The chancellor is due to make the funding commitment tomorrow as part of her Spring Statement as part of government efforts to meet its 1.5 million homes target in the face of record low approvals for new homes last year.The cash injection will go toward building 18,000 affordable and social homes before 2029, the government said in an announcement, with most construction of those homes to get under way before 2027. However, it is unclear how the money will be allocated across the country.Angela Rayner, the housing secretary, had long promised the biggest expansion in social housing in a generation since the Labour party was elected to office last July an ambition that has been called into question by a 2.2 billion black hole in local authority housing and revenue accounts.AdvertisementThe built environment profession has also warned that, without funding for affordable and social homes specifically particularly council-backed housing, the government would not be able to meet its 1.5 million new homes target for this Parliament.Rayner said in a statement: Everyone deserves to have a safe and secure roof over their heads and a place to call their own. But the reality is that far too many people have been frozen out of home ownership or denied the chance to rent a home they can afford, thanks to the housing crisis weve inherited.She continued: This investment will help us to build thousands more affordable homes to buy and rent and get working people and families into secure homes and onto the housing ladder. This is just the latest in delivering our Plan for Change mission to build 1.5 million homes and the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.Responding to the announcement, SME house building developers and housing associations said they welcomed the cash injection into the affordable housing sector. However, they argued the monies would need to address the key issues around viability particularly for SME house builders in London, where land values are highest.Paul Rickard, chief executive of Pocket Living, said: While this is welcome news, we await further details on the allocation between London and the rest of England, especially given the crisis in housing starts in the capital and with the shortage of affordable homes.AdvertisementTackling the viability issues and getting housing schemes from the point of planning consent to a start on site remains one of the greatest challenges that the housebuilding industry faces.Rickard added that more needed to be done by government, including longer-term funding to support the SME house building sector before it is too late.Olivia Harris, chief executive of Dolphin Living, said of the announcement: This additional funding is very much welcome and needed, especially given the huge viability challenges many affordable housing developers are facing, which is stymying the delivery of much-needed new housing.She continued: [But] if the government really wants to rapidly increase supply, then we also need to have a serious debate on affordable tenure and in some cases switch to intermediate affordable housing, in addition to this extra funding, to really start getting those affordable housing consents converted into building activity.Kate Henderson, chief executive at the National Housing Federation, said the cash boost would prevent a cliff edge in delivery of new homes, ahead of the next funding programme being announced at an unknown date.Henderson continued: Social housing is the only secure and affordable housing for families on low incomes and the dire shortage has led to rocketing rates of poverty, overcrowding and homelessness.Investment in social housing is not only key to tackling the housing crisis, but is also excellent value for money, reducing government spending on benefits, health and homelessness as well as boosting growth. Housing associations are ready to work with the government to deliver a generation of new social homes.Last month, the government announced a 350 million top-up to its affordable housing fund, adding to the 500 million pot already pledged in Octobers budget.Most of the new funding 300 million will be used to boost the governments affordable homes programme and is expected to fund2,800 additional homes, including more than half for social rent.CommentMiranda MacLaren, director at OrmsThe 2 billion allocation to the affordable housing fund is a positive step but falls short of past investment, such as 3.7 billion in 2009-10. Years of reduced funding have contributed to the current housing crisis, with 160,000 children in temporary accommodation as of January 2025. The financial burden is significanthousing a family in a guesthouse costs up to 2,383 a month, nearly five times the cost of social housing.In 2023/24, councils in England spent 2.3 billion on temporary housing, a 29% increase from the previous year, with 780 million going to unsuitable emergency B&Bs and hostels. Without intervention, emergency housing costs could reach 1.2 billion annually by 2027.To curb costs and improve housing stability, councils need investment in emergency and long-term affordable housing. Retrofitting vacant office spaces could provide a sustainable, cost-effective solution to address the crisis.

Commentary: The Residence feels like Knives Out meets Clue with some Columbo mixed in for good measure.

This QD-OLED monitor with an excellent burn-in warranty is $950 -- over 40% off -- during Amazons Big Spring Sale.

