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Hyundai is about to take the next steps as it preps to launch production of its “game-changing” all-solid-state batteries. The new EV battery tech promises a longer driving range, faster charging, and significantly higher energy density. Here’s what to expect.

When are Hyundai’s all-solid-state EV batteries coming?

Last June, Hyundai Motor CEO Chang Jae-hoon revealed a massive $7.3 billion (9.5 trillion won) investment to advance electric vehicle battery development over the next decade.

Hyundai plans to develop various EV batteries, including LFP, NCM, and all-solid-state, to cover a wide range of segments. According to sources familiar with the matter (via TheKoreanCarBlog), Hyundai’s all-solid-state EV batteries are about to hit a significant milestone.

On December 23, industry sources claimed Hyundai was almost done establishing an all-solid-state battery production demo line.

An official close to the project said the equipment for individual processes is almost complete. Now, only the logistics automation portion remains.

Hyundai plans to begin testing electric vehicles with all-solid-state batteries by 2025. By the end of the decade, mass production is scheduled to start.

Hyundai's-all-solid-state-EV-batteries
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)

The production line is at Hyundai’s Uiwang Research & Development Center in Korea. Hyundai has 22 joint research projects across four divisions, including lithium metal batteries, solid-state batteries, battery management systems, and battery process technology. Of these, 14 will be related to lithium metal and solid-state batteries.

Hyundai said the initiatives will “pave the way for South Korea to become one of the world’s leading battery technology houses.”

Hyundai's-all-solid-state-EV-batteries
Hyundai IONIQ 9 three-row electric SUV (Source: Hyundai)

In September, Hyundai and Kia launched a joint project to develop a precursor for LFP battery cathode material for upcoming lower-priced EV models. Hyundai plans to launch EVs with LFP batteries developed in-house in 2025.

The news comes after Honda unveiled its all-solid-state battery demo production line just last month. Honda also plans to launch EVs powered by the new battery tech by 2030.

Hyundai-Casper-Electric
Hyundai Casper Electric, known as the Inster EV overseas (Source: Hyundai)

Factorial, which teamed up with Mercedes-Benz, announced its “Solstice” all-solid-state battery cells have been scaled to 40Ah capacity, a new milestone. With “breakthrough” energy density of up to 450 Wh/kg, Factorial claims its battery tech can boost EV range by up to 80%, or around 600 miles.

Electrek’s Take

With the promise of unlocking more range and faster charging at a much higher energy density, many carmakers and other companies are rushing to unlock all-solid-state EV batteries.

Global battery leaders like CATL, BYD, and Samsung SDI, as well as carmakers like Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai, are advancing the new technology. However, concerns over safety and manufacturing hurdles remain a challenge.

According to the latest SNE Research figures, China’s CATL remains the global EV battery leader with a commanding 36.8% share of the market through the first ten months of 2024. BYD was second with a 16.8% share, while Korea’s LG Energy placed third with an 11.8% share.

Will the next generation of EV batteries shake up the list? Hyundai hopes to make its mark with a new all-solid-sate EV battery production pilot line that will be coming online soon.

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Inflation is back – but not here! These EVs are actually CHEAPER for 2026

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Inflation is back – but not here! These EVs are actually CHEAPER for 2026

Inflation is back, with prices rising 2.7% compared to last year (and that doesn’t include food, fuel, or rent, which are up even more), which is objectively bad. But it’s not true that everything is getting more expensive. These inflation-busting EVs are heading into 2026 with prices that are lower than they were in 2025!

There’s plenty of reasons for prices to go up or down in a market – everything from tariffs and taxes and increased domestic production to changes in inflation or even just a manufacturerwillingness to take a smaller profit on per-unit sales in order to drive volume. There’s a little bit of all of that happening in the American EV market this year, especially in the face of the expiring Federal EV tax credit that kind of makes most EVs cost $7,500 more than they would have otherwise.

That said, as I was putting this list together, I realized there were plenty of ways for me to present these MY26 price cuts. “Best deals?” Too opinion-based. “Biggest discounts by percentage?” Too much math. In the end, I went with alphabetical order, by make. Enjoy!

Cadillac OPTIQ


Cadillac-OPTIQ-EV
Cadillac OPTIQ; via GM.

Cadillac is the industry’s luxury EV leader these days – and for good reason. Its electric crossovers are good-looking, have long range, great acceleration, and ultra-fast charging. Heck, they can even power your home in a pinch.

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Even so, the powers that be at GM are worried about how their EV sales will fare in an American without a $7,500 Federal EV tax credit, so they’re offering a rear-wheel-drive version of the OPTIQ crossover with 300 miles of range for the 2026 model year with a starting price that’s nearly $2,000 lower than the least-expensive 2025.

Chevy Silverado EV


Silverado EV hauling a John Deere tractor; via GM.

Chevy is crushing it right now. After setting EV range records and surpassing Ford in EV sales this semmer, Chevy is now the fastest-growing domestic EV brand in the US – and they’re seemingly intent on keeping that momentum into 2026 with a more affordable WT trim level that starts at $54,895, compared to $57,095 for the ’25 WT Standard Range.

The financial picture is looking rosier at the top of the Silverado EV model range, too. The range-topping model for 2026 is the $88,695 Trail Boss, while the $97,895 RST Max Range topped the 2025 lineup.

Mercedes-Benz EQS


These Cars Are Losing Value So Fast It’s Almost Impressive
2023 EQS, via Mercedes-Benz.

Despite being objectively capable, technologically-advanced, and supremely luxurious long-range electric vehicles, the Mercedes EQS and EQS SUVs were saddled with a somewhat anonymous, jellybean-like styling language that’s seen the flagship EVs struggle to find a foothold in the ultra-luxury segment they inhabit.

