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Fox News is no stranger to the tactic of fearmongering as a way to stir up its base. But the media network’s latest misdirection campaign attempts to use fear to attack a surprising new target: electric bicycles.

Electric bicycles are essentially normal bicycles but with the addition of a small electric helper motor and a lithium-ion battery for energy storage. They go faster than most pedal bikes while requiring less effort from the rider, which has made them a popular alternative vehicle in cities and suburbs. They’ve found favor as cheaper car replacements for many people. As a type of small EV, or electric vehicle, it’s not exactly a wonder that Fox News would put e-bikes somewhere on its enemies list.

But with a misleading story running last week entitled “How e-bikes are exploding and killing people,” the media giant leaves little room for doubt about just how far they’ll go with misdirection to try and scare people away from the fastest-growing form of low-cost, efficient, and effective transportation.

It’s true: All the long-term trends show that electric bicycle sales are skyrocketing. They’re outselling electric cars in the US, and in some areas, e-bikes are soon set to outsell all cars – gasoline or electric. They’re helping replace the tired image of Americans driving their single-occupant SUVs a mile down the road for a gallon of milk.

That makes them ripe for Fox News to hold up as some form of boogeyman to scare up their base, a group that is famously resistant to change. And e-bikes are exactly the kind of change that Fox News would vilify – a low-cost technology that helps Americans of all socioeconomic levels get around without a clutching dependence on Big Oil and Big Auto.

rad power bikes radmission

The basis of Fox News’ attack on electric bicycles is cherry-picked fire data in New York City.

You might have heard about electric bicycle fires in the news lately, as it is a topic that is getting increasing coverage despite the relatively few events. Even with minimal incidents compared to the number of e-bikes rolling around the city, examining any threat to public safety is certainly warranted. Between the dense urban population of NYC and the higher-than-average number of e-bikes used in the city, the issue has become a growing concern.

What you might not know (since it is much less frequently reported) is that most of these electric bike fires aren’t related to electric bikes at all – they’re much cheaper electric scooters. Most of the pictures of these fire aftermaths show charred husks of cheap Chinese e-scooters.

But regardless of the semantics, the underlying concern is this: Why do these batteries catch on fire, and how concerned should the public be?

priority e-coast electric beach cruiser bike

Why can e-bikes sometimes catch on fire?

So what’s going on here? There are hundreds of thousands of high-quality e-bikes and e-scooters in the US with battery certifications and proper safety protocols. Even so, low-cost e-scooters (and yes, sometimes e-bikes too) have been increasingly imported to the US with low-quality lithium-ion batteries that, in very rare cases, have caught fire. It’s usually when people have used the wrong third-party chargers or have tried to do at-home repairs on the complicated battery systems.

That distinction isn’t overly complicated. It’s not that it requires any significant amount of nuance to understand. But it also isn’t as flashy as a Fox News headline of “How e-bikes are exploding and killing people.”

And it’s not that Fox News doesn’t realize the incredibly small size of the actual risk. A single line admission gets tossed near the very end of the article, presumably in a halfhearted attempt to claim some form of balance: “In the meantime, it’s important to note that the vast majority of e-bikes on the market are safe and reliable when used as intended and maintained properly.”

By Fox News’ own admission, there had been a single fatality in NYC this year from this spate of e-bike or e-scooter fires at the time of publishing.

But even while paying lip service to the small proportion of e-bike fires within the larger e-bike population, the story fails to properly frame the impact of the threat. For instance, did you know that cyclists in NYC are over 10 times more likely to be killed by a car than to be killed by an e-bike fire? In 2021, there was a single e-bike fire fatality compared to 19 cyclists killed by cars in NYC. That same year, there were over 200 pedestrians or micromobility (bike, scooters, mopeds, etc.) riders killed in NYC.

I don’t mean to unjustly minimize the real risk of e-bike fires but rather to justifiably demonstrate how minimal the risk truly is. Just like how there was a spate of Samsung cell phones with lithium-ion batteries catching on fire a few years ago, the actual risk was significantly smaller than the reporting made it feel. Dozens of phones out of millions is a similar ratio to the e-bike and e-scooter scenario now.

niu bqi-c3 electric bike

Does Fox News actually care about transportation dangers?

It is true that NYC has seen approximately one dozen deaths due to lithium-ion battery fires in micromobility vehicles in the last few years. And there have been legitimate, balanced reports from other news organizations about e-bike fires. In the same period, though, many hundreds of pedestrians have been killed by cars and trucks in the city. Thousands of pedestrians are killed by cars in the US each year. Often dozens per day. Dozens.

But that doesn’t play into the Fox News narrative, and so it doesn’t get coverage. It also doesn’t get included for reference to understand the size of the e-bike fire risk.

