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Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’There is no evidence that Wayfair was ever involved in child traffickingWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden Sunday night announced he has pardoned his son Hunter, a reversal in his long-standing pledge that he would not exert his executive authority to clear his son of gun-related charges and tax crimes. “I believe in the justice system,” Biden said in a statement. “But as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Hunter, who is Biden’s only living son, was a frequent target of Republicans, who, through various investigations, sought to link broad corruption charges to the president and his son. No evidence has shown any wrongdoing by the president. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Biden said. “There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution.” Hunter Biden’s gun conviction before a federal jury in June stemmed from lying on a gun purchase in 2018. He checked a box that affirmed he was not using illegal drugs, but he did then use drugs while owning the firearm. The gun charges carried a possible prison sentence. Separately, Hunter Biden also pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in California. The decision came at the end of a holiday weekend and as Biden is winding down his presidency and President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office in January. U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, blasted the move by the president, saying he has “lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities.” Last updated 6:34 p.m., Dec. 1, 2024SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FuriosaAI , an emerging leader in AI semiconductor solutions, is closing out the year with rapid technical and customer progress with its second-generation chip, RNGD (pronounced 'Renegade'). The recently announced AI solution has achieved compelling performance metrics in real-world enterprise deployments meeting the demand for inference with advanced large language and multimodal models. The new performance benchmarks showcase RNGD's ability to meet industry-leading throughput demands for Llama 3.1 models, including the 8B and 70B variants, with additional optimizations already in progress. The company also announced key software features that bring advanced optimization for customers currently sampling RNGD hardware in their production environments. These achievements represent the first phase of Furiosa's vision for AI infrastructure that overcomes the inherent limitations of GPUs. RNGD delivers winning throughput metrics with Llama 3.1 8B and 70B : Building on the AI-native Tensor Contraction Processor (TCP) architecture of RNGD , Furiosa is redefining real-world AI deployments, delivering unmatched performance, programmability, and power efficiency. Furiosa's RNGD recently achieved a throughput of 3,200–3,300 Tokens per Second (TPS) when running the LLaMA 3.1- 8B model. In single-user scenarios, RNGD consistently delivers 40–60 TPS performance. Additionally, RNGD demonstrates exceptional power efficiency, consuming 181W per card, with further optimization efforts underway. Rather than excessively boosting per-user performance, the company aims to maintain performance levels exceeding typical text-reading speeds (10–20 TPS or higher) while optimizing for multi-user environments and achieving a balanced performance approach. Furiosa is advancing the performance and efficiency of the LLaMA 3.1- 70B model. With just two RNGD cards, LLaMA 3.1- 70B can be executed effectively. Currently, a single server supports up to 100 concurrent user queries, with ongoing optimizations aiming to achieve 8,000 TPS per server when equipped with 8 RNGD cards. With the release of SDK v2024.3.0, Furiosa will expand the range of preloaded models. The SDK will also include support for tensor parallelism, enabling seamless processing across multiple elements without requiring model modifications, and a torch.compile, providing the foundation for executing customized models. Integration with HuggingFace Optimum will further empower customers to leverage a broader variety of models. Advanced optimization tools delivered to early RNGD customers: Building on these milestones, domestic and global enterprise customers are conducting tests with Furiosa to find a more efficient solution for scaling the inference of their self-developed models, compared to their existing setup. Their objective is to manage TCO effectively as they prepare for large-scale AI adoption. Furiosa plans to provide a high-quality AI development environment through a powerful and user-friendly SDK optimized for RNGD. The SDK v2024.1.0, currently available through the Early Access Program (EAP), is designed to handle high-performance processing of multiple LLM serving requests. It incorporates optimization techniques such as PagedAttention, Block KV Cache, and Continuous Batching, while also supporting various token sampling methods, including Greedy, Beam Search, and Top-k/p. These features allow developers to seamlessly create AI services customized to meet a wide range of requirements. The SDK and online sample will be available after the release of v2024.3.0. Furiosa remains committed to delivering the most sustainable AI deployment solutions through rigorous optimization at an unprecedented pace. "With RNGD now in customers' hands, we