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LONDON — Oil and gas giant BP on Thursday published its benchmark Statistical Review of World Energy, describing 2020 “as a year like no other” due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global energy.

Over the past seven decades, BP said it had borne witness to some of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the global energy system, including the Suez Canal crisis in 1956, the oil embargo of 1973, the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

“All moments of great turmoil in global energy,” Spencer Dale, chief economist at BP, said in the report. “But all pale in comparison to the events of last year.”

To date, more than 185 million Covid-19 cases have been reported worldwide, with over 4 million deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The actual tally of Covid-19 infections and fatalities is believed to be far higher — and continues to rise.

The pandemic also led to massive economic loss, with global GDP estimated to have slipped by around 3.3% last year. That represents the largest peacetime recession since the Great Depression.

For global energy, the Covid pandemic has had a dramatic impact. Here are some of the highlights from the report:

Energy developments

BP said the coronavirus crisis last year resulted in primary energy and carbon emissions falling at their fastest rates since World War II. The relentless expansion of renewable energy, however, was found to be “relatively unscathed,” with solar power recording its fastest ever increase.

To be sure, the oil and gas company said world energy demand was estimated to have contracted by 4.5% and global carbon emissions from energy use by 6.3%.

“These falls are huge by historical standards — the largest falls in both energy demand and carbon emissions since World War II. Indeed, the fall of over 2 Gt of CO2 means that carbon emissions last year were back to levels last seen in 2011,” Dale said.

“It’s also striking that the carbon intensity of the energy mix — the average carbon emitted per unit of energy used — fell by 1.8%, also one of the largest ever falls in post-war history,” he added.

Bim | E+ | Getty Images

For some, the decline of global carbon emissions briefly raised hopes of so-called “peak carbon,” although desires of limiting global warming — and meeting a crucial target of the landmark Paris accord — are rapidly deteriorating.

It comes even as politicians and business leaders publicly acknowledge the necessity of transitioning to a low-carbon society, with policymakers under intensifying pressure to deliver on promises made as part of the Paris Agreement ahead of this year’s COP26.

“There are worrying signs that last year’s COVID-induced dip in carbon emissions will be short lived as the world economy recovers and lockdowns are lifted,” Bernard Looney, CEO of BP, said in the report.

“The challenge is to achieve sustained, comparable year-on-year reductions in emissions without massive disruption to our livelihoods and our everyday lives,” he added.

Oil

The Covid crisis triggered a historic oil demand shock in 2020, with Big Oil enduring a brutal 12 months by virtually every measure. The pandemic coincided with falling commodity prices, evaporating profits, unprecedented write-downs and tens of thousands of job cuts.

The torrent of bad news prompted the head of the International Energy Agency to suggest 2020 may come to represent the worst year in the history of oil markets.

BP said oil consumption fell by a record 9.1 million barrels per day, or 9.3%, last year, slipping to its lowest level since 2011.

A general view of Gunvor Petroleum or Rozenburg refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Europe’s largest port covers 105 square kilometers (41 square miles) and stretches over a distance of 40 kilometers (25 miles).
Dean Mouhtaropoulos | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Oil demand fell most in the U.S., contracting by 2.3 million barrels, followed by the EU and India, contracting 1.5 million barrels and 480,000 barrels, respectively.

BP said global oil production shrank by 6.6 million barrels, with oil producer group OPEC accounting for two-thirds of that decline.

The price of international benchmark Brent crude averaged $41.84 in 2020, the energy giant said, its lowest level since 2004. The oil contract was last seen trading at $73.70.

Renewables

“Arguably, the single most important element of the energy system needed to address both aspects of the Paris Agreement — respond to the threat of climate change and support sustainable growth — is the need for rapid growth in renewable energy,” BP’s Dale said in the report.

Renewable energy, including biofuels and excluding hydro, rose by 9.7% in 2020, BP said. This was slower than the 10-year average of 13.4% year-on-year but the increment in energy terms was found to be similar to increases recorded in the years prior to the pandemic.

Solar electricity rose by record levels, however it was wind that was found to provide the largest contribution to renewables growth.

In terms of capacity, solar expanded by 127 gigawatts in 2020, while wind grew by 111 gigawatts — almost double its previous highest annual increase, BP said. “The main driver was China, which accounted for roughly half of the global increase in wind and solar capacity,” Dale said.

Reflecting on BP’s latest annual Statistical Review of World Energy, Dale said: “The importance of the past 70 years pales into insignificance as we consider the challenges facing the energy system over the next 10, 20, 30 years as the world strives to get to net zero.”

