Electrek

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-bike launches from companies like Rad Power Bikes and Aventon, an updated e-bike conversion kit, Australian police crushing e-bikes (and other e-things), LAND Moto’s new ADV electric motorcycle heads off-road while staying street-legal, and more.

Swiss e-scooter maker VMAX came out of CES 2026 swinging, unveiling three new electric scooters that span the spectrum from ultra-light commuter to full-on high-performance “why does this go 50 mph?” territory. And unlike some CES announcements that feel more like vaporware than vehicles, these new models are built for real riders with very different needs.

Rivian (RIVN) has officially started rolling out validation units of its highly anticipated R2 electric SUV from its factory in Normal, Illinois. CEO RJ Scaringe shared the news, confirming that the company is on track for customer deliveries in the first half of the year.

A fourth offshore wind project is suing after the Trump administration abruptly ordered construction to stop on offshore wind projects that were already nearing completion, following today’s second ruling.

The GV90 will be the largest, most lavish Genesis vehicle to date. After another delay, the flagship electric SUV won’t be arriving in early 2026 as expected.

Mercedes’ EQ line of EVs are back in US dealerships, after a roughly six month pause in orders. At the same time, the new electric CLA is just starting to hit the market.

Ford buying batteries from BYD? The American automaker is reportedly in talks to purchase batteries for its hybrid vehicles.

Leading today’s Green Deals are two exclusive new low prices that we secured for our readers, starting with the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus Portable Power Station at $1,219, or you can get the HomePower 3600 Plus with a 500W solar panel at $1,689. Right behind those, we have another spotlight on EcoFlow’s soon-to-end flash sale that is offering the DELTA 3 Max Portable Power Station at its second-best $749 rate, among others. There’s also up to $700 savings on Segway Navimow’s H series robot mowers, a $500 discount on a Greenworks riding mower, Gotrax’s budget-friendly R2 folding e-bike starting from its second-best price of the last year, and much more. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s spotlight posts on the low prices for MOD’s Easy SideCar Sahara e-bike, as well as the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 power station – both ending tonight – and even 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.

New York’s stalled Empire Wind offshore wind project just got a court-ordered green light to restart construction for now.

I recently had the opportunity to test drive a loaner vehicle from GM to conduct an in-depth review of the 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQ. I drove it thousands of miles to Florida and back to determine not only whether it’s a fitting BEV for families, but also whether it’s worth considering as an extended-road-trip-capable EV.

A $25,000 electric Jeep won’t happen after all. At least those in the US will likely never get to see it.

Tesla is reportedly offering discounts on unsold Model Y inventory in India as the automaker faces a “letdown” in the major auto market following its official launch last year.

The EV2 is Kia’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle, but we may see an even cheaper EV1 added to the lineup.

Another of China’s “Big Four” automakers began testing solid-state EV batteries in vehicles this week, promising over 620 miles (1,000 km) of range.

Tesla has released a new video giving us a closer look at its massive lithium refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, and confirming that the facility has officially started production.

The American electric motorcycle maker LAND Moto is heading off the pavement with its newest model, the District ADV – a street-legal electric dual-sport motorcycle designed to bring lightweight adventure riding into the electric era.

On today’s subscriber-focused episode of Quick Charge, Tesla stops selling Full Self Driving as the promise of a Tesla as an appreciating asset dies. Plus, someone’s getting a $200 million bonus and Komatsu introduces its own, IRL take on a transforming farm robot at CES.

EVgo plans to build at least 150 DC fast-charging stalls a year through 2035 at Kroger Family of Stores locations across the US.

After overcoming major production hurdles last year, Lucid Group (LCID) is on track to begin building vehicles at a new plant in Saudi Arabia in 2026.

The UK just pulled off one of its most consequential offshore wind auctions yet – delivering massive volumes of new capacity at prices that undercut gas.

The NX8 makes the Rogue look outdated. Nissan’s new electric SUV is bigger than the Rogue and features some of the most advanced tech in its lineup.

Donut Lab lit the EV and energy storage industry on fire last week with its announcement of a 400 Wh/kg solid-state battery cell that can last for 100 years. At face value, if true, we are looking at the single most disruptive announcement in the history of the electric vehicle industry and energy storage as a whole.

We aren’t just talking about a better motorcycle battery. If the claims of a 5-minute charge, 100,000-cycle life, and ~400 Wh/kg energy density are accurate and scalable, as Donut Lab claims, this is the holy grail of energy storage.

Battery breakthrough announcements generally don’t catch fire like this, but Donut Lab’s did because it said that the cell was already in production and will be in a production vehicle, Verge’s electric motorcycle, this quarter. It gave credibility to the claim, pushing everyone to report on it.

Now, we have interviewed Donut Lab’s CEO and investigated the technology. At this point, it looks like either this battery changes the world within the next 3 months, or it will make the CEO look like a fool. In this article, we discuss the impact of the battery, whether real or not, as well as clues about the secret sauce behind its chemistry.

Our mid-week Green Deals are shining a spotlight on MOD’s upgraded Easy SideCar Sahara e-bike that is down at its $3,499 low for a few days more while the brand’s New Year Sale lasts. Right behind it, we have another spotlight shining on EcoFlow’s current flash sale that ends January 15, particularly on the DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station at a new $1,999 low, among others. We also spotted Gotrax’s Eclipse Electric Scooter hitting a new low, as well as deals on Autel’s AC Lite Home 40A EV Charger returning to its lowest price, EGO’s 16-inch cordless chainsaw, a NACS to J1772 EV charger adapter, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Anker SOLIX E10 Whole-Home Backup System pre-order promotion, Lectric’s latest New Year e-bike 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.

Honda wants to bring out the inner camper in all of us with a new “competitively priced” travel trailer. The Base Station Prototype, revealed on Wednesday, is designed to be towed by nearly any vehicle, including EVs.