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If you’re wondering what that rumble you just felt was, it’s a shockwave rippling through the e-bike market in the US after this morning’s launch of the Ride1Up Portola. The $995 e-bike could upend the race for top-value e-bikes thanks to its low price combined with impressive performance.

Ride1Up Portola to shake things up

San Diego-based Ride1Up is no stranger to launching value-priced electric bikes. The brand is known for crowd favorites in the commuter category and has even expanded into new territory from adventure bikes to mopeds.

But with the launch of the Ride1Up Portola today, the company’s first folding e-bike, we’re seeing a new level of bang-for-your-buck than we’ve ever witnessed from the brand before.

The electric folding bike ships as a 20 mph (32 km/h) Class 2 e-bike, but users can unlock Class 3 performance using the bike’s display to reach speeds up to 28 mph (45 km/h).

The low-step frame makes it easy to get on and off the 59 lb. (26.8 kg) bike, and the battery is removable from the top tube without folding the e-bike.

A 750W continuous-rated rear hub motor powers the Portola and comes wrapped in the rear 20″x3.0″ tire. Those 3.0″ tires cut a nice balance between fat tires for comfort and narrower tires for better handling.

For those that can resist the urge to throttle around all the time, a cadence sensor with 24 magnets pairs with an 8-speed Shimano drivetrain for respectable (at this price) yet basic pedal performance.

The low-tread tires are urban-optimized, meaning this is more of a commuter folding e-bike than an adventure bike, though light trail riding is still certainly reasonable. The inclusion of a built-in rear rack rated for 130 lb. (59 kg) of load as well as a fender package and front/rear LED lights help lend more credence to the commuter use.

A set of hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors provide powerful stopping force and an 80 mm front suspension fork helps soak up those bumps.

The stock 48V 10.4Ah battery offers 500 Wh of capacity for just $995, but there’s a larger 643 Wh battery version of the bike available for just $1,095, boosting range by nearly 30% for only $100 more. Though as if those prices weren’t good enough already, the company has a launch promotion today that drops the intro price to just $895 for the first 50 units.

Electrek’s Take

Let’s be honest about what this is: It’s obviously Ride1Up’s shot across the bow of Lectric eBikes, saying “We see your Lectric XP 3.0 and we raise you a Ride1Up Portola.”

On the one hand, the folks over in Phoenix probably aren’t too thrilled out it. But then again, Lectric’s game plan for years has basically been to look at what other e-bike companies are doing, and then simply build a lower cost version and do it better. So it’s not like they can really complain about healthy competition.

Whether or not this is better than the XP 3.0 is likely going to come down to a matter of opinion since a lot of the specs are quite similar between the two. While Lectric has a well-established reputation in the value folding e-bike space that Ride1Up can’t hope to match for years, the Portola itself looks like a strong competitor.

You don’t get Lectric’s slime tires, but you do get a battery that can be removed without folding. You don’t get Lectric’s super-comfy saddle, but you do get an arguably sexier frame (and more color options!). You don’t get as many accessories to choose from, but you get the long-range battery for $100 less than you’d pay for the long-range XP 3.0.

My big question is whether Ride1Up’s existing Passenger Package accessory will fit the bike. If so, that would add second-rider capabilities allowing you to take a friend or kid on back. The rack is only rated to 130 lb. (unlike the 150 lb that the current Passenger Kit can support on models like the Cafe Cruiser). But there do appear to be footpeg mounts on the Portola’s frame, so perhaps we’ll see Passenger Kit approval on the Portola, even if it comes with a 20 lb. lower weight rating than on other Ride1Up e-bikes that the Passenger Kit fits.

