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Oops, I did it again. I found a cool electric vehicle online while browsing China’s largest shopping platform, and I had to get one. The only problem is I somehow ended up with a container full of them this time. This is the story of how a pile of awesome electric construction equipment ended up in my yard.

Earlier this year I was cruising through Alibaba looking at all the electric construction equipment. My parents have a small ranch in Florida and we were looking for some type of tractor or loader for some general around the property use.

If you know me, you’ll know I’m pretty big into EVs as work vehicles due to the lower operating cost, near-zero maintenance, and a whole host of other reasons. The biggest problem though is that electric tractors and heavy machinery are extremely expensive.

Machines like Monarch’s electric tractor are priced at nearly US $100,000. There are cheaper alternatives like the Solectrac with a front loader for closer to US $35,000, but that’s still more than I was looking to spend for backyard machinery, even if it’s a fairly large 10-acre backyard.

I also decided a wheel loader was a better direction than a pure tractor since we don’t need the crazy torque of a tractor. We aren’t plowing fields, but rather doing more general and diverse heavy-lift jobs. That means the extreme versatility of an articulating wheel loader would be better for us. With a wheel loader, you get something that can function like a tractor for light jobs, but also has a bucket for moving dirt, can work as a forklift, post driller, excavator, etc.

Other diesel-powered loaders of the size I was looking for seem to start at close to US $45,000, with electric models being basically non-existent until you get into the massive machines used by construction companies and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So that’s how I ended up turning to China, as I have in the past to find cool electric vehicles that I can’t find in the West.

This story is about to end up with me rigging a 20,000 lb container to a massive crane

I found a couple of interesting machines, one rated for 880 lb (400 kg) of lifting capacity and another larger version rated for 1440 lb (650 kg) of lifting capacity. They were priced at roughly $5k and $8k respectively, though I knew those prices wouldn’t stick. The “real” price on all of these Alibaba machines is always much higher. My Chinese electric mini-truck was advertised at $2,000, but it cost me around $8,000 in total to land it in my driveway. The 400% markup was almost identical on my electric boat, which started at just over $1,000 but ended up costing me closer to $4,000 with all of the shipping, customs, etc.

Ocean freight has come down a bit since I got those, so I was hoping to get out of this for a bit less than 4x the advertised price. But even if not, it would still be much less than the cost of an equivalent machine in the US.

I was starting to fret about deciding between the smaller and larger loaders, since the smaller would probably be sufficient but that big boy was looking mighty enticing. Ultimately, the factory made the decision for me. Unlike the things I’ve bought in the past, they wouldn’t sell a single unit. They only sold by the container. Gulp.

If I wanted one of the kids, I was going to have to take the whole family.

I’ve never imported a full container of weird things before. I’ve always bought my odd Chinese vehicles by the unit. This was going to be a bigger show than I was expecting when I first got into it.

Finally, I decided I would bite the bullet and get a container of them with the hope of just selling the extras. It took some convincing with the wife, but we’ve been together long enough for her to know that twinkle in my eye when she sees it. It’s worked out well enough in the past (most of the time), so what’s one more gamble?

electric wheel loader

It was quite a gamble, let me tell you. The process took months. Many. Frustrating. Months.

The fun part was spec’ing my machines, of which I set myself up with three smaller units and one big boy, which tightly filled a 20 ft container. I also figured that if I’m already sending a container, I might as well fill up the empty air space with some more goodies. To do that, I added in some accessories like pallet forks, augers, excavator arms, etc.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

From there, it turned into a longer and more drawn-out process than I had expected. The manufacturing time ballooned. The customs paperwork was confusing and seemingly endless. I had to figure out my own logistics for once the container got to the port in Miami. It’s not like you can just ask a friend with a truck to grab your 20,000 lb container. I had to somehow get that big container several hundred miles inland to the family’s ranch.

I also discovered that there was going to be a major unloading problem due to us not having a loading dock on the ranch. There wouldn’t be a way to get the loaders out unless they would be ok with a nearly 5 foot drop driving out the back of a container chassis truck. (They would not.)

Plus, with the amount it would cost me to get a container chassis truck to deliver the container, wait while I unload the machines, then return the container to the port, I could just about buy the whole freaking container myself. And so that’s what I did.

That actually solved the delivery issue since I didn’t have to figure out how to get the machines out of a container sitting so high up on the back of a truck. Instead, I just had the whole container dropped on the property so I could drive them right out the door onto the ground.

