Aventon makes way for latest releases by offering its Level 2 commuter e-bikes for $1,599
With the arrival of Aventon’s new Level 3 Smart Commuter e-bikes, the brand is having a clearance sale on select models, led by the Level 2 Commuter e-bikes at $1,599 shipped, which come in either the step-over or step-through designs. They would normally cost $1,899 at full price, but we’ve been seeing them keep more towards $1,699 most of the last year, falling to $1,599 during Black Friday and Christmas sales and into the new year. While we’ve seen this model go as low as $1,499 back in 2023 direct from Aventon, while Best Buy offered a one-day $1,299 low sale in April of last year, this is the best rate we’ve seen in the time since, giving you $300 in savings and equipping your commutes with some serious traveling power.
The Level 2 has been Aventon’s flagship commuter model for some time now, though that may be changing now that we’re seeing the upgraded smart capabilities of the new Level 3 e-bikes. The streamlined frame houses a 500W (peaking at 750W) rear-hub motor with a fully-integrated 14.0Ah battery, delivering up to 28 MPH top speeds for up to 60 miles on a full charge. Using the throttle alone to cruise around limits the speed to 20 MPH, with the 28 MPH speed available when utilizing the five PAS levels (supported by a torque sensor).
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There’s a rear-mounted rack to carry any cargo along with you, as well as front and rear fenders over the hybrid tires and a front suspension fork. It also features integrated head and taillights, with the rear lights offering a brake light function, and you’ll find a handy backlit LCD display attached to the handlebars that gives you real-time at-a-glance status updates as you ride.
GPS tracking, auto-lock, unusual movement detection, alarm system, more
Pay $10 now to secure $300 off Anker’s new 40L or 58L EverFrost 2 electric coolers in early-bird preorders
Following behind the early pre-sale offer from Wellbots, Anker is now offering its own early-bird savings on the new SOLIX EverFrost 2 Electric Cooler in two sizes – with a $10 ticket purchase through March 6 securing you a $300 off coupon down the road, leading the 40L model to drop to $599.99 shipped, while the 58L model will be taken down to $799.99 shipped. These new devices will normally fetch $900 and $1,100 at full price once officially launched, with today’s deal specially solid if you wanted the smaller of the two options, otherwise, the 58L model comes in $1 above the Wellbots offer we covered last week. Regardless of which option you choose here, there’s also the additional $60 in savings you’ll get with the included free gear: a cup holder, a knife holder, and a fishing rod holder.
As I said, we’re seeing a similar deal on the 58L from Wellbots that gives you the same free gear package at $1 less, with the purchase there securing your unit before it begins shipping next month, so you don’t have to worry about coming back to then make another purchase like you will here. You can learn about that deal and the 58L model in our original coverage.
Coming in as the second-largest model of the three (the smaller 23L won’t launch until a later date than the others), Anker’s 40L EverFrost 2 doesn’t sport the dual-compartments like its 58L counterpart, but will still provide cooling or freezing functions so you don’t have to worry about ice runs ever again. Controlled via its app, these new models are tossing out the first generation’s direct cooling systems in favor of air-cooled refrigeration, giving you a chilled space for food and drinks in up to 18 minutes, depending on which mode you have it set in.
Like the dual-zone model, this mid-size unit also sports dual battery ports, allowing it to run up to 104 continuous hours while in Eco mode. Each 288Wh battery also comes with extra functionality, as it can be removed from the cooler and used as a power bank if need be, providing you with the means to top off devices with the 60W USB-C and 12W USB-A ports. There are four options for recharging: connect a maximum 100W of solar input, plug into a wall outlet or a 12V car port (these three are rated for a 3.6-hour charge time), or you can use a USB-C connection for a 5.5-hour charge. Every size comes with an IPX3 water-resistance rating, as well as large 6-inch wheels for semi-rough terrain and a fold-down tray that is also used as a handle.
