With its Memorial Day sale on its final day, Amazon is now preparing for Father’s Day needs by offering the EGO POWER+ 56V 42-inch Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower with four 10.0Ah batteries and an extra two 5.0Ah batteries for $4,999 shipped. With this bundle usually going for $6,097, this is the lowest price we have seen to date, with only two previous discounts to speak of. You can find the mower with its normal battery amount currently discounted to the same rate, meaning you’re getting two extra batteries for no added cost while already saving you $1,098. You can also find a similar bundle on the Z6 riding mower with four 12.0Ah batteries and an e-steer wheel at $5,499, down from $6,597.
The Z6 riding mower comes stocked with four 10.0Ah batteries that allows it to cover up to 2 acres of land on a single charge (which can be slightly extended with the extra two batteries). Its four independent brushless motors are housed within the 42-inch weather-resistant steel cutting deck, equivalent to a 22-horsepower engine, allowing it to move at up to 8 MPH. You’ll have 10 cutting heights to choose from here, ranging from 1.5 inches to 4.5 inches, three different driving modes, as well as 3-in-1 functionality for mulching, bagging, or side-discharges. It also sports some premium features like the 32 LED lights laid out on its front, sides, and rear for those early morning or late evening jobs – and even Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port for devices.
More EGO Power+ discounts:
Aventon’s Himalayan Pink Level.2 Commuter Step-Through e-bike now $1,499
As part of its Memorial Day sale, Best Buy is offering the Aventon Himalayan Pink Level.2 Commuter Step-Through e-bike for $1,499 shipped. Regularly fetching $1,949, in 2023 we saw this particular model drop farthest during Black Friday sales, where it was brought down to $1,499. With this colorway no longer being offered from Aventon directly, we’ve mainly seen it included in Best Buy flash sales since the start of the new year, with today’s deal coming in as a $450 markdown that returns costs to the third-lowest price we have tracked – not only matching Black Friday rates, but also matching Aventon’s current Memorial Day rate. It’s also among some of the Electrek favorites, which you can read about in our launch review or by heading below.
This flagship commuter e-bike comes ready to carry you wherever needed around town with its 500W rear-hub motor (750W peak) paired alongside a fully-integrated 14.0Ah battery that provides a 60-mile travel range on a single charge. Using only its throttle you’ll top off at 20 MPH, but when utilizing the five different levels of pedal assistance, that limit is bumped up to 28 MPH.
It also comes with a rear-mounted rack for carrying along cargo as well as front and rear fenders to protect the bike from any adverse elements during your journey. It features integrated head and taillights, with the rear lights offering a brake light function, and you’ll 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.
As I stated before, this lowered price currently matches Aventon’s Memorial Day sale rate, albeit there is one tradeoff worth noting – by sacrificing the colorway, you’ll receive a free extra battery from Aventon’s direct sale that doubles the e-bike’s mileage from 60 miles to 120 miles!
VEVOR’s 40A Level 2 Portable EV Charger with NEMA 14-50 plug at new $128 low
Alongside its Memorial Day sales, Amazon is offering the VEVOR Level 2 Portable EV Charger with NEMA 14-50 Plug for $128.24 shipped, after clipping the on-page 10% off coupon. Already down from its $200 price tag, it entered the new year at $150 before steadily rising at small rates until April, when we finally started seeing some short-lived price cuts before once more rising back up. Today’s deal comes in to shake up the stagnation as a combined 36% markdown off the going rate that gives you $72 in savings and drops costs to a new all-time low.
This portable 40A level 2 EV charger can be stowed away in your vehicle (or kept out for regular use thanks to the included accessory parts) for quick and effortless charging solutions whenever you find yourself far from any official charging stations. It features an LED display that conveys in-time information, as well as a smart chip that provides protection against lightning, leakage, grounding, over voltage, under voltage, over charge, over current, and overheating. You’ll also be able to fully monitor and control the device through your smartphone, letting you even schedule charging for 1 to 12 hours, with options to take advantage of off-peak hours. It is compatible with vehicles and plug-in hybrids that comply with the J1772 standard, requiring only a NEMA 14-50 outlet to plug the charger into.
