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Automakers lost $70B through anti-EV lobbying. Investors should be outraged.

Perhaps you’ve heard the news – automakers across the industry are canceling EV investments, taking tens of billions in losses in response to a claimed lack in customer demand for EVs (even as EV sales in fact continue to rise globally and gas car sales have peaked).

A new analysis by InfluenceMap shows how automakers actually made their own bed, by flip-flopping on their own lobbying efforts and contributing to the regulatory instability that currently plagues an industry with long planning timelines and global competitors that have not hamstrung themselves with such uncertainty.

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Nuro secures California driverless permit for Lucid Gravity Uber robotaxis

Nuro has received a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test its Lucid Gravity SUVs without a human safety driver on public roads — a critical milestone before the company can launch Uber’s planned robotaxi service later this year.

The updated permit covers testing in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties at speeds up to 45 mph, day or night, clearing the way for fully driverless testing of the vehicles that Uber plans to deploy in a fleet of at least 35,000 robotaxis.

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Ignore WW3 – these electric excavators are going TO THE MOON [update]

Industrializing the Moon: Following Successful Lunar Excavator Demo, Astroport Space Technologies and Astrolab Sign MOU to Deliver Critical Lunar Infrastructure

Engineering startups Astroport Space Technologies and Astrolab have successfully completed a real-world demonstration for their UTIPA Excavator – an all-electric machine designed to become the cornerstone of lunar construction solutions and pave the way for autonomous construction projects on the Moon.

UPDATE 08MAY26: Oh, we’re really doing this.

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Ride1Up rolls out suspension version of popular low-cost commuter e-bike

Ride1Up is expanding one of its most popular lightweight commuter e-bikes with a new version aimed at riders looking for a bit more comfort on rougher roads and longer rides. The company has now officially begun shipping the new Ride1Up Roadster V3 Suspension model, adding front suspension to the sleek urban e-bike while keeping much of what made the original such a hit.

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Tesla Model Y first to pass NHTSA’s new ADAS tests — but they test the basics

Tesla kills Autopilot

NHTSA announced today that the 2026 Tesla Model Y is the first vehicle to pass its new advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) benchmark tests under the updated New Car Assessment Program. The agency framed it as a milestone for vehicle safety.

The announcement is real progress, and credit where credit is due — Tesla passed all eight ADAS evaluations. But the context around this news is important, and it paints a more nuanced picture than the press release suggests.

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Bluetti Hurricane Prep Sale offers exclusive power station lows from $449, Segway e-bikes at lows from $1,800, ECOVACS, more

Headlining today’s Green Deals is Bluetti’s Hurricane Prep Sale with tons of exclusive power station lows, like the 2,764Wh Apex 300 Portable Power Station down at $1,425 and others. We’ve shone a spotlight on Segway’s e-bike deals to their all-time lowest prices, with the Xafari All-Terrain Cruiser e-bike at $1,800 while the Xyber e-bike is back down at $2,900. There’s also the ECOVACS Goat RTK and newest LiDAR PRO Robotic Lawn Mowers getting up to $900 savings to lows starting from $700, as well as Hiboy’s Mother’s Day EV Sale with up to 50% discounts on e-scooters and e-bikes, an advanced EGO self-propelled cordless electric mower with 2x batteries, the first discount on ECOVACS’ new robot pool cleaner, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s EcoFlow Mother’s Day power station sale with up to 64% discounts, the current sale on Segway e-scooters, 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.

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Tenways Wayfarer review: One of the smoothest-riding commuter e-bikes I’ve tested in a long time!

Tenways has been steadily growing its reputation in the commuter e-bike world, especially in Europe, where the company has become known for sleek urban bikes that feel a bit more refined than their price tags might suggest. But even humble Americans have been able to enjoy Tenway’s e-bikes for years, plus with the added bonus of accessing higher speeds and power levels that bump models up into Class 3 territory.

The new Tenways Wayfarer continues that trend, while adding something the company hasn’t leaned as heavily into before: more comfort, more utility, and a more approachable ride for everyday riders.

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Tesla’s 4680 battery cells are underperforming and frustrating buyers

Five years after Tesla (TSLA) unveiled its 4680 battery cell at Battery Day with promises of 5x the energy, 6x the power, and 16% more range, the data tells a very different story. Tesla’s homemade cells consistently deliver worse energy density, worse charging performance, and less range than the supplier cells they are meant to replace.

The problem is getting harder to ignore now that Tesla is quietly swapping supplier batteries for its own 4680 cells in European Model Y vehicles — and owners are noticing the downgrade.

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Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Manthey Kit sets 6:55 Nürburgring EV record

POrsche Taycan Nurburing production record

Porsche has set a new Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for “production” electric vehicles. A Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package equipped with the new Manthey Kit lapped the 12.94-mile circuit in 6:55.553 minutes.

The time, set by Porsche development driver Lars Kern, is 12 seconds faster than his own previous record in the standard Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package set in October 2023 — and more than nine seconds faster than the previous record in the “Electric Executive Cars” category.

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Honda patents fake clutch for electric motorcycles and it might actually make sense

One of the biggest advantages of electric motorcycles has always been their simplicity. No clutch, no gears, no stalling – just twist the throttle and go. They’re basically big, fun scooters, at least in terms of operation. But Honda appears to think there’s still something worth preserving from the old-school riding experience, especially for off-road riders.

A newly revealed Honda patent shows the company developing a simulated electronic clutch system for electric motorcycles, complete with torque-boost launches and even haptic feedback designed to mimic the feel of a combustion engine.

And surprisingly, it might not be as gimmicky as it first sounds.

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Tesla files new Roadster trademarks with unique badge ahead of launch

Tesla has filed two new trademark applications for the Roadster with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, revealing a stylized wordmark and a distinctive triangular badge that departs from the automaker’s standard branding approach.

The filings are the clearest signal yet that Tesla is preparing to bring the long-delayed electric supercar to market — nearly nine years after the prototype was first unveiled.

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Chinese automakers race to enter Canada, here are the EVs likely coming

Geely Poland

Three major Chinese automakers — BYD, Chery, and Geely — are actively hiring staff, scouting dealership locations, and registering trademarks in Canada following the country’s landmark decision to slash tariffs on Chinese-built EVs from 100% to 6.1%. But none of them have actually started selling cars yet.

The biggest beneficiaries of the new quota system so far are Tesla and, to a lesser extent, Polestar — companies that already have established brands and existing sales infrastructure in Canada.

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