These electric shoes help you easily walk 2.5x faster
I know, it sounds like a gimmick. But it’s not – or at least it’s not meant to be. The Moonwalkers are motorized shoes that are designed to help you walk around faster and get where you’re going in less time.
Developed by Shift Robotics, a startup company that was spun out of Carnegie Mellon University, the Moonwalkers claim to be able to increase the average user’s walking speed by around 2.5 times.
To put that into solid numbers, they can boost your walking speed up to 11.2 km/h (7 mph). That’s just about bang on my average speed on long jogging sessions. Imagine walking everywhere around town at running speed, yet without breaking a sweat!
Of course you still have to put in some effort yourself. The shoes don’t turn flat ground into airport-style moving walkways. But as long as you’re walking, the electric shoes are powering your strides to go further, faster.
These aren’t electric skates though; the company makes that quite clear. The whole idea is you still use a normal walking stride. The Moonwalkers strap on over your normal shoes and are even hinged in the middle, similar to the way your toes bend at the ball of your foot, to give a more natural walking motion.
I’m guessing you’ll notice an extra 1.9 kg (4.2 pounds) strapped to each foot, but hopefully the running-speed walkabout makes up for the extra weight on your feet. And as a bonus, it will be like an extra little workout if you think of the Moonwalkers’ additional poundage as 1980s-style ankle weights.
The solution is designed to be as intuitive as possible. As the company explained:
“Thanks to an intuitive AI drivetrain, the shoes adapt to your gait. There’s no new skill to learn or complicated technology to understand. They’re not something you lace up and wobble away on – they’re highly engineered additions to your shoes that you strap on.”
A single charge is said to last for up to 6 miles (10 km). That might not sound like a very long range, especially when we’re used to seeing ranges in dozens of miles from e-bikes, e-scooters and other more traditional micromobility products. But then again, that’s around to 3-4x more distance than the average American walks in a day (as depressing as that is).
The Moonwalker electric shoes actually launched a few months ago on Kickstarter, though we generally shy away from covering crowdfunding campaigns from new startups. After reaching their goal in just two days and raising over US $300,000, Shift Robotics is now selling the speedwalking shoes more traditionally on their website.
But you may not want to be standing (or walking) when I tell you the price. You’ll have to fork over US $1,399 for a set of Moonwalker shoes.
Electrek’s Take
Yea, it’s a bit silly and expensive, but the engineer in me appreciates it! While most people would be better served with just putting a bit more wear on the shoes they already have, I could see a solution like this being helpful for folks whose jobs require significant walking each day. Imagine Amazon warehouse workers or postal service employees with a walking route.
I also wonder if this could have something similar to “the e-bike effect” for walking, where e-bikes have been shown to give average folks more exercise than pedal bikes since the added fun factor combined with the reduced effort means they stay out riding for much longer. Perhaps when you’re suddenly walking at 7 mph, you can decide to walk a mile to the grocery store in just 8 minutes instead of driving there in a car.
For the vast majority of people that won’t be buying electric shoes, I think that just trying to get more steps in the day with your normal acoustic shoes is probably the best bet.
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Blink Charging (Nasdaq: BLNK) has struck a deal with Hubject to make charging easier for EV drivers across North America.
The agreement will bring Blink into Hubject’s intercharge eRoaming platform as a charge point operator. That means electric mobility service providers (eMSPs) and their customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico will soon have access to Blink’s charging stations through their existing apps. In turn, Blink drivers will gain better access to stations connected through Hubject’s network.
Hubject, which already connects more than 1 million charging points and 2,750 partners worldwide, expects the integration to strengthen its North American presence by adding Blink’s wide-ranging network of chargers, from Level 2 workplace stations to DC fast charging. Blink, meanwhile, anticipates more customers will plug in, thanks to Hubject’s reach.
