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Audi Q8 e-tron production at Brussels plant
(Source: Audi AG)

Volkswagen CEO Olivier Blume faced a huge booing crowd in Germany today, telling tens of thousands of workers that the company isn’t operating in “a fantasy world” and that plants will be closing and jobs will be lost. Here’s the latest.

On Monday, a hundred thousand workers walked off at nine Volkswagen factories across Germany, including its EV-only factory, bringing assembly lines to a grinding halt in the battle over the slashed pay, lost jobs, and the automaker’s future. Now Blume is locked in an intense dispute with IG Metall, with management pushing for major cuts while workers are threatening more strikes if a fair deal isn’t met.

Today, a group of about 20,000 workers at VW’s main plant in Wolfsburg listened to Blume make the claim that the company has its hands tied. “As management we are not operating in a fantasy world. We are making decisions in a rapidly changing environment,” he told workers, according to Automotive News Europe. Blume added that he grew up in the region and Wolfsburg was close to his heart, but that sentiment was met with roaring boos from the crowd.

Volkswagen and IG Metall are scheduled to meet for a fourth round of talks on December 9.

The strike comes after weeks of collective bargaining negotiations in which Volkswagen didn’t back down from its plan to potentially cut thousands of jobs and close factories in Germany – a first in the automaker’s 87-year history in the country. Volkswagen plans to close at least three factories, lay off thousands of workers, and trim pay for those remaining by 10%, all as it fights to stay alive amid stiff competition from China. Volkswagen announced that it would officially close its Audi plant in Brussels where it makes the Audi Q8 E-Tron.

“The price pressure is immense,” Blume said, adding that VW was struggling in its biggest market China and that labor costs in Germany were too high to compete. “We therefore urgently need to take measures to secure the future of Volkswagen,” he said, according to the report. “Our plans for this are on the table.”

A rough comparison of wage data from 2023 shows that, on average, the hourly wage for a worker in the German automobile industry is about 33 euros ($34,72), which has been mostly unchanged in the past few years. Looking at autoworker wages in China, a Reuters analysis of 30 auto firms in the country, including Tesla, SAIC, and Xpeng, shows hourly wages of 14 yuan ($1.93) to 31 yuan ($4.27). BYD posted a position last year at its Shenzhen factory with a monthly income starting at 5,000 yuan, or $688.

Meanwhile, Blume makes about $10 million a year, with reports saying that wage cuts haven’t included his own. VW’s labor council head Daniela Cavallo has criticized Blume for not being willing to make sacrifices in management and among the shareholders. She said the union is aiming for a deal to be finalized by Christmas. “That will mean compromises. Concessions too. Things that you don’t like and that sometimes hurt you one way or another. But that has to apply to all sides,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s not a compromise.”

This comes at a time when VW is radically restructuring its business to cut costs, while seeking to streamline production and development processes, shaving off months on the development cycles of specific projects to help tighten the belts, all while rethinking its EV retail model to stay more competitive. Volkswagen has been facing a steep decline in sales in China, which is its core market, while simultaneously facing challenges from BYD and other Chinese automakers entering the European market.

As an aside, the strikes didn’t spread to its factories in the US, where many workers are unrepresented by unions. The United Auto Workers represent only one Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but they were not involved in the European strikes.

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OpenAI’s first data center in $500B Stargate project is open in Texas, with sites coming in New Mexico and Ohio

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September 23, 2025

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OpenAI's first data center in 0B Stargate project is open in Texas, with sites coming in New Mexico and Ohio

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: 'More compute, more revenue' in response to concern on Oracle, Nvidia deals

ABILENE, Texas — OpenAI and Oracle are betting big on America’s AI future, bringing online the flagship site of the $500 billion Stargate program, a sweeping infrastructure push to secure the compute needed to power the future of artificial intelligence.

The debut site in Abilene, Texas, about 180 miles west of Dallas, is up and running, filled with Oracle Cloud infrastructure and racks of Nvidia chips.

The data center, which is being leased by Oracle, is one of the most notable physical landmarks to emerge from an unprecedented boom in demand for infrastructure to power AI. Over $2 trillion in AI infrastructure has been planned around the world, according to an HSBC estimate this week.

OpenAI is leading the way.

In addition to the $500 billion Stargate project, the startup on Monday announced an equity investment deal with Nvidia that will add an estimated $500 billion worth of data centers in the coming years. Since 2019, Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI, providing loads of access to Azure credits. Additionally, OpenAI contracts with smaller cloud companies for additional compute capacity and help operating its infrastructure.