And that’s how I did it, though it did require one more added expense of a crane to lower the container down. You can see all the details in the unboxing and testing video I made.

That was unloading day, which happened many long months after I started this whole thing. How many months, exactly? Well, I wrote the original article where I found the machines back in January, and now it’s November. You do the math.

The good news is that the machines were finally here! Unloading wasn’t a cakewalk but went decently well. The machines could have been secured better but were mostly fine. Upon first cracking open the container door, one machine was slightly askew with a tire six inches up the container wall, but it was sitting there happily, at least.

I’m guessing somewhere along the journey, a bump to the container bounced one machine up and the tire caught on the wall. Fortunately it seemed fine and I just wiggled the steering wheel to drop the tire back down.

I drove the machines out and managed to drag the attachments out as well. Once I got the various attachments to the lip of the container with muscle power, I actually used lifting straps and the pallet fork attachment on one of the loaders to carry them out. Each weighs several hundred pounds so it was a good time to have a loader.

electric loader

My first tests with the machines were on some fresh mulch, and boy, was it fun!

You know how you played with those Tonka trucks in the sandbox as a kid? It’s literally the exact same fun feeling when you have your own life-sized versions, even if they’re mini-machines themselves.

Wielding a third of a cubic yard of mulch over your head with just the slight flick of your wrist is a fun feeling!

electric mini-loader

Next, I wanted to try out some of the attachments. I started with the digger attachment since an excavator was the next machine on my list that I wanted.

Mini-excavators cost around $15,000-$25,000 for an imported diesel-powered machine. Electric mini-excavators are rare but can run closer to $75,000-$100,000.

If I could turn my electric loader into an electric excavator for less than $2,000, that’d be a huge score! I knew it wouldn’t match the capabilities of a dedicated excavator, but if I could dig a hole several feet deep, I’d call that a success.

The digger attachment mounts in place of the loader’s bucket, and it’s easy to swap on since I made sure to spec the machine with a hydraulic quick hitch to release and mount attachments directly from the cab. You don’t even have to get out of your chair. Well, at least not for the manual tools like the buckets, pallet forks, etc. In the case of the digger, it has a hydraulic feature for curling the digger bucket, so I had to hop out and manually connect the hydraulic lines.

From there, it was time to dig a hole. And by golly, it works! It only has a dig depth of around 3-4 feet (approximately 1 meter), but that’s enough for a lot of tasks like planting trees, digging trenches, etc. It won’t dig down 6-10 feet (2-3 meters) like a larger dedicated excavator, but I’m not digging a basement here.

For most everyday tasks that you’d use a shovel for, you’re probably not digging more than 4 feet deep. And so this is basically a powered shovel that saves a lot of back-breaking labor. It’s going to make planting trees on the property a lot easier from now on, that’s for sure!

Next, I wanted to try the auger. It’s basically a large drill that can be used for putting in fence posts, mailboxes, trees, or other tasks where you’d want to drill a big, deep hole in the world beneath you.

And again, the dang thing worked perfectly. It mounts just like the digger and is hydraulically powered. In less than a minute I had a clean, deep hole that was perfect for a fence post.

The entire process was super quiet, too. In fact, my dad and I used the machines for a pile of tasks, such as propping back up the little roof over our well that blew over in the last hurricane. It’s a few hundred pounds and nearly 10 feet (3 meters) tall, so the larger loader with the forks was great for hoisting it into place.

articulating wheel loader

Carrying other things like telephone poles, tree branches, water cisterns, and just about everything else was suddenly much more convenient.

We could even pair the loaders with my electric mini-truck for our own mini work site.

Man, this is getting more and more like a backyard childhood sandbox.

The charging process is surprisingly similar to an electric bike. They don’t require an electric vehicle charging station, but rather just have their own charging brick. You plug one end into a 110V AC outlet and the other into the loader.

Charging reportedly takes around 6-7 hours from empty, though I avoided running them totally empty since it’s not great for the SLA batteries.

Oh right, the batteries. So I would have loved to have lithium-ion batteries here for the longer lifespan, but there were a couple of downsides.

For one, the huge 9 kWh and 14.4 kWh SLA packs on the smaller and larger machines actually help serve as ballast in the rear, increasing the load rating that each machine can lift. Second, those big packs would have been even more expensive as lithium-ion batteries.

