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Tesla Cybertrucks are now being delivered without aerodynamic wheel covers installed, due to the covers causing excessive wear and tear to tires. Tesla is currently redesigning the covers, with a fix coming soon™.

In the last couple days we’ve been hearing some scuttle that Cybertrucks were being delivered without aero wheel covers installed, due to some sort of problem with the covers. Now we know that the covers are causing unusual wear and tear to tire sidewalls, and that Tesla is going to stop delivering Cybertrucks with covers installed as they redesign them to fix the problem.

The Cybertruck has a pretty unique tire and wheel cover layout, with the both of them taking “angular” design cues from the vehicle. The covers have a six-pointed design, and each “point” fits into a recess on the tire sidewall designed to accept it.

But the reason for these wheel covers is not just design, but efficiency. Wheel covers can reduce aerodynamic disturbances by a large amount – think about it, you’ve basically got four turbines running blasting air out the sides of your car, air which would be better served by smoothly sweeping around the car, causing fewer disturbances.

The net effect of this is that cars with wheel covers on them can gain 5-10% more efficiency. Applied to the entire US vehicle fleet, we could probably reduce total US energy consumption (not just automative energy consumption, but overall) by ~1% if every car had wheel covers.

There still needs to be a little air coming through them to help pass over and cool the brakes, though, which is one reason why gas cars have had open spokes on their wheels. This is still necessary with EVs, but less so because EVs use regenerative braking, which means the friction brakes generate less heat and therefore aero covers need fewer “holes” in them than those on cars that use the friction brakes more often.

Because of this, there’s a small gap between the edge of the Cybertruck wheel cover and the tire, in order to allow some air to pass through. But as Cybertruck was nearing production, we saw that gap potentially cause a problem as a wheel cover flew off in traffic, causing potential safety issues for other road users.

But now, Cybertruck wheel covers seem to be too close to the tire, as they are rubbing against the sidewall during operation.

This can be seen in a video from Tsportline, a shop that sells customizations for Tesla vehicles, and explains the issue that has led to Cybertrucks being delivered without wheel covers.

What’s happening is that while driving, tires naturally flex outward at the bottom when contacting the road, and as the sidewall of the tire bulges outward, it contacts the edge of the aero wheel cover, which gradually wears down the tire. The wear is already visible on a car with a couple thousand miles on it, and the video says it has worn down by about 120 thousandths of an inch, which is a pretty massive amount of wear for just “a couple thousand miles,” when tires are meant to last tens of thousands of miles.

The video uses the word “recall,” but that’s not entirely the right word to use, because this isn’t an NHTSA recall. Tesla, for its part, is reportedly calling this a “parts containment pending revision,” and not using the word recall.

But it is something that owners should take action on by removing the aero covers for now until a fix is found. It’s also possible that the problem would be reduced by ensuring that you have well-inflated tires so that they don’t bulge out as much on the bottom while driving (this may not solve the problem – but you, yes you reading this, regardless of whether you have a Cybertruck, should check your tire pressures anyway because improper tire pressure is another thing that can reduce your range by ~10%, in gas cars as well).

The good news is that the sidewall isn’t as safety-critical as the tread of the tire, since it’s not contacting the road, but the sidewall is also thinner than the tread, which means if it gets worn enough to expose the cords of the tire then there could be some real problems. So don’t mess around, and take your wheel covers off until a fix is found.

As for the redesign, we don’t know when it is due because Tesla is famously uncommunicative about these sorts of things. Users over at the Cybertruck Owners’ Club claim that Tesla communicated with them that the new caps won’t be available until March, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Electrek’s Take

On the one hand, this isn’t that big of an issue – the cars still operate perfectly fine, and there’s an easy (temporary) fix for owners to just pop the covers off themselves, which can be done by hand.

But on the other hand, there have been a lot of other issues with the Cybertruck launch. It does tend to happen with Tesla launches, which are often rough in the beginning (though my early Model 3 has remained relatively problem-free, minus some early software glitches that have been improved upon dramatically via OTA updates), and the Cybertruck hasn’t been exceptionally bad in that respect.

The common issues of panel fitment have been documented many times online, and videos of stranded Cybertrucks are making the rounds. These sorts of videos are somewhat to be expected given the Cybertruck’s status as a vehicle that, no matter where it goes, is constantly being filmed, making it likely that any problem about it will blow up into a viral post.

But it still would be nice to have solved these issues before delivery – because we did know there were issues with the wheel covers, and because wheel covers are really important for efficiency, and I personally would love to see them become more accepted and more common on vehicles for that reason.

