Rare discount on Tesla’s Universal Wall Connector Level 2 Hardwired EV Charger drops price to new $580 low
Best Buy is offering the Tesla Universal Wall Connector Level 2 Hardwired EV Charger for $580 shipped. Usually going for $620, this is a rare opportunity to save money on this universally compatible device. It’s been riding its MSRP for as long as we have tracked, with even last year’s Black Friday and Christmas sales not affecting the price. Today’s deal is a $40 markdown off the going rate that lands at a new all-time low, and also matches the current discount over at Amazon, as well.
This EV charger boasts a customizable output of up to 48A of power, which can be adjusted during indoor or outdoor installations. While cheaper models tend to only support Tesla models, this charger instead employs an integrated J1772 adapter making it compatible with most other EV brands/models outside the Tesla boundaries. You’ll be getting upward to 44 miles of travel range per hour of charging when set at its maximum amperage – plus, it’ll keep itself updated with the latest firmware when connected to a local Wi-Fi network or through the Tesla app. If you’re part of a Tesla-only household, consider the cheaper non-universal EV charger that is sitting at $450, matching its Amazon rate. Head below for more.
LG’s most energy-efficient Smart Electric Ventless Dryer falls to new $1,099 low
LG is offering a special deal on its 7.8 cubic-foot Smart Front Load Electric Dryer with a ventless heat pump for $1,099 shipped. Already down from its $1,799 price tag, this deal gives you an extra $200 off as well once the appliance has been placed in your cart. While we have seen this model regularly go as low as $1,300 on other sites like Best Buy, today’s deal marks a new all-time low overall – especially when considering the lessened amount of sales direct from the manufacturer like this, giving you a total $700 in savings and a great opportunity to upgrade your laundry room with a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly option. You’ll also find this dryer marked down to $1,300 at Best Buy, so for any of you who may have grabbed a gift card during Memorial Day or already have lingering credit, you might be able to get a lower price there.
Sporting a larger 7.8 cubic-foot “mega capacity” than more standard models, this ENERGY STAR certified dryer brings your home further into the 21st century with a sleek look and AI-supported functionality. Alongside the smart controls you’ll get via the companion app (including voice controls when connected to Alexa or Google Assistant), this appliance features AI Sensor Dry, which can not only detect the fabric types and the size of the load placed inside, but also adjust settings as needed during the cycles – saving you the headache of memorizing what cycle and settings are most desirable for particular articles of clothes. Its main claim to fame, though, is its ventless design, giving you the freedom to install it anywhere, plus – its added dual inverter heat pump technology uses “up to 65% less energy,” while also running at quieter levels. Head below for more.
NIU KQI Air Foldable Electric Kick Scooter returns to $1,049 low
Best Buy is offering the NIU KQi Air Carbon Fiber Foldable Electric Kick Scooter for $1,049 shipped. Normally fetching $1,399, this newer scooter has seen relatively few discounts when compared to some of NIU’s other models, with only some minor discounts under its belt returning costs to the same low. Today’s deal is one of these repeated discounts, coming in as a 25% markdown off the going rate that saves you $350 and returns it to the all-time lowest price we have tracked. You can learn about this model further – or its successor, the upcoming KQI Air X, by heading below or reading through our hands-on review.
The NIU KQi Air is the lightest available model under the NIU brand (until the KQi Air X officially begins shipping next month), coming equipped with a 350W motor (700W peak) and a 451Wh battery that hits up to 20 MPH top speeds for up to 31 miles on a single 5-hour charge. It offers five different riding modes to choose from: E-save, sport, dynamic, pedestrian, and cruise control – with the slower speeds obviously saving you battery juice for longer rides.
It also come with a variety of features like a front disc brake with regenerative braking, an IP55 waterproof rating, an integrated LED display, a Halo headlight, a taillight with brake light functionality, turn signals on the ends of the wide-reaching handlebar, ambient lighting on its body, a 41% wider deck, 9.5-inch tubeless tires, and an electric horn. You’ll also be able to control the settings via the companion app, which you can lock and unlock your scooter with for added security.
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.
In a significant move that marks a departure from its traditional e-bike offerings, Trek has introduced the FX+ 1, its first-ever electric bike equipped with a throttle. This launch responds to growing consumer demand for more versatile and accessible e-biking options, particularly in the North American market.
