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As American cars and trucks continue to bloat, growing longer and wider decade over decade while roads and parking spaces stay the same size, there may be hope glimmering on the horizon: tiny electric vehicles. I’m not talking about small cars. I’m talking about tiny ones – micro-cars, if you will.

They’re a small but growing category of motor vehicles in the US, and they may just save us from a future of massive, energy-guzzling vehicles that can somehow plow through a playground without noticing yet still struggle to wiggle into a parking spot.

This is Part 1 of a three-part series on these useful little vehicles. In today’s segment, we’ll dive into the “what” and “why” of electric micro-cars.

From the definitions (which have so far eluded most of the industry) to the use cases (which have so far eluded most Americans), we’ll set the stage for what could be the next big wave of tiny cars. In Parts 2 and 3 we’ll cover the legality of such vehicles and the options currently on the road.

What is an electric micro-car?

Let’s start off with a few definitions to set the record straight about these tiny vehicles.

There are three commonly used terms for describing these little runabouts: micro-cars, NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles), and LSVs (low-speed vehicles). And they’re all wrong in one way or another. Let’s explore each, below.

Low-speed vehicles (LSVs)

The term LSVs is currently the least commonly used term for these, but it’s actually the most correct. That’s because it’s the only legally defined category. LSVs are a federally mandated class of motor vehicles in the US.

They’re more or less equivalent to what are known as “quadricycles” in Europe, with the exception that European quadricycles are allowed to reach speeds of up to 80-100 km/h (50-62 mph), depending on the country, while LSVs in the US are limited to just 25 mph (40 km/h).

microlino electric micro car
The Microlino is a European Quadricycle that reaches speeds far faster than allowed for LSVs in the US

It is a common misunderstanding that all that is required for a vehicle to be considered an LSV is for it to have a maximum speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). In fact, that is only one of many requirements. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for LSVs have laid out around a dozen standards that mostly cover speed and required safety equipment, but that also include requirements for the manufacturer’s factory to be federally approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as well as the factories that produce key components like the auto glass, seat belts and other important components). That’s why it isn’t enough for a small vehicle to simply have seat belts and not exceed 25 mph.

For this reason, it is actually quite difficult for new manufacturers to receive street-legal status for LSVs, though we’ll dive into the legality of these vehicles in much more detail in Part 2 of this series. It’s an important issue since many of the supposed “street legal” LSVs now being offered for sale in the US are far from actually being street legal.

For now though, suffice it to say that LSVs are a federally mandated category of vehicles that are allowed to reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and are allowed to drive on roads with speed limits posted up to 35 mph (56 km/h).

The Wink Sprout above is one of a growing number of street-legal LSVs in the US

LSVs are not required to be electric vehicles, and many low-production-volume combustion engine models have existed over the past two decades, similar to the phenomenon of “kei cars” in Japan. But these days nearly all LSVs in the US are also electric vehicles, largely due to the simplification of manufacturing/maintenance as well as reduced regulatory hurdles associated with emissions testing.

The term LSV is really the only important term for this industry because it is the only one that is clearly defined. That brings us to… NEVs.

Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs)

The term NEV is probably the most commonly used term in this industry, which is problematic because it doesn’t mean anything. There is no clearly defined boundary for what makes up an NEV.

The term originated before the LSV category was created by the federal government, and it largely referred to small, slower-moving electric vehicles that were similar in appearance to golf carts, yet were designed for traveling on roads and around neighborhoods instead of across the golf course. The most famous example of an NEV is likely the GEM, which started out under the Chrysler umbrella before moving to Polaris and finally to its current owner, WAEV.

The GEM popularized the concept of an NEV before the US government had created an LSV category, and thus the term NEV stuck.

The problem is that despite everyday usage, there’s no clear line drawn to determine what is and what isn’t an NEV. It’s similar to the word “truck” in its vaguery. Is an F-150 a truck? What about an 18-wheeler semi-trailer? Or a U-Haul? They’re all called trucks in common parlance, yet the Department of Transportation would beg to differ.

The other issue with the term NEV is that it implies a purely neighborhood use for these vehicles. While neighborhood and local community use is a common application, densely populated cities are quickly becoming another major market for these tiny electric vehicles.

An LSV could easily drive from Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan up to Washington Heights, a 13-mile (21 km) commute covering dozens of neighborhoods. In fact, I drove an LSV across the Brooklyn Bridge earlier this year as I travelled around NYC, highlighting the urban appeal of such small electric vehicles.

