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Heat pumps are becoming more popular for residential housing with energy prices increasing and the need to reduce use of fossil fuel heating systems.

Andrew Aitchison | In Pictures | Getty Images

In case you haven’t noticed, heat pumps are hot. Although these devices, which use electricity to generate both air conditioning and heat, have been around for decades, the latest models are much more efficient and cost-effective alternatives to conventional fossil-fuel furnaces and air conditioners.

But there are other reasons why heat pumps are fast becoming popular with homeowners. The federal government, as well as an increasing number of states, are offering consumers attractive tax credits and rebates for buying and installing heat pump systems as a way to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions and propel the transition to renewable energy.

All of this is transforming Carrier Global, the nearly 100-year-old manufacturer whose founder, Willis Carrier, invented air conditioning. Over the past year, the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based company has been repositioning itself to capitalize on the fast-growing market for heat pumps and other sustainable heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) technologies.

“We all know that sustainability is a megatrend,” Carrier Global Chairman and CEO David Gitlin told a group of investors in February. “HVAC has to have a critical seat at the table.”

After being spun off from United Technologies — its parent since 1979 — in 2020, and then divesting several non-HVAC businesses, Carrier made its biggest bet yet on the heat pump boom when it acquired Germany’s Viessmann Climate Solutions for roughly $13 billion last April. In addition to proprietary heat pump technology, Viessmann offers renewable energy capabilities and home battery storage, as well as smart home system controls and applications that can be integrated to drive energy efficiency.

“HVAC is at an inflection point right now, with a tremendous shift toward electrification, going from fossil fuel-burning boilers and furnaces to heat pumps,” said Hakan Yilmaz, Carrier’s chief technology and sustainability officer. “In addition, the cooling side of HVAC is expected to triple by 2050, because 2.8 billion people live in hot climate zones and only about 8% have access to HVAC today,” he said. The massive scale and massive consumption of the energy resiliency issue, Yilmaz says, puts the HVAC industry in a position to capitalize.

Heat pumps have a history dating back to 1850s

The thermodynamic science behind heat pumps was developed in the 1850s, when the first ones were invented, and they’ve been used in homes since the 1960s. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. Many of today’s models are three to five times more efficient than fossil-fuel furnaces, and work well even in extremely cold and hot weather.

The most common type is the air-source heat pump system, comprising an outdoor unit — which resembles a conventional central AC device — and an indoor unit that hooks up to either a blower that circulates warm or cool air through ducts and vents or to one or more ductless mini-splits installed in rooms throughout a house.

14 February 2024, Saxony, Leipzig: Michael Kretschmer (r, CDU), Minister President of Saxony, talks to Viessmann employee Sebastian Kowalski about a heat pump at the Haus-Garten-Freizeit trade fair. Kretschmer takes part in the East Trade Policy Forum.

Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Compared to a gas boiler, heat pumps reduce GHG emissions by 20% when operating on fossil fuel-generated electricity and as much as 80% when operating on cleaner electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. Residential and commercial buildings account for 30% of global energy consumption and produce 26% of energy-related GHG emissions, per the IEA.

In 2023, air-source heat pumps outsold fossil-fuel furnaces for the second year in a row, according to AHRI, the trade association representing HVAC manufacturers. Rewiring America, a nonprofit advocate for mass-scale electrification, estimates that currently, 16% of U.S. homes use heat pumps for heating and cooling. In September, the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 25 governors, agreed to collectively reach 20 million heat pump installations by 2030, with the aim of ensuring at least 40% of benefits flow to disadvantaged communities.

In the U.S., so far cold states are leading the way

Although heat pumps have become popular for air conditioning in southern states, Maine has the highest rate of adoption, installing 100,000 units in households two years ahead of schedule and aiming to hook up another 175,000 by 2027. That dispels the notion, often promulgated by the oil and gas industry and utilities, that heat pumps don’t work well in below-freezing temperatures, thus requiring a fossil-fuel furnace as backup.

