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Tesla is the only EV brand with a net negative brand perception, according to the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report – and much of the negative shift has happened in the last 6 months.

The Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report (EVIR) surveyed 8,000 US consumers to ask them questions about electric vehicle purchasing decisions, both asking about brands and finding out what they value in an EV purchase.

The most notable result of the survey is that consumers had the most negative view of Tesla – and in fact, Tesla is the only brand in the survey which received a net negative brand image.

When asked whether they have a positive or negative view of Tesla, 32% said they have a “very” or “somewhat” positive view combined, but 39% said they have a “very” or “somewhat” negative view.

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This means Tesla has a -7% net score, behind even VinFast, which has a 0% net score (mostly because most surveyed hadn’t heard of the Vietnamese brand).

As for other brands, ironically, the top-ranked EV brand was Honda, a company that only sells one full BEV in the US, the Prologue (which people like and is selling great), which it didn’t even make itself, but rather made it in partnership with GM. Chevrolet scored well also, third place overall in brand perception.

The other EV startups (Lucid, Rivian, Polestar) did tend towards the bottom of the table, but this was largely because they had comparatively lower brand awareness, and thus their net positive numbers could not have been much higher (Lucid, for example, had 9% positive and 4% negative scores). Tesla, however, had both extremely high brand awareness and negative brand association. (But you have heard of me…)

Tesla’s score gets even worse when “view intensity” is taken into account, with people 13 points more likely to have a “very negative” view than a “very positive” one.

This negative brand perception persisted through all income brackets, regions and ages, with Tesla holding last place in each category.

In every category save one, when asked whether they would consider purchasing a Tesla, the most common answer was “would never consider.”

Tesla also ranked last in a comparison of various home EV charger brands and home battery brands, with more consumers saying they “would never consider” it.

Similar numbers appeared in a question about “brand trust,” where Tesla again had negative net trust, and a much higher “distrust a lot” score than its “trust a lot” score.

Tesla performed slightly better in perceptions of safety (second last) and family-friendliness (fourth from last), but did well in perceptions of luxury, holding fifth place overall out of eighteen brands.

According to this survey, the drop in Tesla brand perception has been quite recent. EVIR asked how views of Tesla had changed over the last 6 months. 46% said their opinion hadn’t changed, but a total of 38% of people had a “more” or “much more” negative perception, versus 16% who had a “more” or “much more” positive perception.

This, again, becomes more of a severe difference when you look at the most intense answers: 27% had a “much more negative” perception, while only 6% had a “much more positive” perception – a 4.5x difference.

Overall, over the last 6 months, there was only a +1% net change in consumers positive perceptions of EVs as a whole, so this drastic recent change was limited to Tesla, not other brands.

There was one piece of good news for Tesla, though: when asked which sort of public charging equipment consumers would most prefer, Tesla came out on top… except it also came out on top of the list that consumers would least prefer.

EVIR also asked what the factors driving consumers’ interest or disinterest in purchasing an EV.

Consumers recognized the benefits of EVs, with the top factors driving EV interest being gas savings, environment/climate change, and the ability to charge at home. Consumers who were already considering buying an EV found these to be more important factors than consumers who said they aren’t thinking about an EV yet.

Unfortunately, consumers also fell victim to the myths they’ve long been told about EVs. We’ve seen for a long time that consumers claim that range is one of their main concerns with EVs, despite that there are plenty of EVs available with way more range than you actually need.

In the EVIR, consumers ranked “length of range on a battery charge” as their top concern, even though EVs on average have enough range for a full week worth of driving from the average driver.

The second and fourth concerns, “availability of charging stations” and “I couldn’t charge at my residence” are much more pertinent. While it’s common for non-EV drivers not to recognize how many chargers are available, this is an area where the EV industry could definitely improve (I’ve long been on record saying that charger availability, especially for apartment dwellers and street parkers, is the only real problem with EVs – and that solving these problems will help people recognize that giant range numbers are not as necessary as they think).

Happily, the NACS transition will help to solve a lot of these problems, along with the existence of new well-funded charging networks like IONNA.

You can check out the full Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report here.

Electrek’s Take

As we’ve been warning people about for quite some time now, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is doing his best to completely destroy Tesla’s brand.

As an EV publication, we have the same mission as Tesla – to advance sustainable transport. In order for that to happen, we obviously want the (formerly) largest EV company in the world to do its job the best it can.

The problem is, Musk doesn’t have that mission, and has been doing his best over the last year(s) to ruin Tesla’s brand perception with increasingly idiotic decisions, both in terms of his public advocacy and his work within Tesla.

Musk’s high-profile political advocacy, which has included support for German neo-Nazis and agreeing with a defense of Hitler’s actions in the Holocaust, among many other white supremacist statements, has driven protests against the company, embarrassed owners and pushed many customers away.

This report shows the effect of the constant drumbeat of bad Tesla business moves and horrendous public behavior by the company’s CEO. The company’s employees, for the most part, are still working to try to make good electric vehicles, but Musk is spending the money he made from selling EVs to try to ruin EVs – something that the company itself had to call him out on in its quarterly report (and which the formerly-more-lucid Musk would have opposed just a few years ago before he forgot how climate change works).

