Two Swedish EV brands today announced the release of a new electric moped version designed to slice through city traffic and look good while doing it. Electric car maker Polestar and electric motorbike maker CAKE have teamed up to release a new limited Polestar edition of the CAKE Makka e-moped.
The Makka became CAKE’s purely urban-focused electric motorbike, offering a lower top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) that allowed it to slide in under moped-friendly regulations in many countries. That means most riders won’t even need a motorcycle license to ride it.
A week after the original Makka launch in 2021, CAKE returned with its first Polestar Makka version offering a bespoke color.
The model was designed to mount on the back of a Polestar electric car and could even be charged by the vehicle while towed behind it.
The first version of the Polestar edition Makka quickly sold out, and so it comes as no surprise that CAKE and Polestar have returned with another version of the popular electric moped.
CAKE Makka Polestar edition launched
The new limited edition CAKE Makka Polestar edition comes with a slim headlight, Öhlins suspension, and a detachable rear carrier that allows for several utility configurations such as boxes, racks, passenger seats and more.
A 1.55 kW nominal motor offers up to 2.8 kW of peak power, providing a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph). The motor pulls power from a 48 V and 31 Ah battery with 1.5 kWh of capacity. That battery should be good for around 55 km (34 miles) of range per charge, which makes it an ideal urban runabout for cruising city centers.
The electric moped will technically be sold and delivered by CAKE, but will be available only in Polestar markets via the Polestar Additionals webshop starting today.
It will come with a retail price of $5,300. That’s quite a bit higher than the original CAKE Makka debut price of $3,800 in 2021, though to be fair we’ve seen the Makka’s price walk up to $4,470 over the last year.
Polestar has shown a growing interest in two-wheeled electric vehicle partnerships, with the company’s CEO Thomas Ingenlath recently announcing that Polestar will expand an ongoing partnership with Allebike to create a new electric bike.
That partnership previously led to a pedal bike, but Polestar appears set to bring batteries into the equation for the latest model.
At the same time, Ingenlath was careful to strike a distinction between Polestar and other automotive companies that white label their way to an electric bike, despite that being quite close to the case with the CAKE Makka Polestar Edition.
Ironically, at the same time that Polestar is expanding into two-wheelers, CAKE has its eyes set on four-wheelers.
So far the Makka is the only CAKE model I haven’t actually tested, and it’s about time I change that. Perhaps it will be a Polestar Edition that finally gets me in the saddle.
The design is of course divisive, but CAKE has made a name for itself with its bold Swedish design language and that’s not changing anytime soon.
The partnership with Polestar is interesting because it helps cross promote electric vehicles as complimentary products. Drivers who are looking at large, wasteful electric sedans that weigh 20x as much as the driver operating them can quickly see the advantages of a personal-sized electric vehicle that uses less energy and takes up less space (not to mention is cheaper to purchase and own).
Since few drivers have the luxury of completely kicking their car addiction, keeping an electric moped in the garage means that drivers can instead opt for a lighter and more efficient vehicle for many local errands that don’t require a massive vehicle.
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Rivian will power its DC fast-charging network with renewable energy company RWE’s Champion Wind farm in Texas.
The two companies just signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for electricity from RWE’s repowered Champion Wind in Nolan and Mitchell counties, west of Abilene.
The 127-megawatt (MW) Champion Wind is getting new turbine nacelles and blades, which will extend the wind farm’s lifespan. Originally commissioned in 2008, the wind farm is expected to be fully upgraded by mid-2025. When the wind farm is back online, it’ll be capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 1 billion miles of renewable driving every year for Rivian, or the equivalent of powering 36,000 homes annually in Texas.
This wind power is set to support Rivian’s DC fast-charging Adventure Network with renewable energy. Rivian has set a specific goal to enable 7 billion miles of renewable driving.
Paul Frey, Rivian’s VP of propulsion, charging & adventure products, said, “Champion Wind is a powerful enabler for Rivian drivers to become active participants in building a cleaner grid every time they charge their vehicle. This project shows the potential to meaningfully decarbonize the grid and support a more circular economy through reuse and recovery of existing infrastructure, all while maintaining highly competitive economics.”
Siemens Gamesa is supplying 41 turbines with new nacelles and blades on existing towers. The nacelles and blades are being manufactured in the US. In addition, as part of the repowering project, six new Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 3.1 MW each will also be added to the wind farm.
The decommissioned wind turbine blades from Champion will be repurposed. RWE is working with REGEN Fiber, an Iowa-based company that recycles wind turbine blades to make reinforcement fibers for the construction industry. Those fibers are then used in concrete to add strength and durability, extending the lifespan of infrastructure.