That’s because when you tell people the truth, that you’re between 10 to 30 times more likely to die by being hit by a car while walking around the city than from an e-bike battery fire, it doesn’t promote the right type of fear for Fox News. It shows that the true villain isn’t the e-bike but rather the car.

The truth doesn’t scare people away from effective, low-cost alternative transportation. Instead, it shows the very fact that Fox News wants to hide: that e-bikes aren’t the problem – cars are. E-bikes, in fact, are the solution. Steps are being taken to reduce battery fires, but even if they weren’t, a drastic increase in e-bikes used to replace cars would still save lives by reducing fatalities. It’s simple math.

If Fox News cared about saving lives or protecting people, it wouldn’t pander fear about NYC’s single-digit deaths per year from lithium-ion batteries in micromobility vehicles. It would highlight the city’s hundreds of deaths per year from cars killing pedestrians. But you won’t hear about that because the goal isn’t to save lives. It’s to use fear and misdirection in an attempt to resist a changing transportation paradigm that is slowly shedding our nation’s dependence on Big Oil and Big Auto.

Fear keeps people hooked, and Fox News is well practiced at wielding it. When someone peddles that fear in an attempt to prop up a boogeyman, we should always ask ourselves why.

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Podcast: Trump moves to kill $7,500 tax credit, deep Tesla discounts, Cadillac Vistiq, and more

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November 15, 2024

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Podcast: Trump moves to kill ,500 tax credit, deep Tesla discounts, Cadillac Vistiq, and more

electrek podcast

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Trump moving to kill the $7,500 tax credit, deep Tesla and Ford discounts, the new Cadillac Vistiq, and more.

Today’s episode is sponsored by LiTime, a prominent brand with 15 years of experience in renewable energy storage, specifically focusing on renewable LiFePO4 Lithium batteries. Now through December 15, LiTime is offering up to 60% off its products during its Black Friday Sale.
Learn more here.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):

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Environment

This 3GW Gobi Desert solar farm can power 2 million households

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November 15, 2024

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This 3GW Gobi Desert solar farm can power 2 million households

Gobi Desert solar farm

China just connected its largest single-capacity solar farm built on a former coal mining area, which is in the Gobi Desert, to the grid.

The Mengxi Blue Ocean Photovoltaic Power Station, located in Otog Front Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, came online on November 5. With a massive installed capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW) and over 5.9 million solar panels, the plant will generate around 5.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually – enough to power 2 million households.

This huge project will save about 1.71 million tons of standard coal each year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 4.7 million tons, which is equivalent to planting 62,700 hectares (around 155,000 acres) of trees.

Built on coal mining subsidence land, Mengxi Blue Ocean is part of China’s national West-East Electricity Transfer Project, which brings investment and development to western China west while supplying the growing need for electricity in the eastern provinces.

The solar farm includes the country’s first large-scale outdoor solar testing base in the Gobi Desert climate, demonstrating the potential for large solar installations in challenging environments.

The power station makes use of new rare earth alloy grounding materials, cutting costs by 40%. It also replaces traditional concrete foundations with steel to minimize impact on the local grassland ecosystem.

Chuang Xihong, deputy director of the Engineering Construction Department of Guodian Power Group, CHN Energy’s parent company, explained that Mengxi Blue Ocean is an agrivoltaic project as well [via PV Tech]:

Fine forage and sand-fixing plants are planted under the PV modules, providing grazing for Australian White Sheep and chickens. A composite ecological development model will be established where PV power generation and breeding will go hand in hand.

Read more: China powers up the world’s largest open-sea offshore solar farm

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. 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. They have 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 Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Save exclusive $1,568 on EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra, Velotric Black Friday e-bike additions, Anker SOLIX + Heybike flash sales, more

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November 15, 2024

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Save exclusive ,568 on EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra, Velotric Black Friday e-bike additions, Anker SOLIX + Heybike flash sales, more

It should be no surprise that we’re closing out the week with another great lineup of Black Friday Green Deals. Leading the official sales is the exclusive discount our readers are getting on the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra Home-Backup Station at a new $4,230 low. Coming up right behind it we have Velotric’s early Black Friday changeup that is adding two more e-bikes to the savings event while also offering an “add three, get 30% off” promotion for accessories – all starting at $1,099. We’ve also got two weekend flash sales, the first being several Anker SOLIX solar generator and home-backup bundles at new low prices and starting from $1,399. The other is a second chance at Heybike’s Ranger S Folding e-bike for $999, as well as some price reductions. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s long-awaited Rad Power Black Friday sale that has increased savings up to $700 on new and old e-bikes alike, 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.

