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News came out on Friday that President Biden is set to quadruple tariffs on Chinese EVs to protect the US auto industry from the rapid growth of Chinese EV manufacturing.

But instead of just de facto banning the competition from giving Americans access to affordable hot new EVs, the US should instead try making affordable hot new EVs itself.

The global auto industry is in a time of flux.

Cars are changing quickly, as is car manufacturing. The leaders of today, and of the last half-century, are not guaranteed to remain the leaders in the face of new entrants and new technology. And most of all, a new powertrain – electric – that will account for roughly 100% of cars on the road within a couple decades, which no serious person disputes.

Further, as one of the most polluting sectors globally and the most polluting in rich countries, it is necessary that transportation clean up its act, and fast, in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The sooner this happens, the easier it will be for all of us.

The new entrants to car manufacturing aren’t just in the form of startups like Tesla or Rivian, but in the form of nations which previously did not have a large presence in international auto manufacturing, but will take advantage of this flux to become more competitive in a changing global market.

The largest of these new entrants is the second most populous country in the world, the world’s largest exporter and its second-largest economy: China. China has heretofore not been a major player in car exports, but that’s changing.

China has been spending the last couple decades building up its manufacturing base, particularly in electronics, and particularly focusing on securing raw material supplies and partnerships and on building up refining capacity.

The strongest move in this respect has been Xi Jinping’s centerpiece Belt and Road Initiative, a set of policies intended to secure trade routes and mineral partnerships between China and less-developed, mineral-rich countries, generally in exchange for infrastructure development. It’s not unlike the actions of the West via the IMF and the World Bank, investing in development of poorer countries in order to secure material partnerships.

All of these entities have been credibly accused of exploitative actions towards the developing world – generally utilizing terms like economic imperialism, debt-trap diplomacy, or neocolonialism.

But the point of this is that China has been getting ready for this transition for a long time through concerted national effort, whereas the US is only recently doing so (via the Inflation Reduction Act and its attempts to onshore/”friend-shore” EV manufacturing and sourcing).

Japan and the 1970s as parable

We have, in fact, seen this story before. In the 1970s, the US auto industry was rocked by dual crises, a gas price crisis that left their large, gas-guzzling vehicles less competitive, and a steel crisis which greatly affected US steel manufacturers.

The steel crisis came courtesy of Japan, a country whose manufacturing methods far outstripped America’s, and which was determined to undercut American steel. It could produce steel cheaper and better than the US, and the low prices that Japan was offering were simply unbeatable by American manufacturers. As a result, many American steelworkers lost their jobs.

Here’s an article about the steel crisis from 2021 from the Alliance for American Manufacturing, which makes parallels to today’s situation between the US and China. In it, former steelworkers are quoted about what happened at the time:

The cost was cheaper, and their quality was better, too. We didn’t care about quality because we were the only game in town forever.

-Ed Cook, former president USW Local 3069

The U.S. steelmakers and, as time wore on, the automakers, were being outperformed by Japan and their superior technology advancements. Our employers didn’t invest in new technology until recognizing the concept of foreign competition was here to stay.

-Doug May, retired steelworker

The US tried to stop the bleeding with tariffs after accusing Japan of illegally “dumping” steel at unfairly subsidized below-market rates to gain export market share. But the tariffs didn’t stop the advancement of the technologically-superior Japanese steel industry, which remained strong even after their imposition.

The early-70s steel crisis was soon joined by the mid-to-late-70s oil crisis, where the US (and much of the Western world) saw oil shortages and high gas prices. At the time, American automakers mostly produced giant gas guzzlers, and Japanese automakers exploited this crisis by rapidly introducing smaller, more fuel efficient cars to America, just as the environmental movement was starting to gain steam and emissions regulations were starting to take effect.

Automakers responded by undergoing half-baked attempts to meet the standards while still trying to sell their gas guzzlers, by lobbying governments not to implement regulations, and begging for tariffs against competing Japanese autos. Not by actually rising to the challenge and making better vehicles, but rather by asking for the rules to be changed so they could get a free win by doing nothing new.

