Connect with us

Published

3 years ago

on

Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined a twitter space today to speak about the recent moves in TSLA stock and defends his recent actions from Tesla investors who have called for him to stop wasting time on Twitter, which he recently purchased.

Musk has faced many questions about his recent behavior with twitter, as most of his public time recently has involved getting in fights with investors or trying to stop a routine spending bill.

Today he finally went into a public twitter space to talk about these issues, including with Ross Gerber, the aforementioned investor he has been feuding with.

The main point of contention with Gerber has been regarding the source of TSLA’s recent price drop. Musk contends that Fed interest rates are the primary contributor, both because it drives capital flight from equities and into safer bonds as bond yields go up, and because it suppresses demand for consumer products that are often bought with debt, such as autos (or, perhaps, twitter itself, which Musk took on tens of billions in loans to buy).

But investment experts have countered the assertion that fed rates have driven TSLA stock’s fall, saying that Tesla’s performance has underperformed other stocks in the automotive sector even as bond yields have held steady. Surely they’ve had an effect, but Musk is perhaps overstating that effect.

Part of the difference could be related to Musk’s recent large sales of Tesla stock, having sold tens of billions over the course of the last year to fund his twitter acquisition (aka disaster, aka dumpster fire). Generally, insider stock sales send a signal to the market that insiders, particularly the CEO, may not have full confidence in the company’s performance, and add negative pressure to a stock price.

Musk’s sales have happened in a high-profile way and for inopportune reasons, as well. Tesla investors don’t seem to see the upside of these stock sales for the future of Tesla, even though Musk says it will help the EV company in the long term.

Today, Musk stated that he wouldn’t sell any more stock:

“I’m not selling any stock for, I dunno, a minimum of 18-24 months.  You can count on me, no stock sales until 2025 or something. I need to sell some stock just to make sure there’s still some powder dry to account for a worst-case scenario… I won’t sell stock until probably two years from now. Definitely not next year under any circumstances. Probably not the year after either.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Dec 22, twitter space

However, Musk has said this many times before, and has still sold Tesla stock. Despite routinely saying he would be the last person to sell TSLA stock for the last decade, Musk has sold large chunks of stock several times over the last year. So investors may be glad to hear that he is done selling, but they’ve heard that before.

Musk also stated “I’m somewhat paranoid having gone through two really intense recessions,” suggesting that his companies might want cash on hand to weather what he sees as an upcoming recession, or at least some sort of “macro drama.” Musk said, “if we do have another 2009 situation, the stock price of everything is gonna be lower.”

Given that Twitter is a private company wholly owned by him, and Musk’s wealth is largely concentrated in TSLA stock, we’re not sure what other major methods of fundraising are available to Musk to free up more “dry powder” other than selling more Tesla stock or taking on more debt.

On the contrary, Musk even talked about the possibility of a stock buyback. Despite his concern about a recession, he also stated that the stock price is currently low, and said his vote would be for a buyback. Though this statement was couched in the eventuality that we aren’t in another 2008-2009 recession situation, which Musk believes we might be going into.

While many have made note of Musk’s distractions with twitter, he stated that “there’s not an important Tesla meeting I’ve missed the entire time. I’m not totally missing in action” and asked “is there anything I could have done in the last two months that would have helped with Tesla execution? I literally cant think of anything.” But he also referred to twitter colorfully by stating “if you cross catnip with crack, that’s what twitter is” – which is not exactly the sort of statement a person would make about something they aren’t addicted to.

Another question was asked by Earl Banning, known as 28delayslater on twitter, a longtime investor and fan who referred to how Musk’s recent political statements have taken the shine off of Tesla for him and his family (including his children, one of whom is trans, a group that Musk’s tweets have recently negatively targeted). This is something we’ve seen in data, with Tesla losing popular support due to these divisive statements.

Musk said that he doesn’t hate trans people, and “doesn’t want to be a hater of anyone.” Banning attempted to ask a follow-up, but was cut off.

