Tern continues to lead the electric cargo bike space with the upgraded HSD model. Able to carry an adult passenger, this pint-sized powerhouse is riddled with innovation. At just the right size, the HSD is fully capable of carrying a maximum gross vehicle weight of nearly 400 lbs, or daily driving tasks without the bulk. With accessories that make most anything possible, the HSD solidifies Tern as king of the cargo hill.
Customizability: tailored to your needs
I’ll begin by highlighting the Tern HSD‘s remarkable customizability. Tern has designed this bike to be adaptable for riders of all sizes. The stem and handlebars can be adjusted effortlessly, whether you’re folding it up for storage or sharing it with a friend. The whole design of the bike ensures that cargo weight remains low, thus enhancing stability. Paired with puncture-protected and reflective 20×2.15 tires and full-coverage fenders, the HSD offers a smooth and worry-free ride in all conditions.
Without tools the HSD can change on the fly to accommodate different riders between 4’11” and 6’5”. This is completely unmatched in the electric bike space, and I can tell you from experience that the bike feels good on the road.
Power and control: a seamless riding experience
Under the hood, the Tern HSD is powered by the Bosch Performance Line motor, which seamlessly integrates with the Shimano Nexus INTER-5E internal geared hub and Gates belt drive. The result? A powerful, low-maintenance system that makes every ride a breeze. But what truly makes the HSD better than its predecessor is the Bosch smart system. With features like GPS tracking (for S-level bikes), remote locking, and customizable power curves accessible through a user-friendly app, the HSD feels like a personal assistant for your bike. The wireless Intuvia display is a sleek addition, offering real-time metrics and easy removal for added security. Using the eBike Flow App, the HSD motor can be locked in place, and the theft alarm (for S-level bikes) makes this a tough nut to crack. On top of that, the Bosch smart system keeps getting better, with updates available for the motor and display, for ongoing value added.
Riding experience: beyond expectations
Riding the HSD is like riding any other bike, in terms of size, steering, and a natural pedal assist. I can’t tell you how amazing this is, considering that many other cargo bikes feel like driving a bus. Despite its compact size, this cargo bike handles like a dream. Sharp turns, impressive acceleration, and smooth gear shifts make it a joy to ride, whether you’re carrying a hefty load or simply cruising along. With and without cargo, the Tern HSD still handles very similar. Having the weight of the load both low and close to the rider makes for a great ride.
Size and capacity: small yet mighty
Size isn’t everything, and the HSD proves that. It’s rated to a max gross vehicle weight of nearly 400 lbs, an unheard-of feat for a bike of this stature. The redesigned Captain’s Chair offers comfort and convenience for riders of most any size. While a tiny tot younger than eight might be too adventurous to remain in the Captain’s Chair, the HSD can carry one child seat, one bigger kid in the Clubhouse Mini, or an adult passenger. The rear of the bike can be customized with various accessories, and the railings can be adorned with custom lights, showcasing Tern’s genius in design.
Utility and convenience: cargo solutions galore
Tern offers an array of customization options, including rain covers for kid passengers, quick-release front accessories, kickstand upgrades, full encircled rails for children, front-loading coolers, and much more. I could only try some of the accessories with our time on the HSD, and I was blown away.
The HSD boasts a robust front rack that’s versatile enough to handle both heavy and light cargo, from boxes to coats and backpacks. This sturdy beast I got to try is incredibly convenient, but the options only spread from there. The ingenious Cache Box in the middle of the bike can secure heavy-duty locks or your essentials. Notably, the rear wheel features a Dutch lock with the same key shape as the battery lock, a thoughtful touch for added security.
Let’s not forget the remarkable bags from Tern. They’re not only spacious but incredibly user-friendly. These bags can be neatly folded up to maintain a streamlined profile, and provide shielding for wiggle kid feat. With quick release buckles, reflective accents, stabilizer straps, and 74L of storage for the pair, these bags hold more than the trunk of a small crossover.
Tested and Certified
Any bike designed for cargo and passenger-carrying needs to be safe. The Bosch system on the HSD is certified to the UL 2849 safety standard, which ensures the motor, battery, display and charger have been tested and certified for protection against fire hazards. If that wasn’t enough, the bicycle frame and fork have been EFBE-tested to ensure reliable and safe rides day after day, even when fully loaded.
Tern HSD, mighty but mini
After riding the HSD, I’m convinced that Tern is leading the pack in innovation, safety, and design. With more capabilities than a bike twice its size, the HSD left me wondering if there’s anything it can’t handle. I think that this bike will be in short supply after customer reviews start pouring in. It might take awhile before Tern revisits this platform for upgrades, because I can’t think of anything that is missing.