Eventually, Japan agreed to voluntary export restrictions and US automakers managed to get in gear and start making better cars. But as a result of this disruption in the 1970s, Japan is still considered one of the premier manufacturing industries in the world (automotive and otherwise), and has held the crown of the largest auto-exporting country on the globe for decades.

Between preparation, determination, and opportunity, Japan was able to gain a lasting lead.

Does any of this sound familiar?

China is the new Japan

Well, Japan was the world’s largest auto exporter… until now. It depends on how you count it, but Japan was likely dethroned by China as the world’s largest car exporter in the past year.

All of China’s effort to build EV manufacturing bore fruit – while the country was initially slow to adopt EVs, in 2023 it had a whopping 37% EV market share (up from 5% in 2020 and .84% in 2015), leapfrogging several early adopter nations. But EV manufacturing has grown even faster, with Chinese EV production outpacing domestic demand and exports rising rapidly in recent years as well.

Why did this happen? It turns out, Japanese industry is acting similarly to US industry at the moment, in that it is dragging its feet on electric vehicles (in fact, even moreso than US manufacturers are). European manufacturers, too, are trying to slow the transition down. Automakers are even cutting production plans in a rapidly growing EV market, possibly in a cynical move to influence regulations, even though it’s clear their targets are too low already.

While Biden has pushed for stronger emissions standards, automakers seem determined to lobby against progress, to give themselves a false sense of security that they can take their sweet time in transitioning to EVs.

But regardless of how much automakers kick and scream about needing to build something other than massive gas guzzling land yachts, technology and world industry will continue their inexorable advancement. The industry can catch up, or it can continue dragging its feet and moving slower than its competition, somehow hoping to catch up from the losing position it’s already in.

None of this kicking and screaming is happening in China.

As mentioned above, Chinese government has focused heavily on securing materials and on encouraging upstart EV makers (with a total of either $29 billion or $173 billion in subsidies from 2009-2022, depending on whose numbers you accept, either of which are less than the hundreds of billions in subsidy allocated by the US in the Inflation Reduction Act, or the $7 trillion global subsidy for fossil fuels).

And Chinese EV makers aren’t playing a silly game of limiting their own commitments in order to push a myth of falling sales (that said, Chinese dealer associations were granted a mere 6-month pause in regulations responding to a glut of unsellable gas cars – while also demanding that automakers stop building noncompliant vehicles immediately). Instead, they’re building cars as fast as they can, selling them as fast as they can, and exporting them in as many ships as they can get their hands on – to the point where they’re even building ships of their own.

This has led to accusations that China is “dumping” EVs on overseas markets, with Europe – which also subsidizes its own EV industry – considering retroactive tariffs. The US is also set to announce a 4x increase in existing tariffs against Chinese EVs. The irony is, if Chinese taxpayers are subsidizing manufacturing before sending those cars overseas, that represents a wealth transfer from Chinese taxpayers to American ones. And another irony: China has so often been criticized for not doing enough on climate change, and now we’re criticizing them of doing too much, both with EVs and solar.

This all sounds quite similar to the situation with Japan in the 70s.

But just as with Japan, simply blocking out better options won’t kick the West’s industry into gear. On the contrary, it will make our industry more complacent. And we’re already seeing that happening, as automakers keep begging governments to let them continue their unsustainable business models even as competition looms.

Do tariffs work?

But that’s just the thing, tariffs don’t generally work. We saw how they failed to forestall Japan, but there are many other examples showing their ineffectiveness or weird side effects, and economists generally agree that they are a poor measure to help domestic industry. Some company leadership favors the idea of tariffs, while other (perhaps more sober) leaders do not.

On the one hand, it could help domestic auto jobs, because free trade for Chinese EVs could result in a race to the bottom for auto manufacturing. And it could result in Chinese companies trying to set up manufacturing in the US to avoid tariffs – which could help US auto jobs, but these moves would likely spark a whole new round of controversy when announced.

