• EV sales off to strong start in 2026 as nearly one in three new cars plug-ins

    Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 32% of all new cars registered in January 2026, according to independent transport research organisation New AutoMotive. The figures reveal that BEVs accounted for 20.9% of the UK new car market, down slightly on January 2025. PHEVs accounted for 11.9% market share, a significant 27% year‑on‑year increase compared with last January. In the van segment, electric vans saw their strongest January on record at 10.6% of new registrations in a month where nearly one in six of all new vans had a plug. Hybrid EVs accounted for 33.9%, the most among vehicle types, while petrol vehicles accounted for 28.1%, an 18% decrease compared to last January. According to New AutoMotive, with PHEVs being the standout…

  • EU accuses TikTok of addictive design that may breach digital rules

    The EU has blamed TikTok for implementing an “addictive design” that could breach Europe’s new content rules. In preliminary findings, the European Commission (EC) said that features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system are designed to keep users on the platform for as long as possible in a way that could cause both physical and mental harm. The EU’s Digital Services Act, which was introduced in 2022, does not directly ban social media companies from making their platforms addictive, but it does compel them to avoid “systemic risks”, including harm to minors, mental health impacts and disrupted sleep. But the EC’s investigation has found that TikTok did not adequately assess how its features could harm the wellbeing of its…

  • Ministry of Defence rolls out AI-enabled field gear for the UK’s front-line soldiers

    The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a £86m contract to BlackTree Technologies to equip soldiers with AI-enabled radios, headsets and tablets. Known as the dismounted data system (DDS), the system integrates soldiers’ kit into a shared network and will improve situational awareness and enable faster decision-making. Through DDS, soldiers will receive precise voice and visual data about their surroundings. As inference runs directly on the AI-enabled hardware, rather than in the cloud, it marks a shift toward edge computing in front-line operations. The equipment uses waveforms specifically engineered for military communications in harsh combat environments. It supports self-forming, mobile wireless networks that allow troops to maintain connectivity and share situational data…

  • National Grid examines wireless power as a possible alternative to cables and pylons

    The National Grid is investigating whether it could deploy large-scale wireless electricity transmission as part of plans to strengthen the UK’s energy network. The Wireless Power Transmission project will consider whether ground-based wireless technology can supplement overhead lines and cables or even replace them. Going wireless has the potential to play a role in moving energy from offshore renewables to the grid onshore, making it easier and cheaper, as well as offering an alternative way to transmit power in natural landscapes where traditional infrastructure can prove controversial for its aesthetic disruption. The project will also assess whether wireless transmission can deliver benefits during emergency responses, such as storms, and help better serve customers in remote areas…

  • Rust-based material could boost lithium-ion battery capacity

    Carbon spheres infused with iron oxide or rust could boost lithium-ion battery energy storage and sustainability, according to a study. Researchers at Germany’s Saarland University and Austria’s University of Salzburg have collaborated to create a lithium-ion battery electrode that offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to nickel and cobalt. Their study looks at replacing those materials with iron oxide, the main component of rust, which is cheap, abundant and widely available. The Salzburg team created tiny, highly porous, hollow carbon spheres. Known as carbon spherogels, these novel materials – around 250 nanometres in diameter – offer a large surface area that supports high electrochemical capacity. The Saarland team then introduced finely dispersed iron oxide into these…

  • World’s first five-tonne class eVTOL switches from vertical to forward flight and back again

    Chinese start-up AutoFlight has successfully conducted a transition flight with its five-tonne-class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The demonstration took place at AutoFlight’s test facility in Shanghai, where the Matrix eVTOL completed a public full transition flight. In other words, it lifted off vertically like a helicopter, switched into forward flight like an aeroplane and then returned to vertical mode to land. The firm says this is the first time this complex manoeuvre has been achieved by a five-tonne-class eVTOL, and validates its eVTOL technologies across complex aerodynamic systems, high-power electric propulsion and advanced flight control systems. While most eVTOL prototypes to date have been more of the taxi-style aircraft carrying one of two passengers…

  • E+T Podcast: Episode 20 | Rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector: are there any takers?

    Venezuela sits on some of the largest oil reserves on the planet — but after years of nationalisation, sanctions, brain drain and crumbling infrastructure, is that oil actually worth the trouble? In this episode, we step away from the politics and dig into the realities of reviving Venezuela’s oil industry. What would it take to get production back online? Who would invest, who would take the risk, and how long would it really take to make a difference to global oil markets? Joining the discussion alongside E+T regulars Tim Fryer and Jack Loughran is Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at Wood Mackenzie, who brings a clear-eyed view of the technical, financial and geopolitical hurdles — from heavy crude and broken refineries to sanctions, emissions…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK government to crack down on deepfakes with ‘world-first’ detection framework

    The government has announced plans to collaborate with tech firms, including Microsoft, and other partners to develop tools to combat the unprecedented growth of deepfakes. The aim is to mitigate the proliferation of harmful AI-generated deepfake content, which the government says is now an “urgent national priority”. While deepfakes have existed for almost a decade, rapid advances in generative AI in recent years have driven their scale and sophistication across the internet. As its name suggests, AI technology is used to create images and videos that appear highly realistic but are in fact fake. The ability to create convincing deepfakes quickly and cheaply is available to almost anyone, with little to no technical expertise required. According to recent government figures, the rise…

