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At the moment, not too many companies can deliver a Street-legal dual-sport motorcycle at entry-level prices. So when Solar Scooter, a UK-based company, asked us to review their 60 mph fully street-legal electric motorcycle, I had to see what this bike was about. 

If you live far away from any OHOV trails or lenient municipalities and still want that flickable handling of a super lightweight electric trail bike, then a dual sport is the way to go. I imagine many riders out there would choose something like the 80 HP motocross Stark Varg if it had a street-legal supermoto version. Unfortunately, even if that bike became street legal it would likely still come with a hefty 10k+ price tag that instantly prices out a lot of riders just getting into the game. So while it’s still a bit early to be expecting something like a street-legal zero dual sport at a 5-6k dollar price point for this review I was curious to see just how well the handling and quality of the Eclipse 2.0 feels for a price of $5,995 

Before we dive in here are some of the specs 

  • Price: $5,995 
  • Motor: 6kw rated with 10 kw of peak power
  • Battery:  72v 45Ah LG Battery
  • Controller: 400Amp sinewave Controller 
  • Charger: 10a charger 
  • Frame: Full Hand Woven Carbon Fibre Frame and Swing Arm
  • Range: 50-70 Miles
  • Suspension: Taiwan inverted front works with 203mm travel with Adjustable Preload, Rebound, Air Pressure and 7050 aluminum rear shock.
  • Curb weight: 138 lbs

Power

With 6kw of rated power and 10kw of peak power, I was able to get up to speed quickly, at least as quickly as I’d need for the purpose of commuting on avenues, service roads, or winding backroads. For those interested in taking this bike to an appropriate place to safely practice maneuvers like wheelies, 10kw of peak power combined with its 138-pound curb weight is a sweet balance of power and weight. 

As for what class of bike the Eclipse 2.0 falls under, the weight alone would make for some sketchy prolonged highway riding despite riding fully street-legal. Now even if the bike had a higher top speed like their upcoming race edition with a top speed of 70mph, I still think it wouldn’t be appropriate on typical U.S highways and that’s okay. At 138 pounds eclipse 2.0 can be a lot of fun to maneuver at lower speeds the same way a typical Supermoto or any other lower-powered yet well-handling motorcycle can be. It could also make the learning process a lot easier for new riders. 

Let’s face it a lot of the younger riders that are starting with Surrons or Talaria as their first bike are not riding only in off-road areas like the bikes were intended for. Most likely they don’t have a motorcycle endorsement or proper driver education training to know the rules of the road. While that’s likely not the biggest concern for those living in rural towns, being street-legal is a great direction to go in for urban areas with traffic. This way new riders coming in can get some of those same characteristics of a Surron in terms of handling yet still be riding in a way that won’t risk a ticket and more importantly be mindful of the rules of the road opening up more possibilities for use as a commuter. 

For obtaining plates, the process involves emailing Solar Scooters, and they’ll send over a Manufacturer’s certificate of origin or MCO as well as a title then, depending on the state you live in you can either register it as a moped or a motorcycle, just like any other ICE motorcycle. Also for recording, we chose not to install plate holder and tail lights, although they did supply it along with other compliant necessary parts like side reflectors. In addition, we were glad to see that Solar Motors is properly registered with the NHTSA.

Battery and range:

Aside from going street legal one of the pros of this bike as opposed to something like an ultra light bee is the 72v 45 ah battery that comes stock rather than having to spend thousands on a quality battery upgrade. Combined with the 6kw of rated power from the motor this bike gives a range of 50-70 miles. 

Handling and riding:

For comfort, I think Solar Scooter could have added a slightly more padded seat. The design looks great with its sleek carbon patterned fabric that matches the full carbon frame.  Although functionality-wise wise it would have been great to get some more comfort but then again with the dual sport-like design it’s not exactly expected to get as much but-to-seat time as a cruiser so let’s look into how it stacks up as a dual sport.

Fully carbon fiber frame and swing arm

With that fully carbon frame you do get a pretty light curb weight that comes in at about 49 pounds lighter than an ultra bee all while also having a slightly higher top speed. Of course, having a fully carbon frame does raise some questions. For example, the clearance to the bottom of the frame is notably short so if there’s any strong impact to the bottom for example a large rock or curb hitting it then that’s going to mean some bad news for the way carbon reacts compared to the more favorable way a metal frame or better yet a reinforced skid plate would react. But then again for urban riding, this might not be at all a concern the way it would be for someone looking to hit Colorado mountain passes on the weekend. 