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.
A wheel loader operator fills a truck with ore at the MP Materials rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, January 30, 2020.
Steve Marcus | Reuters
The Defense Department will become the largest shareholder in rare earth miner MP Materials after agreeing to buy $400 million of its preferred stock, the company said Thursday.
MP Materials owns the only operational rare earth mine in the U.S. at Mountain Pass, California. The company said it will use the proceeds of the Pentagon’s investment to expand its rare earths processing capabilities and its magnet production capacity.
Shares of MP Materials jumped more than 40% premarket on the news.
The Pentagon is buying a newly created class of preferred shares that are convertible into MP Materials’ common stock. It is also buying a warrant that allows it to purchase additional common stock in the rare earth miner. The convertible shares and the warrant for common stock would represent about a 15% stake in MP Materials as of July 9.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in April that the Trump administration was considering making direct equity investments in critical mineral companies to break U.S. dependence on China.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Porsche is rolling out three new Taycan Black Edition models. The 2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition brings more than just a sporty new look. All three are equipped with Porsche’s Performance Battery Plus, delivering more power and a longer driving range.
Meet the 2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition
With the new electric Macan stealing the show, Porsche is introducing new Taycan variants for the 2026 model year.
Porsche has already introduced significant upgrades for the 2025 model year, adding more driving range, faster charging, higher performance, and a sleek new design.
The new Black Edition variants will be available for the 2026 Porsche Taycan, Taycan 4, and Taycan 4S models.
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Featuring its SportDesign package, the new models include high-gloss black exterior accents on the window trims and mirrors.
Other standard design elements include a rear light strip with an illuminated, blacked-out Porsche logo. Inside, the new variants include Porsche’s black interior accent package, storage package, and black brushed illuminated door sill guards.
2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition (Source: Porsche)
All three Black Edition models are equipped with the larger Performance Battery Plus, which is typically offered as an option.
With a gross energy capacity of 105 kWh, Porsche says the new variants offer a longer driving range and more power. The 2025 Taycan, with the Performance Battery Plus pack, offers an EPA-estimated range of 318 miles.
On the European WLTP scale, the 2025 Porsche Taycan with the Performance Plus battery is rated with up to 679 km (421 miles) range.
2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition (Source: Porsche)
The new Black Edition models are loaded with added features. Highlights include Lane Change Assist, Surround View, including Active Parking Assist, 21″ wheels with center caps featuring the full-color Porsche crest, and HD-Matrix Design LED headlights. There are even puddle light projectors that show the Porsche logo when the doors open.
2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition interior (Source: Porsche)
On the inside, the premium features continue. The Black Edition interior features 14-way comfort seats with a memory function, a Porsche crest on the headrests, and a BOSE Surround Sound System, including Dolby Atmos, to create an immersive sound experience.
You’ll also get Porsche Electric Sport Sound, a Storage package, and the Porsche crest stitched into the leather trim. To top it off, there’s an added “Black Edition” badge in the center console, exclusive to the new variants.
Although it’s called the Black Edition, you can choose from several different colors, such as Jet Black Metallic, Volcano Grey Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, and Ice Grey Metallic, at no extra cost.
Porsche will reveal prices for the 2026 Taycan Black Edition models “in due course.” Deliveries in the US are expected to begin in Fall 2025.
What do you think of the new blacked-out Taycan variants? Do you dig it? Drop us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.
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Aventon is giving its popular fat tire e-bike a serious upgrade. The company just unveiled the Aventure M, a new mid-drive version of its best-selling Aventure model. With more torque, smarter shifting, and a boost in connectivity and control, Aventon says this is the “most advanced” bike it has ever produced.
