Cybertruck isn’t even out yet, and it already has a knockoff: meet Robotruck
You may be eagerly waiting for the much-delayed Tesla Cybertruck, but while you wait, we found something at the LA Auto Show that might satiate you: meet the Robotruck, from a new startup called Aitekx.
We hadn’t heard of Aitekx before, which has a small booth in the West hall of the Auto Show. In recognition of the hot tech buzzword of the year, the company says that its name represents its focus on the AI mobility future – AI + Tech + X. And it just unveiled its upcoming vehicle, which it calls Robotruck (yes, really), and says that it plans to have it out in 2025.
The company claims some rather optimistic specs, including a 550-mile EPA range (though it wouldn’t tell us how many kWh its battery is – though with a range like that, it would have to be 200kWh or more), 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 125mph.
Aitekx also says that the truck will be 188-198 inches long depending on configuration, and 76.6 inches in width. So it’s not quite a Cybertruck – which we learned last week is significantly longer and wider – though the Robotruck will supposedly have a 6 foot bed, just as the Cybertruck does, despite it being about two feet shorter than the Cybertruck. And robotruck is also claiming it will have a mid-gate to fold down the seats and make the bed even longer – one of the original claims that Tesla made, which we haven’t heard any more about since then.
Why all these comparisons to Cybertruck? Well, the design is, uh, certainly inspired by Cybertruck, to say the least. Have a look at the prototype which was just unveiled:
This is just an early prototype, so surely things will change when (if) it comes to production. But Aitekx said that these prototypes are the real deal and that it is already driving them around.
But, seeing that the taillights are literal LED light strips and the panel gaps are reminiscent of a Tesla release candidate, we’re not so sure about this prototype being the real deal yet. But hey, at least Aitekx isn’t 14 days from release.
While we don’t know a price yet, Aitekx says that it will focus on build-to-order vehicles to begin with, but eventually wants to get down into the $40k range. When we asked how they would do that with what must be a 200kWh+ battery, Aitekx told us that you never know what future technology might be capable of. Two years isn’t that far off, though, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.
Aitekx says that it’s currently taking fully refundable reservations at $100 a pop, and even has a configurator to pick your options (beating Tesla to the punch on that one).
Electrek’s Take
Mama told me that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
Then again, I’ve been wrong before about the unveiling of an overly-optimistic EV from a startup which I never thought would happen, and then it did.
I wish them luck. I’d have picked a different vehicle to knock off, though.
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Environment
U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025.
Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters
U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.
Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.
Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.
Oil futures, 5 years
The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.
Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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