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It’s a day of big-name brand sales we’ve got for today’s Green Deals. Leading the pack is Velotric’s T1 e-bike that is not only discounted by $600, but is being given a free range extender battery (for a total 100-mile range) during the brand’s ongoing Summer Sale for a $1,599 low. It is joined by the second wave of savings in Anker’s Fan Fest Mega Sale that is seeing the SOLIX C800 Plus Portable Power Station bundled along with a 100W solar panel and an EverFrost 30 Portable Electric Cooler for $999, among other great deals. There’s also Hiboy’s S2 Pro Electric Scooter that is back down at its $400 low, with all the other e-scooters that are seeing discounts from the brand’s ongoing Back to School Sale – including a separate one-day deal on the KS4 Pro Foldable Electric Scooter that is down at $380 over at Best Buy. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals that are still alive and well, like the flagship EGO Power+ 56V 21-Inch Cordless Electric Select Cut XP Lawn Mower that is $102 off or last week’s Rad Power sale that has the RadRover 6 Plus e-bike down at $999, as well as a few free extra battery offers too (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.

Velotric’s T1 e-bike with extended 100-mile range, Smart+ Hub, and GPS tracking at $1,599 low

Velotric’s sitewide Summer Sale is still going with up to $900 in combined savings – taking up to $600 off e-bikes while also giving away up to $300 in free gear. There are some truly great savings opportunities here to upgrade your commute with like the brand’s Discover 1 Plus Commuter e-bike that you can score at $1,199, but for those who may be craving a little more travel range or a much more lightweight model that’s easier to manage in city environments, you’ll find Velotric’s T1 e-bike down at $1,599 shipped and also coming with a free range extender battery. Down from its usual $2,199 price tag, we’ve been seeing growing discounts on this model since 2024 began, with past sales seeing higher rates up to $1,999, but this sale is offering a much larger $600 markdown back to the lowest price we have tracked – plus, you’re also getting the range extender battery that tacks on an additional 30 miles of travel range and valued at $300 – meaning you’re getting the full extent of this sale’s savings here.

The Velotric T1 e-bike cruises onto the scene with a sleek and wireless design, hitting a top speed of 20 MPH (25 MPH when unlocked) and certainly goes the distance with its 70-mile range (which is extended up to 100 miles thanks to the extender battery). It sports a 350W hub motor that peaks at 600W alongside a 352.8Wh battery, the Velopower E35+ smart drive system, and five levels of pedal assistance, as well as a walk mode – all supported by a 2-side torque sensor. Where this model differs from many others under the brand’s flag is its significantly reduced weight, which clocks in at just 36 pounds, making it a far more manageable option for folks living in apartment buildings and who may have to regularly carry it up stairs.

It comes loaded with a whole bunch of great features too, like an IPX6 water-resistance rating, an integrated light-sensing headlight, a SHIMANO 8-speed derailleur, hydraulic disc brakes, and puncture-resistant tires. It has a simplified control panel that unlocks with your fingerprint, among other smart functions – plus, it’s been given a Smart+ Hub and GPS tracking for extra peace of mind – which you can access through the Velotric app via your smartphone.

Velotric T1 e-bike

Anker’s SOLIX C800 Plus bundle with EverFrost 30 electric cooler and 100W solar panel at $999

Diving back into Anker’s Fan Fest Mega Sale as the next wave of member deals roll in and gives us some new savings opportunities – alongside the discounts that are already active and available to everyone (up to 50% off discounts). As a quick reminder, it is not only free, but also takes seconds to register as a member to benefit from these member-only prices. One of the notable new inclusions in these exclusive deals is the popular SOLIX C800 Plus Portable Power Station that comes along bundled with a 100W solar panel and an EverFrost 30 Portable Electric Cooler – all for $999 shipped. This package would normally run you $1,747, but you’re getting it here today with a $748 markdown. Even with these three device’s lowest discounted prices that we’ve tracked in the last year alone – they would still add up to almost $200 above this bundle’s current rate, making this quite the opportunity – especially for campers and nomadic spirits in need of some backup power support.