19-inch wheels

On a similar note, the bike comes with large 19-inch wheels for both the front and back which gives you a decent seat height of 32 inches. Now to be clear those 19-inch wheels are for those who opt for off-road wheels rather than the 16-inch Supermoto wheels they offer. For offroading, the off-road tires that come with the bike have street-oriented knobs rather than the more off-road aggressive knobbies that typically come from offroad geared dual sport but if you’re mostly looking to use this on streets it’s not the worst as aggressive knobbies will typically wear out faster anyways. 

Suspension

For suspension, the front inverted forks give 203mm of travel which is a ton of fun for riding through conditions like moderately rutted fire roads but I wouldn’t necessarily want to do any big jumps with it as it’s not in the ballpark of the higher end suspension setups like what you would expect to find on a Stark Varg or Zero but then again those charge a hefty premium for those parts.

As for the quality, the components are on par with what you would expect for this category. While there’s no Ohlins level suspension there are also no parts that feel like they cheaped out on. The one area I would have liked to see some improvement on is the throttle input which seems to have a very slight delay, something that’s likely not noticeable at all but definitely would help with wheelies if it didn’t have the delay. 

Electrek’s take:

For a price tag of $6000, having a 72v 45 ah battery, with that same kind of lightweight trail bike handling as an ultra-light bee all while having plates makes the Eclipse 2.0 a decent value. While it’s still a big chunk of money, having to upgrade to a comparable battery for a light Bee might end up setting you back a few more dollars than the Eclipse when it’s all said and done.

On the other hand, while the Eclipse has plenty of speed to offer for city and nonhighway use if you’re looking to mod your bike I would keep in mind that unlike brands like the Surron Solar Scooter doesn’t have the same after-market support.

For fun supermoto style city riding I think this is a lot of fun and comes right out of the gate with the basics I would want but if I was looking for a more off-road aggressive electric motorcycle the combination of low clearance and carbon frame just might hold me back from going full send on certain types of trails or jumps but then again as the saying goes any bike can be an offroad bike if you’re brave enough. 

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Trump blocked wind projects, and now 17 states and DC are suing

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Trump blocked wind projects, and now 17 states and DC are suing

Seventeen state attorneys general and DC are fighting a Trump executive order that froze permits and funding for all onshore and offshore wind projects on January 20.

The coalition is asking a federal judge to declare the executive order illegal and prevent the Trump administration from obstructing wind energy development. It was filed in federal court in Massachusetts.

New York attorney general Letitia James is leading the coalition. James said, “This arbitrary and unnecessary directive threatens the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in investments, and it is delaying our transition away from the fossil fuels that harm our health and our planet.”

Federal agencies have stopped issuing permits for wind projects across the board and even pulled the plug on the fully approved Empire Wind in New York, which was already under construction. Developer Equinor, majority owned by the Norwegian government, went through a seven-year permitting process and is considering separate legal actions.

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Massachusetts attorney general Andrea Joy Campbell said that Trump’s “attempts to stop homegrown wind energy development directly contradict his claims that there is a growing need for reliable domestic energy.”

The coalition argues that the action violates the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws because the Trump administration, “among other things, provides no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy development.”

Trump’s executive order puts billions of dollars in state investments at risk, jeopardizing everything from wind industry infrastructure to supply chains and workforce training that’s already well underway.

The coalition consists of attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. 

Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build


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Listen up, car dealers – you need to start selling EVs the way you sell tow rigs

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Listen up, car dealers – you need to start selling EVs the way you sell tow rigs

Professional salespeople love to talk about “the steps of the sale,” a tried-and-true process that guides every customer from curiosity to closed. But when it comes to electric cars, that old-school hustle can fall flat, leaving dealers struggling with how to fit them into their familiar playbook. But what if I told you, dear dealer, that there’s a whole category of vehicles on existing dealer lots that need to be approached in exactly the same way as an EV to score a successful sale that you’re already familiar with?

That category: Heavy-duty tow trucks. Here’s how selling one is a lot like selling the other.

