Federal EV incentives ended, California’s ZEV sales grew anyway
The California Energy Commission (CEC) reported this week that the state passed 2.5 million cumulative new zero‑emission vehicle (ZEV) sales in 2025.
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Tesla didn’t remove the Robotaxi ‘safety monitor’ – it just moved them to a trailing car
Earlier today, Elon Musk announced on X that Tesla had “just started Tesla Robotaxi drives in Austin with no safety monitor in the car.” Tesla’s stock immediately jumped over 4% on the news. Headlines across the financial press celebrated the milestone.
There’s just one problem: it appears to be another game of smoke and mirrors. The Robotaxi cars spotted without “safety monitor” were all being followed by a trailing black Tesla supervising the “driverless” Robotaxi.
It means Tesla didn’t “remove the safety monitor”, it just moved them to a vehicle behind them.
The 641hp Hyundai IONIQ 6 N launches in the UK with a new virtual gear shift and fun extras
Here are 8 tips for the best EV winter range and performance
[Editor’s note: Since most of the US is about to get hit with a huge winter storm, I’m republishing these tips as a refresher – particularly for folks who aren’t used to this kind of weather.]
Whether you’re a seasoned EV driver in cold climates or this is your first winter driving an EV, there’s always more to learn about how to get the best range and performance when the temperatures drop.
Electrek asked two experts for smart winter EV driving advice. This is what Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com, and Casey Donahue, CEO of Optiwatt, a residential managed charging platform in North America, had to say.
Exclusive $450 savings on VMAX VX2 EXTREME + VX4 e-scooters from $749, Anker 24-hour F2600 + F3800 station lows, more
Leading our Thursday Green Deals this week is the three exclusive $450 discounts you can score on VMAX’s VX2 EXTREME LT and ST electric scooters + the VX4 LT electric scooter – all starting from $749. Right behind those, we have an exciting 24-hour Anker SOLIX winter flash sale that you won’t want to miss, which offers the F2600 power station at a new $849 low alongside the F3800 power station at its $1,799 low, and other units. We also spotted BougeRV’s three varying bike carriers that hold up to 200 pounds – all at their lowest rates, as well as Greenworks’ 2-in-1 24V cordless polesaw + pole hedge trimmer combo kit, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s new MSI EV Life NEMA 14-50 Level 2 chargers with NACS or J1772 connectors, the Mammotion YUKA 2000 robot mower, and more.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
Tesla starts Robotaxi rides without safety monitor in Austin: what you need to know [Updated]
Tesla has started offering Robotaxi rides without a safety monitor in Austin, Texas. After yet another set of missed timelines and a full decade of broken promises, Elon Musk is finally getting a version of the “win” he has been desperately seeking. But considering the alarming crash data we have and the evidence of heavy remote monitoring, should we be excited or terrified?
Update: New video evidence shows that Tesla’s supposedly “unsupervised” Robotaxis in Austin are being closely followed by black Tesla trailing cars with safety monitors inside. Tesla didn’t remove the safety monitors – it just moved them to a different vehicle.
Waymo is now in Miami, now takes driverless rides in 6 cities (Tesla: 1, sorta)
Waymo began autonomous ride-hailing operations in Miami, Florida today, covering a 60-square-mile service area stretching from the design district to South Miami.
It’s the sixth city covered by Waymo’s level 4 driverless taxis, while its main competitor, Tesla, has just started its first driverless taxi operation today (in very limited form).
China’s oldest carmaker begins testing solid-state EV batteries in vehicles
FAW Group, China’s oldest domestic auto brand, is the latest to announce it has begun testing solid-state EV batteries in vehicles.
Kia slashes EV prices with aggressive new deals and more
Lemonade launches Tesla FSD insurance with 50% discount – bigger than Tesla’s own
Lemonade has launched what it calls “Autonomous Car Insurance”, a first-of-its-kind product that slashes rates by approximately 50% for Tesla owners when Full Self-Driving is engaged. It’s a bold bet on FSD technology, and it significantly undercuts the discount offered by Tesla’s own insurance product.
It again shows the difference between what Tesla claims and delivers regarding autonomous and assisted driving.
Eve Air Mobility gets real with first flight, $150 million finance deal [video]
Just days after eVTOL startup Eve Air Mobility published video of its prototype’s maiden hover flight, the company announced $150 million in new financing to continue developing its vision of the future of flight.
Why New Jersey’s radical new e-bike law is the harshest one yet
New Jersey has just rewritten the rules on electric bikes – and not in a way most of the e-bike world was expecting.
Waymo founder trashes Tesla safety as Waymos illegally pass school buses
Humanoid robots build a new excavator every 6 minutes, RIGHT NOW
Chinese heavy equipment giant Zoomlion isn’t planning to deploy an army of humanoid robots on its factory floors in the future – they’ve got robots on the job right now. The company is already using these ‘bots to power its “third growth curve,” and they’ve been churning out a new excavator every six minutes for years.
Waymo founder: Tesla FSD would FAIL a DMV eye test, plus all-new Volvo EX60
On today’s highly observant episode of Quick Charge, Waymo founder John Krafcik takes aim at Tesla’s Full Self Driving hardware limitations and Volvo Cars rolls out their most important new product of the 2020s: the all-new EX60 electric SUV!
Wind and solar overtook fossil fuels across Europe in 2025
Europe’s power mix hit a tipping point in 2025. Wind and solar generated more electricity across the European Union than fossil fuels for the first time last year, according to Ember’s newly released European Electricity Review. Wind and solar supplied a record 30% of EU power, edging past fossil fuels at 29%.
Noon Energy proves 100+ hour battery for clean energy storage
With data centers projected to consume as much as 12% of total US electricity by 2028, Noon Energy says it has hit a key milestone: successfully operating a scaled-up, ultra-long-duration energy storage system for thousands of hours, capable of delivering clean power continuously for more than 100 hours at a time.
Watch Hyundai’s electric sports car take off like an absolute animal, fake shifting and all
The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N will go on sale in the US and Europe soon, but we are already getting a look at it in action.
Introducing Electrek Forums: A new hub for the EV and green energy community
We are excited to announce a major addition to the site today: the launch of Electrek Forums.
FERC: US utility-scale solar capacity overtook wind in 2025 – a first
Solar continues to dominate new capacity additions and has held the lead among all energy sources for 26 consecutive months. As a result, installed utility-scale solar capacity now exceeds wind capacity for the first time, according to data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.
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