Electrek

The first of five planned West Virginia solar farms just came online – here’s why that’s significant for the state.

On the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Q4 EV delivery numbers, EPA range change, BYD overtaking Tesla, and more.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Upway, a leading online e-Bike provider carrying the broadest selection of brand-new and certified pre-owned models.

The world’s largest EV maker, BYD, broke ground on its first sodium-ion battery plant this week. BYD is investing $1.4 billion (RMB 10 billion) with 30 GWh planned annual capacity.

Tennessee has started the process of hiking its EV registration fee from $100 to $274 per year and beyond, aiming to continue hiking the fees in perpetuity, further increasing the disproportionately high taxes paid by EVs in the state as compared to gas cars.

This 2-tool electric Greenworks bundle includes a cordless leaf blower and snow blower at $700 off to headline today’s best deals. It comes joined by some clearance pricing on Jackery’s Explorer 1500 Pro power station, which clocks in at $999 following much of that same $700 in savings. Not to mention an assortment of discounted e-bikes and all of the other new Green Deals to kick off 2024.

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.

In a new EPA report, Hyundai ranked second behind only Tesla in lowering CO2 emissions and improving fuel economy.

Less than a year after its launch in China, Geely’s sub-brand Galaxy has begun selling its first all-electric model – the E8. Starting at a price below $25,000, the Galaxy E8 sedan looks extra sleek, and it touts some more than adequate EV technology, arriving as a genuine contender in an ultra-competitive Chinese market.

Tesla has adjusted its EPA estimated ranges across most of its lineup due to a new EPA rule that should make estimated ranges more realistic.

Volvo had a record year in 2023, with EV sales pushing global volume to new highs. The Swedish automaker’s early commitment to EVs is paying off, with over 113,000 fully electric Volvo cars sold last year.

If you were waiting on Volkswagen’s $27,000 (€25,000) ID 2all EV, you may have to wait a little longer. According to a local media report, Volkswagen is delaying volume production of the affordable electric car.

Tesla and Samsung have announced a new partnership over energy connectivity, which appears to be the reason behind Tesla’s API update.

Tesla has updated its Model Y EPA range estimates, lowering the range of its Long Range and Performance models by 6% in its online configurator.

Tesla has updated its US Model Y configurator, adding the Ultra Red and Stealth Grey colors to the Model Y, which had previously only been available on the Model S and X.

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Electricity providers Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and We Energies just brought Wisconsin’s largest solar farm – and one of the largest of its kind in the US Midwest – online.

Tesla’s Model 3 remained on top of the most popular used EVs in the US last year, with the Model Y in second. Other Tesla vehicles, including the S and X, fell in the rankings as cheaper EV models gained ground.

Tesla has added Powerwall, solar, and its home charging station to its API – welcome additions to its new API for developers.

Volvo is getting a massive €420 million ($460M) loan as the automaker moves to a fully electric future by 2030. The funds are for Volvo to develop a new EV platform for its next-gen models.

Over two years after announcing plans to develop and build an electric fire truck for the Mesa fire department, E-ONE has delivered the emergency EV, and it has begun operations in Arizona – the first of its kind in the state and one of the first in all of the United States.

GM’s joint venture in China, SAIC-GM, delivered over 100,000 EVs in 2023, more than doubling from the previous year.

One of our favorite cargo e-bikes is starting out the year on sale, with the Aventon Abound dropping to $1,500. It comes joined by some rare price cuts on Greenworks batteries to pair with your existing electric tools, as well as this offer on Razor’s Rambler 20 retro e-bike at $900. Not to mention an assortment of other e-bikes and all of the other new Green Deals to kick off 2024.

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.

Ford remained the second top-selling EV brand in the US, behind only Tesla, after selling nearly 26,000 EVs in Q4. The F-150 Lightning was America’s best-selling electric truck in 2023, while the Mustang Mach-E had its best sales year yet.

One of the very first Tesla Cybertruck independent range tests shows the electric pickup truck covering only 254 miles on the highway.

That’s significantly less than the 320 EPA range, but it was cold and highway driving only.

Anyone living in San Francisco knows that the city has been a testing ground for hundreds of self-driving cars – and there is probably a good reason why. In light of a series of incidents, including a pedestrian who was seriously injured by a Cruise robotaxi last year, California law enforcement has its hands tied when it comes to issuing moving violations when no human is behind the wheel.