OpinionMarch 25, 20255 min readWhen Scientists Dont Correct Errors, Misinformation and Deadly Consequences Can FollowUncorrected errors in science and the unconscionable reluctance to correct them erodes trust in science, throws away taxpayer money, harms the publics health and can kill innocent people Devrimb/Getty ImagesFew tasks come as thankless as asking a scientific journal editor to correct a bad study. I think that it [is] time to stop this never-ending story, the editor in chief of a diabetes journal told us last year, refusing our request for the data behind a study that we deemed to have fatal statistical errors. As noted by Retraction Watch, in an earlier e-mail to us, the corresponding author of the paper said, "sharing data with a third party would breach the study [participants] consent and European rules on data protection. But such errors would invalidate preliminary positive results for a Web-based clinical decision support tool intended to help diabetes patients. Those are the people we were concerned about.Unfortunately, such irresponsibility is all too common.Science informs our medical care, flies us through the skies, and keeps us safe while driving. And yet, because its done by people, mistakes can be made. After all, to err is human.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Scientific papers are riddled with errors; for example, as many as 30 percent of cluster randomized controlled trials for childhood obesity may have been analyzed incorrectly. In psychology, 20 percent of studies or more may have inconsistencies with their basic descriptive statistics that shed doubt on the reliability of their findings.When mistakes happen, the costs can be high. Researchers say that science is self-correcting, but often it isnt or it is unforgivably slow. For example, in the early 19th century, based on obviously bad sampling, physicians misdiagnosed many healthy infants with enlarged thymuses and mistakenly believed they were responsible for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by occluding the trachea, leading to a century-long medical misconception. Radiation therapy was then used to shrink thymuses for thousands of children, which ultimately caused increased rates of thyroid and breast cancer, resulting in over 10,000 deaths. The error was finally recognized and corrected in the 1940s. However, a nationwide campaign was only launched in 1977 by the National Cancer Institute to warn the medical community and alert the public.Serious errors occur in social science publications, too. Economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff published influential research in 2010 suggesting that when a countrys debt surpasses 90 percent of its gross domestic product, economic growth declines. Broadly cited by political leaders, this finding famously supported austerity policies worldwide. Independent researchers later uncovered significant errors in Reinhart and Rogoffs calculations. The blunder omitted key data from five countries, reversing the findings to show an average growth increase, rather than decline, at high debt levels. Reinhart and Rogoff acknowledged the error but argued against other criticisms of their analysis and maintained that their main findings generally held. This case raises another all-too-common irresponsibility we encountered in our diabetes study correction quest, where authors do not proactively disclose data and editors fail to require its availability. And while Reinhart and Rogoff had initially shared some of their data analysis details publicly, it was insufficient to fully reproduce and check their findings. Had they shared their data completely, the error could have been identified and corrected sooner, potentially prior to publication.We end on an egregious saga of scientific falsification and fabrication that went uncorrected for decades in the fields of Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease research. Eliezer Masliah, former director of the National Institute of Agings neuroscience division and a neurodegenerative disease specialist, was found guilty of scientific misconduct following a government investigation. As a result, two papers were retracted because of what appeared to be doctored images. A news story in the journal Science after an independent investigation reported that as many as 132 papers from 1997 to 2023 are suspect; several of those papers were very influential in the neurodegenerative disease field and in therapeutic drug development. A quarter century of Alzheimers research may have gone down the wrong trail to potential remedies because of this disaster.Many of us have had or will watch a loved one go through the slow, debilitating, and heartbreaking loss of self and others that Alzheimers brings. Tragically, current treatments offer limited relief. Despite countless researchers efforts and millions of dollars, progress has been hindered by chasing false leads while people are lost to the scourge of Alzheimers.The odiousness of knowingly delaying the correction of error-contaminated science came into play in the 2023 case of Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a distinguished scientist in the neurodegenerative field and a former president of Stanford University. Tessier-Lavigne resigned after an expert panel review found several of his groups published papers to contain manipulated images. Although Tessier-Lavigne himself was exonerated of research misconduct, the review concluded that as supervisor of the research group Tessier-Lavigne failed to decisively and forthrightly correct mistakes in the scientific record. This case highlights the dangers when scientists (especially senior scientific leaders) do not fully stand up for the rigor and integrity of science. Just as we experienced, it also highlights the failure of editors and journals to maintain the scientific integrity of the scientific literature. It turned out that Tessier-Lavigne attempted to make corrections for papers in Cell and Science, but Cell initially said it was not necessary, and the correction in Science initially was not published, consequent to an editorial error.Such delays and failures to correct known errors not only harm the public and stall progress but can also erode public trust in scientific research. This is why scientists and the journals in which they publish must unwaveringly commit to correcting errors. Scientists must uncompromisingly commit to rigorous research and accurate and trustworthy reporting; all of our welfare hangs in the balance.Its not all bad. We know of the errors cited here in part because science as an enterprise takes them seriously, even if individuals did not. Science has always been about self-improvement. It is a wellspring of innovations that learn about the world and leverage those insights to help us all.We are still hopeful. When bad science is left unchecked, it harms us all. And we need to do better. How much more progress could we make and how many more lives could we save if we do?This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American, the authors institution, or any other organization.