But on the other hand, China is likely to implement retaliatory tariffs which will hurt US workers (for example, soybean tariffs which ruined the US soybean industry in 2018 – and resulted in more soybean demand from Brazil, which led to extensive clearcutting and fires in the Amazon). And the nature of today’s globalized economy and complex supplier relationships around the world can result in a lot of chaos when a major player implements a major tariff.

So in the end, US jobs likely won’t benefit overall, and US consumers will simply be denied a chance to buy cheap new EVs from China – like, for example, the excellent Volvo EX30. The EX30 is currently made in Geely’s China factory and starts at around $35k even after the 25% tariff.

A 100% tariff would bring it to a starting price of ~$54k instead (unless or until Geely moves production out of China, something BYD has also considered). The EX30 also happens to be one of the only small EVs that will be available in the US in the near term, so a tariff would further doom US consumers to the plague of SUVs that has befallen us.

By raising prices of vehicles that could undercut US autos, what this means is that inflation – the price of goods for US consumers, which includes autos – will increase. Cars will be more expensive as US manufacturers will have less competition, less reason to bring costs down, and less reason to offer reasonably-sized models. We’ll be stuck with the expensive land yachts that US automakers have been punting at us for so many years. People will continue to accuse EVs of being too expensive – as a result of policy that directly makes them so.

Meanwhile, one of Biden’s signature legislative wins, the Inflation Reduction Act, does include a different type of protectionist provision that seems to have accomplished its goals. It offers tax credits to EV purchasers, as long as those EVs include domestically-sourced components and are assembled in North America. This lowers the effective price of EVs, helping buyers, and stimulates investment in US manufacturing as well.

As a result of this and Biden’s previous Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $209 billion has been invested in new or expanded factory projects, which will create 241,000 EV jobs in America. So it’s not impossible to incentivize domestic production – but smart industrial policy and subsidies will generally work better than unnecessary trade wars.

The politics factor

Of course there is a large short-term factor to this decision: the US election, which is just a few months out.

In this election, President Biden is running against a candidate who has no issue being loudly racist, and channels that racism into protectionist trade measures. The US’ current 25% tariff against China was implemented by him in 2018, and a centerpiece of his policy promises revolve around extending these short-sighted measures.

This trade policy is not made out of a consideration of what will be best for the auto industry or the US, but rather is a populist way to seize on Sinophobia, scapegoating the US’ main geopolitical competitor for various social ills happening domestically.

But that sort of sentiment is popular. US sentiment towards China is at record lows, making it a popular target for scapegoating. The sharp turn downwards in recent years is likely influenced by the loud scapegoating from Mr Trump, though it has affected voters across the party identification spectrum.

So Biden’s decision to increase tariffs on Chinese EVs may end up being popular, regardless of its positive or negative effects – after all, Trump’s previous round hurt the US economy, but was still popular.

Protectionism is, after all, historically popular with industrial unions. Biden has secured support from the UAW, a group that has been racking up a lot of impressive wins lately, and wants to expand union power further (for which it has the support of the President). UAW has asked for higher tariffs, and Biden has taken their advice before.

But it is also good to remember that this election is indeed important. While President Biden’s tariff policy mirrors that of Mr. Trump, Biden’s overall environmental policy does stand out as head and shoulders above the destructive, ill-considered nonsense we saw from the EPA under fossil fuel advocates Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler.

On EVs specifically, Mr. Trump has already begged for $1 billion in bribes from oil companies (soon after scrambling to make bond in his half-billion-dollar fraud case), promising that if they give him these bribes, he would try again to kill electric vehicles (which he failed at last time) – in a move that would actually benefit the Chinese auto industry, and would harm US consumers’ health and pocketbooks.

So while this EV tariff increase doesn’t seem like a great idea, the alternative is, somehow, much worse. Isn’t that just the story of US politics in a nutshell.