One building on the Abilene site is operational while another is nearly complete. The campus has the potential to ultimately scale past a gigawatt of capacity, OpenAI finance chief Sarah Friar told CNBC. That would be enough electricity to power about 750,000 U.S. homes.

The data center construction plans are important enough that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang personally engaged in last-minute negotiations with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the weekend to get in on the action, CNBC reported earlier on Tuesday.

“People are starting to recognize just the sheer scale that will be required,” Friar said. “We’re just getting going here in Abilene, Texas, but you’ll see this all around the United States and beyond.”

The scale of the project’s construction was necessary to supply the amount of compute required to operate OpenAI’s models, Friar said.

“What we see today is a massive compute crunch,” she said. “There’s not enough compute to do all the things that AI can do.”

OpenAI's Sarah Friar: 'Full ecosystem' needs to come together to address compute crunch

A bold bet on AI infrastructure

OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank, which is helping fund the project, announced on Tuesday five additional Stargate sites across Texas, New Mexico, Ohio and an additional unnamed site in the Midwest. That brings the size of the initiative to nearly 7 gigawatts and more than $400 billion of investment over the next three years, which includes an existing $300 billion agreement between OpenAI and Oracle.

While companies like Oracle are helping fund the data center construction, OpenAI will ultimately be the one to pay for the computing capacity as an operating expense, Friar said. Although Nvidia is putting in equity to jumpstart the project, Friar said the chipmaker will get paid for all graphics processing units (GPUs) that it provides as those chips get deployed.

Friar said OpenAI will generate $13 billion in revenue this year, and that the company plans to help pay for the construction using its own cash flow and debt financing.

The Stargate name will refer to all OpenAI infrastructure projects going forward, CNBC reported this week. Together with CoreWeave and other partners, the companies say they are ahead of schedule to meet their full 10-gigawatt commitment by the end of 2025.

Friar told CNBC the shovels going into the ground today are laying foundations for compute that won’t come online until 2026, starting with Nvidia next-generation Vera Rubin chips.

Data center buildings are under construction during a tour of the OpenAI data center in Abilene, Texas, U.S., Sept. 23, 2025.

Shelby Tauber | Reuters

“No one in the history of man built data centers this fast,” Friar said, adding that the entire ecosystem has to work together to meet demand.

Critics have questioned the circular funding behind Stargate — OpenAI committing hundreds of billions of dollars to projects while suppliers like Nvidia are also investing directly into those same buildouts.

Friar said history shows that technology booms require bold infrastructure bets.

“When the internet was getting started, people kept feeling like, ‘Oh, we’re over-building, there’s too much,'” Friar said. “Look where we are today, right?”

The project also carries political weight. OpenAI and Oracle first unveiled Stargate alongside President Donald Trump at the White House in January. Friar called Trump “the president of this AI era,” pointing to Washington’s role in framing the technology as both an economic engine and a national security priority. Trump was briefed on the Nvidia investment into OpenAI during a state visit to the U.K. earlier this month.

Oracle says the project will employ more than 6,000 construction workers daily and deliver nearly 1,700 long-term jobs.

In a paper published Tuesday about OpenAI’s infrastructure plans, the company wrote that its data center buildout could help reshape the American power grid with new technologies and help the U.S. exert global influence.

— CNBC’s Kif Leswing contributed to this story.

WATCH: OpenAI CFO: Need partners like Oracle and Microsoft to meet demand

OpenAI CFO: Need partners like Oracle and Microsoft to meet demand

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Honda is slashing over $20,000 off the Prologue right now

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September 23, 2025

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Honda is slashing over ,000 off the Prologue right now

Honda-Prologue-$20,000-off

How about over $20,000 in savings on a new SUV? For the next week, Honda is currently offering over $20,000 off 2025 Prologue models with stackable savings.

Honda Prologue buyers can snag more than $20,000 off

Honda has made its electric SUV even more tempting for the last week of September. Until September 30, when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit is set to expire, Honda is offering generous discounts of more than $20,000 in some states.

The 2025 Prologue is $17,000 off nationwide, plus Honda is offering 0% interest for six years. That’s hard to find for any vehicle, whether it’s electric or gas-powered.

The deal includes $9,500 in financing bonuses and the potential $7,500 EV tax credit. On a six-year loan for a $50,000 Prologue, online car research firm CarsDirect estimates the financing deal would cost about $33,000, before taxes and fees.

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With trade-in offers in California and other ZEV states, you can score up to $20,300 off the 2025 Honda Prologue.

Honda-Prologue-$20,000-off
2025 Honda Prologue at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Honda)

But, there’s gotta be a catch, right? Well, for one, the offer ends in a week on September 30, the same day the federal $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles expires.