Electrek’s Take

Well, this was quite the spectacle. It was nice to see Musk back to focusing on Tesla for once, after so much nonsense related to twitter for so long.

But it sort of sounded like he was saying whatever anyone wanted to hear. On the one hand, he thinks there will be a recession, and on the other hand, he thinks Tesla could do buybacks. On the one hand, he wants companies to have dry powder ready, but on the other hand, he absolutely will not sell stock in order to free up cash (as he has stated before, and then still sold stock).

So with this recent history of conflicting statements, it’s hard to take any of them seriously. However, the market seems to have been comforted by Musk’s words, as the stock went up about two and a half percent in after hours trading, mostly after his statement that he won’t sell anymore stock.

But as for our answer to one pointed question he asked on the call: “is there anything I could have done in the last two months that would have helped with Tesla execution?”

Yes, there is something. As Gerber said, Tesla has been flagging lately because it has been running without the focus of its CEO. For Tesla to function correctly, it either needs a focused CEO who can aid it in execution (perhaps by stepping down from Twitter, as Musk promised, then reversed that promise), or at the very least a COO who can take the place of the CEO while the CEO is busy with their “catnip crossed with crack.”

SpaceX has this in COO Gwynne Shotwell, who has executed well for that company. Perhaps Tesla needs someone similar (potentially Tom Zhu, head of Tesla China?).

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Environment

Rad’s new Radster e-bikes get official price cuts, Exclusive $250 off EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus bundle, Rare EGO Nexus station bundle $899, more

Published

40 mins ago

on

August 14, 2025

By

Rad's new Radster e-bikes get official price cuts, Exclusive 0 off EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus bundle, Rare EGO Nexus station bundle 9, more

We’ve got big news from one of our favorite e-bike brands headlining today’s Green Deals, as Rad Power Bikes officially cuts the price on its new Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike and the Radster Road Commuter e-bike to $1,999 each. We also have an exclusive $250 discount on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station bundled with a protective waterproof bag at $549, as well as a rare chance to snag EGO’s Nexus Portable Power Station with two 7.5Ah batteries at $899. More EV and lawncare solution deals are waiting for you below – plus, all the hangover savings are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s increased savings from Aventon’s final summer sale, which includes deals on two of its newest smart e-bikes, 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.

Rad Power officially drops prices on Radster Trail and Road e-bikes back to all-time lows w/ hundreds in savings

Rad Power Bikes heard fans’ calls for lower prices on its new Radster series of e-bikes and the brand is now delivering the third-ever savings on these models via a long-term price cut running through the rest of the year. For the next five months, you can pick up the Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike at $1,999 shipped, as well as the sibling Radster Road Commuter e-bike at $1,999 shipped. These new models were carrying $2,199 price tags since hitting the market in March, with only two previous discounts on the books in June and July when they fell to these same rates. Now, the low prices are becoming their full rates for the foreseeable future, with no clues as to whether they’ll be brought lower in the months ahead.

The new (and very handsome) Radster Trail and Radster Road e-bikes share general designs with key differences based on where you plan to ride. They have both been given 100Nm torque-producing 750W rear hub motors alongside 720Wh Safe Shield semi-integrated batteries, which can carry you for up to 65+ miles with the five PAS levels activated (and supported by a torque sensor) at up to 28 MPH speeds. More shared features include hydraulic suspension forks, hydraulic disc brakes, auto-on headlights, taillights with brake and turn signal lighting, rear cargo racks, 8-speed Shimano derailleurs, and a color display with a USB-C port.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Now to get into where these models vary in their designs, aside from the colorways, which might be fairly obvious using the context clues in their names. To start, the Trail variant tackles off-road adventures on a pair of 27.5-inch by 3-inch Kenda Havoc puncture-resistant tires, while the Road model is tailored for street riding on its 29-inch by 2.2-inch Kenda Kwik puncture-resistant tires. There are other fender and handlebar differences too, however, they do both sport the same array of smart features, including passcode locking, an included security fob, and more.

