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American EV maker Rivian just announced that it has received a commitment from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for a loan totaling $6.6 billion. This is thanks to the DOEs Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program. This includes a principal loan of $6 billion and approximately $600 million of capitalized interest. The company says it will use this money to to accelerate its growth and leadership of electric vehicle design, development and manufacturing in the United States. Rivian fans can guess what that means. The Georgia manufacturing plant is back on the table, after the company halted construction to save money back in March. If finalized, the loan will support continued construction of its manufacturing facility near Social Circle, Georgia. This plant will be used for production of the companys midsize platform, which includes the forthcoming R2 SUV and the absolutely stunning R3/R3X line. Designed, engineered, and built in America to deliver an incredible combination of capability, function, performance, and pricing, Rivian believes its R2 and R3 vehicle lines will be critical drivers in the companys long-term growth and profitability, the company wrote in a press release. Rivian says this will bring around 7,500 operational jobs to the area, along with 2,000 construction jobs. The plant will be able to build 400,000 vehicles each year, which will support Rivians continuing expansion both in America and in foreign markets. The current plan is for the facility to be built in two phases, with phase one (accounting for 200,000 vehicles per year) going live in 2028. This will not impact the manufacturing output of the companys current plant in Normal, Illinois. However, that facility is reportedly not the safest place to work, so maybe it could stand to slow things down a bit. Overwhelmed by the wonderful response to our new vehicles: R2, R3 and R3X. In less than 24 hours, weve taken more than 68,000 R2 reservations. We are thrilled to see this vehicle resonate so strongly with our community! pic.twitter.com/tEIBhwlJQC RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) March 8, 2024 The loan hasnt been fully finalized yet, as the DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental and financial conditions before the Department of Energy enters into definitive financing documents and funds the loan. The ATVM Loan Program is quite renowned in the EV space, as it is largely credited for saving Tesla from an early death all the way back in 2010. Thanks to that loan, Tesla can continue to create the internets favorite punching bag, the Cybertruck, and a bunch of robots that dont actually do anything. No wonder Rivian has been posting outstanding preorder numbers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rivian-will-likely-receive-66-billion-loan-from-the-government-to-open-its-plant-in-georgia-164338924.html?src=rss
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If you didnt know, Tencent (which is, among other things, the worlds biggest video game vendor) is the one that brought the Nintendo Switch to China in 2019. These Chinese versions of the console have access to fewer games, and they also cant connect with consoles from outside China. Before long, these consoles will get significantly less useful: Nintendo announced that owners won't be able to buy any games from the eShop starting March 31, 2026. Downloads and code redemption services will end on May 15, 2026. Fortunately, all other online features wont be affected, and Nintendo is throwing in a bonus for owners. Between November 27, 2024 and March 31, 2026, all verified Chinese Nintendo Switch consoles can use WeChat to redeem up to four games, including Mario: Kart 8 Deluxe, Kirby: Star Allies, Pokemon: Lets Go, Pikachu! and Pokemon: Lets Go, Eevee! Just in case youre looking to get a cheap Chinese Switch for games, you likely wont be able to buy or redeem any in the first place. Youll need WeChat Pay from China to buy games, and most non-China residents dont have access to the mainland version of the service. There isnt a concrete reason given for this decision. According to Reuters, its likely due to how Chinese gamers are opting for international versions of the Nintendo Switch. It may or may not be related to the upcoming Switch 2 console, which we wont hear about until next year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-chinese-version-of-the-nintendo-switch-wont-be-able-to-access-the-eshop-in-2026-163246531.html?src=rss
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Google is running a short test in Germany, Belgium and Estonia that removes more detailed results from Google Search when users look for hotels and lodgings in these countries. Results will instead appear in a simple blue link that older users may recall from years past. The primary reason behind this test is pressure from the European Union, which is calling for more Google compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to a blog post, Google has been working hard over the past year with the European Commission and various industries, particularly hotels, airlines and small retailers. The company claims these three business types are experiencing 30 percent less traffic due to changes to comply further with the DMA. However, comparison sites are asking for more. For the uninitiated, comparison sites gather various results for users to pick between. Therefore, Google is now proposing three more changes to Search. The main change is expanded and equally formatted units that let users choose between comparison sites or supplier websites. This change only applies to searches for products, hotels, flights and restaurants. Another change is new formatting that allows comparison sites to show more information when they appear in Google Search, such as pictures and prices. The final change is the introduction of new ad units for comparison sites. TechCrunch received a statement from the European Commission regarding the enforcement of DMA. Lea Zuber, an EU spokesperson, didnt say much besides confirming that theyre assessing Googles compliance proposals. The hotel-specific test is temporary, but Google still says its very reluctant to do so, as these changes and more will hurt Google and businesses in Europe. The tech giant is trying to balance trade-offs and find a solution where both the law, European consumers and businesses, and the company will be happy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-testing-plan-blue-link-search-results-for-hotels-in-a-few-european-countries-155417020.html?src=rss
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