Connect with us

Published

on

Jeep’s new Wrangler-inspired electric SUV is almost ready for its big debut. The new Jeep Recon EV was spotted with hardly any camouflage, revealing a new Ford Bronco lookalike.

The Recon was first introduced in September 2022 as part of Jeep’s plans to launch four new EVs globally.

With its first global electric SUV, the luxury 2025 Wagoneer S, arriving at dealerships across the US in the next few weeks, we are finally getting a better look at Jeep’s next EV.

Jeep says the Recon is “inspired by the legendary Wrangler.” It will include options like removable doors and windows in tribute to the iconic off-road SUV. The electric SUV will play a big role as Jeep looks to revamp sales in the US.

In fact, with Jeep’s loyal fans, it could be an even bigger hit than the Wagoneer S. We got a sneak peek at the new Recon Moab 4xe after images leaked out of a dealer event last March.

We are now getting a closer look at the production model after the electric SUV was spotted with hardly any camouflage.

Jeep Recon EV looks more like a Ford Bronco

At first glance, the Jeep Recon EV could be mistaken for a Ford Bronco. In the new images from KindelAuto (courtesy of Reddit reader Mr-Ekles), it has a more “sculpted” look than the rugged-designed Wrangler.

Although it maintains much of the design from the concept, the Recon is looking more and more like a Bronco as it approaches production form.

Jeep Recon EV sheds its camouflage as debut nears (Source: KindelAuto/Mr_Ekles)

Jeep’s CEO, Antonio Filosa, said the Recon EV, following the Wagoneer S, is expected to launch by the end of 2024.

Last month, Recon models were spotted in transit for the first time near Laredo, Texas. According to TFLCar, the SUVs were reportedly being shipped from the Stellantis Toluca plant in Mexico.

Jeep-Recon-EV-Bronco
Jeep Recon EV (Source: Stellantis)

Filosa also confirmed the Recon EV will ride on the STLA Large platform, the same one underpinning the Wagoneer S and the electric Dodge Charger Daytona.

The 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S starts at $71,995 with over 300 miles of driving range. It also packs 600 hp and 617 lb-ft of torque.

Jeep’s Recon is expected to start at slightly less, around $60,000. However, more expensive trims, like the Rubicon or Sahara, could cost upwards of $80,000.

Earlier this month, we got our first look at the upcoming Compass EV after Jeep teased the new model in a design sketch. Check back for more info soon as Jeep prepares to launch the Recon EV later this year.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla police cruiser, Trump voters love solar, and at least the mines will be nice

Published

on

By

Tesla police cruiser, Trump voters love solar, and at least the mines will be nice

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I’d like to remind them that, as a trusted media personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves cobalt mines.

We’ve also got the world’s quickest police pursuit vehicle, an Amnesty International report highlighting Tesla and Mercedes’ efforts to improve worker conditions in the Congo, and an exploration of Trump voters’ love for solar power.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 50% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday pre-sale, now through November 11. Learn more by clicking here.

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

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). 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!

Read more: Cybertruck dually, overland Kia concepts, and electric Mopars at SEMA.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Trump won – what now for US clean energy?

Published

on

By

Trump won – what now for US clean energy?

Donald Trump will push fossil fuels and undo renewable energy policies, but it ultimately won’t stop clean energy’s momentum.

Trump has always pushed for more oil drilling and fewer regulations, left the Paris Agreement in his first term as president, says he hates “windmills,” promised to scrap offshore wind on “day one” if he won the 2024 election, and calls climate change a “scam.” And now that he’s won, this is a direct threat to the US’s pledge to reach net zero by 2050. After all, federal policy directly impacts the pace of renewable energy growth, especially when it comes to incentives and research funding.

The Biden administration’s groundbreaking Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which has spurred a clean energy boom, will be challenged under Trump. Because Republican states have received 80% of the IRA’s money with which they’ve built factories and created thousands of jobs, a complete IRA repeal is unlikely. What’s more probable is that the Republicans phase out tax credits earlier than planned or cap overall funding.

Federal financial support for innovative technologies and projects could also take a hit. Brendan Bell, COO of Aligned Climate Capital, who formerly led the US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, told Electrek:

My partner Peter and I led the DOE Loan Program Office under President Obama. We supported the first utility-scale solar and storage projects, as well as early EV investments – including the first loan to Tesla.

