I just bought an electric bike I don’t need and won’t use. Here’s why
Today I bought an electric bike that I don’t need and that I will never ride. But this isn’t about me. It’s about the company that makes the bike. More specifically, it’s about how today, on Giving Tuesday, the e-bike company Lectric eBikes is setting an example not just for the entire e-bike industry, but for modern capitalism as a whole with a philanthropic program that speaks to the core of the company’s values.
Lectric eBikes has a well-documented history of philanthropy as a key aspect of the company’s business model. After soaring to success with a growing line of affordable and popular electric bicycle models, the e-bike brand has dedicated a significant chunk of its yearly profits to charitable causes, giving away millions of dollars in donations and millions more in free e-bikes to worthy causes.
Last year alone, Lectric Ebikes donated over US $2.5 million to support a variety of charities.
Each holiday season, the company explores a new form of charitable contributions on Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, encouraging people to give back through donations, volunteering, and acts of kindness.
For example, in past years the company has allocated thousands of dollars for each of its employees to donate to worthy causes of their choice. In a new twist on that model, this year Lectric eBikes has partnered with its community of test riders and content creators to help expand the giving message further. The e-bike brand is committing $250,000 and partnering with content creators across the country to support charities close to their hearts with donations of $5,000 or a collection of five e-bikes.
As Lectric eBikes co-founder and CEO Levi Conlow says of the brand’s partners and riders everywhere, “What’s important to you is important to us. The experts and enthusiasts who we work with celebrate the benefits and joys of electric transportation through their fun and informative video channels every day. We’re excited to see these efforts help people in communities across those fan bases while raising awareness for many important causes.”
In addition to the charities selected by its content partners, the Phoenix-based e-bike maker is pledging $250 from each e-bike sold on Giving Tuesday to one of its preferred organizations, Arizonans for Children. This charity creates opportunities to address challenges and improve the vulnerable lives of abused, abandoned, and neglected children in foster care, working to guide each child toward a brighter future.
And that’s where I come in. Well, I should back up and say that first of all, I’m also proud to have been requested to take part in Lectric’s content partner campaign, having selected a charity that helps rehabilitate survivors of terror attacks after seeing that trauma firsthand. But beyond merely throwing around Lectric’s money, I think it’s important to also put my own skin in the game. So in support of Lectric’s generous pledge of $250 donated to charity for every e-bike sold today, I’m buying an e-bike.
It won’t be for me, but rather, I’ll donate it as part of my own charitable program I started called Ebikes For Good. For around 18 months now, I’ve run the program on my personal YouTube channel, giving away one free e-bike at the end of each of my videos to someone in need of a form of independent transportation but who can’t afford an e-bike themself.
Lectric eBikes’ own generosity has inspired me to use the resources and platforms available to me to encourage others to do good in their own way. And I believe in leading by example. I’ve been fortunate enough in the past to partner with awesome companies like Lectric to give out e-bikes to those in need, but have also bought several e-bikes myself in cases where I see someone who I know an e-bike can make a drastic change in their life. For many people, an electric bike can give them the independence to reach the grocery store, arrive at medical appointments, begin a journey back into good health, or just sometimes go for a refreshing bike ride for their own mental health.
There are a lot of people hurting out there, and so the following message is only meant for those who are fortunate enough to be in a position where they can afford something like this. If you’ve been on the fence about getting a new e-bike (and haven’t yet taken advantage of huge sales this season), then today would be a great day to get an electric bike and have $250 of that purchase go to charity at the same time.
I don’t take for granted my position as a trusted voice in the e-bike industry. I’ve long covered, reviewed, and promoted e-bikes that I feel are good buys based on their performance and value (and slammed a few along the way where it was deserved). While I’ll never tell you that Lectric eBikes is the best e-bike brand in the absolute sense, I’ve long described them as likely the best value anywhere in the US e-bike market. A $4,000 e-bike is great, but a $999 e-bike that can do 80% of the same job is often a better value proposition for many people on tighter budgets.
