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Summer heat has been beating down on much of the United States as of late, which means you’ve probably been dreading those AC bills. All of today’s best deals look to help put your mind at ease, arriving courtesy of our colleagues at 9to5Toys to deliver discounted ductless split mini AC units. The environmentally-conscious savings also continue over to Jackery’s just-released Explorer 2000 Plus power station at $400 off, as well as the best e-bike discounts around and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals that 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.

Stay cool and save some cash with discounted ductless split mini AC units

Highlighting all of today’s best discounts, Woot is offering some ways to not just save cash up front, but also over time. Afterall, making the switch to more environmentally-friendly gear isn’t just good for the Earth, but also for your wallet. Now a collection of electric Tosot split air conditioners are on sale for some of the best prices to date. Amongst an assortment of ductless offerings and Wi-Fi-enabled models, shipping is free for Prime members. A $6 delivery fee applies otherwise. Our favorite of the batch is this Turbro Ductless Split Mini AC at $629.99. Normally selling for as much as $1,100, today’s offer now lands with an extra $50 in savings to hit the 2023 low at $470 off.

Those nearly 40% in savings carry with it a capable way to beat the heat this summer and beyond with a 12,000 BTU design. The Greenland mini split AC is also a ductless model, which is far more efficient than your average run of the mill model. There’s an outdoor element that connects in with the actual interior vent, which can cool up 750-square feet. On top of just being far more quiet than an in-window unit, these are designed to cool just a single room at once. So you’ll also be saving money by not having to set the same temperature for your bedroom as the family room. And last but not least, Turbro brings Wi-Fi support into the mix so you can command the 230V system right from your iPhone.

Shop everything in the sale right here, which includes some higher-end models that arrive with as much as $550 in savings attached.

July 4th savings land on Jackery’s new Explorer 2000 Plus

Earlier this spring, Jackery expanded its lineup of popular portable power stations with the new Explorer 2000 Plus. Doing far more than just adding some extra ports and higher battery capacity into the mix, this new release marks the company’s first release in the march to transition over to LFP batteries. Now it’s on sale for the very first time courtesy of the brand’s official Amazon storefront.

Right now, the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus sells for $1,999 shipped. You’re looking at $400 in savings from the usual $2,399 price tag that it just launched with back in the middle of June, as well as the first chance to save since the original pre-order phase ended.

Everything with Jackery’s latest starts with the Explorer 2000 Plus itself. The new power station finally makes the switch away from the NCM batteries that have long been used by Jackery over to the longer lasting and safer LFP standard. Relying on that new battery tech means that Jackery has been able to pack 3,000W of power output into its latest release. The LiFePO4 battery supports 4,000 charge cycles at over 70% capacity, while fans opperate at a quieter 30dB than other models in the brand’s stable. It has a starting 2kWh capacity, which can be expanded up to 24kWh, too. 

As for how you’ll actually be able to leverage all of that power, the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus comes outfitted with the kind of flagship roster of ports you’d expect from its latest and greatest. There’s four full AC outlets+ an RV friendly TT-30, as well as dual USB-A slots, a pair of 100W USB-C outputs, and a 12V car jack. Then with inputs, there’s the ability to plug in as many as six of the brand’s SolarSaga panels for truly embracing that off-grid lifestyle.

One of the hallmarks of the new Explorer 2000 Plus is that it also pairs with some expansion batteries for those who need even more juice. Those bundles are on sale, too, with Amazon taking $350 off the new Explorer Kit 4000 at $3,449. Be sure to clip the on-page coupon to lock-in the savings. This too is a new all-time low and extending just how long the battery can keep gear going during power outages, tailgates, and campouts.

WORX delivers a more capable electric mower at $673

We’ve seen a lot of electric lawn mower discounts go live throughout the spring and even some off-season savings back over the winter. But if you’ve needed something a bit more capable to help tame your unruly lawn and those price cuts just didn’t do it for you, Amazon is stepping in to deliver a notable price cut on the WORX Nitro 80V 21-inch electric mower as one of the best July 4th Green Deals. Dropping from the usual $800 going rate for the first time since March, today’s offer lands at $672.82. Those $127 in savings deliver the first offer in months and the third-best price of the year. It’s also $25 under our previous mention.

This WORX electric lawn mower is said to deliver gas-like power without all of the fossil fuel usage. It comes centered around the brand’s 80V ecosystem, powering the brushless motor with four of its 5Ah Pro batteries. There’s a 21-inch cutting deck to pair with a self-propelled form-factor backed by rear wheel drive, an adjustable height to pick from seven different positions, and dual mulching or bagging capabilities. 

E-bikes, a summer favorite!

Other new Green Deals landing for July 4th week

The Independence Day 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.

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US Customs delays force solar giant Qcells to furlough 1,000 workers

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US Customs delays force solar giant Qcells to furlough 1,000 workers

Solar panel giant Qcells announced today that it’s temporarily furloughing 1,000 US workers – 25% of its workforce – and reducing pay and shifts at its factories in northeast Georgia due to supply chain delays caused by US Customs.