Rad Power Bikes has also got its RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike back at its $1,699 low through August 20, as well as the ongoing $999 low on the predecessor RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike.

man and woman having picnic next to table with ecoflow delta 3 plus portable power station

Bundle EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Plus power station with a waterproof bag and get $250 in exclusive savings to $549

We’ve got another exclusive deal for our readers from Wellbots, this time on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station that comes with a waterproof protective bag at $549 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5DP3PROMO at checkout for an additional $100 off. This power station usually fetches $799 at full price since its release in July 2024, with it only having gone as low as $616 at Amazon or directly from the brand’s sales, while two past exclusive deals from February saw the price drop further to $552 and a $541 low. Today’s deal sits only $8 higher from the latter, giving you a sizeable $250 markdown to the second-lowest price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this power station, be sure to check out our original coverage of this exclusive deal here.

man cooking with burner powered by EGO Power+ Nexus portable power station

Rare chance to grab EGO’s Nexus portable power station with two 7.5Ah batteries at $899

Amazon is offering the EGO Power+ Nexus Portable Power Station along with two 7.5Ah batteries at $899 shipped. This powered-up combo package would fetch $1,099 at full price usually, with discounts over 2025 having mostly taken the price to $999, though we did see one previous fall to this same rate for one day at the top of the month. Black Friday did see it go lower to a one-time $838, with this otherwise being the best price we have tracked with $200 taken off the tag. You could also save a bit more going with the lone power station at $659, which is sadly at its full price for the moment.

If you want to learn more about this versatile device’s capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this rare deal here.

two GoTrax A7 electric scooters parked near table with palm trees and tent in background

Commute and/or haul cargo up to 28 miles with GoTrax’s A7 electric scooter at a new $614 low

Amazon is offering the best price yet on the new GoTrax A7 Electric Scooter at $614.32 shipped. This newer model has been on Amazon only a couple of months with a full $700 price tag, though we did see it fall long-term in July to $630, which held the lowest rate until today. Now you can pick up this seated commuter with ample storage with $86 cut from the tag, landing it down at a new all-time low price.

If you want to learn more about this storage-capable e-scooter, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man triming weeds around flower bed with greenworks pro 60V 16-inch cordless string trimmer

Cover up to one mile with Greenworks’ pro-grade attachment-capable 60V cordless string trimmer at a new $165 low

Amazon is offering the Greenworks Pro 60V 16-inch Attachment-Capable Cordless String Trimmer with a 4.0Ah battery at $164.99 shipped. This versatile lawn care solution would normally run you $300 at full price, which is where the brand’s direct website currently has it listed at. Discounts this year started with repeated falls to $240, then saw it fall to $200 during last month’s Prime Day event. After cascading down since the start of August, you’re now looking at a 45% markdown that saves you $135 off the going rate at the best new price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this versatile lawn care solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man cleaning driveway with greenworks 1900 PSI electric pressure washer

Save 50% on this portable Greenworks 1,900 PSI electric pressure washer combo kit at $110

Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 1900 PSI Compact Portable Electric Pressure Washer Combo Kit for $109.99 shipped, which beats out the pricing directly from the brand’s website by $11 and is out of stock at Amazon. Normally you’d have to spend $220 for this package at full price, which we’ve seen discounts take lower to $100 and $95 in the past. You’re looking at a $110 markdown here while the savings last though, giving you the third-lowest price we have tracked. You could also save $20 by losing the surface cleaner attachment on the brand’s 1,800 PSI variant that is equally compact with a carrying handle.

If you want to learn more about this portable outdoor cleaner, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Best Summer 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.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

The Chevy Equinox EV is flying off the lot after registrations surged 722% in June

Published

2 hours ago

on

August 14, 2025

By

The Chevy Equinox EV is flying off the lot after registrations surged 722% in June

Chevy-Equinox-EV-registrations

America’s most affordable EV with over 315 miles of range, as GM calls it, is quickly winning over buyers. Starting at under $35,000, the Chevy Equinox EV is expected to trail only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 in sales this year.