The quality and performance for the price point here is simply unmatched. So if I can support a company I believe in, and also have that support help others in need, then that’s the epitome of a win-win in my book.
So, in summary, that’s why I just bought an electric bike that I don’t need and will never use. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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A judge has officially approved a settlement in a case brought by Tesla shareholders against board members who will now have to return stock, cash, and give up on stock options worth a total of nearly $1 billion.
Let me start this article with a quote from Tesla CEO Elon Musk:
Tesla will never settle a case where we’re in the right, and never contest a case where we’re in the wrong.
Today, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick approved a settlement agreement between Tesla and all its board members from 2017 to 2020 and the Police and Fire Retirement System of the City of Detroit on behalf of Tesla shareholders over what the shareholders believed to be excessive compensation.
The agreement was first reported in July 2023, but it is only now being officially approved and we learn a few more details.
Shareholders believed that members of Tesla’s board were compensating themselves excessively with hundreds of millions of dollars between 2017 and 2020 when the average compensation of a board member of a S&P500 company is just north of $300,000.
Under the settlement, the board members agree to return to Tesla $277 million in cash, $459 million in stock options and to forgo $184 million worth of stock options awarded for 2021-2023.
That adds up to nearly $1 billion.
The board members include Kimbal Musk, Elon’s brother, Brad Buss, Ira Ehrenpreis, Antonio Gracias, Stephen Jurvetson, all close friends of Elon Musk and people who have financial dealings with Musk outside of Tesla, Linda Johnson Rice, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, Hiromichi Mizuno and Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle Corp and also a close friend of Musk.
As part of the settlement, Tesla or the board does not admit to any wrongdoing.
Musk didn’t take compensation as part of the board, but he is embroiled in a similar case over his own $55 billion CEO compensation package, which was rescinded by the same judge after she found that it wasn’t negotiated or presented to shareholders in good faith.
The board members who received this “excessive compensation” also happened to be the one who “negotiated” Musk’s CEO compensation package.
The case is heading to the Delaware Supreme Court, as reported earlier today.
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Environment
Nissan’s Ariya electric SUV takes on the extreme weather in its new test chamber [Video]
![Nissan's Ariya electric SUV takes on the extreme weather in its new test chamber [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/07/Nissan-first-Tesla-NACS-Japan.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Despite how cold it may feel outside, Nissan’s electric SUV has likely been through colder. Nissan is proving its Ariya SUV can handle the extreme weather at its unique new test chamber at its tech center near Detroit. With temperatures ranging from -40 to 176 °F, the Ariya is being pushed to see what it’s made of.
Nissan launched the Ariya, its first electric SUV, in the US in late 2022. Over 13,400 Ariya models were sold in the US in its first sales year, with another nearly 20,000 handed over in 2024.
A few weeks ago, Nissan introduced the 2025 Ariya, starting at just $39,770. It has two battery options, 66 or 91 kWh, good for 216 and 289 miles range. That’s for the FWD models.
You can opt for Nissan’s e-4ORCE AWD dual-motor system for “thrilling acceleration” with up to 389 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. However, with the added power, you sacrifice some range. The AWD Ariya gets up to 272 miles range.
With many parts of the country seeing frigid temperatures, Nissan says its “Ariya is very well equipped” to combat freezing weather.
The electric SUV was already the first vehicle (EV or gas-powered) to drive from the North to the South Pole in 2023. Now, it’s being put through the paces at Nissan’s tech center outside of Detroit.
It’s currently around 23 °F in Detroit, with a low of 11 °F, but Nissan says it’s even colder in its unique new test chamber. The chamber is located at the Nissan Technical Center North America campus, just outside Detroit.
Nissan Ariya handles cold weather tests in new chamber
“Our chambers are capable of temperatures ranging from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 176 degrees Fahrenheit,” Jeff Tessmer, senior manager of Zero Emission Vehicles at Nissan’s tech center, explained.
Nissan tests the Ariya in a test chamber with “far more extreme” temperatures than the typical driver will see. Tessmer said, “We want to test the worst-case scenario so that our customers will still get the same performance in a wide variety of weather conditions.”
One of the biggest goals is to prove the electric SUV’s battery can maintain charge levels even in extreme weather.
Nissan puts it through “cold soak” tests to ensure performance. During a 24-hour cold soak, the Ariya was parked in -4 °F weather with a 17% battery charge. It also wasn’t plugged in or using its battery heater. After the team returned the next day, the electric SUV still had a 17% charge and started up immediately.
The Ariya is equipped with a battery heater that drivers can turn on ahead of time to ensure optimal performance. On hot days, it includes a liquid-cooled system to regulate battery temperatures.
Drivers can also use the MYNISSAN app to pre-warm the cabin, check the interior temperature, and schedule charging times. Ansu Jammeh, an engineer on Nissan’s Zero Emissions Engineering team, said the best time to use the heating feature is “when the vehicle is plugged in so that it uses power from the grid instead of the vehicle.”
| 2025 Nissan Ariya trim | Battery (kWh) |
Starting Prices* (MSRP) | Range (miles) |
| Engage FWD | 66 | $39,770 | 216 |
| Engage e-4ORCE | 66 | $43,770 | 205 |
| Evolve + FWD | 91 | $44,370 | 289 |
| Engage + e-4ORCE | 91 | $45,370 | 272 |
| Evolve + e-4ORCE | 91 | $48,370 | 272 |
| Platinum + e-4ORCE | 91 | $54,370 | 267 |
Nissan added a new wireless charging pad across all 2025 Ariya models. The inside features Nissan’s Advanced Drive-Assist setup with dual 12.3″ infotainment and driver display screens formed in a “wave-like” shape.
Other standard features of the 2025 model include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, a Head-up display, and a Virtual Personal Assistant. It also includes Nissan’s ProPilot Assist for assisted driving.
Are you ready to check out Nissan’s electric SUV for yourself? We can help you get started. You can use our link to find Nissan Ariya models at the best price in your area today.
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Florida’s Rice Creek Solar Energy Center is now online, delivering nearly 75 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity to 12 cities across the state. The solar farm is part of the Florida Municipal Solar Project, one of the largest municipal solar initiatives in the US.
Located in Putnam County, near Palatka, the Rice Creek site is covered with 213,000 solar panels that generate enough power for around 14,000 homes. This marks the third solar site in the Florida Municipal Solar Project, with more on the way.
Twelve utilities are tapping into the clean energy from Rice Creek, including Beaches Energy Services (Jacksonville Beach), Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Homestead, Keys Energy Services in Key West, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Lake Worth Beach, Mount Dora, New Smyrna Beach Utilities, Newberry, Ocala, Town of Havana, and Winter Park. This is the first solar power project for Havana, New Smyrna Beach, and Newberry.
Jacob Williams, the general manager of the Florida Municipal Power Agency, explained, “By working together, our members and their communities benefit from additional solar-powered energy that’s both cost-effective and carbon-free.”
The FMPA, based in Orlando, coordinates the project, while the 12 municipal utilities – who are also FMPA’s member-owners – purchase the power. Miami-based Origis Energy is the builder, owner, and operator of Rice Creek. According to Origis Energy’s Josh Teigiser, “We are honored to support this FMPA work. Long-term agreements for solar generation, including for Rice Creek Solar, provide a stable rate base contributing to lower and more predictable customers’ bills.”
Construction is already underway on a fourth Florida solar farm, Whistling Duck Solar, in Levy County. The Florida Municipal Solar Project is expected to grow to seven sites in the next few years and will generate a total of around 525 MW of clean energy.
Read more: Ohio’s largest solar farm just came online
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to 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. They have 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 you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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