Connect with us

Published

11 months ago

on

Kicking off this week’s green deals is a special flash sale on Aventon’s Aventure.2 All-Terrain e-bike with a free extra battery for $1,799. It is joined by a few different discounts on bundled Panasonic rechargeable battery packs, led by the eneloop Pro AAA 12-pack for $43, as well as the EGO Power+ 56V 15-inch Cordless Electric String Trimmer at $179. Plus, all of the other best new Green Deals landing this week.

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.

Aventon Bikes has launched a special flash sale that will continue while supplies last on its Aventure.2 All-Terrain e-bike for $1,799 shipped. Down from its regular price tag of $1,999, we’ve seen it go for $100 less over at Best Buy, albeit without the extra battery. The last time we saw this exact deal was four months ago, with it coming in today as a repeat $200 markdown off the going rate, landing it among some of the lowest prices we have seen for this model. As part of the deal, you’ll also receive a free, extra Aventon Battery, valued at $500. All-in-all, this special flash sale gives you a grand total of $700 in savings. You can read about this Electrek favorite in our review or below.

The Aventure.2 e-bike is designed for your all-terrain adventures, with a 750W (1,130W peak) rear-hub motor and a 15Ah integrated battery pushing you up to top speeds of 28 MPH for up to 60 miles on a single charge (doubled with your extra battery). You can choose between using just the power throttle to propel you or utilize its four levels of pedal assistance, supported by a torque sensor, to extend battery life and travel distance. It also comes with a rear-mounted rack for carrying along cargo alongside front and rear fenders to protect the bike from any adverse elements during your journey. It also features integrated head and taillights, with the rear lights offering both a brake light as well as turn signal functionality. You’ll also find a handy backlit LCD display attached to the handlebars that gives you real-time status of all the important metrics: speed, travel distance, pedal assistance settings, and battery levels.

Panasonic eneloop Pro AAA rechargeable battery 12-pack now $43

Amazon is offering the Panasonic eneloop Pro AAA Rechargeable Battery 12-pack for $43.26 shipped. Down from its $55 price tag, this value pack has seen very few discounts over the last few years, often plateauing at a particular rate for several months on end – or the entire year – before rising or falling. Today’s deal comes in as a 21% markdown off the going rate and lands as the third-lowest price we have tracked. It sits $9 above the all-time low from 2021 and just $3 above 2022’s annual low. All-in-all, this is the lowest price we have seen since September 2022 and amounts to $3.61 per battery. You’ll receive 12 reliable AAA batteries with an individual capacity of 980mAh, ideal for small toys, remotes, game controllers, digital cameras, wireless computer devices, and more. They can each be recharged up to 500 times, and maintains an 85% charge for up to 1 year when not in use.

If you don’t yet have a charger for your batteries, Amazon is offering a bundle opportunity for the above 12-pack with a three-hour quick-charger for $62. It can cover four AAA or AA pro batteries in up to four hours, two AAA or AA pro batteries in two hours, four regular AAA or AA batteries in three hours, or two regular AAA or AA batteries in 1.5 hours. You can also find a bundle option for a 16-pack of eneloop Pro AAA batteries alongside a 12-pack of eneloop Pro AA batteries for $114. If you’re unconcerned with having the Pro batteries, you’ll also find the above AAA Pro 12-pack bundled with a 16-pack of regular eneloop AA batteries for $89. Or maybe you want a smaller amount, like the 4-packs of eneloop Pro AA batteries at $19.

EGO Power+ 56V 15-inch Cordless Electric String Trimmer now $179

Amazon is offering the EGO Power+ 56V 15-inch Cordless Electric String Trimmer for $179 shipped. Down from a $220 price tag, it only saw six discounts over 2023, with half of them being short-lived and only falling to $200 at most and the biggest of them dropping costs to a $175 low back in October. Today’s deal comes in as a $41 markdown off the going rate and lands as the second-lowest price we have tracked. This string trimmer is equipped with a high-efficiency brushless motor and a 56V 2.5Ah ARC lithium battery that gives it a 45-minute lifespan on a single charge. It has a 15-inch cutting swath with two speed settings and a variable speed control for easier handling. It features a telescopic shaft for added comfort depending on the user’s size and also sports EGO’s POWERLOAD technology that makes loading your trimmer’s dual line a breeze with a simple press of a button. Head below to learn more.

Winter e-bike deals!

Other 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.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla throttles down Cybertruck production, shift workers to Model Y

Published

2 hours ago

on

January 16, 2025

By

Tesla throttles down Cybertruck production, shift workers to Model Y

Tesla is throttling down Cybertruck production as it shifts workers to Model Y production because inventory of the electric pickup truck is piling up.

The automaker had planned a production capacity of 250,000 Cybertrucks per year at Gigafactory Texas, and CEO Elon Musk said he could see this being ramped up to 500,000 per year.

