Important Innovations

  First Successful Test With Passenger Onboard                                          Source:   Virgin Hyperloop Travel at 620 to 700 MPH In Las Vegas yesterday, Virgin Hyperloop made its first successful run with two passengers onboard.  The high speed travel technology travelled 500 meters in just 15 seconds at the Virgin test site. Speeds hit 107.5 mph. The two passengers, Virgin Hyperloop Cofounder/CTO Josh Giegel and Virgin Hyperloop Director of Passenger Experience Sara Luchian sat in a single pod. They said they enjoyed the very high speed ride. They are the first in the world to take a hyperloop ride. The hyperloop carries passengers in small pods that levitate above the track in a vacuum tube.  It is capable of speeds up to 700 mph.  Some experts believe it will revolutionize travel. An expert in Sweden calls it "the barf ride" because of the potential impact of the very high speeds on passengers. No Carbon Emissions This high speed travel "revolutionary"

  Nissan's  Sales Innovation in Face of Pandemic                                                       Source:  Nissan "Complete, End to End Digital Journey" to the Purchase COVID-19 has radically changed the world and global commerce.  Here's a new example.  Because of the pandemic, global auto customers are shying away from car showrooms.  Nissan is on to a new digital approach.  What the company is calling "a complete, end to end digital journey" to  buying your next Nissan car. Nissan COO Ashwari Gupta's Digital System The Chief Operating Officer of Nissan Ashwari Gupta was tasked by a senior Nissan Board member to determine how to sell cars to customers in a COVID weary world.  Gupta came up with a digital journey.  The journey starts with the customer researching cars on line. Car models come to the customer's house for a test drive.  Purchase agreements are finalized with no trips at all to the dealership.  It is socially distanced, online car

  European Union May Vastly Expand Wind Power Capacity                                  Source:  German Offshore Wind Farm 2030 and 2050 Green Goals For the European Union, energy produced by wind power generation is now cheaper than that produced by fossil fuels.  As a result, the EU is considering a huge investment in offshore wind power technology and infrastructure. The nearly $Trillion investment is aimed at creating five-times or 60 gigawatts of offshore wind generated energy by 2030.  The current level is 12 gigawatts.  By 2050 the EU is targeting 300 gigawatts.  They are also targeting 60 gigawatts of wave and tidal energy by 2050. Massive Renewable Energy Agenda These renewable energy goals are unprecedented and would require a major change of scale for the energy sectors of the 27 nation European Union.  The cost is estimated at $937 billion.  The EU plan is still being worked on and should be finalized by mid-November.  If put into action, it will result in a five-fold incre

  Magawa Service Rat Gets UK Gold Medal Service Award                                     Source: PDSA & Magawa Cambodia: Rat Detects 39 Landmines & Saves Countless Lives  This is one of the most remarkable animal service stories to date. A trained rat, called Magawa, has detected 39 unexploded landmines in Cambodia, along with 28 unexploded ordinances, and has saved countless lives.  This incredible service animal was trained in Belgium by the charity APOPO. The organization trains rats to detect the scent of explosives and alert their human handlers.  Very Smart Animal Magawa is an African Giant Pouched Rat. The species is very intelligent and easy to train.  Every day for the past seven years, Magawa has been on landmine patrol in Cambodia, which has millions of unexploded landmines.  Magawa has cleared a lot of territory and is PDSA's best performing service rat.  As a result of its work, Magawa has received the very prestigious gold medal from the British veterinary ch

  Luxury Electric Cars                                                           Source:  Bentley Bentley on an Electric Fast Track Bentley Motors' model lineup of cars will consist of only electric and plug-in hybrids by 2026.  The UK based luxury car maker will be fully electric by 2030.  This news from the company as the global automotive industry adjusts to much tougher emissions regulations in China and Europe.  Many global automakers are expanding their electric lineups.  100 Year Old Automaker Going Electric Bentley was founded 100 years ago and is now owned by Volkswagen.  It is accelerating the development of electric vehicles and will introduce two plug-in hybrids in 2021.  In a statement, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said: "Bentley will transform from a 100 year old luxury car company to a new, sustainable, wholly ethical role model for luxury."  Last summer, Bentley indicated that it would cut 25% of its workforce or 1,000 jobs as the company shifts to electric

  Shanghai and California Based Autonomous Driving Company                                                                                Source:  Pony.ai Lexus SUV Backed by Toyota China startup Pony.ai has just secured $267 million, on top of a recent $462 million, in another round of funding. That values the company at $5.3 billion, which makes it the world's most valuable independent autonomous driving startup. It has a much higher valuation than rivals Nuro and Aurora. Toyota Backed The Shanghai and Fremont, California based company is backed by Toyota, with which it is exploring mobility solutions.  Bottom-line:  this is a very hot startup.  And the funding for it comes at a time when global automakers, technology firms and investors, as well as Tesla, Uber and Waymo, are pouring money into developing self-driving vehicles. Timeline and Plans Pony.ai plans to use the funding to develop technology and expand its fleet.  In early 2019, it started developing autonomous truck tec

  Tesla Tequila on Sale in Selected States                          Source:  TeslaCEO Elon Musk & Tesla Tequila Tesla's Liquor Offering Tesla CEO Elon Musk launched a line of $250.00 a bottle tequila called Tesla Tequila  and within hours the liquor flew off its virtual shelves.  The Tesla Tequila was a promise that Musk tweeted on April Fools Day 2018 that he just made good on.  Musk has trademarked the drink which comes in a sleek, lightning bolt-like container. Musk the Marketer This isn't the first quirky product that Musk, the marketer and entrepreneur, has sold.  In 2018, he sold flamethrowers at $500 a piece and raised $10 million for his high-speed tunnel company, The Boring Company.  He also sold 50,000 Boring Company hats. Tesla Tequila Now on Sale According to Musk, Tesla Tequila will be available in selected states, including California, Washington and New York.  Tesla Tequila is made by Nosotros Tequila, which ages the liquor in French oak barrels.  The drink h