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An Alaska state flag blows in the wind at the Robert B. Atwood Building in Anchorage, Alaska.
David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images

These are tough times in Skagway, Alaska, population 1,183.

“We’re in hard core survival mode,” Mayor Andrew Cremata told CNBC.

In a normal summer, the Southeast Alaska town would be teeming with tourists from the cruise ships sailing the Inside Passage. Residents could drive 15 miles up the Yukon Highway into Canada to run their basic errands, or they could hop on a state-run ferry to the next town over, Haines.

But this year, the cruise ships have just started running again. Cremata is hoping Skagway will see 100,000 passengers this year; in 2019 they had 1.1 million. The border to Canada remains closed to non-essential traffic, and the ferries, part of the Alaska Marine Highway System, are plagued by budget cuts.

“Just getting your family down to go see a dentist or doctor, when that becomes burdensome or overly expensive, there’s a point where people have just had it and move away,” Cremata said.

Multiply Skagway’s situation by thousands of communities and more than 700,000 Alaskans, and you can begin to understand why The Last Frontier finds itself in last place in CNBC’s 2021 America’s Top States for Business rankings.

It is the sixth bottom-state finish for Alaska in 14 years. The state previously achieved the dubious distinction in the first four years of the study between 2007 and 2010, hitting bottom again in 2018.

As difficult as the past year has been in this state and across the country, it presented opportunities that Alaska failed to capitalize on.

Alaska met the pandemic with the best-funded public health system in the nation, according to the United Health Foundation, spending $289 per person per year. That is more than three times the national average. Earlier this year, the state was setting the pace for Covid-19 vaccinations, even in its most remote regions.

As the national economy struggled to regain its footing, Alaska offered a generally business-friendly regulatory climate — its legal system tilts toward business, and the number of state laws and regulations is manageable. The conservative-leaning Tax Foundation ranks Alaska’s tax climate the third-best in the country.

In Skagway, Mayor Cremata said state and federal officials have been extremely helpful through the crisis.

“They are always ready and willing not only to engage us as a community, but individual people and business owners in the community. People that were struggling with problems with unemployment and all these kinds of things,” he said.

And at a time of social upheaval, Alaska offered its relatively diverse population some strong protections against discrimination.

High costs hurt Alaska

So how did Alaska manage to finish No. 50 again in 2021 despite so many advantages going in? In a word: cost.

Cost of Doing Business carries the most weight in this year’s study. As the recovery builds, states are touting low business costs more than any other factor, according to CNBC’s analysis. Alaska is an extremely expensive place to do business.

Even Alaska’s competitive tax climate, which earns points for relatively low property taxes and no personal income tax, includes a top corporate tax rate of 9.4%, among the highest in the country.

A snow covered road with power lines in Kaktovic, Alaska.
David Howells | Corbis Historical | Getty Images

Utility costs are oppressive. Alaskans paid an average of $20.20 per kilowatt hour for electricity last year, according to U.S. Department of Energy data, with even higher rates in remote areas. That was second only to Hawaii, and nearly double the national average. Wages are high thanks to the high cost of living, and office and industrial space — which are in short supply — is pricey.

Cremata said he is worried about how the price of everything seems to be creeping higher.

“Everything’s barged in,” he said. “And so, if the cost of fuel goes up, it affects the rates on the barge and that affects the price of your milk and eggs.”

Indeed, even that high rate of public health funding may be deceiving, because health care in Alaska is so expensive. An office visit to a doctor in Anchorage averaged more than $206 last year, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research, C2ER. That is more than twice the cost in Phoenix, Arizona.

Meanwhile, Alaska’s Covid-19 vaccination rate, once the envy of the nation, has fallen below the national average, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Medical Assistant Julia Naea administers the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at the Blood Bank of Alaska in Anchorage on March 19, 2021.
Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images

In March, Alaska became the first state in the nation to make vaccines available to everyone aged 16 and older. Officials theorize that meant those who wanted to be vaccinated were quick to get their shots, leaving vaccine-hesitant residents — many in rural or remote areas — who have proven difficult to convince.