“That’s old news,” said Tobie Stanger, senior home and appliances writer for Consumer Reports. “There are new heat pumps designed for cold weather that allow them to go to five degrees effectively,” she said, adding that they’re widely used in Nordic and European countries. A Consumer Reports analysis of the efficacy of heat pumps in cold climates found that “even amid bone-chilling cold” they use far less energy than other types of heating systems. According to Dave Lis, director of technology market transformation at Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), air-source heat pumps can work as a home’s main heating system in almost any climate.

Carrier sells 10 different heat pumps, with various energy capacities and price points, and plans to add models made by Viessmann, which already has a presence in the U.S. market. But beyond the company’s sustainable energy technology and product portfolio, “one of the reasons we acquired Viessmann was because of its experience in training dealers and installers and helping customers understand the benefits of its products,” said Milena Oliveira, Carrier’s chief marketing and communications officer.

Carrier CEO David Gitlin on sustainability and acquiring Viessmann unit

Leveraging that knowledge, Carrier is providing its nationwide network of around 2,100 authorized dealers training and education programs, as well as advertising and promotional support, not only regarding heat pumps but also ancillary products, such as smart thermostats and energy storage batteries. “Home energy management is a huge component that we want to capitalize on,” Oliveira said, as dealers “shift their mindsets from selling products to selling solutions and components.”

Mark Prodan, the operations manager of M&M Plumbing and Heating, a Carrier dealership in the northern Michigan town of Indian River, said that M&M’s heat pump business grew by nearly 35% last year. “This year it will probably be up another 40% to 50%,” he said.

Prodan said that he typically has to educate customers about the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of heat pumps, as well as their environmental benefits. “There’s a general feeling that people want to go with a little bit cleaner energy, but once you educate them on what heat pumps can do, they’re usually very receptive,” he said.

Carrier on-site and remote training of M&M’s sales and service staff have helped, Prodan said. “They have a website with knowledge-based videos, calculators that show customers their cost savings and an app for our service guys that can scan a bar code to pull up information and manuals.”

Getting tax credits and rebates while they last

Between now and the end of 2032, homeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit for the purchase and installation of Energy Star-certified air-source heat pumps — from Carrier and other brands — up to $2,000 annually. That includes any related insulation, ducting, mini-splits and electricity upgrades.

Many states and local utilities offer additional financial incentives, some tied to income levels. Connecticut, for instance, offers a rebate of up to $15,000 for qualifying heat pumps; New York State issues rebates through utility companies that can amount to between $8,000 and $12,000; Maine offers between $4,000 and $8,000. The Energy Star website features a “rebate finder” for obtaining information by zip code. 

The cost of installing a heat pump system — depending on the brand, size, where you live and complexity of the job — can be upward of $20,000. Consumer Reports member surveys found that the overall median price paid for the purchase and installation of a ducted heat pump between 2018 and 2023 was $8,348. Mini-splits can range from $2,000 to $6,000 per unit, plus installation.

Besides rebates and tax credits, heat pumps can generate savings by eliminating the cost of fossil fuels, even when factoring in the price of electricity. Rewiring America calculated that homeowners switching from inefficient HVAC systems that run on fuel oil, propane or traditional electric resistance (like baseboard heat or electric furnaces) can save around $1,000 per year.

For 2023, Carrier reported sales of $22.1 billion, up 8% from $20.4 billion in 2022. Its guidance for 2024 projected sales growing to $26.5 billion. The stock is up 30% over the past year, though it is stalled in 2024.

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“This is a big year for us as a company,” Gitlin said in a recent call with analysts. “We will start realizing the tremendous benefits from the combination of Viessmann and as a sustainability-focused, higher growth, pure-play company.”

“When I see companies making big changes to their [product] portfolio and divestitures, that puts a premium on management knowhow and capability,” said Deane Dray of RBC Capital Markets. “I like how they’re doing it,” he said. “The heat pump [focus] does not just make economic sense, but the impact on its carbon footprint is a good part of the story as well.”

Carrier is targeting net-zero GHG emissions in its own operations by 2030 and across its value chain by 2050. The recent stock retreat, Dray says, doesn’t concern him and over the longer term, he anticipates higher margins, more services and more aftermarket revenues. “It’s all lining up nicely,” he said.