However, things are not going in that direction.

After having sold roughly 40,000 Cybertrucks in its first year of production (2024), Tesla is already throttling down Cybertruck production, according to documents obtained by Business Insider.

The report states that Tesla asked employees working on Cybertruck production to switch to Model Y production for “business needs”:

“As we continue to assess schedules to meet business needs, we’ll be making a change to Model Y and Cyber schedules and we want to ensure that your preferences are considered.”

The moves come as Tesla is facing mounting Cybertruck inventory and has started to directly discount them by $1,600 and even add “free supercharging for life” on some inventory:

Last month, we reported that Tesla went as far as buffing out “Foundations Series” badges on some Cybertrucks to sell them as regular cheaper ones and homologated US Cybertrucks for the Canadian market to try to move them.

With the release of its sales report for Q4 2024, Tesla showed that Cybertruck deliveries in Q4 are flat or even down compared to Q3 despite having launched cheaper versions of the vehicle during the quarter.

The move of workers from Cybertruck to Model Y also comes as Tesla is preparing to build a new version of the Model Y at Gigafactory Texas after launching it in China.

However, Tesla usually doesn’t launch a new production at the detriment of another vehicle program, but this time, it is convenient because of the Cybertruck’s demand issues.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Brooklyn trio raises $10 million for startup that wants to help open-source developers get paid

Published

2 hours ago

on

January 16, 2025

By

Brooklyn trio raises million for startup that wants to help open-source developers get paid

Sam Ragsdale, Ryan Sproule, and Mason Hall have raised $10 million in a seed funding round co-led by Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto fund and Blockchain Capital.

Sam Ragsdale

Inside the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn, a 19th century landmark perched on the banks of the East River, three engineers have transformed 3,000 square feet of the former factory into a workshop housing their new startup, Merit Systems.

Sam Ragsdale, Ryan Sproule and Mason Hall are five months into creating Merit, which they hope will solve a longstanding challenge in software: rewarding open-source developers. On Thursday, Merit announced it’s raised $10 million in a seed funding round co-led by Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto fund and Blockchain Capital.

Sproule says Merit is trying to address the “attribution problem” in software development. In the world of open source, which underpins more than 97% of the apps consumers use on a daily basis, tech giants and independent programmers alike contribute to products that are freely available for anyone to access and improve.

“Because the price is zero, and there is no attribution to the people that created it, there is not a very sustainable set of economics to keep it alive,” said Ragsdale, Merit’s CEO, who previously spent three years at Andreessen Horowitz and before that worked as a software engineer at Google.

Substantial amounts of open-source code can be found in artificial intelligence frameworks, databases, web browsers and mobile operating systems. Some of the best known open-source projects include Android (now owned by Google), GitHub (acquired by Microsoft) and Apache Spark, data analytics technology at the heart of Databricks.

While many companies have been able to commercialize versions of open-source software or sell support and services as a way to generate revenue, there’s no consistent model for rewarding individuals or small groups of contributors who often do valuable work.

Merit Systems CTO Ryan Sproule working at the whiteboard at the company headquarters in the Domino Sugar Factory.

Sam Ragsdale

Chris Dixon, managing partner of Andreessen’s crypto fund, said that open source is “poorly funded and too reliant on altruistic contributions.”

In comments he’s posting on X, Dixon wrote that Merit “is building a protocol that properly attributes and rewards contributors proportionally to the value they create.”

Ragsdale, who worked with Dixon at the venture firm, first met Sproule as an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis. Sproule went on to crypto-focused firm Blockchain Capital in San Francisco, and the pair then teamed up with Hall, who was also on Andreessen’s crypto team.

The project is still in development, even as the company says it’s obtained a post-funding valuation of $55.5 million. Most of its current users are friends and acquaintances of the founders. Merit expects to roll out a broader release by the end of February after gathering and incorporating feedback from its early testers.

Sproule, Merit’s CTO and a former Amazon Web Services engineer, says the startup has the opportunity to sit “in the middle,” connecting software buyers and users with the actual creators of the technology.

“If you can solve this attribution problem, you can essentially get users to pay directly for the software people build,” he said.

Three entrepreneurs in a sugar factory

The Williamsburg community in the Brooklyn borough of New York, where the small Merit team is based, has been transformed over the past few decades from a former industrial district, first into a vibrant arts and music center and more recently into an upscale neighborhood filled with new high-rise apartment buildings and luxury shops.

But the old Domino factory, two blocks north of the Williamsburg Bridge, remains a relic of the past. The refinery was the last operating industrial facility on the waterfront before closing in 2004.

After years of neglect, the building has been reimagined as a hub for modern innovation, with panoramic views of Manhattan visible through the original brickwork. The facility opened as a modern office complex in 2023, and now offers carved-up startup space as well as full floors for bigger organizations.