Vaccination rates are a metric in the Top States’ Life, Health and Inclusion category, where Alaska finishes No. 19 this year.

Internet access remains a challenge

In addition to its cost issues, Alaska ranks No. 49 in the Top States’ Infrastructure category, above only Maine. It is yet another lost opportunity. Alaska might have been able to use the nation’s move toward remote work to partly offset its inherent infrastructure disadvantages, which include its distance from the rest of the country and its vast size.

This year’s Top States study introduced broadband connectivity as an infrastructure metric. But broadband in Alaska is the worst in the nation, according to BroadbandNow Research.

In Skagway, Cremata said internet service is cumbersome and expensive.

“You have to actually have a landline in your house for it to work,” he said. “So, the internet has a pretty substantial price to it, but then you also have a $30 charge because you need a landline for the broadband to work.”

According to BroadbandNow, fewer than 61% of Alaskans have access to broadband at all, and none have access to a low-priced plan, which the organization defines as costing less than $60 per month. The average speed is a paltry 58.6 Mbps, or one-third the speed in the top-ranked state, New Jersey.

Cremata said that early in the pandemic, when he and other local leaders worried the cruise ships could disappear for five years, they convened a task force to consider ways to reinvent the economy. One of the ideas was to make Skagway an internet hub, but it went nowhere.

“You’d have to have really fast internet, obviously, because you probably want to have all of your communications done in the cloud, which is pretty much impossible right now in Skagway,” he said.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, while speaking at a dedication ceremony for a hydroelectric turbine generator in Igiugig, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.
Luis Sinco | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

In May, Gov. Mike Dunleavy created a task force to recommend ways to improve connectivity in the state.

“On the heels of a global pandemic, now more than ever do we see the critical role that the internet plays in nearly every part of life and the importance of good connectivity for every Alaskan,” Dunleavy said in a statement.

But it is Alaska’s third broadband task force in the last decade, with little to show for the efforts. It is also unclear whether the state can muster the funding needed to bring its service up to date.

In his statement announcing the task force, Dunleavy, a Republican, emphasized the use of federal pandemic relief money to pay for the expansion. And while his administrative order creating the task force also contemplates using state funds, Dunleavy and the state legislature are already locked in a titanic struggle over the budget.

This month, Dunleavy vetoed more than $200 million in state spending approved by the legislature, with cuts aimed at everything from tourism marketing to mental health services.

Dunleavy also vetoed $8.5 million in funding for Alaska’s ferry system known as the Alaska Marine Highway System, a link to the outside world for communities like Skagway. 

And he relentlessly slashed the University of Alaska’s budget, with cuts totaling $70 million over three years. That hurts the state’s ranking in Education, where it finishes No. 47.

Crude oil rebound hasn’t helped Alaska

Hanging over all of Alaska’s business and financial woes is the price of oil, the state’s economic lifeblood. Oil revenues typically account for more than one-third of the state’s budget.

A part of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System is seen on September 17, 2019 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images

Last year, as weak demand during the pandemic pushed oil prices to historic lows, oil production in Alaska fell to its lowest level in more than 40 years, according to the Energy Department.

This year, prices have rebounded, but production in Alaska has not. Alaska oil producers face much lower cost competition in the lower 48, as well as an intensifying tug-of-war over federal oil leases. Production through April was down nearly 5% from a year ago.

State budget forecasters expect oil production tax revenue will be around $311 million in the 2021 fiscal year that ended on July 1. That would be a 9% increase from 2020, but a 36% decline from the year before.

Those kinds of numbers could make it even harder for Alaska to climb out of the cellar next year.

Cremata said he hopes the crisis will convince Alaska to think beyond its traditional economic drivers including tourism, fishing and oil.

“You can’t think backwards. You have to think forwards,” he said. “Perhaps, this is like a chaos-opportunity moment — where there’s chaos, there’s opportunity, so that people in Alaska, who maybe have been relying on things that aren’t as reliable anymore, maybe try to expand towards some different ideas.”

