Electrek

We talk a lot here at Electrek about the exponential growth of electric vehicles and the massive strain that puts on the battery supply chain. Literally, the majority of that demand and production comes from China.

But there is a massive difference between processing materials and actually having them in the ground.

A new image from a gigantic materials mining and recycling company in China, gives us a sobering look at the reality of their domestic reserves. The data suggests that China’s own supply of the most critical battery metals isn’t just running low; in some cases, it’s already gone.

CATL is already dominating the global electric vehicle battery market, but now the company is saying sodium-ion batteries will be widely available by the end of 2026.

After plenty of holiday celebrations, we’re kicking off our final 2025 week of Green Deals with EcoFlow’s latest December Holiday EcoCredits Madness sale that is combining some of the Christmas savings we saw previously with plenty of extra promotional savings and rewards. One notable bundle amongst the bunch is EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Portable Power Station with 2x 220W solar panels and a FREE protective bag at $1,799. We also spotted Lectric shuffling around its Holiday e-bike sale, with returning bundles over price cuts, like the XPeak 2.0 Off-Road e-bikes with up to $583 in FREE gear starting from $1,499, as well as EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour flash sale that is offering accessory bundles at new lows starting from $999, and much more waiting for you below.

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 ID. Polo is arriving in 2026 as the first of a new family of entry-level Volkswagen EVs. It was initially expected to start at 25,000 euros ($30,000), but that may no longer be the case. At least, not right away.

A record 27 car carriers were spotted at Lucid Motor’s (LCID) manufacturing plant, loaded with Gravity and Air models ready for delivery as the year-end push heats up.

A major link in Tesla’s 4680 battery supply chain has just snapped. South Korean battery material supplier L&F Co. announced today that the value of its massive supply deal with Tesla has been slashed by over 99%, signaling a catastrophic drop in demand for the automaker’s in-house battery cells.

This is arguably the strongest evidence yet that Tesla’s 4680 program, and the vehicle that relies on it, the Cybertruck, is in serious trouble.

Nikola’s story of fraud, deception, and political intrigue is almost over – the bankrupt company that promised a revolution in hydrogen- and battery-powered heavy trucking has seen its workforce shrink from 874 to a single remaining employee.

In the world of professional hockey, the only thing that might be more iconic than the legendary Stanley Cup might be the Zamboni – the mighty ice-smoothing machines that keep the rink fast, flawless, and game-ready. And, thanks to battery power, today’s Zambonis can do the job more quietly, cleanly, and efficiently than ever.

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.