinking from 27.9% to 16.3% by the third quarter of 2023 in the course of only a year. Faced with declining profitability and a weakening market, it is little surprise investors have started to respond.

Further complicating matters is the companys annual delivery statistics released earlier this month, which revealed it had lost to Chinese EV manufacturer BYD. The overseas automaker produces both battery-powered and hybrid models; excluding the latter, BYD came in a close second to Tesla regarding production and sales. However, 2023 was the second consecutive year the China-based automaker surpassed its American rival in overall sales.

Although their impact is less quantifiable than the companys discounting strategies and difficulties overseas, intensifying negative press focused on Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, has also taken its toll on investor confidence. Late last year, a Reuters investigation alleged the brand ignored evidence of defective components and charged customers thousands of dollars for repairs that should have been covered by warranty, sparking regulator probes in Scandinavia. More recently, a Wall Street Journal piece claimed Tesla and SpaceX leaders have become distraught over Musks alleged drug use, leading to an indignant denial from the tech executive on his social media platform, X. These stories, and many others, have weakened faith in the automaker and its leadership. Tesla does not operate a public relations department, leaving the task of setting the narrative and defending the brand almost entirely up to Musk.

Ultimately, Tesla remains the dominant EV player, not only in the U.S. but across the globe. However, its mounting challenges, both external and internal, have become increasingly apparent, causing many shareholders to dial back expectations. In the coming months, the company will need to answer questions regarding its future in a way that placates investors but sets realistic expectations, something the brand has a history of neglecting.

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Tesla market valuation sheds $94 billion in first weeks of 2024 - CBT Automotive News

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch for the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of their Central Division showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The former back-to-back MVP has been dealing with a shoulder injury of late, which also had him questionable to play on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings.

Giannis played through the injury on Sunday, though, but unfortunately for the Bucks, this wont be the case on Wednesday against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs.

The official injury diagnosis for Antetokounmpo is a right shoulder contusion. It seemed like he had already gotten over the knock when he played through it on Sunday. He even produced another triple-double in their win over Sacramento and it didnt look like his shoulder was bothering him.

It is worth noting that Giannis was not listed on the initial injury report either, with the Bucks making a sudden decision less than two hours before tip-off on Wednesday night.

Speaking to the press ahead of the Cavs game, Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin explained how the team came to their decision to give Giannis the night off. Apparently, it was Antetokounmpo himself who opted to sit this one out:

Well, from what Ive been told, he went through shootaround and then prior to the game tonight, he just felt that he couldnt go, Griffin said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. So, were just being smart. And I dont believe its going to be multiple games. Itll just be day-to-day for now.

Giannis has only missed one game this season and he has been vocal about playing through injuries of late. The fact that Antetokounmpo himself decided not to play on Wednesday night could be a cause for concern.

This doesnt seem like a long-term injury for the seven-time All-Star but its possible that this costs him another game or two.

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Natasha Lyon, the creative force behind U.K.-based Appreciation Project, meticulously revamped every corner of her kitchen only to be left with a sad view when she looked out her brand-new windows. The long-neglected backyard was barren with the exception of one big tree, a cracked concrete patio, and an unusable flower bed. Suddenly, she realized her reno was not yet complete. She had to tackle the outdoors, too.

When Lyon finally embarked on her quest, it led her to an unexpected treasure: an affordable, off-the-shelf garden shed with whispers of a Victorian orangery. Braving the British winter, Lyon dedicated a season to crafting her dream garden retreat. Nearly a year later, the space has morphed into a treasured hideaway, shielding her from the boundless energy of her children, and has provided solace to her husband when unanticipated rainstorms have rudely interrupted family barbecues. Heres how she brought it to life.

Before the charming retreat could take root, Lyon faced the task of removing an impractical flower bed, thereby extending the garden by an additional 5 feet and creating the much-needed space for the sheds concrete foundation. To stay within her set budget, Lyon creatively repurposed slate tiles from a previous kitchen renovation to cover the concrete base, turning what was once discarded material into a cost-effective and environmentally friendly flooring solution. This ingenious approach not only aligned with Lyons commitment to minimizing waste (a fundamental principle of Appreciation Project, which started as a dried floral bouquet shop) but played a key role in sticking to the projects financial constraints.

