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A view of the end of Helion’s seventh generation prototype, the Polaris.

Photo courtesy Helion

Microsoft said Wednesday it has signed a power purchase agreement with nuclear fusion startup Helion Energy to buy electricity from it in 2028.

The deal is a notable vote of confidence for fusion, which is the way the sun makes power and holds promise of being able to generate nearly unlimited clean power, if it can be harnessed and commercialized on earth. For decades, fusion been lauded as the holy grail of clean energy — tantalizing because it’s limitless and clean, but always just out of reach.

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As responding to climate change has become an increasingly urgent goal for companies and countries around the globe, investors have poured $5 billion into private fusion companies looking to turn that holy grail into electrons flowing through wires.

Microsoft’s agreement to buy electricity from Helion is the first time a fusion company has inked a deal to sell electricity, according to Andrew Holland, the CEO of the Fusion Industry Association.

“This is the first time that I know of that a company has a power purchase agreement signed,” Holland told CNBC. “No one has delivered electricity, and Helion’s goal of 2028 is aggressive, but they have a strong plan for how to get there.”

Helion was founded in 2013 and currently has about 150 employees, with headquarters in Everett, Wash. One of the early and most significant investors in Helion, Sam Altman, is also a founder of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence organization that developed the chat platform ChatGPT, in which Microsoft has invested many billions of dollars. Altman believes the two deals are equally important and correlated components of the future he sees for humanity.

“My vision of the future and why I love these two companies is that if we can drive the cost intelligence and the cost of energy way, way down, the quality of life for all of us will increase incredibly,” Altman told CNBC. “If we can make AI systems more and more powerful for less and less money — same thing we are trying to do with energy at Helion — I view these two projects as spiritually very aligned.”

Samuel H. Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, speaks to media after meeting Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Prime Minister’s office in Tokyo on April 10, 2023.

The Yomiuri Shimbun | AP

If demand for and use of artificial intelligence continues to increase, then that will increase demand for energy, too.

The potential of fusion is “unbelievably huge,” Altman told CNBC. “If we can get this to work — if we can really deliver on the dream of abundant, cheap, safe, clean energy that will transform society. It’s why I’ve been so passionate about this project for so long.”

In 2021, Altman told CNBC he put $375 million into Helion. As of Tuesday, this is still his largest investment ever, Altman told CNBC. In total, Helion has raised raised $577 million.

Why Helion is announcing a 2028 goal now

As part of the power purchase agreement, Helion is expected to have its fusion generation device online by 2028 and to reach its target power generation of 50 megawatts or more within an agreed-upon one-year ramp up period. When the fusion device is fully up to speed producing 50 megawatts of energy, it will be able to power the equivalent of approximately 40,000 homes in Washington state.

While Helion’s deal with Microsoft is to get 50 megawatts online, the company eventually aims to produce a gigawatt of electricity, which is one billion watts, or 20 million times the 50 megawatts it is selling to Microsoft.

Microsoft will pay for the megawatt hours of electricity as Helion delivers them to the grid.

“This is a real PPA, so there’s financial penalties if Helion can’t deliver power. So we’ve really put our skin in the game on this too — that we believe we can deliver this power and are committed to it with our own financial incentives,” David Kirtley, CEO at Helion, told CNBC.

Helion’s co-founders. From left to right: Chris Pihl (CTO), David Kirtley (CEO), George Votroubek (Director of Research).

Photo courtesy Helion

Altman advocated for the two companies to work together, he told CNBC, but the deal is the result of work Helion has done independently. “It was not my doing,” he said.

Microsoft and Helion have been working together for years, Kirtley told CNBC. “The first visit we had from the Microsoft team was probably three of our prototypes ago, so many years ago. And then we’ve been working very closely with their data center technology team here in Redmond,” Kirtley said.

After all, Microsoft needs power and has aggressive climate goals. Microsoft has a goal to have 100% of its electricity consumption, 100% of the time, matched by zero-carbon energy purchases by 2030. Carbon-free energy includes hydro, nuclear and renewables for Microsoft, a Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC.

“We are optimistic that fusion energy can be an important technology to help the world transition to clean energy,” Brad Smith, president at Microsoft, said in a written statement. “Helion’s announcement supports our own long term clean energy goals and will advance the market to establish a new, efficient method for bringing more clean energy to the grid, faster.” 