Get 40A speeds with Leviton’s at-home or on-the-go EV40P Level 2 smart EV charger at a new $334 low
Amazon is now offering the best rate yet on the Leviton EV40P Level 2 Smart EV Charger for $334.04 shipped. This model usually carries a $499 price tag, though it’s been more recently keeping around $418 to $444 in 2025. While the last year has kept the price above $400 during most discounts, today’s deal comes in with a better-than-ever 33% markdown, saving you $165 at a new all-time low price that beats out the previous low we last saw in August by $50. It’s also beating out Leviton’s direct site, where it’s currently priced higher at $549.
The EV40P charger from Leviton comes encased in a water-resistant enclosure while its 25-foot cable can stand up to freezing and cracking, allowing you to install it either indoors or outdoors. On that note, this model comes with a plug-in design for both at-home and on-the-go needs, delivering up to 40A charging speeds, as long as there is a NEMA 14-50P outlet available. The SAE-J1772 connector ensures universal compatibility with most EVs on the market, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Subaru, and even Tesla with a Leviton NACS Adapter. Using the My Leviton App, you’ll get full smart controls that give you the real-time status of the station whether it’s in use or not, as well as additional remote controls to set schedules during off-peak hours, start/stop sessions, and even receive notifications when faults occur.
If you’re more in the market for a hardwired model to install at your home with higher charging speeds, you can find the Autel MaxiCharger AC Lite Home Level 2 EV charger at $455 right now, down from $569. It comes with a J1772 connector, though Tesla drivers can find the option for a NACS connector direct from the brand’s site where it matches in price. You’ll get up to 50A speeds here, averaging around 37 miles for every hour of charging. It sports the usual array of smart controls you expect and comes weather-resistant against temperatures as low as -40 degrees.
Out-of-home adventures last longer with DJI’s Power 1000 1,024Wh LiFePO4 station at $419
DJI’s official Amazon storefront is offering its DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station for $419 shipped, after clipping the on-page $30 off coupon. Normally you’d be paying $999 for this model at full price, though today it’s already starting off lower than we’ve seen it in 2025 – plus, with the additional $30 off coupon things are going even further with a combined 58% markdown. While we have seen things go as low as $399 and $379 back during Black Friday and Christmas sales (which haven’t been seen again since), you’re still looking at $580 in savings at the third-lowest price we have seen – $40 above the all-time low. It’s even beating out DJI’s direct site by $280.
An ideal backup companion for anyone who spends most of their time out of the house (especially if its to fly any of the brand’s high-quality drones), the Power 1000 station provides a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity to top off laptops, tablets, cameras, drones, and more. There are 8 port options on this unit, with its two ACs delivering up to 2,200W (surging to 2,600W) for larger appliance coverage, while the dual USB-Cs offer 140W fast-charging speeds each, as well as the others.
If you pair this power station with either a MPPT module or the brand’s Power Car Power Outlet to SDC Power Cable, you can utilize the sun’s rays for solar charging. It boasts a sizeable 1,600W max solar input, which takes about 80 minutes to refill the battery to full. You can also recharge it by plugging it into a wall outlet for an 80% battery in 50 minutes, with a 100% battery taking a little longer at 70 minutes.
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.
America’s heartland is full of rural communities that are miles away from its major cities, both geographically and culturally – but that doesn’t mean these more sparsely populated regions can’t reap the benefits of electrification. In fact, EVs offer rural drivers even more benefits than they do to city-dwellers!
“An electric lifestyle would be a boon to our rural heartland,” wrote the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Maria Cecilia Pinto de Moura. “Rural communities across the country have their own distinguishing characteristics, but certain shared characteristics such as driving distances, the type of vehicles driven, and socio-economics are factors which contribute to this larger potential to benefit from vehicle electrification.”
Pinto de Moura went on to outline five ways rural and country drivers could benefit from going electric – but that was in 2021, and a whole lot has changed in the nearly five years since.