Ragsdale says the building’s history is important to the startup’s story.

Merit Systems co-founders Ryan Sproule, Sam Ragsdale, and Mason Hall coding in their Brooklyn office.

Sam Ragsdale

The name Merit Systems is a “throwback to the companies of the ’60s or the ’70s, which had very industrial names that explain exactly what they do,” Ragsdale said. Merit is meant to be a straightforward description of the company’s mission.

There’s also a coveted view of Manhattan.

“You can see the skyline through the old brick in the windows,” Ragsdale said.

Inside the office, there are four desks and eight chairs. Whiteboards covered in notes and math equations fill the only corner of the office currently in use, while 3D printers from Ragsdale’s home produce prototypes, including the company’s tesseract logo.

“We’re definitely not using all 3,000 square feet,” said Ragsdale. “We’ll get there eventually.”

Merit plans to add seven new hires in the coming months and is specifically looking for people who want an in-person work culture.

“The idea flow between people when you’re sitting next to them is really important,” says Sproule. “We don’t really believe in the fully decentralized remote work model for an early-stage company.”

Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO

Watch CNBC's full interview with Andreessen Horowitz general partner Chris Dixon

Continue Reading

Environment

Meet the new Genesis Electrified GV70: A refined SUV with more range and style

Published

2 hours ago

on

January 16, 2025

By

Meet the new Genesis Electrified GV70: A refined SUV with more range and style

Genesis-new-Electrified-GV70

Genesis officially launched the updated Electrified GV70 in Korea, starting at just over $50,000. The new electric SUV now has a bigger battery for more driving range, added luxury, and even more style. Check out the new Genesis GV70 EV below.

The midsize luxury electric SUV was first launched in Korea in March 2022. Less than three years later, the GV70 EV is returning with “a more elegant and luxurious look.”

Genesis launched the new Electrified GV70 on Thursday in its home market. It improves on the current model in nearly every aspect, including added features, a new battery, and an improved exterior design.

Like the updated GV60, revealed earlier this month, the new Electrified GV70 features a redesigned front and rear end. The crest grille now includes a Gradient G-Matrix pattern, adding to its already sporty look. Genesis also added its new Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech to the signature Two Tone headlights.

The refreshed GV70 gains new 20″ matte dark gray wheels while the 19″ wheels have also been updated, “creating a strong yet sophisticated” look.

Genesis-new-Electrified-GV70
Genesis Electrified GV70 updated model (Source: Hyundai Motor)

Inside, the electric SUV “has been reborn” with added luxury and space. It now features Genesis’ new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) display system and touchscreen HVAC panel.

For a more luxurious feel, Genesis added an exclusive “Milky Way Pattern Mood Lighting” and other elements, such as a crystal electronic shift dial and horn cover with its branding.

Genesis-new-Electrified-GV70-interior
The interior of the updated Genesis Electrified GV70 (Source: Hyundai Motor)

Genesis reveals new Electrified GV70 prices and specs

Powered by its fourth-gen batteries, the new Genesis Electrified GV70 now has even more driving range. With an 84 kWh battery pack, the updated model now gets up to 423 km (263 miles) range. That’s up from 400 km (249 miles) in the outgoing model with a 77.4 kWh battery.

The new Electrified GV70 can also charge faster with its increased battery capacity. With a 350 kW fast charger, it can charge up to 80% in just 19 minutes.

To improve the drive, Genesis added new Highway Body Motion Control tech to minimize the jerk when suddenly braking or accelerating. The rear suspension also features a new hydro bushing, which was previously only on the front suspension, to reduce vibration.

Like several other new Hyundai Motor Group (including Kia and Hyundai) EVs, the Electrified GV70 now includes a Virtual Gear Shift function to replicate the feeling of a gas car shifting.

Despite the updates, the new Genesis Electrified GV70 starts at just 75.2 million won, or around $51,700 in Korea, with EV tax benefits included.

In the US, the 2025 Electrified GV70 starts at $66,950 with up to 236 miles range. Although prices are not expected to change drastically, the updated 2026 model is expected to have upwards of 250 miles driving range.


2025 Genesis Electrified GV70 trim		 Starting Price Range
Advanced AWD $66,950 236 miles
Prestige AWD $73,750 236 miles
2025 Genesis Electrified GV70 price (Source: Genesis)

Genesis revealed the updated GV70 EV for the US at the LA Auto Show in November. It now includes an NACS port for accessing Tesla Superchargers. The vehicle will begin arriving at US dealers in the first half of 2025.

With the updated 2026 models en route, Genesis is offering up to $16,750 off the 2025 Electrified GV70 with lease bonuses. Ready to take advantage of the savings? You can use our link to find deals on the Genesis GV70 in your area today.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending