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gogoro korea

After first entering Korea in 2019 as part of a food delivery partnership, Gogoro is now expanding its battery-swapping electric scooters around the country and opening up ridership for everyday commuters. It’s a move that follows Gogoro’s tried and true strategy of entering countries with an initial focus on business customers and then expanding to private consumers.

Gogoro is well-known for its high-speed electric scooters and their swappable batteries, which eliminate the need to stop and charge the scooter for several hours. Instead, riders simply pull into a battery swap station and roll back out seconds later with new, fully charged batteries. Gogoro’s battery model has become something of a de facto standard, though other industry heavyweights like Honda have tried imitating it in order to eventually offer a competing standard.

In Gogoro’s domestic market of Taiwan, thousands of swap stations cover the country and ensure riders are always within a few minutes of a station. The company counts hundreds of thousands of battery swaps each day across those stations.

Moving beyond its home market, Gogoro has been aggressively expanding internationally over the last few years to reach countries across Asia including China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Israel.

The Korean expansion announcement comes as part of an evolving partnership with BikeBank, a leading electric two-wheeled vehicle service in Korea.

Together, the two companies will introduce Gogoro’s Smartscooters and the company’s lauded battery swapping to Korean consumers in Q3 2023 under the Dotstation brand, expanding the battery swapping network to seven additional cities beyond the current operations in Seoul.

Gogoro founder and CEO Horace Luke discussed the expanded partnership, saying:

It is great to be growing our partnership with Bikebank, a company that shares similar values and is committed to accelerating the shift to electric transportation in Korea. Seoul has one of the largest food delivery ecosystems in the world and was one of the first markets to embrace Gogoro battery swapping for food deliverie. Together, we are introducing Gogoro Smartscooters and battery swapping to Korean consumers while we continue to grow our B2B food delivery business where we work with market leaders to enable sustainable food delivery.

To support the major growth expected by the expansion of services, Bikebank has opened two Dotstation retail stores for consumers and last mile delivery riders as well as expanded the battery swapping network to more than 70 battery swapping stations across Korea. Those battery swapping stations will be available in the cities of Seoul, Daegu, Sejong, Changwon, Incheon, Gyeongsan, Gyeonggi, and Ulsan.

Minkyu Kim, CEO of Bikebank, expanded on the announcement:

Together with Gogoro, we are accelerating the transformation of urban mobility in Korea. We created Dotstation to lead us forward into a new era of sustainable urban transportation that provides a path for Korean consumers to embrace sustainability in a new and practical way. Dotstation is expanding Gogoro battery swapping services to eight Korean cities, and we anticipate launching more battery swapping locations this year with a range of vehicles including Gogoro Smartscooters for consumers.

The move could signal an increased focus on expanding B2C (business to consumer) operations around the world, after Gogoro has spent the last few years significantly growing its international B2B (business to business) operations.

That would align with the existing Gogoro strategy we’ve seen lately, as, Luke explained to Electrek:

“The expansion of our partnership with Bikebank in Korea today exemplifies our market entry and international expansion strategy. In Korea, we began with a pilot program and then progressed to a successful B2B food delivery service in Seoul and are now introducing Smartscooters and battery swapping to consumers across eight Korean cities.”

Electrek’s Take

This is big news for anyone who has drooled over Gogoro’s battery-swapping electric scooters. I happen to be lucky enough to live in a country that already received Gogoro’s scooters for consumers, and now I count the Gogoro S2 Performance ABS as my daily rider. I’m happy for Koreans that they’ll get to experience these awesome scooters and battery swapping system soon, too.

The model of course makes sense for delivery riders, since they can spend all day on their scooters and don’t have the luxury of waiting for a recharge. Compared to combustion engine motorcycles and scooters, a battery swap takes even less time than a fuel stop at a gas station. And of courser riders get all the other benefits of electric vehicles, such as the reduced noise, smoother operation, cleaner and lower maintenance experience, etc.