While the deals on the 2025 model year are expiring, the 2026 Honda Prologue is already set to arrive with discounts of up to $9,000.

Honda-Prologue-$20,000-off
The interior of the 2025 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

A notice sent to dealers (via CarsDirect) said that the 2026 model year will debut with a $6,000 lease or finance offer through Honda Financial Services (HFS). The incentive bulletin said an additional $3,000 conquest bonus will be offered, bringing the total savings to $9,000 on 2026 models.

2025 Honda Prologue trim Starting Price* Starting Price After
Tax Credit*		 EPA Range
(miles)
EX (FWD) $47,400 $39,900 308
EX (AWD) $50,400 $42,900 294
Touring (FWD) $51.700 $44,200 308
Touring (AWD) $54,700 $47,200 294
Elite (AWD) $57,900 $50,400 283
2025 Honda Prologue prices and range by trim (*Does not include $1,450 D&H fee)

Interestingly, the offer for the 2026 Prologue is available until November 3, suggesting Honda may continue offering discounts even after the $7,500 tax credit ends.

Honda has yet to announce 2026 Prologue prices publicly, but it’s expected to start at approximately the same $47,400 MSRP as the 2025 model year. With the government incentives set to expire, it could be even less.

Those of you looking for other deals ahead of the tax credit expiration might want to check out the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 with leases starting from $149 per month. The Chevy Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV,” is available with leases starting at $249 per month. Volkswagen is offering some of the lowest EV lease prices, with the ID.4 available starting at just $129 per month.

Ready to test drive the Prologue for yourself? We’re here to help. You can use our link to find deals on the Honda Prologue in your area (trusted partner).


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Jackery Early Prime Day sale with up to 65% discounts + bonus savings from $129, EcoFlow 48-hour sale, Anker solar cams, more

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7 hours ago

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September 23, 2025

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Jackery Early Prime Day sale with up to 65% discounts + bonus savings from 9, EcoFlow 48-hour sale, Anker solar cams, more

Headlining today’s Green Deals is Jackery’s Early Prime Big Deal Days sale that is taking up to 65% off power stations, solar generator bundles, and accessories, with bonus savings, free gifts, and more starting from $129. Among the offers, we spotted the Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station coming with a 200W solar panel for $649, with an additional FREE bundle option available too. From there, we have Anker’s eufy SoloCam S220 Solar Security Camera back down at $65, as well as EcoFlow’s first Early Prime Day 48-hour flash sale, which has dropped the DELTA 2 Max power station and 800W alternator charger bundle to its $1,049 low, along with three other offers. We also have leaf and snow clearing solutions from Greenworks and other EV/backup power solutions waiting for you below. And don’t forget about all the hangover deals collected at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s EcoFlow Early Prime Day Sale lineup, and more.

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.

Jackery’s Early Prime Day sale drops Explorer 1000 v2 with 200W panel to $649 (50% off) + free bundle offer, more

Jackery has launched its Early Prime Big Deal Days sale running through October 6, with up to 65% discounts on its power stations alongside bonus savings, free gifts, and more. If you’re gearing up for fall adventures outdoors and off-grid, one of the best budget-friendly bundles to score right now is Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station with a 200W solar panel at $649 shipped, which is also matching over at Amazon and is eligible for a FREE refurbished Explorer 290. This combination of station and add-on equipment would normally cost you $1,299 in full, though over 2025, you’ve had the chance to score it between $749 and $699 with regular discounts. If you’ve waited until now to pick it up, you’ll get it at the best price we have tracked this year, behind the $599 low that appeared last year for only a few hours. Head below for more on this bundle, the sale’s promotions, and the full lineup of deals.

Before we jump into the details of pricing, let’s go over the many special promotions being offered during Jackery’s Early Prime Big Deal Days sale. First, orders that reach a $1,500 threshold can use the code OFFER5 for an additional 5% savings, though this does not include the HomePower 3000 series of deals. Next, you can score up to $830 in trade-in bonuses, with reminders that the 30% federal tax credits may be ending with the year, so don’t miss the opportunity to jump on that while equipping yourself with reliable backup power support. Lastly, there are some free gift promotions on the larger units in the sale, with the Explorer 5000 Plus series purchases getting a free refurbished Explorer 300 Plus, while the HomePower 3600 Plus models get a free refurbished Explorer 300, and the Explorer 2000 v2 gets a free refurbished 100W solar panel.