March 25, 20254 min readHow Researchers Found a Greener Way to Make Fuel for Nuclear FusionBy AccidentResearchers have found an environmentally safer way to extract the lithium 6 needed to create fuel for nuclear fusion reactors. The new approach doesnt require toxic mercury, as conventional methods doBy Jacek Krywko edited by Andrea Thompson xia yuan/Getty ImagesAll the nuclear power plants in operation right now use nuclear fissionthe process of splitting apart an atomto produce energy. But scientists have spent decades and entire careers in a frustrating quest to achieve nuclear fusion, which combines atoms, because it releases far more energy and produces no dangerous waste. Many hope fusion could one day be a significant source of carbon-free power.In addition to the many technical issues that have kept nuclear fusion perpetually in development, the process also needs fuel that presents its own problems. The fuel requires a rare lithium isotope (a version of an atom of the element with a different number of neutrons) called lithium 6.But the traditional process for sourcing lithium 6 involves using the toxic metal mercury and causes major environmental damage. It has been banned in the U.S. since 1963. The country currently relies on lithium 6 supplies that were stockpiled at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of nuclear weapons development programs during the cold war. Its kept a secret how much lithium 6 is left there, but its surely not enough to supply future fusion reactors, says Sarbajit Banerjee, a professor of chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Banerjee and his team think they have found a new and environmentally safer way to extract lithium 6 from brineand they came across it completely by accident.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Nuclear fusion, a reaction that powers stars such as our sun, generates energy by fusing atoms together. In fusion reactors, those atoms are deuterium (a heavy form of hydrogen that is abundant in seawater) and tritium (an even heavier form of hydrogen that is extremely rare but can be bred from lithium 6). Deuterium-tritium fusion unleashes a massive amount of energyits what gives hydrogen bombs their immense explosive power. It also happens at temperatures low enough to be contained in reactors. But it needs a relatively large amount of tritium.The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a 500-megawatt, large-scale experimental fusion reactor that is currently under construction in France, is expected to use much of global reserves of tritium, which are estimated to comprise between 25 and 30 kilograms. To make enough to fuel ITER and other projects, not to mention future fusion reactors, scientists will need much more lithium 6.When a lithium 6 atom is bombarded with a neutron, it undergoes a nuclear reaction that produces helium and tritium. Because roughly two kilograms of lithium 6 is needed to breed one kilogram of tritium, significant amounts of lithium 6 would be needed for ITER alone. If nuclear fusion takes off the ground, the demand for lithium 6 will shoot up to thousands of tons, Banerjee says.The natural lithium that is now mined from rocks in Australia or extracted from brine deposits in Chile is a mixture of two stable isotopes: lithium 7, which is commonly used in batteries, and lithium 6. The only established industrial process that separates these two isotopes is called column exchange (COLEX): large amounts of liquid mercury flow down a vertical column, while lithium mixed with water flows up. When those two liquids pass each other, the lithium 6 sticks to the mercury a bit more than lithium 7, so it ends up at the bottom of the column, while lithium 7 ends up at the top. But in this process, a few hundred tons of mercury got released to the environment, Banerjee says, prompting the U.S. ban.Thus far, the mercury-free methods for lithium isotope separation have been far costlier and less efficient than COLEX. But then Banerjee and his team went to Texas to work on a seemingly unrelated project: developing membranes for cleaning the water thats brought to the surface in oil and gas fracking operations.We had a couple of membranes that could filter out the oil, salt and silt from the water. At the same time, we were working on some battery materials, so we also filtered out lithium, Banerjee explains. His team used membranes made from zeta vanadium oxide, a patented material the team synthetized in a lab. The membranes contain a framework of one-dimensional nanoscale tunnelsand the team found these tunnels were particularly good at capturing lithium ions. They could even separate lithium 6 from lithium 7.To test this