SPAN’s new Level 2 EV charger works even if your house has less than 200 amp service
Smart electrical panel maker SPAN has shipped the first deliveries of the SPAN Drive – a Level 2 EV charger that doesn’t require a home electrical upgrade – but the caveat is that it has to be paired with SPAN’s panel.
SPAN’s Level 2 EV charger
SPAN Drive charges at a maximum power of 11.52 kilowatts, is compatible with all EVs, and is now available in all 50 states.
Electrek asked a SPAN spokesperson specifically how the company’s panel enables its EV charger to work without a home electrical upgrade, or how it works for homeowners who might have 200 amps that’s taken up by other appliances. He replied:
The SPAN Panel enables SPAN Drive to dynamically modulate charging up or down based on real-time household electrical consumption, thanks to SPAN Panel’s smart circuit control.
Typical Level 2 EV charging solutions require an electrician to set a fixed maximum charging rate at the time of installation (based on worst-case peak demand scenarios) and is often limited to 24-40A (5.7-9.6 kW).
SPAN Drive delivers up to 48A (11.5 kW) of power to the vehicle. If SPAN detects your home energy usage is nearing maximum total system capacity, SPAN Drive will temporarily lower the rate of charge until that extra power becomes available again for fast charging.
So if a homeowner opts for the SPAN Panel/Drive combo, then that means avoiding a utility electrical service upgrade, which may take months to schedule and cost thousands of dollars.
SPAN Drive is sold as an accessory to SPAN Panel. In other words, Drive isn’t supported as a standalone charger, which means you have to invest in the $4,500 Panel in order to use the $750 Drive.
SPAN Drive owners who have solar panels will soon be able to use SPAN Drive to charge directly from their rooftop solar. In the near future, SPAN Drive will also enable customers who have battery backup power to charge their vehicle during a power outage. These features will be provided via over-the-air updates sent directly to customers’ devices.
Homeowners can purchase SPAN Panel and SPAN Drive from their local solar installer, local electrician, or via the SPAN website at www.span.io.
Incentives for SPAN products through the federal Inflation Reduction Act range from 30% of installed costs, with tax credits ranging from $600 to $2,500, or up to $6,500 as a rebate for low-to-moderate income (LMI) households.
Read more: Here’s how the US climate act will lower household energy bills
Electrek’s Take
The Drive/Panel combo isn’t a blanket solution; it’s more of a niche solution. I’m going through this electrification journey now, as we are going to go solar and Powerwall storage, but we first have to upgrade our house from 120 amps, and fix some old hardware while we’re at it. We are waiting for the electrician to give us a price for all the cables, labor, digging, etc., and I’m holding my breath.
So, let’s say I didn’t have home EV charging already (we fortunately do) and that was a priority for us. Let’s say the electrician came back with a $10,000 quote to upgrade our amperage. Or, perhaps, say we did have 200 amps, but we wanted to get an induction stove and a heat pump, and those used all the pieces of our amperage pie, so to speak, and a further upgrade would cost more than what it would cost to install Drive/Panel.
Then it would be more cost efficient to get the Drive/Panel combo; this may prove useful for a lot of folks who own older homes and want to electrify, or folks who’ve used up all their juice on other things. Plus, you get to increase your knowledge of and control over your circuit-level electrical system with a very smart panel.
Photos: SPAN
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Shares of USA Rare Earth jumped in extended trading Thursday, after CEO Barbara Humpton told CNBC that the rare earth miner is “in close communication” with the White House.
Humpton’s comment comes after the Trump administration took a 5% equity stake in Lithium Americas this week. The Defense Department took a 15% stake in rare earth miner MP Materials in July.
“We are in close communication with the administration,” Humpton told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan when asked whether USA Rare Earth was interested in a deal with the Trump administration.
USA Rare Earth stock year to date.
USA Rare Earth shares were last up about 8% after hours. Its stock gained 23% in regular trading Thursday and has nearly doubled this year.
“This is a field where it will not be a zero sum game,” Humpton said of the rare earth supply chain. “It’s going to take a lot of players to build out this marketplace.”
USA Rare Earth is developing a mine in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and a magnet production facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Humpton said she supports the Trump administration’s deals with MP and Lithium Americas.
“What we’re doing is keeping the administration informed of our own plans,” she said.
The adminstration has said it is making the investments to help support the industry and break U.S. dependence on China.
Environment
Tesla applies for patent to make Cybertruck look even more ridiculous but more efficient
Tesla has applied for a new patent that would make the Cybertruck look even more ridiculous than it already does, but it would also make towing more efficient.
The Cybertruck is one of, if not the most, polarizing vehicles of all time, and its design is primarily to blame.
Much of the design is due to the use of stainless steel panels and the attempt to make pickup trucks more aerodynamically efficient.
Tesla has managed to improve on the drag coefficient of the average pickup truck.
However, it doesn’t help much with towing a trailer, which is going to catch a lot of that drag.
Tesla has now applied for a new patent on a device that would help push wind over a trailer towed by the Cybertruck.
The American automaker wrote in the abstract of the patent application:
An inflatable aerodynamic deflector to reduce drag and enhance efficiency. Constructed from drop stitch material, it forms one or more air chambers between parallel skins. The component includes a pressure regulation mechanism and diverse attachment interfaces such as rail systems, magnetic fasteners, and quick disconnect clips, distributed along the vehicle for secure mounting. This component acts as an aerodynamic deflector, optimizing airflow around conveyances, especially combination vehicles like tow vehicles and trailers.
In short, Tesla is working on an inflatable device that could sit on the bed of the Cybertruck and rise to close the air gap between the truck, thereby extending the angle of the windshield over the trailer.
Here are some of the drawings from the patent application
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, companies often apply for patents on products that they don’t have concrete plans to bring to production, and this could easily be the case here.
That’s especially true for the Cybertruck.
The program is so much smaller than Tesla anticipated, and with smaller volumes, it makes less sense to launch accessories.
That said, I’m pro everything that makes driving more efficient, regardless of whether it makes a vehicle silly.
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The 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup will be offered in a single trim, but at least it’s the most affordable one.
Here’s the new 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup
With the IONIQ 5 stealing the spotlight, Hyundai is downsizing the 2026 Kona Electric to just one trim — the base SE model.
Hyundai didn’t provide prices, but the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric SE was the brand’s most affordable EV, starting at just $32,975. The SEL, Limited, and N Line trims will not be offered for the 2026 model year.
In another blow, Hyundai is also dropping the Long Range battery, meaning the 2026 Kona Electric will only be available with the Standard Range battery.
The Long Range 64.8 kWh battery offers a driving range of up to 261 miles, while the Standard Range 48.6 kWh battery delivers a driving range of just 200 miles. The only other change is that the SE trim will now include a larger console tray.
With new models arriving, like the 2026 Nissan LEAF and the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV, the Kona Electric will no longer be one of the few EVs starting under $35,000.
Nissan claims the 2026 LEAF “has the lowest starting MSRP for any new EV currently on sale in the US” at just $29,990. The new LEAF also offers significantly more range, with over 300 miles, and features a NACS port for recharging at Tesla Superchargers.
While it’s cutting the Kona Electric lineup, Hyundai appears to be focused on its top-selling EV for 2026, the IONIQ 5.
Following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, Hyundai reduced prices on the 2026 IONIQ 5 by up to nearly $10,000 on certain trims. The 2026 IONIQ 5 now starts at just $35,000. It’s also extending the $7,500 credit for 2025 models.
Is the Kona Electric on its way out with the IONIQ 5 now available for about the same price? Either that, or Hyundai will have to cut prices on the Kona EV to stay competitive.
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