Electric vehicles don’t work well in the cold? Nobody told Volvo CE – and they’re putting a fleet of battery electric equipment assents to work, collaborating with Sweden’s largest ski resorts to go fully fossil free.
Volvo CE has been working on a pilot project with Swedish resort company SkiStar to develop a roadmap towards more sustainable, fossil-free ski resorts. The project is intended to show that climate-neutral construction projects are possible when applying holistic decarbonization solutions to job sites.
A Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader and PU500 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with an integrated charger from Volvo Energy are being used alongside other electrified vehicles (including a fleet of Taiga electric snowmobiles) at the Hammarbybacken ski resort outside of Stockholm, putting the entirety of Volvo’s electric ecosystem, and the challenges each component is facing, in the spotlight.
“The pilot project is intended to show that it is possible to make ski resorts more sustainable and provide a more enjoyable experience for everyone,” says Mats Bredborg, Head of Customer Cluster Utility. “Zero emissions and low noise are better for the environment and for people. Electric solutions are also ideal for use in sensitive and tranquil locations like ski resorts. At the end of the day, if we want to ensure winter sports are still around for future generations to enjoy, then we all need to play our part.”
Collaboration is key
“We believe collaboration is the way forward to deliver the transformation that is required, transitioning away from a brown platform that relies on fossil fuels to a green platform,” explains Niklas Wahlberg, VP Partnership and System Solutions at Volvo Group. “We need to do this at pace and at scale.”
SkiStar says its electric solutions will be tested out for the remainder of the ski season. The company hopes its experience will enable it to better understand how they might fit into future operations, and provide valuable insights for other ski resorts curious about EVs.
Electrek’s Take
Taiga’s introduction of electric snowmobiles as rescue rides on avalanche-prone slopes was a masterstroke. The Swedish mountains and Swiss Alps are perfect places to highlight the advantages baked into silent, vibration-free equipment, and the addition of electric construction equipment into the resort space just takes that to the next level by ensuring that the big machines don’t disturb the snow – and don’t disturb the guests, either!
To put it another way: luxury is better when it’s quiet and doesn’t smell like diesel exhaust.
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The Genesis Electrified G80 will no longer be sold in the US. Genesis has already pulled the luxury EV sedan from its website.
Genesis pulls the Electrified G80 EV from its US lineup
The Electrified G80 went on sale in the US in the first half of 2023, but has struggled to gain any momentum. Last year, Genesis introduced an updated model with longer range, more interior space, and added luxury, claiming it’s now at the flagship level.
Those in the US may never get to see it. Genesis has already removed the Electrified G80 from its website, with only the GV60 and Electrified GV70 now listed.
The luxury car maker confirmed to Car and Driver on Wednesday that the electric G80 sedan is no longer being offered in North America.
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Genesis explained that “the customer is at the core of every decision we make, and we remain flexible as we adapt to ever-changing consumer needs and market conditions.”
Genesis Electrified G80 updated model (Source: Hyundai)
The 2024 Electrified G80 was the final model year, and the 2025 version was never sold in the US. Powered by an 87 kWh battery, the Electrified G80 was rated with an EPA-estimated range of 282 miles. Although the updated model boasted a larger battery (94.5 kWh) with increased range (up to 295 miles) in Korea, it still falls short of rivals like the Lucid Air or Tesla Model S.
Genesis sold just 397 models in 2024 and another 77 in the first half of 2025. In comparison, Lucid sold over 5,000 Air sedans in H1, while Tesla has sold 2,715 Model S sedans in the US.
The interior of the new Genesis Electrified G80 update (Source: Hyundai)
Although Korean automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, dodged the maximum 25% tariff, they will still face a 15% duty on imported vehicles. As its slowest-selling EV, it’s no surprise to see Genesis dropping it from its lineup.
With the $7,500 federal tax credit expiring at the end of September, Genesis is pushing big discounts on its remaining EV models.
Genesis is offering an $18,000 EV Lease Bonus on the 2025 Electrified GV70 and $13,750 bonus for the 2025 GV60. Leases currently start as low as $389 per month.
Looking to test one out for yourself? You can use our links below to view 2025 Genesis GV60 and Electrified GV70 models in your area.
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While larger solar generator setups can help through many situations, more and more people are finding convenience in owning smaller backup power solutions, especially here in NYC, with many folks having limited space to keep them. That’s where units like Bluetti’s Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station come in, which offers a 288Wh LiFePO4 capacity to cover personal device charging with 600W of steady output that can ramp as high as 1,500W.
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Bluetti’s Elite 30 V2 power station has nine different port options to cover all the bases: two AC outlets, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, two DC ports, and a car port. It even beats out many counterparts/competitors of the same size range with five ways to recharge its battery: via a standard outlet, utilizing up to a max 200W solar input, using both an outlet and solar panels together, connecting a generator, or using your car’s auxiliary port.