Another advantage of AGM SLA batteries is you can find them from probably a hundred different suppliers in the US. One day when these packs finally crap out, I won’t have to wonder where to get replacements. I can just get any big 12V bricks and string them together. It’s only slightly more complicated (and heavier) than changing a car battery.

loader lifing crate

As it stands, these things weren’t cheap. With all in for the four loaders, shipping, customs, transportation, and the attachments, I figure I’ve got nearly $50k worth of equipment in that container. Which is why I’m going to have to sell three of those things, even though it’s fun to have what looks like my own construction company with all of these machines hanging around.

Speaking of that though, this whole process has actually led me to realize that there really should be a company in the US for this kind of stuff. Electric mini-construction vehicles like these are so useful for small businesses, hobby farms, wineries, and other users that don’t need a massive Caterpillar backhoe or John Deere machine. For many individuals and small operators, a 5-ton and $100,000 piece of equipment is simply overkill. Smaller machines like these are more useful and more accessible for many folks.

And so that’s what I’m working on now. I’m getting set up to actually offer these things in the US, and be able to support them so people don’t have to take a risk ordering something from halfway around the world before being left out to dry on a machine with no support or warranty. If you want to learn more about it, check out my new site, Nesher Equipment. I’m actually going to start by selling three of these machines, since I never planned on keeping them… and can’t really afford to hang onto four loaders when we only need one for use on our property.

One day, I believe that most construction equipment will be electric. For now, that day still seems pretty far down the road, at least in the US. But maybe I can help some of us get there just a bit sooner.

loader lineup

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Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus folding e-bike at $1,699 low, Bluetti and Jackery take up to 50% off power stations + bonus savings, more

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August 8, 2025

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Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus folding e-bike at ,699 low, Bluetti and Jackery take up to 50% off power stations + bonus savings, more

Closing out this week’s Green Deals, our coverage is headlined by Rad Power’s RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike dropping to its $1,699 low, alongside the ongoing $999 low on the predecessor RadExpand 5 model. From there, we have two power station sales taking up to 50% off units, with the first being Bluetti’s event that has dropped the Elite 100 V2 solar bundle with a 200W panel back to its $799 low. There’s also Jackery’s event with bonus 5% and 7% savings that has returned the new HomePower 3000 station to its $1,614 low. We also have two Greenworks tool deals – either the brand’s 24V 6-inch Mini Cordless Chainsaw or a 2-in-1 60V combo that gives you a 17-inch mower and a 13-inch string trimmer. Lastly, we have a one-day-only discount on Hiboy’s new S2 SE Electric Scooter at a new low price just in time for last-minute back-to-school needs. Plus, all the hangover savings are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s launch deals on the new Heybike Ranger 3.0 Pro e-bike and Mars 3.0 e-bike, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Hop on Rad Power’s RadExpand 5 Plus or RadExpand 5 folding e-bikes at their lowest prices starting from $999

Rad Power’s Back to School Sale may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still pick up two of the brand’s space-saving folding e-bikes at their lowest prices. Now through August 20, alongside the ongoing RadExpand 5 e-bike’s $999 low, you can grab the RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike at $1,699 shipped. This model released last year but has been keeping posted at its full $1,899 rate for most of the time since, with only a free accessory package and one discount to this same rate on the books in 2025. The low price we first saw during Memorial Day sales is coming back around to save you $200 on this newer model that will also save you on storage space at home, in your dorm, or anywhere else.

The Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus comes as the latest iteration of the space-saving series, able to condense down to 29 inches high by 25 inches wide by 41 inches long to fit inside closets, car trunks, on RVs, and more. The 750W rear hub motor is paired with a 720Wh battery to carry you for up to 60+ miles with its five PAS levels activated at up to 20 MPH top speeds (supported by a torque sensor). Among its updated features, you’ll be getting a hydraulic suspension fork alongside hydraulic disc brakes for smoother rides and greater stopping power. There’s also the puncture-resistant tires, fenders to go over top of them, a rear cargo rack for added versatility, an LED headlight, a brake-activated taillight, a Shimano 7-speed derailleur, a color display with a USB-C port, and more.

