After seeing the success of rivals, Subaru doesn’t want to be left behind. Subaru looks to join Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, and several other automakers that are doubling down on more affordable EVs.

Subaru is looking to launch more affordable EVs

Following the launch of its new Uncharted electric SUV last week, Subaru is now considering introducing a smaller, entry-level EV to anchor its lineup.

Subaru’s global EV product manager, Inoue Masahiko, told Autocar during a recent interview that the company was looking into launching a new electric car to sit below the Uncharted.

Masahiko explained that “It’s something that is up for consideration, because we need to prepare a wider range of BEVs to meet every customer’s expectation.”

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The move follows the success of other automakers, which are already seeing surging demand with more affordable EVs rolling out. The Renault 5 EV, which launched earlier this year at £22,995 ($31,100), has already secured over 35,000 sales this year. It’s now the most popular EV among private buyers in the UK.

Kia and Hyundai are also seeing strong initial demand for their new entry-level electric cars, the EV3 and Inster EV.

Through the first half of the year, the Kia EV3 is the sixth-best-selling EV in Europe, just ahead of the Renault 5. Hyundai’s Inster EV cracked the top 20 top-selling EVs in Europe last month, ranking #19 with over 3,300 units sold.

According to Jato, Chinese brands are quickly gaining market share in Europe, outselling Ford in the first half of 2025 combined. Five brands, including BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda, Leapmotor, and Xpeng, are leading the surge.

Although it’s “up for consideration,” we likely won’t see Subaru’s new entry-level EV for at least another few years.

Subaru’s European boss, David Dello Stritto, confirmed that a B-segment EV was worth exploring, but added that they would have to “wait and see how the Uncharted does” before expanding its lineup.

Dell Stritto said, “I reckon we need about two years to find out how it’s performing,” adding, “We might have come up with new ideas during that period, so in two years’ time we can talk again.”

After expanding its partnership with Toyota, you can expect the Japanese automaker to have a hand in the new EV. Toyota’s product chief, Andrea Carlucci, told Autocar that an electric successor to the Yaris “is the idea,” but he added, “this is not quite now.”

It looks like we’ll have to wait at least another few years before we see the new Subaru EV. By then, it will likely be too little too late with many automakers preparing to launch longer-range, lower-cost electric vehicles.

For now, Subaru’s European EV lineup includes the refreshed Solterra, Uncharted SUV, and new E-Outback (which will be sold under the name Trailseeker in the US).

Source: Autocar

Utica, New York, is about to become a new hub for electric bikes, or at least that’s the plan, if eBliss Global has a say in it.

The company just announced plans to begin manufacturing its e-bikes at Harbor Point later this year. Led by longtime industry veteran Bill Klehm, eBliss Global will invest over $4 million into a new facility and expects to begin production in the third quarter of 2025.

According to WKTV in Utica, eBliss Global isn’t just another newcomer to the booming e-bike market. Klehm, the company’s chairman and CEO, brings more than four decades of experience in automotive and bicycle manufacturing. He also claims to have helped launch Europe’s e-bike market, giving eBliss a strong pedigree as it ramps up US operations.

“What we’re seeing in the U.S. is a wild surge in e-bikes,” said Klehm. “Almost 2.5 million were sold last year, up from just 60,000 in 2016. We’re talking about the fastest-growing piece of transportation equipment in the world, and definitely in the United States.”

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While those sales figures sound a bit optimistic compared to most industry experts who put the peak of the US e-bike market at around 1 to 1.5 million annual sales, there’s no doubt that the market is growing.

The e-bike brand eBliss chose Utica, New York as the home for its new production facility thanks to a combination of community support, infrastructure, and logistics. “The people are amazing,” Klehm said. “Utica has a phenomenal community, a great work ethic, and an excellent educational system. Logistically, it’s perfectly located in the Northeast between Syracuse and Albany, with great rail access.”

The new facility will eventually employ around 40 people and is expected to build 15,000 bikes in its first year. The site will include not just assembly lines but also engineering, sales, marketing, and distribution teams. The project is receiving a $500,000 boost from Empire State Development through job creation tax credits.

Utica Mayor Mike Galime praised the company’s arrival and the momentum behind e-bikes in general. “This company is extremely interested in growth. They are at the cusp of an industry that is starting to proliferate,” he said.

Tesla, through its Tesla Electric division, is partnering with Sunrun to offer electric plans to Texas homeowners.

After gaining experience through its virtual power plants (VPPs), Tesla took things a step further with the launch of “Tesla Electric” back in 2022.

Instead of reacting to specific “events” and providing services to your local electric utilities, as Tesla Powerwall owners have done in VPPs in California, Australia, and a few other markets, Tesla Electric is actively and automatically buying and selling electricity for Tesla Powerwall owners – providing a buffer against peak prices.

The company is essentially becoming an energy retailer.

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Tesla Electric is currently only available to Powerwall owners in a few markets, primarily in Texas and the UK.

Now, Tesla is partnering with Sunrun to launch a new Sunrun Flex plan to customers in Texas:

Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, announced today an innovative home energy plan in partnership with retail electric provider Tesla Electric (Nasdaq: TSLA). Created exclusively for Sunrun Flex™ customers in Texas, this new home energy plan is designed to maximize solar production, battery backup power for outages, and energy independence.

Here are the advantages of the program listed by Sunrun:

• Cost Predictability: Customers enjoy predictable, affordable monthly payments, with the ability to “flex” their energy usage as life changes.
• Managed Settings: Tesla will coordinate electric rates, battery settings, and solar crediting to ensure the most value creation for customers.
• Seamless Experience: Coordinated customer service between Sunrun and Tesla to ensure a seamless experience that integrates the electric plan and Flex system.
• Rollover Credits: When customers use less energy than their baseline, they earn rollover credits to apply against future months when they exceed their baseline.
• Performance Guarantee: Every Sunrun Flex subscription includes 24/7 system monitoring, free maintenance and repairs, along with solar performance and battery health guarantees.

In short, the partnership uses Tesla’s Powerwalls and Sunrun’s solar systems at customer homes to offer a stable electric utility plan.