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The very first discount on Gotrax’s just-released Eclipse Electric Scooter is headlining all of today’s best best environmentally-friendly deals. Dropping to $540 just in time for summer joyrides, the savings today also carry over to some price cuts on Anker’s new LiFePO4 power stations, Matter smart plugs, and more. Just don’t forget about all of the other best e-bike discounts around.

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.

Gotrax’s just-released Eclipse Electric Scooter sees first discount

Seeing its first-ever discount, the all-new Gotrax Eclipse Electric Scooter is now on sale via Amazon. Dropping from the typical $600 price tag, today’s offer lands at $539.99 shipped. Saving you $60, this is the only chance to save since the new release first rolled onto the scene back in June and is of course a new all-time low. Spend 10 minutes walking around New York City, and you’re bound to see a handful of Gotrax scooters. Now you can own one too, as the discount today offers the just-released Gotrax Eclipse and its 20 MPH top speed for less.

Powered by a 500W motor, this electric scooter sports a 28-mile range to ensure it’s just as capable for trips to work and the store as it is for joyrides this summer. There’s a front suspension system alongside an integrated headlight and tail light. The whole package folds up when not in use, too, and while you are riding, you can monitor speed, range, and other riding stats in realtime with an onboard LED display.

Anker’s LiFePO4-upgraded power stations on sale

The official Anker Amazon storefront is offering up to 33% off a range of its power stations and and more compact PowerHouse chargers. One standout has the Anker 521 Portable Power Station upgraded with a longer-lasting 10-year LiFePO4 battery for $220.49 shipped. Regularly $300, this is 27% off the going rate and the lowest price we can find. While we have seen some price drops on the standard issue 512 in the past, the upgraded version is now at one of the best prices yet with nearly $80 in savings. Designed to keep the juices flowing during power outages and emergency situations, it is also a notable option for off-grid setups and the campsite. It provides 600W of power with a series of I/O options including a pair of AC outlets, USB-C, a car outlet, and a pair of legacy USB-A jacks (up to six devices at one). It comes with everything you need to get started (although it can be expanded with solar panels down the line) as well as a 5-year warranty. 

Save $150 on this camping trip-ready Jackery solar kit

A bit more affordable way to have some extra power on-hand, the Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 500 kit is now on sale at Amazon. Dropping to $649 shipped after you’ve clipped the on-page coupon, the savings land from the usual $799 MSRP. Today’s offer amounts to $150 in savings and is matching the best price of the year. Featuring a 518 watt-hour lithium-ion battery, this portable power station sports a 500W pure sine wave AC outlet, three 2.4A USB inputs, and a DC car port.

Ideal for everything from camping trips this summer to tailgates come fall or just the peace of mind have having extra power on-hand, Jackery’s Explorer 500 delivers plenty of power in a convenient and transportable package. It’s also quite handy to have around when the power goes out, too. You’ll also be able to refuel the power station with a solar panel for a truly off-grid setup, and one thankfully comes included in the box. The SolarSaga 100W is a great option for juicing up from just the sun, and it can unfold to quickly turn a bright sunny day into extra juice for the campsite.

TP-Link’s new Matter Smart Plugs work with Siri, Alexa, and Assistant at $15 each

Amazon is now offering a new all-time low on the recently-released TP-Link Kasa Matter Smart Plugs. Right now, a bundle including two of the accessories is marked down to $29.99 shipped after you’ve clipped the on-page coupon. Down from $40, this is only the second discount so far since first hitting store shelves back in May. Now clocking in at 25% off, today’s offer is $2 under our previous mention and landing as the best-ever discount. A 4-pack of them is now landing at the second-best price of $59.99, down from $70 after the on-page coupon savings are applied. The newest additions to the TP-Link Kasa smart home ecosystem, you’re now looking at a chance to save on the brand’s new Matter-enabled smart plugs. Sporting a compact design that won’t hog up both receptacles on the wall outlet, these notably arrive with Matter connectivity to work with HomeKit, Alexa, and Assistant out of the box. The features only get better from there, with energy monitoring allowing you to keep tabs on power vampires and the like. 

