Stellantis is getting into the battery swap game, announcing a partnership with US-based swap specialist Ample. Using Ample’s existing technology, Stellantis intends to deliver EVs with battery packs that can be swapped in five minutes, beginning with its 500e.
As a global automotive conglomerate responsible for noteworthy brands like Jeep, Ram, and Fiat, you’ve probably heard of Stellantis or, at the very least, its precursor, FCA. Ample, on the other hand, might come as a new name to you, although we have covered the battery swap specialist several times in the past couple of years.
Ample is a California-based startup that continues to work toward helping put 1 billion electric vehicles on roads worldwide. The startup’s specialty is modular battery swap stations that can be quickly erected and moved if necessary.
When it introduced its second-generation swap station this past May, Ample added swap capabilities for larger EV models and cut its entire process from ten to five minutes. By July, Ample had announced a global partnership with Mitsubishi Fuso to integrate battery swaps in commercial EVs and now looks to do the same in passenger models with Stellantis.
Credit: Stellantis/YouTube
Stellantis to roll out battery swaps in EU with Ample
Earlier today, Stellantis announced it has signed a binding agreement with Ample to establish a partnership that entails the implementation of the latter’s battery swap technology into EVs under its existing umbrella.
The initial program will begin in Madrid, Spain, using a fleet of 100 Fiat 500es – Stellantis’ best-selling all-electric model – operating within the automaker’s “Free2move” carshare service. Ample’s modular batteries can fit into any existing electric vehicle and were designed to act as a drop-in replacement for the original battery.
By initially deploying Ample’s technology across its carshare fleet, Stellantis hopes to offer drivers a fast and cost-effective battery swap solution it can expand upon in the future. Per Stellantis’ senior vice president, charging & energy business Ricardo Stamatti:
The partnership with Ample is another example of how Stellantis is exploring all avenues that enable freedom of mobility for our electric vehicle customers. In addition to other projects we are focused on, Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution has the opportunity to offer our customers greater energy efficiency, outstanding performance and lower range anxiety. We are looking forward to executing the initial program with our stellar Fiat 500e.
In addition to the initial fleet rollout in Spain, the new partners state they are also discussing expanding Ample’s modular battery swap technology to Stellantis’ fleet and consumer customer bases in other territories. While it was not directly said, the US would make sense, given that is where Ample is currently headquartered. Ample CEO Khaled Hassounah also spoke about the new partnership and the company’s goals in the future:
At Ample, we believe in the importance of making electric vehicles accessible to everyone without compromises, which is the only way that we will make a significant impact on lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Stellantis’ ambitious electrification goals, its range of electric vehicles, and the commitment of its leadership, make Stellantis a perfect partner in achieving our goals. The combination of offering compelling electric vehicles that can also receive a full charge in less than five minutes will help remove the remaining impediments to electric vehicle adoption. We look forward to working with Stellantis to deploy our joint solution across communities around the world.
The initial Fiat 500e program in Madrid is scheduled to begin in 2024. Check out Ample’s battery swap station in action in the video below:
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Rad Power officially drops prices on Radster Trail and Road e-bikes back to all-time lows w/ hundreds in savings
Rad Power Bikes heard fans’ calls for lower prices on its new Radster series of e-bikes and the brand is now delivering the third-ever savings on these models via a long-term price cut running through the rest of the year. For the next five months, you can pick up the Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike at $1,999 shipped, as well as the sibling Radster Road Commuter e-bike at $1,999 shipped. These new models were carrying $2,199 price tags since hitting the market in March, with only two previous discounts on the books in June and July when they fell to these same rates. Now, the low prices are becoming their full rates for the foreseeable future, with no clues as to whether they’ll be brought lower in the months ahead.
The new (and very handsome) Radster Trail and Radster Road e-bikes share general designs with key differences based on where you plan to ride. They have both been given 100Nm torque-producing 750W rear hub motors alongside 720Wh Safe Shield semi-integrated batteries, which can carry you for up to 65+ miles with the five PAS levels activated (and supported by a torque sensor) at up to 28 MPH speeds. More shared features include hydraulic suspension forks, hydraulic disc brakes, auto-on headlights, taillights with brake and turn signal lighting, rear cargo racks, 8-speed Shimano derailleurs, and a color display with a USB-C port.
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Now to get into where these models vary in their designs, aside from the colorways, which might be fairly obvious using the context clues in their names. To start, the Trail variant tackles off-road adventures on a pair of 27.5-inch by 3-inch Kenda Havoc puncture-resistant tires, while the Road model is tailored for street riding on its 29-inch by 2.2-inch Kenda Kwik puncture-resistant tires. There are other fender and handlebar differences too, however, they do both sport the same array of smart features, including passcode locking, an included security fob, and more.
Bundle EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Plus power station with a waterproof bag and get $250 in exclusive savings to $549
We’ve got another exclusive deal for our readers from Wellbots, this time on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station that comes with a waterproof protective bag at $549 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5DP3PROMO at checkout for an additional $100 off. This power station usually fetches $799 at full price since its release in July 2024, with it only having gone as low as $616 at Amazon or directly from the brand’s sales, while two past exclusive deals from February saw the price drop further to $552 and a $541 low. Today’s deal sits only $8 higher from the latter, giving you a sizeable $250 markdown to the second-lowest price we have tracked.