  • Nvidia and Dassault Systèmes to pioneer AI-fuelled virtual twins

    Nvidia will partner up with Dassault Systèmes to combine their AI infrastructure and virtual twin technologies. The announcement was made during Dassault Systèmes’ flagship 3DExperience World conference currently taking place in Houston, US. Speaking at the event, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang said: “We are partners in bringing this technology to the world. This is the start of a platform shift that is the largest integration of our technologies in history.” Joining him on stage, Pascal Daloz, CEO of Dassault Systèmes, added: “Together with Nvidia, we are building industry world models that unite virtual twins and accelerated computing to help industry design, simulate and operate complex systems in biology, materials science, engineering and manufacturing with confidence. “This partnership…

  • China to ban hidden electronic car door handles from 2027

    Chinese regulators have introduced safety rules banning electronically-operated concealed door handles, forcing car makers to adopt mechanical releases on vehicles sold in the country. The new rules will come into effect on 1 January 2027, following a series of incidents in which power failures in electric vehicles prevented the door handles from working, trapping occupants inside. The concealed door handle, popularised by Tesla, is featured on a number of Chinese car models. The handle sits flush with the car’s exterior and must be pressed down to release it. From the inside, an electronic button opens the door rather than a traditional lever. While aesthetically appealing, over the years the design has raised safety concerns as the doors rely on electrical power to open. This means…

  • Wood-based material stores heat to cut building energy demand

    A wood-based material that can store and release heat could help keep building temperatures comfortable without using electricity, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a type of phase-change material that acts as a thermal battery, absorbing and releasing heat. In 2020, about 10% of all energy used in the US went towards keeping buildings comfortable to live and work in. Integrated into building structures, such as drywall, flooring or roofing, the stored energy in phase-change materials could help reduce electricity demands for air conditioning and heating and improve overall energy efficiency. Shuang (Cynthia) Cui, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and corresponding author of the study, said: “During the summer, for…

  • Elon Musk merges SpaceX and xAI to push space-based AI data centres

    SpaceX and xAI have merged in a deal that could enable Elon Musk to pursue plans for a constellation of up to one million satellites intended to power AI data centres in orbit. The acquisition of xAI was announced in a statement on SpaceX’s website, bringing together Musk’s rocket-and-satellite company with his AI firm. According to Bloomberg, the deal reportedly values the combined companies at $1.25tn, with SpaceX at $1tn and xAI at $250bn. This move would create the world’s most valuable private company. Musk founded xAI in 2023 to compete with rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in a bid to provide “maximum truth-seeking AI”. Last year, xAI acquired one of Musk’s other ventures X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. In 2002 Musk founded private aerospace…

  • UK launches PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ plan as critics warn it lacks regulatory action

    The UK government has unveiled its ‘first-ever’ national strategy to tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but critics argue the plan falls short of meaningful regulatory commitments. The government says the new plan aims to coordinate action across government, industry and regulators to better understand where PFAS, often referred to as forever chemicals, are coming from, how they spread and how to reduce public and environmental exposure. First produced at the end of the Second World War, PFAS can now be found in everything from furniture and cosmetics to food packaging, non-stick pans and clothing. They represent a group of around 12,000 different chemicals and are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their unbreakable chemical structure. Due to their widespread use,…

  • E+T Podcast: Episode 19 | A year of voluntary change

    What difference can a President make in a year at the helm of the IET? How do individual agendas fit in with the overall strategy of the IET? And how do you measure success? These are some of the issues E+T's editor Tim Fryer put to the new President of the IET Dawn Ohlson. The conversation highlighted the importance to the IET of volunteering and why this is core to Dawn's objectives for the year. ( Continue reading on E+T Magazine ).

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • E+T Deconstructed: Inside A2RL - racing cars without racing drivers

    Sport will always be a human pursuit, but in the case of A2RL - The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League - it is a perfect technology demonstrator. Motor racing at speeds of up to 250km an hour, without a driver in sight, but instead some AI developers pitting their skills against each other. Extreme skills and an extreme event. ( Continue reading on E+T Magazine ).

  • Sand-based heat storage could cut industrial energy costs by 70%

    Cleantech start-up TheStorage has installed a sand-based thermal storage pilot at a brewery in Finland to provide fossil-free industrial heat. The pilot system converts renewable electricity into heat, stores it in sand and delivers it for on-demand industrial heating. It aims to address the variable availability of renewable electricity by storing surplus energy when it’s abundant and releasing it as heat, helping to ensure a consistent supply of fossil-free energy. Having developed the idea in 2023, TheStorage has now installed its first industrial-scale pilot at Finland’s fifth-largest brewery, Nokian Brewery, for real-world industrial testing, where it will be used to produce fossil-free steam for the brewery’s production lines. TheStorage estimates that its heat storage solution…