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Kia is launching all the cool new EVs in Europe, while the US gets put on the back burner

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14 hours ago

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August 19, 2025

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Kia is launching all the cool new EVs in Europe, while the US gets put on the back burner

Kia-EVs-Europe-US

Why is Europe getting all the fun new electric vehicles? After its electric SUV, the EV3, has already become a top seller in Europe, Kia is doubling down with new models, like the EV5 and EV4. Thanks to the new tariffs, Kia is pushing for EVs in Europe while the US gets left on the back burner.

Which EVs is Kia launching in Europe and the US?

After launching the EV3 in late 2024, Kia’s compact electric SUV “started with a bang,” as the most popular retail EV in the UK in January.

Through the first half of the year, the Kia EV3 has remained the UK’s best-selling EV among retail customers, with nearly 6,300 registrations. Including commercial vehicles, it was the fourth most popular EV overall.

Kia looks to build on its success with a flurry of new EVs on the way. After opening orders for the EV4 hatchback in June, its first all-electric hatch, Kia introduced the Fastback version, or sedan model, less than two weeks later.

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And then, last month, we got our first look at the upgraded EV5, the European version of Kia’s Tesla Model Y-sized electric SUV, which has been on sale in China since 2023.

Kia-EVs-Europe-US
Kia EV6 (right), EV3 (middle), and EV9 (right) Source: Kia

Kia plans to begin EV4 deliveries in Europe in September. The hatchback will be the first EV Kia builds in Europe at its Zilina plant in Slovakia. Kia said the move will speed up deliveries. However, the sedan will still be built in South Korea.

The EV5 will arrive in Europe later this year. Kia is launching the EV5 in North America in early 2026, but it will be “exclusive to the Canadian market.”

Kia-midsize-electric-SUV
Kia EV5 GT-Line (Source: Kia)

Next year, Kia will introduce the smaller, more affordable EV2. The EV2 will sit underneath the EV3 as Kia’s new entry-level electric vehicle.

Outside of the EV4, which Kia will launch in the US in early 2026, no other models have been confirmed for the US. Although it was spotted testing in the US again this week, the last official release from Kia specifically said the EV5 will be exclusive to the Canadian market in North America.

Kia-EVs-Europe-US
Kia Concept EV2 (Source: Kia)

The EV4 will arrive, but only as a sedan. It will feature up to 330 miles of driving range and a built-in NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers.

Kia has yet to reveal prices, but the EV4 is expected to start at around $35,000. In the UK, the hatch starts at £34,695 ($47,700) with up to 388 miles WLTP driving range. The Fastback, or sedan variant, is priced from £40,895 ($55,000) with a driving range of up to 380 miles.

Kia-EVs-Europe-US
Kia EV4 models during safety testing in Europe (Source: Kia UK)

And that’s not even touching the PV5, Kia’s first electric van. Kia is launching the PV5 Passenger and Cargo models across Europe, but whether it will arrive in the US is still up in the air.

Electrek’s Take

Kia’s decision to prioritize Europe over the US is thanks to the Trump Administration’s new tariffs on vehicle imports. Imported vehicles from South Korea are subject to a 15% tariff.

On top of this, the $7,500 federal tax credit is set to expire at the end of September, which will make the US EV market even more competitive.

Kia’s electric vehicle sales are already down significantly this year. Through July, Kia has sold nearly half as many EV9 and EV6 models as it did in 2024. The Korean auto giant is expected to offset slower EV sales in the US with new models arriving in Europe.

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Tesla loses bid to kill class action over misleading customers on self-driving capabilities for years

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16 hours ago

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August 19, 2025

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Tesla loses bid to kill class action over misleading customers on self-driving capabilities for years

Tesla Self-Driving

A judge has ruled to allow a class-action lawsuit against Tesla over claims that the company has been misleading customers about its self-driving capabilities for years.

It’s the latest of a series of legal actions against Tesla regarding its deployment of advanced assisted driving systems, which the automaker describes as self-driving.

As we reported earlier this month, the floodgates of lawsuits opened against Tesla after it was found partially liable in a wrongful death case following a fatal crash involving Tesla Autopilot.

There are now a dozen similar cases moving forward against Tesla.

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On the other hand, Tesla has also been fighting legal actions from owners who felt misled by the automaker regarding the capabilities.

Tesla claimed that all vehicles built since 2016 have the hardware capable of achieving “full self-driving”, which isn’t the case, and Tesla has been selling a software package called “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) that it claimed would deliver unsupervised level 4-5 self-driving, and it hasn’t.

