Electrek

The EV5, Kia’s new midsize electric SUV, is getting an overhaul. While the exterior already looks like an upgrade, the interior was spotted with an unexpected surprise.

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the new Tesla (temporary) Cybertruck, Cybercab news, Ford wanting China in the US, and more.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 outsold Kia’s three-row electric SUV by more than five times in Korea, but in the US, sales have been harder to come by.

Pennsylvania is putting another $100 million in federal funding toward public EV chargers, this time targeting communities instead of highways.

We’ve got some massive savings closing out this week’s Green Deals, with our top three mentions all being on a collection of varying power stations. To start, our ongoing exclusive EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X Power Station deal got increased savings to $1,800, landing it at a new $6,499 low. From there, we have an Anker SOLIX 72-hour flash sale that is taking up to $4,099 off a selection of popular power station bundles with solar panels and expansion batteries starting from $650, as well as Bluetti’s February Member Day Sale that is taking up to 53% off its power stations, offering bonus savings, and more. We also have the best price of the year on a Greenworks 8-tool combo kit, returning lows on Navee’s latest superscooter, a budget-friendly GoTrax e-scooter, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget the hangover deals at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s EcoFlow 72-hour flash sale offers, 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.

Lucid Motors (LCID) announced plans on Friday to trim 12% of its US workforce as it looks to improve profitability ahead of its next growth stage.

The world’s largest producer of lithium metal, Ganfeng Lithium, has reportedly begun mass-producing semi-solid-state batteries with an impressive energy density of 650 Wh/kg. The lithium giant has supply deals with Tesla, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and several other major OEMs for key EV battery materials.

A federal judge has rejected Tesla’s bid to overturn a $243 million jury verdict over a fatal 2019 Autopilot crash in Florida, dealing a significant blow to the automaker’s legal strategy as it faces a growing wave of lawsuits tied to its driver-assistance technology.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami ruled that the evidence at trial “more than supported” the verdict and that Tesla raised no new arguments to justify setting it aside. The ruling, made public on Friday, means Tesla’s last hope to avoid paying the massive judgment at the trial court level has been exhausted.

Ethiopia made history in 2024 by becoming the first country to ban the sale and import of new internal combustion-powered vehicles. Despite the predictions of the anti-EV hysterics, they’re doing just fine — but the process hasn’t been without its challenges!

Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle is looking increasingly production-ready. The upcoming Flying Flea C6 (FF C6) has now been spotted testing in Chennai completely undisguised, giving us the clearest look yet at what appears to be the final design.

Tesla just launched the most compelling version of the Cybertruck it has ever offered — a dual-motor all-wheel-drive model starting at $59,990, and CEO Elon Musk is already signaling that it won’t last.

In a post on X, Musk responded to the announcement of the new AWD Cybertruck with a cryptic but damning three words: “Only for the next 10 days.”

While DC fast charging infrastructure and range anxiety dominate Western EV headlines, Nio’s battery-swap system in China reached a new milestone that proves battery swap tech can rival traditional refueling models at scale: Nio customers performed more than 165,000 battery swaps in single day.

Honda is doubling down on small electric two-wheelers with the launch of a new budget-friendly model that undercuts its own gasoline equivalent – and can be ridden without a full motorcycle license.

Tesla is now selling a base model all-wheel drive Cybertruck starting at $60k, and has cut the price of its top-end Cyberbeast model to $100k, down from $115k. The move comes as the company struggles to sell the controversial truck, which has heretofore never come close to meeting its projected volume.

Update: Elon Musk now says this price and/or trim will only be available for 10 days.

Calibrant Energy has signed a definitive agreement with Iron Mountain to build, own, and operate a 23-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery at the latter’s New Jersey data center.

After the midsize electric pickup, Ford is preparing to introduce several new affordable multi-powertrain vehicles, including SUVs and sedans

Elon Musk has reiterated his claim that Tesla will sell the Cybercab directly to consumers for under $30,000 before the end of the year, following the first production unit rolling off the line at Giga Texas on February 17. The announcement immediately set Tesla fans ablaze, not with discussions about the vehicle’s autonomy challenges, but with AI-generated images of YouTuber Marques Brownlee sporting a freshly shaved head.

Calm down, everyone. You almost certainly won’t get to see MKBHD’s bare head.

The largest real-world study yet, accounting for nearly a million plug-in hybrid vehicles, shows that PEVs use far more gasoline than previously claimed. The study comes just as Europe is about to change PHEV regulations, with industry lobbying to maintain the current highly inaccurate numbers.

Our top three picks from today’s Green Deals include two power station flash sales, with the first being EcoFlow’s 72-hour sale that is offering up to 57% on units like the DELTA 3 Max Portable Power Station back at its second-lowest $749 rate. There’s also Anker’s 24-hour SOLIX flash sale that is offering up to 58% savings to some of the best prices on popular models, like the F3800 Portable Power Station back at its $1,799 low. You can also find Navee’s GT3 e-scooter series led by the GT3 Max Electric Scooter at $600, with many more deals waiting for you below – and don’t forget the hangover deals at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Heybike Women’s Day sale that is offering up to $800 savings on Mars e-bikes to low prices, 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.

BYD revealed the first vehicle under its new Linghui sub-brand. The Linghui e9 is an all-electric sedan with a cruising range of 375 miles (605 km), but BYD’s latest EV is aimed at a new market.

EV newcomer Slate Auto just shared an interesting new video on its social media, setting the stage to reveal pricing of its flagship “Blank Slate” electric pickup in June. From what the American startup is saying, it sounds like the bare-bones model will still be one of the most affordable EVs on the market.

A wastewater pumping station in Erie County, New York, is now running backup power on a battery storage system instead of a diesel generator, and local officials say it could cut costs, emissions, and maintenance headaches.

The new Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) now delivers up to 150 km (93 miles) of electric range, 58% more than the outgoing version.

Eight months ago, Tesla made headlines around the world when it claimed to have completed the “world’s first autonomous delivery of a car”, a Model Y that “drove itself” from Gigafactory Texas to a customer’s home about 30 minutes away. Tesla never did it again. Not once.