are accelerating the next generation of frontier LLMs to unlock emerging Agentic AI applications—bringing advanced reasoning capabilities to enterprise verticals, all at dramatically lower costs," said June Paik , Co-Founder and CEO of FuriosaAI. Furiosa Expands Global Footprint with Strategic Leadership Appointment Furiosa is scaling production and expanding its leadership team with the appointment of Alex Liu as Senior Vice President of Product and Business. A Technology Emmy Award winner and co-founder of NETINT Technologies, Alex brings over 20 years of expertise in startup management, technology innovation, and strategic leadership. At NETINT, he spearheaded groundbreaking achievements, including the development of the world's first VPU SoC, setting new industry benchmarks and securing the prestigious 2024 Technology Emmy Award. At Furiosa, Alex will lead global product management, go-to-market strategies, and partnerships to drive innovation and align the company's AI-native technologies with a vision to empower the development of planet-scale AI infrastructure. RNGD is currently sampling with customers, and mass production will ramp up in partnership with TSMC for 2025 availability. To learn more about Furiosa, please visit https://furiosa.ai/ . About FuriosaAI FuriosaAI is a semiconductor company dedicated to creating sustainable AI computing solutions that make powerful AI accessible to all. With its innovative Tensor Contraction Processor architecture, FuriosaAI is revolutionizing the AI hardware landscape, offering unparalleled efficiency and programmability for the most demanding AI workloads. For more information, please visit https://furiosa.ai/ . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/furiosaai-ends-2024-on-a-high-note-llama-3-1-performance-sdk-release-leadership-expansion-302336756.html SOURCE FuriosaAI

‘Have considered it’: star Roosters flyer responds to rugby union code switch rumours

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.Jind: To take stock of preparations for state-level Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebrations to be held at Eklavya stadium in Jind on Sunday, Haryana minister of social justice and empowerment Krishna Kumar Bedi , and public works minister Ranbir Gangwa , visited the venue on Saturday. The ministers instructed officials to ensure no stone is left unturned in making the event a success. Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini would be the chief guest at the event. Several state ministers, MLAs, and thousands of people are expected to attend the event. Bedi directed officials to create separate blocks for men and women at the venue. He stressed on the need for sufficient drinking water, temporary toilets, electricity, cleanliness, flower decorations on the main stage, parking of vehicles, security arrangements, and other amenities at the venue. He added that under the Sant Mahapurush Samman and Vichar-Prasar Yojana, the state govt has decided to celebrate the birth anniversaries of all saints and great personalities, spreading their teachings. Maharashtra Jharkhand Maharashtra Alliance View i Party View Seats: 288 Results Majority: 145 BJP+ 229 MVA 47 OTH 12 Results : 288 / 288 BJP+ WON Jharkhand Alliance View i Party View Seats: 81 Results Majority: 41 INDIA 56 NDA 24 OTH 1 Results : 81 / 81 INDIA WON Source: PValue Gangwa said Valmiki’s message had inspired many towards humanity, instilling self-confidence in individuals. Deputy commissioner Mohammad Imran Raza said all preparations for the event had been done. We also published the following articles recently State-level Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebrations: Ministers visit venue to review preperation Haryana is gearing up for a grand state-level Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebration at the Eklavya stadium in Jind on Sunday. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will lead the event, joined by state ministers and thousands of devotees. Organizers are pulling out all the stops to ensure a spectacular event, with meticulous arrangements for seating, amenities, security, and cultural performances. Haryana Government to Revamp State-Run Schools Over Next Five Years: State Education Minister Haryana's School Education Minister, Mahipal Dhanda, has announced a five-year plan to completely overhaul state-run schools. Dhanda emphasized the government's commitment to improving rural education and equipping students with skills for national development. He urged villagers to enroll their children in government schools, promising positive outcomes and highlighting the government's focus on education to secure a brighter future. Detailed Mys development plan will be prepared: Minister Mysuru's District Minister, HC Mahadevappa, has revealed plans for a comprehensive development strategy encompassing both the city and the district. The initiative aims to transform Mysuru into a thriving hub, incorporating suggestions from experts and residents. Key areas of focus include expanding the city's corporation limits, enhancing infrastructure, and promoting economic and educational growth.SootheSmart: The Ultimate Solution for Pain Relief and Relaxation at Home