It’s hard to say that either the Portola or the XP 3.0 is that much better than the other at this point. In fact, they seem pretty darn evenly balanced, and I’m a firm believe that e-bikes need to be able to stand on their own. From what I can tell, Ride1Up has knocked it out of the park here with a value-based design that should excite both existing fans and newcomers to the brand alike. And that’s great news for anyone on the hunt for a value e-bike that can hit high speeds and offer great utility for under $1,000!

ride1up portola electric bike

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Here’s our first look at the Genesis GV70 EREV [Video]

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Here's our first look at the Genesis GV70 EREV [Video]

Genesis is gearing up to introduce its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), the GV70. Ahead of its debut, the Genesis GV70 EREV was spotted in Korea, offering a closer look at the upcoming SUV.

Genesis prepares for its first EREV, the GV70

The luxury automaker is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a slate of new EVs, hybrids, and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) set to arrive over the next few years.

During its CEO Investor Day last month, Hyundai revealed plans to launch several new Genesis vehicles, including its first EREV.

First up will be the Genesis GV70 EREV, promising to deliver over 1,000 km (620 miles) of driving range. The electrified SUV will still run on a 100% electric motor, but a small gas engine acts as a generator to charge the battery when it becomes low, thereby extending the driving range.

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Although the Genesis GV70 EREV isn’t due out for another year or so, we are already getting our first look at the new extended-range electric SUV.

First-Genesis-GV70-EREV
Genesis plans to launch new luxury EVs, hybrids, and EREVs (Source: Hyundai)

The folks at HealerTV spotted the new vehicle parked in South Korea, giving us a better idea of what to expect when it arrives.

Although it’s still covered in camouflage, you can see it’s nearly identical to the current gas-powered GV70. At least from what we can see, the front and back ends look about the same.

We also got a sneak peek at the interior, which also appears to be essentially unchanged. Genesis just introduced an updated interior and exterior design on its current vehicle lineup, so no major changes are expected.

Since it’s still a prototype, the design could change by the time it hits the market, which is expected in December 2026.

Genesis will launch its first hybrid next year, the GV80 SUV, which is expected to be followed by the GV70 EREV later in the year. Following that, at least two new luxury SUVs will join the lineup, based on the Neolun (pictured on the left) and X Gran Equator concepts (pictured on the right).

The Neolun is expected to arrive as the Genesis GV90, an “ultra-luxe” flagship electric SUV, while the X Gran Equator will be an off-roader.

Genesis plans to expand into up to 20 European markets while boosting brand sales in the US with its new lineup. By 2030, the luxury brand aims to sell 350,000 vehicles globally.

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Base Power raises $1B to reinvent Texas’ grid with home batteries

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Base Power raises B to reinvent Texas’ grid with home batteries

Austin-based Base Power just raised $1 billion in Series C funding to accelerate its mission to modernize the Texas grid, one home battery at a time.

Addition led the round, with support from existing and new investors. The fresh capital will help Base scale up operations, grow its team, and build out domestic manufacturing to meet surging demand for resilient, distributed home batteries.

Base Power is a licensed electricity provider operating in Texas’s deregulated electricity market, and it functions as a virtual power plant (VPP). Its model is simple but transformative: customers pay a monthly fee for energy, installation, and a home battery – no rooftop solar required. When the grid is up, Base’s networked batteries help stabilize it; when it goes down, the battery keeps the lights on at home.

“The chance to reinvent our power system comes once in a generation,” said Zach Dell, Base Power’s CEO and cofounder. “We’re scaling the team to make our abundant energy future a reality.”

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In under two years, Base has already deployed more than 100 megawatt-hours (MWh) of residential battery capacity, making it one of the fastest-growing distributed energy platforms in the US. The company’s rapid growth has been fueled by organic customer demand, partnerships with major homebuilders like Lennar, and collaborations with forward-thinking utilities.

Base Power currently serves homeowners across the Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin regions, and plans to expand nationwide. To support that growth, the company is building its first factory, an energy storage and power electronics manufacturing hub at the former Austin American-Statesman printing press site in downtown Austin.

