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Today’s Green Deals are all about affordable EVs, led by the flash sale on Heybike’s Hauler Cargo e-bike that is dropping costs to a new $1,199 low until February 28 and also running parallel to the brand’s preorder discount on the new ALPHA Off-Road e-bike. Next we have NIU’s latest sale that is taking up to 40% off a collection of the brand’s KQi series of e-scooters, like the KQi2 Pro Electric Kick Scooter that has fallen to $450. For folks only looking for a short-distance commuter that comes budget-friendly, there’s the GoTrax APEX XL Electric Scooter for $244. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Lectric Presidents’ Day sale (running through March 1), the lineup of discounts on EGO Power+ snow blowers, 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.

Heybike drops its Hauler Cargo e-bike with 440-pound payload and 55 to 85-mile range to new $1,199 low

Heybike has launched a special flash sale through February 28 on its Hauler Cargo e-bike for $1,199 shipped. This newer model hit the market back at the end of summer carrying an $1,899 price tag, with discounts only going as low as $1,399, even during Black Friday. With the start of the new year the price got permanently cut down to $1,499 while these flash savings are dropping things lower than we’ve ever seen, giving you $300 in savings off the new tag which beats out a lot of other cargo models on the market that tend to sit at higher rates. What’s more, you’ll also be getting a free large rear basket along with your purchase.

Heybike’s Hauler e-bike cruises into view at up to 28 MPH top speeds with its 750W brushless geared hub motor (peaking at 1,400W) and two options for the removable battery setup, depending on how much traveling you’ll be getting into. The single 18Ah option provides you with up to 55 miles of travel distance when utilizing its PAS levels, or you can add an additional 12.5Ah battery for $200 more to bump that max range up to 85 miles. Considering it is a cargo model with a 440-pound carrying capacity, that is some serious potential for errand running, package hauling, and more – plus, there are even foldable running boards for when you’re bringing passengers along for the ride.

Some of its other notable features include the hydraulic front suspension fork, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-protected tires with fenders over each, a 7-speed Shimano derailleur, an LED headlight with an auto-on feature, an integrated taillight with braking functionality, a kickstand, the obvious rear cargo rack, and an LCD display. You can also get our personal take by checking out our hands-on review.

NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter

NIU takes 40% off KQi e-scooter series with the 25-mile KQi2 Pro down at $450

NIU has launched a new sale across its KQi series of e-scooters through March 2 with up to 40% in savings available. Of the many models in this series, one of the most popular is the KQi2 Pro Electric Kick Scooter that is down at $449.98 shipped during this sale. Normally this model carries a $649 full price tag, with it mostly spending the last year keeping above $400, though we did see it go as low as $379 (and $369 in 2023) during the fall holiday sales. Today’s deal comes in with a 31% markdown, cutting $199 off the tag to go back in your pocket at the fourth-lowest price we have tracked. This model is currently unavailable at Amazon, with only a refurbished option for $260.

NIU’s KQi2 Pro e-scooter is a balanced model that offers affordable assistance through your daily commute, whether you’re a first-time or veteran rider. The 48V battery here powers the 300W motor to carry you for up to 25 miles on a full charge, topping out at 17.4 MPH speeds. It’s been given regenerative brakes (always happy to see) that help to extend your riding time through the recycling of energy while also using the four different riding modes: e-save, sport, custom, and pedestrian. It’s been built with IP54 water-resistance protections for those moments where you might get caught in inclement weather or when riding through the aftermath. 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, including locking its systems when not in use.

NIU’s full lineup of KQi e-scooter deals:

GoTrax APEX XL electric scooter

Travel 12 miles on the budget-friendly GoTrax APEX XL e-scooter down at $244

Amazon is offering folks a budget-friendly commuter in the form of GoTrax’s APEX XL Electric Scooter at $244.04 shipped. Down from its usual $350 price tag, this is one of the lowest rates we’ve seen, especially over the last year, where much of 2024 kept above $280 until Black Friday and Christmas sales brought down as low as $241. Today’s deal comes in as a 30% markdown, cutting $106 off the tag and landing it down among the lowest rates we’ve tracked – just $4 above the all-time low we last saw in 2021.

While it may not have a bunch of fancy bells and whistles like some higher-end e-scooters, the APEX XL still provides some solid commuting assistance for folks with shorter distances to travel. The 36V 5.2Ah battery here provides up to 12 miles of distance on a single charge, with the 250W motor able to deliver up to 15.5 MPH top speeds. The 8.5-inch honeycomb tires ensure you’ll never be stranded with a flat tire, especially if you’ve got a schedule to keep, while its foldable design makes storing it after hopping off all the more easier – especially if you’re taking it to work with you.

Best New Year EV 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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This new wireless e-bike charger wants to be the future of electric bikes

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18 hours ago

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July 12, 2025

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This new wireless e-bike charger wants to be the future of electric bikes

Forget fumbling with cables or hunting for batteries – TILER is making electric bike charging as seamless as parking your ride. The Dutch startup recently introduced its much-anticipated TILER Compact system, a plug-and-play wireless charger engineered to transform the user experience for e-bike riders.