Chevy Equinox EV registrations climb 722% in June 2025

After introducing the lower-priced LT model late last year, starting at just $34,995, Chevy’s electric SUV has become one of the most popular EVs in the US.

Through the first half of the year, the Equinox EV drove Chevy past Ford to become the second-best-selling EV brand behind Tesla.

According to the most recent data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News), Chevy remained in second in June after EV registrations rose 152% to 9,517 units.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The Chevy Equinox EV led the growth with registrations surging 722% to 6,239. Registrations of the Silverado EV nearly doubled to 1,035.

Tesla remained the market leader, despite registrations slipping 6% to 57,260 vehicles in June. Although the Model 3 saw higher demand with registrations up 31% to 17,015, the Cybertruck slipped by 53% to 2,184, the data showed.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-registrations
Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Through the first half of 2025, Tesla’s registrations fell by 7.5% to 271,050. It now accounts for 43.7% of the EV market, down 6.8% from the same period last year.

Chevy’s share of the EV market, on the other hand, more than doubled to 7.7% in the first half of the year. Chevrolet had 47,506 EV registrations in the first half of 2025, up 143% from last year.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-registrations
2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Ford placed third after EV registrations fell 9.5% to 5,759 in June. In the first half of 2025, Ford’s share of the EV market dropped 0.7% to 6.7%.

Honda (+2.5%), Acura (+1.7%), and Cadillac (+1.1%) gained market share in the first half, while Kia (-2.6%), Hyundai (-0.8%), and Rivian (-0.8%) lost some.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-interior
Chevy Equinox EV interior (Source: GM)

GM is coming off its highest July sales month yet with over 19,000 EVs sold. The Chevy Equinox EV set a record with 8,500 vehicles sold, the best for any electric vehicle in the US, outside of Tesla.

Could sales have been even higher? Earlier this summer, a California-based dealer reached out to Electrek, claiming that it could have sold even more Equinox EVs. However, some buyers were waiting over a month to receive their vehicle.

With the $7,500 EV tax credit set to expire at the end of September, GM is offering a few discounts worth considering on its electric models.

With leases starting as low as $289 per month, the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is easily one of the best deals you can still snag right now. If you’re ready to test one out for yourself, you can use our link to find Chevy Equinox EVs near you (trusted affiliate link).

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

ION ships first commercial solid-state battery cell samples

Published

3 hours ago

on

August 14, 2025

By

ION ships first commercial solid-state battery cell samples

ION solid-state battery
ION CEO Jorge Diaz Schneider (L) with CTO Greg Hitz (R) holding a Cornerstone cell Photo: ION Storage Systems

Maryland-based ION Storage Systems shipped its first commercial generation of solid-state batteries, called Cornerstone, to “leading” consumer electronics companies.

These samples of multilayer cells are designed to be used in smartphones, laptops, wearables, and other small but high-performance devices, and they promise to deliver what battery makers have been chasing for decades: long cycle life, no swell, and better safety without bulky compression hardware.

ION says Cornerstone marks a big leap from lab prototypes to real-world products. “Cornerstone powers the most expansive solid-state sampling programs in the industry,” said CEO Jorge Diaz Schneider. The samples are also being tested by EV, aerospace, and defense customers. “Our platform is uniquely positioned for broad, multi-industry adoption.”

What makes this battery different? According to CCO Eric Lind, ION is “the only solid-state battery company currently delivering fully functional cells that don’t require compression for integration and testing” in real-world devices. Customers are now running these cells through qualification testing – a key step before they hit the market in portable gadgets with better energy density, thermal stability, and cycle life.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

This milestone follows significant technical gains earlier this year, when ION boosted cell capacity by 25 times while hitting more than 1,000 charge cycles in a commercially relevant format – again, without compression or volume change.

Read more: This anodeless, compressionless solid-state battery could be the next big thing

The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending