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Leading today’s Green Deals is the latest Christmas sale that we spotted from NIU, with up to 42% being taken off its e-scooter lineup, like the KQi2 Pro Electric Kick Scooter that hit a new $379 2024 low. From there, we have a returning low price on Goal Zero’s Yeti 1500X Portable Power Station at $779, as well as a new low rate for Hoverfly’s entry-level H3 16-inch Folding e-bike down at $423. Lastly, we have two Rexing EV charger adapters and one extension cable for Tesla drivers/owners at up to $100 off and starting from $50. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Jackery Christmas flash sale that ends tonight, 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.

NIU Christmas sale drops beginner-friendly KQi2 Pro electric kick scooter to new $379 2024 low

NIU’s Christmas sale is offering plenty of low prices – returning and new – through December 24 on a small collection of KQi series electric kick scooters at up to 42% off. One notable new price is on the beginner-friendly KQi2 Pro Electric Kick Scooter that is down at $379 shipped. Usually going for $649 outside of these sales, this model ended last year at the $369 low that hasn’t been seen again since. Over 2024, discounts have kept the price above $380 (usually over $400), but that’s changing here today as its previous Black Friday rate gets beaten out by $1, saving you $270 at the lowest price of the year – only $10 above the all-time low from 2023. You’ll also find this same scooter matching in price at Amazon.

A great and affordable pick for both newbie riders and veterans who don’t want to shell out too much cash, NIU’s KQi2 Pro electric kick scooter arrives as a balanced model to assist you through most commuting needs. You’ll get a 25-mile travel range on a single charge at up to top speeds of 17.4 MPH thanks to the paired 300W motor and 48V battery. It even sports regenerative brakes to extend your riding time by recycling energy alongside the four riding modes (e-save, sport, custom, pedestrian). The IP54 water-resistance protections here ensure being caught in sudden inclement weather or riding after the fact won’t threaten the scooter’s life. You’ll also be getting an LED headlight and taillight, a secondary front drum brake, a foldable body, and an LED dashboard display to adjust settings – which you can also do through the companion app on your smartphone.

Best NIU Christmas sale e-scooter deals for beginners:

Best NIU Christmas sale e-scooter deals for experts:

NIU Christmas sale best-selling e-scooter deals:

NIU’s Christmas sale is even offering a bunch of bundle options to save on two e-scooters bought together, which you can browse in full on the landing page here.

Goal Zero Yeti 1500X power station

Through its official Amazon storefront, Goal Zero is offering a return low on its Yeti 1500X Portable Power Station at $779.18 shipped, after clipping the on-page $500 off coupon. Normally going for $1,300 these days, but priced at $1,279 since November, it’s spent most of the year keeping between $1,100 and $1,234 on Amazon. We spotted it hitting this same rate on Black Friday and holding out until Cyber Monday’s end, but that same low price is back again today to save you $521. There are also two discounted bundle options here, with the station coming with a 100W solar panel for $866, after clipping the on-page $584 off coupon, or with two accordion-folding 200W solar panels for $1,775, after clipping the on-page $220 off coupon.

More of an outdoor and job site-tailored brand of backup power solutions, Goal Zero’s Yeti 1500X power station provides you with a 1,516Wh battery capacity that dishes out an impressive 2,000W output that surges up to 3,500W. Through its 10 output ports, you can keep the power on for devices, appliances, tools, and more. The battery takes up to 14 hours to recharge via a wall outlet, which can be sped up to just 3-hour charge times with a Goal Zero Yeti X 600W Power Supply. You can also utilize up to its 600W max input to take advantage of solar charging, as well as an additional recharge option by connecting it to your car.

