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The Point of Ayr Gas Terminal in Talacre, Wales, on September 20, 2021.
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A global energy crunch is sending natural gas prices soaring in the U.K., Europe and Asia hitting record highs. However, experts say the stratospheric prices seen in Europe are unlikely to carry over to the States.

Much will ultimately depend on what the winter weather brings. But the U.S. is better positioned heading into the colder months given that it’s the world’s largest natural gas producer, and because inventory levels are not as depleted as they are in Europe.

“We’re at a unique point in time now where just all energy prices are going up,” Francisco Blanch, head of global commodities, equity derivatives and cross-asset quantitative investment strategies at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said last week on CNBC’s “The Exchange.” “The U.S. is much more insulated from this global energy trend than the rest of the world,” he added.

That’s not to say U.S. prices won’t be volatile. Natural gas futures settled at their highest level since December 2008 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the contract traded as high as $6.466 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). 

Natural gas for November delivery has since eased from that level, but it’s still on track for the seventh straight week of gains. The contract currently trades around $5.63 per MMBtu, which is more than double where prices were at the beginning of the year. 

But the moves abroad are far more extreme. Analysts at Deutsche Bank noted that in Europe prices are up five fold, while in the U.S. and Asia prices are about 1.5 times higher. In Europe, the price spike in natural gas is equivalent to if oil were trading around $200 per barrel.

“The importance of these moves on inflation, growth and external accounts are not to be underestimated,” the firm wrote in a note to clients. “These price moves are a big deal.”

Coal and oil prices are also jumping. West Texas Intermediate crude futures, the U.S. oil benchmark, topped $80 per barrel on Friday for the first time since November 2014. International benchmark Brent crude, meanwhile, traded at its highest level since 2018. Analysts say that elevated natural gas prices could even prompt utilities to swap the fuel for oil.

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Why are prices jumping?

A number of factors are fueling the price surge in natural gas and commodities like oil and coal more generally.

Demand is rebounding as economies get back to business and consumers return to pre-pandemic activities. At the same time, producers, who suffered through 2020’s unprecedented downturn, have been slow to hike output. 

A colder and longer-than-expected 2020 winter meant that European inventory levels were below average heading into the fall. On top of that, slow wind speeds and dry conditions weighed on renewables’ energy output. Carbon offsets are pricey and the continent has moved away from coal-fired plants, meaning everyone was suddenly competing for natural gas.

Europe’s gas production has declined over the last two decades, and the continent now depends on imports from Russia. The country has limited supplies to Europe this year in what some have called a politically motivated move, although this week President Vladimir Putin said Russia could boost output in an effort to alleviate the strain in Europe. 

Europe is not the only place in need of supplies. Asian demand is jumping as countries including China look to shift away from dependence on coal. In some cases, cargoes are bypassing Europe for Asia, where they can get better prices. 

The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies summarized this confluence of factors, noting it creates “this perfect storm.”

What about in the U.S.?

While the U.S. has its own power problems, as demonstrated in Texas last winter when millions of customers were left in the dark for multiple days, the same price jump and energy crunch playing out in Europe and Asia is unlikely to happen.

“[The U.S.] hasn’t had to rely on the rest of the world to provide its supply and that’s really what Europe’s problem has been,” said Robert Thummel, managing director at TortoiseEcofin. He noted that the shortage stems not from a lack of supply, but rather from a lack of infrastructure — specifically for liquified natural gas. 

“You’re not going to see the U.S. to the rescue here, because there’s just not enough infrastructure on either side — on the U.S. side or the European side and most importantly on the Asian side to solve this,” he added.

At the end of the day, Thummel said his forecast for natural gas prices all comes down to weather. A normal winter could see prices stay slightly elevated in the $3 to $4 range, while warmer-than-expected temperatures could see a retreat to between $2.50 and $3. On the flip side, if temperatures drop prices could spike into the double digits.

While the U.S. is in a better position than Europe heading into the winter, such wild swings in overseas energy markets do have cascading effects around the globe. This week Credit Suisse lifted its forecast for fourth-quarter prices by more than 60% — from $3.50 MMBtu to $5.75 MMBtu.

“The near-term set-up around winter storage inventories and increasingly tight global demand fundamentals have proven more bullish than we had anticipated,” the firm wrote in a note to clients. While the new target is elevated relative to average prices in recent years, it’s still below the $6 level natural gas crossed last week.