process more thoroughly, the researchers built an electrochemical cell: a sort of battery working in reverse. When water was cycled through the powered-up cell, positively charged lithium 6 ions got trapped in the one-dimensional tunnels of the negatively charged zeta vanadium oxide electrode. But heavier lithium 7 ions were more likely to break the bond with the tunnels and mostly avoided getting stuck in them. The results were published on March 20 in Chem.The technique could reach the level of enrichment suitable for nuclear fusion fuel after 25 four-hour cycles, Banerjee and his team say. Another plus was that zeta vanadium oxide gradually changed color from yellow to dark green when more lithium ions got trapped in it, which provided a very clear indicator of when the job was done. To get the lithium out of the cell, Banerjees team simply reversed the polarity to push trapped ions out of the tunnels and back to the circulating water.This method seems to have excellent separation, which is very promising, says Norbert K. Wegrzynowski, a physicist at the University of Bristol in England, who has worked on isotopic separation of lithium 6 and is not affiliated with Banerjees team. However, the next question is scalability. The key problem for such methods is driving the cost down enough to make them cost effective, Wegrzynowski says. He believes, though, that techniques along these lines may be the easiest and fastest to scale up to an industrial level.The efficiency of this process is already comparable to COLEX, and its just an unoptimized proof of concept. Within six months or so, we can probably be doing much better Banarjee says. He believes his lithium isotope separation technique could be implemented at an industrial scale within a couple of years. The materials to make this work are available, and its not the hardest process in the world, Banerjee says. Its not that far from actual realization.

Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system was actually created to reduce second-hand salesOrcward encounter.Image credit: Monolith News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on March 25, 2025 A former vice president of Warner Bros Games has revealed the true genesis of Monolith's beloved Nemesis system.The Nemesis system, for those unfamiliar, is a clever in-game mechanic which tracks a player's actions to create enemies that feel capable of remembering past encounters. In the case of Monolith's Middle-earth games, this allowed foes to rise through the ranks and enact revenge.But, while being a rather brilliant mechanic for fellow Orc hunters, it was actually created with a slightly more corporate mindset in play, with the idea being to cut down on used game sales.13 Exciting 2025 Horror Games. Watch on YouTubeIn a video documenting her time with Monolith, former Warner Bros Games exec Laura Fryer noted a drop off in sales for Rocksteady's Arkham Asylum release had been attributed to users playing the game, then returning their copy to a retailer, when it would then be sold on as a used copy."This was great for gamers, because they could buy the game and then sell it back to a company like GameStop and buy something else," Fryer said (thanks, IGN). "It was great for GameStop, because then they sold that used game for a discount and they pocketed the money."But, while this buying and reselling was a boon for the likes of GameStop and those of us looking to make a little money back, it was a "disaster" for the developers "because they weren't getting paid" for every game. "They were only getting paid for the first copy sold," Fryer said. "They lost millions of dollars."And, that brings us to the Nemesis system, with Fryer stating that the studio was facing "the same problem" with Shadow of Mordor. So, the question was asked: "How do we create a single-player game that is so compelling, that people keep the disc in their library forever?" And the solution, well, that was ultimately the Nemesis system."We knew Monolith's game engine wasn't yet capable of having a fully open world like a GTA, and this team wasn't interested in going the multiplayer route. But we still had to solve for the constraint," Fryer said. "And this thinking is what led to the Nemesis system, arguably one of the most creative and coolest game features in recent memory."My Time with Monolith. Watch on YouTubeAs for the system, while being an incredibly popular and innovative mechanic, it is now locked away by a Warner Bros patent until 2036, following the shuttering of Monolith earlier this year.The Nemesis system was set to be utilised again in Monolith's Wonder Woman game, though that project has now been cancelled alongside the studio's closure.