But will the tariff change minds? While tariffs are popular, Trump has associated himself so closely with protectionist trade policy that voters with a thirst for protectionism seem more likely to vote for the candidate that has done more to shout his bombastic racist ideas from the rooftops.

It does seem that, with anti-Chinese sentiment at an all time high, any mention of China short-circuits a certain percentage of the electorate. Despite the demonstrably positive effect that Biden’s EV policy has produced in terms of investment in US EV manufacturing, that very same policy is often ignorantly criticized for helping China – which it does not do. Just have a look in the comments below, we’re sure a number of people who did not get this far into the article will echo exactly this incorrect sentiment.

But that’s a hard thing to explain, which has taken me thousands of words already (sorry) to merely scratch the surface of. The simplicity of “China bad” is a lot more comforting and simple to accept, despite lacking nuance.

How do we beat China? Not by tariffs, but by trying harder

Apologies for taking so long to get around to the point, but I hope that after laying out the actions China has taken to grow its EV industry, the history of foreign entrants into the auto industry, the effectiveness of tariffs, and the effectiveness of other trade policies and the politics behind them, the conclusion of how to go forward is already clear.

In order to beat China, we need to stop messing around with comforting but ill-considered policies that won’t work, and instead commit ourselves to the massive industrial shift that we need in order to catch up with a country that has already been doing so for over a decade.

We cannot do this by moving slower than a target that is already ahead of us. We have to move faster. And the West doesn’t get there by taking $1 billion in bribes to tank domestic industry, by softening targets or backtracking on EV plans. In particular, having one party that actively opposes any attempt to prepare the US auto industry for the future is certainly not helpful. This back-and-forth is not happening in China – they are committed.

The US auto industry has become accustomed to offering huge, expensive gas guzzlers, and to being “the only game in town.” But that didn’t work for the US in the 70s, and it won’t work now.

One of the most common criticisms of EVs is their unaffordability, but the BYD Seagull will cost under $10k (domestically) and the sporty Xiaomi SU7 is about $30k. That might be hard to compete with, but the US has already seen a cheap, great EV in the form of the workmanlike Chevy Bolt, which cost under $20k new after incentives before production ended. So it’s possible, and just because it’s hard doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.

Even if prices on small Chinese EVs are unattainable, the way to solve that is through smart industrial and materials policy (as China has spent years on and we’ve only just started), through targeted subsidy to a new and important industry (which we’re doing, though republicans want to eliminate that), and by perhaps redirecting tax breaks that currently encourage giant vehicles to stop encouraging huge gas guzzlers and instead encourage right-sized EVs (and end other policies like the EPA footprint rule which EPA is finally doing something about).

Then there’s the little issue of massive implicit subsidies to fossil fuels, costing the US economy $700 billion per year. The solution to that is to put a price on pollution, as supported by virtually all economists and a majority of Americans in every state, which would help to incentivize cleaner autos and disincentivize dirtier ones. And all of this is necessary to confront climate change, which we can do alongside taking actions to ensure we are ready for the future of automobiles.

So, if you’ll forgive me for taking this apparently unpopular anti-tariff stance, I think it’s clear that simply doubling the price of the competition isn’t the best way to ensure US auto stays competitive. It won’t help US consumers, it likely won’t have a net positive effect on US jobs (across sectors), it will lull industry into a false sense of security, it doesn’t help the environment, and perhaps least important but still worth mention, it violates the oft-repeated-but-never-honestly-held principle that government should “avoid picking winners and losers.”

Instead, lets focus on encouraging the new tech and discouraging the old tech, and moving quickly to beat China at their own game. If we want to pick winners, then why don’t we pick us.

This is how we get the American auto industry, a jewel in the crown of America for more than a century, into competitive shape for the future. We should have been doing more earlier, but as the famous (possibly Chinese) proverb says: “the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is today.”