JPMorgan, meanwhile, raised its 2022 annual average price forecast by $1.70 MMBtu to $4.81 MMBtu in a note titled “unthinkable upside, limited downside.” The firm made sure to point out that it’s atypical to adjust forecasts right before winter weather reports become available. But this time it was warranted. Analysts said there was an “absolute need” to adjust forecasts given the “risks that are plaguing this balance at the current time.”

“We go where the US supply and demand balance takes us, and it has taken us to a place that hasn’t been visited in quite some time,” the firm said. For the current quarter, JPMorgan envisions prices averaging $5.50 MMBtu, which would bring 2021’s average price to $3.65 MMBtu.

While the energy crunch is likely the primary driver of the price action, some of the volatility could also be from Wall Street firms shorting futures into the massive rally, and subsequently being forced to cover positions.

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EcoFlow Easter Sale takes 60% off units with free gear + major EcoCredit rewards, Lectric one-day-only e-bike price cuts to new lows, more

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April 1, 2025

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EcoFlow Easter Sale takes 60% off units with free gear + major EcoCredit rewards, Lectric one-day-only e-bike price cuts to new lows, more

Today’s Green Deals are kicking off April with some major savings, led by EcoFlow’s newly launched Easter Sale that is taking up to 60% off power stations, along with scheduled flash sales, free gear at pricing thresholds, and even larger EcoCredit rewards – including bonus savings – than we’ve seen in past sales. Among the lineup, there’s the DELTA 2 Solar Generator bundle that comes with an expansion battery and two 110W solar panels down at a $1,049 low, among many others. We also spotted Lectric’s one-day-only April Fools flash sale that isn’t joking around as its XP 3.0 e-bikes lead a bunch of price cuts and changed-up bundle packages at new $899 and $1,099 lows. Lastly, EGO is continuing its Power+ savings event with its EGO POWER+ 56V 15-inch String Trimmer that comes with a 2.5Ah battery at $159, along with plenty more lawn care solutions at discounted rates. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s new low price on the NIU BQi-C3 Pro e-bike, the $400 discount on Segway’s latest Max G3 e-scooter, 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.

EcoFlow Easter Sale takes up to 60% off power stations with free gear, increased EcoCredit rewards, more – all from $169

Now that we’ve switched over to April, EcoFlow has launched its Easter Sale through April 14, with up to $3,737 taken off power stations, complete with scheduled flash sales, free gear at certain thresholds, and higher EcoCredit rewards for members than we’ve seen. Of the two web-exclusive offers this time around, we spotted the DELTA 2 Portable Power Station bundle with a smart extra battery and two 110W solar panels for $1,049 shipped. This package would normally run you $2,596 at full price, and we don’t often see this combination of gear all bundled together either – with past sales mostly offering either the panels or the expansion battery. The deal here comes in as a 60% markdown that puts $1,547 back in your pocket to give you the lowest price we have tracked.

There’s some solid additional savings and promotions going on during this sale, starting with you getting a free Power Hat ($129 value) on orders over $500 or two 125W solar panels ($499 value) on orders over $3,000. From there, we’re seeing increased rewards for members (free to sign-up + get 800 EcoCredits), with standard membership giving you 3x EcoCredits and Plus members scoring 3.5x EcoCredits – plus, you can redeem any you already have to get 5% in extra savings off your order at checkout. On top of this, you’ll also be getting an additional 500 EcoCredits for each order you place during the sale’s timeframe.

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EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 power station makes a great companion for outdoor travels, and trips in general – plus, it can certainly handle keeping essentials running at home should you find yourself in a sudden blackout. This bundle starts you off at a 2,048Wh LiFePO4 capacity that you can further expand to 3,072Wh with an additional expansion battery. It boasts 15 output ports, through which it can dish out up to 1,800W of steady power that is able to surge up to 2,200W for larger backup needs.

The increased power output, as well as charging times, are increased from the brand’s X-Boost tech that is present here, giving you an 80% battery in just 50 minutes when plugged into a wall outlet, or you can wait a little longer at 80 minutes for a full battery. The included solar panels in the bundle give you the option to recharge via the sun’s rays, which you can increase up to a maximum of 500W of input. There’s also the option to connect it to your car’s auxiliary port or utilize its max 1,100W of DC input.