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Lectric Spooky Sale takes up to $762 off e-bike bundles + FREE mystery gifts, save up to exclusive $970 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units, more

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October 16, 2025

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Lectric Spooky Sale takes up to 2 off e-bike bundles + FREE mystery gifts, save up to exclusive 0 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units, more


Leading today’s Green Deals is Lectric’s freshly launched Spooky Sale that is increasing savings on e-bike bundles up to $762 while also offering two FREE mystery gifts with select models. Among the lineup, we’re seeing Lectric’s XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bikes getting their largest bundles of up to $514 in free gear at $1,299, with plenty of other notable packages to jump on. From there, we also have up to $970 in exclusive savings on 10 refurbished Anker SOLIX power stations, solar bundles, and accessories starting from $113, as well as a spotlight on Segway’s ZT3 Pro All-Terrain Electric Scooter at its $850 low, Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 station at its second-best pricing, a one-day-only deal on the EverFrost 2 58L Dual-Zone Electric Cooler, and 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 Pioneer Na(Sodium) power station launch with exclusive savings, the $1,116 in savings on Tenways’ largest AGO X e-bike bundle, 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.

Lectric Spooky Sale offers increased savings up to $762 on e-bike bundles with bonus mystery gifts starting from $999

Lectric has launched its Spooky Sale lasting only a week that is increasing savings on e-bike bundles up to $762 while also offering two FREE mystery gifts on select models. Among this event’s bunch, we’re seeing this special Halloween promotion included with the XP4 750 Long-Range Folding Utility e-bikes at $1,299 shipped, which come with up to $514 in FREE bundled gear and the mystery gifts. You’d be paying $1,693 to $1,813 for these bundles at full price, depending on which colorways/frame you choose. The brand’s Labor Day Sale saw the largest previous bundles ($404) on this new model since releasing in May, which is getting beaten out by the Stratus White and Raindrop Blue Step-Thru models’ packages of $514, while the others are getting $394 bundles. You’ll also find its standard XP4 counterparts getting $79 bundles at $999 shipped. Find out more about this e-bike below or by reading our hands-on review here.

Lectric’s XP4 750 e-bike has become my go-to means of traveling around Brooklyn in the few months I’ve had it, and I’m certain it will be winning the brand another award as the top-selling e-bike in America, which was my conclusion after going hands-on in my review. The standard XP4 e-bike sports a capable 500W brushless geared hub motor (that peaks at 1,092W) alongside a 10.4Ah battery, whereas the XP4 750 e-bike brings along a larger 750W motor (1,310W peak) and a 17.5Ah battery combo that boosts travel times from the standard 50-mile pedal-assisted range up as far as 85 miles. Both e-bikes utilize Stealth M24 tech in the motors for quieter performance, with top 20/28 MPH top speeds, depending on your state-specific laws.

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If you’re unaware, Lectric made some serious redesigns with this new generation, including the zero-degree stem, detachable TFT display, and the highly applauded repositioning of its side key location/charging port on top of the keyless riding functionality. Of course, there’s plenty more to love, like the hydraulic brakes, puncture-resistant mixed-terrain tires, the integrated taillight with both brake lighting and turn signals, the Shimano Altus 8-speed derailleur, and more.

Lectric XP4 e-bikes with up to $514 bundles (and gifts):

XPedition 2.0 e-bikes with up to $762 bundles (and gifts):

Trike2 offers with up to $558 bundles (and gifts):

XPress 750 e-bikes with $439 bundle (and gifts):

XP Lite 2.0 LR e-bikes with $414 bundles (and gifts):

XPeak 2.0 offers with up to $404 bundles (and gifts):

ONE LR Belt-Drive e-bike with $288 bundle (and gifts):

family brings anker solix f3800 power station with them towards RV

Save up to an exclusive $970 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units like the F3800 power station at a second-best $1,709

We’ve secured exclusive discounts from Wellbots on a collection of 10 different refurbished Anker SOLIX power stations, solar generator bundles, and add-on accessories that total up to $970 in savings. One of the notable standouts that is also seeing the largest price cut is the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station at $1,709.05 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5RBANKER at checkout for an additional 5% off. This renewed model is dropping from $2,679 to $1,799 with the starting discount, and the exclusive code cuts an extra $90 from the tag – which beats out the best pricing we’ve seen on a new unit by $490. We’ve had two previous exclusive deals on this refurbished station over the year, with today’s deal only beaten out by a drop to $1,699 from May. You’re getting the second-best price here with a $970 markdown, landing it just $10 shy of the May low.

If you want to learn more about this power station, or check out the full 10-unit lineup of refurbished units, be sure to check out our original coverage of these exclusive deals here.

man riding segway zt3 pro electric scooter through mud

Travel all terrains on Segway’s ZT3 Pro e-scooter with Apple Find My and proximity locking at its $850 low

Looking in on Segway’s extended Fall Prime Day Sale, you have through the rest of the week to hop on the ZT3 Pro Electric All-Terrain Scooter at $849.99 shipped, which also matches the price at Amazon. While it may carry a $1,300 MSRP direct from Segway, you can normally find it down at $1,000 at Amazon. We saw it previously drop to this rate for the first and only time during July’s Prime Day event, with this being the second chance at its best pricing. You’ll be scoring $150 off the going rate (and $450 off the MSRP) for the all-time lowest price we have tracked. Be sure to check out the full lineup of Segway EV Prime Day deals in our original coverage here.