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Heybike Hauler cargo e-bike hits $999 low ($500 off), EcoFlow DELTA Pro with transfer switch at $1,709 low + other units, Worx, more

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Heybike Hauler cargo e-bike hits 9 low (0 off), EcoFlow DELTA Pro with transfer switch at ,709 low + other units, Worx, more

It’s the calm before the storm as everyone prepares for Amazon’s Prime Day Sale event starting tomorrow morning (July 8), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still solid Green Deals coming in today. Leading the pack is Heybike’s Hauler Cargo e-bike that is back down at its $999 low for the second time. Right behind it is EcoFlow’s final early Prime Day flash sale on three units, with the DELTA Pro Portable Power Station bundle coming back around at a $1,709 low that also gives you a free transfer switch and RAPID 5,000mAh power bank, as well as savings on DELTA 3 and WAVE 3 bundles from $529. We also have Worx’s Nitro 20V 8-inch Cordless Pole Chainsaw at its best 2025 rate of $119, as well as EGO’s 56V 21-inch Cordless Electric Lawn Mower with a 5.0Ah battery and rapid charger at $365. Plus, there’s all the hangover Green Deals still seeing savings in our one-stop-shop July 4th hub in the links at the bottom of the page – with many of the savings ending tonight!

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.

Affordably carry cargo with Heybike’s single or dual-battery Hauler e-bike starting from a $999 low

As part of its Prime Day e-bike Sale, Heybike is offering its Hauler Cargo Single-Battery e-bike at $999 shipped, while the dual-battery counterpart is down at $1,399 shipped. You’d normally shell out $1,499 and $1,899 for these two setups at full price, though discounts regularly bring things down to $1,199 and $1,599, which we have seen go lower a few select times in 2025. Only once before have we seen these two low prices appear, back during the brand’s Memorial Day Sale, with you getting another chance at the $500 savings here today.

Heybike’s Hauler e-bike comes as an affordable means to transport precious cargo, with the 750W brushless geared hub motor peaking at up to 1,400W to tackle inclines and for better pick-up when you’ve got packages, groceries, and more on board. It can max out at 28 MPH speeds in states where it’s allowed, and comes with the two battery options that largely depend on how much travel time you need, with the solo-battery setup giving you up to 55 miles of pedal assisted support and the dual-battery setup increasing that travel range up to 85 miles.

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The Heybike Hauler e-bike boasts a 440-pound payload, as well as foldable running boards for when you want to bring a passenger along, not to mention the obvious integrated rear cargo rack that doubles as the seat. For the price right now, you’re also getting a solid lineup of features, including hydraulic front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-protected tires, a Shimano 7-speed derailleur, an auto-on LED headlight, a brake-lighting integrated taillight, and an LCD screen for data and setting adjustments.

You can check out Heybike’s full lineup of Prime Day e-bike deals on the landing page here.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro portable power station

Get sectional backup support with EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro and transfer switch + free power bank at $1,709 low

It’s the final day of EcoFlow’s early Prime Day Sale, and the brand’s final flash sale is in full swing through the rest of the day. The flash savings here are taking up to 54% off three units – two power station bundles and a bundle for the brand’s newest AC/heater solution. Leading the sale is the DELTA Pro Portable Power Station that comes with a free transfer switch for $1,709.05 shipped, after using the code EFPDAFF5 at checkout for an additional 5% savings – plus, you’ll also be getting a free RAPID 5,000mAh power bank thrown in too. We’ve been seeing many different flash sales focusing on the DELTA Pro at this same rate during this sale, which usually carries a $3,699 MSRP, though it is regularly sitting around $1,999 from Amazon (currently $1,784 there). Not only are you getting another chance at the biggest savings and the best price here, but you’re doing so while also getting the means for sectional home backup support.