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If you’re looking to still save space while paying less, the brand’s predecessor RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike is remaining at its $999 low for as long as supplies last. It has a similar combination of a 750W motor with a smaller 672Wh battery that provides up to 45+ miles of pedal-assisted travel at up to 20 MPH top speeds, and also comes with a foldable design for more convenient storage options. It’s a tried-and-true legacy model that offers a nice array of features, including a rear cargo rack, an auto-on LED headlight, an auto-on taillight with brake lighting, a 7-speed MicroShift derailleur, an LED display, and more.

man unloading Bluetti power station and solar panel from jeep with mountains in background

Bluetti’s August solar generator sale drops Elite 100 V2 bundle with 200W panel to $799 low, more from $169

Bluetti is having a solar generator sale that is taking up to 50% off bundled units alongside the exclusive $3,150 savings on the brand’s new Apex 300 Versatile Power Station and the parallel Elite 30 V2 Power Station launch deals. Standing out amongst the new products is the Elite 100 V2 Solar Generator bundle that comes with a 200W panel for $799 shipped, beating out Amazon’s pricing by $150. This package normally goes for $1,299 directly from the brand since its release a month ago, with a $1,399 price tag from Amazon, with the brand’s Prime Day sale having seen costs taken the lowest to $799 for the first time. That low rate is coming back around, saving you $500 off the going rate for a second chance at the best price we have tracked. Head below for more on this bundle and the others seeing discounts in this sale.

If you want to learn more about this solar generator bundle or browse the entire lineup of deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

woman opening refrigerator door that is being powered by Jackery's HomePower 3000 portable power station

Jackery cuts power station and accessory prices by up to 50% alongside bonus 5% and 7% savings starting from $89

Jackery is having an August home backup sale running through August 13, which is taking up to 50% off its power station lineup, complete with member-only pricing on top of an extra 5% and 7% savings on orders over $1,300. Among the lineup, we’re seeing continued Prime Day pricing on the brand’s new HomePower 3000 Portable Power Station for members (free to sign up) starting from $1,614.05 shipped, after using the code BACKUP5 at checkout for an additional 5% off, matching the price on Amazon. This new unit hit the scene back in May at $2,499, and is now matching the Prime Day low. You’re getting a third-ever drop to this all-time low price here, cutting $885 off the tag.

If you want to learn more about this new unit, as well as browse the full lineup of deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

man using greenworks 24V 6-inch mini chainsaw to cut tree branch

You can cut in tighter quarters with Greenworks’ 24V 6-inch cordless mini chainsaw at $95

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 24V 6-inch Cordless Mini Chainsaw with a 2.0Ah battery for $94.99 shipped, which is matching in price directly from the brand’s website. This model normally fetches $130 at full price, which we saw spending the first four months of 2025 keeping to $100, before rising back in price and dropping to the $90 low in June and during July’s Prime Day event. If you missed out on those all-time lows, you can pick it up now at the second-best price we have tracked, cutting $35 off the tag and landing it just $5 above the low.

If you want to learn more about this handy mini tool, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

split image of greenworks 60V 17-inch lawn mower and 13-inch string trimmer combo

This 60V Greenworks bundle gives you a 17-inch mower, 13-inch string trimmer, 4.0Ah battery and 3A charger for $375

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 60V 17-inch Cordless Push Mower and 60V 13-inch String Trimmer Combo Kit at $374.99 shipped, with the price being matched directly from the brand’s website. This package would normally run you $500 at full price, though we’ve seen the costs taken down to $400, $375, and a $350 low over 2025, with that low rate last appearing mid-June. You’re looking at a solid 25% markdown while the savings last, cutting $125 off the tag for the second-lowest price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this two-tool bundle, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man and woman having picnic in park next to two Hiboy S2 SE electric scooters

Get 17 miles of budget-friendly campus commuting on Hiboy’s S2 SE e-scooter at a new $270 low (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the best pricing yet on the newer Hiboy S2 SE Electric Scooter for $269.99 shipped just ahead of students going back to classes. This model hit the market back at the top of 2025 carrying a $550 price tag, with Best Buy instead regularly offering it these days at $330 without discounts. Among the previous discounts this year, the lowest we’ve seen the price go before today was $294 during Prime Day last month, with the deal here cutting $60 off the going rate ($280 off the MSRP) at the best price we have tracked. It’s even beating out Amazon’s pricing by $60 and Hiboy’s direct pricing by $27.

If you want to learn more about this commuting solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Summer EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Hyundai’s most affordable electric SUV is a hit

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3 hours ago

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August 8, 2025

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Hyundai's most affordable electric SUV is a hit

Hyundai's-most-affordable-electric-SUV

The Inster EV is currently Hyundai’s most affordable electric SUV. With starting prices under $30,000, the compact EV is already making inroads in overseas markets.

Hyundai’s most affordable electric SUV invades Germany

After launching earlier this year, the Inster EV quickly became one of the top-selling electric cars in the heart of Europe.

