Porsche and Audi, two Volkswagen premium brands, are issuing recalls for 2023 electric vehicle models, including the Taycan and e-tron GT. Nearly 7,000 EVs are being recalled due to insufficient battery sealant that may allow liquid to enter, posing a fire risk. Although no incidents have involved fires, the automakers are issuing recalls out of an abundance of caution.
Porsche and Audi issue recalls
Last year, Porsche and Audi both became aware of a potential issue involving insulation resistance values in certain 2023 models. In some instances, liquid was detected in the battery.
Between March and August, the two automakers received reports of reduced insulation resistance in electric models with sealant from the supplier Teroson. In May, Teroson introduced an enhanced sealant. Since the sealant has been added, there have been no new reports of liquid.
Out of an abundance of caution, Porsche and Audi are issuing a recall on vehicles with the original Teroson sealant.
The electric models being recalled include the 2023:
Porsche Taycan
Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo
Porsche Taycan 4S
Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Porsche Taycan GTS
Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo
Porsche Taycan Turbo
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo
Audi e-tron GT
Audi RS e-tron GT
Porsche and Audi dealers will test the vehicles to see if leakage occurs into the battery. If the test fails, the battery will be replaced free of charge.
The recall covers 1,899 Audi models and another 4,777 Porsche vehicles. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on October 31, 2023.
Porsche owners can call 1-800-767-7243 for more info. The recall number is APB2. Meanwhile, Audi owners can contact customer service at 1-800-253-2834 (recall number 93T7). Audi dealers were notified on September 7, while Porsche plans to notify theirs on September 15.
You can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov to enter your VIN.
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Bundle Velotric’s new Fold 1 Plus or Nomad 2X smart e-bikes with EcoFlow power stations at up to $370 off, more
Velotric has launched a Last Call Summer Sale running through September 1 with up to $670 in savings across a selection of its e-bikes, including price cuts on a number of its newest models. Of the offers, though, we spotted two very special first-time bundles that give you either Velotric’s new Fold 1 Plus e-bike with an EcoFlow DELTA 2 Power Station starting from $1,828 shipped or the newer Nomad 2X Full Suspension Fat Tire e-bike with an EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus Power Station starting from $2,948 shipped – with prices on select colorways of each e-bike bumping the price up by $70 (Fold 1 Plus Stone Gray/Pearl White) and $100 (Nomad 2X Camo). These bundles would normally cost you $2,198 and $3,298 at full price but during this sale period you’ll get the e-bikes and a means to keep them running off-grid with up to $370 and up to $350 in savings, with there no telling if this partnership between brands will continue once September rolls around.
The new Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike brings smarter capabilities to the brand’s folding fleet, starting with a combination of the 750W rear hub motor (peaking at 1,100W) and a 48V 13Ah IPX7-rated battery providing a 12 to 28 MPH speed range (limited to 20 MPH in certain states) for up to 68 miles on a single charge with its PAS activated. Speaking of the PAS, there are three riding modes with five levels of support each for more flexible settings, as well as the system being supported by the brand’s SensorSwap tech, giving you the option to switch between a torque and cadence sensor as you ride. Among the smart features you’ll find Apple Find My integration within the companion app’s controls, with the physical features boasting a hydraulic suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-resistant tires, a rear cargo rack with a 120-pound payload, a 3.5-inch full color Bluetooth display, and much more.
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Velotric’s Fold 1 Plus e-bike comes along with one of EcoFlow’s most popular legacy units in the DELTA 2 power station, which starts at a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity that you can expand up to 3,072Wh with extra batteries tacked on. It provides a 1,800W steady stream of output power through the 15 connection ports for devices/appliances, surging as high as 2,200W for hungrier needs. The battery takes only 50 minutes to get back to 80% via an AC outlet, or 80 minutes for a full battery. It also has a max 500W solar input to recharge within three to six hours via the sun.
