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Before Chinese EV automaker ZEEKR begins selling the 007 – its first mass-market electric sedan- it will introduce new battery technology developed in-house that will debut in the EV. ZEEKR promised to share more details of its battery developments later this month during a “Power Day 2023” event. Here’s what we know so far.

It has been a successful year for Geely-owned EV sub-brand ZEEKR, which entered 2023 with lofty goals for expansion, new models, and new technologies. To date, the automaker has made good on all those promises.

As most wind down this year, ZEEKR has kept its foot on the accelerator following announcing a new model called the 007 in early November. Since then, we’ve seen the company file for a US IPO, debut the 007 during the Guangzhou Auto Show, which has garnered 25,000 pre-orders already, and even reported on somewhat clandestine plans for a new mass market SUV to compete with the Tesla Model Y.

We’ve recently learned that the official launch of the ZEEKR 007 sedan will take place on December 27, with initial deliveries in China to follow just days later. Before then, however, ZEEKR will hold a live event to debut new battery technology developed entirely in-house.

  • ZEEKR battery

ZEEKR joins the business of EV battery development

ZEEKR shared news of the “Power Day 2023” event via its Weibo page featuring the golden layered image seen above, as well as the following caption (translated):

More important than gold. Say goodbye to anxiety.
ZEEKR Power Day 2023 and Battery New Product Launch.
BRIC Era, see you on December 14.
ZEEKR’s first self-developed battery is coming.

To begin, these BRIC batteries (we’re still determining what that acronym/initialism stands for) will debut in the 007 sedan mentioned above. There are some rumors swirling in China regarding local manufacturing assistance for the new batteries, but nothing has been confirmed by ZEEKR yet.

The automaker’s parent company currently operates a joint venture with the industry leader CATL and reports of a second battery manufacturer called Jidian. We will learn more about this battery technology and who may be helping ZEEKR with production following the Power Day event on December 14. We will report back as we know more.

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Florida rangers are now patrolling on electric bikes

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Florida rangers are now patrolling on electric bikes

Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.

The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.

These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.

According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”

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These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.

Electrek’s Take

I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.

We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.

I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!

Via: WCJB

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Meet the Lucid Gravity X: The electric SUV turned all-terrain beast

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Meet the Lucid Gravity X: The electric SUV turned all-terrain beast

Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.

Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV

Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.

At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.

As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.

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The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.

Lucid-Gravity-X
The Lucid Gravity X concept (Source: Lucid Group)

Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.

Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.

The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.

Lucid-Gravity-X
The interior of the Lucid Gravity X (Source: Lucid Group)

According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”

Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.

What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.

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Wheel-E Podcast: Bafang automatic shifting motor, 50 MPH scooter, more

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Wheel-E Podcast: Bafang automatic shifting motor, 50 MPH scooter, more

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.

The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

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We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):

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