I drove an LSV from Wink Motors across the Brooklyn Bridge on a day trip through NYC

What are micro-cars?

The term micro-car has become something of a catchall. Similarly to NEVs though, there is no clear definition for the term. It is generally used more for fully enclosed LSVs than for open golf cart-style buggies like the GEM vehicles (though GEMs do have optional hard doors that make them fit better into the loosely defined micro-car category).

This door quasi-requirement is likely due to the fact that many people think of micro-cars as looking more like a conventional car, but simply scaled down into a smaller (and often cuter) vehicle.

Micro-cars can be as small as single-seaters or can even fit a family of five. I’ve driven a Chinese micro-car around Florida with my wife and our three nieces and nephews, showcasing the family-friendly nature of electric micro-cars.

Micro-cars, just like NEVs, are not a federally defined class of vehicle, and thus the term is limited largely to everyday language. For legal use, LSV is the only federally defined category of motor vehicle.

Believe it or not, I’ve had five people in this micro-car

Golf carts

Golf carts are perhaps the most commonly understood of all of these categories due to their ubiquitous use on golf courses around the country.

While they can be powered by a combustion engine or by an electric motor, most golf carts produced today are electric.

They generally reach speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h), though can often be modified to reach speeds of closer to 30 mph. Some come with seat belts, radios, and other fancier features, but many are bare-bones vehicles designed for basic transportation.

golf cart on the street

Traditional golf carts are not street legal, though many small communities have created local golf cart ordinances to allow for their use on low-traffic roads.

Several large golf cart manufacturers have begun to produce LSV versions of their carts that have been homologated for street use. These versions, if produced to meet the LSV regulations laid out in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, can be used like any other LSV on public roads that have posted speed limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) or less.

Golf carts are generally open-air vehicles that lack doors or locking storage. This is one of their main downsides compared to micro-cars, which generally have locking doors that can provide security as well as an all-weather ride.

Use cases for electric micro-cars and small vehicles

LSVs have two main uses in the US: transportation and utility use.

For transportation, LSVs have several advantages. Many owners prefer their small size that makes them nimbler in traffic and easier to park. They can often even be parked in small spots or psuedo-spots on the edges of parking areas that a traditional car couldn’t fit into.

Their simpler design and smaller size also means that they generally cost much less than a traditional electric car, both to purchase and to charge. Some new LSVs can start at below $10,000, compared to much more expensive electric family cars.

For some people, they’re also more fun to drive due to the novelty and go-kart feel that the small size offers. The 25 mph (40 km/h) top speed can be appropriate in many cities and communities, and the slower pace is often more fun for folks that enjoy cruising around their community and seeing the smiles on faces from onlookers. This is especially true in beach communities, older resident villages, and other planned communities.

electric mini-truck
My mini-truck may be small but it carries quite a load!

For utility, LSVs can offer many of the same benefits. Electric mini-trucks are becoming more popular in the cargo and delivery fields, especially in crowded cities that can be difficult to navigate with a larger box truck.

These vehicles can often offer similar bed sizes compared to traditional pickup trucks or small flatbed trucks, yet the entire vehicle is much smaller.

The increase in demand for electric mini-trucks has even spawned a new US-produced vehicle known as the AYRO Vanish.

Which LSVs and NEVs are street legal?

Street-legality is perhaps the most important aspect of electric micro-cars, especially as new importers and manufacturers begin to crop up.

We’ll cover this issue in-depth in Part 2 of this series, which will return this Wednesday. Stay tuned!

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Jackery launches Explorer 600 v2 power station + bundle with up to $120 savings, Anker SOLIX F3000 station back at $1,399 low, more

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October 21, 2025

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Jackery launches Explorer 600 v2 power station + bundle with up to 0 savings, Anker SOLIX F3000 station back at ,399 low, more


Leading today’s Green Deals is Jackery’s newly launched Explorer 600 v2 Portable Power Station, as well as a solar bundle option, with up to $120 discounts that start from $380. Right behind it, as part of Anker’s ongoing Halloween Sale, we spotted a promotion dropping the new SOLIX F3000 Portable Power Station back to its $1,399 low, as well as plenty of discounted bundles. We also have Govee’s Matter Outdoor Lamp Post at a second-ever $300 low, a $200 discount on the Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus e-bike, a two-tool 80V Greenworks bundle low, a collection of Worx tool deals, 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 Anker SOLIX camping-ready Halloween Sale deals, the $661 bundle of FREE gear on Lectric’s new long-range XP Trike2 750, 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.

