Europe will give €100 billion in short-term relief to clean manufacturing in order to compete with China, as it unveiled today in its Clean Industrial Deal. The money comes at the same time as the US is actively seeking to harm its manufacturing sector and send clean jobs to China.
The EU’s Clean Industrial Deal is a new plan focused on advancing clean manufacturing and increasing efficiency for energy-intensive industries.
The European Commission advanced the deal today with the hope of easing Europe’s current energy difficulties and making its manufacturing sector more competitive with China’s.
The €100 billion (~$105 billion USD) from the plan will support several initiatives to improve Europe’s manufacturing and clean energy competitiveness, including acceleration of clean energy and electrification, energy efficiency measures, recycling and raw materials access, and education for clean jobs.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The hope is that this money, which will be drawn from several sources including existing funds and from member states, will spark additional private sector investment in the amounts of several additional hundreds of billions of Euros through the next decade.
Europe intends to implement a number of reforms to help act on this plan, including cutting red tape, using its scale as a single market in order to better negotiate for raw materials, and bolstering coordination between EU member states to promote quality green jobs. It says the deal will create 500,000 new jobs in Europe.
Overall, the EU expects the plan to save €130 billion annually on energy costs by 2030, largely by boosting domestic supply of clean energy.
European energy concerns drive this deal
These moves are important right now for Europe, as the bloc has experienced significant energy difficulties in recent years. Europe has long been reliant on supplies of methane gas from Russia, despite decades of urging from environmentalists and others. Russia has exploited this reliance to push Europe into accepting various misdeeds over the years, including stealing Crimea and shooting down a passenger plane, knowing that Europe’s addiction to its oil products leaves it in a compromised position.
All of this came to a head during Russia’s (second current) invasion of Ukraine in 2022, where Europe finally woke up and acted to reduce imports of Russian gas. However, since the bloc had not properly readied itself for this moment by building up its own domestic supply, this led energy prices to skyrocket in the short term, and today they remain higher than they were before the crisis started (though it turns out, cutting off Russian gas wasn’t as apocalyptic as some had thought it would be).
This, along with global inflation experienced by every country due to the COVID epidemic, has fueled popular resentment and social unrest in Europe – even counterintuitively leading some voters (and one EV company CEO) to support anti-climate, pro-Russian extremist parties.
But so does looming Chinese dominance in clean tech
It also comes in the context of a steep rise in Chinese clean-tech exports, particularly in the realm of electric vehicles. China recently became the world’s largest exporter of automobiles, an industry which has long been a cornerstone of Europe’s industrial base.
But whether European industry will actually take that time to make the right choices, or whether it will continue to delayEVmanufacturing and therefore lose the lead even further, remains a question. This is one of the reasons why there are better solutions than tariffs – like investment, which incidentally, the Clean Industrial Deal announced today provides.
And so, the Clean Industrial Deal is an important moment. It signals an additional commitment by Europe not just to try to compete with China – by actually investing in doing well, instead of just trying to put up barriers and sit on its laurels – but to acknowledge that the future needs to be clean and that the bloc is currently not doing enough to ensure that it is.
The US made a similar deal under President Biden
The United States undertook a similar effort under President Biden via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which dedicated nearly $400 billion in funding for climate and energy-related programs, with a focus on bringing back American manufacturing of advanced products.
The IRA, along with Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), were incredibly effective at bringing more manufacturing investment and green jobs to the US. In total, companies announced $211B of investment and 227K jobs in EV manufacturing alone since the IRA and BIL were passed. And the net effect of the Biden-Harris administration’s clean investments resulted in a savings of $250B and 200k lives per year.
…But republicans are trying to ruin it
…Or at least, those investments would have helped. Unfortunately for America and the world, the current occupier of the White House is convicted felon Donald Trump, who finally received more votes than his opponent on his third attempt (despite committing treason in 2021, for which there is a clear legal remedy).
While he has only occupied the White House for a little more than a month now, Mr. Trump has already signaled several attempts to give back the environmental, efficiency and manufacturing gains seen under President Biden.
The effect of all this hostility towards manufacturing and energy progress is that companies have canceled billions of dollars in plans to build new manufacturing hubs in the US, seeking greener pastures. These cancellations have disproportionately hit republican districts harder than the rest.
But perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that an ignoramus who has famously sent manufacturing jobs to China in his own businesses is actively seeking to cut education and manufacturing investment here in America. All of this can only result in the US becoming less competitive in manufacturing in the long term – especially in the face of greater commitments from the rest of the globe in leaning up their act.