NIU Christmas sale

Hoverfly’s H3 16-inch folding e-bike is an affordable entry-level option for beginners at new $423 low

We just spotted a great collection of beginner-friendly e-bike deals at Amazon on the Hoverfly H3 16-inch Folding e-bike starting from $423.20 shipped for its black and white colorways, with the other colorways getting some decent savings too. Down from its $500 price tag here, with higher $560+ rates direct from Hoverfly and elsewhere, we saw it drop furthest in price back over September when it hit $425. That rate is getting beaten out here today though, saving you $77 off the going rate ($137+ off its higher MSRPs) and carving out a new all-time low price by $2. It even beats out its pricing direct from Hoverfly right now that has it down at $530.

A great starter bike that certainly won’t break the bank, Hoverfly’s H3 model provides a solid 15.5 MPH max speed from its 350W brushless hub motor (500W peak) that is powered by the removable 280.8Wh battery, with added support from its three simplified riding modes: a traditional bike mode, electric mode, and PAS mode. When it is switched to the PAS mode, you’ll benefit from support for up to 25 miles on one charge. It features fully adjustable handlebars and saddle to fit a wider range of rider heights, as well as front shock absorbers, an integrated rear cargo rack, a headlight and taillight, 16-inch wheels, and a foldable bike frame.

Other Hoverfly e-mobility deals:

Rexing EV charger adapters for Tesla drivers

Save up to $100 on these EV charger adapters and extension cable for Tesla drivers starting at $50

Tesla drivers are in luck today as Best Buy is offering some solid discounts across three popular Tesla-focused add-on adapters, starting with the Rexing J1772 to Tesla EV Charger Adapter for $49.99 shipped. Normally priced at $80, we’ve mainly seen this adapter drop to either $50 or the $45 low during one-day sales, with the savings today taking $30 off the price to return costs to the second-lowest price. This device arrives rated for a maximum 80A input and a 240V output, allowing Tesla drivers to gain wider access to level 1 and 2 EV chargers by using home and portable setups your non-Tesla driving family and friends may have.

If you happen to own a Tesla S, 3, X, or Y – or if you’re looking to grab a last-minute gift for someone who does – there’s also the Rexing CCS to Tesla Adapter for $130, down from $200. We have seen it go for $100 much earlier in the year, but more often than not it usually only sees a drop to $150, so this 35% markdown is a great opportunity at some extra savings. Adding this adapter to your glovebox gives you wider-ranging charging access at over 5,000 CCS level 3 fast-charging stations across the country, providing you with up to 250kW or 250A speeds.

Lastly, suppose you happen to own one of Tesla’s home chargers, like the popular level 2 Wall Connector or the Universal Wall Connector, or you regularly frequent other charger stations with a lack of reach. In that case, you may want to add on some extra length to the cable with Rexing’s Tesla Extension Charging Cable for $200, saving you $100 off the usual going price. Fully compatible with the many chargers and connectors for the Tesla Models S/3/X and Y EVs, you’ll get an additional 20 feet of length now with this cable, which supports up to 240V/48A speeds. Do remember though, it unfortunately does not work with the supercharger stations.

Best ongoing holiday e-bike 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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Model Y loses top sales spot, Walmart goes solar, and Montana is for the kids

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5 hours ago

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December 20, 2024

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Model Y loses top sales spot, Walmart goes solar, and Montana is for the kids

On today’s energizing episode of  Quick Charge, judges rule that Montana’s companies owe their kids a cleaner future, the Dacia Sandero looks set to overtake the Tesla Model Y in the European sales race, and a bunch of other stuff.

We’ve also got two brand-new, zero-emission Honda EVs set to debut at the CES show in January, a new and better way to recycle electric car batteries developed by BMW, and a massive new solar project being bankrolled by Walmart.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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Environment

Toyota gets $4.5M DOE grant to boost EV battery sustainability

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6 hours ago

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December 20, 2024

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Toyota gets .5M DOE grant to boost EV battery sustainability

Toyota EV batteries
Photo: Toyota

Toyota just got a $4.5 million boost from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to make EV batteries more sustainable.

The funding comes from ARPA-E’s CIRCULAR program, which focuses on creating a sustainable, domestic supply chain for EV batteries.