EcoFlow Easter Sale DELTA Pro deals:

EcoFlow Easter Sale DELTA Pro 3 deals:

EcoFlow Easter Sale DELTA Pro Ultra deals:

EcoFlow Easter Sale on-the-go power deals:

EcoFlow Easter Sale expansion battery deals:

EcoFlow Easter Sale solar panel deals:

EcoFlow’s other deals:

You can view the entirety of this sale on the landing page here through April 14, and be sure to keep your eyes open for the flash savings that are scheduled to drop on April 4, 7, 10, and 13-14. We spotted the brand’s newest release, the RIVER 3 Plus Portable Power Station, getting its first discount at Amazon a few days ago, which took costs down to a new $189 low for as long as the savings last.

Lectric Xp 3.0 e-bike

Lectric cuts prices on best-selling XP 3.0 e-bikes to new lows starting from $899 (Today only), more

Lectric has launched an April Fools flash sale through the rest of the day that is taking $100 off all its XP 3.0 e-bikes, plus some additional price cuts from previous sales’ higher rates and bundle change-ups on other models – no joke! Through the day until midnight tonight, you can now score the standard XP 3.0 e-bikes for $899 shipped and the XP 3.0 Long-Range e-bikes for $1,099 shipped. These models are getting brought down off their $999 and $1,199 price tags, with no bundles of free gear coming along – though much of the popular gear that usually comes in bundles are discounted on their landing pages. While we saw the long-range models drop to $1,139 at the end of February and ride through March, this is the first price cut we’ve spotted on the standard models, dropping either version of these popular e-bikes to new all-time low prices.

There’s a reason Lectric’s XP 3.0 e-bikes are the best-selling in America: not only do they offer reliable commuting power, but they do so at a far more affordable rate than most other brands on the market – plus, with these price cuts, the pot is only being sweetened further. The folding frame on any of these e-bikes house a 500W hub motor that peaks at 1,000W, delivering 20 MPH speeds unless you live within a state that permits the higher 28 MPH speeds.

The big difference (and big choice) here will depend entirely on just how far you need it to carry you throughout the day, with its pedal assistance providing you with 45 miles of travel riding the standard models and up to 65 miles of travel riding the long-range models. Yes, don’t worry, there are throttles to go entirely electric, though keep in mind doing so will decrease your traveling range. Along with the free add-on gear, you’ll also enjoy some quality stock features, like the integrated rear cargo rack, puncture-resistant tires, 180mm hydraulic disc brakes, the previously mentioned foldable body, an LCD display, and more.

Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike price cuts – no jokes here! (Today only):

Lectric XPedition 2.0 offers with up to $654 bundles:

Lectric XPress 750 Commuter e-bikes with $557 bundle

Lectric ONE LR e-bike with $467 bundle

Lectric XP Trike with $420 bundle

Lectric XPeak 2.0 offers with up to $316 bundles and price cuts:

Lectric XP Lite 2.0 offers with up to $177 bundles:

EGO 56V 15-inch split-shaft cordless string trimmer

Get those weeds under control with EGO’s 56V 15-inch cordless split-shaft string trimmer at $159

Amazon is offering the EGO POWER+ 56V 15-inch String Trimmer with 2.5Ah battery for $159 shipped. Coming down off its more recent $180 rate that is down from its original $200 price tag, this package has mainly kept to its MSRP for most of the last year, with discounts dropping things lowest to $149 back in May 2024 and completely skipping over it for Black Friday and Christmas sales. Today’s deal shaves $21 off the recent going rate ($41 off in total) to give you the third-lowest price we have tracked, sitting just $10 above the low from last summer’s start.

With spring here and many folks jumping back into outdoor upkeep around the home, this is a great opportunity to do away with the noise and fumes of gas guzzlers for an electric solution. This split-shaft string trimmer from EGO delivers a 15-inch cutting swath that is easier to replace broken lines thanks to the rapid-reload head. It also comes with a variable speed control for more versatility in the jobs your tackling, as well as an IPX4 weather resistance that can handle sudden weather changes while you’re still working.

Other notable EGO lawncare deals:

We’ve covered a lot of amazing deals from EGO over the last few weeks that are still going strong. Be sure to check them out before the savings abruptly end:

Best New Year 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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GM is beating EV rivals by giving buyers more choices at lower prices

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April 1, 2025

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GM is beating EV rivals by giving buyers more choices at lower prices

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GM’s electric vehicle sales nearly doubled in the first three months of the year, with impressive growth across all brands. Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US, with the electric Equinox and Blazer rolling out, while Cadillac is quickly making a comeback in the luxury segment. Even GMC just had its best first quarter ever. With the broadest selection of models in the industry, GM continues outpacing EV rivals.

Here’s how GM is outpacing EV rivals in the US

After all four of its brands notched double-digit growth in the first quarter, GM led the US auto industry in total, retail, and fleet sales.