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Ever since its late 2024 release, Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 power station has become one of the brand’s best camping-focused backup power companions for folks not wanting to shell out too much money on larger units/combos. It brings a 1,070Wh LiFePO4 capacity to your trips and boasts 62 forms of charging protections from its ChargeShield 2.0 tech. Your devices and appliances are covered with up to 1,500W of steady power, which can surge up to 3,000W and offers seven ports for connection options.

When plans are known in advanced, all you’ll need is 1.6 hours charging from a standard AC outlet to get it back to full battery, and for more last-minute plans, you can activate the emergency charging feature with the in-app controls to cut that time down to just one hour. You can also charge as you drive through your car’s auxiliary/cigarette lighter port, and the 200W panel coming with the bundle puts you a third of the way towards its max 600W solar input, which can get the station back to full in three hours with proper sunlight.

***Note: The following prices have not had the extra savings taken into account, so be sure to use the code OFFER5 once your cart totals $1,500 or more to score the absolute best prices.

Jackery’s Early Prime Day deals for off-grid support:

Jackery’s Early Prime Day deals for appliance backup:

Jackery’s Early Prime Day deals for home backup:

Jackery’s Early Prime Day transfer switch deals:

You can browse the entire Jackery Early Prime Big Deal Days sale on the landing page here.

Anker eufy solocam s220 installed to outdoor wall in rain

Install Anker’s solar-powered eufy SoloCam S220 for year-round security while at $65

Over at Best Buy we spotted the older Anker eufy SoloCam S40 included as part of the Deals of the Day, which is getting beaten out in price by the newer SoloCam S220 Solar Security Camera at Amazon that is down at $64.99 shipped, with it also beating the individual costs from the multi-cam bundles while matching the price direct from the brand’s website. This model usually goes for $100 in full, which we’ve regularly seen brought down to $70 with discounts, and more recently to $65, only beaten out by the one-time $62 low that popped up during July’s Prime Day event. You’re looking at the next-best price while the rates hold strong, as they’ve been since last week, saving you $35 off the going rate and upgrading your home security with 24/7 solar charging.

If you want to learn more about this solar security device, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

ecoflow delta 2 max power station sitting on counter with toaster oven and condiment bottles

Charge on the go with EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Max 800W alternator charger bundle at its $1,049 low (58% off), more

As part of its Early Prime Day Sale running through October 6, EcoFlow has launched the first of this event’s flash sales, with this one taking up to 58% off four units and lasting for 48 hours. Among the bunch, for folks living out their nomadic dreams, you can’t go wrong with EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station bundled with an 800W alternator charger for $1,049 shipped, which beats out Amazon’s pricing by $850. This bundle normally fetches $2,498 at full price from the brand and $1,899 over at Amazon (where it’s currently listed), with discounts having only gone as low as $1,049. You’re looking at another chance to score it at its best price here, with this two-day only deal giving you a total of $1,449 off its MSRP. Head below for more on this unit and the others seeing flash savings.

If you want to learn more about this bundle, or the other units seeing discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of this 48-hour flash sale here.

man clearing path in front of home with greenworks 80V 12-inch cordless snow shovel

Prep for snow with Greenworks’ 80V 12-inch cordless shovel kit at the best price in six months for $233

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 80V 12-inch Cordless Snow Shovel with 2.0Ah battery at $232.74 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing, where it is sitting at its full $350 MSRP. At Amazon, though, we’ve been seeing it hold out at $308 since March, and falling to $280 since late July, with the total 33% markdown off the MSRP that’s being offered here giving us the best pricing of the last 6 1/2 months, saving you $117 over buying it directly from Greenworks, and landing $33 above the annual low we last saw in January.

If you want to learn more about this snow clearing solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

woman clearing leaves in yard with greenworks 80V 750 CFM cordless handheld blower

Get up to 750 CFM clearing power with this 80V Greenworks handheld blower kit at $175 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 80V 750CFM Cordless Handheld Blower with a 2.5Ah battery at $174.99 shipped, with it even beating out the renewed offer direct from the brand’s website by $25. This model with this particular battery usually goes for $250 at full price, but you’re getting a $75 markdown through the rest of the day that lands it $5 under the usual $180 rate we’ve seen pop up over 2025 in these one-day sales. This is the best price we’ve spotted in 2025, with it only beaten out by the $170 low we last saw during Black Friday last year. What’s more, you won’t find this package at Amazon right now, with the closest models being either the 80V 500 CFM model with a 2.0Ah battery or the 80V 750 CFM backpack blower with a 4.0Ah battery.

If you want to learn more about this handheld leaf blower, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only sale here.

man sitting on Rad Power's RadRunner Cargo Utility e-bike

Best Fall EV deals!

Best 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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