An electrical engineer preparing for a test at Helion.

Photo courtesy Helion

For Helion to be able to deliver electricity generated by fusion to customers requires years of advance planning on the transmission and regulatory fronts.

In that way, announcing a contract now to sell electricity in 2028 gives Helion time to plan and to pick a location in Washington State to put this new fusion device.

“One reason we’re doing the announcement today is that so we can be working with the communities involved, we can be working with regulators, and the power utility on citing this right now,” Kirtley told CNBC. “Even five years is a short amount of time to be hooked up to the grid. And we want to make sure that we can do that.”

Indeed, the transmission system in the United States, meaning the series of wires that carry electricity from where it is generated to where it is used, is largely tapped out. Getting new power generation connected to the grid can take years. Helion is working with Constellation to secure its transmission needs.

‘We’re not here to build systems in a lab’

The best-known pathway to commercializing fusion is with a donut-shaped device called a tokamak. The international fusion project under construction in Southern France called ITER is building a tokamak, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a fusion start-up spun out of MIT which has raised more than $2 billion in funding, is using tokamak technology. For comparison, CFS plans to have its first power plant on the grid and selling electricity in the early 2030s. 

Helion is not building a tokamak. It is building a long narrow device called a Field Reversed Configuration.

An infographic showing how Helion’s fusion technology works.

Infographic from Helion

Broadly speaking, Helion’s approach involves shooting plasma (the fourth state of matter after solid, liquid and gas) from both ends of the device at a velocity greater than one million miles per hour. The two streams smash into each other, creating a superhot dense plasma, where fusion occurs.

Helion is currently building its seventh-generation fusion machine, named Polaris, which it aims to produce electricity with by next year, Kirtley told CNBC.

“We’re not here to build systems in a lab. We’re here to sell electricity. This is always been the dream,” Altman told CNBC.

So far, Helion has been able to generate energy with its fusion prototypes, but it has not yet built a device that creates more electricity than it uses to run the fusion device. So the firm has a lot of work ahead.

To that, Altman says: “There were a lot of people that were doubting A.I. six months ago, too.”

“Either the technology here is going to work or not. There’s a lot of huge challenges still to figure out — how are we going to get the cost super-low, how are we going to manufacture at scale — but on the ability to actually do the physics, we feel very confident,” Altman told CNBC. “And I think it’s fine for people to doubt it. But also the way that you eventually reduced that doubt is to show to show people it actually works in the commercial setting, like delivering on this deal.”

Helion has been making progress on some key hurdles.

For example, the company has started making its own capacitors, which are sort of like super-efficient batteries and one of Helion’s very significant capital costs.

It has also started to make the very rare fuel it uses, helium three, which is a very rare type of helium with one extra neutron. It used used to get helium-three from the U.S. government strategic reserves.

Next up, Helion has to demonstrate that its devices can work reliably for long periods of time, and Kirtley has a team working on durability of the components used in the device.

If Helion can be successful, it’s going to be a landmark for the entire fusion industry.

“This really signals that a fusion era is coming. And we’re all very excited about it,” Kirtley told CNBC.

The race is on to replicate the power of the sun with fusion energy

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First savings hits Navee XT5 Pro long-range off-road e-scooter for $1,400, Anker SOLIX 60,000mAh power station $108, Lectric, more

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December 17, 2025

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First savings hits Navee XT5 Pro long-range off-road e-scooter for ,400, Anker SOLIX 60,000mAh power station 8, Lectric, more


Our mid-week Green Deals is headlined by a surprise first-ever holiday deal on the brand-new Navee XT5 Pro Long-Range Off-Road Electric Scooter at $1,400, which boasts some serious premium upgrades. Right behind it, we have Anker’s SOLIX C200 DC Compact Power Station, and its larger C300 counterparts, that start from $108, as well as a roundup of Lectric’s three e-bikes getting up to $500 price cuts and $220 bundles that start from $1,399, Bluetti’s current 48-hour Christmas flash sale through December 18, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Velotric Christmas e-bike Gift Season Sale, the new $999 low on Heybike’s dual-battery Hauler cargo e-bike, 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.