Today, these technologies are commercialized and are propelling the clean energy transition. None of it would have been possible if these programs had been cut off 10 years ago.

Put simply, Trump can’t turn back the tide of clean energy – but he could delay tomorrow’s solutions and the birth of new industries.

BloombergNEF’s “2H 2024 US Clean Energy Market Outlook,” released at the end of October, examined the worst-case scenario, where control of both the Senate and the House leads to a full repeal of the IRA tax credits:

The wind, solar, and energy storage sectors jointly see a 17% drop in total new capacity additions over 2025-2035, with 927 gigawatts (GW) of cumulative build compared to 1,118GW in BNEF’s base case forecast. Wind sees the greatest fall in activity in this scenario with a 35% drop, followed by energy storage at 15% and solar at 13% relative to BNEF’s base case.

That’s a blow we can’t afford at a time when we need to reduce emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030 to avoid climate disasters becoming even worse than they already are.

But all is not lost. The clean energy market isn’t solely driven by federal policy. Over the last decade, solar, wind, and EVs have become more cost-competitive and popular. State policies play a huge role too, and many states are committed to their own clean energy goals regardless of who sits in the White House. States like California, New York, and Washington have ambitious targets to combat climate change, and deep red Texas is No. 1 in the US for both solar and wind.

Corporations are also key players. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Walmart have committed to going 100% renewable, and they’re not about to reverse course. This demand keeps the market for renewables strong. Plus, there’s significant public support for clean energy jobs, and renewables create more employment opportunities than fossil fuels in many regions of the country.

JD Dillon, chief marketing officer of California-based solar tech manufacturer Tigo Energy (Nasdaq: TYGO), said to Electrek, “The march toward renewable clean energy is both inevitable and the right thing to do. In a perfect world, we would eliminate partisanship from the renewable energy conversation because everyone benefits from a cleaner environment and affordable energy. Unfortunately, none of us live in said perfect world.”

The US clean energy sector may slow down, but it’s hard to stop a train that has already left the station. What consequences this slower-moving train will have for the US and the world remains to be seen.

Read more: Trump says he’ll end the EV mandate. The only problem: there isn’t one.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

CATL pushes forward with all-solid-state EV batteries

Published

on

By

CATL pushes forward with all-solid-state EV batteries

The world’s largest EV battery maker is advancing a new type of battery, promising higher energy density. According to a new local report, CATL is investing heavily while ramping up its workforce to bring all-solid-state EV batteries to market.

With trial production reportedly kicking off, we could see CATL launch all-solid-state EV batteries sooner than expected.

According to a new local report from LatePost (via CnEVPost), CATL has entered the trial production phase of 20 Ah samples. The news comes after the EV battery giant added over 1,000 workers to its R&D team this year.

The report claimed that CATL is now focused on the final Sulfide phase and has already commenced trial production of 20 Ah samples.

The company’s solution has an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg for lithium ternary batteries, 40% more than current batteries. However, the report said charging speed and cycle life are not quite where they need to be.

At 20 Ah, the battery solution is finalized and ready for its next stage, production tech exploration.

CATL-all-solid-state-EV-batteries
CATL’s new EV experience center (Source: CATL)

CATL is advancing all-solid-state EV batteries

The report says after that it’s mainly manufacturing hurdles, that can be overcome with a bigger workforce.

In April, CATL’s chief scientist, Wu Kai, announced that the company had developed a verification platform for 10 Ah all-solid-state EV battery cells. Wu also said CATL aimed to produce all-solid-state EV batteries in small volumes in 2027, the first time the news was made public.

CATL-solid-state-EV-batteries
CATL launches Shenxing Plus EV battery (Source: CATL)

In September, the company’s chairman, Robin Zeng, said CATL’s research into the new battery tech was “second to none.”

Several companies, including Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and others, are betting on solid-state EV batteries as the future.

CATL-Super-hybrid-battery
CATL launches new Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery (Source: CATL)

According to data from CnEVPost, CATL is dominating the global EV battery market with a 36.7% share through September 2024.

China’s BYD is second with a 16.4% share of the market. BYD is also planning to launch solid-state batteries. At the September 2024 World New Energy Congress, BYD’s head scientist and engineer, Lian Yubo, said solid-state EV batteries could be widely used in five years.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending