While Lectric’s Valentine’s Day offers are still live, the brand still has its closeout sale going for its XPeak 1.0 Step-Thru e-bike at $1,399 shipped and coming with $727 in free gear, including an extra battery for double the mileage. This is the biggest package we’ve seen to date on this gen 1 model, with the savings, as is the case with most of the brand’s discounts, being on the free gear that would normally run the cost up to $2,126 in full. Since the launch of the newer XPeak 2.0 e-bikes, the brand has been cutting down the stock on this model by offering larger packages of free gear, with it being discontinued once sold out – but that’s not to say you won’t be able to find replacement parts and the like!
Lectric’s XPeak 1.0 off-road e-bike may not have some of the fancier upgrades as the latest versions, but it still provides a solid commuting experience with the pairing of its 48V battery and 750W rear hub-motor that peaks at 1,310W. You’ll get up to a 55-mile travel range (doubled to 110 miles thanks to the included extra battery) when utilizing the five PAS levels, and at up to 28 MPH top speeds (depending on your state’s laws). It also has some reliable features despite being well under the higher prices of other brands, with 4-inch puncture-resistant fat tires, hydraulic mineral oil brakes, a 7-gear Shimano derailleur, removable pedals, a thru axle wheel attachment system for tool-free installations, kickstand, a hidden cable routing system, an IP65 water-and-dust-resistant LCD display, and several mounting points for any additional add-on accessories you may want to install down the line.
Now if you want to start your Lectric journey with the latest models, the good news is that pricing starts at $1,399 shipped for the standard XPeak 2.0 (and getting $227 in free gear) and bumps to $1,599 shipped for the Long-Range XPeak 2.0 (with $316 in free gear). There’s a bunch of new upgrades along with the increased mileage (60 miles for the standard, 80 miles for the long-range), like the added torque sensor for battery pedal assist pickup, as well as the 750W Stealth M24 rear hub-motor (still peaking at 1,310W). There’s also been structural upgrades, including a new hydroformed aluminum frame, a higher-end RST Renegade front suspension fork with blacked-out fork stanchions for a much sleeker and stealthier look, as well as lock-on hand grips, a larger 203 mm front disc for the hydraulic mineral oil brakes – plus, a new color LCD display too.
Be sure to check out the full lineup of savings as part of Lectric’s ongoing Valentine’s Day sale, with up to $654 in free gear coming along with your purchase while things last.
Amazon undercuts sale pricing on Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 portable LiFePO4 power station to $459
Jackery’s official Amazon storefront is undercutting its direct Tax Season Savings sale pricing even further for its Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station that is now down at $459 shipped, after clipping the on-page $40 off coupon. This unit normally carries a full $799 price tag, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday having seen the last appearance of its $399 low, and being repeatedly discounted to $499 both on Amazon and direct from Jackery in the time since. You’re looking at $340 in total savings with this deal, which happens to be the best we can find at the moment (and the best since Black Friday), beating out the direct sale’s pricing right now by $40 at the third-lowest overall price we have tracked.
One of Jackery’s newer v2 models, the Explorer 1000 v2 dishes out some serious power output from its compact unit, which houses an upgraded 1,070Wh LiFePO4 battery and delivers up to 1,500W to your devices regularly, peaking up to 3,000W for 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 – which you can start towards thanks to the discounted bundle with a 200W solar panel for $699 shipped, after clipping the on-page $50 off coupon.
We also spotted Jackery’s Explorer 600 Plus 632Wh LiFePO4 power station dropping at Amazon to $400 while it’s being skipped over during the direct sale entirely. For larger units and especially solar generator bundles, you’ll want to browse through the Tax Season Sale offers direct from Jackery’s site, which is starting with $3,100 in initial price cuts while also offering bonus select 5% off savings and trade-in savings – plus, you can apply for up to a 30% tax rebate too!
Grab the EGO Power+ 56V 21-inch cordless snow blower with a steel auger and two 5.0Ah batteries at $599
Amazon is now offering the 56V 21-Inch Cordless Electric Snow Blower with two 5.0Ah batteries and a steel auger for $599 shipped. Normally this model would run you $750 at its full rate, with discounts since June keeping things above $627, making this unexpected price drop all the more enticing. While we have seen it go as low as $520 in the past (2022) and more recently $524 in April and June, this is still the best price we’ve seen in seven months, giving you $151 in savings at the fourth-lowest rate we’ve tracked.
Snow season often continues through April (depending on your location in the country), so it’s still a ripe time to stock up on reliable equipment. This EGO Power+ model offers greater support through your snow-clearing duties thanks to the addition of its steel auger, which breaks through the ice at faster rates than the non-steel auger model we usually see getting the discount love (and is down at $549 right now).
The two 5.0Ah batteries power the brushless motor to make a 21-inch wide path through snow that’s piled as high as 8 inches with enough juice to cover a 10-car driveway on one charge. The snow is then ejected up to 40 feet out of your way with the chute, with a variable speed control for improved handling and two bright LED headlights for increased visibility at the top and bottom of the day. It also starts up at the push of a button, making pull strings a thing of the past – especially considering having to deal with them in cold weather.
As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Rexing 20-foot 48A Tesla Extension Charging Cable for $229.99 shipped through the rest of the day. Normally costing drivers $300 at full price, which its been keeping to since the start of 2025, we did see it go as low as $200 last year during Christmas sales after a slow lead-up from steadily growing discounts before. Today’s deal gives you the first chance in the new year to upgrade your Tesla EV charger at a 23% markdown, saving you a solid $70 and landing things at the third-lowest price we have tracked – $30 above the all-time low.