First savings just hit Navee’s newest feature-packed XT5 Pro long-range off-road electric scooter for $1,400

Navee’s official Amazon storefront is undercutting the brand’s direct Christmas Sale pricing on its brand-new XT5 Pro Long-Range Off-Road Electric Scooter for $1,399.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $200 off coupon. This model just hit the market early last month with a $1,500 price tag, which is where it’s still priced direct from the brand. At Amazon, however, it started off priced at $1,700 and dropped to $1,600 right before Black Friday, with today’s deal being the first official chance at cash savings that we’ve spotted. While this deal lasts, you’re getting $100 off the going rate that sets the bar for future discounts, while also upgrading your commutes/joyrides with the brand’s take on a superscooter.

The most high-end of Navee’s e-scooter lineup that even outpaces the flagship ST3 Pro, this new XT5 Pro Long-Range Electric Scooter is an off-roading superscooter that comes with bolstered durability from its carbon steel frame, while also being the second series to boast the brand’s unique damping arm suspension system. It arrives equipped with a 750W motor that can peak as high as 2,200W for seriously monstrous power, with the entire thing powered by a 596.7Wh battery. This combination gives it a travel range of up to 46.6 miles on a single six-hour charge (with a 1.5-hour flash charging feature available), maxing out at 31 MPH top speeds for the thrill seekers amongst you. It even comes with an add-on option through a 468Wh external battery (sold separately) that increases the mileage with up to 34 miles of extra travel.

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As Navee’s XT5 Pro electric scooter is a more premium commuter, it should be no surprise that it comes loaded with a premium array of features, including smart features like Apple Find My, Bluetooth proximity locking/unlocking, app-based setting customization, and more. Your riding experience is also further heightened by the stock features that include a triple braking system (dual front and rear disc brakes, as well as a rear regenerative EABS brake), 12-inch off-road tubeless tires, an auto-on headlight, mecha-style logo lamps in the stem, a brake-activated taillight, front and rear built-in turn signals, the brand’s traction control system, a 5-inch full color display, and much more.

As I mentioned, alongside this surprise Navee XT5 electric scooter deal, the brand also has its ongoing Christmas Sale with up to 30% discounts still going right now, which offers its e-scooters at some of the best rates starting from $200.

Anker SOLIX C200 DC power station on rock with drone, projector, and speaker

Get 60,000mAh/192Wh support for devices from Anker’s SOLIX C200 DC power station at $108 for Xmas, more from $162

As part of its ongoing Christmas Sale, Anker SOLIX is offering its C200 DC 60,000mAh/192Wh Compact Power Station at $108.49 shipped, which matches in price at Amazon while also beating out the current price of the predecessor PowerCore Reserve by $7. While it carries a $200 MSRP, you can find it starting lower at $170 at Amazon, with discounts over the year having taken the costs as low as $100, most recently during Black Friday through Cyber Monday over two weeks ago. You’re looking at the third-best price we have tracked while the $62 savings last ($92 off the MSRP), only beaten out by that $100 low and $105 rates that sporadically pop up. If you want to go bigger, you can also find the C300 DC and C300 AC 90,000mAh models starting from $162.

If you want to learn more about these compact power stations, be sure to check out our original coverage of these Christmas deals here. You can also go even larger by taking advantage of Anker’s current SOLIX Christmas Sale deals, with up to 65% discounts across its entire power station lineup that starts from $162.

man standing with Lectric ONE e-bike

Save up to $720 on these three Lectric e-bikes with price cuts to lows starting from $1,399 for Xmas

Looking back in on Lectric’s ongoing Christmas Holiday Sale event, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the three e-bikes receiving rare price cuts over the usual free bundle packages – a first for so many models at once. The biggest of these price cuts that also retains a bundle is Lectric’s ONE e-bike Long-Range Belt-Drive Commuter e-bike with a $220 FREE bundle of gear at $1,899 shipped. This entire package would normally run you $2,619 at full price, with a repeat of the $500 price cut we’ve been seeing more frequently since Labor Day to its all-time lowest tracked price, along with a FREE rear cargo rack and fender set. While the deadline to receive it before Christmas has passed, you can still secure it and all the other e-bikes with some of their best deals to kick-off your new year with a new commuting option.