Save $296 on this signature Super73 R electric motorbike

If last week’s discount on the NIU BQi-C3 e-bike just wasn’t cutting it in the looks department even with $900 in savings attached, today we’re tracking a rare chance to save on the Super73 R. This e-bike steps up to deliver one of the coolest designs on the market and is now on sale for $2,999 shipped courtesy of Best Buy. Normally fetching $3,295, today’s offer amounts to one of the first chances to save this year at $296 off. It’s the best since back in September of last year, too.

While the rad design might be a bit more subjective, the Super73 R is also an objectively solid pick for cruising around this summer. It can travel 75 miles or more on a single charge thanks to its 960Wh battery. There’s both pedal-assist and throttle-only riding modes, with a rear hub motor which can accelerate you at up to 28 MPH. We’re big fans of Super73 e-bikes here at Electrek, and you can read all about how they stack up in our feature.

e-bikes, a summer favorite!

Other new Green Deals landing this 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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Our only oil and natural gas stock stands to win big if a key pipeline project is revived

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Our only oil and natural gas stock stands to win big if a key pipeline project is revived

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (C) holds a picture of US President Donald Trump during a press conference at Grand Central Terminal on Feb. 19, 2025 in New York City.

Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images

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Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025: Now just over a month away

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Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025: Now just over a month away

Coming in hot… well, as hot as these solar cars can get, upwards of 60 mph.

It’s hard to believe we’re just over a month away from this year’s Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025 collegiate solar car track event! In July, some of the greatest engineering minds from universities across North America will roll into Bowling Green, Kentucky, with their respective hand-built solar-powered EVs to go head-to-head in a competition all about pushing the limits of sustainable transport. The goal? Complete as many laps as possible each race day using nothing but sunshine.

The event is open to the public and free to attend. Raycing kicks off on July 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT and continues through July 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT. You’re not going to want to miss this!

As a refresher, the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is held annually and typically acts as a pre-qualifier for the American Solar Challenge (ASC), a cross-country solar car race held every two years. During ASC years, FSGP is where teams prove their vehicles are road-worthy and safe enough to trek over 1,500+ miles from Tennessee to Wyoming on public roads.

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This year, however, is an off-year for ASC. Teams will only compete in the track event. Here are last year’s FSGP/ASC results and highlights.

The 2025 Electrek FSGP will again be held at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which, interestingly enough, General Motors occasionally uses for Corvette testing and development. It’s here, students will go head-to-head in a grand prix-style event, competing to complete as many laps as possible using nothing but solar power. It may sound simple, but it’s a test of speed, efficiency, and endurance.

Last year’s event drew a record turnout, with more than 32 teams and 710 student participants from universities across the U.S. and Canada.

The ASC and FSGP are organized by the Innovators Educational Foundation (IEF), a 501c3 non-profit providing hands-on, multidisciplinary learning opportunities for college students. In 2023, Electrek announced the signing of a five-year title sponsorship agreement with the IEF, which will guarantee funds to host the yearly races through 2028.

This was a natural fit. EVs, solar power, sustainable transport, and collaboration—this is what we’re all about at Electrek, and we’re thrilled to once again be a part of such an incredible event.

Other 2025 Electrek FSGP sponsors include Altair, Blue Origin, MathWorks, Generac, and in previous years Tesla, which have used the event as prime recruiting grounds. In fact, in past years, one recruiter even told Electrek that “getting great employees at the Formula Sun Grand Prix was like shooting fish in a barrel” and added “students at these events are orders of magnitude more likely to yield successful hires than typical campus recruiting events.”

And when it comes to industry talent, FSGP/ASC has serious roots.

JB Straubel, Tesla’s co-founder, ex-CTO, and current sitting board member, got his start in the Stanford Solar Car program. While he currently serves as CEO of lithium-ion battery materials company Redwood Materials, Straubel talks about how many of Tesla’s early hires came straight out of that same solar car team in the video below.

If you’re interested in joining us in sponsoring these events, please get in touch here!