If you want to learn more about this e-scooter, specifically, be sure to check out our original spotlight coverage of this deal here, while you can also browse the full lineup of Segway EV Prime Day deals in our original coverage of the sale here.

anker solix c1000 gen 2 power station in kitchen powering coffee machine for man and woman

Missed Prime Day? Anker’s new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 power station is at its next-best $429 price

If you pop in on Anker’s official Amazon storefront, you can currently pick up the new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station at $429 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website by $70. We saw this new backup power solution fall to a new $379 low at Amazon during its Prime Day event last week, while the brand’s direct Prime sale only saw it discounted to today’s rate. If you missed out on that two-day all-time low, you can score it at the next-best price while these savings last. Learn more about it in our hands-on tested review here, while also checking out the early-bird savings on the new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station here.

You can also learn more about this all-new model by checking out our original coverage of this deal here.

anker solix everfrost 2 electric cooler in the middle of the desert

Forget ice runs with Anker’s SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L dual-zone electric cooler at $720 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L Cordless Dual-Zone Electric Cooler at $719.99 shipped, which beats out Amazon’s current pricing by $179. While it carries an $1,100 MSRP, you’ll more regularly find it around $900 these days, with discounts having gone as low as $719 since it hit the market in March, with that price having only appeared once back during July’s Prime Day event. You’re looking at the next-best rate that only lasts through the rest of the day, giving you up to $380 off the MSRP and equips your outdoor gatherings with a reliable means to keep things chilled and/or frozen.

You can learn more about this cooler by checking out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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Tesla brings back ‘Mad Max’ ‘Full Self-Driving’ mode that ignores speed limits

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October 16, 2025

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Tesla brings back 'Mad Max' 'Full Self-Driving' mode that ignores speed limits

Tesla Mad Max Mode

Tesla has brought back its ‘Mad Max’ mode for its ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that ignores speed limits amid several regulatory investigations into Tesla’s system being dangerous.

Between wrongful death lawsuits from customers and pressure from regulators, including the California DMV and NHTSA, one would think that Tesla would be more careful about its communications regarding its advanced driver assist systems.

But no.

On the contrary, Tesla is bringing back the controversially named “Mad Max” mode in its Full Self-Driving (Supervised), a level 2 advanced driver assistance system that Tesla claims will become level 4 fully autonomous in the near future – something it claimed every year for the last 7 years.

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Last week, Tesla released its FSD v14 update, the first significant update in a year, and it included a new mode: Sloth Mode, which drives slower.

Now, Tesla has pushed another update, FSD v14.1.2, which adds another mode on the other end of the spectrum: Mad Max.

The automaker wrote in the release notes:

Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than HURRY.

It’s not the first time Tesla has introduced this mode, whose name is borrowed from the popular series of post-apocalyptic movies, in which people are known for driving aggressively.

The Mad Max mode was first introduced in the early days of Tesla Autopilot, the precursor to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD), back in 2018.

At the time, CEO Elon Musk presented the feature as being more aggressive in doing lane changes and navigating more challenging traffic situations. He specifically mentioned Los Angeles.

The new Mad Max mode in Tesla FSD is marketed similarly. It hasn’t been out for 24 hours, and it has already been spotted rolling stop signs and driving more than 15 mph (24 km/h) over the speed limit.

In 2022, Tesla was forced by NHTSA to recall FSD Beta due to making rolling stops.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla loves to play with fire.

NHSTA initiated four separate investigations into FSD over the past year. The company is awaiting a judge’s decision in a case against California DMV over the naming of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

Amid all that, Tesla decides to launch a feature called Mad Max.

Even if it were incredibly safe, it would be pretty dumb.

As usual, I like to remind readers that Tesla doesn’t take any responsibility for its ADAS system, Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving. They require drivers to pay attention at all times and be ready to take control. They can make dumb mistakes at the worst time.


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NACFE study: electric semi trucks can go the distance, TODAY

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2 hours ago

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October 16, 2025

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NACFE study: electric semi trucks can go the distance, TODAY

The death of range anxiety

A new study from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) challenges the notion that battery electric semi trucks can’t serve long-haul logistics, but they’re not presenting a slide deck made by pencil-pushers and spreadsheets. They’re proving HDEVs are ready with real-world electric semi trucks covering hundreds of miles every day.