A Japanese shrine famous to video game fans has announced a ban on visits by tourists, following an "unforgivable act of disrespect". Read more

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe latest Fortnite update brought a lot of new content, including a new OG Season. This season added a new pass with numerous cosmetics inspired by early Chapter 1. While this is a big addition, perhaps the biggest thing that arrived with the Fortnite update is a new leak. This leak shows that Epic Games may change future seasons, starting with Season 3.Earlier leaks indicated that Chapter 6 could have six seasons, and this now makes much more sense. It appears that Epic will release shorter seasons, which might be a new strategy.The next Fortnite season might be the shortest, leak showsAccording to Hypex, one of the most trusted Fortnite leakers, the upcoming season will last just 35 days. Specifically, it will begin on May 2 and end on June 8. Excluding OG and throwback seasons, this will make Chapter 6 Season 3 the shortest Fortnite season ever. This hasnt been confirmed by Epic Games yet, but considering Hypexs track record, we expect it to be true.It appears that the theme of the next season has already been leaked as well. Several sources claim that the season will have a Star Wars theme, which makes sense considering that it begins just two days before Star Wars Day. If this turns out to be the case, Epic might simply be experimenting with shorter collaboration seasons.The next Fortnite season might have a Star Wars theme. Image by VideoGamerIts important to note that none of this has been confirmed by Epic. However, they come from reputable sources, which is why we believe they will turn out to be true. Since we are approximately five weeks away from the new season, the Fortnite developer will likely start teasing it in late April. Judging by the past few seasons, Epic might even reveal a new Battle Pass a week before it comes out. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide March has been a fantastic month for PlayStation gamers. There have been some huge releases this month including Assassins Creed Shadows, and there will be even more in April, including the arrival of Indiana Jones on PS5 consoles. In addition, there will be more freebies for PS Plus subscribers. The PS Plus April 2025 free games reveal date is imminent, and here you will find leaks, games confirmed to be joining, and whats leaving.PS Plus April 2025 free games reveal dateThePS Plus April 2025 Essential free games should be revealed on March 26th.Sony typically pulls the curtain aside on the next batch of games the final Wednesday prior to the start of the next month.As for when the Essential selection will be released, SonysPlayStation Blogpost for March confirms that they will come out on April 1st. The Extra and Premium additions should then be revealed on April 9thbefore releasing on the 15th.PS Plus April 2025 free games confirmedThere are two games confirmed for PS Plus April 2025. These are Blue Prince arriving on April 10th, and Lost Records Bloom and Rage Tape 2 arriving on April 15th, both for Extra and Premium.Blue Prince is incredibly exciting as it is a day-one release, and it is considered a GOTY contender by former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment,Shuhei Yoshida.Meanwhile, Lost Records Bloom and Rage Tape 2 is another day-one release, and Extra subscribers can play Tape 1 right now to get ready. Its another episodic narrative adventure game, and its from the creators of the much beloved Life is Strange series.In addition to all of the above, Sony has confirmed another big day-one release joining their subscription service in the summer.PS Plus April 2025 leakA possibleleak for PS Plus Premium April 2025 is Wall.E.A Taiwan rating for this classic was previously leaked byGematsu, and now itstrophieshave leaked online, too.In addition to revealing the trophies, the leak also reports we are getting the PS2 version of the Disney classic. This is fantastic news as Gematsu were previously unsure if we were getting the PS2 or PSP version, and the PS2 version should be the superior one.While its inevitable Wall.E is joining Sonys Premium subscription tier, its possible it joins at a later time in the future.Games leavingBelow is the list of games leaving PS Plus:Dragon Age Veilguard (Essential)Sonic Colors Ultimate (Essential)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection (Essential)Animal Well (Extra)Tales of Kenzera Zau (Extra)Nour Play With Your Food (Extra)Deliver Us Mars (Extra)Misama Chronicles (Extra)Stray Blade (Extra)Kena Bridge of the Spirits (Extra)Slay The Spire (Extra)The Essential games will depart on April 1st, meanwhile, all of the Extras will leave and be replaced on April 15th.In other gaming news, Arrowhead has released the Helldivers 2 update 01.002.201 patch notes.Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Sales of new Tesla cars slumped in Europe last month in the latest indication of a potential buyer backlash over Elon Musks high profile and controversial behaviour since becoming a leading figure in Donald Trumps administration.The Texas-based electric carmaker sold less than 16,000 vehicles across Europe last month, down 44% on average across 25 countries in the EU, the UK, Norway and Switzerland, according to data compiled by the research platform Jato Dynamics.Teslas market share fell to 9.6% last month, the lowest it has registered in February for five years. In January, its sales across Europe fell 45%, from 18,161 in 2024 to 9,945.However, in the UK the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported an almost 21% rise in the number of new Tesla cars registered in February, with the Model 3 and Model Y proving the second and third most popular after the Mini Cooper.Analysts and investors have been attempting to assess what impact Musks political interventions are having on the carmaker, where he is chief executive, amid signs that his senior role in Trumps administration is leading to a consumer backlash by some Tesla owners or prospective buyers. Tesla dealerships have also been the target of protests.The tech billionaire and close Trump adviser has shown support for Germanys far-right AfD party, theatrically brandished a chainsaw for bureaucracy at a conservative conference, and accused Keir Starmer and other senior politicians of covering up the scandal about grooming gangs.However, analysts have said that the volatile sales are also likely to have been affected by Teslas overhaul of the Model Y.Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at Jato Dynamics, said: Tesla is experiencing a period of immense change. In addition to Elon Musks increasingly active role in politics and the increased competition it is facing within the EV market, the brand is phasing out the existing version of the Model Y its bestselling vehicle before it rolls out the update.Brands like Tesla, which have a relatively limited model lineup, are particularly vulnerable to registration declines when undertaking a model changeover.The research companys figures for February show that Teslas rivals powered ahead in Europe last month.Volkswagen reported a 180% increase in sales of battery electric vehicles to just under 20,000, while BMW and Mini sold a combined 19,000 such models last month.The Chinese-owned BYD recorded a 94% increase in sales in Europe to more than 4,000. Separate figures show that BYDs global sales topped $100bn (83bn) last year, overtaking Tesla as the worlds biggest electric car company by revenue.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Business TodayFree daily newsletterGet set for the working day we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionBYD, which last beat Tesla on global annual revenues in 2018, reported revenues of 777bn yuan (86bn) in 2024, a 29% year-on-year increase, beating analyst estimates. Tesla reported annual revenues of $97.7bn last year.BYD also sells about the same number of electric vehicles as Tesla 1.76m compared with 1.79m respectively in 2024. However, when sales of BYDs other hybrid cars are included it is much larger.Polestar, which is primarily owned by Volvos parent company, Geely, recorded an 84% increase to more than 2,000 vehicles.BYD sold 4.27m vehicles last year, almost as many as the 4.5m sold by Ford, and has forecast that it will sell between 5m and 6m this year. The Hong Kong-listed company has a market value of about $160bn, up about 50% so far this year. Tesla is valued at $780bn despite a share-price plunge of more than a third in 2025. Tesla shares opened up 6% on Monday as the wider Nasdaq index rose nearly 2%.Total car sales in across the 25 EU markets, the UK, Norway and Switzerland dropped by 3% to 970,000 in February, while BEV registrations were up by a quarter.