Segway’s Ninebot F3 smart eKickScooter with Apple Find My + proximity locking gets first post-tariff cut to $750
Segway is offering a special promotional discount through August 17 on its new Ninebot F3 Electric KickScooter at $749.99 shipped, after using the code F3AUG100OFF at checkout, which beats out Amazon’s pricing by $50.This model launched back in April carrying a $850 original price tag (which Amazon still keeps it listed for) and has since hiked up to a $1,000 MSRP direct from the brand after May’s tariff hikes. The two pre-tariff discounts we saw took the costs down to $700 and $600 back in April, and while it may not be falling that low any anytime soon again, you’re still looking at a solid $100 savings from its starting rate for the third-lowest price we have tracked.
NIU drops the KQi 300X all-terrain e-scooter with a 37-mile range and regen brakes to $750 in latest sale
NIU has launched its Fan-tastic Day Sale through August 17 that is taking up to 42% off its KQi e-scooter lineup. Some of the brand’s models are still out of stock from last month, but among those still available, we spotted the KQi 300X All-Terrain Suspension Electric Scooter at $749.99 shipped, while also matching in price at Amazon. While it carries a $1,299 MSRP normally, at Amazon we’ve been seeing it mostly staying between $1,049 and $1,198, with discounts having been slowly ramping up over the course of the year. You’re looking at the best price of 2025, which saves you $549 off the MSRP and has only been beaten out by the $731 low we last saw pop up in October 2024.
Add commercial-grade power to your arsenal with Greenworks’ 82V 20-inch cordless chainsaw at a new $430 low
Amazon is now offering the Greenworks Commercial 82V 20-inch Cordless Chainsaw for $429.99 shipped. While it carries a $600 MSRP tag directly from the brand, where it’s currently priced at, we’ve seen it keep lower to $500 at Amazon. It’s been on the market for six months now, with the discounts we’ve spotted only taken the costs down to $450 until today. Now, with the 20% markdown here, you’ll save $70 while equipping your arsenal with commercial-grade power.
Keep uniform lines around yard and gardens with Worx’s 12A 7.5-inch edger/trencher at $90 (Today only)
As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Worx 12A 7.5-inch Edger/Trencher for $89.99 shipped, with this model being out of stock on Amazon and sitting at a higher $140 MSRP directly from Worx’s website. It normally fetches $130 at full price here, with discounts mostly keeping the costs between $110 and $100 during 2025, though we have seen it go as low as $75 during Prime Day. You’re looking at the fourth-lowest overall price that we have tracked and the third-lowest of the year, with the deal today saving you $40 off the going rate for the rest of the day only.
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.
Ford’s secret “skunkworks” team in California is no longer a secret and has grown significantly over the past year. Filled with former Tesla, Rivian, and Apple engineers, Ford has given the team a new, two-building EV design center to develop its upcoming lower-cost, midsize models.
Ford opens its new EV Design Center in Long Beach
The new campus in Long Beach, California, officially opened its doors on Tuesday. Ford told reporters that the new 250,000-square-foot site will become the company’s main design and innovation hub in Southern California.
Although the facility was built 95 years ago to expand production of Ford’s first vehicle, the Model A, it was later converted for military use during World War II.
Now, it will be used to shape the future of Ford. Ann Diep, a senior technical program manager at Ford, said the company will “develop a new generation of electric vehicles people are going to love” at the facility.
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After nearly a decade of launching products for Apple, Diep is now tasked with developing Ford’s new lineup of electric vehicles.
The team is led by Alan Clarke, who worked at Tesla for over a decade. Clark’s team comprises former employees from Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and Apple, creating an EV platform that will power Ford’s upcoming lineup of smaller, more affordable models.
Ford opens new EV design center in Long Beach, California (Source: Ford)
Benchmarking EV leaders to cut costs
Last year, Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, said the team was benchmarking costs “against the best competitors in the world,” in particular, Chinese brands.
According to Farley, the first EV based on the platform will be a midsize electric pickup that will “match the cost structure of Chinese OEMs building in Mexico.” It’s scheduled to launch in 2027. Ford will use LFP batteries to reduce costs, which will be manufactured at its new battery plant in Michigan, but licensed from China’s CATL.
2025 Ford F-150 Lightning (Source: Ford)
We learned the platform will support eight different body styles, including trucks, crossovers, SUVs, and possibly sedans.
During a “candid dinner discussion” with lead Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska in June, Lisa Drake, Ford’s vice president of tech platform programs and EV systems, offered a few insights.
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)
Roeska told investors (via Axios) that “Lisa Drake was explicit: Ford intends to match the cost structure of leading Chinese players.” The memo added “that means not just battery pricing, but full system cost from chassis and thermal systems to inverters and electronics.”
Ford will reveal more about its “plans to design and build a breakthrough electric vehicle and platform in the US,” on August 11.
Farley is hyping it up as the company’s next “Model T moment,” adding that it’s “a chance to bring in a new family of vehicles” that will shape the future of Ford.
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