And Europe sees an opening
But that’s not just us saying this: Europe itself recognizes the US’ backwards move, and sees it as an opening. With the US floundering on manufacturing, Europe knows that it has a chance to gain prominence now that one of its global competitors seems ready to take itself out of the game.
“The fact that the US is now moving away from the green agenda… does not mean that we would do the same. The opposite. It means that we need to step forward,” EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen said today, as quoted by DW.
China, too, is ready to take advantage of the US’ missteps. It’s looking to throw its weight around against countries (including those in Europe) who would erect trade barriers to EV growth, and shows no sign of relenting on EV development. And since no serious person thinks the future of the auto industry is anything but electric, or that energy won’t become more renewable as time goes on, those who stall on the way there will only be left in the dust of those who carry on.
Even if your government doesn’t feel like supporting the future, you can do it yourself by installing home solar. EnergySage is a free service that connects you with trusted, reputable installers in your area – without having to give up your phone number until you select an installer. 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 through EnergySage. Get started today! – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Lectric’s XPress 750 Commuter e-bikes are back in stock and coming with $336 in free gear at $1,299
Lectric has some ongoing bundle deals that are left over from the brand’s short-term Mother’s Day Sale, which are also running alongside the ongoing preorder bundles for its new XP4 and XP4 750 e-bikes that launched last week. Among the offers, one notable option is Lectric’s XPress 750 e-bikes for $1,299 shipped, which are now back in stock and coming with $336 in free gear – plus, it’s one of the few models getting the option for $200 off a spare long-range battery to double the mileage (found with the bundled items on the landing page). This bundle would normally cost you $1,635 in full, but the brand is known for its discounts, primarily being on the add-on packages rather than the bikes themselves. Along with your purchase, you’ll be scoring a steel-encased rear cargo rack, fenders to go over both tires, an Elite headlight upgrade, and a suspension seat post. Head below for more on this and the other models seeing savings.
Coming in both Step-Thru and Step-Over frames, the Lectric XPress 750 e-bikes are one of my favorite commuter models that I’ve had the experience riding, with more and more of them popping up across NYC since their release last year. The stock bike with the 14Ah battery weighs in at just under 60 pounds (so a little more with the added-on accessories), equipped with a 750W rear hub motor (1,310 peak) and providing up to 60 miles of travel while its five PAS levels are active, which are supported by a torque sensor for more effortless pick-up and hill climbing. In terms of speed, it all depends on your local laws, with the motor producing either 20 MPH or 28 MPH top speeds, and of course, there are throttles for pure electric cruises, but this will lessen its travel range.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
As with the case of most of the Lectric’s EVs, there’s a solid array of other features on the XPress 750 e-bikes for its $1,299 price tag, like the puncture-resistant tires, hydraulic mineral oil brakes, front suspension fork, a 7-geared freewheel paired with a Shimano derailleur, removable pedals, a thru-axle wheel attachment system for tool-free installations, kickstand, a hidden cable routing system, an integrated headlight and taillight, and a full-color LCD display with a USB-A port to charge your personal devices, especially if you use them as a GPS while riding.
Lectric’s XP4 e-bike preorders with up to $356 bundles (shipping June 2):
Lectric’s XP 3.0 Long-Range e-bike clearance offers (price cuts only):
XPedition 2.0 offers with up to $654 bundles:
XPedition 2.0 standard cargo e-bike with $306 bundle, Stratus White: $1,399 (Reg. $1,705)
XPedition 2.0 standard cargo e-bike with $306 bundle, Raindrop Blue: $1,399 (Reg. $1,705)
XPedition 2.0 DB cargo e-bike with $505 bundle, Stratus White: $1,699 (Reg. $2,204)
XPedition 2.0 DB cargo e-bike with $505 bundle, Raindrop Blue: $1,699 (Reg. $2,204)
XPedition 2.0 DB LR e-bike with $654 bundle, Stratus White: $1,999 (Reg. $2,653)
XPedition 2.0 DB LR e-bike with $654 bundle, Raindrop Blue: $1,999 (Reg. $2,653)
XP Electric Trike with $420 bundle
XPeak 2.0 offers with up to $316 bundles:
XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bike offers with up to $316 bundles:
XP Lite 2.0 Arctic White e-bike with $148 bundle, 80-mile range: $999 (Reg. $1,147)
XP Lite 2.0 Sandstorm e-bike with $316 bundle, 80-mile range: $999 (Reg. $1,315)
XP Lite 2.0 Lectric Blue e-bike with $316 bundle, 80-mile range: $999 (Reg. $1,315)
XP Lite 2.0 Lavender Haze e-bike with $316 bundle, 80-mile range: $999 (Reg. $1,315)
XP Lite 2.0 JW Black e-bike with $316 bundle, 80-mile range: $1,099 (Reg. $1,415)
ONE LR e-bike with $220 bundle
Get compact personal backup power with Anker’s 521 portable LiFePO4 station at $170
Through its official Amazon storefront, Anker has dropped the price on its 521 Portable Power Station to $169.99 shipped. This unit normally carries a $200 price tag at full here, with the brand’s direct website pricing it higher with a $250 MSRP. Discounts on this model regularly bring the cost down to $170 or its $160 low, with many Lightning deals staggered between longer-lasting price cuts. Anker’s direct website is currently having a flash sale on it for $180, which is beaten out here at Amazon by $10 for a solid $30 off the going rate ($80 off its MSRP) at the second-best price we have tracked.
