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BYD is charging up the competition with Hyundai on its home turf. The Chinese automaker plans to launch its Tesla Model 3-rivaling Seal EV in Korea for under $25,000.

After launching the Seal EV in China in 2022, the all-electric sedan is expanding into new markets, including Europe, Australia, and Brazil.

BYD’s Seal is a sporty EV sedan that is 4,800 mm long, 1,875mm wide, and 1,460 mm tall. In terms of size and performance, it’s often compared to Tesla’s Model 3 (4,694 mm long, 1,849 mm wide, 1,442 mm tall).

After launching the new Seal EV Honor Edition in March 2024, the electric sedan starts at $25,000 (179,800) in China with up to 342 mi (550 km) CLTC range.

The Seal EV sells for around $48,500 (45,000 euros) in Europe with up to 354 miles (570 km) WLTP range.

After applying for an emissions and noise certification with the South Korean environment ministry earlier this month, it looks like the Seal has a new target.

BYD-Hyundai
BYD SEAL (Source: BYD)

BYD to launch low-cost Seal EV to rival Hyundai

BYD initiated the sales processing in South Korea, which takes about two to three months to review factors like driving range on a single charge.

The BYD Seal is poised to rival Hyundai’s IONIQ 6 and Tesla’s Model 3 with an affordable starting price.

BYD-Hyundai
BYD SEAL (Source: BYD)

Meanwhile, performance evaluations for EV subsidies will be handled by Korea Environment Corp. Several analysts believe the electric sedan will be eligible for subsidies when released. However, the use of LFP batteries could prevent this.

BYD is expected to launch other low-cost EVs in Korea, including the Dolphin and Atto 3, two of its best-selling models.

BYD-Hyundai
BYD Dolphin (left) and Atto 3 (right) Source: BYD

With BYD entering the market, domestic automakers like Hyundai and Kia, which currently dominate the market, are expected to see a drop in EV market share.

Hyundai and Kia’s share slipped 3.5% to 76.6% last year. The arrival of Tesla’s Model Y vehicles made in China contributed to the growth of foreign automakers.

Kia-EV3-Mexico
Kia EV3 GT-line (Source: Kia)

Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia are launching low-cost EVs themselves. Hyundai is expected to reveal its Casper EV (Inster EV in Europe) later this month, while Kia opened orders for its new EV3, starting at $30,700 (KRW 42.08 million) in Korea earlier this month.

Kia aims to sell 18,000 EV3 models in its home market in the last six months of 2024. Exports are expected to begin to Europe later this year and the US in 2025 (Kia will also reportedly build the EV3 in Mexico for the US market to qualify for the federal tax credit).

Source: Yonhap News

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Costco Executive members get MASSIVE $31,500 off Chevy Brightdrop van

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Costco Executive members get MASSIVE ,500 off Chevy Brightdrop van

With 272 miles of range and more room inside its walls than your first apartment, GM’s Chevy Brightdrop electric van is one of the best commercial EVs you can buy. And if you’re a Costco Executive member, you can get one for yourself or your business with an absolutely incredible $31,500 discount. (!)

Fleet electrification expert Tony Nisam took to LinkedIn yesterday to post a deal that he ran across at a Washington State Costco that stacks a $25,500 manufacturer rebate with $3,000 in “regular” Costco Member Savings, $2,750 in “LIMITED-TIME” Manufacturer to Member Incentives, plus an additional $250 for Costco Executive members.

Do a bit of math (add up 25,500 + 3,000 + $2,750 + 250), and you’ll calculate an almost unheard of $31,500 discount on one of the best, most capable commercial vans on the market – ICE or electric. And that’s before you factor in the 0% interest financing (72 mo.) being advertised at Blade Chevrolet, the Mount Vernon, Washington, where VIN 2G58J2TY6S9104313 (the exact van shown, below) is shown as stock number 16757.

If you’re not a Costco member yet and you’re looking for a new truck for your business or even a unique #vanlife ride with zero emissions, modern tech, and a nationwide dealer network, GM makes that $130 Executive membership seem like a no-brainer.

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Kind of a big deal

“But wait,” says the floating, disembodied ghost of the great Billy Mays. “There’s more!” In addition to the $31,500 worth of discounts Costco Executive members get, there are deals to be had on chargers AND a number of other state and local utility incentives your business might qualify for, bringing the cost of adding a new Chevy Brightdrop to your fleet even lower. In northern Illinois, for example, ComEd commercial customers can get up to $7,500 in rebates for a new Brightdrop Zevo van.

Is a $39,000 price cut enough to get you to take a look at a new Brightdrop? At $45,235 (from a starting price of $84,235), can you afford not to? Head down to the comments and let us know.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Tony Nisam.

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Tesla quietly removes range extender battery option on Cybertruck

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Tesla quietly removes range extender battery option on Cybertruck

Tesla has quietly removed the Cybertruck’s range extender from the options in its online configurator.

Does Tesla still plan to bring the product to market?

When Tesla unveiled the production version of the Cybertruck in late 2023, there were two main disappointments: the price and the range.

The tri-motor version, which was the most popular in reservation tallies, was supposed to have over 500 miles of range and start at $70,000.

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Tesla now sells the tri-motor Cybertruck for $100,000 and only has a range of 320 miles.

As for the dual-motor Cybertruck, it was supposed to cost $50,000 and have over 300 miles of range. The reality is that it starts at $80,000, and it has 325 miles of range.

However, Tesla had devised a solution to bring the range closer to what it originally announced: a separate battery pack that sits in the truck’s bed. Tesla called it a “range extender.” It costs $16,000 and takes up a third of the Cybertruck’s bed.

Even though the Cybertruck has been in production for a year and a half at this point, the range extender has yet to launch.

Initially, Tesla said that it would come “early 2025”, but we reported that it was pushed to “mid-2025” late last year.

At the time, Tesla also reduced the range that the removable battery pack adds to the Cybertruck to “445+ miles” rather than “470+ miles” for the dual motor – a ~25-mile reduction in range.

Now, Tesla has removed the option from its online Cybertruck configurator. It used to take reservations for the range extender with a “$2,000 non-refundable deposit”, as seen on the image above, but now it’s not in the configurator at all at the time of writing.

It’s unclear if Tesla is not planning to launch the product anymore or if it is just pausing reservations.

In its specs page, Tesla still lists the achievable range of both versions of the Cybertruck with and without the range extender battery:

Electrek’s Take

I’m curious. Is it dead, or does Tesla just want to stop taking reservations for it?

At first, I was curious about the product even though I didn’t think it would make up for Tesla’s significant miss on Cybertruck specs.

However, after it was confirmed that it takes up 30% of your bed and that it needs to be installed and removed by Tesla at a service center, I think it’s pretty much dead on arrival at $16,000.

It’s going to be a product limited to only a few people at best. And now that’s if it makes it to market.

With the option being removed from the configurator, there’s no production timeline available. Again, the last one was “mid-2025”, which is soon.

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EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival

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EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member's Festival

Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.

EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:

Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.

To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.

EcoFlow Member
Source: EcoFlow

EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”

Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.

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This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:

In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.

In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.

To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.

Source: EcoFlow

Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival

As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.

As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.

Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!

Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.

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