But for consumers, the ability to never worry about charging again is also a welcome advantage. And while Gogoro has significantly expanded its commercial operations to partner with food delivery companies around Asia, its consumer operations haven’t expanded quite as quickly. Seeing Koreans finally get the chance to buy Gogoro’s scooters for personal use is a major step and demonstrates that Gogoro is still focusing on expanding its consumer operations as well, marking the third and final move in the Pilot > B2B > B2C strategy it has followed.

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Nevada put big battery energy storage where a coal plant used to be

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3 hours ago

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April 29, 2024

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Nevada put big battery energy storage where a coal plant used to be

Nevada battery energy storage

Nevada utility NV Energy’s largest battery energy storage system sits on a former coal-fired power plant site and will save customers a lot of money.

Swiss-US battery energy storage specialist Energy Vault (NYSE: NRGV) built the 220 MW/440 MWh grid-tied Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Moapa, Nevada, 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Energy Vault will maintain the system.

The new BESS is on the site of the former 557-megawatt (MW) coal-fired Reid Gardner Generating Station, which was demolished in 2019.

It’s a two-hour energy storage system that stores and dispatches excess wind and solar power. It’s charged and discharged daily and dispatches stored renewable energy at peak consumption hours to help meet demand.

NV Energy CEO Dough Cannon explained to local TV network KTNV:

The hours that [NV Energy] really get concerned about are from about 5 pm to 9 pm. Because what happens, at that point, is the solar energy has really started to ramp off as the sun’s going down. And so, we have often had to go out to the market, the energy market, and buy energy to meet the needs between 5 pm and 9 pm.

Over the last couple of years, on average, we’ve paid $250 a unit of energy during those hours. We look at a project like this, and this can deliver energy for closer to $100 an hour a unit of energy.

The Inflation Reduction Act covered 40% of the project’s $250 million cost. Cannon told KTNV that thanks to the new BESS, the utility’s customers would see a 15-20% reduction in their bills by the end of 2024.

Read more: US, other G7 countries to phase out coal by early 2030s

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. –ad*

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Ford just opened orders for its enhanced-range E-Transit

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5 hours ago

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April 29, 2024

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Ford just opened orders for its enhanced-range E-Transit

Ford E-Transit orders
Photo: Ford

Ford Pro is now taking orders for the newest version of its commercial EV, the E-Transit, with up to 32% more range and faster charge times.

The 2024 E-transit‘s larger 89 kWh battery (up from 67 kWh) provides an estimated range of up to 159 miles. Ford says that makes it capable of new use cases such as refrigerated delivery. 

The enhanced E-Transit also features dual onboard chargers that deliver a 22% faster charge time using Ford Pro’s 80A Series 2 charger and Ford Pro charging software. So, charging at Level 2 brings it from zero to fully charged in just over six hours, making it ideal for overnight charging.

The E-Transit also has improved DC charging, with 176 kW charging capability, up from 115kW. As my colleague Jameson Dow explained in March, “When connected to a suitably quick charger, this means a 2024 E-Transit (low roof model) can get 67 miles of range in 15 minutes, an improvement of 49% over the previous model.” All new E-Transits will have access to Ford’s new NACS adapter in addition to its CCS port.

Ford offers the E-transit in two lengths, three roof heights, three body styles, and up to 487 cubic feet of cargo volume.

The latest iteration of the US’s best-selling commercial EV costs $1,100 more than 2023’s base price. So before destination fees, the 2024 enhanced E-Transit’s price starts at $51,095. But it qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which brings its price down to $43,595, excluding possible state and utility incentives. Ford E-Transit orders can be placed through a Ford dealer.

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to 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 you 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. – ad*

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Get Blix’s Ultra e-bike with free accessories from $1,399, Anker PowerCore Reserve Power Station $110, and more

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8 hours ago

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April 29, 2024

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Get Blix's Ultra e-bike with free accessories from ,399, Anker PowerCore Reserve Power Station 0, and more

Kicking off this week’s Green Deals is a new Spring Savings sale from Blix Bikes that is taking up to $700 off its e-bike models and also giving you up to $465 in free add-on accessories, with the Ultra Fat-Tire All-Terrain e-bike hitting a new $1,399 low. It is joined by the return of the Anker PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Station to $110, as well as the Bosch Tronic 4000 6.5kW Electric Tankless Water Heater at $158. Plus all of the other green deals that have dropped today or are still hanging on from last week.