For years, owners of HW3 vehicles, which Tesla confirmed wouldn’t achieve unsupervised self-driving, have been trying to sue Tesla under a class action to be compensated for the failed promises, but Tesla has been trying to weasel out of the class action lawsuit due to its force arbitration clause in its sales contracts in the US, and claims that self-driving deployment is subject to “validation and regulatory approval.”

Today, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said that the claim that Tesla lacked hardware to achieve the promise level of autonomy and its inability to “demonstrate a long-distance autonomous drive with any of its vehicles” justified group lawsuits by two sets of drivers who bought its FSD package.

In short, it amounts to false advertising, but one of the problems with making this a class action lawsuit is the fact that Tesla doesn’t do mass advertising and was making these claims through blog posts, its website, social media posts, and its CEO.

Judge Lin commented (via Reuters):

“While these channels alone may not ordinarily be enough to establish class-wide exposure for a traditional car manufacturer, Tesla’s distinctive advertising strategy warrants a departure from the typical approach.” 

The class action was certified with two subclasses:

  • The first one covers California residents who purchased FSD packages between October 2016 and May 2017
  • The second one covers FSD owners who opted out of Tesla’s arbitration agreement between 2017 and mid-2024.

On top of the damages to these Tesla owners, the legal action is also seeking an injunction to stop Tesla from making similar statements about its products in the future.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla has been trying to weasel out of this for years. This is a step in the right direction, even though it doesn’t go far enough in my opinion.

To me, it’s as simple as Tesla promised and sold something that it didn’t deliver.

Due to its forced arbitration in its sales contracts, which buyers have a limited time to opt out of following the purchase, it can limit the damages, but that’s just a technicality.

Ultimately, I think this will get the ball rolling to try to get Tesla accountable for not delivering on its promises.

This is just the beginning. There are approximately a dozen other lawsuits involving Tesla’s self-driving features currently pending in US courts.

I’m going to have more on that soon.

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Navee’s latest GT3 Max smart e-scooter at new $561 low, Tenways AGO X mid-drive e-bike bundle at $1,899 low, Segway E2 Plus II, more

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17 hours ago

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August 19, 2025

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Navee's latest GT3 Max smart e-scooter at new 1 low, Tenways AGO X mid-drive e-bike bundle at ,899 low, Segway E2 Plus II, more

We have three different EVs leading our Green Deals today, with the first being Navee’s newest GT3 Max Smart Electric Scooter hitting a new $561 low during the brand’s ongoing Back to School Sale. Next, Tenways’ newly launched pre-semester sale has returned its AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike to its $1,899 low while also offering $307 in free gear, as well as a spotlight on Segway’s new E2 Plus II eKickScooter at $300. We also have others from EcoFlow, Greenworks, Aiper, and more waiting for you below. Plus, all the hangover savings are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Segway Upgrade Your Daily Grind sale offers, the final day of deals from EcoFlow’s 48-hour accessory flash sale, 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.

Navee’s latest 47-mile travelling GT3 Max electric scooter gets further price cuts to new $561 low

As part of its ongoing Back to School Sale that will continue through August 25, Navee has dropped the price lower than ever on its new GT3 Max Electric Scooter to $561 shipped, after using the promo code SCHOOL15 at checkout, which beats out its Amazon pricing by $132.49. What’s more, you’ll also be getting a FREE carbon fiber riser bag ($59 value) that is automatically added in the cart. Since its release mid-way through July, carrying a $750 price tag, we’ve seen discounts direct from the site (before this week) only take things down to $730 (and later $620 with the extra savings code last week), while at Amazon we’ve seen it regularly repeat to $693 for Prime members. All those rates are getting beaten out here by the combined 25% markdown that cuts $189 off the price tag for the best new rate that we have tracked.

While the GT3 and GT3 Pro are equally new models that first launched during CES 2025, Navee has already upgraded the series’ design with the GT3 Max electric scooter, which mainly focuses on its travel range. There is a 400W motor housing within the sleek frame (peaking at 1,000W) and a 597.6Wh battery that affords it a longer 46.6-mile range over the Pro models’ 37.3-mile range, with a top speed of 19.9 MPH. This puts it squarely in competition with the flagship ST3 Pro e-scooter, which mainly differs in its damping arm suspension system. There are three riding modes here, as well as the full array of smart features/controls we’ve seen on the latest models, including Apple Find My, Bluetooth proximity locking, and more – all controlled via the companion app.

