Alexander Vlaskamp, the outspoken CEO of MAN Trucks, claims that an electric semi truck can pay for itself in less than three years – but there are a few asterisks in that statement. We’ll try to unpack them all for you here.

MAN began series production of its eTruck electric semi in July on a flexible line capable of building up to 100 trucks per day with either diesel or battery-electric power. With production underway, the challenge now is selling the things. That means proving that the higher upfront cost pays off with a lower total cost of ownership (TCO), and the first stop on that train is incentives.

The good news is that, in the EU, incentives are plentiful. MAN says those programs, together with Europe’s much higher diesel prices compared to the US (about $6.80/gal compared to $3.70, as I type this), can help the eTruck pay for itself in as little as two and a half years.

And, if you’re not familiar with European incentives for electric semi trucks, hold on to your hats because they are wild:

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• up to 80% of vehicle purchase price subsidy in Austria (ENIN)
• in Belgium, there’s a subsidy for up to 32% of the price of the truck (up to 2 trucks per company)
• in Ireland, government incentives cover 30–60% of the up-front cost difference versus a comparable diesel truck
• Norway offers a similar 60% diesel cost difference incentive
• etc., etc., ad nauseam

MAN’s customers can do that math easily enough – the company says it already has 700 orders on the books already, and expects to hit 1,000 by year’s end. But that math only maths if those customers can actually access the electrons to replace all that diesel … and the charging infrastructure they’re going to need for all those trucks? That’s still a ways off.

“It’s all about the charging infrastructure, that’s the problem,” Vlaskamp told Börsen-Zeitung. “When it comes to investment in charging stations, Europe is lagging far behind … what’s needed now is the political will to reverse this trend,” adding, “We need to act quickly.”

Charging is key

Spanish-language site Motorpasión notes that red tape isn’t the only reason charging lags. Driving investment into new charging infrastructure is lagging, too – but MAN’s CEO thinks there’s a simple fix: take half of annual toll revenues generated by commercial trucks (around €7 billion in Germany, alone) and funnel it directly into DC fast charging.

In addition to the still deficient charging network, another obstacle is the cost of electricity for charging. Vlaskamp proposes a reduced price for commercial truckers, as has traditionally been the case with diesel. Currently, the average price is 45 to 50 cents per kWh, but says the ideal would be, “between €0.20 and €0.30/kWh.”

TL;DR: if charging was cheaper and easier to access and the government was willing to subsidize EVs as much as they’ve subsidized oil with the creating and ongoing support of a globalized military industrial complex, MAN Trucks’ CEO thinks plug-in semis would be a no-brainer.

Head on down to the comments and let us know if you agree.

SOURCE | IMAGES: MAN, via Börsen-Zeitung, Motorpasión.

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It’s Labor Day weekend, which means big deals on car lots across America – especially if you’re shopping for a new electric vehicle to help with your labor. We’ve rounded up the best offers on electric pickups, vans, and even a great option for ride share drivers!

Sure, there’s a bit of irony in pitching “work vehicles” on a holiday meant for not working – but for many small business owners, work is part of who they are. And with the $7,500 federal EV tax credit set to expire, plus a wave of great Labor Day deals on work-ready EVs, now might be the best time yet to plug into a new electric ride.

Here are some of the standout electric vehicles offers we found this Labor Day weekend (2025), organized by vehicle type.

Electric pickup | F-150 Lightning

The “Ford for America,” summer sales event continues through Labor Day with interest-free 0% financing, $0 down payment, and zero payments for up to 90 days for retail customers. Ford is also throwing in $0 maintenance for 24 months.

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But wait, there’s more! Ford Authority is reporting that a complimentary home charger and standard installation might also be included as part of the Ford Power Promise promotion happening at participating dealers in select markets with the purchase of a new F-150 Lightning pickup through the end of September.

Lease customers aren’t being left out, either. You can lease a 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT 4P 311A pickup at $399 per month for 36 months, with “just” $399 due at signing (basically your first month’s payment).

Electric van | Chevy Brightdrop

The best electric vehicle deal in the business keeps on truckin’ into Labor Day weekend, with new 2025 Brightdrop models currently eligible for up to $21,500 in manufacturer rebates before any Federal, state, local utility, or even Costco membership incentives kick in.

For your money, you get a capable, Ultium-based electric cargo van with more room than your college dorm and a nationwide dealer network to keep it up and running when you need it most.