At Electrek, we’re big on helping the planet, and Tern shares our vision for a better future. Tern donates at least 1% of its net profits to social and environmental causes every year.
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Germany’s largest offshore wind farm under construction, EnBW’s He Dreiht, just hit a big milestone: The first enormous turbine is now up in the North Sea.
He Dreiht – which means “it spins” in Low German – is using Vestas’s massive 15 megawatt (MW) turbines, the first project in the world to install them. Just one spin of one of the rotors can generate enough electricity to power four households for an entire day.
When it’s finished, He Dreiht will have 64 mega turbines cranking out 960 megawatts (MW) of clean power – enough to supply around 1.1 million homes. And it’s being built without any government subsidies.
EnBW, one of Germany’s major energy companies, has been working in offshore wind for more than 15 years, but He Dreiht is their biggest project yet. “It will play a key role in helping us to significantly grow our renewable energy output from 6.6 GW to over 10 GW by 2030,” said Michael Class, who heads up EnBW’s generation portfolio development.
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The project is a win for Vestas, too. “With the installation of the first V236-15.0 MW, we have reached an important milestone for both the He Dreiht project and our offshore ramp-up, which helps Germany build a more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy system,” said Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern & Central Europe.
He Dreiht is located about 85 kilometers (53 miles) northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Helgoland. At peak times, more than 500 workers will be out at sea building the farm, using a fleet of more than 60 ships. EnBW’s offshore team in Hamburg is running the show.
The installation process is a major operation. The 64 foundations were already set in the seabed last year. Parts for the turbines are loaded onto the installation vessel Wind Orca in Esbjerg, Denmark, and shipped out in a 12-hour journey to the construction site. From there, the turbines are lifted into place. Meanwhile, crews are also working on internal wind farm cabling.
A partner consortium made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the shares in He Dreiht.
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Tesla has released a quick update about its Tesla Semi factory in Nevada. It says that it is on track for volume production of the electric semi truck in 2026.
The Tesla Semi was first scheduled to go into production in 2019, but it has faced numerous delays.
Now, it appears that there is finally some momentum to bring it to volume production.
For the last two years, Tesla has been working to build a new factory next to Gigafactory Nevada, where it builds the battery packs and drive units for most of its electric vehicles built in North America.
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Today, Tesla released a “progress update on the factory, confirming that it finished building and it’s now working on deploying the production lines:
Tesla had previously mentioned aiming for volume production by 2025, but it is now only talking about starting production toward the end of the year and ramping up next year.
The automaker reiterated its planned production capacity of 50,000 units.
They now expect to take deliveries of their first trucks later in 2026 and said that the price has increased “dramatically,” leading them to scale back their pilot program from 42 to 18 Tesla Semi trucks.
When originally unveiling the Tesla Semi in 2017, the automaker mentioned prices of $150,000 for a 300-mile range truck and $180,000 for the 500-mile version. Tesla also took orders for a “Founder’s Series Semi” at $200,000.
However, Tesla didn’t update the prices when launching the “production version” of the truck in late 2022. Price increases have been speculated, but the company has never confirmed them.
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Vietnamese solar panel maker Boviet Solar just opened the doors to its first US factory — a huge new PV module plant in Greenville, North Carolina.
The company dropped $294 million into the state-of-the-art facility, which will pump out Boviet’s Gamma Series monofacial and Vega Series bifacial solar panels. They’re using advanced PERC and N-Type solar cell tech, which basically means these panels are built to deliver higher efficiency and better performance across residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale projects.
The Greenville factory’s first phase is now online with an annual PV module output capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW). For Phase 2, which is scheduled to come online in the second half of 2026, Boviet will invest another $100 million to add 600,000 square feet and ramp up to another 2 GW. It will make high-efficiency solar cells.
Once both phases are complete, Boviet’s campus will cover more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing and R&D space. It’s one of the biggest clean energy manufacturing projects North Carolina has ever seen.
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The jobs impact is significant, too. The first phase will create 460 skilled local jobs. Phase 2 is expected to add another 908, bringing the total to over 1,300 direct jobs, plus nearly 2,000 more indirect jobs across the region. That’s good news for Pitt County’s economy, real estate market, and workforce training programs.
“This facility is not just creating jobs, but creating opportunity, innovation, and a stronger foundation for eastern North Carolina,” said Senator Kandie Smith. Governor Josh Stein added that Boviet Solar’s move shows how North Carolina is leading the way in clean energy growth.
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