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Of course, Navee’s 49-pound GT3 Max e-scooter comes with the usual folding design that helps you to carry it inside or up stairs more easily, not to mention making storage less of a headache. There are also other solid stock features like the tubeless tires to protect against flats, front fork and rear cylinder suspension, turn signal functionality integrated into the handlebars, a front drum brake paired with a rear electronic regenerative brake, and more.

You can check out the full lineup of deals during Navee’s Back to School Sale here, which is seeing particularly low prices for teachers and students who can verify their status.

man riding tenways AGO X e-bike through forest

Commute on streets and dirt alike with Tenways’ AGO X e-bike that gets $307 in free gear at its $1,899 low, more

Tenways has launched its Back to School Sale that is taking up to $600 off select e-bikes alongside offering up to $307 in free gear. Among the models seeing discounts, Tenways has returned its AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike to $1,899 shipped while giving you $307 in free add-on equipment. This model usually fetches $2,499 at full price, which has mostly been brought down to $1,999 over the last year, though we’ve been seeing more regular drops to the $1,899 low, like today. You’re saving $600 while the sale lasts at the best price we have tracked, not to mention the bonus mudguards, kickstand, and rear carrier you’ll be getting that puts you at $907 in total savings. What’s more, if you buy two of them (or any e-bike) together, you’ll receive an additional $300 discount on your cart’s total.

If you want to learn more about this model or the other deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

man riding Segway Ninebot E2 Plus II eKickScooter through college campus

Segway’s new entry-level Ninebot E2 Plus II eKickScooter with a 16-mile range drops to $300 in latest sale

Looking back in on Segway’s Upgrade Your Daily Grind sale, which will continue through the rest of the month, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the brand’s new Ninebot E2 Plus II eKickScooter at $299.99 shipped, which is also matching in price at Amazon too. This model launched back in May with a $400 price tag direct from the brand but never went higher than $370 at Amazon, which we saw dropped to $350 for its preorder period on both sites, with today’s deal being the second-ever fall to $300 that we’ve spotted. It did go $4 lower last month through and after Prime Day, with this otherwise being the best price we have tracked with $100 taken off the tag.

If you want to learn more about this particular model, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here, with the full lineup of Segway’s e-scooter sale available here.

man and woman sitting outside by light powered by ecoflow RIVER 2 pro portable power station

EcoFlow’s RIVER 2 Pro 768Wh LiFePO4 power station tackles personal backup support at $379

By way of its official Amazon storefront, EcoFlow is offering its RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station at $379 shipped, which is matching directly from the brand’s website. While it carries a $599 MSRP directly from the brand, it keeps down lower at $529 in full at Amazon. We’ve seen discounts in 2025 bouncing the price around between $399 and its one-time $352 low that popped up in early May. Today’s deal gives you a 28% markdown off the going rate for $150 savings ($220 off the MSRP) and lands it at the third-lowest price we have tracked, beaten out by falls to $359, most recently in July, and the $352 low.

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

man cleaning brick driveway with greenworks 13A 2,100 PSI electric pressure washer

Greenworks’ 2025 13A 2,100 PSI compact electric pressure washer is down at $160, more

Amazon is offering the newer Greenworks 13A 2,100 PSI Compact Electric Pressure Washer at $159.99 shipped, which is also matching in price directly from the brand’s website. This is one of a number of newer models that were released at the top of the year, with discounts having mostly repeated to this same rate, save for the two Prime Day rates of $150 and a $140 low that was available to Prime members, exclusively. Today’s deal brings back the usual 20% markdown to cut $40 off the tag at the best non-Prime Day price that we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this new model or the others we spotted getting discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of the deals here.

aiper'shydrocomm smart pool monitor in water surrounded by bubbles

Aiper’s HydroComm smart monitor offers 5-in-1 testing for your pool and/or hot tub at a return $250 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, Aiper is offering a return low price on its latest HydroComm Smart Pool Monitor for $249.99 shipped in its blue colorway, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing by $50. Originally priced at $500 when it released in April, we see it carrying a lower $400 price tag from the brand and keeping at $350 at Amazon, where discounts have given us this same low rate twice before since Prime Day last month. It’s coming back for a third time here today, cutting $100 off the going rate (and $150 off the MSRP) at the best price we have tracked. You can also check out the array of discounts on the brand’s various pool cleaners on the official Amazon storefront page here.

If you want to learn more about this newer smart device, be sure to check out our original coverage of the 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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