While this isn’t one of the latest models from the brand, the Anker 521 power station has been upgraded with LiFePO4 battery cells. It comes as a more compact personal backup power solution that provides a 256Wh capacity to keep your devices juiced up while out travelling or as an emergency means during blackouts. It comes surge protected, delivering up to 600W of output power through its six port options – two ACs, two USB-As, one USB-C, and one car port. There are multiple ways to recharge its battery: via a wall outlet, the USB-C port, with a 65W solar panel, or with your car’s auxiliary port.
Save up to 32% on Greenworks 40V and 80V batteries like the G-MAX 5.0Ah model down at its $126 low
Amazon is offering discounts across some Greenworks batteries, so you can stock up your arsenal for guaranteed power when you need it. Among the models we’re seeing, the most notable is the brand’s G-MAX 40V 5.0Ah Battery for $125.99 shipped, with the price also matching direct from Greenworks’ website. This upgraded model normally fetches $180 at full price, with two previous discounts in 2025 taking things lower than ever to this same rate. You’re getting another shot at the lowest price we have tracked on this model, helping you stock up while saving you $54 off the going rate.
Greenworks is one of the best beginner-friendly electric lawn care solutions to replace gas-guzzlers, especially considering that its batteries work across multiple tools and even EVs. For those with an arsenal of 40V tools and devices, this battery is the second-largest for that particular ecosystem, only beaten in capacity by its 8.0Ah counterpart. It comes designed with multiple protections against overheating, short circuiting, over voltage, over current, over discharging, over charging, and more – plus, there’s even an LED indicator that gives you at-a-glance battery levels.
Streamline your sprinklers while cutting water costs with Rachio’s 3rd-gen 8-zone smart controller at $170
Amazon is helping folks streamline their sprinkler setups with the Rachio 3rd Gen 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller getting taken down to $169.99 shipped right now. While the device is listed with a $230 price tag, we’ve been seeing it post up at $200 when at full price these days, with discounts having been more sparse since March. While we have seen it go as low as $146 in the past, this is still a solid $30 markdown that lets you upgrade your sprinklers and irrigation system with “30-minute or less DIY installation.” You can also bundle this device with a weatherproof enclosure for $202, down from $270.
Everyone has different needs when it comes to their yards, and for those with more sizable gardens and lawns, you’ll be able to better streamline controls over watering by installing this popular Rachio device, shrinking water costs in the process too. After the “30-minute or less DIY installation,” which requires no special tools, you’ll gain this device’s weather recognition tech that comes programmed to automatically skip watering during or after inclement weather has moved in, with functions like rain skip, wind skip, freeze skip, and more. What’s great here, is that once installed, you won’t have to worry about extra charges or app subscriptions, with it giving you all the controls to manage things through its companion app on your phone.
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.
Robyn Denholm, Tesla’s chairwoman, made five times more money than the next best-paid board chair, a role Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk said was useless.
In 2018, Musk settled with the SEC for falsely claiming he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 a share, he was forced to resign as chair of Tesla’s board.
Musk basically handpicked Robyn Denholm to become the new chair, which he then called a useless “honorific” titled:
“Chairman’ is an honorific, not executive role, which means it’s not needed to run Tesla. Will retire that title at Tesla in 3 years.”
Denholm made a lot of money in this useless honorific role.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
She has made over $530 million, almost entirely through stock option compensation, since becoming Tesla’s chairperson.
Most of her stock sales happened over the last year:
The New York Times released a new report looking into Denholm’s compensation and found that she was paid about 5 times more than the next best-paid nonexecutive chair.
