• A transatlantic United Airlines flight turned around on New Year's Eve.
• The plane's crew reported a lightning strike, the FAA said.
• Passengers were booked into overnight accommodation in Boston, a United spokesperson said.

United Airlines passengers unexpectedly celebrated the New Year in Boston after their transatlantic flight turned around.

Data from Flightradar24 shows the Boeing 767 was about an hour into its journey from Newark, New Jersey to London when it made a U-turn off the coast of Maine.

Flight UA16's crew had reported a lightning strike, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The passengers were initially set to welcome in 2025 in the air, with the flight scheduled to land in London about 9 a.m. local time.

However, the plane "safely diverted" to Boston shortly before 11 p.m. ET, the FAA said.

A United Airlines spokesperson told Simple Flying the Boeing 767 was inspected by emergency crews upon landing. The Boston Globe reported that there were no injuries.

"We provided accommodation overnight for passengers and rebooked them on another flight to London the next day," the spokesperson said.

United did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The same aircraft departed Boston about 7 p.m. ET on New Year's Day — landing in London 22 hours later than originally scheduled, per data from Flightradar24.

The FAA said it will investigate the incident.

The National Weather Service says airliners are struck by lightning about once or twice a year on average.

It also says jets avoid thunderstorms as much as possible. They can trigger strikes because their presence enhances the electric fields found in storms.

Commercial jets are designed with several protections to mitigate the impact of a lightning, such as a metal mesh that conducts electricity away from passengers and internal electronics.

BI previously reported on other planes struck by lightning, including a Delta Air Lines flight that declared an emergency, and an Air Canada Boeing 777 filmed after takeoff. Both continued to their destinations before being inspected.

"It's time for THE charger," the European Commission posted to X on December 28, 2024. While the sentiment only applies to one continent (and not all of it) and only certain devices, the Common Charger Directive now in effect in the European Union suggests that far fewer gadgets will foist barrels, USB-micro, or proprietary plugs onto their owners.

The Common Charger Directive demands that a "USB-C receptacle" be equipped on "radio equipment" that is "equipped with a removable or embedded rechargeable battery" and "can be recharged via wired charging." If it has a battery and can be powered by up to 240 watts through a USB-C connection, it's generally subject to the EU's USB-C requirements. The directive applies to devices "placed on the market"—sent to a distributor or buyer—after December 28, even if they were initially designed and sold before that date.

Laptops get until April 2026 to comply, but most other things—phones, tablets, handheld gaming devices, computer accessories, and wireless headphones—will have to be powered by USB-C to be sold inside the EU from now on. Drones, for the time being, are largely unaddressed by the directive, but the EU will likely get around to them.

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• Hybrids ruled the roost in 2024.
• Some of the most popular cars in 2024 also have the highest share of hybrid sales.
• Despite a tough year for EVs, the Tesla Model Y makes the top five.

Once thought to be a dying segment, hybrid electric-gas cars had their best year ever in 2024.

A shift in the green car buyer base from wealthy early adopters to more frugal, practical shoppers gave hybrids new life. This new swath of buyers was not ready to make the jump to a fully electric car, said Ivan Drury, an automotive analyst for the car-shopping website Edmunds.

"Hybrids this year became an extremely easy default decision for someone who doesn't want to go full electric but wants basically 70% or 80% of benefits," Drury said in an interview. "These cars come with almost none of the extra costs or hassle in the sense that disrupting your lifestyle."

The popularity of these models is reflected in the top 10 best sellers, according to data provided by Edmunds. The top three — Ford's F-150 pickup truck, Toyota's RAV4 SUV, and Honda's CR-V — all have hybrid options that did especially well this year.

For example, about half of all RAV4 and CR-V sales are hybrids, according to Edmunds. Meanwhile, Ford has lauded the success of the F-150 hybrid this year as these vehicles make up more of the Blue Oval's sales.

Vehicle affordability also greatly influenced the popularity of hybrids this year, with models like the Honda Civic gaining in popularity.

"Customers recognized that this is a proven technology that the most trusted car companies have already been making," Drury said. "It's a win-win for anyone wary of EVs and shut out by higher interest rates this year."

1. Ford F-150

The No. 1 spot is never a question. For the 47th consecutive year, the F-150 pickup truck is the top-selling car in America.

Ford has leaned heavily into hybrid demand this year, and the F-150 is no exception. Due to the popularity of the Pro-Power Onboard feature, which turns your hybrid into a mobile generator, the company has said that about 20% of buyers choose the hybrid version.

2. Toyota RAV4

Toyota has sold more than 430,000 RAV4s so far in 2024, about half of which are hybrids.

An early leader in hybrid technology, Toyota has been proven right this year in its bet on these partially electrified cars.

3. Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V, which also has a highly popular hybrid option, moved up one spot this year, knocking Chevrolet's pickup truck out of the top three.

4. Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Chevrolet's profit-driving Silverado 1500 pickup truck is still a highly popular car, commanding 2.5% of the US market in 2024.

Chevrolet also released a fully electric version of the Silverado 1500 this year, but it does not currently sell a hybrid model. GM had previously planned to skip hybrid models in North America but reversed those plans earlier this year.

5. Tesla Model Y

Tesla's most popular car rounds out this year's top five, with an estimated 336,833 units sold so far this year.

Tesla had a tough year as the EV market faced upheaval, and price cuts alone weren't enough to stoke demand. The affordable Model Y bucks this trend, and Tesla investors are hopeful more affordable models will carry Elon Musk's automaker through the coming years.

6. Toyota Corolla

Much has been made of the dying sedan segment, but Toyota and Honda continue to find success with these reliable vehicles.

The Toyota Corolla still accounts for more than 2% of the entire US market, proving a continued interest in affordable models, Drury said.

7. Toyota Camry

Toyota's Camry went exclusively hybrid for the 2025 model year. It also comes in a hatchback body style, which helps bolster the nameplate's popularity.

8. Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is an outlier on the list as one of the only SUVs without a hybrid option.

Nissan, which has struggled with demand overall this year, is considering a tie-up with hybrid leader Honda.

9. Honda Civic

The Honda Civic jumped seven spots this year to eke its way into the top 10. The rise of this reliable sedan, with a starting price below $30,000, is a good example of car shoppers' shifting preferences in 2024, according to Drury.

10. Chevrolet Equinox

The Chevrolet Equinox also jumped a few spots this year to make its way into the top 10. Starting at $28,600, this Chevy crossover sold about 206,100 units this year to capture 1.4% of the US market.

Chevrolet recognizes the popularity of this nameplate, choosing it as one of the first to electrify in 2024.

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