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Amid affordability crisis, White House unveils its plan to raise your fuel costs

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December 3, 2025

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Amid affordability crisis, White House unveils its plan to raise your fuel costs

Former reality TV contestant Sean Duffy. Photo by Gage Skidmore

The White House formally announced its plan to hike US fuel costs by $23 billion today, in the form of a new proposed rule cutting fuel efficiency requirements.

Update 12/3: This article has been updated to reflect the formal announcement of the proposed rule.

Since the beginning of this year, the occupants of the White House have been on a mission to raise costs for Americans.

This mission has encompassed many different moves, most notably through unwise tariffs.

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But another effort has focused on changing policy in a way that will raise fuel costs for Americans, adding to already-high energy prices.

The specific rollback today focuses on a rule passed under President Biden which would save Americans $23 billion in fuel costs by requiring higher fuel economy from auto manufacturers. By making cars use less fuel on average, Americans would not only save money on fuel, but reduce fuel demand which means that prices would go down overall.

The effort to roll back this rule was initially announced on the first day that Sean Duffy started squatting in the head office of the Department of Transportation. Duffy notably earned his transportation expertise by being a contestant on Road Rules: All Stars, a reality TV travel game show.

Then in June, Duffy formally reinterpreted the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard, claiming falsely that his department does not have authority to regulate fuel economy.

Republicans in Congress even got into effort to raise your fuel costs, as part of their ~$4 trillion giveaway to wealthy elites included a measure to make CAFE rules irrelevant by setting penalties for violating them to $0. In addition, it eliminated a number of other energy efficiency and domestic advanced manufacturing incentives.

Duffy’s department then told automakers that they would not face any fines retroactively to 2022, which saved the automakers (mostly Stellantis) a few hundred million dollars and cost American consumers billions in fuel costs.

Today, Duffy formally announced the proposed changes to the CAFE rules, lowering the required fuel economy for 2022-2031 model year vehicles, even despite all of the other changes in trying to make the rules unenforceable. The theory behind this would be to make it harder to later enforce the rules, and to allow automakers to get off with more pollution, and to increase fuel demand and fuel prices for longer until a real government returns to power and starts doing its job to regulate pollution.

Specifically, the announcement changes the planned 2031 50.5 mpg target to 34.5 mpg, cutting vehicle efficiency by nearly a third, which will lead to a commensurate increase in your fuel costs.

CAFE targets have been in place since the 1970s. In the last two decades, they helped drive a 30% improvement in average fuel economy, saving an average of $7,000 over the lifetime of an average vehicle – and they did this without increasing vehicle prices.

Rollback supported by auto CEOs who want to increase your costs

Today’s announcement was praised by the CEOs of the Big Three American automakers – GM, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). Ford CEO Jim Farley and Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa attended the announcement at the White House, along with a manager from GM, though Barra signaled her support while speaking at another event.

Despite both Barra and Farley recently making statements claiming their support for electric vehicles, both cravenly supported the rollback in fuel economy standards that will cost you more money at the pump.

Barra said today that “I’m always going to advocate for one national standard and making sure regulatory requirements don’t get in front of the consumer,” despite the fact that GM lobbied against the single national standard that had been agreed to between Obama and California, and that today’s move only increases the gulf between the federal government and California on auto standards.

And Farley, despite acknowledging that the Chinese are trouncing us on EVs, said today that “we can make real progress on carbon emissions and energy efficiency while still giving customers choice and affordability,” which is detached from reality given that today’s moves will reduce affordability and efficiency and increase carbon emissions.

Their support suggests that their prior commitments to energy efficiency and electrification were not serious, as they are now joining in an effort to increase your fuel costs, just to save themselves a few engineering dollars on having to provide something other than the disgusting, deadly land yachts that are a blight on the nation’s roads and are murdering pedestrians at a 50-year high.

This isn’t the only way the White House is trying to raise your costs

Today’s announcement is just one many efforts currently being undertaken by executive departments to try to raise your fuel costs.

One of the largest is the EPA’s attempt to delete the “Endangerment Finding,” the government’s recognition of the scientific fact that climate change is dangerous to humans. The EPA is undertaking this effort so that it can then eliminate other rules intended to reduce pollution, with the goal of making you more beholden to fossil fuels.