With the C800 Plus, you’ll be getting a reliable 768Wh capacity to cover your device and small appliance’s power needs, with the unit able to deliver up to 1,600W of output power through its five AC ports, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and a car port. Plugging it into a wall outlet can have the battery back to full in just 58 minutes, or with the included 100W panel it’ll be recharged in 15+ hours, depending on conditions. It features two water-resistant LED camping lights that have three modes to choose from: a candlelight mode that covers up to 10m², a flood light mode that covers up to 20m², and a flashlight mode that covers up to 20m² – all of them lasting up to eight hours. These lights are recharged by stowing them back inside the top of the power station’s case, and they even come with a versatile retractable pole arm that can be used as a hanger, tripod, or selfie stick too.

Using the EverFrost 33L battery-powered cooler will keep your food and drinks nice and cold for up to 42 hours, with no ice ever being needed here. It has a 299Wh battery capacity and four ways to recharge – get a full battery in 4 hours with a wall outlet or a car socket, 5.8 hours when charging through its one USB-C ports, or 3.6 hours when plugged up to the 100W solar panel. Alongside the one USB-C port, it also provides two USB-A ports as well, letting the cooler double as a secondary power station of sorts if the C800 Plus isn’t available.

Anker Fan Fest Mega Sale member discounts (sign-up is free):

Velotric T1 e-bike

Hiboy’s Back to School sale is in full swing and still taking up to 50% off a collection of the brand’s popular e-scooters and e-bikes, as well as releasing new models like the EX7 Full Suspension e-bike and the X300 Big-Wheel e-scooter with their own price cuts. We’re also seeing the popular S2 Pro Electric Scooter, one of the brand’s more well known models, down at $399.99 shipped. Normally fetching $736 outside of these sales events, we’ve seen this model bounce around in price over on sites like Amazon, where it often sits somewhere between $650 and $550 – though it is at the same price currently. It comes in at a 46% markdown, giving you $336 in savings and returning costs back to the all-time lowest that we have tracked.

Hiboy’s S2 Pro arrives as one of the most-cited models for folks who are looking for an affordable commuting solution around their towns/cities – while also making great introductions to the world of e-scooters. It sports a 500W peak-rear hub motor paired alongside a 11.6Ah battery with two speed modes in order to provide top speeds of 19 MPH and a maximum travel range of up to 25 miles on a single charge. If 25 miles of travel still seems low to you, consider upping the mileage to 40 miles on a single charge with the S2 MAX for $100 more.

The S2 Pro features both downhill and regenerative breaking for added efficiency and convenience, recharging the battery whenever riders use the brakes or coast down hills. The scooter has been given an IPX4 water-resistance rating, allowing you to worry less about any splashes it might take during your commute – plus, it also has an LED headlight, taillight, and sidelights so you’ll be seen during trips in the darker hours of the day/night. Riders are also given extra peace of mind with its full smart controls via the companion app that include settings adjustments and remote locking of its systems.

Hiboy Back to School e-scooter discounts:

Hiboy e-scooter bundle deals:

Summer e-bike deals!

Velotric T1 e-bike

Other 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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A big recall nearly killed this e-bike company. Now it may have just been saved

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6 hours ago

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August 14, 2025

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A big recall nearly killed this e-bike company. Now it may have just been saved

Cowboy, the Brussels-based connected e-bike maker, says it has secured the lifeline it needs to keep the lights on – and the wheels turning – after what the company calls “the most challenging period in its history.” And while market downturns and supply chain woes set the stage, it was a recall that nearly pushed the brand over the edge.

Over the past two years, Cowboy has been riding through the same headwinds that have knocked down much of the bike industry: post-COVID demand shifts, supply chain breakdowns, and a brutal market correction that has already claimed several high-profile e-bike brands. But in the middle of that storm came an extra blow – the company’s first-ever recall.

