EHR HiPower solar generator; image via United Rentals.
United Rentals is now the first major rental company to offer mobile micro grid battery power to its North American fleet of rental equipment. The HiPower EHR Solar Battery Generator boasts a 5.0kW peak solar array with extendable panels, converting and storing energy within built-in batteries.
The EHR Solar Battery Generator is versatile, fitting on a 20-by-8-ft trailer or a skid (as shown, below) with a charging station for electric tools, vehicles, and equipment. Beyond that, it can act as a primary power source for transient spaces such as mobile trailers or container offices.
“The EHR Solar Battery Generator is a game-changer for companies that want to go to the next level of sustainability with higher energy efficiency to reduce jobsite emissions and fuel use,” explains Larry Worthington, vice president, PHVAC region at United Rentals. “The system can reduce emissions and noise levels to zero, making it an ideal fit for various applications, including urban, noise-sensitive environments.”
For their part, the people at Hipower seem equally excited about the collaboration. “As part of its commitment to providing a more electric equipment rental fleet, United Rentals is leading the way in offering on-site, sustainable charging stations to ensure customers can easily and efficiently recharge electric equipment,” said Rafael Acosta, president at Hipower, in a statement. “(United Rentals) were an instrumental partner in helping us develop the EHR Solar Battery Generator, a cutting-edge microgrid system that has the potential to revolutionize power generation and energy management.”
Hipower says its EHR generators offer a high performance in a wide range of temperatures from 5ºF to 113ºF, is available in both single-phase (-10, 20 & 40 kVA) and three-phase (15 & 30 kVA) nominal power solutions, with two different storage capacity options per model (ratios of 1:1 and 1:2) and an overload capacity of up to 300% to start electrical motors.
Electrek’s Take
Determining which equipment assets to purchase and which to rent is a key aspect of any fleet manager’s role. The shift toward decarbonization and electrification introduces new considerations, especially when it comes to supplying electricity to job sites without grid connections. Many fleets face challenges in solving this equation. That’s why having immediate access to potential charging solutions like the HiPower EHR Solar Battery Generator becomes crucial.
“A lot of this electric stuff is new to us,” Mike Switzer, Equipment Manager at Stevens Engineers & Constructors, told me. “So if we can rent a solution and try it out and make sure it does what the manufacturer or dealer says it can do for us that’s going to go a long way towards helping us understand if this is something we need to buy. Sometimes it’s not, and it just makes sense to rent it as we need it. This is great for that, too.”
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Now, we get Tesla’s registration numbers for April, and the automaker delivered only 203 vehicles despite having plenty of old Model Ys in inventory and deliveries of the new Model Y AWD.
So far in 2025, Tesla has delivered an average of 533 vehicles per month, down 71% from last year.
This amounts to a demand collapse for Tesla in the country despite the new Model Y AWD being available for the last two months and deliveries available within days.
Tesla is still stuck with a decent amount of inventory of the old Model Y in Sweden despite having stopped production over 2 months ago.
The only hope for Tesla right now is the start of deliveries of the new Model Y RWD next month. As you can imagine, RWD vehicles are not super popular in the Swedish market. AWD vehicles account for the majority of sales.
Electrek’s Take
71% drop in average monthly deliveries in 2025 versus 2024. This is scary stuff and completely unsustainable. Unfortunately, I would even anticipate layoffs for Tesla advisors and delivery staff in the country.
With sales down to just a few hundred monthly units, it can’t justify the same sales staff as last year.
Tesla is being squeezed out of Europe at a pace few people saw coming.
The automaker has introduced lower interest rates to help with demand, but it’s certainly not enough.
Sales should be bad but not disastrous by the end of Q2, due to Model Y RWD helping a bit. The real test will be Q3, when everything should be back to normal in terms of the availability of Tesla’s lineup and there’s no backlog of demand for people waiting for their specific trim.
If Q3 turns out as bad as the first half of 2025, Tesla is basically done in Europe. it will be a small niche automaker rather than the growing market leader it was just 2 years ago.
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GM’s top-selling electric SUV is now on sale. Starting at just $289 per month, the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is now even cheaper to lease than the gas-powered SUV.
The 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is cheaper to lease in May
GM is offering more savings on “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV” this month. With monthly lease prices starting as low as $289 per month, the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV is hard to pass up this May
It’s even cheaper than the gas-powered Equinox right now, which starts at $299 per month. The offer is a 24-month lease on the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV 2WD LT model, with $3,399 due at signing.
Despite being an entry-level model, the Equinox EV FWD LT offers a range of up to 319 miles and over 15 standard driver assistance and safety features.
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The interior features a 17.7″ center infotainment screen, which GM claims is the largest in its class, and an 11″ driver display. It also has plenty of cargo space with up to 57.2 cubic feet.
With over 10,300 models sold, the electric Chevy Equinox was GM’s best-selling EV in the first quarter. Alongside the electric Blazer and Silverado, the Equinox EV has helped propel Chevy to become the fastest-growing electric vehicle brand in the US.
GM is offering the Equinox EV deal for those who take delivery by June 2, 2025. It’s based on the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV FWD LT trim with an MSRP of $34,995.
2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)
Monthly payments total $6,936, and you will have the option to purchase once the lease is up. GM said the amount would be determined at the lease signing.
Other deals for the 2025 Chevy Equinox include 1.4% APR for 36 months and a $7,500 federal EV tax credit. If you opt for the 2024 model year, GM offers 0% APR for 60 months.
Rivian is ringing in spring with an enticing new lease offer for Gen 2 R1 EVs. Through May, customers can lease any Rivian R1 dual-motor EV with a Max battery and performance upgrade for $0 down.
Rivian continues to be a shining star in American EV innovation. Riding the success of its flagship R1 models, the company continues to bolster its manufacturing prowess en route to additional models, including the R2, R3, and R3X.
Now in their second generation, the R1S and R1T have become best sellers, helping fund the company’s progress in building out its R2 assembly lines in Normal, Illinois—a vehicle that has already garnered hundreds of thousands of reservations.
While we await those new Rivian models, we can’t sleep on the current flagships. I lease a Gen 2 R1S and love it. For those interested in leasing an R1 of their own, there is no better time to do so. Today, Rivian announced a new “Nothing But Adventure” lease offer running this entire month, where you can save big bucks on your monthly payment with $0 down.
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The Gen 2 R1S / Source: Rivian
Rivian introduces “Nothing But Adventure” lease offer
The American automaker shared details of its latest demand lever today, which applies to any R1 EV with a dual motor configuration, a Max battery pack, and a performance upgrade package. Now through May 31, 2025, Rivian will cover your lease down payment with a $6,500 offer.
Additionally, customers can take advantage of the usual $7,500 EV credit, which is underwritten into each lease for being a BEV manufactured in the US. That mean’s its an additional point of sale bonus without having to wait for a tax credit at the end of the year. score!
So in total, Rivian’s May lease offer can total $14,000 off a new R1 model. That’s huge.
As expected, there is some fine print to be aware of. For example, Rivian leases are not available in all states. The $6,500 lease offer may be combined with the $7,500 EV Lease Credit, but “may not be combined with other public offers unless permitted by Rivian.”
Lease customers must take delivery of their Rivian Dual Max R1S or R1T with a performance upgrade by May 31, 2025, to qualify for the offer. The amount due at signing includes a $500 deposit, first month payment, $895 acquisition fee, and $0 security deposit.