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We’re kicking off another week of Green Deals, with today’s offers following behind NIU’s latest sale that has dropped its 40-mile trekking KQi3 Max Electric Kick Scooter to $600, coming in $1 above its Black Friday/Cyber Monday pricing, among other models. We also spotted Camplux’s Nano 3 Max Portable Water Heater and Shower falling to its $360 low, as well as Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station hitting $499, with other on-the-go backup power options as well. Lastly, we have a one-day discount on the budget-friendly Snow Joe 24V ION+ 13-inch Single-Stage Cordless Electric Snow Shovel for $159, but keep in mind that the deal only lasts until midnight. We also have all the other hangover Green Deals from last week in the links at the bottom of the page, collected together in our Electrified Weekly roundup from over the weekend.

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.

Go the distance on NIU’s KQi3 Max electric kick scooter with a 40-mile travel range at $600

NIU is offering ongoing savings through January 23 across its KQi-series e-scooters for folks looking to add a new solution to commuting needs at affordable rates. With so many models dropping back to their lowest prices, one notable standout for those who want to go the distance is NIU’s KQi3 Max Electric Kick Scooter at $599.98 shipped. Normally running at a much steeper $999 full rate, we’ve seen discounts mainly taking this model down around $700 most sales, with Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales dropping things to the $599 low. It’s coming in during this sale at only $1 higher, giving you the second-lowest price we have seen to date while saving you nearly $400 in the process. You’ll also find this model matching in price over at Amazon.

One of the best e-scooters under NIU’s flag for folks in need of longer-range travel support, the KQi3 Max e-scooter can go the distance thanks to its 608.4Wh battery that carries riders up to 40 miles on a single charge. You’ll be cruising through your commute at up to a max of 23.6 MPH, after unlocking the speed in the app – with its 450W motor even able to peak in power enough to conquer up to 25% inclines, which beats out a majority of other competitors on the market.

The NIU KQi3 Max e-scooter has been given a triple braking system for ensured stopping power, with one of them being a regenerative brake that recycles energy for extended travels. Everything sits atop two self-healing tires for rides along questionable terrain (or even streets littered with glass, nails, and more), as well as a halo headlight, brake lighting, and smart controls via the app, which includes unlocking those higher speeds and even locking the scooter when you’re not riding.

Best NIU KQi-series e-scooter deals:

Check out the full lineup of NIU’s latest sale offers on the landing page here.

NIU KQi3 Max scooter

Shower anywhere with Camplux’s Nano 3 Max portable water heater with pet-friendly hoses at $360 low

Camplux’s official Amazon storefront is bringing costs back to their lowest rate on the brand’s latest Nano 3 Max Portable Water Heater and Shower for $359.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $80 off coupon. This new model released in November carrying a $440 price tag, which we saw drop for the first time to $360 during early Christmas sales. You’re getting a second chance here today at its lowest price to date, saving you $80 while equipping your out-of-home ventures with a reliable means to heat water and shower – with attachments for your pets too!

The Camplux Nano 3 Max is a perfect addition to travel kits – regardless of if you’re tackling the open road or settling down for weekend camping. The battery-powered unit uses a small propane tank (for the lowest emissions) to provide you with hot water in a matter of seconds, delivering up to 100 minutes of continuous use on one full 3-hour charge, so long as you keep its submersion pump in a water source. The shower function provides three adjustable spray modes, with a secondary pet shower hose included for your furry companions.

Right now, you can save a little extra money by going with the brand’s Nano 3 Pro counterpart, which is down at $339.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $60 off coupon. The main difference here is the battery lasts 10 minutes shorter and doesn’t include and pet-focused hoses like the above model, but it’s still an equally handy devices to have available on your travels.

For those looking to update their home’s showers, you can also land Camplux’s 18kW or 27kW electric tankless water heaters at their lowest prices right now starting from $240.

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 power station

Score $300 in savings on Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 LiFePO4 power station for your 2025 trips at $499

Its direct New Year sale may be over, but Jackery is still offering some select ongoing deals through its official Amazon storefront, like the price cut we’re seeing on the Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station that has kept costs down at $499 shipped. This unit would normally run you $799 on other days, with this discount repeating the same pricing we saw in the brand’s most recent New Year event, with it only beaten out by its $459 Black Friday rate and the $399 Cyber Monday low. You’ll save $300 here today at the third-lowest price we have tracked, giving you one of the brand’s latest releases at one of its best prices to date. There is a bundle option available that gives you the power station with a 200W solar panel for $749, down from $1,299.

Jackery’s newer Explorer 1000 v2 delivers some serious power output from a compact unit, with its upgraded 1,070Wh LiFePO4 capacity able to pump power out at up to 1,500W on the regular, with it surging up to 3,000W for those larger appliance needs. There’s a solid mix of seven port options to connect to/from – with three ACs, two USB-Cs, one USB-A, and a car port. Hooking it up to a wall outlet will refill the battery in 1.6 hours, with that time cut down to just one hour with the emergency charging features activated through the smart controls on the app. You can also take advantage of its 600W maximum solar input to get a full battery in three hours via the sun’s rays.