SMU seeks 7th straight win with visit from LongwoodDANBURY — The American Legion Sports Complex will have military flags added to the property. Danbury City Council approved a donation and placement for military flags given by the Danbury Civic Club. The American Legion Sports Complex in the 15000 block of Quail Ridge Road is city property, so the Civic Club had to come before council for approval to erect the flags, Mayor Sue Powell said. There will be eight flag poles with the military flags — Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, POWs and the American flag by the American Legion sign. Lights will be placed atop the poles to illuminate the flags. All the poles are made from aluminum and will be placed in concrete within the ground so they can handle harsh weather conditions. They will be placed inside the fence at the complex to make it easier to maintain the grass around them. Another item approved by the council was an invoice for more than $91,000 from the county for streets and roads built in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Council also approved two miles of roads throughout the city for the 2025 county road repairs. The city has an interlocal agreement with Brazoria County for road projects. “When we have the county do work for us, we do not pay for labor, just materials that are needed to do the job,” Powell said. The county completed the roads in the summer, she said. In other business, Police Chief Chris Henken updated the council on the citywide camera project. There will be cameras at the ballpark, Skrabanek Park, water tower, Community Center, septic plant and some streets. The new cameras, and current ones, can help secure activity around the city. “The camera project is relatively done,” Henken said. Previously, council approved changing the city’s internet provider from AT&T to Comcast to help with the camera system. They will install a router in City Hall and at the wastewater treatment plant. Having a router in City Hall will help provide better internet. The Utility Department has received flashing school zone signs that will be installed soon, Utility Supervisor Rodney Garrett said.

T wo-faced Janus, the ancient Roman god of January, looks both backwards to the year that has gone and forwards to the year to come. He presides over beginnings and endings, war and peace, he is the god of transitions, often portrayed above doorways. In short, Janus provides an excellent metaphor as the world stands on the threshold of the incoming Trump administration. The second coming of Donald Trump marks a historic moment with uncanny similarities to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. Trump consciously echoed the promise of Reagan to “make America”, and one might add, the West, “great again’”. But the similarities don’t end there. Although Reagan is now recognised, even by the Left, as a great leader who, with Margaret Thatcher and John Paul II, brought about the fall of the Soviet Union, during his presidency he was mocked and derided as viciously as Trump. Both are political outsiders, even in their own party. Both have the common touch. Both have a...TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played like a team determined to do whatever's necessary to make the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the offense purred, the defense tightened after yielding a touchdown just before halftime, and special teams stood out, too, in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers that kept the team's division and postseason hopes alive Sunday. Now, the Bucs (9-7) will see if they get some outside assistance in their bid to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season. “We're just trying to get to the playoffs,” coach Todd Bowles said, shrugging off a question about how Sunday's win ensured a winning record in the regular season. “If we can win next week and get a little help,” Bowles added, “that will mean a lot to me.” Tampa Bay's fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South, with the Falcons set to play on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay's three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers (4-12). Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns without an interception for the Bucs, the only team in the NFC that's made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “He really played a heck of a ball game intelligently,” Bowles said. “We didn't turn it over offensively. We were very good on third down. He controlled the ball, spread it around, got everybody touches.” Mayfield threw TD passes of 2 and 1 yards to Mike Evans, and Tampa Bay produced points on five straight first-half possessions to build a 27-7 lead. Jalen McMillan scored on receptions of 10 and 16 yards, linebacker J.J. Russell returned a blocked punt for a third-quarter TD and rookie Bucky Irving had another big game against Carolina with 120 yards rushing on 20 carries and four receptions for 77 yards. “Any time you give him that many opportunities, good things are going to happen,” Mayfield said of Irving. Irving went over 1,000 yards for the season (1,033) despite primarily being used as a backup to Rachaad White. The fourth-round draft pick ran for 152 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries against the NFL's 32nd-ranked run defense in Tampa Bay's 26-23 overtime win at Carolina on Dec. 1. Meanwhile, Mayfield improved to 4-0 against Carolina since his former team released him two years ago. He completed 27 of 32 passes without an interception. The Panthers played without leading rusher Chuba Hubbard, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Without