Jackery launches Explorer 600 v2 640Wh LFP power station and a solar bundle starting from $380

Jackery has launched the next of its second-generation remodels, with the Explorer 600 v2 Portable Power Station at $379.99 shipped. This all-new unit will carry a full price of $500 once these initial savings die down, with no sign of its availability on Amazon yet. The deal here gives you a 24% markdown off its full rate, cutting $120 off the tag and setting the bar for future discounts in coming months. Alongside the solo station option, you can also pick up the station with a 100W portable solar panel for $579.99 shipped, down from $699.

As we’ve been seeing with other models under Jackery’s flag, this new Explorer 600 v2 station comes as an upgraded descendant of the Explorer 600 Plus, with a slightly bigger 640Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity within a compact unit that is perfect for carrying with you on short-term trips away from home. You’ll get up to 500W of steady power (1,000W surging peak) through the six output ports to cover devices: two ACs, two USB-Cs, one USB-A, and a cigarette lighter port. While its predecessor is rated for 4,000 charging cycles, this new revamped model brings a higher 6,000-cycle lifespan alongside a 5-year warranty, so you’ll definitely be getting your money’s worth.

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You’ve got three primary means to recharge the Jackery Explorer 600 v2’s battery. The first, of course, is with a standard AC outlet that will have it back to full in an hour’s time, or you can utilize up to its max 200W solar input for solar charging – which the bundled 100W panel can have back to full in 6.5 hours. Lastly, you can get on-the-go charging plugging it into your car’s auxiliary cigarette lighter port, which takes a little over six hours to put back to 100% from empty.

anker's solix f3000 portable power station

Anker’s Halloween Sale returns the new SOLIX F3000 power station to its $1,399 Prime Day low

As part of Anker’s ongoing SOLIX Halloween Sale, we spotted returning low prices on the brand’s new F3000 Portable Power Station and bundles starting from $1,399 shipped, after using the code SOLIXHAW03 at checkout for an additional $100 off, beating out Amazon’s pricing by $70. Normally going for $2,599 when at full price since hitting the market in June, we saw this low rate first appear two weeks ago during the brand’s Prime Day Sale and continuing with the event’s extension, which ended last week. Now, with its latest sale going, Anker is giving folks another shot at the best price we have tracked, cutting $1,200 off the tag. Head below for the full lineup of this station’s bundle deals.

If you want to learn more about this station, or browse its lineup of bundle deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here, with camping-ready deals also available here.

front yard being lit by govee's outdoor lamp post

Govee’s Matter Outdoor Lamp Post can join your yard detail for a $300 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, Govee is offering its Matter Outdoor Lamp Post at $299.99 shipped, which also matches the price directly from the brand’s website. It was brought down from its $430 full price two weeks ago during the Prime Day event to this rate, which has been sticking around in the time since, giving you plenty of opportunity to pick one up for your yard. You’re looking at the lowest price we have tracked on this newer lighting device, which only fell to this rate once before in July.

You can learn more about this device’s capabilities by checking out our original coverage of this second-ever deal here.

woman riding rad power's radrover 6 plus e-bike on farm with greenhouses in background

Enjoy commutes and/or joyrides down streets or off-road on Rad’s RadRover 6 Plus e-bike for $1,399

As part of its ongoing Haul-o-ween Sale, Rad Power Bikes is offering a solo price cut (as opposed to bundles of FREE gear) on the RadRover 6 Plus Fat Tire e-bike to $1,399 shipped. This popular model would normally run you $1,599 at full price, with discounts over the year having mostly dropped the cost between $1,399 and $1,299, though we have seen some rare falls further to the $1,199 low. It may not be the lowest price, but you’re still looking at a solid $200 slashed from the tag for the third-lowest price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this e-bike, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here, while you can also browse Rad Power’s full Haul-o-ween Sale lineup here.

greenworks 80V 16-inch string trimmer and leaf blower combo kit
woman using Worx's Trivac and LeafPro system to pick up leaves in front of flower bed

Best Fall 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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The Jeep Recon EV is finally almost here and it’s ready to join the Wrangler off-road

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October 21, 2025

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The Jeep Recon EV is finally almost here and it's ready to join the Wrangler off-road

Jeep's-electric-off-roader

The Recon EV will be revealed in full soon. Jeep’s CEO shut down rumors that the Wrangler-sized electric off-roader was dead, saying the Recon EV will go on sale shortly.