Tesla drivers are getting a great chance to upgrade their at-home EV charger (or any standard road chargers you come across) with 20 more feet of cable length, which we usually see on its J1772-compatible model during most of these one-day-only discounts and remains at its $200 rate today. This 20-foot Tesla-focused model comes compatible with your Model 3, Y, S, and X EVs and supports up to 48A charging speeds. It’s built to stand up to adverse weather, so don’t fret on that front, but do keep in mind that this is meant for home and road chargers, not any superchargers. It also comes with a carrying case should you wish to keep it in your car as a travel extender.
If you’re still using the mobile connector that came with your Tesla, you might want to consider upgrading to a much sturdier Wall Connector 48A Level 2 charger that runs for $420 (matching at Amazon) and can be installed indoors or outdoors for an average of around 44 miles per every hour in use. Likewise, if you want more universal compatibility for J1772-minded EVs on top of Teslas, there’s the Universal Wall Connector 48A Level 2 charger for $550 (also matching at Amazon).
Best New Year EV deals!
Rad Power RadWagon 5 Cargo e-bike with 50% off four accessories (new): $2,399
Heybike Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with free gear: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
Lectric XP 3.0 Standard e-bikes with $88 Valentine’s bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,098)
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.
Kia’s electric SUVs are taking over. The EV3 is the best-selling retail EV in the UK this year, giving Kia its strongest sales start since it arrived 34 years ago. And it’s not just in the UK. Kia just had its best first quarter globally since it started selling cars in 1962.
Kia EV3 is the best-selling EV in the UK through March
In March, Kia sold a record nearly 20,000 vehicles in the UK, making it the fourth best-selling brand. It was also the second top-seller of electrified vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs), accounting for over 55% of sales.
The EV3 remained the best-selling retail EV in the UK last month. Including the EV6, three-row EV9, and Niro EV, electric vehicles represented 21% of Kia’s UK sales in March.
Kia said the EV3 “started with a bang” in January, darting out as the UK’s most popular EV in retail sales. Through March, Kia’s electric SUV has held on to the crown. With the EV3 rolling out, Kia sold over 7,000 electric cars through March, nearly 50% more than in Q1 2024.
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The EV3 was the best-selling retail EV in the UK in the first quarter and the fourth best-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.
Kia EV3 Air 91.48 kWh in Frost Blue (Source: Kia UK)
Starting at £33,005 ($42,500), Kia said it’s the “brand’s most affordable EV yet.” It’s available with two battery packs, 58.3 kWh or 81.48 kWh, good for 430 km (270 miles) and 599 km (375 miles) of WLTP range, respectively.
From left to right: Kia EV6, EV3, and EV9 (Source: Kia UK)
With new EVs on the way, this could be just the start. Kia is launching several new EVs in the UK this year, including the EV4 sedan (and hatchback) and EV5 SUV. It also confirmed that the first PV5 electric vans will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.
Electrek’s Take
Globally, Kia sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first quarter, its best since it started selling cars in 1962. With the new EV4, the brand’s first electric sedan and hatchback, launching this year, Kia looks to build on its momentum in 2025.
Kia has also made it very clear that it wants to be a global leader in the electric van market with its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, starting with the PV5 later this year.
Earlier today, we learned Kia’s midsize electric SUV, the EV5, is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia through March, outselling every BYD vehicle (at least for now). The EV5 is rolling out to new markets this year, including Canada, the UK, South Korea, and Mexico. However, it will not arrive in the US.
For those in the US, there are still a few Kia EVs to look forward to. Kia is launching the EV4 globally, including in the US, later this year. Although no date has been set, Kia confirmed the EV3 is also coming. It’s expected to arrive in mid-2026.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s disastrous deliveries, more Trump tariffs, EV delivery numbers, and more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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Charging your EV in freezing weather could soon become dramatically faster, thanks to a big breakthrough from the University of Michigan engineers.
Neil Dasgupta, U-M associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering and corresponding author of a study published in Joule, and his team have developed an innovative battery structure and coating that can boost lithium-ion EV battery charging speeds by a whopping 500%, even at frigid temperatures as low as 14F (-10C). “Charging an EV battery takes 30 to 40 minutes even for aggressive fast charging, and that time increases to over an hour in the winter,” Dasgupta explained. “This is the pain point we want to address.”
Freezing weather has traditionally been harsh on EV batteries because it slows down the movement of lithium ions, resulting in slower charging speeds and reduced battery life. Automakers have tried thickening battery electrodes to extend driving range, but this makes some of the lithium hard to access, making charging even slower.
Previously, Dasgupta’s group sped up battery charging using lasers to carve pathways around 40 microns in size into the graphite anode. This allowed lithium ions to reach deeper into the battery more quickly. However, cold-weather performance still lagged because a chemical layer formed on the electrodes, blocking the ions. Dasgupta compares this barrier to “trying to cut cold butter,” making charging inefficient.
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To solve this, the team coated the battery with a thin, glassy material made of lithium borate-carbonate—only 20 nanometers thick—which prevented the problematic chemical layer from forming. Combined with the microscopic channels, the results were groundbreaking: the modified batteries retained 97% of their capacity even after 100 fast-charging cycles in freezing temperatures.
“We envision this approach as something that EV battery manufacturers could adopt without major changes to existing factories,” Dasgupta noted. “For the first time, we’ve shown a pathway to simultaneously achieve extreme fast charging at low temperatures, without sacrificing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery.”
This innovation could tackle one of the biggest concerns holding potential EV buyers back.
The new battery tech is moving closer to commercialization, supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub. The research devices were built at U-M’s Battery Lab and studied with help from the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization.
U-M Innovation Partnerships assisted the team in applying for patents, and Arbor Battery Innovations has licensed the technology for market deployment. Dasgupta and the University of Michigan hold financial stakes in Arbor Battery Innovations.
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