him, the offense was almost totally dependent on quarterback Bryce Young, who tossed a pair of TD passes to Adam Thielen but was only 15 of 28 passing for 203 yards. The Bucs sacked Young five times and limited Carolina to 39 yards rushing. Thielen scored on receptions of 17 and 40 yards in the first half and finished with five catches for 110 yards. “We got outplayed. ... They were on fire today. They made it hard for us,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We have one more opportunity to finish,” Canales added, “so we have to regroup and have the discipline to go right back to work and finish on our terms.” Evans had eight catches for 97 yards. He needs at least 85 yards receiving in next weekend's regular-season finale to tie Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's NFL record of 11 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving. The Buccaneers played without S Antoine Winfield Jr (knee), TE Cade Otton (knee) and WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring/foot), who were inactive. ... Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean left in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. Panthers: Close the season at Atlanta. Buccaneers: Host the New Orleans Saints. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Children of the wealthy and connected get special admissions consideration at some elite U.S. universities, according to new filings in a class-action lawsuit originally brought against 17 schools. Georgetown’s then-president, for example, listed a prospective student on his “president’s list” after meeting her and her wealthy father at an Idaho conference known as “summer camp for billionaires,” according to Tuesday court filings in the price-fixing lawsuit filed in Chicago federal court in 2022. Although it’s always been assumed that such favoritism exists, the filings offer a rare peek at the often secret deliberations of university heads and admissions officials. They show how schools admit otherwise unqualified wealthy children because their parents have connections and could possibly donate large sums down the line, raising questions about fairness. Stuart Schmill, the dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a 2018 email that the university admitted four out of six applicants recommended by then-board chairman Robert Millard, including two who “we would really not have otherwise admitted.” The two others were not admitted because they were “not in the ball park, or the push from him was not as strong.” In the email, Schmill said Millard was careful to play down his influence on admissions decisions, but he said the chair also sent notes on all six students and later met with Schmill to share insight “into who he thought was more of a priority.” The filings are the latest salvo in a lawsuit that claims that 17 of the nation’s most prestigious colleges colluded to reduce the competition for prospective students and drive down the amount of financial aid they would offer, all while giving special preference to the children of wealthy donors. “That illegal collusion resulted in the defendants providing far less aid to students than would have been provided in a free market,” said Robert Gilbert, an attorney for the plaintiffs. Since the lawsuit was filed, 10 of the schools have reached settlements to pay out a total of $284 million, including payments of up to $2,000 to current or former students whose financial aid might have been shortchanged over a period of more than two decades. They are Brown, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Northwestern, Rice, Vanderbilt and Yale. Johns Hopkins is working on a settlement and the six schools still fighting the lawsuit are the California Institute of Technology, Cornell, Georgetown, MIT, Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania. Penn bans encampments while citing ‘commitment to open expression’ Encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted and unauthorized overnight activities will be considered trespassing. 7 months ago MIT called the lawsuit and the claims about admissions favoritism baseless. “MIT has no history of wealth favoritism in its admissions; quite the opposite,” university spokesperson Kimberly Allen said. “After years of discovery in which millions of documents were produced that provide an overwhelming record of independence in our admissions process, plaintiffs could cite just a single instance in which the recommendation of a board member helped sway the decisions for two undergraduate applicants.” In a statement, Penn also said the case is meritless that the evidence shows that it doesn’t favor students whose families have donated or pledged money to the Ivy League school. “Plaintiffs’ whole case is an attempt to embarrass the University about its purported admission practices on issues totally unrelated to this case,” the school said. Notre Dame officials also called the case baseless. “We are confident that every student admitted to Notre Dame is fully qualified and ready to succeed,” a university spokesperson said in a statement. The South Bend, Indiana, school, though, did apparently admit wealthy students with subpar academic backgrounds. According to the new court filings, Don Bishop, who was then associate vice president for enrollment at Notre Dame, bluntly wrote about the “special interest” admits in a 2012 email, saying that year’s crop had poorer academic records