In Lyons pursuit of an enchanting escape, she stumbled upon a uniquely designed shed online for roughly $2,200 that had a whimsical pointed roof and arched windows. This particular structure came exclusively in flat packs, requiring every piece to be meticulously assembled. She enlisted her trusted carpenter, who proceeded to tell her he could have easily built it from scratch. But for Lyon, there was no turning back. I love it exactly as it is, she says. I wouldnt have changed a thing, apart from the quality of the wood, perhaps.

When selecting paint colors for the garden house, Lyon carefully considered its visibility from her main home. Despite her husbands initial reservation, she convinced him to embrace a red hue on the exterior, pairing it with powder blue on the inside, a color combination that has become an unintentional signature inside Lyons home. To help her navigate the winter painting process, she chose Little Greenes outdoor paint in the shades Baked Cherry and Sky Blue for its quality and built-in primer (a major time-saver). When it came time to paint the floors, Lyon didnt have to trek all the way to the store: She reused leftover paint (Farrow & Balls De Nimes) from a previous hallway project.

The inspiration for the window film came from a past client project, where Lyon hadnt had the opportunity to utilize it; its available in various colors and sold by the meter. She carefully cut and arranged the film, using soapy water and a squeegee to adhere it and a credit card to smooth out any air bubbles. But she didnt cover every last square. By leaving parts of the glass untouched, Lyon ensured an outside view: Our kids and their friends have named it the Rainbow House.

In case she ever needs to use the shed for storage, Lyon chose to bring in two chairs rather than build out a permanent bench. She initially intended to reupholster the 70s pieces (which she scored on Etsy), but the fabric turned out to be in pristine condition. Preferring a gradual decorating approach, Lyon slowly shopped her own home, eventually pulling a side table she once used for styling shoots. My husband jokes that my side tables have side tables, she says with a laugh, emphasizing the delightful reuse of one in her garden retreat. The cringe Lyon once felt when she looked out her kitchen window has been replaced with a smile.

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At the End of This Once-Barren Yard Is a Shed That's Now a Cozy Hideaway - Domino

Inside the Timing of Kate & Charles' AnnouncementsGetty Images

Yesterday morning (January 17, 20024), Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton was in hospital following a "planned abdominal surgery," breaking news that caused immediate public concern despite the palace saying that "the surgery was successful." And less than two hours later, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles would also be undergoing surgery for an enlarged prostate.

The back-to-back announcements stirred a lot of speculationand royal expert Victoria Murphy shed some light on the timing in a truly fascinating piece for Town & Country, which you can read in full here.

According to Murphy, "the royal family understandably generally try to keep details of their health as private as possible, however when they are forced to cancel public engagements or when a senior royal is admitted to hospital the public is generally informed in some form."

She notes that Kate's team "decided in advance" to announce her surgery after it had taken placeand that "both the surgery and the announcement were clearly planned." Meanwhile, when it comes to King Charles, it appears as though the announcement was "hastier and a result of having to postpone meetings at the last minute on the advice of a doctor."

In other words, Charles' announcement coming so quickly on the heels of Kate's "does seem to have been something of a coincidence."

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And it should be noted that while Charles was open about his surgery, Kate is choosing to keep details of hers private. As Kensington Palace noted in their statement, "The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private. Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness progress when there is significant new information to share."

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A Royal Expert Sheds Light on Why Kate Middleton and King Charles' Surgeries Were Announced on the Same Day - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia

The most important takeaway from this week's saga involving a state legislator, quoting an infamous Nazi to make some sort of point, had little to do with the politician himself.

Instead, the glowing upside came from the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute. The museum not only delivered a necessary and authoritative response to state Rep. Jim Lucas' provocative Facebook post, but it also beautifully fulfilled a prime facet of the facility's mission education.

Lucas initially insisted he was trying to educate others when he posted a quotation often attributed to Joseph Goebbels "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." The Goebbels quote goes on to claim "the State" must repress dissent and shield the people from the consequences of its lie, because "truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

The Republican legislator from Seymour displayed the quote from Goebbels Nazi Germany's propaganda minister under Adolf Hitler on Monday on Lucas' Facebook page. Later, after criticism on social media and from Chad Harmon, his Democratic opponent in race for the Indiana House's 69th District seat, Lucas pulled the Goebbels quote and replaced it with a quote from "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin. Lucas added a lengthy explanation, asserting he was "only attempting to educate people on how evil can begin and the possible depth of that dark path it can lead to, that history shows can know no end."

Lucas seems drawn to stirring controversy, often through inflammatory social media comments. He once posted a meme on Facebook, widely criticized as racist. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston called it "unacceptable" and removed Lucas from two interim House study committees and demoted him from vice chair of another committee to merely a member.

In this week's incident, the CANDLES museum made clear that Lucas' social media post was dangerously wrong-headed. A museum statement pointed out that Lucas' post "included a link to the site with Goebbels' name and 'The Jewish Question.'" The statement added, "We are shocked and horrified that an Indiana lawmaker would make such a statement about Hitler's chief architect and purveyor of hate speech, ultimately leading to the murder of over 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Hate propaganda was the driving force behind the Holocaust, and these seeds of hate have been, and are being planted, today in the United States." It also rightly called on Huston to condemn Lucas' actions.

At some point, Lucas must have understood the gravity of his irresponsibility. On Thursday, he traveled to Terre Haute and visited the museum and education center. The latter part of its name proved valuable.

Education is a powerful tool.

A news release from CANDLES said, "It was a positive visit, and we shared a great conversation about the importance of Holocaust education in Indiana." Troy Fears, the museum's executive director, had addressed that subject in February while testifying to the Indiana General Assembly against an awful piece of legislation that CANDLES rightly asserted would have discouraged Indiana teachers from educating students on the Holocaust.

In the wake of Thursday's museum visit by Lucas, the museum statement said it had a better understanding of what happened and sensed an opportunity "to build stronger communities through conversations like we had today."

Along with casting typical blame on the media and critics for "hysteria" over his post, Lucas also seemed to be moved by his visit. "I spent over 2 hours touring, discussing and learning about the museum's history and purpose," he wrote, again on Facebook. "If you've never been there, I can't recommend it enough. To see and learn about the personal history of Eva Kor is truly an incredible experience."

That is 100% true. The museum on South Third Street offers a powerful message on the life and efforts of its late founder, Eva Kor, the Holocaust survivor who made Terre Haute her adopted home and educated the world in the process.

Let us hope the experience in Terre Haute causes Lucas to end his reliance on insensitivity to attract attention to his opinions. Hoosiers would be much better served.

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Tribune-Star Editorial: CANDLES again sheds light on darkness of hate speech - Terre Haute Tribune Star

Blend Labs ceo Nima Ghamsari (Illustration by Kevin Cifuentes for The Real Deal with Getty Images, Blend)

A digital mortgage firm has cut another sizable chunk of its workers in its second major round of layoffs this year.

Blend Labs eliminated 220 jobs in August, HousingWire reported. On top of 200 jobs cut in April, the company has chopped approximately 25 percent of its workforce this year.

The company said it expects to save $60 million annually after the two rounds of layoffs, though the impact wont be felt until next year.

Were operating the company prudently as if the mortgage industry origination volumes will remain at or near historic low levels through 2025, CEO Nima Ghamsari said this week in an earnings call.

The latest layoffs come as the California-based company reported a massive loss in the second quarter. After posting a $73.5 million loss in the first quarter, Blend upped that to a $478.4 million loss in the second quarter. The loss was largely attributed to a $392 million impairment stemming from an update to the value of Title365, acquired last year.

Blend reported $31.9 million in revenue during the second quarter, down from $38.7 million in the previous quarter. To generate more revenue, the company said it plans on prioritizing products with a quicker return on investment and raising prices per transaction.