GM sold 693,363 vehicles in the first three months of 2025, 17% more than last year. According to Rory Harvey, GM’s president of global markets, the company outpaced every other major automaker, “and the driving force is our portfolio.”

With the “broadest portfolio of EVs in the industry,” GM is emerging as a real EV competitor in the US. GM’s electric vehicle sales nearly doubled (+94%) in the US with 31,887 EVs sold in Q1.

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Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US, led by the new electric Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado. In Q1, GM sold 10,329 Chevy Equinox, 6,187 Blazer, and 2,383 Silverado EVs.

Chevy-fastest-growing-EV-brand
Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Starting at $34,995, GM calls the Chevy Equinox EV “America’s most affordable 315+ miles range EV.” The 2025 Equinox EV LT FWD has an EPA-estimated range of up to 319 miles.

Cadillac had its best first quarter since 2008, with retail sales up 21%. Although Lyriq sales slipped 26% to 4,300, the luxury brand delivered the first Optiq (1,716) models, Cadillac’s most affordable EV, during the quarter. GM’s luxury brand had its best retail market share since 2014.

Cadillac's-most-affordable-EV
Cadillac Optiq EV (Source: Cadillac)

GMC had its best first quarter, with EV sales surging by 183%. The Hummer EV, including the pickup and SUV versions, saw higher demand, with sales doubling to nearly 3,500. The new GMC Sierra EV contributed another 1,249 to the total. With the 2026 Sierra EV starting at $25,000 less, GMC is poised to see even more demand.

2026-GMC-Sierra-EV-AT4-Elevation
2026 GMC Sierra EV AT4 (left) and Elevation (right) trims (Source: GMC)

Thanks to its wide selection of electric SUVs, pickups, and luxury models, GM expects to remain the second-largest seller of EVs in the US after Tesla.

GM will round out its portfolio with the next-gen Chevy Bolt EV, which is expected to arrive later this year or in early 2026.

Ready to test one out for yourself? We’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to find deals on popular Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC EVs at a dealer near you.

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Environment

Tesla is sitting on $200 million worth of Cybertruck inventory

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April 1, 2025

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Tesla is sitting on 0 million worth of Cybertruck inventory

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Tesla has about $200 million worth of Cybertrucks in inventory in the US, as the truck is extremely difficult to sell.

A year and a half into production, Cybertruck production has ramped up, and inventory is building up.

Last year, Tesla could blame low Cybertruck deliveries on the production ramp, the more expensive Foundation Series, and the lack of access to the $7,500 tax credit.

All of those excuses are not available to Tesla this year. The Cybertruck is simply proving challenging to sell, and the automaker has to throttle down production to avoid building up too much inventory.

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This proved problematic in March as Tesla had to put a containment hold on the Cybertruck in anticipation of a recall of units produced to date over a trim falling off the truck.

At the production level, the fix was introduced on March 21st and Tesla still needs to fix Cybertrucks delivered to customers.

In the meantime, Tesla finds itself holding more Cybertruck inventory than ever, with almost 2,400 Cybertrucks in new inventory available (via Tesla-Info):

That’s around $200 million worth of Cybertrucks.

With Tesla having issues selling new Cybertrucks, the automaker is reportedly not taking any as trade-ins. Many Cybertruck owners reported trying to trade-in the truck for a new vehicle and they were told that the automaker currently doesn’t accept its own vehicle as a trade-in.

Some owners who have had their trucks in service for extended periods of time are also trying to get Tesla to take the truck back, but the company is forcing them to go through the Lemon Law process.

It’s not surprising to see Tesla not wanting to take back used Cybertrucks as their prices are falling fast.

Used Cybertruck prices are down 55% year over year, 13% over the last three months, and 6% over the last month.

As Tesla doesn’t take the Cybertruck as a trade-in, other used car dealers are also reticent about buying the vehicle. They have been known to give low-ball offers to potential sellers as they wait to see where the price will stabilize.

Electrek’s Take

I think we are far from the bottom. With this kind of inventory on hand, I expect Tesla to introduce discounts. The company is likely waiting to completely sell off its Foundation Series inventory before giving bigger discounts on the regular version.

Then, Tesla is expected to launch the RWD at a cheaper price, which is also likely to affect used prices.

That’s all while Tesla is already throttling down Cybertruck production.

I am really curious to see where this vehicle program is going. I know many have already written it off, but who knows? Maybe it can improve it with a mid-cycle update next year, and it can make a comeback?

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