California has been attempting for years to roll out an incentive program for electric bicycles, with the project continuously delayed due to funding and mismanagement issues. Now we’ve finally received word that the long-awaited program is set to begin before the end of the year.
Electric bicycle rebates and vouchers have proven to be a powerful tool to help people replace cars or simply establish transportation independence. There are many states as well as countless cities in the US that have established their own voucher programs, usually to overwhelming success.
The idea goes that more people would avoid car usage (and all of the many downsides that come with it), if they could afford a more efficient alternative like an electric bike. For many others who currently lack any form of transportation, an e-bike can be a lifeline for mobility.
Now Californians across the Golden State could finally get that opportunity as well, or at least a chance for that opportunity. The California Air Resources Board has announced that its e-bike incentive program will kick off on December 18 – just two weeks from now.
There will be multiple windows of incentives in the program, with the first drawing upon US $3 million in funding, or enough to cover around 1,500 e-bike vouchers. The program will be limited to income-eligible residents of the state, with a sliding scale based on 3x the federal poverty line and the number of household residents. For a single person, that’s an income of around US $45,000 per year. For a family of four, it’s a household income of around $93,000 per year. Priority applicants are considered those with household incomes under 2.25x the federal poverty line.
CARB has said that applications will open at 6 PM on December 18th, and as Streetsblog pointed out, it could be a matter of minutes before all of the available vouchers are snatched up. We’ve seen the same thing happen in other cities, such as Denver where each round of new vouchers can be exhausted in around one minute.
The base voucher is set at US $1,750, with an additional $250 provided to priority applicants at under 2.25x the federal poverty line, with the maximum voucher being $2,000. The voucher can be used to purchase an eligible electric bike, as well as accessories such as a helmet, bike lock, racks, baskets, fenders, lights, mirrors, and protective clothing.
Bike elgibility is slightly restrictive, requiring more than just that the e-bike fits into the three-class e-bike system used by California as well as most US states. To be eligible for purchase using the CARB program’s incentive, the bikes must also have a lighting system that runs off of the e-bike’s main battery, be tested for compliance with safety certification ANSI/CAN/UL-2849 or EN-15194, offer at least a 1-year warranty, and be delivered fully-assembled.
While the requirement for being delivered fully-assembled would seem to rule out almost all direct-to-consumer e-bikes ordered online, like those from major retailers like Rad Power Bikes, Aventon, Velotric, and others, all of those bikes as well as similar models appear on a list of eligible e-bike models. Thus, it appears CARB is somewhat flexible about what it means to be delivered fully-assembled, and allows for bikes that arrive with the rider needing to install components like wheels, handlebars, pedals, seats, racks, and fenders.
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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:
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.
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.
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.
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 new software update from Rivian was sighted earlier this month, and it’s being prepared for a full rollout to Gen 2 R1S and R1T EVs. The latest Rivian update includes upgrades to the American automaker’s Enhanced Highway Assist driving, more energy-conscious home charging capabilities, and a slew of other improvements outlined below.
Like most software-defined vehicles, Rivian models like the R1S and R1T receive periodic updates over-the-air (OTA). As a Rivian owner and an enthusiast, software updates are often exciting news to report on, as they usually result in new features or abilities to existing technology or enable various efficiencies (and bug fixes fixes, of course).
Over the past six months, we’ve seen updates like 2025.10, which rolled out to the public in early April, and 2025.14, which updated the BEV’s Highway Assist feature. In late May, RivianTrackr shared that software update 2025.18 was rolling out internally before launching wide to Rivian owners, and it was one of the more robust rollouts we had seen for a while.
Most recently, a similar site called RivianRoamer has reported on a new software update, 2025.34, which has already been spotted before it makes its way out to the public
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Source: Rivian.com
Rivian software update adds new “Co-Steer” feature
Per reports, Rivian software update 2025.34 is in the works in a beta version before it inevitably makes its way to the community of R1S and R1T owners. That being said, please note that any of these listed features or improvements could change or be removed altogether before the update goes out wide.
The first notable upgrade pertains to the Enhanced Highway Assist ADAS in Gen 2 Rivian models. Right now, the pending software update will enable a new assist feature called “Co-Steer,” which will allow a driver to adjust their given position within a lane using “gentle steering inputs” without the Enhanced Highway Assist disengaging.