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.

Blix Ultra Fat-Tire All-Terrain e-bike hits new $1,399 low with $328 in free accessories

Blix Bikes has an ongoing Amazing Spring Savings sale that is taking up to $700 off its e-bikes and also including up to $500 in free add-on accessories while supplies last. One of the notable standouts is Blix’s Ultra Fat-Tire All-Terrain e-bike for $1,399 shipped, with $328 in free accessories along with your purchase. Down from its $2,099 price tag, today’s deal gives you back a combined $1,028 in savings and lands at a new all-time low, beating out Black Friday prices. Along with the e-bike you’ll also be receiving your free accessories package that includes both a front and rear rack, a cushion for the rear rack, and passenger foot pegs for the rear as well. Blix also offers an additional way to save by using the promo code RIDETOGETHER for $200 off when purchasing two e-bikes together.

The Blix Ultra e-bike is equipped with a 750W geared rear hub motor and your choice between one or two 48V batteries that pushes this e-bike up to max speeds of 20 to 28 MPH and travels a range of 40-80 miles, depending on your choice of battery setup. It offers five levels of pedal-assist with a 12-magnet cadence sensor, and a full digital display that relays real-time information such as battery level, odometer, speedometer, travel distance, pedal assist settings, and also supports Bluetooth connectivity to the Blix app for more comprehensive performance data. It also comes stocked with an integrated LED headlight and a pair of 26-inch fat tires for a smoother ride. Plus, with this deal you’ll also be getting the rear rack that can hold cargo and passengers alike with the added foot pegs should you be bringing another person along with you.

Anker PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Station returns to $110

The official Anker Amazon storefront is offering its PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Station for $109.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $40 off coupon. Recently fetching $150, with an original $170 MSRP, this device rode its MSRP throughout 2023, with only a few discounts ever occurring – the biggest of which dropped costs to a $119 low. In the new year we saw a drop down to its new list price as the company switched from LiFePO4 batteries to typical models, followed by a drop in price to its new $105 low at the start of last month. Today’s deal comes in as a repeat 27% markdown off the going rate that lands at the second-lowest price we have tracked.

This power station has a 60,000mAh (192Wh) capacity that is tailored for personal use throughout your days rather than powering your camping sites. It sports a compact design of 4.59 inches by 4.59 inches by 8.17 inches and only weighs 5 pounds, making it easy to store and carry. You can even connect it to a solar panel for solar charging on-the-go, taking just 4 hours with a 60W input. It features a built-in retractable light with two brightness modes alongside an S.O.S. button to provide emergency lighting for safety during power outages or other emergency situations. You’ll also get four output ports to cover your personal devices: two USB-As and two USB-Cs. And for protection, you can even get a custom co2CREA Hard Case for $33.

Bosch Tronic 4000 6.5kW Electric Tankless Water Heater now $158

Amazon is offering the Bosch Thermotechnology Tronic 4000 6.5kW Electric Tankless Water Heater for $158.40 shipped. Down from $250, it spent the first half of 2023 keeping between its MSRP and $200. It wasn’t until Labor Day sales that we saw it drop further to its former $160 low, which we didn’t see beaten until March when its fell to the new $154 low. Today’s deal comes in as a 37% markdown off the going rate that gives you a solid $92 in savings and returns costs to the second-lowest price we have tracked. This 6.5kW under-sink tankless water heater is designed to provide an endless supply of instantaneous hot water to one or more commercial/residential sinks. It can be installed in a 360 degree orientation, with its 13-inch by 8.5-inch by 4.5-inch size making it easy to fit in tight under-counter spaces, and its low 0.55 GPM activation flow rate works perfectly for commercial low-flow faucets. It boasts a 96% thermal efficiency rate with no standby heat loss, saving you time, water, and money.

Spring e-bike deals!

Hover-1 Instinct e-bike standing on kickstand with NYC skyline in background, within post for Blix Ultra Fat-Tire All-Terrain e-bike

Other 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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