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Freewire Technologies’ unique approach to EV light charging infrastructure is already setting the stage to quickly bolster available chargers under the Biden administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, but Freewire is now setting its sights on Europe with a second headquarters.

Freewire Technologies is an EV fast charging and energy management solutions company founded in 2014 that is expediting the world’s transition to electric vehicles by providing more scrappy and turnkey infrastructure to grids around the US.

The company first caught our attention back in 2018 when Volvo Cars invested in it, but most recently, we got a look at its technology at CES and were extremely impressed with its potential. Rather than take the tedious approach of many charging networks requiring high-voltage connection to the local grid, extensive installation labor, and plenty of red tape from municipal governments, Freewire has created a lineup of turnkey battery-integrated piles it calls Boost Chargers.

These fast chargers utilize integrated battery storage and proprietary management software to operate using existing low voltage and low-power grid connections while still delivering DC charging capabilities.

For instance, Freewire’s Boost Charger 200 features a 160 kWh battery capacity and only needs an eighth of the input power of a traditional charging pile while still delivering 200 kW to any and all EV models that plug in. That equates to up to 200 miles of range after just 15 minutes of charging.

This unique technology enables more cost-effective deployments anywhere that can be completed in a matter of a couple of days if not hours. Freewire’s approach also makes the Boost Chargers easy to scale or relocate without cities or businesses having to commit to permanent installation.

Its unique spin on EV charging infrastructure is a huge reason why Freewire was specifically mentioned in the fact sheet of the Biden Administration’s NEVI program. As Freewire looks to expand its technologies in the US, it is already working to bring the same low-cost, energy-efficient perks to customers in Europe as well.

  • Freewire charging
  • Freewire charging

Freewire to open new headquarters, bring charging to EU

This morning, Freewire technologies announced a larger expansion into Europe with a new headquarters in Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK – which will see a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 19. The new headquarters will also include a sales and demonstration center and serve as the company’s hub as it expands through the EU.

The company states its initial focus will be on the UK, Ireland, and Benelux region, followed by Spain and Italy later this year before expanding to other markets. Freewire already has some Boost Chargers deployed in the EU through a previously announced partnership with BP, which was followed by a partnership with car dealership Bauwelinck (seen above) this past February. Freewire’s European head of sales, James Jean-Louis, spoke to the continued expansion overseas:

Our expansion in Europe is a milestone FreeWire has reached following a year of major growth. We have increased our headcount by 70% and deployed Boost Chargers in four new countries just in the last 12 months. FreeWire is well-positioned to tap into the growing European market. We see a major opportunity to offer reliable, flexible, and cost-effective infrastructure that can be deployed quickly to support the rapid increase in demand for ultrafast EV charging in Europe.

Freewire states it has also established a partnership with regional fuel station operator Otamar and recently completed its first Boost Charger installation in the Galicia region of Spain along a major highway near the border with Portugal.

Next, Freewire will continue to build out its team in Europe while establishing new charging partnerships in the markets mentioned above. Check out the company’s unique Boost Charger technology explained below.

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New GM, Porsche and Honda EVs boost US sales: Here’s a look at the top sellers in Q1

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New GM, Porsche and Honda EVs boost US sales: Here's a look at the top sellers in Q1

With new models rolling out from General Motors, Porsche, Honda, and several others, US EV sales increased by over 10% in the first three months of 2025. Nearly 300,000 EVs were sold in the first quarter of 2025. These were the top-selling models.

New EVs drive US sales growth in Q1 2025

Electric vehicle sales showed mixed results in the first quarter. Although Tesla is the center of attention as it continues to lose market share, several new EV models made an impressive debut.

With over 30,000 EVs sold in the first quarter, more than double the number sold last year, GM surpassed Ford and Hyundai Motor, placing second behind Tesla. GM’s Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US, with the new electric Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado arriving.

GM sold 10,329 Chevy Equinox, 6,187 Blazer, and another 2,383 Silverado EVs in Q1. Thanks to its partnership with GM, Honda had an impressive sales quarter, selling over 14,000 EVs, including its luxury Acura brand.

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The Prologue SUV remained one of the top-sellers with 9,561 units sold in the first quarter, while the Acura ZDX added another 4,813.

Q1-2025-EV-sales-US
New Entries: EV sales volume in Q1 2025 (Source: Cox Automotive)

According to Cox Automotive, Honda led EV sales growth for new entrants in Q1, followed by Acura, Jeep, and Dodge.

