| By Brian K Sullivan and Josh Saul  The remains of burnt homes in Colorado in January 2022. Photographer: Chet Strange/Bloomberg Xcel Energy is preparing customers in the Rocky Mountain region for preemptive blackouts to help reduce the risk of wildfires as strong, dry winds threaten to knock down power lines. The utility said it would likely shut off power starting at about noon today to some customers in nine counties including Denver, according to the company's website. A stretch of near-record warm weather and dry conditions has created the potential for blazes in the area. "It looks like a pretty formidable event," said Scott Kleebauer, a forecaster with the US Weather Prediction Center. "It is going to be a pretty windy day across Colorado, Wyoming and Montana." An Xcel representative said Tuesday that the company is still determining the scope of the shutoffs. Once a California phenomenon, utilities across the US are now increasingly opting to turn off electricity to prevent downed power lines and other equipment from sparking catastrophic wildfires. Power companies serving about 24 million homes and businesses across the fire-prone US West now have plans to proactively cut electricity at peak fire danger, according to a 2024 report from Stanford University researchers. Read the full story on Bloomberg.com and subscribe to the Weather Watch newsletter for a weekly look at the market, business and economic impacts of extreme weather. What the end of the F-150 means | By Kyle Stock There are a crowd of electric pickup trucks to choose from these days, but Ford Motor's F-150 Lightning won't be among them very long. The company said on Monday it's canceling its electric truck and shifting production to a hybrid version. While the truck was supposed to convince Americans to climb into an electric vehicle, it didn't convince enough of them. "It didn't make sense to keep plowing billions into products that we knew would not make money," Jim Farley, Ford's chief executive officer, said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. "We had to make this choice."  A Ford F-150 Lightning Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg The Lightning didn't reinvent the F-150; it looks and feels largely like the gas model, right down to the massive gear selector that cleverly folds down into the center console. The major EV exceptions, like the yawning front trunk where the sparkplugs and cylinders used to be, were designed as value-adds. Ford's electric F-150 hasn't seen sales fall precipitously after an initial spike like some of its peers. Through the first three quarters of the year, only six electric models sold in greater volumes than the Lightning in the US — none of them large trucks or SUVs, according to Cox Automotive. Still, Ford is likely to sell fewer models of its e-truck this year than it did in 2024. The Lightning never delivered on its promise to make the price competitive with gas models. The $40,000 window sticker trumpeted at the vehicle launch was quickly scrubbed off and replaced with $55,000. Even that number was seldom evident on dealership lots. In its first year of sales, the average transaction price on an F-150 Lightning – what buyers actually paid — was $77,000 and it has only dipped slightly to $72,000 this year, according to Edmunds.com. Meanwhile, gas F-150s were going for $11,000 to $17,000 less on average. The persistent high prices come as Ford's EV division has struggled to turn a profit. It lost $5.1 billion last year, and Ford expects the division's losses could be even worse this year. Other companies have also taken hits to their EV divisions or scrapped plans to make electric models. That includes General Motors, which recently incurred $1.6 billion in charges tied to its EV division. Stellantis NV has cancelled plans for an electric Ram pickup. The Trump administration's rolling back of incentives will only make it harder to sell electric models as will a proposed rollback of fuel economy standards. Farley has predicted that the administration's policies will cut the US EV market in half. But he also insisted the company isn't abandoning EVs and is instead focusing on lower-cost models that can compete with Chinese manufacturers. Ford has a new EV platform and has pledged to launch an electric truck priced around $30,000 sans incentives. Rivals like GM have also said they remain committed to electric models. Still, Monday's announcement comes with a warning sign for a speedy electric vehicle transition: Ford plans to convert a factory under construction that was set to churn out electric trucks into one that builds gas-powered models. Read more about how the global EV industry is faltering.  The Bernina Express train in Filisur, Switzerland. Source: Eurail By Laura Millan and Olivia Rudgard In a world where almost anything can be ordered online, making sure your gift stands out this holiday season can be a challenge. One way to do that is by looking for something that treads lightly on the planet. Some options include buying secondhand or gifting a fun experience. Alternatively, a well-chosen present could be a great way to spark an interest for green travel or cooking. Bloomberg Green put together an extensive gift guide for the climate conscious. Whether you're looking for a low-carbon vacation (consider Europe's Interrail Pass), an ethical eater (consider a Michelin Green-starred dinner of invasive feral hog confit), or a gamer, we've got you covered. Take a read to see all our recommendations! In one of the most earthquake-prone regions on Earth, where the Tibetan Plateau meets the Himalayas, China is building a colossal hydropower system, pushing engineering and geopolitics to the limit. Watch the video and read the full story on Bloomberg.com. US money managers are working on private arrangements to stem a wave of defections by sustainability-focused clients in Europe's €6 trillion ($7 trillion) pensions market. The industrial sector is the third-biggest source of carbon pollution in the US. While focus is often on steel and cement, dozens of industries, from ethanol to toilet paper and breakfast cereal, share a ready-made climate solution: electrification. The Arctic got its annual physical. It's not good. The last 10 years have been the Arctic's hottest 10 on record. Warm Atlantic waters have pushed into the central Arctic Ocean, hastening the loss of sea ice. | 
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