than the previous year’s. The 2012 group included 38 applicants who were given a “very low” academic rating, Bishop wrote. He said those students represented “massive allowances to the power of the family connections and funding history,” adding that “we allowed their high gifting or potential gifting to influence our choices more this year than last year.” The final line of his email: “Sure hope the wealthy next year raise a few more smart kids!” Some of the examples pointed to in this week’s court filings showed that just being able to pay full tuition would give students an advantage. During a deposition, a former Vanderbilt admissions director said that in some cases, a student would get an edge on the waitlist if they didn’t need financial aid. The 17 schools were part of a decades-old group that got permission from Congress to come up with a shared approach to awarding financial aid. Such an arrangement might otherwise violate antitrust laws, but Congress allowed it as long as the colleges all had need-blind admissions policies, meaning they wouldn’t consider a student’s financial situation when deciding who gets in. The lawsuit argues that many colleges claimed to be need-blind but routinely favored the children of alumni and donors. In doing so, the suit says, the colleges violated the Congressional exemption and tainted the entire organization. The group dissolved in recent years when the provision allowing the collaboration expired. ___ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Get daily updates from WHYY News! The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.Detroit (AP) — China will soon see a massive expansion of electric vehicle battery swapping, as global battery maker CATL said Wednesday there next year. Battery swapping is not new — but it’s had a challenging journey. in regions across the globe over the past several years, and that doesn’t always bode well for building new infrastructure. While the technology could do well in China, it’s uncertain whether it could work in other countries. What is battery swapping? Battery swapping allows EV drivers to pull into a station on a low battery and receive a swapped, fully-charged battery within minutes. An EV has to be equipped with the right technology to receive a swap — and not many models around the world currently have it. Automakers have to buy into the idea, and EV adoption among consumers also has to grow, so that investing in new infrastructure seems worthwhile. Consumers also have to be comfortable not owning their battery. Why could it work in China? China is much further along in adopting EVs than other countries. Not only is it the world’s largest auto market, but in July, the country hit a milestone with 50% of new sales electric — and it accounts for most of this year’s global EV sales. China supports EV growth through government subsidies and mandates. So it makes more sense for companies to invest in unique EV infrastructure there because that’s more likely to be needed. What other attempts at battery swapping have occurred? The most notable example might be Israeli startup Better Place, which tried its hand at swapping in 2007. But the company shut down a few years later after investing a lot of money and coming up against roadblocks with logistics. EV adoption was especially low at the time. Could it work in the United States? Europe? Startup Ample, for example, has a modular battery swapping station that it says can complete a swap in 5 minutes. That’s important as charging time remains a point of concern for prospective EV buyers. Even the fastest fast chargers could take at least 15 minutes for a decent charge. But in the U.S., pure EVs only accounted for 8% of new vehicle sales as of November. Meanwhile Nio, a rival Chinese EV brand, has about 60 swap stations in northern Europe, and the EV adoption is higher there than the U.S., but the same challenges remain. Different automakers put different batteries in their various EV models, so a station would need all of those available if the industry didn’t agree to a standardized battery, and not all of those models are out yet in volume. This is something that really needs scale. Swapping could help with EV cost — currently a barrier to adoption for many — because a driver wouldn’t necessarily own the most expensive part of an EV: the battery. Greg Less, director of the University of Michigan Battery Lab, said with proper framing and education, people might like the idea of battery swapping. To him, it’s not unlike buying a propane-fueled grill and purchasing a refilled tank every so often. But it would require a rethinking of car ownership. “Where I could see it working is if we went entirely away from vehicle ownership and we went to a use-on-demand model,” Less added. “I don’t think we’re there yet.” What vehicle uses might be b est for swapping? Battery swapping might make most sense for ride-sharing or other fleet vehicles. Drivers of buses, taxis, Uber or Lyft vehicles want to spend as much time on the road as possible, transporting customers and making money. If battery swapping can shorten the time needed to charge EVs, that makes driving one less disruptive to their business. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X: . Reach her at . ___ Read more of AP’s climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at . Alexa St. John, The Associated PressJimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’