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Extreme E, the off-road electric racing championship which races in exotic locations to highlight conservation efforts, starts its third season this weekend with a race in Saudi Arabia along the coast of the Red Sea.

The first two seasons of Extreme E brought us an abundance of chaotic racing, with purpose-built electric vehicles showing their incredible capabilities in difficult terrain.

Every Extreme E race location is picked to bring awareness to one aspect of how humans are affecting the world around us. This one, the Desert X Prix, brings desertification into focus. As the climate changes and gets warmer due to human activity (from carbon emissions, which Saudi Arabia itself plays a large part in emitting), fertile land can degrade and shrink, turning into desert terrain due to drought and higher average temperatures (or due to over-farming).

This has famously happened in the “fertile crescent” – the area in the Middle East, not too far North of the Desert X Prix’s race location, where human civilization first flourished due to the region’s exceptional fertility. That fertility has waned over time due to human activity, turning formerly fertile lands into desert.

The four other race locations this season focus on issues related to their locations as well. Races are given names related to the environmental issues they plan to focus on, though further details of each race are yet to be announced:

  • Hydro X Prix, May 13-14 in Scotland
  • Island X Prix, July 8-9 in Sardinia
  • TBC, September 16-17 in Amazon or USA (theme and location has not yet been announced, but we’ll guess it’s about forests/rainforests)
  • Copper X Prix, December 2-3, Antofagasta, Chile

The series is expanding this year, with a new format that consolidates each race down to a one-day affair. In place of time trials, qualifying sessions are now five-car races of two heats each, and the top 5 combined placements go on to the finals, with positions 6-10 going on to a separate race for placement.

Since races are now one day each, this means that the format has turned each race weekend into a doubleheader, thus doubling the number of total races in the season from 5 to 10.

A few drivers have shuffled teams and some new ones have been added, the most famous of which is Heikki Kovalainen, a former Formula One driver and race winner who has since been dabbling in various rallying series. The series also sees a new team this season owned by DJ Carl Cox.

Each session includes equal participation from a team’s two drivers. In contrast to other motorsports which are almost entirely male-dominated, Extreme E requires that each team have one male and one female driver, and that they share driving duties equally over the weekend, in order to advance equality and encourage opportunities for women in motorsport.

Sara Price (USA) / Kyle Leduc (USA), Chip Ganassi Racing

The teams are also equal in the equipment they use, with all teams racing in the same Odyssey 21 racecar from Spark Racing Technology. The cars are the same this year at last, though the standard Continental CrossContact tires used by Extreme E now include an increased percentage (43%) of sustainable materials in their construction.

The Odyssey 21 weighs 1,650 kg (3,637 lbs) and puts out 400kW (550hp), allowing it to race to 0-100 km/h (0-62) in 4.5 seconds. But this is an off-roader, not a track car, and with its niobium-reinforced steel frame, raised suspension, and huge tires, it can conquer rough roads and gradients of up to 130% (over 52º). And that 0-62 time supposedly applies on any surface, whether it be road, sand, or gravel.

As with last season, this season starts with a race in Neom, Saudi Arabia, site of a planned city concept in the country’s Northwestern Tabuk province. While the city is not built yet, plans call for the $500 billion city project to be powered entirely by renewable energy – which probably influenced Extreme E’s choice of it as a race location. Though the plans are not without controversy.

Neom made waves this year with a… let’s say “optimistic” video describing “The Line,” a concept for a 170km-long, 500m-tall branch of the city that could house nine million people in a car-free environment.

But the course will be different than the last two years. Rather than racing through rocks and sand dunes as we’ve seen before, this race will take place in a flatter environment along the Red Sea. Extreme E has raced in similar locations before, when it went to Senegal for the Ocean X Prix in season 1.

The change from desert sand to beach sand could help mitigate one of the problems we’ve seen before in the desert, where large plumes of fine desert dust get kicked up behind cars, making it hard to follow closely which results in it being near-impossible to pass a leading vehicle. Ocean sand tends to be coarser and results in less persistent plumes, improving racing.

In keeping with the series’ message to focus on conservation efforts with each race, Extreme E participates in a “legacy program” at each race location. The intent is to leave a lasting positive impact on each local community and environment with some relevant conservation effort.

Lance Woolridge (ZAF), Veloce Racing, and Timmy Hansen (SWE), Genesys Andretti United Extreme E, helping with regreening during 2022’s legacy event

For this year’s Desert X Prix, Extreme E will assist in the release of Arabian Oryx, Red Neck Ostriches and Arabian Sand Gazelles into the 25,000 square kilometer NEOM nature reserve. These three species used to be common in the area, but went extinct or near-extinct in the wild over the last century, saved by captive breeding efforts.

Extreme E will also plant more trees in the area, expanding on its regreening efforts from last year’s legacy program.

Beyond these legacy programs, Extreme E partners with climate scientists and uses sustainable practices when holding its races. The series is net-zero carbon, but also takes other steps like avoiding single-use plastic during race weekends, transporting all of the series freight by ship, and using second-life electric bus batteries for energy storage.

These sustainable practices will hopefully bleed over into viewers through Extreme E’s “Count Us In” challenge, which encourages fans to take concrete steps towards more sustainable practices in their own lives. Fans can then pledge these steps to their favorite team for extra brownie points.

Steps include things like driving electric or cycling more, flying less, drinking tap instead of bottled water, eating more plants and speaking up at work, among many others. Each is ranked by the effort it takes and the impact it causes, with a small description of what can be done, why and how.