Other notable Jackery on-the-go power station deals:

Snow Joe 24V ION+ 13-inch snow shovel

Clear snow on a budget with Snow Joe’s 24V ION+ 13-inch cordless electric snow shovel bundle at $159 (Today only)

Coming through its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Snow Joe 24V iON+ 13-Inch Single Stage Cordless Electric Snow Shovel for $159 shipped through the rest of the day. Getting the additional ice dozer and cover with this tool would usually cost you $199, with Amazon’s only competitive offer right now being a used model without the extra gear for $139. You can get one for your home needs at the second-lowest price we have tracked to date – just $40 above the all-time low that we haven’t seen since December 2023.

The first thing you might consider with this snow shovel from Snow Joe is the fact that you’ll be saving plenty more space in your garage or shed over larger, more traditional snow blowers. This more compact tool makes a 13-inch wide path through the powder with a depth of six inches – and all without the noise/fumes from gas-guzzling counterparts or the need for any extension cords. Snow is cleared out via the 2-blade paddle auger and tossed up to 20 feet out of your walkways/driveways, with the battery even coming interchangeable with other Snow Joe and Sun Joe equipment you may already have.

Best New Year 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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Trump approves U.S. Steel merger with Japan’s Nippon after companies sign national security agreement

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June 13, 2025

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Trump approves U.S. Steel merger with Japan’s Nippon after companies sign national security agreement

US President Donald Trump receives a gold helmet with his name on it during a visit to US Steel – Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2025, to mark the ‘partnership’ between Nippon Steel and US Steel.

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday approving U.S. Steel’s merger with Japan’s Nippon Steel, after the companies signed a national security agreement with the U.S. government.

U.S. Steel and Nippon said the national security agreement will give the U.S. government a “golden share” and makes certain commitments related to governance, domestic production, and trade. The companies did not elaborate on what powers the U.S. government will wield with its golden share.

“All necessary regulatory approvals for the partnership have now been received, and the partnership is expected to be finalized promptly,” U.S. Steel and Nippon said in a statement.

The national security agreement calls for Nippon to make $11 billion in new investments by 2028, including initial spending on a greenfield project that will be completed after 2028, the companies said.

Trump said Thursday that the golden share gives the president “total control” without elaborating. Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick told CNBC last month that the golden share will effectively allow the government to control a number of board seats.

Trump opposed U.S. Steel‘s controversial sale to Nippon in the runup to the 2024 president election, as Republicans and Democrats have leaned into protecting U.S. companies against foreign competitors.

But Trump started softening his opposition to the takeover after assuming office, ordering a new review of the deal in April. President Joe Biden had blocked U.S. Steel’s sale to Nippon during his final days in office, citing national security concerns, despite Japan being a close ally.

Trump has avoided calling the deal an acquisition or merger, describing it as a “partnership” in a May 23 post on his social media platform Truth Social. He insisted that U.S. Steel will remain “controlled by the USA” during a speech to workers at one of the company’s plants outside Pittsburgh on May 30.

U.S. Steel made clear it would become a “wholly owned subsidiary” of Nippon North America under the terms of the merger agreement in an April 8 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trump’s description of the deal as a “partnership” caused confusion among investors and union leadership.

The president told U.S. Steel workers that Nippon will be a “great partner.” The Trump administration is currently engaged in trade talks with Japan as investors eagerly await signs that the U.S. will strike deals with key partners that avoid steep tariffs.

Trump told the steelworkers that Nippon had agreed to keep U.S. Steel’s blast furnaces operating at full capacity for a minimum of 10 years. The president said the deal would not result in layoffs and promised there would be “no outsourcing whatsoever.” He said workers will receive a $5,000 bonus.

Trump announced that he was doubling U.S. tariffs on steel imports to 50% during his remarks to U.S. Steel workers. Those tariffs went into effect on June 4.

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Environment

This new EV charging feature could make apps and cards obsolete

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June 13, 2025

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This new EV charging feature could make apps and cards obsolete

EV charging
Image: Allego

European EV charging provider Allego has launched what is says is Europe’s first rollout of the “world’s safest and most secure” Plug & Charge technology. 

The new tech is based on the open industry standard OCPP 2.0.1 and promises to make EV charging as easy as, well, plugging in your car. Forget apps, cards, and complicated sign-ins. If your EV is compatible, all you have to do is pull up and plug in.

Jean Gadrat, Allego’s CMO, said, “By removing digital friction points, apps, and cards, we give drivers the confidence to travel further and charge more conveniently. Whether in the city, on the highway, or abroad, Plug & Charge delivers the same secure, one-step charging experience.”