First discount takes $66 off Linkind’s new 14-pack of Smart Solar Spotlights at $154
Coming at us via its official Amazon storefront, Linkind is offering the first cash savings on its new 14-pack of SL5C Smart Outdoor Solar Spotlights at $153.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $66 off coupon. This larger-than-ever bundle package just hit Amazon a few days ago carrying a $220 price tag, with this being the first savings that gives you far more lighting to cover larger yards and gardens. You’re getting a 30% markdown with this deal as the bundle is coming right out the gate that amounts to $11 per light, setting the bar for future discounts in the future. You’ll also find the 2-pack, 4-pack, and 8-pack deals on the same landing page starting from $24.
EcoFlow offers up to 59% off three power station bundles and a solar panel starting from $489
As part of its August Home Backup Sale, EcoFlow has launched the last of its flash sales, with this one taking up to 59% off four offers through August 17. While the lowest price is on a 400W solar panel, among the three power station offers, things start with the DELTA 2 Portable Power Station and an extra battery for $899 shipped. While this bundle carries a $1,798 MSRP, we more often see it keeping to $1,289 at full price at Amazon, where it’s currently priced for $50 more with a FREE $130 solar-charging Power Hat (just add both to your cart, where the discount is automatically applied). Discounts over the last year have seen the costs taken as low as $799 once during March, while more frequently bouncing between $849 and $899 rates. Today’s deal gives you a 50% markdown off the MSRP for the third-lowest price we have tracked.
Keep devices and appliances running with Bluetti’s Elite 200 V2 200W solar bundle at $1,199
Popping into Bluetti’s official Amazon storefront, you’ll find the Elite 200 V2 Portable Power Station bundled with a 200W solar panel at $1,199 shipped, which is also matching the price we’re seeing directly from the brand’s website. This bundle normally fetches $1,999 outside of sales, with discounts until June regularly dropping the costs to this rate, beaten out by $1,099 low we last saw during last month’s Prime Day event, after which it’s been mostly falling to $1,299. The deal here gives you an $800 markdown at the second-best price we have tracked, while also equipping you with the means to keep significant devices and appliances running by way of the sun.
You can bring home Jackery’s expanded 4kWh Explorer 2000 Plus solar bundle with a transfer switch at $2,882
Jackery’s recent sale may have ended yesterday, but the brand’s official Amazon storefront is offering a substantial home backup bundle deal with its Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station that comes with an expansion battery, two 200W solar panels, and a manual transfer switch at$2,882.07 shipped, after clipping the on-page 7% off coupon. This expanded package would normally fetch $5,199 at full price, with the deal here even beating the previous sale rate by $46 – and that’s including the bonus 7% savings you would have gotten during the event. All-in-all, you’re looking at a combined 45% markdown that gives you $2,316.93 in savings at the second-lowest price we have tracked, only beaten out by the one-time $2,599 low we spotted during Prime Day.
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.
BYD’s new all-terrain circuit is the first of its kind in China, and it’s pretty wild. It’s more than a test track. The complex is essentially a playground for electric vehicles with indoor sand dunes, ice fields, off-road mountains, and high-speed racetracks. It even has a pool.
BYD builds China’s first all-terrain circuit for EVs
After officially opening its new all-terrain circuit in Zhengzhou on Thursday, BYD said it’s “breaking the barriers of traditional racing tracks with subversive innovation.”
The site features eight unique zones: An indoor sand dune, a low-friction ring, a kick-plate, a wading pool, a dynamic paddock, a race track, an off-road mountain park, and a camping area.
BYD said it’s the first of its kind in China, specifically dedicated to its new energy vehicles (NEVs). After it stopped producing fully gas-powered vehicles in 2022, the company has focused on all-electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles.
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The indoor sand dune is not just massive, it’s record-breaking big. It was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s highest and largest for car testing, featuring a 29.6-meter vertical drop and a 28-degree slope.
The indoor sand dune at BYD’s new all-terrain circuit (Source: BYD)
And then there’s the 70-meter-long wade pool, exclusively built for the Yangwang U8. If you haven’t seen it yet, the U8 can actually float on water. It features an emergency flotation feature that enables it to float on water for about 30 mins.
The Yangwang U8 in the wade pool at BYD’s new all-terrain circuit (Source: BYD)
The kick-plate is a circuit that allows drivers to test vehicles in emergency situations, such as loss of control on icy or wet road conditions.