Save a 9to5Toys-exclusive $1,568 on EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Ultra whole-home backup station at new $4,230 low

Wellbots is giving 9to5Toys readers an exclusive chance at savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Ultra Whole-Home Backup Station for $4,230.59 shipped, after using the promo code 9TO5DPU9 at checkout for an additional 9% off. Normally priced at $5,799 here, with a higher $6,098 MSRP direct from EcoFlow, this unit has never seen discounts this large, with the brand’s current Black Friday sale offering what we considered the best price of the year at $4,649, until today. Taking advantage of this exclusive offer gives you a total of $1,568 off its going rate at Wellbots ($1,867 under its original MSRP) and lands it at the best price we have tracked to date.

EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Ultra is the hands-down best option from the brand for backup power of your entire home, providing a starting 6.1kWh LiFePO4 battery capacity and 7,200W power output that can be invested in and further expanded up to a massive 90kWh capacity and 21.6kW output. For context, the station alone can keep your essentials running for two days on one full battery and up to 15 days with its fully expanded capabilities – and that’s not even factoring in any solar panel setup you have for it that recharges and replenishes its battery. Aside from just supporting you through blackouts with the auto-switchover, it will analyze your regular power usage to offset peak rates while utilizing solar charging to help lower your energy costs (requires Smart Home Panel 2, sold separately).

There are multiple ways to recharge the Ecoflow DELTA Pro Ultra’s battery outside the expandable 5.6kW to 16.8kW solar input, with a wall outlet able to recharge the battery in just two hours, with other options including EV piles and generators too. As an example, in terms of its solar charging capabilities, if you were to invest in a fully stocked and expanded system (three Ultra Pro stations + expansion batteries), a single hour of solar charging would give you the power needed to run your home for the entire day. It can handle severe temperatures of -4 degrees to 113 degrees and even comes with an IP54 dust-proof and splash-proof rating.

Velotric Go 1 Utility e-bike

Velotric adds two e-bikes to early Black Friday + 30% discounts on three accessories – deals start from $1,099

Velotric is switching its early Black Friday sale into its second gear through November 28, including two more e-bikes to the sales lineup and offering an “add three save 30%” promo on accessories. Aside from those we already saw at the start of the month, the brand includes the Go 1 Utility e-bike for $1,299 shipped and the Packer 1 Cargo e-bike for $1,599 shipped. Normally these models go for $1,699 and $2,199, respectively, we’ve seen most sales drop costs down to $1,399 and $1,699 for most of 2024, though there was one August flash sale that lowered the prices by $50 more and we have also seen the Go 1 Utility e-bike as low as $1,099 in past years back in the pre-tariff marketplace. Still, you’re looking at some of the lowest prices tracked, giving you some solid affordability on reliable e-mobility solutions.

Velotric’s Go 1 Utility e-bike cruises into view at a 20 MPH top speed that you can unlock up to 25 MPH, with the 500W hub motor peaking at 900W and powered by the removable 692Wh battery, which also provides a solid 55 miles of travel on one full charge. There are five pedal assistance models here, and a bunch of great features for the price – especially the inclusion of Apple Find My alongside the usual smartphone app integration. You’ll also enjoy stocked puncture-resistant tires, a removable thumb throttle, a 7-speed Shimano derailleur, an integrated LED headlight, a rear rack that has an integrated taillight with brake lighting, and a 3.5-inch LCD display with a USB port.

With the Packer 1 Cargo e-bike, you’ll be able to haul up to 176 pounds of packages, passengers, both, and more at top speeds of 20 MPH (which also unlocks to 25 MPH) for up to 52 pedal-assisted miles thanks to the pairing of its 750W rear-geared hub motor (peaks at 1,200W) and the removable 692Wh battery. Using just the throttle for pure electric action can surprisingly net you up to 45 miles of travel. Among its features you’ll find Apple Find My and smartphone app integrations, 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes, a hydraulic suspension fork, an 8-speed Shimano derailleur, fenders over its 26-inch front/20-inch rear tires, an LED headlight, a taillight with braking functionality, and an LED display.

Updated early Black Friday e-bike discounts:

Anker SOLIX weekend sale

Anker SOLIX flash sale takes $3,028 off F3800 station with expansion battery and 400W panel at new $4,369 low

Anker SOLIX has launched its second weekend flash sale through November 17 that is offering some new and continued savings on a selection of solar generator and home backup bundles, as well as some new additional savings promotions. The spotlight this time around is on the F3800 Portable Power Station that comes with a BP3800 expansion battery and 400W solar panel for $4,369.05 shipped, after using the promo code ANKER4K5OFF for an additional 5% discount. This bundle would normally cost you $7,397, and we’ve only seen this bundle get discounts a few times throughout 2024, with the biggest of them taking the price down to $4,899. During the next 72 hours, you’ll be able to save $3,028 here and scoring this solar generator package at the all-time lowest price we have tracked.