One of the best and most expansive of EcoFlow’s legacy models, the DELTA Pro power station is ready to cover your campsites, outdoor gatherings, and home backup emergencies with a 3,600Wh LiFePO4 capacity that you can expand as high as 25kWh with future investments. There are 14 port options here, through which the station provides up to a steady 3,600W output that can surge up to 7,200W to cover larger appliances. It comes with three primary means to recharge: plugged into a standard outlet, through your car’s auxiliary port, or by connecting up to a maximum 1,600W solar input. The included transfer switch gives you sectional backup support of up to six circuits in your home or on an RV, with it pre-wired for easier installation.

You can also pick up the brand’s DELTA 3 Portable Power Station with a free protective bag at $529 shipped, down from its usual $778 pricing. This is a smaller and more affordable backup option that has a 1,024Wh LiFePo4 capacity and can be expanded up to 5,120Wh with various expansion batteries from across the DELTA ecosystem. It provides 1,800W output, surging to 2,200W when needed, and has 13 total output ports to use for connections to devices and appliances. It also boasts an expanded list of recharging options, including through an AC outlet, with a max 500W solar input, through car charging, generator charging, or there’s the multi-charging option of AC and solar together.

The last of these offers gives you the latest WAVE 3 Portable AC and Heater with an add-on battery and a free bag at $899 shipped, coming down from $1,299. With the battery included here, you can get up to 8 hours of wireless cooling/heating in your tent, car, or anywhere else you’re settling down. The 1,800W output here can “drop temperatures by 15 degrees in 15 minutes,” while the 2,000W heating output hits similar speeds, “raising the temperature by 17 degrees in 15 minutes” – with it able to cover 120 to 180 square feet spaces. There’s even some cool smart control expansions here, including the PetCare mode that automatically starts cooling once temperatures reach 77 degrees, among others.

Be sure to check out EcoFlow’s full early Prime Day Sale lineup here before it ends later tonight.

Worx Nitro 20V 8-inch Cordless Pole Chainsaw

Get 13.3 feet of reach with Worx’s telescoping Nitro 20V 8-inch cordless pole chainsaw at $119 annual low

Amazon is offering the best pricing of the last year on the Worx Nitro 20V 8-inch Cordless Pole Chainsaw at $119 shipped. Normally, you’d have to shell out $170 for this tool at full price, which we’ve seen discounts taking as low as $120 once over the last 12 months, with prices otherwise keeping above $129. While it has gone lower in past years, you’re looking at the best price we have tracked since summer 2024, giving you $51 in savings off its going rate.

You’ll have plenty of reach to trim high branches with this Worx Nitro pole chainsaw, especially with the telescoping pole allowing for tool-free extensions up to 13.3 feet – plus, it weighs in at just 8 pounds, making it easy to manage and operate, despite varying operator sizes. The 8-inch bar and chain has three different cutting angles (0 degrees, 15 degrees, and 30 degrees) it can be set to, with the automatic oiler keeping things lubricated and running smoothly as you work. What’s more, your comfort has been taken into account with the 180-degree rotating rear handle, allowing you to easily switch between vertical and horizontal cutting positions.

EGO Power+ 56V 21-inch cordless electric lawn mower

Bring home EGO’s 56V 21-inch cordless electric mower with a 5.0Ah battery and rapid charger at $365

Amazon is offering the EGO Power+ 56V 21-inch Cordless Electric Lawn Mower with 5.0Ah battery and rapid charger at $364.60 shipped. This package would normally go for $430 at full price, which we’ve mostly seen it keeping at over the last 12 months, with few large price cuts on the books in that timeframe. While we have seen it go as low as $309 in the past, over the last 12 months, the rate we’re seeing today has only been beaten out by a short-lived drop to $350 back in April, with it otherwise being the best price we’ve spotted this year thanks to the $65 markdown.