If you want to learn more about this premium e-bike, or the other models getting Christmas price cuts, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here, while you can also browse the brand’s full Christmas lineup here.

woman using Bluetti Elite 10 mini power station to charge laptop on plane

For 48 hours, you can pick up Bluetti’s latest Elite 10 Mini power station at a new $109 Xmas flash sale low (Save $90), more

As part of its ongoing Christmas Sale, Bluetti has a 48-hour flash sale running that is taking up to $199 off three different offers, with a notable standout in the Elite 10 Mini Power Station for $109 shipped, which sadly cannot be stacked with the exclusive 5% off savings code, but does beat out its Amazon pricing by $10. While carrying a $239 MSRP direct from the brand, you can find it starting lower at Amazon for $199, with the holiday discounts that started last week having only taken the costs down to $149, before falling to $119 and then $109 during this flash sale window. While these $90 savings ($130 off the MSRP) last through December 18, you’re able to score it at a new all-time low price, with another flash offer being two of these stations for $199 shipped.

If you want to learn more about this mini power station, or browse the full lineup of temporary deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this flash sale here.

RENPHO foot massager next to Christmas tree and presents
REDTIGER F7NP dash cam
Anker eufy solar smart security camera mounted on outdoor wall in rain
Lectric e-bike Christmas banner

Best Winter 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.


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Toyota launches the new Urban Cruiser EV, an ‘authentic’ entry-level electric SUV

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December 17, 2025

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Toyota launches the new Urban Cruiser EV, an 'authentic' entry-level electric SUV

Toyota-Urban-Cruiser-EV

The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s second fully electric SUV, but it adds some meaningful upgrades over the outgoing bZ4X.

Meet the new Toyota Urban Cruiser electric SUV

Based on a new dedicated EV platform, Toyota calls the Urban Cruiser “an authentic SUV” in terms of design and performance.

Toyota launched the new entry-level electric SUV in Europe with two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack options: 49 kWh or 61 kWh. The smaller (49 kWh) battery is only available with a 142 hp (106 kW) front-wheel-drive (FWD) motor, rated with a WLTP driving range of 344 km (214 miles).

The larger 61 kWh version is available with FWD or all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrains, delivering WLTP driving ranges of 426 km and 395 km, respectively. The AWD version delivers a combined 181 hp (135 kW).

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Toyota said all Urban Cruiser variants can tow braked loads of up to 750 kg (1,650 lbs). With DC fast charging, the electric SUV can recharge from 10% to 80% in around 45 minutes.

Toyota-Urban-Cruiser-EV-price
The 2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser EV (Source: Toyota)

To improve efficiency, unlock faster charging, and boost driving range, Toyota added a heat pump and battery preconditioning feature as standard.

Thanks to the new dedicated EV platform, the interior is open and spacious. With sliding and split-folding rear seats, the Urban Cruiser rivals “the load-carrying capabilities of larger SUVs,” Toyota said.

Toyota-Urban-Cruiser-interior-space
The interior of the 2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser EV (Source: Toyota)
Toyota-Urban-Cruiser-interior
The interior of the 2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser EV (Source: Toyota)

Measuring 4,285 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and 1,640 mm tall, the electric SUV is slightly bigger than its popular Yaris Cross. It also gains extra interior space thanks to an extended wheelbase of 2,700 mm (+140 mm compared to the Yaris Cross).

The infotainment system consists of a 10.25″ driver display and a 10.1″ multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Toyota-Urban-Cruiser-front
The 2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser EV (Source: Toyota)

All Urban Cruiser models are equipped with standard safety features such as Brake Support System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

In Germany, the Urban Cruiser EV is on sale, priced from €31,990 ($37,500). Financing is available from €340.41 ($400) a month.

Toyota’s new entry-level electric SUV follows the launch of the refreshed bZ4X. In 2026, Toyota will introduce the C-HR+, bZ4X Touring, and Hilux BEV electric pickup.

For those in the US, Toyota is not expected to launch the Urban Cruiser in the States. However, the new and much-improved 2026 Toyota bZ is among the few EVs in the US with starting prices under $35,000. Next year, it will launch the C-HR, which is expected to be even more affordable.