At the heart of the new system is a clever combo: a charging kickstand that mounts directly to almost any e‑bike, and a thin charging mat that you simply park over. Once you drop the kickstand and it lands on the mat, the bike begins charging automatically via inductive transfer – no cable required. According to TILER, a 500 Wh battery will fully charge in about 3.5 hours, delivering comparable performance to traditional wired chargers.

It’s an elegantly simple concept (albeit a bit chunky) with a convenient upside: less clutter, fewer broken cables, and no more need to bend over while feeling around for a dark little hole.

TILER claims its system works with about 75% of existing e‑bike platforms, including those from Bosch, Yamaha, Bafang, and other big bames. The kit uses a modest 150 W wireless power output, which means charging speeds remain practical while keeping the system lightweight (the tile weighs just 2 kg, and it’s also stationary).

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TILER has already deployed over 200 charging points across Western Europe, primarily serving bike-share, delivery, hospitality, and hotel fleets. A recent case study in Munich showed how a cargo-bike operator saved approximately €1,250 per month in labor costs, avoided thousands in spare batteries, and cut battery damage by 20%. The takeaway? Less maintenance, more uptime.

Now shifting to prosumer markets, TILER says the Compact system will hit pre-orders soon, with a €250 price tag (roughly US $290) for the kickstand plus tile bundle. To get in line, a €29 refundable deposit is currently required, though they say it is refundable at any point until you receive your charger. Don’t get too excited just yet though, there’s a bit of a wait. Deliveries are expected in summer 2026, and for now are covering mostly European markets.

The concept isn’t entirely new. We’ve seen the idea pop up before, including in a patent from BMW for charging electric motorcycles. And the efficacy is there. Skeptics may wonder if wireless charging is slower or less efficient, but TILER says no. Its system retains over 85% efficiency, nearly matching wired charging speeds, and even pauses at 80% to protect battery health, then resumes as needed. The tile is even IP67-rated, safe for outdoor use, and about as bulky as a thick magazine.

Electrek’s Take

I love the concept. It makes perfect sense for shared e-bikes, especially since they’re often returning to a dock anyway. As long as people can be trained to park with the kickstand on the tile, it seems like a no-brainer.

And to be honest, I even like the idea for consumers. I know it sounds like a first-world problem, but bending over to plug something in at floor height is pretty annoying, not to mention a great way to throw out your back if you’re not exactly a spring chicken anymore. Having your e-bike start charging simply by parking it in the right place is a really cool feature! I don’t know if it’s $300 cool, but it’s pretty cool!

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Tesla launches new software update with Grok, but it doesnt even interface with the car

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21 hours ago

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July 12, 2025

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Tesla launches new software update with Grok, but it doesnt even interface with the car

Tesla has launched a new software update for its vehicles that includes the anticipated integration of Grok, but it doesnt even interface with the car yet.

Earlier this week, CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla would integrate Grok, the large language model developed by his private company, xAI, into its vehicles.

Today, Tesla started pushing the update to the fleet, but there’s a significant caveat.

The automaker wrote in the release notes (2025.26):

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Grok (Beta) (US, AMD)

Grok now available directly in your Tesla

Requires Premium Connectivity or a WiFi connection

Grok is currently in Beta & does not issue commands to your car – existing voice commands remain unchanged.

First off, it is only available in vehicles in the US equipped with the AMD infotainment computer, which means cars produced since mid-2021.

But more importantly, Tesla says that it doesn’t send commands to the car under the current version. Therefore, it is simply like having Grok on your phone, but on the onboard computer instead.

Tesla showed an example:

There are a few other features in the 2025.26 software update, but they are not major.

For Tesla vehicles equipped with ambient lighting strips inside the car, the light strip can now sync to music:

Accent lights now respond to music & you can also choose to match the lights to the album’s color for a more immersive effect

Toybox > Light Sync

Here’s the new setting:

The audio setting can now be saved under multiple presets to match listening preferences for different people or circumstances:

The software update also includes the capacity to zoom or adjust the playback speed of the Dashcam Viewer.

Cybertruck also gets the updated Dashcam Viewer app with a grid view for easier access and review of recordings:

Tesla also updated the charging info in its navigation system to be able to search which locations require valet service or pay-to-park access.

Upon arrival, drivers will receive a notification with access codes, parking restrictions, level or floor information, and restroom availability:

Finally, there’s a new onboarding guide directly on the center display to help people who are experiencing a Tesla vehicle for the first time.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla is really playing catch-up here. Right now, this update is essentially nothing. If you already have Grok, it’s no more different than having it on your phone or through the vehicle’s browser, since it has no capacity to interact with any function inside the vehicle.

Most other automakers are integrating LLMs inside vehicles with the capacity to interact with the vehicle. In China, this is becoming standard even in entry-level cars.

