Electrek
Home energy upgrades you’ll regret not doing while installing rooftop solar
Adding a rooftop solar array to your home or business can be exciting and expensive. As such, it might be tempting to cut corners to keep costs down — but some upgrades are simply much cheaper to do while your solar system is being installed than they are to add later, and we’ve got some prime examples right here.
BYD design patent leaks, revealing new lower-priced pickup truck [Images]
Tesla’s Robotaxi project in Austin is much smaller than Musk claims
An engineering student managed to reverse-engineer Tesla’s Robotaxi app and collect data that shows the autonomous but supervised ride-hailing system in Austin consists of no more than a few vehicles (~5) operating at the same time.
Bluetti Member Day Sale takes up to 50% off power stations + accessories, Segway e-bikes from $1,800 low, EcoFlow 48-hour flash sale, more
We’re kicking off this week’s Green Deals (and our lead-up to Christmas) with Bluetti’s newly launched Member Day Sale that is taking up to 50% off power stations and accessories – plus, offering coupon/gift card promotions. Among the group, we spotted the AC200L Portable Power Station bundled with an alternator charger 1 at $999. From there, we also have Segway’s Xafari and Xyber e-bikes at their lowest prices starting from $1,800 as part of the brand’s ongoing Christmas Holiday EV Sale, as well as EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour Christmas flash sale offers starting from $799, a collection of Govee smart appliances, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from last week that are collected together at the bottom of the page in our most recent Electrified Weekly roundup edition.
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.
Interior Dept cuts 400k homes’ electricity just before Christmas, raising prices
The Interior Department has illegally ordered the pause of five wind power projects in the Atlantic, one of which was already providing enough cheap electricity to power 400,000 homes in Massachusetts, on the first day of winter and during a holiday season that has already seen large increases in electricity prices compared to previous years.
Lucid (LCID) vows to fix Gravity software issues ‘imminently’ after complaints
Is the Lucid Gravity the ultimate luxury electric SUV? It could be, but frustrating software issues are holding it back. Lucid said a fix will be sent out “imminently.”
Tesla has YouTube clips, CATL has bots on the ground — right now
While Tesla struggles shake off allegations of remote operation for its robots, CATL is putting its new “Moz” humanoid robots to work — the company says it’s got the world’s first large-scale implementation of humanoid robots working at their Zhongzhou battery pack facility in China.
Hyundai is about to unveil its biggest EV yet, but that’s not all
Tesla Cybertruck is going to be a $35,000 truck in 18 months, expert says
Tesla Cybertruck used prices are declining as more trucks reach two years old. Doug DeMuro, a popular car reviewer who became somewhat of a car pricing expert through his auction site Car and Bids, now predicts the Tesla Cybertruck will be selling for just $35,000 in 18 months.
Volkswagen shelves its electric minibus for the US, but not forever
Apollo Phantom 2.0 review: A fast and capable electric scooter that still feels refined
I’ve ridden a lot of electric scooters over the years, and many of them blur together. Plenty are fast. Many are powerful. Some look aggressive. But only a handful manage to combine all of that with a ride that actually feels polished and confidence-inspiring. After spending real time riding the Apollo Phantom 2.0 (52V version), it’s clear this scooter sits firmly in that top tier.
E-quipment highlight: Komatsu PC365-11 hybrid excavator
Thanks to a clever, fully electric swing system and “boom up” power assist features, the big PC365-11 hybrid excavator from Komatsu promises better performance and serious fuel savings compared to conventional diesel machines.
Five for Five: Kia PV5 scores 5 star European safety rating
For serious fleet buyers, safety isn’t a “nice-to-have,” it’s an absolute must – and Kia’s new PV5 electric van meets that need with a positively stellar, five-star safety rating on the tough European NCAP safety test.
I just tested one of the lightest electric bikes ever: Dahon K-Feather review
The Dahon K-Feather is one of those electric bikes that makes a lot more sense the longer you ride it. On paper, it looks rather low-power and low-capacity compared to the spec sheets for most e-bikes. In practice, especially when used exactly as intended, it turns out to be a remarkably well-executed urban commuter that still feels refreshingly different years after its release.
BYD now lets owners share home chargers through their app
BYD is taking a page from the Airbnb playbook by launching a home charger sharing system that lets EV owners open up their personal charging equipment to other BYD drivers — and get paid for the convenience.
Maximizing fleet efficiency and ROI with telematics integration [update]
Even without clean fleet tax credits and cash-on-the-hood incentives, fleet managers are working hard to maximize their ROI on vehicle assets and reduce their total cost of ownership – and they’re increasingly turning to data‑driven telematics solutions to help.
Giddyup: Polestar picks up $600 million in fresh funding
Geely-backed performance EV brand Polestar has had some troubling times in recent months, but its future is looking a whole lot better after the company secured a $600 million loan facility to help it keep on keepin’ on.
The backup battery choice you didn’t know you had: natural gas fuel cell
Whether it’s to keep the lights on after a natural disaster or just to avoid peak energy rates, more people than ever are adding battery energy storage to their home solar systems — but li-ion batteries aren’t the only option. The new WATT Fuel Cell uses the natural gas connection your home already has to generate power when you need it.
Mammoet expands electric vehicle fleet with massive XCMG hybrid crane
French heavy lift and logistics specialists Mammoet are living up to their name with the addition of a new, mammoth-sized, 60-ton hybrid crane from the electric equipment experts at XCMG.
EV and Tesla News, Green Energy, Ebikes, and more