It started with an unapproved change from a supplier that affected a subset of Cowboy’s Cruiser ST bikes. It turned out that the frames were starting to crack after 2,500 km (1,550 miles). The issue was obviously serious, and it inevitably triggered an official recall. Frames had to be replaced, deliveries were delayed, spare parts became scarce, and customer service backlogs grew. For a company built on sleek design and seamless rider experience, it was a gut punch.

Cowboy says they kept quiet publicly while working on a solution, but now they’re ready to talk – because they’ve found one. In an announcement this week, the company revealed two major milestones: short-term financing to restart production and operations, and a signed term sheet with new financial partner REBIRTH GROUP HOLDING SA. The deal comes with the backing of Cowboy’s existing investors and debt provider, setting the company on a path it says will lead to long-term stability.

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There’s already some tangible progress. Replacement frames have arrived from suppliers, the first recall service hub is now operational (with more to open this summer), and production is gradually ramping back up.

Cowboy’s goal is to have normal operations restored before the end of the year, which means clearing backlogged orders, resolving outstanding customer cases, and getting back to the level of service that won them awards and loyal riders in the first place.

Cowboy has built a reputation for high-tech, urban-focused e-bikes and a premium riding experience, with customers across Europe and the US. But even the best-connected bike in the world can’t outrun a recall and a funding crunch forever. Now, this new deal gives Cowboy both the extra cash and the extra shot it needs to keep the ride going.

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This startup wants the $80-billion U.S. railroad industry to switch from diesel to batteries

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9 hours ago

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August 14, 2025

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This startup wants the -billion U.S. railroad industry to switch from diesel to batteries

Voltify plans to build a series of energy microgrids to power its locomotive batteries, as shown in this computer-generated image.

Voltify

Daphna Langer has a bold ambition: To decarbonize the rail industry in less than a decade.

How? By convincing U.S. freight railroad companies to switch from diesel power to rechargeable batteries — part of a business model Langer estimates could make her company, Voltify, as much as $10 billion a year.

The rail industry needs to reduce its emissions by 5% a year by 2030 to reach net-zero goals, according to a 2023 report by the International Energy Agency. In addition, switching to battery electricity would save U.S. rail freight companies $94 billion over 20 years, according to a 2021 study published in the journal Nature Energy.

Voltify’s VoltCars — essentially sodium-ion batteries on wheels — are designed to connect to existing freight locomotives.

Convincing the $80-billion U.S. rail industry to switch from a traditional and long-relied on fossil fuel to renewable energy might seem a tough task, but there are several reasons Langer said she is confident in Voltify’s goal.

After a stint advising multiple early-stage companies in the climate industry, Langer noticed two things that limited their growth. “Most of them rely on subsidies of governments, and [the] second [factor] is that they rely on manufacturing and scaling that just doesn’t exist today,” she said.

In a bid to overcome those hurdles, Langer held meetings with hundreds of people in the energy and materials industries, seeking opportunities. When she first met her co-founder Alon Kessel, it was a “ding ding” moment, she said.

A computer-generated image illustrating Voltify’s VoltCar batteries attached to a locomotive.

Voltify

Kessel knew the renewable energy market well, having co-founded Doral, a firm that owns and operates dozens of solar energy farms in the U.S. and Europe. He calculated that the six largest freight railroad companies in the U.S. — including Union Pacific and CSX — were collectively spending more than $11 billion a year on diesel, a figure verified by CNBC. Union Pacific, for example, spent almost $2.5 billion on fuel in 2024, per its annual report.

Langer and Kessel saw an opportunity. What if they could convince the large companies — known as Class 1 railroads — to convert their locomotives from diesel to battery power?

“Converting six companies is not that hard. And having that ability to create such an impact with just six companies, it’s huge,” Langer said. There is almost 140,000 miles of freight railroad track in the U.S., with the majority of the locomotives powered by diesel as there is little overhead electrification.

Langer and Kessel founded Voltify in 2023 and set about meeting the railroad companies. But they found initial resistance. “There’s a lot of skepticism, because this is such a traditional industry, and uptime and and reliability are key,” Langer said. “We’ve been figuring out what would be able to … fit into their schedule, to fit into their operations without harming their efficiency.”

