Electrek

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 killing the Solar Roof, Cybercab launch, Genesis GV90, and more.

Today’s episode is sponsored by GM. GM EV charging made easy, with Energy Pass and Plug and Charge. Learn more at https://gmenergy.gm.com/energypass

Hyundai has started taking pre-sale orderss for its upcoming Ioniq V, but if you’re reading this from anywhere that speaks English, you can’t have it… yet?

Walmart has opened its 100th company-owned EV fast-charging site, bringing its fast-growing network to 100 stores across 20 states.

We’re closing out this week’s Green Deals with the new Lectric Labor Day Sale leading the pack, offering up to $694 on e-bike bundles + XPeak2 and XPedition2 price cuts – all starting from $799. Next, EcoFlow has kicked off a 4-day website-exclusive flash sale with offers like the 4,096Wh DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station down at $2,549, and more from $799. We also have EGO’s premium 16-inch Carbon Fiber Cordless Electric String Trimmer with Line IQ and POWERLOAD tech at its $251 2026 low, the meross Two-Zone Wi-Fi Smart Water Timer at a new $76 low, Aiper’s HydroComm Smart Pool Monitor with optimization tips, some solar-powered garden lights from Nanoleaf, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget we have all the hangover deals from this week that are down at the bottom of the page, like the massive 2,049.50 exclusive savings on Heybike’s Hero mid-drive carbon-fiber all-terrain e-bike at a new $1,049.50 low, 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.

Anthro Energy has broken ground on a first-of-its-kind US battery materials factory in Louisville, Kentucky, with enough planned annual output to support up to 25 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of lithium-ion batteries.

Hyundai is offering EV drivers, including select Genesis models, an extra 10% discount on all IONNA charging sessions through the end of September. With a stackable bonus from IONNA, drivers can save 20% on charging for a limited time.

Tesla is recalling 2,740,642 vehicles in China to strengthen driver monitoring on its assisted-driving system, after regulators found that checking for a hand on the wheel isn’t enough to keep drivers watching the road.

The fix forces Tesla to use the car’s cabin camera to track the driver’s eyes — the same kind of monitoring Chinese drivers were recently caught defeating with $20 plastic doll heads.

Tesla is recalling 2,975,910 vehicles in China after the country’s market regulator determined that its emergency door release is too hard to find and operate in a crash.

It’s Tesla’s largest-ever recall in China, and it lands as the automaker’s door design faces mounting legal and regulatory pressure on two continents. Several other automakers who followed Tesla into similarly designed door releases have also issued similar recalls.

Tesla has discontinued the Solar Roof, its solar-tile roofing product, Electrek has learned.

The company has told third-party installers that it will no longer supply solar roof tiles going forward, only solar panels, according to two sources close to the program.

Tesla confirmed that its Semi electric truck is coming to Europe, and that it will reveal the specs and launch details next month at IAA Transportation, the continent’s largest commercial vehicle show.

The Tesla Semi account posted that “specs & launch details for Semi in Europe” will be “unveiled at IAA Transportation in Hannover, Germany,” which runs September 15-20. A Semi will be on display at the show.

Tesla laid out an updated timeline for Full Self-Driving, its Cybercab, and the Optimus robot in a recent meeting with JPMorgan at its Fremont factory. The bank walked away with claims that FSD v15 is a “step-change,” that today’s HW4 computer can handle unsupervised driving, and that Optimus could go on sale to outside buyers as soon as the second half of 2027.

Most of it repeats promises Tesla has made, and missed, before.

Colorado’s largest electric school bus fleet has a new charging hub to keep its 28 buses ready to run their daily routes.

Today’s 9to5Toys Green Deals is headlined by Anker’s 2026 SOLIX S2000 portable power station at $550 off, but you can also cash in and take a chore off your list with Segway’s Navimow i105N Robot Lawn Mower down at $669. Another notable markdown today is the WORX 2-in-1 reciprocating saw for $73, which I personally own and love.

Head below for other 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.

Illinois homeowners can now get rooftop solar paired with a whopping 60-kWh home battery for no money down – but this isn’t free equipment.

Genesis unveiled its first full-size flagship SUV, the GV90, and it’s about as over-the-top as they come. The ultra-luxe electric SUV packs coach doors, a built-in refrigerator, massive digital screens, air suspension, and plenty of other high-end touches.

Waymo is now letting all riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix hail its next-generation Ojai robotaxi — a vehicle built in China by Zeekr.

That makes the Ojai one of the only ways for an American to ride in a Chinese-made EV, a car they still can’t legally buy for themselves.

Geely says its next-generation solid-state EV battery will reach an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg, and it’s already running the cells through real-world validation ahead of a pilot rollout in 2027.

That number is the whole story. At 500 Wh/kg, Geely’s cells would hold roughly twice the energy per kilogram of the best lithium-ion battery packs shipping in EVs today.

British folding e-bike maker FLIT has just unveiled its latest lightweight folding e-bike, the FLIT M2i. And at just 13.3 kg (29.3 lb), this thing is getting impressively light for a fully equipped electric bike.

Wawa launched self-branded Tesla Superchargers earlier this year, and now it’s doing the same with Electrify America EV fast chargers.

Cuba is struggling with a US-imposed blockade on fuel shipments, which has led to many crises, including a breakdown in garbage collection in Havana. But a startup is stepping up to collect garbage in one neighborhood, using electric three-wheeled vehicles powered by solar.

Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon can now charge up to 20 rental EVs at once without sacrificing valuable floor space, thanks to a new overhead ChargePoint fast charging system.

Our midweek Green Deals is being led by an incredible exclusive deal on the Heybike Hero 750W Mid-Drive Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike at a new $1,049.50 low. Right behind that, we have EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour flash sale with up to $2,200 savings on four units, like the DELTA 3 Max 2,048Wh Portable Power Station with a 500W modular solar panel at $1,399. There’s also the lineup of Best Buy 60th Anniversary Sale EV deals on models from Segway, Lectric, Hiboy, NIU, and more starting from $284, the Anker eufyCam E40 Solar Security Camera 2-pack bundle with a HomeBase hub at $180, and more from Anker SOLIX, Jackery, and Velotric down below. There are also the hangover deals from the last two days that are down at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Lectric XPress2 extra battery bundle for 100+ miles of travel, the first-time discounts on Aventon’s Pace 5 REC + Level 4 REC e-bikes, 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 city of London has released a report showing drastic drops in air pollution since it expanded its Ultra Low Emission Zone, an area within the city where polluting vehicles must pay a fee to visit.

(Update 8/19/26, original article 5/15/25: A new study shows that children in London have significantly better lung function than before the zone was implemented, just as the UK government considers loosening pollution rules)

Lucid unveiled its 2027 Air lineup, streamlining the options across its electric sedan range and adding a new Stealth & Sound Package for the entry-level Air Pure.

The Air Grand Touring keeps its title as the longest-range EV on sale at up to 512 miles, and pricing holds flat across all four trims for the new model year.