Before we go over what you can expect from this package, Anker SOLIX has provided additional savings on orders that reach certain thresholds through December 8 on top of the free gear offers that have been live since the sale’s start. As a recap, you’ll be getting a free 200W solar panel when you spend over $3,000, a free EverFrost Portable Cooler 40 when spending over $4,000, and a free 400W solar panel on orders over $5,000. On top of these offers, be sure to take note of the following bonus savings options:

  • Save an additional 3% off your order over $3,000 with the code ANKER3K3OFF
  • Save an additional 5% off on orders over $4,000 with the code ANKER4K5OFF
  • Save an additional 7% on orders over $5,000 using the code ANKER5K7OFF

Just be sure to enter these codes at checkout. The listed prices below have not had these additional savings factored in.

The SOLIX F3800 is a versatile backup power option that starts with a 3,840Wh LiFePO4 capacity (doubled to 7,680Wh with the expansion battery) that you can further expand up to 26.9kWh with five more BP3800 expansion batteries. Through its 15 ouput ports it can deliver up to 6,000W of power and even has connections for your RV, electric car, and your home’s circuit breaker (though it requires the Home Backup kit for sectional power or the Home Power Panel for your entire home + integration with with your solar roof panels for greater recharging capabilities).

There are a few different ways to recharge the F3800’s battery, but the two main ways will give you a full battery in only 2.7 hours through a standard outlet, or up to 2 hours when utilizing its maximum 2,400W solar input. Everything is housed within a rollable design, with an LCD display to monitor real-time levels as well as adjust settings – or you can do all this on your phone via the companion app.

Anker SOLIX early Black Friday weekend flash sale offers:

You can check out the full lineup of Black Friday offers by following the link here – and be sure to use those promo codes above for the best savings!

heybike ranger S weekend sale

Heybike offers second chance to get Ranger S Folding e-bike at $999 low in latest early Black Friday flash sale

Heybike is giving folks another Black Friday flash sale and a second chance at the best price we’ve seen on its Ranger S Folding e-bike at $999 shipped through the weekend, while also lowering the price on the Brawn Off-Road e-bike by another $100. The Ranger S model usually goes for $1,499 at full price, with most discounts only taking costs down to $1,199 at best before these Black Friday weekend flash sales. You’re looking at a second chance to score $500 off its going rate at the all-time lowest price we have seen for it – and it also comes with the Black Friday gift pack too. You can learn more about this e-bike’s standard model in our review, with both variations being discussed below, as well.

Heybike’s Ranger S e-bike offers some solid performance specs and features at an affordable low price. Starting off, you have a choice here between a 750W (peaks at 1,400W) or a 1,000W (peaking at 1,800W) rear hub motor, depending on just how much power you require for speed, overcoming terrain, and the like. Keep in mind that the 1,000W model does charge a higher $1,399 price (down from $1,699). Both options come powered by a 692Wh battery, with five pedal assistance levels to utilize – supported by a cadence sensor for the 750W model and a superior torque sensor for the 1,000W model. You’ll enjoy 55 miles of travel and Class 3 top speeds of 28 MPH from the 750W motor while the 1,000W motor bumps that maximum to 32 MPH.

Aside from that, there’s a whole bunch of tried and true features you would typically expect from a folding fat-tire e-bike, like the 20-inch by 4-inch fat tires with fenders over each, the step-through frame that also folds, obviously, as well as an LED Headlight, an integrated rear cargo rack with an LED taillight that provides brake lighting, a hydraulic front suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes, a kickstand, and a smart LCD display. Its charger has also been bumped up to a 4A model, which is around twice as strong as the average e-bike charger, so you can expect a full charge in about 4 hours.

Other Heybike discounts:

  • Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
    • 28 MPH for up to 45 miles
    • 1,000W motor (32 MPH speed) costs $100 more
    • comes with free front basket and large basket + gift pack
  • Cityrun Urban Commuter e-bike: $999 (Reg. $1,599)
    • 21 MPH for up to 55 miles
    • comes with free large basket + gift pack
  • Hauler Cargo e-bike (new model): $1,399 (Reg. $1,899)
    • 28 MPH for either 55
    • Dual-battery (85-mile range) costs $300 more
    • comes with free large rear basket + gift pack
  • Brawn Off-Road e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,799)
    • 28 MPH for 65 miles
    • comes with free large basket + gift pack
  • Horizon Full-Suspension e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,999)
    • 28 MPH for 55 miles
    • comes with free front basket and large basket + gift pack
  • Tyson Uni-Body e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,699)
    • 28 MPH for 55 miles
    • comes with free large basket + gift pack
  • Hero Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike (new model): $2,499 (Reg. $2,599)
    • 35 MPH for 60 miles
    • comes with free large basket + gift pack

Best Black Friday e-bike 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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