The FX+ 1 is a hybrid e-bike designed for urban commuting, recreational riding, and light off-road adventures. At its core is a 500W Hyena rear hub motor delivering 60 Nm of torque, providing enough power for various terrain riding, though it might not be able to hang with the wide range of 750W e-bikes cruising US streets. The motor is paired with a UL-certified 540 Wh battery integrated into the downtube, offering a range of up to 50 miles on a single charge.
The top speed can be user-adjusted to either 20 mph or 28 mph (32 km/h or 45 km/h), providing performance that matches the maximum limit for Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes in the US, respectively.
Riders can choose between two versions: the standard FX+ 1, a Class 2 e-bike with pedal assist and throttle support up to 20mph, and the FX+ 1S, a Class 3 variant that extends pedal-assisted speeds up to 28mph while maintaining the same throttle limit.
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The FX+ 1 boasts a lightweight aluminum frame available in both mid-step and high-step configurations, accommodating riders from 5’1” to 6’6”. It rolls on 27.5-inch wheels fitted with 50mm Bontrager GR0 gravel tires, balancing efficiency on pavement with comfort on rougher paths.
The bike includes with integrated front and rear lights, with brake light and turn signal functions as well. Trek even says that once the battery is depleted to 0%, there’s still enough juice left in it to run the bike’s lights for another three hours.
The bike also features an 8-speed Shimano ESSA drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors, and mounts for racks and fenders, improving its utility for daily commutes and errands.
Charging is streamlined through Trek’s new EasyMag magnetic charger, which fully charges the battery in approximately 5.5 hours. The system includes a wall-mountable unit with easy-to-see LED indicators, simplifying the charging process.
Historically, Trek has focused on pedal-assist e-bikes, emphasizing a natural riding experience shying away from throttles that allow riders to power the bike’s motor without any pedaling input. The introduction of a throttle-equipped model signifies a strategic pivot to meet the preferences of many North American e-bike consumers who have long shown a buying preference for e-bikes with throttles..
Taylor Cook, marketing manager for Trek Canada, explained the rationale: “There are a lot of bikes out there calling themselves e-bikes that aren’t really made to be pedaled. This isn’t that. It’s still a Trek bike, built to be ridden, just with an extra bit of help when you need it.”
By entering the throttle e-bike segment, Trek positions itself head-to-head against newer brands that have capitalized on this market niche. The FX+ 1’s combination of reputable build quality, thoughtful design, and relative affordability (for a Trek) at $1,999 makes it a compelling option for a broad range of riders.
Electrek’s Take
The FX+ 1 is certainly an interesting expansion of Trek’s e-bike portfolio, and I think fans will be happy to see the company blending traditional cycling performance with modern electric bike throttles. Its introduction shows that the company is well aware of how many US riders prefer to have a throttle on their e-bike, and has made moves to meet that need.
The fact that Trek’s sister company Electra began including throttles two years ago was likely a great way for Trek to get its feet wet in the throttle game. The company no doubt saw the increase of riders that were flocking to Electra’s throttle-equipped electric bikes and wanted to get a piece of that pie as well.
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That network of dependable high-speed chargers, paired with solid app integration that makes it easy for Tesla drivers to find available chargers just about anywhere in the US, gave the brand a leg up – but no more. By opening up the Supercharger network to brands like Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and others, Tesla has given away its biggest competitive advantage.
Add in charging and route-planning apps like Chargeway, that make navigating the transition from CCS to NACS easier than ever with its intuitive colors and numbers and easy on/off switch for vehicles equipped with NACS adapters, and it feels like the time is right to start suggesting alternatives to the old EV industry stalwarts. As such, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Here, then, are my picks for the best Tesla S3XY (and Cybertruck) alternatives you can buy.
Less Model S, more Lucid Air
Lucid Air sedans; via Lucid.
Developed by OG Tesla Model S engineers with tunes from Annie Get Your Gun playing continuously in their heads, the Lucid Air promises to be the car Tesla should and could have built, if only Elon had listened to the engineers.
With panel fit, material finish, and overall build quality that’s at least as good as anything else in the automotive space, the Lucid Air is a compelling alternative to the Model S at every price level – and I, for one, would take a “too f@#king fast” Lucid Air Sapphire over an “as seen on TV” Model S Plaid any day of the week. And, with Supercharger access reportedly coming later this quarter, Air buyers will have every advantage the Supercharger Network can provide.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Less Model 3, more Hyundai IONIQ 6
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited; via Hyundai.