Even the Energy Department’s own numbers, signed off on by oil shill Chris Wright, say that changes sought by the White House will increase gas prices by $.76/gal.

Like most other governmental changes, today’s change will likely go up for public comment, as required by the Administrative Procedures Act. We’ll let you know when it does.

The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.


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Hyundai keeps IONIQ 5 EV leases affordable at just $189 a month

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December 3, 2025

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Hyundai keeps IONIQ 5 EV leases affordable at just 9 a month

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-EV-lease-deal

2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai is keeping one of the most affordable EV lease deals alive with the IONIQ 5 still available for just $189 a month through December.

What EV deals does Hyundai offer in December?

It’s hard to find any vehicle available to lease for under $200 a month nowadays. The IONIQ 5 is not only one of the most affordable electric vehicles in the US, but also one of the most efficient, fastest-charging, and overall practical options if you’re looking to go electric.

After a major refresh for the 2025 model year, Hyundai’s electric SUV now features a driving range of up to 318 miles, a sharp new look inside and out, and a built-in NACS port so you can recharge at Tesla Superchargers.

Hyundai slashed prices on the 2026 model year by up to $9,800 to compensate for the loss of the federal tax credit, which expired at the end of September. It’s now one of the few EVs with a starting price under $35,000.

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Hyundai-IONIQ-5-EV-lease-deal
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)

Although many were worried the savings would disappear, Hyundai is keeping the deals alive with discounts across its entire EV lineup this December.

Hyundai is extending the $189-per-month IONIQ 5 lease offer through January 2, 2026. The deal is for the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range model with a driving range of 245 miles.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-interior
Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited interior (Source: Hyundai)

You can still upgrade to the long-range SE RWD trim, with up to 318 miles of driving range, for just $199 per month. Or, if you’re really looking to get crazy, the souped-up XRT model is on sale for only $289 per month.

Hyundai’s lease offer is for 36 months with $3,999 due at signing. If you’re looking to finance, Hyundai is offering 0% APR financing for up to 60 months on all 2025 IONIQ 5 trims.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim Driving Range (miles) 2025 Starting Price 2026 Starting Price* Price Reduction
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range 245 $42,600 $35,000 ($7,600)
IONIQ 5 SE RWD 318 $46,650 $37,500 ($9,150)
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD 318 $49,600 $39,800 ($9,800)
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD 318 $54,300 $45,075 ($9,225)
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD 290 $50,150 $41,000 ($9,150)
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD 290 $53,100 $43,300 ($9,800)
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD 259 $55,500 $46,275 ($9,225)
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD 269 $58,200 $48,975 ($9,225)
2025 vs 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 prices and range by trim

The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is listed for lease starting at $289 a month, or $299 for the longer-ranger SE RWD model.

Looking for something a little bigger? The IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s three-row electric SUV, is available to lease from $419 per month. The offer is also a 36-month lease, but with $4,999 due at signing.

If you’re thinking about going electric, Hyundai’s EV lineup is a great place to start, offering 300+ miles of driving range, sharp designs, and plenty of new tech. Ready to test drive one for yourself? Use the links below to find IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, and IONIQ 9 models near you.


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Jackery Black Friday Encore sale with up to 65% power station savings + four exclusive lows, Anker robot mowers, more

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December 3, 2025

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Jackery Black Friday Encore sale with up to 65% power station savings + four exclusive lows, Anker robot mowers, more


We’ve got more ongoing holiday savings in today’s Green Deals, headlined by Jackery’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday Encore Sale with up to 65% discounts and bonus savings on power stations – all starting from $79. And for folks looking to score the brand’s Explorer 1000 v2, 2000 v2, 3000 v2, or 5000 Plus – you can find new low and exclusive prices on those standalone units starting from $327. We also have Anker’s eufy E15 and E18 Robot Lawn Mowers retaining their lowest prices starting from $1,300, as well as other deals from Birdfy, Ninja, Camplux, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from the holiday event and this week that are collected together in our Black Friday/Cyber Monday Green Deals hub, which we will continue to update through the rest of the week, like yesterday’s EcoFlow Cyber Week Sale event, the exclusive $1,620 savings to a new low on the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra power station, 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.