Jeep sold 2,595 Wagoneer S models during the quarter, its first electric SUV sold in the US. Dodge, another Stellantis-owned brand, sold 1,947 Charger EVs, or what it calls the world’s first electric muscle car.

Although Chevy’s Equinox EV made a statement in Q1, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E remained the top-selling non-Tesla with 11,607 models sold.

Rank EV model Q1 2025 sales
1 Tesla Model Y 64,051
2 Tesla Model 3 52,520
3 Ford Mustang Mach-E 11,607
4 Chevrolet Equinox EV 10,329
5 Honda Prologue 9,561
6 Hyundai IONIQ 5 8,611
7 Volkswagen ID.4 7,663
8 Ford F-150 Lightning 7,187
9 BMW i4 7,125
10 Tesla Cybertruck 6,406
Top 10 best-selling EVs in the US in Q1 2025 (Source: Cox Automotive)

After introducing the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5 (which now has even more range and an NACS charging port), Hyundai sold 8,611 electric SUVs in Q1, an increase of 26% from last year.

Porsche had the highest EV sales volume growth after launching the electric Macan. With 3,339 units added, the Macan EV made up for Porsche Taycan sales falling 18% to just 1,019.

Q1-2025-EV-sales-US
EV sales volume change by brand Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024 (Source: Cox Automotive)

As Cox Automotive Analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty noted, “The year certainly started strong, but the road ahead will be anything but smooth.”

Trump ending federal incentives and introducing new tariffs will “pose a monumental challenge for many automakers,” according to Valdez Streaty. Despite several new models arriving and significant incentives being offered (at least for now), the rest of 2025 “will likely be a volatile one for EV sales in the US.”

Ready to score some savings while they are still here? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find deals on the top-selling EVs in your area.

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Electric concrete pump truck can drive 30 miles, pump 65 cubic yards [video]

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Electric concrete pump truck can drive 30 miles, pump 65 cubic yards [video]

Based on a capable Volvo FM Electric 8×4 chassis, Putzmeister revealed one of the world’s largest all electric concrete pump trucks at the bauma equipment expo in Munich, Germany this week. The zero-emission concrete pumper can up to 50 km and pump approximately 50 cubic meters of concrete on a single charge.

50 km (a little over 30 miles) and 50 cubic meters (about 65 cubic yards) may not seem like impressive numbers, but consider this: a single cubic yard of concrete weighs a little over 4,000 lbs. (2 tons). A bit of simple math later, and you’ve got a quiet, vibration-free machine blasting (65 cu. yds ×4,100 lbs./yd = 266,500 lbs.) of construction material nearly 140 feet (42 meters) in the air.

That’s over 130 tons of construction material moved a really long way, and that’s (of course) without the use of diesel or gas.

“Volvo Trucks is the innovator when it comes to new technologies in combination with electric trucks. After presenting electric concrete mixers and heavy applications for mining, we are proud to show yet another world-class innovation for the construction segment here at bauma,” says Christoph Fitz, Head of Sales at Volvo Trucks in Germany. “With this electric pump truck, customers can have a zero-exhaust emission solution, low-noise operation and an efficient process thanks to the work-while-charging capacity.”

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The Volvo FM Electric-based concrete pump is motivated by a pair of electric motors developing a continuous 330 kW (442 hp) of output through the company’s proprietary I-Shift gearbox. The truck’s four battery packs add up to 360 kWh of capacity, which can DC fast charge at speeds up to 250 kW or operate continuously (pumping even more material) with grid power or PU500 remote power connection.

Electrek’s Take

There will surely be a few nay-sayers who’ll try to cite the relatively short-sounding range of trucks like this, or the 100-ton Tadano mobile electric crane, but the range is typically more than enough to operate in urban environments and motivate the asset across even the largest job sites. Additionally, the ability to plug in to grid power and operate 24/7 makes all of that quieter, safer, cleaner … and moot.

SOURCES | IMAGES: Putzmeister; Volvo Trucks.

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Wheel-E Podcast: China tariffs killing e-bikes, USB-C e-bike charging, more

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Wheel-E Podcast: China tariffs killing e-bikes, USB-C e-bike charging, more

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes an analysis of how the Trump tariffs will affect e-bike pricing in the US, USB-C chargeable e-bikes launched by Ampler, Specialized e-bike recall, Juiced Bikes revived as a brand, kayak camping with the JackRabbit XG Pro, Walkcar’s new device that does the walking for you, and more.

The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

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, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

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We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to 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 Wheel-E podcast today:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):

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