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First post-launch savings on Segway’s new Xafari and Xyber e-bikes, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 400W solar bundle at new $2,199 low, more

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June 2, 2025

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First post-launch savings on Segway's new Xafari and Xyber e-bikes, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 400W solar bundle at new ,199 low, more

We’re starting off this week’s Green Deals with the first post-launch savings on the new Segway Xafari and Xyber e-bikes starting from $2,200. Right behind it, EcoFlow is kicking off hurricane season with up to 55% discounts on a sizeable collection of power stations, complete with bonus savings, select 2x EcoCredit rewards, and some lower-than-ever member-only pricing, including the DELTA Pro Solar Generator bundle with a 400W panel at a new $2,199 low. Lastly, we have two mowing deals, with the first being the EGO 56V 21-Inch Cordless Electric Select Cut Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit that includes 7.5Ah and 5.0Ah batteries back at its $600 low. You could also automate your lawn care with Segway’s Navimow i Series of RTK Robot Mowers that are getting rare price cuts starting from $849. Plus, there’s all the rest of the hangover Green Deals from last week in the links at the bottom of the page, collected together in our Electrified Weekly Roundup.

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.

Segway’s new Xafari and Xyber e-bikes with Apple Find My, proximity locking, more get first post-launch savings from $2,200

Segway is celebrating Father’s Day with surprise price cuts of up to $300 on the brand’s two new e-bikes for the first time. Through June 15, you’ll be able to hop aboard the Xafari e-bike for $2,199.99 shipped, while the Xyber e-bike sits higher at $2,999.99 shipped. These two models normally go for $2,400 and $3,300, respectively, since the brand raised the Xyber’s price due to tariffs on May 1. The discounts we’re seeing here are the first post-launch cash savings, bringing the Xafari back to match its preorder launch pricing, while taking the Xyber back to its original MSRP.

Praised by Segway as the model “for everyone, yet far from ordinary,” the Xafari e-bike is an all-terrain cruiser for riders of different ages and skill levels. It comes equipped with a 750W rear hub motor paired with a removable 936Wh battery to hit 20 MPH top speeds (in as fast as 5.2 seconds) for up to 88 miles on a single 6-hour charge with its 12 PAS levels activated (supported by a torque sensor). Comfort is the main focus here, with ergonomic positioning, 80mm front/70mm rear suspension, an adjustable compression damping and lock-out fork, and 26-inch by 3-inch all-terrain tires – all adding to a smoother riding experience. There’s also the adjustable-height saddle with quick-release and an adjustable stem, a rear-mounted cargo rack, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, front and rear lighting (including brake lighting), an integrated multi-color smart TFT display with a 20W USB A/C port, and more.

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Of course, one of the biggest additions to Segway’s e-bikes, is the inclusion of the brand’s Intelligent Ride System. This gives them some high-end smart features like Airlock wireless proximity security, an alarm system, Apple Find My, GPS, adaptive pedal assistance, and plenty more. You can get the full rundown on these features in our original CES 2025 launch coverage here.

Speaking of the Xyber e-bike, which sports the same Intelligent Ride System features as the above model, it is the mid-range, light EV that is perfect for speed freaks, as it can go from 0 to 20 MPH in just 2.7 seconds, and keep climbing up to a 35 MPH top speed when set in race mode. It’s been given a monstrous 6,000W direct-drive motor and a 2,880Wh dual-battery setup, letting it carry you for up to 112 miles on a single 4-hour charge. There are 12 levels of pedal assistance here, as well as three different modes for throttle-only riding.

It’s been equipped with an inverted dual-crown fork at the front alongside a classic swing-arm design at the rear – plus, the coil-sprung, hydraulically damped front and rear suspension for added comfort on uneven terrain. You’ll also find Tektro hydraulic disc brakes here for stopping power, with the whole thing sitting atop two 20-inch by 5-inch tires with flat-resistant inserts, among other top-notch features. One thing to note here, though, is that Segway has specified this current model to be an unclassified e-bike for maximized performance over on-road or non-permitted trail riding, with a road-legal model that meets regulations coming later in the year.

You can get the full details of all the many features on these e-bikes in our original launch coverage from CES 2025 here.

