Electrek

Volkswagen aimed its all-electric ID.Buzz minivan squarely at an nostalgic baby boomer market that had aged out of $70,000 hippie nostalgia purchases by the time it arrived on US shores – but now VW that dealers are advertising the premium van for less than $49,000, VW’s new-age bus might be worth a second look.

Chevy resurrected Spark EUV nameplate with the launch of the all-new, affordable Chevy Spark EUV for 2026, with the hopes that its new, 220-mile range EV would be a “game changer” that helps accelerate the company’s EV transition in developing markets – and it’s now officially the best selling electric SUV in Brazil!

On this really quick episode of Quick Charge, we talk to Range Energy Vice President of Product Collin MacGregor about how his electric trailer can help reduce freight costs, support the grid, and more – WITHOUT asking operators to switch trucks.

The EV5 is about the size of Kia’s best-selling Sportage SUV and the Tesla Model Y. After opening orders in Europe and Canada, Kia’s midsize electric SUV was spotted testing in the US again, but this one looks a little different.

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 Tesla Semi, the 4680 battery cell, BMW iX3 price, Rivian R2 pickup, and more.

Today’s episode is sponsored by GM Energy. If you want to experience more resilience and control over your home energy, the GM Energy Home System adds stationary battery power for always-ready backup energy for your home, and the GM Energy PowerBank takes in energy from the grid and stores it for when you need it most. Learn more at gmenergy.gm.com

We are also sponsored by NeuroHUD: Check out the NeuroHUD PRO featuring a true Tesla-focused HUD experience with navigation, blind-spot alerts, Autopilot status, and freely switchable display modes now on Kickstarter or Trantor Vision.com

SEG Solar is expanding its US manufacturing footprint again, this time with a new 4-gigawatt solar module factory planned for Houston, Texas.

We’re ending this week’s Green Deals with a bang, starting with Aventon’s Memorial Day Sale that is dropping most of the new smart e-bikes to their best prices and giving up to $206 FREE bundled gear packages, like the Aventure M Mid-Drive All-Terrain Smart e-bike with a $128 bundle to $2,699. There’s also Anker’s SOLIX Storm Prep Sale that is dropping the newest E10 Smart Hybrid Whole-Home Backup System and bundles to new lows starting from $3,999. From there, we have two different EcoFlow savings – the first being an exclusive bundle of the 12,288Wh DELTA Pro Ultra X Power Station with a Powerinsight 2 Monitor at $7,199, as well as a 48-hour flash sale with up to 59% savings on three units, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s many exclusive low prices on Bluetti power stations in the Hurricane Prep Sale, 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.

After five decades, Volkswagen is preparing to introduce its first electric GTI this year. Volkswagen is already preparing a Clubsport version of the electric hot hatch that will borrow a feature from Hyundai.

CALSTART has expanded its US map of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission truck infrastructure, providing fleets with a clearer picture of where they can charge or refuel.

Tesla owners have been debating the missing instrument cluster for years. Some drivers love the minimalist center screen setup, while others still want critical driving information directly in their line of sight.

Now, a startup called NeuroHUD says it has the answer. Its slogan? “The heads-up display Tesla forgot.” NeuroHUD says it’s the world’s first true heads-up display (HUD) built specifically for Tesla vehicles. Instead of glancing at the center screen, drivers can see important information projected directly ahead, keeping their eyes on the road.

And they’ve clearly got Tesla owners’ attention: NeuroHUD’s Kickstarter campaign has launched, and it has already raised more than $400,000 in its first 72 hours.

With over 100,000 EVs sold in the US, Cadillac said that those who go electric are likely to choose another EV as their next vehicle.

California’s Air Resources Board has officially confirmed the Tesla Semi’s battery capacities through a regulatory filing — and they’re smaller than what Elon Musk originally suggested back in 2022.

The CARB Executive Order A-374-0095, signed on April 15, reveals that the Long Range Semi carries an 822 kWh usable battery pack while the Standard Range comes in at 548 kWh, both using NCMA lithium-ion chemistry with Tesla’s 4680 cells.

For years, “next-gen battery tech” in the e-bike world (and the EV world in general) has mostly been a promise. Solid-state batteries were always just around the corner, hyped in EV headlines but nowhere to be found on actual bikes you could buy.

That may finally be changing.

The new 2027 Chevy Bolt EV drove nearly 300 miles on a single charge during real-world testing, or about 30 miles more than its official EPA-rated range. For under $30,000, the new Bolt hits the sweet spot.

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.

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.

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Juiced, Ride1Up and Jackrabbit, e-moto news from Segway and Honda, new e-bike laws, and more.

On this really quick episode of Quick Charge, we got the chance to sit down with The Mobility House North America’s director of marketing communications, Dylan Gasperik, who talks ACT, V2G integration with Kia, utility programs, and how EVs strengthen – not weaken – the nation’s straining energy grid.

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.

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.

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.

Blink and Emobi are teaming up to make EV charging work more seamlessly across apps, networks, and vehicles.

The bZ3X, Toyota’s fully electric SUV, is a hit in China. After delivering over 80,000 units in its first year on the market, the bZ3X has now remained the best-selling EV from a joint venture in China for seven consecutive months.

Hyundai is preparing to launch its first body-on-frame vehicle, a midsize pickup truck. The rugged Boulder Concept SUV is a preview, but a new patent offers a sneak peek at the battery and chassis setup.