In the first half of the year, Hyundai’s electric SUV was the best-selling electric small car in Germany. The Inster has now ranked among the top 10 best-selling EVs in the region for the third straight month with over 1,000 registrations.

With another 1,130 registrations in July, Hyundai’s most affordable electric SUV has now secured 6,300 registrations through the first seven months of 2025.

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“We’re delighted that Germany’s best-selling electric small car is a Hyundai,” said Ulrich Mechau, President & CEO of Hyundai Motor Germany.

Hyundai’s regional boss added that “With the Hyundai INSTER, we’re hitting the right note – because even in electric mobility, there must be affordable cars with an excellent price-performance ratio.”

Hyundai's-most-affordable-electric-SUV
Hyundai Inster EV (Source: Hyundai UK)

Led by strong demand for EVs, Hyundai placed third among importers in Germany. Through July, electric vehicles account for 28% of Hyundai’s registrations in Europe’s largest auto market, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year.

Hyundai pointed out that it’s significantly outpacing the German electric vehicle market, which accounts for about 17.5% of registrations.

Hyundai's-most-affordable-electric-SUV
Hyundai Inster EV (Source: Hyundai UK)

The Inster EV is Hyundai’s most affordable electric SUV in Germany, starting at 23,900 euros ($28,000). It features a driving range of up to 370 km (230 miles) on the WLTP cycle, fast charging (10% to 80% in 30 minutes), and advanced features such as vehicle-to-load (V2L).

Hyundai’s EV lineup in Germany includes the Inster EV, Kona Electric, IONIQ 5, and soon the refreshed IONIQ 6 and new IONIQ 9 will be launched.

Hyundai's-most-affordable-electric-SUV
Hyundai Inster EV (Source: Hyundai Germany)

In the overall European market, the Inster EV was the 19th best-selling EV in June. With 3,322 registrations, it outsold the Dacia Spring (3,264) and the Toyota bZ4X (2,848).

Hyundai sells the Inster EV under the name Casper Electric in its home market of South Korea. Unfortunately, the low-cost electric SUV is not set to launch in the US.

For those of you in the US, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 remains one of the most affordable EVs on the market. With leases starting at just $179 per month, it may just be the best EV deal available. The IONIQ 5 is coming off its best sales month in the US yet, with 5,818 units sold in July.

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Tesla used car prices keep plumetting, dips below average used car

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5 hours ago

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August 8, 2025

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Tesla used car prices keep plumetting, dips below average used car

EPA EV sales

Tesla used car prices continue to plummet, while the average used car price is increasing. Despite being considered a premium brand, used Tesla vehicles are now cheaper than the used car sale price.

Isn’t this nuts?

Last year, Tesla’s used car prices started to drop along with the rest of the used car market in the US.

However, when the market started to recover in March 2025, Tesla’s used car prices didn’t. It continued to drop.

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In fact, it has now dropped so much that the average used Tesla vehicle costs less than the average used car on Car Gurus:

This is unprecedented. Although the brand has taken a significant hit over the last year, Tesla is still regarded as a premium brand in the industry. The fact that its average used car sale price would dip below the industry average, which includes inexpensive mass-market vehicles, is quite exceptional.

Used Tesla car prices are now down 4.59% year-over-year, compared to the market average being up 1.22%:

Make/Model Avg Price Last 30 days Last 90 days Year over Year
CarGurus Index $28,039 +0.19% +1.22% +1.22%
Tesla $27,814 -1.75% -4.59% -4.59%

All Tesla vehicles are down year-over-year, with the Cybertruck unsurprisingly leading the charge.

However, Cybertruck has started to recover in the last few months, along with Model 3.

The Model Y, which is by far Tesla’s most popular model by volume, is dragging the average down as it continues to fall:

Make/Model Avg Price Last 30 days Last 90 days Year over Year
Cybertruck $83,963 +0.88% +0.3% -30.44%
Model 3 $23,318 +0.2% +0.75% -8.04%
Model S $26,534 -5.48% -9.53% -22.61%
Model X $37,747 -2.33% -9.24% -16.8%
Model Y $29,216 -0.49% -0.68% -11.97%

Electrek’s Take

Many Tesla owners have been selling their used vehicles and switching to new brands, increasing the supply and putting pressure on prices.

I expected this, but I didn’t expect the pressure to be so great that prices would dip below the average used prices.

This is significant.

It’s proof that the Tesla brand has taken a massive reputational hit and there’s no clear recovery in sight.

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