EcoFlow power stations

Power essentials through hurricane season with EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro 400W solar bundle at new $2,199 low

With the calendar having stepped into June, so too have we officially stepped into 2025’s hurricane season, and EcoFlow is offering up to 55% off backup power solutions through June 8 to help you prep, complete with extra savings. Among the lineup, we spotted several continuing member-only deals that have increased savings from the brand’s two-day May Madness event, like the well-regarded DELTA Pro Solar Generator bundle with a 400W panel for $2,199 shipped, which doesn’t benefit from the 5% bonus savings, sadly, but does benefit from 2x EcoCredit reward points. This package would normally run you $4,898 at full price, which we’ve seen go as low as $2,299, most recently during last week’s short-term May Madness discounts. This is a 55% markdown that cuts $2,699 off the going rate, landing it $100 lower than ever for the best new price we have tracked. It’s even coming in $200 under Amazon’s current pricing.

One of the brand’s larger modular backup solutions, the DELTA Pro is ready to power you through trips in nature, at gatherings and events, or during emergencies with its starting 3,600Wh LiFePO4 capacity. What’s great is that with future investments (expansion batteries), you can expand it all the way up to 25kWh. Through its 14 output ports, it dishes out a steady stream up to 3,600W, surging to 7,200W for larger needs.

It recharges its own battery cells fairly quick, with a wall outlet putting it back to full in about 1.8 hours, or you could do so in 2.8 hours when taking advantage of its maximum 1,600W solar input. There’s other ways to top off its levels, including generators, with an auxiliary car port, and more. You’ll also get the full array of smart controls you would expect through its companion app via either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

EcoFlow’s other Member-only deals:

To browse the entire lineup of EcoFlow’s June Disaster Sale follow this link to our full coverage here, with plenty of savings on in-house and out-of-house power solutions at up to 55% off – plus, the bonus 5% extra savings that are not stackable with the above member-only pricing.

EGO 56V 21-inch cordless electric select cut self-propelled lawn mower

This EGO 56V 21-inch cordless select cut self-propelled mower kit with 7.5Ah and 5.0Ah batteries back at $600 low

Amazon is offering a return low price on the EGO Power+ 56V 21-Inch Cordless Electric Select Cut Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit that comes with 7.5Ah and 5.0Ah batteries at $599.99 shipped. This newer model hit the scene at the top of last year and is coming off its $998 full price here today. March of last year was the last time we spotted this low price, with the discounts in the time since only going as low as $700. You’re now getting a second chance at the best price we have tracked for this package, which equips you with plenty of power to cover lawn care needs at home with $398 in savings.

It’s one of the best times of the year to consider trading your gas guzzler for a more eco-friendly electric means to tackle lawn care, and this cordless mower from EGO comes with more power than we usually see. Just using the 7.5Ah ARC battery provides enough juice for up to 60 continuous minutes of runtime, with the 5.0Ah battery being a convenient way to extend that time for longer jobs. The included 550W charger can bring these batteries back to full in up to 60 minutes, letting you use one while charging another for near-endless runtimes.

Aside from the six-position cutting height levels (from 1.5 to 4 inches) and three-in-one functionality (bagging, side discharging, mulching), you’ll also be getting the brand’s select cut system here, giving you more customization options for different needs. Thanks to this setup, the blades are interchangeable between lower mulching blades and high-lift bagging blades. Mobility is far easier as the self-propulsion does most of the work for you – plus, annoying pull strings are a thing of the past with its push-button start.

segway navimow i series robot lawn mower

Segway’s Navimow i Series of RTK robot mowers get rare price cuts starting from $849 in Father’s Day savings

Through Father’s Day, Segway is offering rare 15% discounts on its Navimow i Series Robot Lawn Mowers, with the i105 model down at $849 shipped and matching at Amazon, while the i110 model is down at $1,099 shipped and only available on the direct site. These models don’t often see many discounts from their $999 and $1,299 price tags compared to its H series counterparts, with the last price cuts we saw being on the i105 model back during Black Friday when prices dropped to its $799 low. You can grab them here at the second-lowest price we have tracked for the i105 and the lowest price we’ve seen on the i110 model, giving you $150/$200 in savings while automating your lawn care routine.