Qcells furloughs 1,000 workers

The supply chain delays are hindering the company’s ability to import components to build its solar panels. This has resulted in Qcells’ two factories in Cartersville and Dalton being unable to operate at full capacity for several months.

Qcells spokeswoman Marta Stoepker shared the following statement in an exclusive with Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta:

The company says the furloughed workers, who were notified this afternoon, will retain full benefits and won’t be laid off. However, Qcells will no longer be using staffing agency employees in Georgia “at this time.”

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As Qcells introduced new supply chains to support its growing solar panel manufacturing facilities in Georgia, the company was recently forced to scale back production while our shipments into the US were delayed in the customs clearance process.

Although our supply chain operations are beginning to normalize, today we shared with our employees that HR actions must be taken to improve operational efficiency until production capacity returns to normal levels.

Stoepker said it expects to bring the furloughed workers back “in the coming weeks and months.” She continued:

Our commitment to building the entire solar supply chain in the United States remains. We will soon be back on track with the full force of our Georgia team delivering American-made energy to communities around the country.

Electrek’s Take

In January 2023, the Seoul-headquartered Qcells announced it would invest more than $2.5 billion to build a solar supply chain in Georgia – the largest-ever investment in clean energy manufacturing in the US to date. That included expanding the Dalton solar factory and building a fully integrated solar supply chain factory in Cartersville, Georgia, that will manufacture solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished panels.

It’s not quite there yet, because that takes time. In the meantime, it’s being penalized by Customs. The US government under Trump says it’s keen on boosting domestic manufacturing. Why would it work against a company that’s onshoring an entire solar supply chain, including recycling?

Dalton and Cartersville employ nearly 4,000 people. Its total output will reach 8.4 GW of solar production capacity per year, which is equivalent to nearly 46,000 panels per day – enough to power approximately 1.3 million homes annually.

It’s ludicrous that it has been forced to furlough a quarter of its workforce due to the ineptness of the Trump administration’s US Customs policies. This is right up there with the ICE arrests at Hyundai’s plant in Georgia. Bravo.

Read more: Georgia gives US solar panel manufacturing a big boost with a new factory


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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. It has 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 Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Toyota is yet again delaying EV battery plans

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Toyota is yet again delaying EV battery plans

The breakthrough EV batteries Toyota says will double driving range and cut charging times are facing another setback. The company is once again delaying plans for a new battery plant in Japan.

Why is Toyota delaying its EV battery plant this time?

Earlier this year, Toyota bought a 280,000-square-meter plot of land in Fukuoka, Japan, where it planned to build a plant to produce the more advanced EV batteries.

A location agreement was expected to be signed by April, but Toyota pushed back construction by several months, blaming slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.

The agreement was expected to be finalized this Fall, but that will no longer be the case. According to Nikkei, Toyota is delaying the EV battery plant for the second time. Toyota will review and adjust plans over the next year.

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Fukuoka governor, Seitaro Hattori, confirmed the news with reporters on Friday following a meeting with Toyota’s president, Koji Sato. Hattori also shut down claims that Toyota was planning to scrap the battery plant altogether.

Toyota-delaying-EV-battery
Toyota EV battery roadmap (Source: Toyota)

Toyota again blamed slowing EV demand for the delay. The decision comes despite Keiji Kaita, president of Toyota’s Carbon Neutral Advanced Engineering Development Center, confirming at the Japan Mobility Show just last week that it’s “sticking on the schedule” to introduce its first solid-state battery-powered EV by 2028.

Last month, Toyota said it aimed to “achieve the world’s first practical use of all-solid-state batteries in BEVs” after securing a partnership with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. to mass-produce them. It’s also working with Japanese oil giant Idemitsu.

Toyota-solid-state-battery-EV
Idemitsu’s value chain for solid electrolytes used in all-solid-state EV batteries (Source: Idemitsu)

The company recently revealed a solid-state battery pack prototype that it claims can deliver 747 miles (1,200 km) range and 10-minute fast charging, but will we ever see it actually in production?

Electrek’s Take

Toyota has been making empty promises about EV batteries for almost a decade now. It initially planned to introduce solid-state EV batteries in 2020, then pushed it to 2023, then 2026, and now it’s saying it will be around 2028.

Mass production is likely closer to the end of the decade, if Toyota doesn’t delay it again. While it’s blaming the slowing demand, global EV sales are still on the rise. According to Rho Motion, global EV sales topped 2 million for the first time in a single month in September 2025. Through the first nine months of the year, EV sales are up 26% compared to the same period in 2024.

Even with the US ending the $7,500 federal tax credit and other policies designed to promote electric vehicles, global adoption will continue building momentum over the next few years.

Is it a demand issue, or is Toyota just looking for another excuse? With rivals like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW, and Honda advancing next-gen EV batteries, Toyota will only fall further behind if it continues delaying key projects.

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Podcast: Tesla is now Elon’s, Xpeng goes AI, Rivian earnings, and more

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Podcast: Tesla is now Elon's, Xpeng goes AI, Rivian earnings, and more

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 how Tesla is now Elon’s after the shareholders’ meeting, Xpeng going all-in on AI, Rivian’s earnings, and more.

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:

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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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