Husqvarna’s new LF 60i LAT battery-powered compactor delivers serious soil compaction and the convenience of cordless power.
A significant step up from the 18 and 20V power tools most of us have in our garages, the Husqvarna BLi-X 36V battery is a professional-grade cordless power pack that the company has engineered into series of job site-level power tools – and the this new plate compactor is the newest addition to the lineup.
“With two BLi300 batteries, you can run the forward plate compactor continuously for up to 45 minutes. If one battery is drained, it switches automatically to the next,” said Magnus Lindeberg, Global Product Manager for Light Compaction. “… many Forest and Garden machines feature the same batteries and chargers as well.”
The LF 60i LAT compactor shares many features with Husqvarna’s standard gas-powered compactors, but being powered by batteries means there’s no oil mix, no choke, no rope, and no throttle control needed. At the same time, the convex bottom plate and sprinkler system are designed to prevent asphalt from sticking to the equipment or from marking the surface.
What’s more, the LF 60i LAT should offer more uptime than the its ICE-powered siblings. A lot more, if the company’s PR is to be believed:
Both the efficient battery-operated drive unit and the eccentric unit are completely maintenance-free. Together with the brushless motor, this means lower running costs and a better total cost of ownership while keeping downtime to a minimum.
Husqvarna showed off its new compactor at World of Concrete earlier this year, and opened the US order books for the LF 60i LAT in May, and the first production units should be reaching customers’ hands as you read this.
Electrek’s Take
Cordless plate compactor in action; via Husqvarna.
Cordless power tools have come a long way, and next-level tools from Husqvarna and others are proving the worth of batteries in extreme duty conditions. The more that happens, the more likely crews are to welcome electric power in ever-larger applications … like excavators and wheel loaders.
And, whether they like it or not, ever tightening noise and emissions regulations are making battery power a must-have in more markets by the day.
SolarEdge and Solar Landscape are going to turn hundreds of empty commercial rooftops into solar energy generators in the US.
The two companies announced today that they’ve struck a deal to use SolarEdge’s US-made solar technology in more than 500 commercial rooftop projects across multiple states. Construction will take place in 2025 and 2026.
The installations will be built on large-scale commercial and industrial buildings – think warehouses and distribution centers – with a ton of untapped solar potential.
“Generating electricity on commercial rooftops and distributing it into the grid is America’s most shovel-ready energy option,” said Shaun Keegan, CEO of commercial rooftop solar developer Solar Landscape. “Our partnership with SolarEdge allows us to rapidly and efficiently deploy solar across a diverse array of commercial and industrial rooftops. Their US-manufactured technology gives us the reliability and performance we need while meeting domestic content requirements for our projects.”
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Using US-made tech helps projects qualify for federal incentives while reducing delays by keeping supply chains local. SolarEdge says its domestic manufacturing operations have already created about 2,000 American jobs.
Naama Ohana, who heads up SolarEdge’s commercial & industrial division, said, “This collaboration demonstrates how American innovation and manufacturing are helping to address the nation’s growing energy needs while strengthening local economies.”
In 2024 alone, Solar Landscape leased 40 million square feet of rooftop space in the US, and it aims to deploy enough solar to power around 80,000 homes. The company now has more than 80 partners who own over 2 billion square feet of commercial property nationwide.
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Hyundai is preparing to launch what’s expected to be its most advanced EV yet. With its official launch just around the corner, Hyundai’s new Elexio SUV is already beating expectations in global testing.
Hyundai’s Elexio electric SUV impresses in global tests
We got our first look at the Elexio in May after Hyundai’s joint venture with BAIC, Beijing Hyundai unveiled the new electric SUV in Shanghai.
After warning that China is a “must-fight place” for global automakers, including itself, Hyundai is stepping up to the plate.
The Elexio is “a new starting point,” the company claims. Dubbed the IONIQ 5 of China, Hyundai’s new electric SUV is packed with smart technology, fast charging capabilities, and advanced features, boasting a CLTC driving range of 435 miles (700 km).
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Ahead of its official launch in China in the next few weeks, the Elexio is already making a statement during global tests.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV has now undergone three crash tests, among other global evaluations, consistently outperforming safety, quality, and performance expectations each time.
Hyundai Elexio electric SUV during global testing (Source: Beijing Hyundai)
After impressing during front, side, and ditch rollover safety tests, Hyundai credited the five layers of ultra-high-strength steel plating, dubbed “God’s Hand,” around the frame. In fact, it has a 360-degree reinforced body design with eight horizontal and seven vertical floor beams.
In a -30℃ (-22F) chamber, the Elexio still started up and charged while the battery preconditioned. It also lost less driving range than the average. The Elexio lost 39% of its range compared to an average of around 40% at -7℃ (19.4°F).
(Source: Beijing Hyundai)
The final global ride and handling road test proved Hyundai’s electric SUV is ready to hit the streets. Hyundai simulated 17 types of “bad urban road” conditions to see if the Elexio could handle them.
Based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, the company claims the Elexio offers “the highest suspension configuration in its class.” Added high-end shock absorber valves and hydraulic bushings to minimize vibration, while providing drivers with more control over the vehicle. Hyundai fine-tuned the suspension over 300 times for the perfect ride.
Hyundai Elexio SUV (Source: Beijing Hyundai)
After China’s MIIT released sales info last month, we learned that Hyundai’s new electric SUV is 4,615 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,673 mm in height, which is slightly smaller than the Tesla Model Y.
It will be available in single and dual-motor powertrain options, providing 160 kW (214 hp) and 233 kW (312 hp) of output, respectively. The LFP batteries will be supplied by BYD’s battery unit, FinDream.
Hyundai is set to launch the Elexio in China in the third quarter of 2025. Prices will be announced closer to launch, but according to CarNewsChina, it’s expected to start at around 140,000 yuan ($19,500).
A rending of LG Energy Solution’s Stand-Alone Battery Manufacturing Complex Project in Arizona / Source: LG Energy Solution
Tesla is rumored to be behind a large $4 billion lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell order with Korea’s LG Energy Solution.
Yesterday, LG reported having secured a $4.3 billion order for LFP battery cells from its new factory in the US from August 2027 to July 2030.
The Korean company didn’t confirm the identity of the customer, but it did mention that the cells will be used in stationary energy storage products, which prompted many people to speculate that Tesla is behind the order.
Tesla currently produces Megapacks and Powerwalls in the US with LFP battery cells from China.
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We previously reported that this is a problem amid the trade war between the US and China.
As of last year, a 25% tariff already applied to battery cells from China, but this increased to more than 80% under Trump before he paused some tariffs on China. It remains unclear where they will end up by the time negotiations are complete and the trade war is resolved, but many expect it to be higher.
The automaker had secured older manufacturing equipment from one of its battery cell suppliers, CATL, and planned to deploy it in the US for small-scale production.
Tesla recently unveiled some images of the factory, which it claims is almost complete, but it is expected to be limited to less than 10 GWh of LFP battery cell production per year at full capacity, while Tesla produces more than 40 GWh of energy storage products per year in the US.
LG’s LFP battery cells made in the US would enable Tesla to close the gap between its own battery cell production and its Megapack and Powerwall production.
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