The last two seasons have basically been two-horse races, with teams RXR and X44, owned by former Formula 1 teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton respectively, in close competition for the championship. RXR won season 1, and X44 won season two, both with extremely slim margins. But X44 has lost its star driver this year, Sebastian Loeb, who is widely considered among the best rally drivers of all time, while RXR continues with its line up of Johan Kristofferson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky from their second-place showing last season.

Extreme E says, however, that this will be the “closest season yet” – we’re not sure how they know this, but we’re ready to tune in and see a double dose of the wild electric off-road racing that excited us so much in the first two seasons.

To find out how and when to watch the races in your country, head on over to Extreme E’s Broadcast Information site. Final races start at 12 p.m. UTC (3 p.m. local Saudi time) on each day, which translates to 4 a.m. PST/7 a.m. EST on Saturday and 5 a.m. PDT/8 a.m. EDT on Sunday, since Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday morning. In the US, the final race program will be aired delayed on Fox Sports 2 at 6:30PM EST on Saturday and 6PM EDT on Sunday (but check your local listings – and your clocks – due to the time change). Last season, races were available to watch after the fact on Extreme E’s website, though we don’t know yet if they’ll be available there this season as well.

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Costco Executive members get MASSIVE $31,500 off Chevy Brightdrop van

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Costco Executive members get MASSIVE ,500 off Chevy Brightdrop van

With 272 miles of range and more room inside its walls than your first apartment, GM’s Chevy Brightdrop electric van is one of the best commercial EVs you can buy. And if you’re a Costco Executive member, you can get one for yourself or your business with an absolutely incredible $31,500 discount. (!)

Fleet electrification expert Tony Nisam took to LinkedIn yesterday to post a deal that he ran across at a Washington State Costco that stacks a $25,500 manufacturer rebate with $3,000 in “regular” Costco Member Savings, $2,750 in “LIMITED-TIME” Manufacturer to Member Incentives, plus an additional $250 for Costco Executive members.

Do a bit of math (add up 25,500 + 3,000 + $2,750 + 250), and you’ll calculate an almost unheard of $31,500 discount on one of the best, most capable commercial vans on the market – ICE or electric. And that’s before you factor in the 0% interest financing (72 mo.) being advertised at Blade Chevrolet, the Mount Vernon, Washington, where VIN 2G58J2TY6S9104313 (the exact van shown, below) is shown as stock number 16757.

If you’re not a Costco member yet and you’re looking for a new truck for your business or even a unique #vanlife ride with zero emissions, modern tech, and a nationwide dealer network, GM makes that $130 Executive membership seem like a no-brainer.

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Kind of a big deal

“But wait,” says the floating, disembodied ghost of the great Billy Mays. “There’s more!” In addition to the $31,500 worth of discounts Costco Executive members get, there are deals to be had on chargers AND a number of other state and local utility incentives your business might qualify for, bringing the cost of adding a new Chevy Brightdrop to your fleet even lower. In northern Illinois, for example, ComEd commercial customers can get up to $7,500 in rebates for a new Brightdrop Zevo van.

Is a $39,000 price cut enough to get you to take a look at a new Brightdrop? At $45,235 (from a starting price of $84,235), can you afford not to? Head down to the comments and let us know.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Tony Nisam.

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Tesla quietly removes range extender battery option on Cybertruck

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Tesla quietly removes range extender battery option on Cybertruck

Tesla has quietly removed the Cybertruck’s range extender from the options in its online configurator.

Does Tesla still plan to bring the product to market?

When Tesla unveiled the production version of the Cybertruck in late 2023, there were two main disappointments: the price and the range.

The tri-motor version, which was the most popular in reservation tallies, was supposed to have over 500 miles of range and start at $70,000.

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Tesla now sells the tri-motor Cybertruck for $100,000 and only has a range of 320 miles.

As for the dual-motor Cybertruck, it was supposed to cost $50,000 and have over 300 miles of range. The reality is that it starts at $80,000, and it has 325 miles of range.

However, Tesla had devised a solution to bring the range closer to what it originally announced: a separate battery pack that sits in the truck’s bed. Tesla called it a “range extender.” It costs $16,000 and takes up a third of the Cybertruck’s bed.

Even though the Cybertruck has been in production for a year and a half at this point, the range extender has yet to launch.

Initially, Tesla said that it would come “early 2025”, but we reported that it was pushed to “mid-2025” late last year.

At the time, Tesla also reduced the range that the removable battery pack adds to the Cybertruck to “445+ miles” rather than “470+ miles” for the dual motor – a ~25-mile reduction in range.

Now, Tesla has removed the option from its online Cybertruck configurator. It used to take reservations for the range extender with a “$2,000 non-refundable deposit”, as seen on the image above, but now it’s not in the configurator at all at the time of writing.

It’s unclear if Tesla is not planning to launch the product anymore or if it is just pausing reservations.

In its specs page, Tesla still lists the achievable range of both versions of the Cybertruck with and without the range extender battery:

Electrek’s Take

I’m curious. Is it dead, or does Tesla just want to stop taking reservations for it?

At first, I was curious about the product even though I didn’t think it would make up for Tesla’s significant miss on Cybertruck specs.

However, after it was confirmed that it takes up 30% of your bed and that it needs to be installed and removed by Tesla at a service center, I think it’s pretty much dead on arrival at $16,000.

It’s going to be a product limited to only a few people at best. And now that’s if it makes it to market.

With the option being removed from the configurator, there’s no production timeline available. Again, the last one was “mid-2025”, which is soon.

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EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival

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EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member's Festival

Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.

EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:

Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.

To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.

EcoFlow Member
Source: EcoFlow

EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”

Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.

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This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:

In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.

In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.

To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.

Source: EcoFlow

Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival

As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.

As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.

Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!

Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.

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