Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Thursday that he expects the company will need to build a chips factory to fulfill its ambitions to build self-driving cars and humanoid robots.
Why it matters: Tesla's move would be highly unusual, with most advanced chip manufacturing handled by a handful of fabricators like TSMC, Samsung and Intel.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) pushed climate change to the front burner as House Democrats' leader, though Republicans have undone some of her accomplishments.
Why it matters: Pelosi, who announced her retirement on Thursday, is regarded as one of history's most successful House speakers, partly because of her ability to mobilize her caucus to deal with issues like climate change.
Carbon removal startup Avnos has landed $17 million in project finance from Shell and Mitsubishi Corp. to build a "commercial demonstration" plant, the company first told Axios.
Why it matters: Avnos says its approach pulling CO2 and water from the atmosphererequires far less energy than other direct air capture methods, and produces lots of usable water.
Democrats' pocketbook pitch on energy prices handily won in Tuesday's elections, while President Trump and Republicans re-upped their 2024 playbook focused on identity politics.
Why it matters: The bellwether elections hint that the president's economic agenda and fixation on cultural wars may drag Republicans down in the 2026 midterms.
Union opposition is emerging as a potential obstacle to the rollout of driverless vehicle services.
Why it matters: Advocates of self-driving cars say the technology will prevent deaths and make life more convenient, while opponents argue it will destroy jobs and isn't ready for prime time.
Now that they've won the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races, Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill will seek to fulfill their frequent promises on keeping down electricity costs.
Why it matters: In both states,home energy prices were a top worry for voters — and that's likely to continue in 2026's races elsewhere.
Elon Musk is hinting that Tesla will soon showcase a flying car — possibly "before the end of the year."
Why it matters: A flying car would combine two of Musk's long-running passions — flight and cars — and could remake the budding world of airborne electric vehicles.