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Tesla throws ‘cringe’ anti-union concert for Giga Berlin employees ahead of vote

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5 hours ago

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December 17, 2025

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Tesla throws 'cringe' anti-union concert for Giga Berlin employees ahead of vote

Heil tesla gigafactory berlin

Tesla has reportedly thrown a “Giga-Event” for its employees at Gigafactory Berlin, featuring German rapper Kool Savas. The goal? To rally the troops ahead of a critical union vote. The result? A “cringe” performance involving a Cybertruck, failed “Elon” chants, and some anti-union propaganda.

We have been covering the ongoing tensions between Tesla and IG Metall, the powerful German metalworkers’ union, for years now. While Tesla has managed to fend off a complete union takeover of the works council in the past, the union has gained ground in a vote last year, and a new election is looming.

Tesla’s strategy to counter this seems to be… distinct.

According to a new report from Handelsblatt, Tesla management organized a private “Giga-Event” on December 2 to “boost morale” and, apparently, to explicitly campaign against IG Metall.

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The centerpiece of the event was a performance by famous German rapper Kool Savas. And this is where things reportedly got cringe.

Witnesses and a video provided to the German newspaper described the scene as incredibly awkward. Savas reportedly drove onto the stage in a Tesla Cybertruck, which is a rare sight in Europe, and attempted to hype up the crowd of factory workers.

The report states that the rapper tried to start an “Elon, Elon” chant, but the crowd of employees refused to join in. He changed references of ‘Mercedes’ to ‘Tesla’ in his song.

Tesla employees weren’t into it at all, and the rapper admitted after five songs:

“You guys are tough, man. You guys are really tough. Tesla, what’s wrong with you?

When the applause for Tesla as a “great employer” was lukewarm at best, Savas reportedly asked the audience if they had a “stick up their ass” (Stock im Arsch).

You can’t make this stuff up.

But it wasn’t just about a rapper struggling to read the room. The event was held with the backdrop of an upcoming work council vote.

In the last one in 2024, IG Metall managed to elect the biggest faction, but fell short of a majority.

Now, with Tesla’s sales crashing in Europe and Elon Musk’s popularity plummeting to a new low, management is scared that IG Metall could make the gains needed to control a majority of the workers’ council.

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin manager André Thierig took some shots at the union in his speech at the event, according to Handelsblatt’s report.

The good news is that he announced a 4% wage increase for employees, but he falsely claimed that they would have only gotten two if IG Metall held collective bargaining power.

On the other hand, IG, which welcomed the wage increase, claimed that Tesla needs to increase salaries by another 30% to be on par with the auto industry in Germany.

Furthermore, the report claims that Thierig suggested that Tesla’s expansion plans at the factory, including recently announced battery production, is dependent on the results of the upcoming work council election in early 2026.

IG Metall chief Otto sees a pattern at Tesla:

For years, the message has been: if you work hard, don’t join IG Metall, and dutifully elect the management-appointed works council, the factory will be expanded. Then you’ll all have unprecedented opportunities for advancement.

He sees this as a threat to control employees.

While Tesla reiterated that jobs for the 11,000 employees at Gigafactory Berlin are secured, there are growing concerns as Tesla’s sales in Europe have crashed more than 30% in 2025.

Electrek’s Take

One thing is clear: the union is having a positive impact on Tesla workers.

I doubt Tesla would be offering a 4% wage increase right before a union vote if people weren’t flirting with the idea of joining IG Metall.

What I dislike is the anti-union rhetoric. It is not needed. Let the union make its case, management make theirs, and let the employees choose. That’s it.

If you are a good employer, you don’t need to hire a rapper to tell your employees that you are a good employer.

As for job security for Tesla employees in Germany, I think there’s room for concern.

Thierig noted on stage that Model Y was still the best-selling EV in Europe, which is true, but it’s also true that sales are down 30% in Europe in 2025. And that’s compared to 2024, when sales were down 10% year-over-year.

Tesla’s situation in Europe is undeniably not great.

The automaker was expected to bring several vehicle programs to Giga Berlin, but the factory has now been operational for almost 4 years and still only produces the Model Y.

I think the only reasonable hope the factory has is the potential addition of the Tesla Semi program. Other than that, I see it shrinking rather than expanding.


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