As such, I thought it was high time we revisit some of the reasons EVs could be a great fit for rural lifestyles, see if we could uncover any new ones, and outline the reasons we think rural drivers should rush to embrace electric vehicles in the coming calendar year.
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1. More miles means more savings
David Blenkle’s 252,000 mile Mustang Mach-E; via Ford.
When you hear that line about, “the average American drives 30 to 40 miles a day,” remember that in towns like Wellington, Ohio, or Colfax, Washington, 30 miles is a grocery run. Each way. So when people trot out that old line about range anxiety, what rural drivers actually hear isn’t reassurance. It’s dismissal — a suggestion that they drive too far for an EV to work, when nothing could be further from the truth.
A recent study by Rural Climate Partnership found that rural drivers spend an average of 44% more on fuel than city dwellers, and that the top 3.6% of rural drivers — the “supermilers” who rack up the most miles — could save over $4,000 each year by switching to electric fuel.
2. Electric trucks have arrived
Sierra AT4 EV towing a boat; via GM.
Country guys and gals love their pickups, and arguably the single biggest difference between the EV markets of 2021 and 2025 is the proliferation of electric trucks and SUVs ready to help haul, chore, camp, and tow.
Why not save your expensive horses from breathing in gas and diesel exhaust. Haul ’em with your quiet new EV, instead!
Unlike many apartment-dwelling urban drivers, most rural owners can charge right at home. More than 80% of rural households have a driveway or garage that are ideal for overnight Level 2 charging, and many already have a 240V outlet, keeping setup costs (if there even are any) to a minimum.
Plug in before bed, wake up to a full battery every morning, and do it for pennies on the dollar, especially with off-peak rates.
4. Lifesaving battery power
F-150 Lightning plugged in; via Ford.
If disaster strikes and you lose power, many electric trucks have the ability to power your home and appliances with the energy stored in their massive batteries – either from the truck itself, or through a V2X home battery system. If you live in an area prone to extreme weather events, the ability to keep medication refrigerated can be a literal life-saver!
As such, getting behind the wheel of an ultra-powerful, ultra smooth-running electric pickup truck from your favorite brand is easier than ever.
6. Energy independence and American jobs
GM Defense electric military vehicle; via GM.
At the risk of sounding like a paranoid red hat, rural Americans are proud Americans – just like rural Canadians are proud Canadians. Unfortunately, every gallon of gas burned in their pickups and SUVs came from oil drilled, refined, and traded on global markets — and that means supporting the oil business and economies of nations whose values don’t always align with, or maybe are even outright hostile to theirs.
Switching to an EV can help more of that money right here at home, especially as more and better battery recycling efforts come online and newer battery and anode/cathode chemistries are developed, reducing dependence on rare Earth metals, cobalt, and even lithium.
There are obviously more reasons to go electric than these, from lower cost of ownership to saving the planet to absolutely killer burnouts that would make the one-tire-fire era IROC Camaros hang their 305s in shame – but I think those kind of fade into the background as being appealing to all, instead of being especially appealing to rural drivers.
That said, it’s been a long time since I was back in Ohio, so maybe I’ve forgotten what it’s like. You guys are smart, head on down to the comments and let me know what I missed!
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Honda’s electric SUV is on a roll. The Prologue was the third best-selling EV in the US in August, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Even with the federal EV tax credit now expired, Honda is still offering nearly $17,000 off the Prologue.
Honda Prologue registrations surge with huge incentives
As the $7,500 credit expired at the end of September, automakers rolled out steep discounts, many topping five figures with combined incentives.
The Honda Prologue has been one of the most discounted EVs over the past year or so. Last month, buyers could score up to over $20,000 in combined savings, including a $7,500 credit, $9,500 in financing bonuses, trade-in offers, and 0% interest for six years.
According to the latest registration data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News), the incentives helped propel the Honda Prologue to become the third most popular EV in August.