The project, led by Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA), aims to tackle one of the EV industry’s biggest challenges: What do we do with old batteries?

Right now, disassembling battery packs and figuring out which parts can be reused or recycled is a slow, manual, and costly process. Toyota, teaming up with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Baker Hughes’ Waygate Technologies, is working to change that.

Building the battery recycling center of the future

The project will focus on resolving the primary bottlenecks in the battery supply chain cycle, which are automating battery pack disassembly, data-driven battery classification, and addressing cell degradation. Think of it as a high-tech recycling center where every part of a used battery is carefully evaluated.

This approach could extend the life of valuable battery materials, reducing waste and the need to mine new resources. The ultimate goal? A blueprint for what Toyota calls a “3R facility of the future” – a place to reduce, reuse, and recycle batteries on an industrial scale.

Nik Singh, principal scientist at TRINA and principal investigator on this project, says the project could reshape how the industry approaches battery recycling:

This project and program will highlight avenues for everyone to rethink their approach to battery circularity, and help prioritize the extension of battery life, facilitate battery reuse, and reduce battery waste.

Tech innovations to close the loop

The team’s plan includes:

  • Automated battery pack disassembly to speed up the recycling process.
  • Advanced diagnostic tools to assess the condition of battery cells and modules.
  • Refabrication methods to turn old cells into new energy systems.

The payoff? Batteries that are reused and refurbished first – recycling becomes the last resort.

Marm Dixit, leading ORNL’s contributions, points out the environmental benefits. “By extending the life of the battery components, we reduce their total emissions per mile. That’s a big deal for the role EVs can play in the energy transition,” Dixit said.

NREL’s role will involve cutting-edge tech like machine learning and imaging using nano computed tomography to analyze the health and lifespan of batteries quickly. Baker Hughes’ Waygate Technologies will bring its expertise in non-destructive testing with advanced imaging systems.

Toyota’s Battery Lifecycle Solutions (BLS) team plans to take these innovations from the lab to real-world applications. “By applying the innovations established from this project, we aim to create a framework that not only reduces battery waste but also enhances the circularity of our battery supply chain,” said Sarah Kennedy, BLS manager, who is leading the technology to market deployment.

Read more: EV batteries may last up to 40% longer than expected – Stanford

If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you 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. It has 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 share your phone number with them. 

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.

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Five solar farms come online in Maine, slashing electricity costs

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6 hours ago

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December 20, 2024

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Five solar farms come online in Maine, slashing electricity costs

Photo: Ampion Renewable Energy

Ampion Renewable Energy has brought five community solar farms in Maine online, adding nearly 25 megawatts (MW) of clean energy to the grid annually and generating over 28 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity.

Located in Franklin (main photo), Aroostook, Penobscot, and Washington Counties, these solar farms serve customers in Versant Power and Central Maine Power territories. Residential households and businesses that subscribe will save up to 15% on their electricity bills while supporting Maine’s transition to clean energy.

Aroostook County, Maine

Nate Owen, CEO of Ampion, grew up in Maine and founded Ampion in Bar Harbor in 2014. “Community solar is an invaluable state program that provides Mainers with many benefits,” Owen said. “It bolsters the local economy, improves grid resilience, and is available to all types of electricity consumers.”

Ampion has signed 1,700 households and 70 businesses to these new community solar projects. The company will also handle billing and customer care for the next 20 years. Ampion manages subscriptions for 48 community solar projects in Maine, amounting to over 215 MW. The company is growing its Maine workforce to support this expansion, with about 10% of its employees already based in the state.

Ampion is also partnering with local organizations, like The Highlands, a senior living community in Topsham. “We feel good about supporting local jobs and helping to make more clean energy available to the grid, all while helping our community members save money on electricity,” said Troy Chapman, operations director at The Highlands.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, as of Q3 2024, Maine had 1415 MW of solar installed and has a growth projection of 1581 MW of solar over the next five years.

Read more: Walmart and Nexamp are rolling out 31 solar farms in 5 states

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you 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 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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