The digital lending platform was founded in 2012 and went public last July, sporting a valuation of $4 billion. But the company hasnt been immune to the mortgage market downturn spurred on by rising rates.

Applications for home loans last week fell another 2 percent from the previous week, bringing demand to its lowest level since 2000, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rates were sent upwards in recent months after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates in an effort to slow down inflation.

Mortgage companies have been bearing the brunt of the destruction brought on by the reduction in demand. Sprout Mortgage went out of business, costing more than 300 employees their jobs. Texas-based First Guaranty Mortgage essentially shut down.

Other companies have significantly reduced their mortgage arms, with cuts from firms including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Mr. Cooper, Tomo, Homelight, Keller Williams, Movement Mortgage and Better.com.

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Digital mortgage firm Blend loses $478M, sheds more of workforce - The Real Deal

A recent interview at CarBuzz with Mike Sweers, executive chief engineer for the Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner programs at Toyota Motor North America, gives us some insight into Toyotas thinking not only on electric trucks, but electric vehicles in general. While I know the answers wont please BEV fanatics, there is some logic to the companys slow approach to EVs.

The short answer is that Toyota doesnt want to dive head first into the segment if it cant do the truck justice. the article says in the beginning. The long answer is a bit more complex than that, and after discussing everything from the next-gen Tacoma to how the brand sees the 4Runner taking the fight to the Ford Bronco, we discovered that the future of Toyotas approach to electrification is a fascinating one.

While automotive media has seen several electric product announcements and a commitment to electrification in the next five years from Toyota, Sweers says we shouldnt assume that means it is going all-in on fully-electric vehicles. Were taking a balanced approach to electrification, he told CarBuzz, whether its PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), BEV (battery electric vehicle), fuel cell, traditional hybrid series or parallel systems were taking a balanced approach. There isnt one offering that meets every customers needs.

Toyotas overall approach seems to be variety and diversity in its offerings. Toyota should be able to make the required changes as each sector demands them by maintaining a wide range of alternatives and powertrain solutions.

The article goes on to explain how Toyota applies this way of thinking to the truck segment. Instead of focusing only on the middle of the bell curve like most EV trucks right now, Toyota wants its electric offerings to reach out into the long tail of owner needs.

Sweers explains that with a gasoline or diesel pickup truck, you can carry an extra 10 gallons of fuel, so if you get stranded somewhere, youll have enough to reach a gas station. However, what do you do when your batteries run out? Its not like you take out the AAs and swap batteries while keeping going on foot with an EV.

Urban owners who dont get out deep into the backcountry would be happy with an electric Toyota truck, but theyd find themselves unable to do the most truck-like things you can do in a gas-powered pickup truck. This can lead to disappointment, and thats bad for Toyotas overall image and relevancy in the truck market.

One of the big takeaways was that Sweer thinks infrastructure is the big thing that needs to change before Toyota will offer a Tundra EV or any other EV truck or truck-based SUV.

Right now, we have the wild west out there. Teslas gone its own way, and its great until you have to charge your Tesla at a different supplier, Sweers told them. We have different connections, we have different safety features, we have different charging rates, we have different ways to get into the charging stations. Just finding a charging station that actually works is a difficult situation.

While I know some EV cheerleaders will try to dispute this, CarBuzz isnt the only publication that can claim to have seen the limits of infrastructure. Weve seen all sorts of truck testing and cross-country trips that didnt go great for people. Sometimes, theres a technical problem and you cant continue on your journey at all. Other times (especially towing), the time spent at charging stations along the way can be grueling.

Toyotas executive does make some great points in the interview. We cant just handwave and tell people that the EV experience is problem-free and limitation-free. While a Tesla sedan or crossover can do almost everything a gas-powered car can do, were not talking about sedans and crossovers, and were not talking about Tesla. If Toyota released a Tundra EV today, there are many things the gas Tundra would be able to do that the EV version wouldnt.