The company also recently qualified for Texas’s Aggregated Distributed Energy Resource (ADER) program, which allows distributed batteries to participate directly in the grid market. That means extra reliability for the state and lower costs for customers through shared revenue from grid services.

“The only way to add capacity to the grid is by deploying hardware — and we need to make that here in the US, ourselves,” said Justin Lopas, Base’s COO and cofounder. “This factory in Austin is our first, and we’re already planning for our second. We’re building the tools and systems to reindustrialize America and reinvent the grid.”

Electrek’s Take

Texas’s grid struggles, from heatwaves to winter blackouts, make Base Power’s model timely. Linking home batteries to a virtual power plant offers home backup and grid support. (I was part of a VPP in Vermont, and I can’t stress enough how great it is, especially in power outages.)

With $1 billion in new funding and a planned Austin factory, Base aims to scale fast. For context, Tesla deployed over 31 GWh of storage in 2024, but that figure includes utility-scale Megapacks as well as residential Powerwalls because Tesla didn’t separate out the two in its report. Sunrun’s VPPs now include 20,000+ customers across nine states, and it supplies significant grid support in California. Base’s 100 MWh so far is much smaller, but as a licensed electricity provider, not just a technology platform, its focused Texas rollout and participation in the state’s ADER program could position it as a nimble challenger in the growing VPP space.


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GM scraps $7,500 EV tax credit program, but it has a new way to keep prices down

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GM scraps ,500 EV tax credit program, but it has a new way to keep prices down

GM is ending plans for a program that enabled its dealers to extend the $7,500 tax credit for new Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac EV leases beyond the September 30 deadline. Instead, it has another plan to keep the savings going.

GM ends $7,500 EV tax credit and plans its own savings

After the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles expired at the end of September, GM was among the automakers planning to extend the incentive through leasing.

That will no longer be the case after the automaker suddenly reversed its decision. According to Bloomberg, GM will not extend the credit for EVs that were in transit to dealers ahead of the September 30 deadline.

Instead, GM will provide about $6,000 from its own pockets for a limited time to continue supporting electric vehicle leases.

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A company spokesperson confirmed that “GM worked on an extended offer for the benefit of our customers and dealers,” adding “After further consideration, we have decided not to claim the tax credit.”

The savings will last until the end of the month. The spokesperson said in an email that “GM will fund the incentive lease terms through the end of October.”

Chevy-Equinox-EV-tax-credit
Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

GM and Ford announced programs last week that involved buying EVs through their financing units, which would enable them to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit. The companies would then use the funds to extend the credit through leasing.

A source close to the matter told Reuters that GM decided to end the program after Republican Senator Bernie Moren urged the end of the loophole that enabled the $7,500 credit to be passed on through leasing.

Cadillac-Escalade-EV-tax-credit
Cadillac ESCALADE IQL electric SUV (Source: Cadillac)

The announcement comes after GM delivered a record of over 66,500 electric vehicles in the third quarter. Through September, GM sold 144,668 EVs, more than double the amount it sold in the same period in 2024.

The Chevy Equinox EV is now the best-selling non-Tesla EV in the US, while Cadillac ranked as the top luxury electric vehicle brand in Q3.

GM-EV-tax-credit
Chevy Blazer EV (left), Chevy Equinox EV (middle), Chevy Silverado EV (right) (Source: GM)

Ford, Jeep maker Stellantis, and BMW are still planning to extend the credit for those EV leases for at least another few months. GM was expected to extend the offer until the end of the year.

GM already has one of the most affordable EVs in the US with the Chevy Equinox EV starting at under $35,000. In 2026, it will face a wave of new lower-priced EVs, including the new Nissan LEAF, which will start at under $30,000. General Motors is betting on more affordable EVs, including the 2027 Chevy Bolt, to gain a bigger share of the market over the next few years.

Interested in testing out one of GM’s electric vehicles for yourself? From the Chevy Equinox EV to the Cadillac Escalade IQ, you can use our links below to see what’s available near you.

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