While it doesn’t sport the fanciest of bells and whistles like Segway’s new X3 Series of robots, which are now officially available for online purchase, the brand’s Navimow i Series are the smaller and more affordable option for those on tighter budgets, with the i105 model covering up to 1/8 acres and the i110 model covering up to 1/4 acres on a single charge. Keep in mind that these robots can stop progress to recharge at their station, picking up where they left off after finishing. One of the standout designs here is the trading of perimeter wires for RTK positioning paired alongside AI-assisted mapping through its 140-degree FOV camera.

The brand’s Exact Fusion Location System 2.0 is the name of the game, working with the AI to utilize satellite navigation to keep track of the robot’s position regardless of how complicated your yard/garden layout is or how much tree coverage there may be. This feature also doubles as a security measure, allowing you to track the robot’s real-time location while it works or in case of theft. Through its companion app you’ll have access to its full array of other smart features too, like setting schedules, marking off-limits zones, and customizing the 3D mapping routes/settings – and it has the memory for 12 different zones.

There’s two other big robot lawn mower deals running right now on new models, with the ECOVACS Goat RTK Robot Lawn Mowers currently getting up to 25% off discounts on three models starting from $900. There’s also the highly advanced Anker eufy E15 and E18 Robot Mowers that do away with RTK positioning and boundary wires for pure vision FSD navigation, getting $300 discounts and a $100 free gift.

Best Spring 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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Elon Musk had already canceled $25k Tesla weeks before denying it publicly

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June 2, 2025

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Elon Musk had already canceled k Tesla weeks before denying it publicly

When Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly denied a report that Tesla had canceled its work on the $25,000 “Model 2” despite the project ending weeks prior, Tesla executives were “alarmed” by Musk’s public lie, according to a new report by Reuters.

In April 2024, Reuters reported that the long-awaited $25,000 Tesla, nicknamed “Model 2” by the public, had been canceled.

Immediately after the report, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded, stating “Reuters is lying (again).”

However, when he made this statement, Musk knew that the report was correct, and that he had cancelled the project weeks earlier.

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This new information comes from a report by Reuters today, citing company documents and the standard “people familiar with the matter.”

The public denial caused confusion among Tesla executives, some of whom wondered if the project was back on, or who were concerned that customers may delay purchases waiting for a product that they and Musk knew would never come.

It also concerned executives due to an agreement Musk made with the SEC which required a lawyer to oversee his Tesla-related tweeting activities, after he had previously been caught misleading investors into thinking he had secured funding to take Tesla private.

Musk’s lie about the $25k Model 2 project stopped a decline in TSLA stock, which had slid by 6% so far that day, and the stock recovered partially by the end of the day. Given the market-moving nature of the statement, and the subject matter of being about Tesla’s future plans, it was thought that this would be another clear violation of Musk’s settlement with the SEC.

Musk’s history attacking truth

Musk has a long history of taking umbrage with the press and government regulators, and getting in public fights with people for the smallest of slights. These attacks are often immature, as in the examples of his lewd statements about the SEC, or an unnecessary attack on a rescue diver.

Reuters has been one of his main targets, but he has generally shown disdain for the media, and this attitude isn’t new.

In 2018, he floated the idea of creating a website to rank “truth” in media, proposing the name “Pravduh.” The idea came after a series of negative reports about Tesla, making it clear that the effort was less about truth, and more about Musk feeling slighted about recent coverage.

In a similar vein to his attacks on Reuters, he and the Tesla board recently denied a WSJ report that they were seeking a replacement for Musk as CEO. Musk responded personally, stating that it was an “EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS” for WSJ to publish a “DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial,” even though WSJ reached out to Tesla and was given no comment beforehand.

One of the reasons WSJ couldn’t get comment beforehand is because Tesla dissolved its PR department years ago. Companies keep PR departments so that press can have a clear a consistent idea of a company’s position on the matter, and so that journalists can reach out to the company for comment beforehand. Musk’s anger at WSJ for not including a denial from a department that he himself dissolved suggests that perhaps he relishes the opportunity to strike out against the media, as his own actions have been responsible for the lack of communication between Tesla and the media.