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A total of 138,457 EVs were registered in the US in August, up 24% from a year ago. Honda Prologue registrations surged 81% to 9,005 vehicles, the data showed.
2025 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)
Honda’s electric SUV had more registrations than the Chevy Equinox EV in August, and it’s based on the same GM Ultium platform. However, the Equinox is still outselling the Prologue through September.
Since some automakers don’t report monthly or US sales numbers, the S&P Global Mobility data offers a snapshot of sales performance.
2025 Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)
The Prologue was yet again one of the most discounted models, with incentives of $12,704 in August, according to Motor Intelligence. Last August, Prologue incentives were just $5,813. Honda’s gas-powered CR-V had just $2,016 in incentives in August.
The interior of the 2025 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)
Although the $7,500 credit expired on September 30, Honda is still offering generous incentives for Prologue buyers and lessees.
The 2025 Honda Prologue is available with up to $16,550 in lease cash in most states. The offer includes $5,000 in lease bonus cash, $8,250 in Honda lease cash, and a $3,3300 loyalty or conquest bonus. Honda is offering the deal until November 11. Or, you can opt for 0% APR financing for up to 60 months.
2025 Honda Prologue trim
Starting Price*
EPA Range (miles)
EX (FWD)
$47,400
308
EX (AWD)
$50,400
294
Touring (FWD)
$51.700
308
Touring (AWD)
$54,700
294
Elite (AWD)
$57,900
283
2025 Honda Prologue prices and range by trim (*Does not include $1,450 D&H fee)
Although the Acura ZDX will not return for a 2026 model year, Honda is planning to launch the 2026 Prologue. We have yet to learn prices, but we could see it priced slightly lower due to the loss of the $7,500 EV credit.
Hyundai announced earlier this month it’s reducing 2026 IONIQ 5 prices by up to nearly $10,000 on some trims. The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 now starts at under $35,000. Hyundai is offering leases as low as $289 per month right now. Will Honda match it?
Kia has a new idea. So you don’t miss the smell of gasoline too much when you trade in for its new EV, Kia is giving away free gas-scented air fresheners.
Kia offers gas-scented car fresheners for EV4 buyers
It’s time to trade that new car scented tree dangling from your rearview mirror for a jerry can that smells like… gasoline?
Astara Auto Finland, which imports Kia’s vehicles into Finland, is giving away free gasoline-scented car fresheners for those buying the new EV4.
Although it may seem like Kia’s poking fun at the gas guzzlers, it’s actually partly designed to ease your transition to an EV.
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“Giving up the combustion engine can feel like a huge step, just like giving up anything else that is familiar. We wanted to add a touch of nostalgic fun to the transition with a gas-scented car freshener,” Klaus Pohjala, commercial director at Astara Auto Finland, said.
The scent was created by Finland’s sole perfumier, Max Perttula, who has developed fragrances for other premium brands.
Kia starts EV4 hatchback production in Europe, its first EV built in Europe (Source: Kia UK)
According to Pertulla, he mostly used scents found in men’s fragrances, but added a bit of Jasmine to top things off. “It may sound wild that it’s jasmine of all things that contains compounds with a fragrance that creates associations with gasoline,” Pertulla said, but it works.
The fragrance came to life after metalizing and sanding it with amber compounds, birch tar, and galbanum, he explained.
The Kia EV4 hatchback at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich (Source: Kia)
Of course, it’s a bit of a “cheeky campaign,” Pertulla said, but Kia aims to add a little fun for new EV drivers. The latest campaign comes after Kia’s importer ran a controversial front-page ad last year mocking traditional luxury automakers, claiming EVs have leveled the playing field.
The EV4 is rolling out in Europe, in both hatchback and sedan variants. Early next year, Kia will launch the sedan version in the US.
Do you miss the smell of gas? After driving an EV for years, I still think that it’s one of the best parts of owning one. Drop us a comment below and let us know what you think.
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