Rare chance to grab EGO’s Nexus portable power station with two 7.5Ah batteries at $899
Amazon is offering the EGO Power+ Nexus Portable Power Station along with two 7.5Ah batteries at $899 shipped. This powered-up combo package would fetch $1,099 at full price usually, with discounts over 2025 having mostly taken the price to $999, though we did see one previous fall to this same rate for one day at the top of the month. Black Friday did see it go lower to a one-time $838, with this otherwise being the best price we have tracked with $200 taken off the tag. You could also save a bit more going with the lone power station at $659, which is sadly at its full price for the moment.
Commute and/or haul cargo up to 28 miles with GoTrax’s A7 electric scooter at a new $614 low
Amazon is offering the best price yet on the new GoTrax A7 Electric Scooter at $614.32 shipped. This newer model has been on Amazon only a couple of months with a full $700 price tag, though we did see it fall long-term in July to $630, which held the lowest rate until today. Now you can pick up this seated commuter with ample storage with $86 cut from the tag, landing it down at a new all-time low price.
Cover up to one mile with Greenworks’ pro-grade attachment-capable 60V cordless string trimmer at a new $165 low
Amazon is offering the Greenworks Pro 60V 16-inch Attachment-Capable Cordless String Trimmer with a 4.0Ah battery at $164.99 shipped. This versatile lawn care solution would normally run you $300 at full price, which is where the brand’s direct website currently has it listed at. Discounts this year started with repeated falls to $240, then saw it fall to $200 during last month’s Prime Day event. After cascading down since the start of August, you’re now looking at a 45% markdown that saves you $135 off the going rate at the best new price we have tracked.
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.
America’s most affordable EV with over 315 miles of range, as GM calls it, is quickly winning over buyers. Starting at under $35,000, the Chevy Equinox EV is expected to trail only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 in sales this year.
Chevy Equinox EV registrations climb 722% in June 2025
After introducing the lower-priced LT model late last year, starting at just $34,995, Chevy’s electric SUV has become one of the most popular EVs in the US.
Through the first half of the year, the Equinox EV drove Chevy past Ford to become the second-best-selling EV brand behind Tesla.
According to the most recent data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News), Chevy remained in second in June after EV registrations rose 152% to 9,517 units.
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The Chevy Equinox EV led the growth with registrations surging 722% to 6,239. Registrations of the Silverado EV nearly doubled to 1,035.
Tesla remained the market leader, despite registrations slipping 6% to 57,260 vehicles in June. Although the Model 3 saw higher demand with registrations up 31% to 17,015, the Cybertruck slipped by 53% to 2,184, the data showed.
Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)
Through the first half of 2025, Tesla’s registrations fell by 7.5% to 271,050. It now accounts for 43.7% of the EV market, down 6.8% from the same period last year.
Chevy’s share of the EV market, on the other hand, more than doubled to 7.7% in the first half of the year. Chevrolet had 47,506 EV registrations in the first half of 2025, up 143% from last year.
2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)
Ford placed third after EV registrations fell 9.5% to 5,759 in June. In the first half of 2025, Ford’s share of the EV market dropped 0.7% to 6.7%.
Honda (+2.5%), Acura (+1.7%), and Cadillac (+1.1%) gained market share in the first half, while Kia (-2.6%), Hyundai (-0.8%), and Rivian (-0.8%) lost some.
Chevy Equinox EV interior (Source: GM)
GM is coming off its highest July sales month yet with over 19,000 EVs sold. The Chevy Equinox EV set a record with 8,500 vehicles sold, the best for any electric vehicle in the US, outside of Tesla.
Could sales have been even higher? Earlier this summer, a California-based dealer reached out to Electrek, claiming that it could have sold even more Equinox EVs. However, some buyers were waiting over a month to receive their vehicle.
With the $7,500 EV tax credit set to expire at the end of September, GM is offering a few discounts worth considering on its electric models.
With leases starting as low as $289 per month, the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is easily one of the best deals you can still snag right now. If you’re ready to test one out for yourself, you can use our link to find Chevy Equinox EVs near you (trusted affiliate link).
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ION CEO Jorge Diaz Schneider (L) with CTO Greg Hitz (R) holding a Cornerstone cell Photo: ION Storage Systems
Maryland-based ION Storage Systems shipped its first commercial generation of solid-state batteries, called Cornerstone, to “leading” consumer electronics companies.
These samples of multilayer cells are designed to be used in smartphones, laptops, wearables, and other small but high-performance devices, and they promise to deliver what battery makers have been chasing for decades: long cycle life, no swell, and better safety without bulky compression hardware.
ION says Cornerstone marks a big leap from lab prototypes to real-world products. “Cornerstone powers the most expansive solid-state sampling programs in the industry,” said CEO Jorge Diaz Schneider. The samples are also being tested by EV, aerospace, and defense customers. “Our platform is uniquely positioned for broad, multi-industry adoption.”
What makes this battery different? According to CCO Eric Lind, ION is “the only solid-state battery company currently delivering fully functional cells that don’t require compression for integration and testing” in real-world devices. Customers are now running these cells through qualification testing – a key step before they hit the market in portable gadgets with better energy density, thermal stability, and cycle life.
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This milestone follows significant technical gains earlier this year, when ION boosted cell capacity by 25 times while hitting more than 1,000 charge cycles in a commercially relevant format – again, without compression or volume change.
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