He even targeted us here at Electrek after we published a true and fair article critiquing Tesla’s plan to charge owners $1,500 for hardware they already bought. After our report, many other media reported the same story, and a few days later Tesla lowered the price to $1,000 (when it still should be zero, and at least one owner has prevailed in small claims due to our report).

Immediately after Tesla lowered the price of the upgrade, we found that Elon Musk had blocked our site’s account on Twitter, and also blocked my colleague Fred Lambert, who was not involved in reporting the story. We were also banned from future Tesla events due to our true and fair report.

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Nissan’s new $17,000 EV scores early in China as orders surge, but is it enough?

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June 2, 2025

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Nissan's new ,000 EV scores early in China as orders surge, but is it enough?

Nissan-N7-EV-orders-China

The N7 is surprisingly stylish and affordable, starting at under $17,000 in China. A month after launching, Nissan’s new EV has already secured over 17,200 orders, but will it be enough to keep pace in China?

Nissan’s new N7 EV secures 17,215 orders in China

After launching the N7 on April 28, Dongfeng-Nissan announced the electric sedan set a record, racking up 10,000 orders in 18 days.

Nissan’s joint venture partner in China said the N7 became the “fastest joint venture pure electric car” to reach the 10,000 mark.

According to the latest update, Nissan’s new EV now has 17,215 orders in China. Dongfeng Nissan revealed in a social media post on May 31 that N7 orders are still on the rise, 35 days after hitting the market. To keep the momentum going, the company is offering a limited-time promo worth up to 19,888 yuan ($1,400) by placing an order.

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A video circulating on social media (via CnEVPost) reveals order data from a company executive, showing that 13,746 of the orders have locked-in vehicle configurations.

Nissan's-new-EV-orders-China
Dongfeng Nissan N7 electric sedan (Source: Nissan)

The N7 starts at 119,900 yuan in China, or about $16,500. It’s available with two LFP battery options, 58 kWh or 73 kWh, providing a CLTC range of 540 km (335 miles) and 625 km (388 miles), respectively.

Measuring 4,930 mm long, 1,895 mm wide, and 1,487 mm tall, the electric sedan is slightly longer than a Tesla Model 3.

Inside, the N7 is equipped with smart tech and features, including Momenta’s smart driving system. Nissan claims it’s “the industry’s first-tier high-end intelligent driving system,” offering high-speed navigation assistance, full-scenario intelligent parking, and more.

Nissan N7 EV Trim Starting Price
Nissan N7 510 Air 119,900 yuan ($16,500)
Nissan N7 510 Pro 129,900 yuan ($17,800)
Nissan N7 625 Pro 139,900 yuan ($19,200)
Nissan N7 510 Max 139,900 yuan ($19,200)
Nissan N7 625 Max 149,900 yuan ($20,500)
Nissan N7 electric sedan price by trim (Source: Dongfeng-Nissan)

It even comes with a few fun add-ons you won’t find on a typical Nissan, such as a smart refrigerator that can cool or heat drinks.

Electrek’s Take

Nissan’s new N7 looks nice, and it’s competitively priced, but can it keep up in China’s intensifying electric vehicle market? BYD is crushing rivals with extreme price cuts and new models, which seem to appear every week.

Its new electric sedan, the BYD Qin L EV, had over 10,000 in sales its first week on the market, and it starts at 119,800 yuan ($16,500).

Even Mazda, another Japanese brand struggling in China, is seeing early success. After launching the EZ-60 last month, Mazda’s electric SUV secured over 20,000 orders.

Are these orders binding? Typically, companies in China report orders that are non-refundable with a deposit, but some offer a few days’ grace period. We will find out soon as companies begin releasing sales results.

Nissan is already struggling to turn its business around. The company announced last month it’s cutting 20,000 jobs globally and closing several factories as part of a restructuring.

What do you think? Can Nissan’s new EV keep up in China? Or, are the early orders deceiving? Drop us a comment below and share your thoughts.

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