In some ways, this is reminiscent of the Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday adage in the industry. A lot of people will buy a vehicle because they see the manufacturer win races on TV, but those same people arent going to take their car out racing in most cases. Its also true that premium vehicles help a brand have a better image, and this helps sell the vehicles on the bottom end. The old saying on that goes, Corvettes sell Cavaliers.

A similar phenomenon could be very real for trucks. A person might go out and buy a pickup truck with plans to commute in it, and maybe go to Home Depot once or twice a month. But, they probably have aspirations of taking it on adventures at some point. They can probably see themselves heading out to Moab for some off-roading, or they probably think theyll get a boat or a travel trailer. Having a vehicle thats great for commuting, but might not be good for those long-tail adventures could derail the sale.

On top of this, Id add the impact of battery supplies, new legislation that will make it hard to get the tax credit, and several other factors that are going to challenge EVs this decade.

While the early worm can and does get eaten by the bird, that doesnt mean it doesnt pay to be the early bird. Tesla proves that out in spades. So, its probably unwise for Toyota to be the last to offer at least some electric trucks.

When it comes to infrastructure, we also have a bit of a chicken and egg problem. If there are no EV drivers, there will be no infrastructure built to support them. So, saying theres no infrastructure may be a little bit dishonest. To get there, youve got to offer some EVs to stimulate the market and get infrastructure to be a thing for the later adopters. Toyota might think other manufacturers can do all of that stimulating, but it could cost it customers while its behind the curve.

An electric Tacoma, if offered in real numbers, could do this, but Fords approach with the F-150 Lightning shows that you dont necessarily have to start small.

Featured image by Toyota.

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Interview Sheds Light On Toyotas Thinking About EVs - CleanTechnica

Lewis Hamilton has opened up about his 2021 world title heartache and his efforts to return Mercedes to competitive ways after a difficult start to the 2022 season.

Hamilton was on course for a record-breaking eighth world title at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when a late Safety Car, and controversial restart, turned the race on its head.

Running old, Hard tyres as the race restarted for one lap, Hamilton was overhauled by Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, who had pitted to switch to the Soft compound rubber.

Having reacted graciously to the defeat post-race, the Briton subsequently took a break from social media, returning shortly before Mercedes' 2022 car launch and pre-season testing.

Then, as the W13 took to the track, it quickly became clear that it would not be a front-running machine or one Hamilton could fight back with.

In an interview for Viaplay, Hamilton was asked about the 'double blow' of missing out on the 2021 title and returning in 2022 with an uncompetitive car.

"It was definitely tough," said Hamilton, speaking to former teammate Heikki Kovalainen.

"My winter was a lot of self-reflection... I was surrounded by my family, that was the most beautiful thing. My family really, really reacted and all came around me.

"I wasn't on my phone, I wasn't on social media... I was just playing with the kids, building snowmen. We were playing in the water, playing in the waves.

"I continued to train, because that was kind of healthy for my mindset, and a lot of thinking, kind of, 'What do I want to do next? How do I want to take this?'

"Then, to turn the negative into a positive and be like, 'Okay, I'm gonna come back and fight', and then to not have the ability to be able to fight back, and regain what I had fought for last year, has definitely been tough."

Kovalainen pointed out that Hamilton has never looked frustrated or desperate so far this season, prompting further self-reflection from the 37-year-old.

"I think it's definitely not been perfect. I've definitely not been perfect in the background," Hamilton commented.

"I definitely would say it's been a struggle, particularly off the end of last year, so it's been a real kind of odd kind of growth process.

"I've tried a lot of things with the car and experiments, and it's often caught us out. I've struggled with feeling comfortable in the car this year.

"To finally be in a place where that's not the case... I'm in a more kind of leading position with the car now, rather than it leading me. It's been good."

He added: "I think also there's people in our team that have been here for many, many years, even before our success, and then there's people that are new to the team, who have been here only with the wins, so this is a new experience for them also.

"I think for anybody, it's a good experience to have. The adversity only makes you stronger. It's the failures, I think, that truly make us strong."

Originally posted here:
Hamilton sheds fresh light on how he recovered from 'double blow' - Racingnews365.com