In the Xiaomi YU7, the vehicle’s AI can not only interact with the car, but it also sees what the car sees through its camera, and it can tell you about what it sees:

Tesla is clearly far behind on that front as many automakers are integrating with other LLMs like ChatGPT and in-house LLMs, like Xiaomi’s.

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Robinhood is up 160% this year, but several obstacles are ahead

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2 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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Robinhood is up 160% this year, but several obstacles are ahead

Florida AG opens probe into Robinhood. Here's the latest

Robinhood stock hit an all-time high Friday as the financial services platform continued to rip higher this year, along with bitcoin and other crypto stocks.

Robinhood, up more than 160% in 2025, hit an intraday high above $101 before pulling back and closing slightly lower.

The reversal came after a Bloomberg report that JPMorgan plans to start charging fintechs for access to customer bank data, a move that could raise costs across the industry.

For fintech firms that rely on thin margins to offer free or low-cost services to customers, even slight disruptions to their cost structure can have major ripple effects. PayPal and Affirm both ended the day nearly 6% lower following the report.

Despite its stellar year, the online broker is facing several headwinds, with a regulatory probe in Florida, pushback over new staking fees and growing friction with one of the world’s most high-profile artificial intelligence companies.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a formal investigation into Robinhood Crypto on Thursday, alleging the platform misled users by claiming to offer the lowest-cost crypto trading.

“Robinhood has long claimed to be the best bargain, but we believe those representations were deceptive,” Uthmeier said in a statement.

The probe centers on Robinhood’s use of payment for order flow — a common practice where market makers pay to execute trades — which the AG said can result in worse pricing for customers.

Robinhood Crypto General Counsel Lucas Moskowitz told CNBC its disclosures are “best-in-class” and that it delivers the lowest average cost.

“We disclose pricing information to customers during the lifecycle of a trade that clearly outlines the spread or the fees associated with the transaction, and the revenue Robinhood receives,” added Moskowitz.

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev explains 'dual purpose' behind trading platform's new crypto offerings

Robinhood is also facing opposition to a new 25% cut of staking rewards for U.S. users, set to begin October 1. In Europe, the platform will take a smaller 15% cut.

Staking allows crypto holders to earn yield by locking up their tokens to help secure blockchain networks like ethereum, but platforms often take a percentage of those rewards as commission.

Robinhood’s 25% cut puts it in line with Coinbase, which charges between 25.25% and 35% depending on the token. The cut is notably higher than Gemini’s flat 15% fee.

It marks a shift for the company, which had previously steered clear of staking amid regulatory uncertainty.

Under President Joe Biden‘s administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission cracked down on U.S. platforms offering staking services, arguing they constituted unregistered securities.

With President Donald Trump in the White House, the agency has reversed course on several crypto enforcement actions, dropping cases against major players like Coinbase and Binance and signaling a more permissive stance.

Even as enforcement actions ease, Robinhood is under fresh scrutiny for its tokenized stock push, which is a growing part of its international strategy.

The company now offers blockchain-based assets in Europe that give users synthetic exposure to private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX through special purpose vehicles, or SPVs.

An SPV is a separate entity that acquires shares in a company. Users then buy tokens of the SPV and don’t have shareholder privileges or voting rights directly in the company.

OpenAI has publicly objected, warning the tokens do not represent real equity and were issued without its approval. In an interview with CNBC International, CEO Vlad Tenev acknowledged the tokens aren’t technically equity shares, but said that misses the broader point.

JPMorgan announces plans to charge for access to customer bank data

“What’s important is that retail customers have an opportunity to get exposure to this asset,” he said, pointing to the disruptive nature of AI and the historically limited access to pre-IPO companies.

“It is true that these are not technically equity,” Tenev added, noting that institutional investors often gain similar exposure through structured financial instruments.

The Bank of Lithuania — Robinhood’s lead regulator in the EU — told CNBC on Monday that it is “awaiting clarifications” following OpenAI’s statement.

“Only after receiving and evaluating this information will we be able to assess the legality and compliance of these specific instruments,” a spokesperson said, adding that information for investors must be “clear, fair, and non-misleading.”

Tenev responded that Robinhood is “happy to continue to answer questions from our regulators,” and said the company built its tokenized stock program to withstand scrutiny.

“Since this is a new thing, regulators are going to want to look at it,” he said. “And we expect to be scrutinized as a large, innovative player in this space.”

SEC Chair Paul Atkins recently called the model “an innovation” on CNBC’s Squawk Box, offering some validation as Robinhood leans further into its synthetic equity strategy — even as legal clarity remains in flux across jurisdictions.

Despite the regulatory noise, many investors remain focused on Robinhood’s upside, and particularly the political tailwinds.

The company is positioning itself as a key beneficiary of Trump’s newly signed megabill, which includes $1,000 government-seeded investment accounts for newborns. Robinhood said it’s already prototyping an app for the ‘Trump Accounts‘ initiative.

WATCH: Watch CNBC’s full interview with Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev

Watch CNBC's full interview with Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev

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