Speaking of Enhanced Highway Assist, Rivian shared that the availability of the ADAS feature has increased by up to 50%, particularly on urban and suburban highways. Lastly, the 2025.34 update includes a new perception model that improves lane centering performance, especially on curves.
Additionally, Rivian’s latest pending software update will allow your vehicle to automatically charge itself during off-peak times at your home when electricity is cheaper, ensuring your vehicle is ready when you need it.
According to the report, “smart scheduling” can cut annual home EV charging costs by 20% or more and increase your use of clean energy. You can enable this feature and monitor everything through your account in the Rivian app (version 3.5 or later).
Other updates and big fixes from 2025.34 (subject to change)
Audio improvements (Gen 2 Rivian models)
Fine-tuned equalization and delays to make the bass feel richer and more impactful
Soundstage improvements for better localization, separation, and layering
Improved blending of Dolby Atmos content for all listening positions
Performance improvements
Updated and improved media apps, including increased touchscreen responsiveness
Improved Navigation stability and responsiveness
Improved responsiveness to mobile commands while vehicle is asleep
Resolved rare issue that prevented users from accepting the terms of service for Rivian Navigation with Google Maps
Fixed issue that kept Gear Guard video thumbnails from displaying properly on the Motion Cam and Incidents screens
Resolved rare issue where the tonneau cover position is displayed incorrectly on certain screens of Gen 1 R1T models
Resolved rare issue that caused fog lights to turn off and exterior lights to revert to Auto mode (Gen 1)
Fixed issue that caused trip energy and efficiency data to fluctuate unexpectedly
Improvements to the accuracy of battery range on arrival estimates, including adding location air density as a factor for locations at higher elevations
Resolved rare issue that prevented the door handles from presenting for an unlock request while Car Wash mode is active (Gen 2 EVs)
Reduced excessive blower noise during climate control start-up in mild conditions while maintaining cooling performance in extreme temperatures (Gen 2 EVs)
Fixed rare issue that caused cabin conditioning requests initiated from the Rivian mobile app to fail on the first attempt (Gen 2 EVs)
Additional improvements for 12V battery health detection, including in-vehicle and mobile app notifications to alert you when the 12V battery needs to be replaced (Gen 2 EVs)
That’s all for now. As a reminder, the above release notes pertain to a beta version of the software update, and 2025.34 could be different when it reaches Rivian owners in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for it!
In the meantime, I recommend scheduling a test drive with Rivian if you haven’t done so yet. See if you can get behind the wheel of an upcoming R2. It’s a winner!
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After rolling out a new BlueCruise software update, Ford said F-150 owners can now drive in hands-free mode up to eight times longer. The update is available for all 2022-2025 Ford F-150 Lightning models equipped with BlueCruise.
Ford rolls out BlueCruise 1.4 update for F-150 Lightning
Depending on the model year, the software update will take some Lightning drivers from BlueCruise 1.0 to the latest version, BlueCruise 1.4.
Ford said those who receive the update will notice a more natural driving experience and more time in hands-free mode compared to earlier versions.
According to the company’s internal testing, F-150 Lightning drivers can stay in hands-free mode on the highway eight times longer on average compared to the first version of BlueCruise. Even compared to BlueCruise 1.2, the update offers five times more hands-free driving time.
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For those with BlueCruise 1.0, the upgrade will offer a few notable improvements. For one, Ford said you will feel “a more continuous experience,” like when driving around tight corners.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Black (Source: Ford)
You will also feel more centered in your line with less side-to-side movement. Ford said the update reduces deviations from the center of the lane by nearly 80% from the first version.
The update adds new features, such as In-Lane Repositioning, which automatically adjusts when you’re next to a large semi-truck to give you more space. With Lane Change Assist, you can now make a hands-free lane change by simply tapping the turn signal.
The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX (Source: Ford)
Ford is rolling out the new BlueCruise 1.4 update to 2022-2024 F-150 Lightning and 2022-2023 F-150 vehicles. The 2025 model year is being delivered with the update straight from the factory.
Earlier this month, Ford introduced a new STX trim for the 2026 F-150 Lightning. The new STX variant replaces the current base XLT model, offering more range and power for the same price.
As more updates become available, the company plans to extend the improved hands-free driving software to nine Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Ford has already deployed BlueCruise 1.3 to 2021-2023 Mustang Mach-E vehicles.
With the new 2026 Lightning around the corner, current models are available for lease starting at just $258 per month. You can use our link to find offers on the Ford F-150 Lightning near you (trusted partner).
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