“Our collaboration with Blink marks an important step in expanding our North American intercharge network,” said Trishan Peruma, CEO of Hubject North America. “By integrating Blink’s network into our eRoaming platform, we aim to help reduce barriers that have historically complicated EV charging and to support the continued growth of EV adoption across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”
Blink Charging’s president and CEO Mike Battaglia added, “Connecting the Blink Network to Hubject’s platform will allow more drivers to benefit from interoperable charging while traveling.”
The integration will use the industry-standard OCPI protocol to keep billing and communication between networks secure and reliable. Deployment is planned in phases throughout 2025, with full integration targeted for the end of the year.
Read more: Blink just made it a lot easier to find its charging stations
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Hyundai wants to make the electric sports car for everyone. Not just those who can afford it. The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim was launched in Korea on Monday, offering a lower price tag but the same thrilling drive.
Hyundai launches new IONIQ 5 N Essentials in Korea
The IONIQ 5 N is Hyundai’s first EV sports car under the IONIQ series. Initially launched in 2023, the IONIQ 5 N marked a new era for Hyundai’s high-performance N division.
Hyundai’s electric hot hatch not only looks the part with added sporty “N” branded elements scattered inside and out, but it’s also packed with fun features, advanced tech, and a host of drive modes.
Based on a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, the IONIQ 5 N delivers up to 641 horsepower when N Grin Boost is engaged. Even without it, the electric sports car packs 601 hp.
It also draws power from an 84 kWh battery, good for an EPA-estimated range of 221 miles. On the WLTP scale, it’s rated with an official range of 278 miles (448 km). The added power results in a lower range than other IONIQ 5 trims.
Although it was already one of the most affordable sports cars, EV or gas-powered, Hyundai is lowering the price even further.
After launching the new Essentials model in South Korea on Monday, Hyundai said the new trim “is characterized by lowering the barrier to entry so that customers can experience the overwhelming driving performance of the IONIQ 5 N at a reasonable price through optimized specifications.”
Hyundai focused on core convenience features while including the same high-performance motors, battery, and N-specific elements as the base model.
A Hyundai official said, “The Essential trim of the IONIQ 5 N is a new trim that offers greater cost-effectiveness to lower the barrier to entry for high-performance electric vehicles.”
The IONIQ 5 N features advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including highway driving assist and navigation-based smart cruise control. Hyundai has also added an exclusive new “Parking Assist Lite” package, offering safety and convenience features such as surround view monitoring and rear parking assistance.
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim starts at 74.9 million won ($54,000), including tax benefits. Hyundai said it will continue to make competitive products so more buyers can experience high-performance EVs.
Although the Essentials trim is not available in the US, the IONIQ 5 N is still more affordable than most sports cars. The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N starts at $66,200. But, with the $7,500 tax credit, which is set to expire on September 30, leases are currently listed as low as $549 per month.
Looking to test the IONIQ 5 out for yourself? You can use our link to find the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and high-performance N models near you today (trusted affiliate link).
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A federal judge has cleared the way for Ørsted’s nearly complete 704-megawatt (MW) Revolution Wind offshore wind farm to restart construction, overturning a stop-work order imposed by the Trump administration.
Reagan-appointed senior US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction in Washington, DC, calling the government’s conduct “the height of arbitrary and capricious government conduct.” He added, “If Revolution Wind cannot meet benchmark deadlines, the entire project could collapse. There is no doubt in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.”
Ørsted welcomed the ruling and said in a statement, “Revolution Wind will continue to seek to work collaboratively with the US Administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution. Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.”
The decision marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to stall offshore wind development. Revolution Wind is already about 80% complete, with all turbine foundations and 45 of 65 turbines successfully installed, and expected to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Earlier this month, the two states’ attorneys general announced they were suing the Trump administration to overturn its “baseless” decision to halt Revolution Wind. That underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order will continue to progress.
Oceantic Network CEO Liz Burdock said, “Today’s decision allowing work to resume on Revolution Wind is welcome news for the hundreds of skilled workers who can now return to their jobs while the legal process continues. This Made in America energy project is putting Americans to work building reliable, affordable power to communities across New England that desperately need it.”
Read more: Connecticut, Rhode Island sue Trump to save 80% complete offshore wind farm
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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