Electrek

Latest

Tesla’s new rare-earth-free EV motor is a big deal, but not THAT big a deal

tesla zero rare earth permanent magnet motor

Alongside Tesla’s low-key Cybercab event this week, the company showed off its new rare earth-free Cybercab motor, which reportedly increases power density and efficiency significantly.

It’s some kind of an achievement, but to understand how much of an achievement it is, we must first understand what all of this actually means. Strap in.

Expand Expanding Close

ENGWE E26 3.0 full suspension all-terrain e-bike launch deal, Navee Labor Day e-scooter sale, Tenways Wayfarer e-bike $877 off, more

Whereas yesterday’s Green Deals mostly focused on power stations, today’s edition is all about EV Labor Day deals, starting with the $699 off launch deal for ENGWE’s E26 3.0 Dual-Motor Full Suspension All-Terrain e-bike at $1,799. Right behind it we have both a spotlight on Navee’s premium UT5 Ultra X Electric SuperScooter at a new $1,785 low ahead of the brand’s Labor Day Sale lineup with up to $800 discounts + bonus extra savings. There’s also the Tenways Wayfarer Cruiser e-bike with a FREE $277 bundle at a new $1,599 low, as well as an extra battery bundle on Velotric’s Nomad 2 Off-Road e-bike at $1,999 – plus, more EV sales down below. And don’t forget that you can find the hangover deals from this week at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Segway Labor Day Sale lineup of up to 50% off deals, the exclusive $1,000 Jackery 5,040Wh Explorer 5000 Plus savings, 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.

Expand Expanding Close

Rivian rolls out RivianOS 2, unifying software across R1 and R2

Rivian is rolling out RivianOS 2, the biggest overhaul of its in-car software since the R1 first shipped. For the first time, it puts every vehicle the company sells on a single software stack.

The update, version 2026.31, started reaching eligible R1 and R2 vehicles today. It brings a rebuilt interface, Unreal Engine 5 graphics, real-time police and speed-camera alerts, and a deeper AI layer Rivian calls Unified Intelligence.

Expand Expanding Close

Macfox X1S e-bike review: More mini-moto than bicycle, yet still street legal

There’s a fairly wide spectrum of moped-style electric bikes these days. Some are essentially conventional e-bikes wearing motorcycle-inspired designs, while others lean so heavily into the mini-moto experience that the pedals start to feel like little more than a legal technicality.

The Macfox X1S definitely falls closer to that second group.

Expand Expanding Close

Tesla Cybercab is already under NHTSA investigation after launch

Tesla Cybercab with Starlink.

Tesla’s Cybercab is already under federal investigation. NHTSA opened an audit into how Tesla certified the vehicle the same day the company started putting passengers in it in Austin.

The probe targets the exact thing that makes the Cybercab unusual: it has no steering wheel, no pedals, and no mirrors, and Tesla certified it as road-legal anyway.

Expand Expanding Close

Tesla opens search for Cybercab fleet sales, but FSD owners are still left out

Tesla has started distributing a “Robotaxi interest form,” collecting interest from fleet buyers who would want to build a Robotaxi network or provide related infrastructure services.

It’s the first step in allowing non-Tesla entities to make money off of Tesla’s FSD driver-assist software… but the owners who were promised they could make passive income with their cars are still out of luck.

Expand Expanding Close

These EVs retain their battery best, largest-ever study finds

MG-07-semi-solid-state-battery

The Mercedes EQA, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and BMW i4 hold onto their battery health better than any other electric car, according to the largest independent study of used-EV batteries ever run.

That’s the ranking that falls out of 500,000-plus battery tests published by Austrian diagnostics firm AVILOO, which measured 20 popular EVs at up to 150,000 km (93,000 miles) of use.

Expand Expanding Close

BEVs outsold every powertrain in August, so why is UK trying to roll back targets?

Ford-EV-chargers-UK

August sales numbers from the UK show a rosy picture for electric car sales, with BEVs being the most common powertrain and making up 30% of the market, up from 23% a year ago.

The number is well ahead of the pace required to meet the UK’s current somewhat-ambitious target of 80% EV sales by 2030… so why is the UK government considering softening that target?

Expand Expanding Close