You’ll get a much more budget-friendly means to tackle lawn care with this 56V 21-inch model over EGO’s higher-end mowers, giving you the torque of a gas engine without the noise and fumes. With the included 5.0Ah battery, the brushless motor will get up to 45 continuous minutes of runtime, while the rapid charger can have it back to full at much faster rates than a standard charger. There are six cutting height levels to adjust between (from 1.5 to 4 inches), as well as the versatility to side discharge, mulch, or collect clippings into the two-bushel bag. Not only does it come with an IPX4 weather-resistance construction, but it starts up at the push of a button and folds to a more compact size for easier storage options.

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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Arizona brings a huge grid battery online ahead of peak demand

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Arizona brings a huge grid battery online ahead of peak demand

One of Arizona’s biggest grid battery storage projects is now online and helping power homes as the summer heat ramps up.

Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, just brought its 1,200 MWh Papago Storage facility in Maricopa County into commercial operation. The big grid battery is now supplying stored electricity to Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest utility, in time for peak air-conditioning season.

Papago is the first of three Recurrent projects with APS. Together, they’ll provide 1,800 MWh of storage and 150 MW of solar power. That’s enough to run about 72,000 homes for four hours and provide year-round solar for another 24,000 homes.

“Summer is here, and we’re ready to serve APS customers with the energy they need when they need it,” said APS director of resource acquisition Derek Seaman.

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The Arizona Corporation Commission chair, Kevin Thompson, noted that bringing online one of Arizona’s largest battery storage projects during a critical time when energy demand is skyrocketing is a milestone.

Canadian Solar’s e-STORAGE arm built the project and will keep it running under a long-term agreement.

Recurrent CEO Ismael Guerrero said, “We’re proud to deliver flexible capacity that meets the state’s growing energy needs and grateful for APS’s continued partnership.”


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. 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. They have 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 Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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The Porsche Cayenne EV flexes its power towing 3-tons in public

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The Porsche Cayenne EV flexes its power towing 3-tons in public

Porsche promises the new electric SUV will “set new standards,” and it’s already proving it. Ahead of its upcoming launch, the Porsche Cayenne EV proved its might by towing a 100-year-old classic car and trailer weighing around 3 tons in public.

Porsche Cayenne EV flexes its performance in public

The Porsche Cayenne EV is already smashing records, and it’s not even out yet. Last month, a prototype beat every gas-powered SUV, setting a new SUV record at the Shelsley Walsh hill climb by more than four seconds.

Now, it’s at it again. Porsche showcased a near-production-ready Cayenne EV prototype in England for the first time as part of a public film shoot.

The camouflaged Cayenne EV showcased its impressive power by towing a 100-year-old classic car weighing over 2 tons. Including the trailer, the total weight was around 3 tons.

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British TV presenter Richard Hammond took the Cayenne EV from his workshop in Hereford to his garage, towing the classic car behind.

According to Hammond, the electric SUV “handled it effortlessly,” adding, “We were trailing significant weight behind us, but you wouldn’t know it.”

Porsche-Cayenne-EV-public
Porsche Cayenne EV towing a 3-ton trailer and classic car (Source: Porsche)

Porsche designed the Cayenne EV and its high-voltage system, “to be one of the first BEVs in the world to achieve a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes.” Depending on the configuration, it will be just as capable, if not more, than the current combustion-engine Cayenne.

As Michael Schätzle, Vice President of the Product Line Cayenne, explained, “That’s why we didn’t want to make any compromises in the development of the all-electric model.”

Porsche-Cayenne-EV-public
Porsche Cayenne EV prototype at Shelsley Walsh 2025 (Source: Porsche)

The Porsche Cayenne EV was initially set to launch this year, but it’s now expected to debut in production form later this year as a 2026 model. A “conspicuously camouflaged prototype” will be on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 10 to July 13.

More information, including prices and specifications, will be revealed closer to launch. However, we do know that it will be based on the PPE platform, the same one underpinning the Macan EV and the Audi Q6 e-Tron.

The Macan EV has an EPA-estimated range of 308 miles. On the European WLTP scale, it’s rated at 613 km (381 miles). However, Porsche said the platform will receive “comprehensive upgrades” for the Cayenne.

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