RWE is the third-largest renewable energy company in the US.
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Rivian R1T (left) and R1S (right) electric vehicles (Source: Rivian)
Rivian is bringing back its “All-Electric upgrade offer” from now until November 30th, but with some changes to the program.
Earlier this year, Rivian offered $1k-$5k off a new Rivian if you trade in an old gas car, from April to June. The offer was available for specific vehicles, and with a sliding discount scale based on which Rivian vehicle you order.
Now the program has come back, but with quite a few changes from the previous version.
As of today, October 31, if you buy a new Rivian R1T or R1S new inventory vehicle from the R1 Shop, you can get a $3,000 discount if you also prove that you own or lease a qualifying gas-powered vehicle.
This is simultaneously simpler, more lenient, and more restrictive than the previous offer, in various ways.
First, the discount is a flat $3k (or $4,100 CAD), rather than having a scale based on what model you order, which is more streamlined.
Second, the discount applies to every gas or hybrid vehicle owner – you don’t have to trade in your vehicle, and you’re not limited to a specific list of vehicles. Just prove that you own or lease a gas car (copy of registration, proof of insurance, etc), and you get the discount.
However, third, it’s more restrictive as to what vehicles you can purchase. The current offer applies only to Rivian new inventory vehicles in the R1 Shop, and excludes demo vehicles, pre-owned vehicles, or custom build vehicles. It also does not apply to Rivian’s base Dual Standard models, but everything else is fair game.
In order to qualify, you need to place your order between today and November 30, and you must take delivery of the vehicle before December 31. Check out all the specifics of the offer on Rivian’s site here.
Electrek’s Take
Rivian is clearly trying to round out its yearly numbers with this offer, as the market for pricy cars is somewhat soft with increased interest rates. It just slightly lowered its annual delivery guidance, now planning to see roughly similar deliveries this year than last.
But its R1 vehicles just got a huge refresh to help the company with costs and to offer new features. The R1S is still one of the most popular high-priced vehicles in the US, and the company’s products earn universal acclaim from owners.
The interesting thing is that Rivian had a similar offer earlier this year, before the refresh, to help clear out inventory of older vehicles. It didn’t see it fit to offer the discount last quarter, perhaps buoyed by the updated model, but after a rough Q3 of deliveries it now brought the offer back.
Rivian is still guiding to reach a slight gross profit in Q4, though we’re sure we’ll hear more about that in its upcoming quarterly earnings next week.
If our coverage of Rivian has helped inform you about the brand, feel free to use our Rivian referral code to get 6 months of free charging or 750 Rivian Rewards points with your purchase.
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Hyundai’s new low-cost EV is getting a bold design upgrade. The Hyundai Casper EV Cross was spotted for the first time in public, revealing new design elements.
Although we knew a rugged “Cross” variant was headed to Europe, this was the first time the domestic model was spotted with an upgraded design.
The Inster EV is Hyundai’s overseas version of its domestic Casper Electric model. In Korea, Hyundai’s Casper EV starts at around $20,000 (27.4 million won). Hyundai said its new EV can be bought for under $8,000 (10 million won) with subsidies.
In Europe, it starts at under $27,000 (25,000 euros). The Cross variant is built for “those looking for an EV with a more adventurous look,” Hyundai said.
Although it offers the same versatility as the standard model, the Inster EV Cross gains rugged design elements, including new front and rear bumpers, black claddings, skid plates, a roof rack, and more.
Hyundai Inster EV Cross (Source: Hyundai)
Here’s our first look at the Hyundai Casper EV Cross
After a rugged new variant with the Casper EV logo was spotted in Korea for the first time, a Cross model is expected to debut shortly.
The new video from HealerTV reveals added design elements, including the roof rack and more aggressive black trim.
Hyundai Casper EV Cross spotted for the first time (Source: HealerTV)
The reporter notes that the Hyundai Casper EV Cross has a “much more mechanical and futuristic feel than the existing model.”
It almost appears “robot-like” with an added off-road feel. The Inster EV Cross gets up to 223 mi (360 km) WLTP driving range. In Korea, the Casper Electric is rated with up to 195 miles (315 km) driving range.
Hyundai Casper Electric (Source: Hyundai)
Although Hyundai Casper (Inster) EV is not expected to launch in the US, the low-cost model was spotted driving in California for the first time this month.
In the meantime, off-road fans can get in line for Hyundai’s upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which will be available with a rugged XRT trim. The 2025 IONIQ 5 XRT model was also recently caught testing ahead of deliveries.
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