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The Aspark Owl – easily one of the most expensive EVs ever built, has made its way over from its assembly lines in Italy to Japan where the hypercar was originally conceived. Available in two different versions, this limited production EV costs millions of dollars and will now be on display to Japanese consumers with deep pockets.

Aspark Co. is a Japanese car manufacturing and engineering firm, founded in 2005 in Osaka and currently has over 25 offices worldwide, specializing engineering and web-related development in addition to hypercars. Despite over seven years of EV development, Aspark has not delivered a production vehicle yet. That will change however with the launch of its Owl hypercar – arriving as one of the fastest and most expensive EVs ever made.

According to Aspark’s website, the Owl is equipped with “the most powerful four electric motors ever made,” combining to produce a total output of 1,980 hp (1,456 kW) and 1,920 Nm (1,416 ft-lb) of torque. All while delivering 250 miles (400 km) of all-electric range.

The EV can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.72 seconds and has a top speed of 260 mph (413 km/h), propelling the Aspark Owl to two Guinness World Records recorded in the UK this past summer. The records include completing an eighth of a mile at an average speed of 192.03 mph (309.02 km/h) and a blistering quarter mile at an average speed of 198.12 mph (318.85 km/h).

Following a spotting in Monaco this past June, the Aspark is once again back in the public eye, making its way overseas to Japan where its maker’s originally dreamt the hypercar up.

  • Most expensive EV

Aspark Owl goes on sale as one of the most expensive EVs

According to news directly from Aspark, a production version of the Owl hypercar is making its way over to Japan from Italy, where it was assembled. The Owl will be on display at showrooms at Kita-ku – one of the main commercial centers of Osaka – as part of an exclusive event for potential clients from Japan and Asia, to see the EV up close and possibly purchase one.

As one of the most expensive EVs on the planet, the clientele interested in purchasing an Owl is likely a smaller list than with other vehicles. For example, the Owl starts at a price of 2.9 million euros ($3.1 million) each. Better still, Aspark shared it is also selling a version with complete carbon-fiber body, priced at 3.5 million euros ($3.75 million).

Up until recently, the Aspark Owl was hands down the most expensive EV on the planet, despite not yet reaching production yet. However, fellow hypercar manufacturer Automobili Pininfarina snagged the crown from Aspark when it announced its topless Barchetta EV this past August. Those hypercars cost a staggering 4.4 million euros ($4.72 million) each.

As we’ve reported before, Aspark says it will only built 50 Owl EVs, which will take approximately 12 months to deliver after an order. The EVs are being manufactured by Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT).

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China’s nationwide ‘cash for clunkers’ trade-in program causing huge e-bike boom

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China's nationwide 'cash for clunkers' trade-in program causing huge e-bike boom

While much of the Western world is still figuring out how to get more people on electric bikes, China just flipped a switch, and the results are staggering. Thanks to a generous nationwide trade-in program rolled out around six months ago, China has seen an explosive surge in electric bicycle sales, with over 8.47 million new e-bikes hitting the road in the first half of 2025 alone.

The program, which offers subsidies to riders who trade in their old, often outdated electric bikes for newer, safer, and more efficient models, has sparked a new e-bike sale boom in a country already dominated by e-bike travel. In major provinces like Jiangsu, Hebei, and Zhejiang, over one million new e-bikes were sold in each region in just six months. That’s a tidal wave of e-bike sales.

The incentives vary depending on location and the model being traded in, but for many consumers, the subsidies cover a substantial portion of a new e-bike’s price – enough to turn a “maybe next year” purchase into a “right now” upgrade. And these aren’t just budget bikes either. The program has driven demand for higher-quality models with better batteries, safer braking systems, and more reliable electronics, accelerating both adoption and innovation across the industry.

The move has proven successful in replacing the millions of older models with lower-quality lithium-ion batteries that had posed safety risks around the country. Instead, China has pushed for higher-quality lithium-ion batteries, a return to a newer generation of higher-performance AGM batteries, and even interesting new sodium-ion battery options.

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Most e-bikes in China look more like what we’d consider seated scooters

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, more than 8.4 million consumers have participated in the e-bike trade-in program so far, contributing to a sales increase of 643.5% year-over-year and more than doubling sales month-over-month. Meanwhile, production of new electric bicycles rose by nearly 28%, as manufacturers scrambled to meet demand. The sales boosts have already been seen in the financial reports of major industry players like NIU.

And it’s not just the big players benefiting – over 82,000 small independent e-bike dealers reported average sales increases of ¥302,000 (around US $42,000), giving a serious boost to local economies.

What’s particularly striking here is how fast this happened. The program was officially launched late last year as part of a broader effort to stimulate domestic consumption and phase out outdated vehicles and appliances. But while most analysts expected gradual growth, the e-bike sector responded much more quickly. In less than a year, the trade-in subsidies have reshaped the electric bicycle market, creating a consumer-driven boom that shows no signs of slowing.

For those of us watching from outside China, it’s hard not to wonder what might happen if other countries tried something similar. While most families in Chinese cities already own an electric bike and thus see this as an opportunity to trade it in for a newer model, Western countries like the US are still figuring out how to stimulate commuters into buying their first e-bike.

It’s too soon to know exactly how long the boom will last or whether the momentum will carry into 2026 and beyond. We’ve seen bicycle industry bubbles grow and burst before. But one thing’s clear: with the right incentives, even modest ones, it’s possible to ignite real, large-scale change. China just proved it with nearly 8.5 million new e-bikes to show for it.

And if you’re wondering what it looks like when a country takes electric micromobility seriously, this is it.

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Day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025 [Gallery]

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Day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025 [Gallery]

Today was the official start of racing at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025! There was a tremendous energy (and heat) on the ground at NCM Motorsports Park as nearly a dozen teams took to the track. Currently, as of writing, Stanford is ranked #1 in the SOV (Single-Occupant Vehicle) class with 68 registered laps. However, the fastest lap so far belongs to UC Berkeley, which clocked a 4:45 on the 3.15-mile track. That’s an average speed of just under 40 mph on nothing but solar energy. Not bad!

In the MOV (Multi-Occupant Vehicle) class, Polytechnique Montréal is narrowly ahead of Appalachian State by just 4 laps. At last year’s formula sun race, Polytechnique Montréal took first place overall in this class, and the team hopes to repeat that success. It’s still too early for prediction though, and anything can happen between now and the final day of racing on Saturday.

Congrats to the teams that made it on track today. We look forward to seeing even more out there tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some shots from today via the event’s wonderful photographer Cora Kennedy.

Stay tuned for more!

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Tesla sold 5,000 Cybertrucks Q2, Optimus is in chaos, plus: the Infinity Train!

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Tesla sold 5,000 Cybertrucks Q2, Optimus is in chaos, plus: the Infinity Train!

The numbers are in and they are all bad for Tesla fans – the company sold just 5,000 Cybertruck models in Q4 of 2025, and built some 30% more “other” vehicles than it delivered. It just gets worse and worse, on today’s tension-building episode of Quick Charge!

We’ve also got day 1 coverage of the 2025 Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix, reports that the Tesla Optimus program is in chaos after its chief engineer jumps ship, and a look ahead at the fresh new Hyundai IONIQ 2 set to bow early next year, thanks to some battery specs from the Kia EV2.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


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