Jeep’s electric off-roader will go on sale in Spring 2026

Although the Recon was initially set to debut in 2023 with sales starting the following year, don’t count it out just yet.

Bob Broderdorf, who took over the reins as Jeep’s new CEO in February, says rumors that the electric off-roader has been cancelled are far from true.

In fact, Jeep plans to sell it, even if you don’t want it. According to MotorTrend, Broderdorf is promising more details on the Recon EV are coming soon with sales kicking off next spring.

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With Stellantis shaking up electrification plans, speculation began to spread that the Jeep Recon EV would be next to get the axe. Luckily, it doesn’t look like that will be the case.

Jeep first unveiled the Recon EV as a concept in 2022, promising the electric off-roader would be not only be able to tackle the Rubicon trail with enough charge to get back to town and recharge. It’s not a replacement, but the Recon is “inspired by the legendary Wrangler,” according to Jeep.

Jeep's-electric-off-roader
Jeep Recon EV (Source: Stellantis)

The Recon will be Jeep’s first true off-road EV. Leading up to its official debut, we’ve seen the electric off-roader out in the wild a few times now.

Spy shots of the interior surfaced on JeepReconForum last year, confirming the SUV will feature Jeep’s signature Selec-Terrain traction control system with different modes like “Rock” and “Mud.” The closer it gets to its final form, the more the Recon looks like a Ford Bronco rather than the Wrangler.

Jeep-Recon-spy-photos-interior
Jeep-Recon-spy-photos-interior

Even if it doesn’t sell well, Jeep considers the all-electric Recon as a key model as it looks to corner the off-road market.

Stellantis will build the Recon at its Toluca, Mexico plant alongside the Wagoneer S, Jeep’s first electric SUV in North America. The Jeep Cherokee and Compass are also built at the facility, all of which share the same STLA Large platform.

Jeep-Recon-EV
Jeep Recon Moab 4xe (source: JeepReconForum)

“We can shift and move. It is OK if [Recon] is low volume,” Broderdorf said, adding “If I have to sell more Cherokees, so be it.”

Although Jeep has yet to reveal final specs and prices, the Recon EV is expected to debut with about 350 miles of range. Prices are expected to start at around $60,000, or slightly less than the Wagoneer S. More premium trims, like the MOAB and Rubicon could cost closer to $80,000.

Jeep-Recon-spy-photos
Jeep-Recon-spy-photos

Broderdorf promised more details are coming soon. He also said the company plans to reveal more info on the future Wrangler shortly. Will we see an electric Wrangler? If so, it likely won’t be until the next generation in 2028.

Until then, Jeep will use the Recon EV and Wrangler as a twin threat as it looks to gain control of the off-road market.

While the Recon will arrive soon, Stellantis cancelled Ram’s first fully electric pickup and trimmed the Dodge Charger EV to just one variant.

Jeep’s CEO sees a market for electric vehicles, in particular the Recon. “We’ve got a great car. We’ve already built it. We should sell it, we should learn. I don’t know how many it will be. I’m not really that worried about it,” Broderdorf said. Even with the $7,500 federal tax credit now expired, Jeep expects EVs to sell in markets like California.


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Tesla (TSLA) Q3 earnings preview: what to expect from its record quarter

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October 21, 2025

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Tesla (TSLA) Q3 earnings preview: what to expect from its record quarter

Tesla Robotaxi and robobus hero

Tesla (TSLA) will release its Q3 2025 financial results on Wednesday, October 22, after the market closes. As usual, a conference call and Q&A with Tesla’s management are scheduled after the results.

Here, we’ll look at what the street and retail investors expect for the quarterly results.

Tesla Q3 2025 deliveries and energy deployment

Even though CEO Elon Musk and his loyal shareholders like to claim that Tesla is now an AI/Robotics company, the reality is that Tesla mostly moves metals.

The company’s automotive business continues to drive the vast majority of its financial performance.

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Tesla’s revenue remains tied mainly to the number of vehicles it delivers.

Earlier this month, Tesla disclosed its Q3 2025 vehicle production and deliveries:

  Production Deliveries Subject to operating lease accounting
Model 3/Y 435,826 481,166 2%
Other Models 11,624 15,933 7%
Total 447,450 497,099 2%

That’s a record number of vehicles delivered.

Furthermore, Tesla confirmed that it deployed 12.5 GWh of energy storage capacity during the quarter.

Those two record numbers combined should result in Tesla reporting higher revenues.

Tesla Q3 2025 revenue

For revenue, analysts generally have a pretty good idea of what to expect, thanks to the delivery numbers and now the energy storage deployment data.