Jackery’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday Encore sale continues up to 65% power station discounts + bonus savings from $79

Following the recent holiday shopping rush, Jackery is giving folks more time to save up to 65% on its power stations with its Black Friday/Cyber Monday Encore Sale, complete with 5% (on orders over $1,500) and 7% (on orders over $2,500) extra savings. One notable deal amongst the bunch is the latest HomePower 3600 Plus Portable Power Station bundled with two 200W solar panels for $1,794.55 shipped, after using the code OFFER5 at checkout for an additional 5% off, beating out Amazon’s pricing by $200. This package would run you $3,699 without any discounts, which we first saw drop to this rate (with the extra savings) during the early and full Black Friday sale events, and otherwise kept above $1,994 the rest of the time since its release in September. You’re getting a combined $1,904 savings back to the best price we have tracked. You’ll also find the standalone HomePower 3600 Plus down at its second-lowest $1,614 pricing with the extra savings code. Head below to get the full lineup of deals while they last through the week.

The Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus power station fits neatly in the gap between the HomePower 3000 station (which released shortly before it) and the most expansive Explorer 5000 Plus station. It boasts a capable starting 3,584Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can be bolstered to 21kWh for greater home backup support, with 10 output ports to deliver up to 3,600W of steady power, maxing out a 7,200W.

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Like its HomePower 3000 counterpart, the new HomePower 3600 Plus brings along an expanded list of recharging methods over older legacy models, starting with the standard AC charging that puts it back to full in 2.5 hours. From there, you have the options to use both AC and DC together, plug it up to a gas generator for bypass charging, charge on the go with a car port, or utilize up to its 1,000W maximum solar input.

***Note: None of the prices below have had the extra savings factored in, so be sure to use the code OFFER5 on orders of $1,500 to $2,499 for an additional 5% savings, while orders over $2,500 can use the code OFFER7 to score 7% extra savings.

Jackery’s HomePower 3600 Plus deals:

Jackery’s Black Friday Encore outdoor adventure deals:

Jackery’s Black Friday Encore appliance backup deals:

Jackery’s Black Friday Encore critical load deals:

Jackery solar panel/expansion battery deals:

Jackery’s transfer switch and other deals:

As I pointed out amongst the bracket, folks looking to score Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2, 2000 v2, HomePower 3000, or Explorer 5000 Plus power stations on their own can do so at the lowest tracked prices with our exclusive deals here – all starting from $327 for an unknown amount of time longer.

Anker eufy E15 robot lawn mower detecting child and dog

Anker’s RTK eufy E15 & E18 robot lawn mowers with pure vision FSD cameras retain holiday lows starting from $1,300

Over at Amazon, Anker’s official eufy storefront is offering continued Black Friday/Cyber Monday savings on its E15 Robot Lawn Mower at $1,299.99 shipped (beating its direct pricing by $500) and its E18 Robot Lawn Mower at $1,499.99 shipped, which matches its direct pricing. These two advanced robots go for $1,800 and $2,000 directly from the brand, but can more often be found at Amazon down around $1,400 on average (for the E15) and between $1,700 and $1,600 (for the E18). These deals are retaining their recent holiday savings, giving you $100 and $200 markdowns from the going rates ($500 off both MSRPs) for the best continuing prices we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about these two robots, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.

Birdfy smart wooden bird house with camera

Enjoy nesting feathered friends with Birdfy’s camera & iron guard-equipped smart wooden bird house at new $100 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, Birdfy is offering its Wooden Smart Bird House with iron guard and inside camera at $99.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $50 off coupon, which beats out the brand’s direct pricing by $30. Fetching $150 at full price, this model has seen much fewer discounts than other models we’ve featured at 9to5Toys, with discounts having gone as low as $120 before today. Now, you can pick one up for your yard or as a gift for the birder in your life with $50 savings to a new all-time low price.

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

Ninja FrostVault cooler with food in lower drawer
two men and woman camping with Camplux portable water heater and shower
Four Jackery power stations side by side

Best Fall 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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