That’s right, greenpeas – selling a tow-rated pickup truck to someone who’s buying it primarily to haul a trailer, boat, or RV is a delicate thing that requires salespeople (and sales managers) to approach their customers with a lot more patience and empathy, and a lot less, “what can I do to get you to drive this home, today?” And, as we go through the whys and hows, I think you’ll agree that all the heavy truck selling wisdom we’re going to cover today will help you sell more electric cars, more often, and for more money.

1. Discovery is where the deal gets done


When it comes to heavy-duty tow vehicles, most smart dealers understand that their customer probably has a better understanding of their individual needs than they do – but it’s still a good idea to go over that understanding during the discovery phase of the sale.

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Has the customer factored in the weight of the trailer and the weight of everyone and everything else inside it? What about the weight of water, tools, or animals? Do they fully understand the concepts of GVWR and GCWR, and the difference between trailer weight and tongue weight? Will they have enough range, when fully loaded, on their standard fuel tank or will they need an aux. tank? What about the future – are they thinking about upgrading their RV or hauling bigger loads longer distances?

In other words, the customer has to trust that the vehicle they’re about to buy from you will meet their needs and fit into their lives today, while also meeting their needs in the foreseeable future. That’s what it looks like in a truck, but now apply that to an EV.

Has the customer mapped out the routes they take every day to make sure they can make the drive? That might sound ridiculous to you and me, but what if they’re depending on a single DC fast charger out on a rural stretch of highway to get the EV to meet their needs? What if they think 200 miles of range is 200 miles of range, but they like to drive 80+ mph (on Chicago’s I-290, that’s a minimum safe travel speed), do they understand that speed impacts range as much as weather?

Tools like Chargeway are great for helping dealers explain EV charging speeds, the impacts of speed and topography on range, and – especially in this era of NACS adapters – where buyers of used or off-lease EVs can charge up and get back on the road.

In either case, the salespeople who take the time in discovery to understand their customers’ needs and become consultative partners will make a sale, the ones who rush through the process won’t, and the ones who sell their customers the wrong thing will make a problem (if not an expensive lawsuit) for the dealership.

2. Options really do matter


When you’re selling a conventional ICE-powered crossover to a typical suburbanite, moving your customer up or down a trim level doesn’t typically impact their use case. Sure, they might have to keep their foot planted a little longer to get up to highway speeds or learn to live with cloth when they really wanted leather or vinyl vegan leather, but they’ll still be able to get five-to-seven adults from point A to point B with the same general effectiveness.

That’s not true when it comes to trucks that are going to get put to work. There, the difference between one axle ration and another can have a huge impact on driver comfort, towing capabilities, and fuel economy – and going from a one-ton truck that’s just outside the customer’s budget to a half-ton that you happen to have on the lot could get someone seriously hurt or killed.

On an EV, the difference might not be so dramatic, but the difference between a Nissan LEAF SV Plus with a 212 mile range and a Nissan LEAF S with 149 miles of range? That could mean the difference between getting to grandma’s house in three hours or five – that’s assuming your customer could even find a CHAdeMO port in the first place!

It may be tempting to switch the customer to a vehicle you have on the lot (especially if that vehicle happens to be an aged unit with a fat spiff on it), but the long-term pain isn’t worth the short-term gain on this one.

3. Information is your friend


This might feel like a duplicate of the discovery phase, but think of it as a member of the “measure twice, cut once” advice genre. That is to say that, sure – the customer thinks that new 5th wheel RV they have on order weighs 11,000 lbs., but does it? Did they add any options of features (see no. 2) that make it heavier? Get the information from the RV manufacturer or dealer and confirm as much as you can. That extra work will help keep your customer safe and build trust.

Similarly, you’ll want to verify your assumptions when it comes to EVs. Is that once-a-month 300 mile drive really 300 miles, or is it 330? Is there more than one charging option available on their preferred route? Is the customer able to make their trip without changing the way your they drive? Are they willing to change up where they stop, or for how long?

When it comes to EVs, especially used ones that came onto your lot as part of a trade deal that you may not be intimately familiar with, I cannot stress how much route planning apps like Chargeway or A Better Route Planner can help salespeople answer questions about electric vehicles confidently and correctly, generate trust, and drive referrals.

4. Aftersales support is critical


Successful salespeople follow up – not just with prospects who are still shopping, but with customers who have already bought. And, just as RVers know other RVers, RV salespeople who get positive feedback about a local dealer who takes the time to make sure their customers get the right truck know RV customers who might need a right truck of their own.