NACFE recently wrapped its “Run On Less – Messy Middle” technology demonstration showcasing a mix of “clean” trucking technologies that includes diesels, bio-diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, and (of course) BEVs in a full range of duty cycles across 13 active fleets in the US and Canada — and, while I’ve criticized NACFE for taking Shell’s money and continuing to promote a “Messy Middle” message that I find disingenuous, they’re doing some pretty heavy lifting here to show that battery electric semis are more ready for prime-time than most fleet managers might believe.

“Take a moment, plan your route from Seattle, Washington, to Bozeman, Montana, on I-90. Your mapping program will tell you that it is 677 miles and will take an estimated 10 hours and 2 minutes. Then day two of your drive from Bozeman to Fargo, North Dakota, on I-94 racks up another 750 miles taking an estimated 10 hours and 29 minutes [and so on],” writes Rick Mihelic, Director of Emerging Technologies at NACFE, for the Commercial Carrier Journal. “On the fifth day, push on into New York City, adding 614 miles. In five days, you’ve taken your truck the width of the country, accumulating 2,967 legal hours-of-service miles.”

“Congratulations,” he adds, somewhat sarcastically. “You’ve just proven a battery electric truck can’t do what a diesel truck can.”

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Instead of presenting a hypothetical scenario specifically designed to showcase the strength of existing diesel infrastructure, however, Mihelic proposes an alternative perspective: a real-world example, from a real-world fleet.

“Start in Midland, Texas, and head south to Laredo, racking up a 470 mile day,” . On day two, run around Laredo picking up loads then head north to Junction, Texas, to complete a 301 mile day. Then on day three head to Santa Teresa, New Mexico, getting in 447 miles. On day four, head to Phoenix, another 473 miles. On day five, push on into San Bernadino, California, adding 293 miles. Five days in a truck, a total of 1,984 miles.”

That route? It’s 100% electric. And it’s not the only one.

Real road ready

Granted, 1,984 miles is significantly less than 2,967, but that’s not the point. Over the course of their telematics driven research, the NACFE team tested three BEV semis — a Volvo VNR Electric, a Freightliner eCascadia, and a Windrose R700 — and all of them successfully fulfilled their duties, covering hundreds of miles each day with loads of up to 55,000 lbs.

And they did it, in the real world, without burning a drop of diesel.

Some diesel advocates often over-emphasize the narrative about long-haul trucking, giving the impression that all Class 8 trucks run more than 600 miles per day and they all are running heavy at 80,000 lbs. maximum weights. Facts don’t seem to bother those people. The reality is that the average truck loading is often less than 70,000 lbs., that anywhere from one-tenth to half the time the trucks are running empty back hauls. And especially, they ignore all the telematics data out there from multiple credible sources that show that most trucks are operating less than 500 miles per day.

It’s called misinformation, and it has served vested interests very well. But facts are facts. Battery electric trucks can go the distance.

RICK MIHELIC | NACFE

The NACFE study is the latest in a string of real-world, fact-based reports looking at real-world fleet operations and telematics and coming to the conclusion that, while BEVs may not be ready to replace all diesel trucks today, they can certainly replace a lot of them.

Back in June, we covered an Altitude by Geotab study published earlier this quarter analyzed 2024 aggregated data from Geotab-connected commercial vehicles, revealing that 58% of medium-duty trucks and 41% of heavy-duty trucks drive less than 250 miles between depots. The study focused on medium-duty (Classes 3-6) and heavy-duty (Classes 7-8) truck data gathered from driving patterns, routes, and stops on real roads to determine the feasibility of electric and alt-fuel truck adoption and to help identify the most strategic locations for charging infrastructure build out.

“The trucking industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for efficiency, sustainability, and economic benefits,” explains Nate Veeh, AVP of Market Development at Altitude by Geotab. “Our analysis reveals that a substantial portion of medium- and heavy-duty trucks have daily driving patterns that are well-suited for electrification … by using data insights, utilities and other key stakeholders can pinpoint where truck concentrations are and understand their aggregate driving behaviors, to make informed decisions in terms of truck electrification and the subsequent demands on energy grids and location of EV charging networks.”

Telematics integrations can also help optimize a fleet’s charging schedules, both by scheduling EV charging for lower priced, off-peak hours and by identifying the most dependable high-speed charging stations along regular routes to minimize down time for both vehicles and drivers.

Finally, these data-driven platforms can provide fleet managers tools for tracking and reporting things like carbon emissions and overall energy consumption, which can streamline ESG reporting processes and make it easier for the worker bees to get regulators, administrators, and managers the sort of charts, tables, and graphs they love.

You can check out the data for yourself at the source links, above, then let us know what you think about the future of electric heavy transport in the comments.

SOURCES | IMAGES: CCJ Digital; featured image by Maersk, via Volvo Trucks.

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