Electric van (hon. mention) | Mercedes eSprinter

Despite being based on the company’s existing diesel platform, Mercedes’ eSprinter has proven itself a capable urban hauler in the hands of Amazon, DHL, and countless European tradespeople. Despite that, there are still a handful of leftover 2024 models hanging around dealer lots – enough that Mercedes is offering up to $30,000 (!) Customer Cash on any new ’24MY eSprinter purchased from dealer stock.

That discount is enough to bring the price of this 2024 eSprinter in Chicago from $87,823 all the way down to $57,823 this Labor Day weekend – and that’s before you factor in state and local utility incentives that can bring the price down even further.

As you can imagine, there’s some fine print on that Customer Cash deal. It can’t be combined with Special APR programs through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS), but it can be combined with the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Medium Fleet Program.

Ride share ride | VW ID.4

Ride share drivers looking for comfortable seats, room for five adults and their luggage, proven battery life, and lickety-quick charging speeds can stop looking. Volkswagen is offering a sweet ID.4 lease at nearly half the cost of an entry-level Jetta with payments starting at just $129/mo. – that’s despite the ID.4 carrying a significantly higher MSRP.

And, while we’re at it, it’s probably worth noting that serious road warriors will probably save more than $129/mo. in fuel alone.

If you prefer to own your vehicles after making payments on them for a few years, you can also get 0% interest financing on select ID.4s for up to 72 months. It’s important to note here that Volkswagen’s deals can vary wildly by region. That $129/mo. offer is available in California and a few other West Coast states, for example, but the electric crossover’s listed at $329 for 24 months with $4,499 due at signing in others.

Disclaimer: the vehicle models and financing deals above were sourced from CarsDirect, CarEdge, and (where mentioned) the OEM websites – and were current as of 29AUG2025. These deals may not be available in every market, with every discount, or for every buyer (the standard “with approved credit” fine print should be considered implied). Check with your local dealer(s) for more information.

Sustainable construction experts McKinstry have teamed up with leading BESS developers Viridi and the Denver Public Library to deploy a first-of-its-kind solar and battery storage system that sets a new standard for fire safety.

The Denver Public Library sought a battery energy storage system (BESS) that could deliver cost savings without compromising safety for staff, visitors, or the architecturally significant, Michael Graves–designed structure itself. That required a battery backup solution that not only met the city’s fire safety standards, but also addressed public fears about the risk of lithium-ion battery fires.

That unique set of project priorities led the library to Viridi, makers of the RPSLinkEX battery solution that’s equipped with a unique, “passive Fail-Safe thermal management and anti-propagation technology” designed to prevent the sort of thermal runaway that leads to li-ion battery fires.

“Public facilities like the Denver Public Library are at the forefront of demonstrating that energy resilience and safety can go hand in hand,” said Jon M. Williams, CEO at Viridi. “This installation highlights how fail-safe battery storage can empower communities to maximize renewable energy, reduce costs, and maintain reliability – all without compromise.”

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Keeping it safe

Viridi doesn’t talk too much about how its passive Fail-Safe thermal management system works, but if you’re picturing heat-dissipating layers, fire-resistant insulation, and strategically-placed phase change materials (or PCMs) limiting the transfer of heat from one cell to another if it begins to overheat, you’ve probably cracked it.

These passive safety features enable safer deployment scenarios in occupied buildings or near critical infrastructure by reducing dependence on active fire suppression systems like sprinklers or fire extinguishers, and convinced the City of Denver to move forward with the project, which is the city’s first-ever solar + battery storage system.

“The entire McKinstry team is very excited about developing and constructing the first Solar + BESS project for the City and County of Denver,” said Jon Ensley, Sr. Construction Project Engineer at McKinstry. “We are appreciative of all our partners and stakeholders who helped to achieve this goal. We value Viridi’s expertise in deploying this technology and the whole team has been great to work with.”

McKinstry says this latest solar project sets, “a new benchmark for how cities can combine renewable energy and battery storage without compromising safety.” And, with solutions like the RPSLinkEX building systems that meet city planners and politicians where they are, instead of trying to educated them about the objective, proven safety of li-ion batteries, Viridi is helping communities adopt cleaner, more resilient clean energy solutions sooner rather than later.

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SOURCE | IMAGES: Viridi, via PV Magazine; Michael Graves.

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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.