BYD built the low-friction circle, China’s first 44-meter-diameter circular track, to test drifting with “a constant friction coefficient between that of ice and snow. It consists of 30,000 smoothed basalt bricks with 3 mm of water covering the surface. BYD is using it to showcase its DiSus Intelligent Body Control System and, of course, to give everyone the chance to drift.
The circular track at BYD’s new all-terrain circuit (Source: BYD)
When you’re done drifting, you can head over to the 1,758-meter race track. You can take off on the 550-meter acceleration section or try your luck on nine extreme corners.
The 15,300-square-meter dynamic paddock features over 12 different immersive scenarios to showcase BYD’s full range of smart technology, including moose testing and automated parking.
An off-road mountain at the BYD all-terrain circuit (Source: BYD)
With 27 off-road scenarios, BYD said drivers of all levels, beginner to advanced, can have the opportunity to drive on various rugged terrains.
This is the first of several circuits BYD plans to open. New locations in Hefei and Shaoxing are set to open soon. The Shoaxing off-road area will be massive, spanning 2,000 acres with an altitude of 500 meters.
According to BYD, “By making cutting-edge technologies, professional facilities, and extreme scenarios tangible and accessible, the circuits aim to break down barriers, serving both as a showcase for NEV innovations and a bridge to popularize NEV culture.”
What do you think of the new complex? Perhaps the US, Europe, and other global markets need a few of these so drivers can experience the advantages of electric vehicles.
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Tesla, Rivian, and other EV automakers in the US are seeing billions of dollars in revenue disappear as the US is officially ending the emission credit market.
As we previously reported, Trump’s recently passed ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is expected to have numerous impacts on the EV sector in the US.
The main one is the removal of the federal tax credit for the purchase of electric vehicles on September 30th.
Another change is the end of penalty enforcement for automakers with lower average fuel economy – aka those that produce more gas-guzzling vehicles and fewer electric vehicles.
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This change is now already entirely in effect.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially stopped issuing compliance letters to automakers for violating fuel economy standards. This eliminates the market for credits under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard.
Automakers that didn’t comply with CAFE rules had to pay fines or purchase credits from other automakers that had a surplus, primarily those that only sell electric vehicles, such as Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid.
Those automakers would sell the credits for less than the fines, but now that the Trump administration has officially eliminated the penalties, it has officially killed the market for credits.
Many automakers had deals to purchase the credits, and following the passing of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, it wasn’t clear if those deals would continue or if
The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), an EV trade group, filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals to force NHTSA to resume issuing the letters.
In comments attached to the petition, Christopher Nevers, Rivian’s director of public policy, stated that the company is unable to finalize its credit deals due to the NHTSA’s decision to end the issuance of compliance letters, resulting in a loss of $100 million in revenue.
Rivian no longer expects any CAFE credit revenue this year.
A NHTSA spokesperson claimed that it will return to issuing compliance letters after a review of the CAFE standards (via investing.com):
“NHTSA is focusing on fixing CAFE standards to make cars more affordable again. When that process is complete, we will return to issuing compliance letters to manufacturers.”
But there’s significant doubt that this will happen under the Trump administration.
Ironically, the automaker most affected by this change is Tesla, whose CEO donated hundreds of millions to Trump’s campaign.
Over the last four quarters, Tesla reported almost $2.5 billion in revenue from regulatory credits, which accounted for a significant portion of its net income during the period.
Those are global regulatory credit revenues, and the automaker doesn’t disclose what part comes from the US, but it is estimated that as much as half comes from its US sales.
Electrek’s Take
It’s a sad day. This was a direct transfer of money from companies that contribute to deadly pollution to companies that try to reduce that pollution.
It was undeniably a good thing, and we are now already seeing automakers slow down their electric vehicle plans in the US.
Yesterday, I asked Honda executives what they think are the main reasons for the slow adoption of electric vehicles in the US, and their response was emphatic: “policies”.
It’s not just the actual policies, but the uncertainty and constant changes that make it hard to deploy a clear strategy.
In my opinion, EVs are the superior product, and automakers should strive to deliver the best product possible. However, corporations have different objectives, and I understand that these policy changes make it challenging to operate.
The result is that the US will fall further behind in electric vehicles while the world moves forward at full speed.
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