We’ll continue to post more details, including the full schedule, as the race nears! Keep an eye on the website as well.

2024 Electrek FSGP/ASC recaps

Below are the full recap videos from the Formula Sun Grand Prix/American Solar Challenge. The event’s official Flickr page has also amassed more than 1,500 photos. Check them out—they’re super cool!

More details and full results on last year’s Electrek American Solar Challenge and Formula Sun Grand Prix can be found on the event’s website.

Note: The Formula Sun Grand Prix is not in any way associated or affiliated with the Formula 1 companies, FORMULA 1 racing, or the FIA Formula One World Championship.

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Nissan claims buyouts for workers at US EV plant are a ‘crucial’ part of its comeback

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Nissan claims buyouts for workers at US EV plant are a 'crucial' part of its comeback

The struggling carmaker is urgently cutting costs as it looks to turn things around. Nissan is offering buyouts to US workers at its Canton, Mississippi, plant, citing it as a “crucial” part of its comeback plan.

Nissan offers buyouts for US workers at its Canton plant

Nissan has been in the spotlight over the past few weeks for all the wrong reasons. It began earlier this month, following the company’s announcement that it was abandoning plans to build a new EV battery plant in Japan.

The facility was set to produce lower-cost LFP batteries, which have been key to BYD and other Chinese EV brands’ rapid rise in the global auto industry. With an annual production capacity of up to 5 GWh, the plant was expected to slash EV battery costs by 20% to 30%.

Facing slumping sales, lower profits, and more competition, Nissan launched its new recovery plan, dubbed “Re:Nissan,” earlier this month.

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The comeback strategy involves cutting 20,000 jobs, or around 15% of its global workforce, by 2027. Nissan is also closing several plants to slash costs by 250 billion yen as it aims to return to profitability by fiscal year 2026.

Nissan-buyouts-US-plant
2025 Nissan Ariya Platinum+ e-4ORCE (Source: Nissan)

According to an internal email, viewed by Reuters, Nissan is offering buyouts for US workers at its Canton plant. The email also stated that merit-based pay increases are suspended globally.

Christian Meunier, Nissan America’s chairman, said the buyouts are “crucial for Nissan’s comeback” in the US, its most important market.

Nissan-new-LEAF-EV
Nissan’s new LEAF EV (Source: Nissan)

“While substantial efforts have been made in the US to help right-size Nissan, we need to take additional, limited, strategic action here at a local level,” Meunier said in an email.

Nissan announced a voluntary separation program for a select number of US salaried employees. Since the plan is still ongoing, Nissan didn’t provide any further details.

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Nissan’s upcoming lineup for the US, including the new LEAF EV and “Adventure Focused” SUV (Source: Nissan)

On Wednesday, a separate report from Bloomberg News claimed that Nissan is looking to raise over 1 trillion yen ($6.9 billion) with the help of the UK government to repay a massive loan due next year.

Nissan invested $500 million to upgrade its Canton plant for electric vehicle (EV) production in the US. Although it initially planned to begin building EVs in the US this year, Nissan delayed production until at least 2028.

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Nissan next-gen LEAF testing in the US (Source: KindelAuto)

Later this year, Nissan will launch the upgraded LEAF, now with a longer driving range, an NACS charging port, and a more SUV-like design. It will be one of ten new Nissan or Infiniti models to launch by 2027.

Electrek’s Take

As Electrek reported yesterday, Nissan’s comeback plan hinges on its upgraded e-Power technology. The only issue is that the system is designed for hybrids.

Nissan is following in Toyota and Honda’s footsteps by advancing new hybrid and plug-in hybrid tech, but the company is already two steps behind.

Doubling down on hybrids and PHEVs while delaying more EV projects will likely only set Nissan up for failure over the next few years.

The Japanese automaker is already losing market share in some of its biggest markets, like China and Southeast Asia.

Can Nissan turn things around in the US, its most important market? Or, will it continue to fall out of favor with lower-cost, more advanced EVs on the way from brands like Rivian and Lucid? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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