The new Aventure M swaps out the rear hub motor for a 100 Nm mid-drive motor, offering more efficient power delivery and a more natural ride feel thanks to its double-sided torque sensor. And in case that 100 Nm doesn’t exactly place it for you, just know that we’re talking about more power (or more accurately, torque) than nearly any other e-bike in this class.
The Aventon A100 motor, which is rated at 750W and runs on a 36V system, takes full advantage of its Class 3 category with pedal assist speeds up to 28 mph (45 km/h) and a throttle top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). The throttle is sold separately, probably as a nod to being even more compliant with California’s new stricter laws regarding Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes, which can’t have mounted throttles.
Aventon also gives riders the option to set the bike to Class 1 or 2 limits using the companion app. We’ve always been pretty impressed with Aventon’s app, as it’s quite easy to use and makes it simple to control those types of modifications to the bike.
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That app pairs with Aventon’s newly developed ACU (Aventon Control Unit), a custom IoT system that adds a wide range of smart features. Riders get GPS tracking, theft detection, geofencing, remote locking, and over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. Aventon even built in a passcode-locked on-switch for added security, as well as a physical rear-wheel lock and alarm.
We’ve previously seen Aventon use that OTA update system to give its e-bike more power via a boost feature, so the company doesn’t appear shy about pushing out new features when they’re ready.
But it’s not just about motor placement and connectivity. The Aventure M introduces electronic shifting, powered by a 10-speed Shimano CUES drivetrain and paddle shifters. Riders can shift manually or let the system take over with Auto Shift, Aventon’s torque and cadence-sensing automatic shifting mode. A new Uphill Start Assist feature gives riders an extra torque boost when starting from a stop on steep grades –perfect for off-road adventures or fully loaded cargo rides.
As for range, Aventon claims up to 85 miles (137 km) from the removable 36V 20Ah (720 Wh) battery, which itself weighs around 8.7 lbs (3.9 kg). That figure is in the lowest power level, and real-world range will depend heavily on terrain and assist level, but riders can likely expect something in the 40–60 mile (65-100 km) ballpark under typical pedaling usage when enjoying moderately higher power levels, and a bit less if leaning hard into that optional throttle.
Rounding out the build are 4-inch wide fat tires, a suspension seatpost, and an 80 mm front suspension fork. The total weight of the bike is around 73 lbs (33 kg), which is actually surprisingly reasonable for a full-featured fat tire e-bike with a mid-drive, believe it or not. Hey, these are heavy bikes when you stuff all that power, range, and tech in there.
The price at launch is US $2,899, which places the Aventure M above the hub motor version of the company’s existing Aventure model but below some other mid-drive fat tire options on the market. Aventon is clearly positioning this as a higher-performance alternative that’s still (hopefully) accessible to the average rider. It’s available now online and through Aventon’s network of over 1,800 partner dealers across the U.S.
Electrek’s Take
It’s about time we saw a major direct-to-consumer brand bring a smart tech, mid-drive fat tire e-bike to market that doesn’t require taking out a second mortgage. The Aventure M feels like a natural progression for Aventon – taking what made the Aventure 2 so popular and layering on meaningful performance and tech upgrades. The mid-drive motor brings real climbing power and smoother pedal assist, and features like auto shifting and built-in GPS tracking give this bike some serious smart credentials.
Of course, at nearly $3,000, this isn’t exactly budget territory anymore. But considering the Aventure M includes high-end components, a full-fat-tire adventure build, and an impressive level of integration, it still looks like a solid value for someone who wants their e-bike to go above and beyond the basic level of componentry and features. If the real-world range holds up and the automatic shifting works smoothly, this could easily become a category leader for anyone wanting an all-terrain e-bike that feels as refined as it is rugged. Aventon of course didn’t reinvent the wheel here — they just made a smarter, better one. I look forward to getting on one soon for a review and letting you know what I think of the ride.
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