  • Escalating space debris poses $42bn risk to space industry

    Failure to effectively address the current space debris challenge could cost the space industry up to $42.3bn over the next decade, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report. The report, a collaboration between WEF and the Saudi Arabia Centre for Space Futures, calls for coordinated global action to tackle space debris and keep Earth’s orbit safe and sustainable. Humanity is increasingly reliant on satellites to power GPS, weather forecasting and emergency communications. With more than 8,000 satellites already orbiting Earth and thousands more planned, the report warns that this critical orbital infrastructure is at growing risk of collision with space debris. Space debris is the result of the accumulation of defunct satellites, rocket parts and other human-made objects. It is…

  • UK’s first battery-only train enters passenger service

    Great Western Railway (GWR) has introduced the UK’s first battery-only-powered passenger train on a suburban rail link in west London. The GWR Class 230 battery train will carry passengers on the Greenford branch line, a five-mile return route from West Ealing to Greenford, replacing its diesel counterpart. The fast-charge technology used in the Class 230, a retro-fitted 1982 District Line train, has been undergoing trials for the past 22 months. In August 2025, it even set a new world record for a battery-electric train, travelling 200 miles on a single charge. During the trial, Network Rail worked with GWR to install the fast-charge battery banks and assisted with the safety reviews to ensure both the train and the recharging infrastructure were ready for the introduction of passenger…

  • Electric eels spark development of flexible, implantable batteries

    Flexible, non-toxic hydrogel batteries could power soft, wearable and implantable electronics, according to a study. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have taken inspiration from the biology of electric fish, such as eels, to develop a hydrogel-based soft material capable of conducting electricity. Joseph Najem, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and corresponding author on the paper, said: “The electrocytes in electric eels are ultra-thin biological cells, capable of generating over 600 volts of electricity in a brief burst. These cells achieve very high-power densities, meaning they can produce a lot of power from small volumes.” The team’s approach involved layering multiple types of hydrogels – water-rich materials capable of conducting ions – in a specific pattern…

  • Waymo’s driverless robotaxis will hit London streets later this year

    Waymo, the self-driving taxi service owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, aims to operate a driverless robotaxi service in London as early as September. The firm, which operates in a number of US cities, has long held plans to launch a fully autonomous service in London. However, this is dependent on a number of safety and regulatory approvals. The government has said it intends to update regulations under the Automated Vehicles Act in the second half of 2026. The Act provides the legal framework for fully self-driving vehicles, setting out how they’re approved, regulated and held accountable. The planned updates will allow driverless services to operate legally on public roads provided they meet strict safety standards. During a launch event at the London Transport Museum this…

  • Computer chip shrunk into hair-thin flexible fibre for intelligent wearables

    A flexible chip as thin as a human hair could pave the way for a new generation of electronic wearable clothing, according to a new study. Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, have built complex electronic circuits inside thin, flexible fibres. When woven into fabric, these ‘fibre chips’ could process information and handle data to enable clothing to work like a computer. As the fibre chips are closed loops – containing power, sensors and processors in one string – they are able to function as independent intelligent systems without any external hardware. This could lead to a new generation of even smarter wearables for use in a range of applications such as health monitoring and interactive clothing. At 50 micrometres in diameter (the average human hair is around 70…

  • Pornhub to restrict access to UK users because of ‘failed’ Online Safety Act

    Pornhub has said it will block access to all UK users that haven’t already generated an account on 2 February due to the “failed” Online Safety Act (OSA). Online platforms were given until July last year to adhere to new age verification rules under the OSA or face the prospect of fines. But while many larger porn sites quickly implemented the system to stay compliant, lesser-known sites chose to flout the rules in order to capture internet traffic from users that did not want to sign up for an account. After the implication of the new rules, use of VPNs (virtual private networks) surged in the UK as they allow users to access the sites from other countries with less stringent regulations. Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company that also owns sites including RedTube, Tube8 and YouPorn, said it…

  • HS2 begins tunnelling to Euston after fears line would stop at Old Oak Common

    The first of two tunnelling machines has begun excavation works between Old Oak Common and Euston Station as part of HS2’s final 4.5-mile stretch into central London. The works mark a major milestone for the project after rumours swirled in recent years that HS2 would only reach Old Oak Common in west London due to the high cost of building the remaining few miles to Euston. Some estimates suggested that by not extending into central London, the overall economic benefits of HS2 could be halved in the long run. The Department for Transport (DfT) said that taking HS2 all the way to Euston was “essential to unlocking the project’s full economic potential” and was part of wider progress on the project, which included 23 miles of tunnels, 19 bridges and two viaducts along the rail line’s route…

  • Doomsday Clock ticks closer to midnight amid rising global risks

    Humanity is closer to catastrophe than ever amid rising nuclear tensions, AI risks, biological security concerns and the worsening climate crisis, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has set the Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight, reflecting its assessment of how close humanity is to being annihilated by existential threats such as nuclear war, climate change, biotechnology risk, disruptive technologies such as AI and geopolitical conflicts. Midnight on the clock symbolises global human-made disaster if those threats aren’t addressed. As of January 2026, the clock is the closest it has ever been to the hour of doom. From the acceleration of a renewed nuclear arms race to the rise of nationalistic autocracies around the world, 2025…

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