Here’s how Allego’s Plug & Charge works

Plug & Charge is an ISO 15118-based authentication and payment method built by Allego on OCPP 2.0.1, standardizing communication between OCPP-compliant chargers and networks.

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Once your car is enabled for Plug & Charge, the process is completely hands-off. You plug in, and your EV and the charger swap secure digital certificates to authenticate your account. There’s no need to tap an RFID card, open an app, or even press a button.

Allego’s system supports Mutual TLS encryption and certificate-based authentication, so only authorized vehicles can charge. That means no billing mistakes or fraudulent access, which has been a big concern with some older public charging setups.

Available across Europe now

Allego’s Plug & Charge functionality is at more than 5,000 fast and ultra-fast chargers across Europe, and it also works across partner networks, deploying a truly cross-network Plug & Charge experience.

It’s a future-ready platform, too. Thanks to OCPP 2.0.1, the protocol supports remote firmware updates, advanced security, and new features as they become available. So your charger can grow along with your EV.

“As new vehicle models and charging technologies emerge, OCPP 2.0.1 ensures your car always ‘speaks the same language’ as the charger,” said Manuel Trotta, Allego’s head of mobility solutions.

Allego partnered with Alpitronic, Hubject, and Ford to bring its cross-network Plug & Charge to life.

Read more: Waffle House is getting DC fast chargers – and it’s a genius move

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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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The Kia PV5 is a real-life Transformer: Here’s our first look at it as an electric truck

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June 13, 2025

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The Kia PV5 is a real-life Transformer: Here's our first look at it as an electric truck

Kia-PV5-electric-truck

Kia is looking to shake things up with its new custom-tailored Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBVs). The PV5, Kia’s first electric van based on the platform, is already showing how versatile it is. After the PV5 was spotted for the first time with an open bed, Kia looks about ready to drop an electric truck variant.

Is Kia launching an electric truck PV5 variant?

At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Kia revealed its PBV strategy for the first time. The vehicles are designed as “total mobility solutions” that combine fit-for-purpose EVs with Hyundai’s latest software and tech.

Kia’s PBVs are based on Hyundai’s new ultra-flexible E-GMP.S EV platform, which can be custom-tailored for different uses. The first EV based on the platform, the PV5, launched earlier this year in the UK in two variations, Cargo and Passenger.

The Passenger model is fairly self-explanatory as a personal, everyday van, while the Cargo version is designed for commercial use.

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Kia said more variants were on the way, including a refrigerated truck, chassis cab, open-bed, luxury “Prime” passenger, and sliding truck models.

The open-bed variant was recently captured driving in Korea, giving us our first look at the Kia PV5 as an electric truck.

Kia-PV5-electric-truck
Kia PV5 open bed teaser (Source: Kia)

Although brief, the video from HealerTV, taken as the vehicle was driving by, reveals a few new details. It’s our closest look at the open-bed variant so far.

Like other PV5 variants, it appears to be the same up front. In fact, it’s almost identical to the first teaser Kia showed.

Kia PV5 open bed electric truck (Source: HealerTV)

It’s hard to tell from a video, but the reporter mentioned the electric truck “seemed like it was just the right size.” Since the PV5 Passenger is 4,695 mm in length, 1,895 mm in width, and 1,899 mm in height, we can expect it to be about the same size. To give you a better idea, it’s slightly smaller than the Volkswagen ID.Buzz SWB.

Kia-PV5-pre-orders
Kia's-first-electric-van-PV5

More variants on the way

The electric truck, or open-bed variant, comes after we saw the PV5 “Conversion,” which will feature new models, including a light camper and a camper van.

We got a preview of the camper van after Kia revealed two new “Spielraum” PV5 concepts, including one with a refrigerator, microwave oven, and even a wine cellar. And then we got a look at the PV5 “WKNDR,” an “adventure-ready” electric van concept. Kia’s electric van even has a wheelchair-friendly version, the PV5 WAV.

Kia-electric-camper-van
Kia PV5 Spielraum concept (Source: Kia)

What’s next? Kia plans to launch a full range of electric vans. Next up will be the larger PV7 in 2027, followed by the PV9 in 2029. There’s also a smaller PV1, expected to arrive in late 2026 or early 2027.

In the future, Kia plans ot launch a Robotaxi model through a collaboration with Motional. All PBV models will be built at Kia’s Hwaseong EVO plant in South Korea. The facility can build up to 150,000 vehicles annually.

Kia-PV5-electric-truck
Kia PBV models (Source: Kia)

Kia said its goal is to “design PBVs that are simple and intuitive to operate and engage with, regardless of where, when or how they are used.” In other words, Kia wants to make your life easier, “Whether the purpose of the vehicle is to transport people, move goods, or meet logistics or personal mobility needs.”

In the UK, the PV5 Passenger and Cargo models start at £32,995 ($44,000) and £27,645 ($37,000), respectively.

It’s available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh, offering WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version gets slightly more range with 181 miles or 247 miles, respectively.

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