To that end, Mercedes kicked off its 2025 with big discounts on its in-stock EQS and EQS SUVs, and is responding to lower-than-expected market demand by reducing the cars’ MSRPs. In the case of the EQS SUV, by an inflation-busting $15,000 (!).

Toyota bZ


Toyota bZ electric SUV for 2026; via Toyota.

For 2026, Toyota has axed the bZ4X name and added a raft of both functional and cosmetic improvements to its five-passenger electric crossover, including body color fenders, up to 25% more range, and – thanks to a new thermal management system and battery preconditioning – a bigger battery that can charge from 10-80% capacity in about thirty minutes.

Even with those upgrades, the new and improved 2026 Toyota bZ is cheaper than the outgoing bZ4X, starting at $34,900 – or $2,170 less than the outgoing model.

Disclaimer: the prices above were sourced from CarsDirectMotor1, and a number OEM websites. All offers were current as of 07SEP2025, and all links provided are from trusted affiliates. These prices 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.


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Sennebogen 824 G Electro Battery material handler promises 24/7 power

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Sennebogen 824 G Electro Battery material handler promises 24/7 power

Sennebogen’s new 824 G Electro Battery material handler is being put through its paces at a recycling site in Munich’s Aubing district. And, thanks to its innovative grid-connected/battery system, it never has to stop to recharge!

With its emphasis on the recycling of stainless steel, ferroalloys, and superalloys, CRONIMET Alpha’s recycling operations are loud, and adding the ceaseless drone of diesel engines straining against the mass of all that metal as it’s sorted and fed into bailing presses. That’s why the company was so excited to test out Sennebogen’s new, all-electric 824 G Electro Battery material handler during an extensive trial at its Munich site.

So far, CRONIMET’s operators have been impressed with the new Sennebogen. “The battery-powered machine drives just like a diesel-powered one,” explains equipment operator Zoran Alexsic. “You don’t notice any difference in power – only that everything runs much more smoothly and quietly … you don’t have to take breaks to escape the noise.”

Quiet, but powerful


824 G Electro Battery; via Sennebogen.

The Sennebogen 824 G comes standard with a 98 kWh battery, but operators can install up to four modular packs for a total of 392 kWh and roughly eight hours of runtime. Even with a single pack—good for 1.5 to 3 hours—the machine can keep CRONIMET’s operations running almost nonstop, thanks to its built-in dual power mode.

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Sennebogen’s dual power mode enables the 824 G to run on battery while drawing power from the grid at the same time. When connected to grid power, the machine can recharge its batteries as it works, eliminating the downtime other BEVs need for charging and giving operators the freedom to reposition the machine on battery power, then plug back in when convenient.

Beyond flexibility, the electric handler is also cleaner, quieter, and more cost-effective than the diesel models it’s designed to replace. By seamlessly cycling between battery and grid power, it reduces both noise on the job site and energy costs during peak hours.

Electrek’s Take


Drop the beat; via Sennebogen.

We’ve seen grid-connected equipment assets like this before, and with good reason. Simply put, it takes many more kilowatts of energy to dig up tons and tons of dirt and rocks than it does to send an aerodynamically smoothed sedan down a road. That’s why you still see a push towards hydrogen and other energy-dense fuels in construction – but permanently grid connected assets, whether wired or inductive, could solve for some of the limitations of batteries on job sites that can support them.

If the 824 G Electro Battery is a commercial success, expect Sennebogen to roll out more grid-connected options in the years to come.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Sennebogen.


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MINI x Deus Ex Machina Skeg electric concept lightens the mood

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MINI x Deus Ex Machina Skeg electric concept lightens the mood

MINI has partnered with lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina, to develop this. It’s called the Skeg, and it’s a high-performance, racing-inspired electric concept car that’s sure to lighten the mood – by shedding fully 15% of its mass in the quest for speed.

One of a pair of exclusive, one-off concepts based on MINI’s John Cooper Works cars. The Deus Ex Machina Skeg celebrates MINI’s storied racing history with what the company calls, “a clean, minimal, and quiet rebellion,” that draws on materials, technologies, and philosophies from the world of surfing.

The electric MINI JCW Skeg is stripped to its essentials, with much of the steel and aluminum bits replaced with lightweight fiberglass to maximize acceleration while driving the minimalist aesthetic home. The end result weighs 15% less than the standard car – but makes the same stout 190 kW (258 hp) as the production car.

Surf’s up


MINI Skeg concept interior; via BMW.

The interior is stripped back to the barest essentials, reflecting BMW’s vision of a surf culture that prioritizes function over form. MINI claims the end result resembles a mobile surf shop, with fiberglass trays for wetsuits, specially shaped bins, neoprene seats, and other touches that “bring the surf culture into the interior.”

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For their part, the BMW and MINI styling team seems pretty proud of its minimalistic electric endeavor. “In this extraordinary collaboration … every single detail has been crafted with artisanal precision and expertise,” says Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design. “This has resulted in unique characters that are clearly perceived as belonging together through their distinctive design language and use of graphics.”

The concept retains the production version’s 54.2 kWh li-ion battery pack, up to 250 of WLTP range with the production aero kit, sprints from 0-100 km (62 mph) in just 5.9 seconds. With 15% less mass, though, that should jump to more than 255 miles, with 0-60 times dropping below 5.5 seconds.

I dig it – but I’d skip the surf bits and just appreciate the raw composite, minimalist interior look for what it is. Take a look at the image gallery, below, then let us know what you think of MINI’s Skeg concept in the comments.


SOURCE | IMAGES: BMW MINI.


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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