Tesla paid its chair about 5 times more than UnitedHealth’s:
The nonexecutive chair with the next-highest profit from selling shares in the company he oversees was Stephen Hemsley of UnitedHealth Group. Mr. Hemsley has earned more than $100 million from the sale of UnitedHealth shares since November 2018, though he received all of that stock while he was chief executive of the health care company.
To Musk’s point about the role being honorific, it’s not clear what Denholm accomplished during her time as chair.
She and the rest of Tesla’s board oversee Tesla’s executive management, led by Musk, but Musk has been allowed to do whatever he wants for years.
Most recently, they have not addressed the protests at Tesla stores and product boycotts, which are attributed to Musk’s involvement in politics, angering a significant portion of the population and Tesla’s consumer base.
Only recently was there a report suggesting the board floated the idea of replacing Musk to gain leverage in forcing him to spend more time at Tesla. Even then, the board quickly denied the report, which only claimed that they were doing their jobs in planning the CEO succession.
Electrek’s Take
Based on Musk’s comment, Denholm was paid half a billion dollars to do nothing. That’s literally all that was required of her after replacing Musk as chair of the board: nothing.
Musk is in charge. She is just an “honorific” figurehead that is required to back his every move.
Just as Tesla’s then-third-largest individual shareholder, after Musk, Leo KoGuan, told Electrek last year, when he couldn’t get his concerns about Musk heard by the board, Tesla is “a family business masquerading as a public company.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Less than a year after announcing an order for 27 electric seaglider planes from REGENT Craft, advanced air mobility (AAM) specialist UrbanLink has nearly doubled that order size to support plans for high-frequency commercial flights around the southeastern United States.
While advanced air mobility may be a nascent industry, companies around the globe are continuously gearing up to establish commercial networks that support air taxi travel and other sustainable commercial operations. In the US, particularly Southern Florida, UrbanLink has been making tons of moves to establish itself as a major player in that space when it happens.
UrbanLink has already been working for years to enable zero-emission, end-to-end travel within a 500-mile range by 2028 before expanding that range to 1,000 miles by 2030, beginning with its hub cities of Miami, Los Angeles, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The company believes its actions have adequately positioned it to become the first airline in the US to integrate electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into its fleet. Fellow eVTOL network Archer Aviation is also in the race, so it’s exciting times for commercial air taxi development.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
UrbanLink has committed to purchasing from several eVTOL and electric plane developers, including Artemis Sea Crafts, Eviation Aircraft, and Lilium, as we reported back in June 2024. Last fall, the AAM operator announced it was adding more vessels to its growing fleet in South Florida, committing to purchase 27 electric seagliders from REGENT Craft.
Today, UrbanLink and REGENT announced an expansion of their existing partnership in which the former has upped its purchase order to 47 electric seagliders.
Source: UrbanLink
UrbanLink ups seaglider order to support FL, Puerto Rico
REGENT Craft and UrbanLink shared details of the expanded partnership this morning, in hopes of establishing Florida as the bona fide leader in sustainable coastal aerial mobility.
Per the company, the nearly doubling of the existing order for REGENT’s Viceroy electric seagliders will support a more rapid rollout of UrbanLink’s aerial operations between the southern Florida and Puerto Rico regions. REGENT co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer spoke about the expanded seaglider order:
UrbanLink’s expanded order is a clear vote of confidence in REGENT’s seaglider technology and is testament to our continued timely execution certification and product development milestones. Together, we’re building a more convenient and connected future for coastal communities.
As the map above shows, electric sea glider travel can cut the travel time from Miami to West Palm Beach by nearly 75%. This single route represents a growing demand for convenient and more sustainable alternatives for short-haul travel in the US, and UrbanLink hopes to provide that to Florida visitors and beyond.
For example, the company shared that it anticipates that its seaglider operations in Miami alone could provide more sustainable travel options to up to 4.3 million passengers per year when commercial operations begin. UrbanLink founder and chairman Ed Wegel also spoke:
We’re proud to expand our partnership with REGENT and bring this revolutionary technology to more passengers traveling high-demand routes across Florida and Puerto Rico. This partnership propels Florida to the forefront of global innovation in advanced, all-electric mobility.
REGENT’s full-scale Viceroy electric seaglider prototype is currently in the process of successful sea trials en route to certification from the US Coast Guard. These 12-passenger vessels can reach up to 180 mph and travel up to 180 miles on a single charge.
First deliveries of the Viceroy seagliders to UrbanLink are expected to begin sometime in 2027.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.