Hyundai has been absolutely killing it these days, with EVs driving record sales and new models earning rave reviews from the automotive press. Even in that company the IONIQ 6 stands out, with up to 338 miles of EPA-rated range and lickety-quick 350 kW charging available to make road tripping easy – especially now that the aerodynamically efficient IONIQ 6 has Supercharger access through a NACS adapter (the 2026 “facelift” models get a NACS port as standard).
Once upon a time, Mrs. Jo Borrás and I were shopping three-row SUVs and found ourselves genuinely drawn to the then-new Model X. Back then it was the only three-row EV on the market, but it wasn’t Elon’s antics or access to charging, or even the Model X’s premium pricing that squirreled the deal. It was the stupid doors.
We went with the similarly new Volvo XC90 T8 in denim blue, and followed up the big PHEV with a second, three years later, in Osmium Gray. When it’s time to replace this one, you can just about bet your house that the new 510 hp EX90 with 310 miles of all-electric range will be near the top of the shopping list.
The sporty EV6 GT made its global debut by drag racing some of the fastest ICE-powered cars of the day, including a Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG GT, a Porsche, even a turbocharged Ferrari – and it beat the pants off ’em. Combine supercar-baiting speed with an accessible price tag, NACS accessibility, $10,000 in customer cash on remaining 2024 models ($3,000 on 2025s) and just a hint of Lancia Stratos in the styling, the EV6 is tough to beat.
If you disagree with that statement and feel like driving a new Tesla Cybertruck is the key to happiness, I’m not sure an equally ostentatious GMC Hummer EV or more subtle Rivian R1T will help you scratch that particular itch – but maybe therapy might!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
COMMENTER FAVORITES
Not getting the USAF joke.
Projecting obsessions onto the author.
Feeling butthurt about the Pit Vipers and tribal tats.
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Komatsu-Dimag mobile charger at work; rendering via ChatGPT.
There’s no question that electric construction equipment is safer, more precise, and generally better than the diesel equipment it’s replacing, but getting power to that equipment remains a logistical challenge that hasn’t been solved for. With this new mobile Megawatt charging station, however, Komatsu think they’ve found a solution — with up to 6 MW of power!
Developed by Tesla co-founder Ian Wright, Dimaag, and Japanese equipment giant Komatsu, the groundbreaking Mobile Megawatt Charging System (MWCS) promises to bring electricity where it’s needed, anywhere on the job site, then quickly dispense enough energy to get the electric machines under its care back up and running.
And, with Megawatt power delivery on tap, the new Komatsu-Dimaag MWCS can power up equipment assets between shift changes — if it even takes that long!
Komatsu Dimaag mobile charger
Mobile Megawatt charger; via Dimaag.
The MWCS boasts a compact, high-efficiency DC-DC converter and a long-life, high-discharge-rate Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on board that can be connected to a DC fast charger itself, or get “trickle charged” between shifts. Both the battery and its control systems make use of an advanced thermal management solution that Komatsu and Dimaag say optimizes both safety and battery life during high-power delivery.
To make sure the MWCS can get all that power where it needs to, wherever it needs to, the machine is equipped with with stout, construction-grade AT tires, 4-wheel drive, and 4-wheel steering to navigate tight surroundings and rough terrains that other solutions wouldn’t be able to get to. And, while it isn’t mentioned in the press release, there’s a common sense idea here that you could, in a pinch, use the MWCS to tow less capable vehicles out of the mud and snow, if needed.
For their part, it seems like the people at Dimaag are pretty happy with the results. “Dimaag is excited to collaborate with Komatsu, introducing our advanced ESS and DC-DC architecture to revolutionize electrification in construction,” stated Ian Wright, VP Engineering at Dimaag. “Off-road vehicle electrification demands practical solutions that not only meet but exceed the performance of equivalent large diesel engine vehicles, while also providing substantial Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings. Dimaag’s electrification and high-power megawatt charging systems are designed to achieve this.”
The prototype MWCS shown, above, features a 295 kWh battery pack and an MCS connector delivering up to 1,500 amps and 1,000 volts of power. Komatsu envisions a scenario wherein the mobile charger makes its rounds on the job site charging up equipment and heading back to grid power (if available) to charge itself.
Conceptually similar to the mobile power platform being developed by American firm Dannar, this new mobile Megawatt charging unit has some heavy-hitting names behind it that make it impossible to ignore. Combine that with Komatsu’s ever-increasing push towards full electrification (the two machines shown, above, are all-new in the last 60 days, with more to come) and it really feels like the MWCS is going to be A Real Thing™️somewhat sooner than later.
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