Yes, those RV salespeople might expect a $100 bird dog bonus to send their customers your way, but the money on its own isn’t enough. They have to know they can trust you with their customers, and you build that trust in steps 1-3, above.

It doesn’t take a genius

BMW Genius bar; via BMW.

If there’s one company that absolutely gets it when it comes to helping customers discover whether or not an EV can fit into the way they live, work, and drive today it’s BMW. Their take on the Apple Genius Bar helps consumers set reasonable expectations, understand charging speeds, and build customer loyalty – that’s why they’ve snatched the top spot in the J.D. Power U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study for the last few years.

The reason BMW is consistently pulling ahead? It seems to come down to education. “First-time EV buyers are receiving minimal education or training,” explains Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. “Dealer and manufacturer representatives play the crucial role of front-line educators, but when it comes to EVs, the specific education needed to shorten the learning curve just isn’t happening often enough. The shortfall in buyer education is something we’re seeing with all brands.”

And, if you’re still not quite convinced that you need to learn how to sell EVs to be successful on the sales floor, think again.

Overall, 94% of BEV owners are likely to consider purchasing another BEV for their next vehicle, a rate that is also matched by first-time buyers. Manufacturers should take note of the strong consumer commitment to EVs as the high rate of repurchase intent offers the ability to generate brand loyal customers if the experience is a positive one. In fact, during the past several years, the BEV repurchase intent percentage has fluctuated very little, ranging between 94-97%. This year’s study also finds that only 12% of BEV owners are likely to consider replacing their EV with an internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicle during their next purchase.

J.D. POWER

Listen to an EV convert who has desked an awful lot of car deals, greenpeas – if you treat every EV customer the same way that crusty old fleet rep treats his truck buyers, you’re going to sell a whole lot of EVs. And, if you’re a brave enough little toaster to follow up and ask for that referral, you’ll find that EV buyers know other EV buyers.

Happy hunting.

Original content from Electrek.


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Tesla Cybertruck inventory skyrockets to record high

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Tesla Cybertruck inventory skyrockets to record high

Tesla’s Cybertruck inventory has skyrocketed to a new record high of more than 10,000 units. The vehicle program is in crisis.

We reported at the beginning of April that Tesla ended the first quarter of 2025 with at least 2,400 Cybertrucks in new inventory available in the US.

There’s no exact way to track Tesla’s inventory in the US, but there are ways to track Tesla’s Cybertruck listings. Sometimes, Tesla may have many vehicles with the exact same configuration at the same location and it will only publish a single listing for it.

Therefore, Tesla might have been sitting on more Cybertruck inventory.

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A month later, the number of listings in the US has skyrocketed to over 10,000 Cybertrucks, according to Tesla-Info.com:

This surge could be due to an actual net increase in Cybertruck inventory, but Tesla is also heavily discounting the trucks at varying rates, creating several different prices and, therefore, more listings.

At an average sale price of $78,000, Tesla could have almost $800 million worth of Cybertrucks.

Due to low demand, Tesla appears to have significantly slowed down Cybertruck production in recent months. Therefore, this surge is likely more about Tesla discounting the vehicles, exposing the broader US inventory, than an actual major increase in inventory due to more production.

Many of the Cybertrucks in inventory were built in 2024, so they are already at least four months old. Tesla still has ‘Foundation Series’ Cybertrucks in inventory, which it stopped producing in October 2024—more than seven months ago.

Tesla recently launched the Cybertruck RWD, but it has given up on making it with a smaller battery pack and instead removed many important features.

Electrek’s Take

This is about as bad as it gets. Over 10,000 units account for about two quarters of Tesla’s Cybertruck sales.

It already looks like Tesla has slowed Cybertruck production down to a crawl, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it pauses it soon. The hard part for Tesla is to admit defeat.

The Cybertruck RWD using the same battery pack as the AWD was already a sort of admission that Tesla found the vehicle program to be too small to be worth being produced with two battery pack sizes. The automaker did the same with Model S/X when the program’s volumes shrank following the launches of Model 3 and Model Y.

It looks like under the current circumstances, Tesla will have issues selling more than 20,000 Cybertrucks per year in the US despite having planned production for 250,000 units.

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