The end of thermal cars by 2040

According to the International Energy Agency, in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the proportion of electric vehicles on the road should reach 20% by 2030 and 60% by 2040 (today it is 1%). According to a study by Bloomberg, electric vehicles will cost less to manufacture than combustion vehicles by 2027 at the latest. This will make electric vehicles more affordable to buy. If you're looking to buy a supercar, however, don't worry, Lamborghini has it covered. The bull brand has announced a plan to electrify its range, first via hybrid models from 2023, then 100% electric models from 2025. On a more serious note, the Bloomberg study for Transport & Environment shows that electric vehicles could effectively represent 100% of sales by 2035, five years ahead of schedule.

New controversy for Amazon

Amazon is at the center of a controversy around sacred lands in the city of Cape Town in South Africa. The e-commerce giant has acquired a 70,000-square-meter plot of land to build its African headquarters for more than $280 million. The problem is that the land is considered very important spiritually and culturally by the descendants of the native people of the region. The site was protected by a two-year interim heritage designation, which expired in April 2020.

Is Moore's Law solvable in the circular economy?

Are Moore's Law ("doubling the number of transistors on a microprocessor chip every two years") and the circular economy compatible? A team of analysts at UBS has been working on this topic, based on the widely recognised industry observation that the rapid obsolescence of semiconductors driven by innovation is not compatible with the sobriety the world needs.

Introducing the circular economy to the industry is complex, especially when it involves multiple sectors. "We think it is likely that a hybrid of collaboration and competition will be required for full circulation," says UBS, which will already be quite a change from the current model. But it's worth the risk because the circular model could be a disruptive development for the hardware industry. "Many sectors and industries will need to be involved to achieve this and the catalysts are likely to be the balance between supply and demand, regulation or consumer preferences," says UBS, which believes that there is scope for further change.There is hope, as in Apple's efforts to communicate the 40% recycled content of the MacBook Air Retina or the 99% recycled tungsten used in the iPhone 12 and Apple WatchSeries 6.