The companies’ biggest concern was the amount of time it might take to charge the batteries, and that there would always be the power supply to do so. “The rail companies, who have been very blunt about it, [said] ‘Listen, we don’t really care about the energy source. We just need to make sure that it’s always up. There’s always energy,'” Langer said.

So Voltify spent about a year working on an algorithm that could forecast the energy demands of trains “in every route,” Langer said, and the company is also building its first solar-powered energy microgrid that Langer said is on track to be finished by the end of the year. “Our calculations show that a network of these microgrids could eventually power all trains in North America,” Langer told CNBC in an email. Voltify estimates that to do so would require 1,400 microgrids.

Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery locomotive was developed in 2019.

Wabtec

Voltify is in “very active” talks with three of North America’s largest railroad companies, Langer said, adding that it is set to run a demonstration project with a smaller railroad company later this year. Voltify is also starting a pilot with a Class 1 railroad company in early 2026, and Langer said it is “expected” that this will become a commercial deployment after several months.

Voltify isn’t the first company to come up with the idea of powering freight trains with batteries. In 2019, freight rail firm Wabtec developed a battery-electric locomotive called the FLXdrive, with the first trains set to operate in Australia after being ordered by miner BHP Group. The company also tested its battery-electric locomotive with GE, and said in an email to CNBC that it plans to test and operate FLXdrive trains in North and South American markets.

The technology can reduce diesel consumption and emissions by 30%, according to Tim Bader, Wabtec’s director of external and engineering communications, in an email to CNBC. “This benefit is critical since fuel is one of the major operating costs for a railroad,” he said.

But as the technology is emerging, there are challenges such as charging time and battery capacity, plus a “challenging” business case given the infrastructure investments required. “Like any emerging technology, these challenges will diminish as the industry continues to research and improve battery-power solutions,” Bader said.

A computer-generated image of a passenger train on New York City’s MTA Metro North network, which is set to be powered by Siemens Mobility Charger B+AC battery.

Siemens Mobility

There’s also “substantial” market potential for battery-powered passenger trains, according to Tobias Bauer, the acting CEO for Siemens Mobility North America, in an email to CNBC. “Battery-powered trains represent a new and exciting platform for the rail market, particularly as operators seek alternatives for non-electrified routes,” Bauer said.

Siemens Mobility has sold more than 400 diesel-electric Charger locomotives in North America, and in June launched its battery-electric train, the Charger B+AC, selling 13 to the New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metro-North Railroad.

The new locomotive draws electricity from overhead catenary wires and transfers to battery power when needed, according to an online release. While the locomotives’ range is currently up to 100 miles, Bauer said that is expected to grow as the battery technology advances.

In February, Siemens Mobility received an order from Swiss freight operator WRS Widmer Rail Services for two of its Vectron lithium-ion battery locomotives, which can be used for shunting without the need for overhead power lines. Asked about the potential for battery-powered freight trains, Bauer said: “A full transition to battery-powered freight would depend on route specifics and charging infrastructure, but the potential is there.”

— CNBC’s Michael Wayland contributed to this report.

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That Silverado EV that went 1,059 miles? These guys predicted it!

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13 hours ago

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August 14, 2025

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That Silverado EV that went 1,059 miles? These guys predicted it!

Chevy set a new EV range record going nearly 1,060 miles on a single charge in an optimized, but unmodified Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck that no one saw coming. No one, that is, except Chargeway founder Matt Teske. His EV route-planning map predicted the Silverado’s record-setting run with better than 99% accuracy – and he’s here to talk about it on today’s electric episode of Quick Charge!

We’ve also got a deep dive into what I think the biggest issue facing more widespread EV adoption might be, and a new solution from Blink Charging that might solve it.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec—makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Check out Retrospec’s viral city ebike, the Beaumont Rev 2, made with a vintage-inspired frame design and modern electric features, all for just $999!

The best part: Electrek listeners can get 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com

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Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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