The Wall Street consensus for this quarter is $26.457 billion, and Estimize, the financial estimate crowdsourcing website, predicts a lower revenue of $26.266 billion.

Here are the predictions for Tesla’s revenue over the past two years, with Estimize predictions in blue, Wall Street consensus in gray, and actual results are in green:

If Tesla meets or beats expectations, it would report higher quarter revenue than ever before.

Tesla Q3 2025 earnings

Analysts are trying to estimate Tesla’s gross margin with a first positive reversal in deliveries this year.

For Q3 2025, the Wall Street consensus is a gain of $0.55 per share and Estimize’s crowdsourced prediction is a little higher at $0.57.

Here are the earnings per share over the last two years, where Estimize predictions are in blue, Wall Street consensus is in gray, and actual results are in green:

As you can see, Tesla’s estimated record revenue is not expected to translate into record earnings, as the company has reduced prices in response to increased competition.

Tesla reported earnings of $072 per share during the same period last year.

In short, analysts are expecting Tesla’s earnings downtrend to continue despite record revenues.

Other expectations for the TSLA shareholder’s letter, analyst call, and special ‘company update’

I think we should expect a very bullish management call in Q3. We have been reporting on this for a few months on Electrek, but Tesla pushed its shareholders meeting, which is generally held in the summer, to the first week of November for good reason.

Tesla knew that the end of the tax credit would result in demand being pulled forward into Q3, leading to a strong Q3. Even though it will mean a few very difficult quarters afterward, the company will take the time to boast about it just before shareholders vote on management through Musk’s compensation package and a few board seats in two weeks.

However, I would also expect Wall Street analysts to ask a few questions about how Tesla is expected to perform in the next few quarters, given the incentives and credits in the US.

Tesla will also take questions from retail shareholders based on the most popular ones on Say. Here are the top 5 questions and my thoughts on them:

  1. What are the latest Robotaxi metrics (fleet size, cumulative miles, rides completed, intervention rates), and when will safety drivers be removed? What are the obstacles still preventing unsupervised FSD from being deployed to customer vehicles?
    • Musk has been wrong about self-driving timelines for a decade now, and he manages to get away with it thanks to a very lenient shareholder base that likes it when he pumps up the stock with hyperbole and crazy predictions.

      However, the shorter the timeline, the harder it is to let this slide. Musk said that Tesla Robotaxi would cover half the US, and it would remove supervisors by the end of the year.

      The only way this is possible is if “Robotaxi” is what Tesla launched in the Bay Area, meaning Tesla employees in the driver’s seat using FSD. If Tesla does remove the supervisor, I believe it will only be in Austin and with a lot of limitations and remote monitoring.

  2. What is demand / backlog for Megapack, Powerwall, Solar, or energy storage systems? With the current AI boom, is Tesla planning to supply power to other hyperscalers?
    • I think people should expect Tesla’s growth in the energy sector to slow and stabilize at around 18 GWh next year, which is still impressive, by the way.
  3. What are the plans for new car models? Will Tesla build compact car models leveraging the unboxed Cybercab platform? Will Tesla build a traditional SUV and pickup truck in the Cybertruck platform?
    • Generally, Tesla doesn’t answer those kind of questions during an earnings call, but I think management will try to pump the best they can ahead of the shareholders meeting.

      Furthermore, after the flop that was the stripped-down Model Y and Model 3, I wouldn’t be shocked if Tesla revives plan for the compact car even though Musk poo-pooed it quite a bit over the last year.

  4. What are the present challenges in bringing Optimus to market considering app control software, engineering hardware, training general mobility models, training task specific models, training voice models, implementing manufacturing, and establishing supply chains?
    • As we have been reporting for the last few months, the Optimus program is in shambles. I expect Musk to confirm delays in the production ramp. He previously said that Tesla would build about 5,000 Optimus robots in 2025. I think he will delay that, but he will reiterate some ridiculous long-term goals.
  5. What is your projection for when FSD will allow for unsupervised driving?
    • He literally said by the end of the year a few months ago. He said that every year for the last 6 years. I don’t know why anyone cares to have his opinion on it at this point.

As you can see, most questions from retail investors concern Tesla’s future products and Elon’s predictions about their impact.

Meanwhile, earnings are declining because Tesla’s once-incredible core business of selling cars is rapidly deteriorating.

Tune in with Electrek after market close today to get all the latest news from Tesla’s earnings, conference call, and now also an apparent “company update.”


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