Electrek

For years, Tesla Powerwall has been the go-to recommendation for “normals” looking for a painless, low-effort experience from their first home solar and battery backup solutions. But with a recent recall on more than 10,000 home batteries over fire safety concerns following a year (or more) of CEO Elon Musk’s political antics, more and more people are beginning to look for alternatives to the trailblazing Tesla tech. The good news: there are plenty of other great home solar battery solutions are there!

UPDATE 28DEC2025: a 2026 CES Innovation Award winner makes the list.

In what appears to be significant strategic pivot, Samsung SDI will begin supplying prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy storage systems under a fresh US contract worth more than 2 trillion won (~$1.35 billion). The move will see the company shift US EV battery production lines to ESS output ahead of 2027.

After launching its first-ever battery-electric Class 8 truck at the 2024 ACT Expo, the Toyota Hino-backed Tern brand announced the launch of its second electric semi truck. Meet the new Tern RC8 6×2 80k tractor.

First shown earlier this year as a styling concept, the Renault Filante Record 2025 technology demonstrator has been continually developed to prove that it’s got more than racy looks going for it. The concept drove more than 1,000 km in less than 10 hours, proving that extreme efficiency is possible at highway speeds.

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’s mission is no longer being ‘sustainable’, VW Buzz is still alive, and more.

Honda agreed to buy its co-owned EV battery plant in Ohio from LG Energy Solutions as it prepares for an all-new dedicated lineup.

It’s official. The word “sustainable” is gone from Tesla’s mission statement.

For over a decade, Tesla’s guiding star was arguably the most impactful corporate mission statement of the 21st century. But over the last few years, we have watched the company slowly drift away from its environmental roots.

Now, Elon Musk has confirmed the final step in that divorce, rebranding the company’s goal from “Sustainable Abundance” to simply “Amazing Abundance.”

It’s official. Hyundai is giving its electric hot hatch the N-Line treatment, and we are getting our first look at it.

It’s Christmas Eve, and today’s Green Deals are led by EcoFlow’s final Christmas flash sale, this time lasting for 72 hours, with offers like the RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station back at its $299 low, among others. From there, we also have MOD’s Easy 3 e-bike and its SideCar counterparts starting from $2,159, as well as the Greenworks 2,300 PSI Electric Pressure Washer at a new $188 low, the budget-friendly GoTrax Xr Elite Electric Scooter at its second-best pricing, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s full MOD Bikes Christmas e-bike sale, the final Anker SOLIX Christmas flash sale that ends tonight, 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.

The new Subaru Solterra EV is surprisingly quick. It’s even faster than the WRX STI and BRZ, and it’s not even a performance model.

’Twas the night before Christmas, and while visions of sugarplums may be dancing in other, lesser heads, mine is hoping for some polished chrome, hand-stitched leather, and effortless, electric torque — because Mariah can have you, all I want for Christmas is this classic Rolls-Royce Corniche restomod (in seasonally-appropriate Sugarplum metallic).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially opened a defect petition to evaluate the emergency door release mechanisms in the Tesla Model 3. The probe covers approximately 180,000 vehicles and focuses on allegations that the manual releases are too difficult to locate during emergencies.

Volkswagen has released a new ID.UNYX 08 electric crossover for the Chinese market with a sharp look, an ultra-fast charging 800V system architecture, and a starting price that’s bound to steal even more sales from the struggling Tesla brand.

BYD is closing the gap between gas pumps and EV chargers. A new video shows one of its EVs gaining nearly 250 miles (400 km) of range in just five minutes.

A Tesla drove in the wrong direction, resulting in a head-on collision with another vehicle, during a livestream, demonstrating Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ features.

If you’ve covered e-bikes as long as I have, you’ll know two things about them: they’re an awesome way to get around, and the basic technology behind an e-bike motor hasn’t radically changed in a long, long time. However, based on the new e-bike motor design I just tested from a powertrain technology company called CHARGE, the e-bike world may be about to get turned on its head. These guys discovered that nearly any e-bike hub motor can perform regenerative braking, but everyone has just been building them wrong this whole time.

Our Tuesday Green Deals are being led by the rare 10% savings from MOD Bikes’ Christmas Sale, which includes the second-ever discount on the new MOD Groove SideCar 3 e-bike at $3,149, among others. From there, we also have Anker’s final SOLIX 48-hour Christmas flash sale that is taking up to $5,299 off six varying offers that start from $699, as well as Segway’s F3 Electric Scooter down at $750, a rare Greenworks 40V power station deal, a DEWALT wet/dry shop vacuum discount, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Bluetti Christmas Member Day Sale, or EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour flash sale that ends tonight, 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.

If you haven’t used one yet, a Digital Key is life-changing. It should be a given on all new vehicles nowadays. GM is finally asking a select group of EV owners to test the new feature.

Its solid-state batteries are already showing promise with real-world tests delivering over 745 miles of range on a single charge. Now, Factorial Energy is going public as it aims to bring the promising new battery tech to market as soon as 2027.

Tesla Energy has secured another massive Megapack project in the UK. Matrix Renewables announced today that it has signed a full EPC agreement with Tesla for a 500 MW / 1 GWh battery energy storage system in Scotland.

Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia and Genesis, won the most IIHS Top Safety Award for the second year in a row, with its flagship electric SUVs delivering “top-tier” safety performance in every test.

A former coal mine in western Maryland is now generating solar power – and it’s the largest solar farm in the state. Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has brought Maryland’s largest solar project online in Garrett County, turning reclaimed coal mine land into a source of clean electricity.

Pennsylvania just opened its first federally funded EV charging station on the Pennsylvania Turnpike — a key step toward making long-distance EV travel easier across the state.

Kia is set to unveil several new electric GT models at the Brussels Motor Show, including the EV3, EV4, and EV5. With its debut less than a month away, Kia’s sporty midsize electric SUV was spotted on the road, offering our closest look at it yet.