Unfortunately, Tesla’s board seems content to destroy the company, and its shareholders do too, as they voted again last year to give Musk $55 billion in exchange for his bad leadership, an award that is greater than the total amount of profits Tesla has made over its entire lifetime. That pay package was stopped by a court for violating corporate law.

We’re not sure what’s going to many any of them wake up to Musk’s destruction of the company, but this report is just one more data point showing how severe the situation has gotten.

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Navee ST3 Pro e-scooter with quad suspension at new $850 low, ECOVACS A2500 RTK robot mower $1,500 low, Lectric, more

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May 27, 2025

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Navee ST3 Pro e-scooter with quad suspension at new 0 low, ECOVACS A2500 RTK robot mower ,500 low, Lectric, more

Just because Memorial Day is over, doesn’t mean the savings are slowing down on eco-friendly tech, and today’s Green Deals feature a mix of new and ongoing discounts at some of the best prices of the season. Headlining today is Navee’s newly launched Father’s Day Sale with up to $264 in savings on its two latest e-scooter series, which includes the new flagship ST3 Pro Electric Scooter with a damping arm suspension system, Apple Find My, and plenty more down at an $850 low, along with some free gear too. Next, we have ECOVACS’ new Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower returning to its $1,500 low for the second time, as well as Lectric’s XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $404 free bundled gear starting from $999. Lastly, we spotted EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Smart Extra Battery dropping back to its $429 low. Plus, there’s all the rest of the hangover Green Deals and ongoing Memorial Day EV sales in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s ongoing increased savings on the Ride1Up Portola e-bike, and more – and don’t forget to browse our Memorial Day EV hub for the hangover savings while they last.

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.

Navee drops new flagship ST3 Pro electric scooter with damping arm suspension and Apple Find My to $850 + free gear

With Memorial Day having passed, Navee is jumping right into its Father’s Day Savings event with up to $264 in discounts across four of its newest e-scooters. The sale is headlined by Navee’s flagship ST3 Pro Electric Scooter that comes with $64 in free gear at $849.99 shipped. This entire package would normally cost you $1,014 in full these days ($950 for just the scooter), which has come down from its original $1,299 price tag from when it was unveiled at CES 2025 through its launch at the end of March. The biggest discount we saw in the time since was the early-bird launch discount to $899, which is getting beaten out here by today’s deal. All-in-all, despite the savings here only totaling up to $164, you’re still getting a high-performance commuting solution at the lowest price we have tracked. Head below for more.

Navee’s flagship ST3 Pro electric scooter is a commuter with serious get-up-and-go power, coming equipped with a 600W motor (1,350 peak) and a 12.75Ah battery that can carry you up to 46.6 miles on a single charge and reach 25 MPH top speeds – plus, that peak power is ready to conquer up to 28% inclines. A standout feature here is the brand’s new automotive-grade damping arm suspension system that will smooth out your travels at the front and rear, thanks to the four polymer arms. And security gets a step up from other scooters with the addition of Apple Find My too.

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There’s plenty more to be impressed by on Navee’s ST3 Pro electric scooter, like the triple-braking system made up of hydraulic disc, drum, and automotive-grade eABS brakes, the latter of which also boasts regenerative braking capabilities to recycle energy for prolonged journeys. There are also self-healing tires, an auto-on headlight, integrated turn signals and a taillight with brake lighting, lighting under the footboards with 15 different modes, a traction control system, a 3.6-inch LED display, its folding frame, and some additional remote smart controls via its companion app, like manual and auto locking, among others. Among the free gear, you’ll get an e-scooter lock and a phone holder for added convenience and peace of mind.

Navee’s other Father’s Day e-scooter deals:

  • GT3 Electric Scooter: $500 (Reg. $614)
    • 20 MPH for up to 31 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, quad shock absorption, dual braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder
  • GT3 Pro Electric Scooter: $550 (Reg. $714)
    • 20 MPH for up to 37.3 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, quad shock absorption, dual braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder
  • ST3 Electric Scooter: $750 (Reg. $914)
    • 25 MPH for up to 37.3 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, damping arm suspension, triple braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder

There’s plenty of ongoing post-holiday price cuts across several e-bike and e-scooter brands right now, which you can browse in full in our Memorial Day EV hub here.

ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK robot lawn mower

ECOVACS’ new Goat A2500 RTK robot mower returns for the second time to $1,500 low

Amazon is offering a second chance at the lowest price on the new ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower for $1,499.99 shipped, as well as discounts on two of its counterparts. This new and advanced autonomous lawn care solution has been going for $2,000 at full price since hitting the market a few months ago, with three discounts having taken things down to $1,700 and $1,800, and one previous drop to this same low back at the top of the month. You’re getting a second chance here today at a 25% markdown that cuts $500 off the tag for the lowest price we have tracked.

One of ECOVACS’ new robot mowers, the Goat A2500 sits as the middle-ground choice with a 32V motor and dual-blade discs that cover mowing duties across 4,305 square feet of land in an hour, working at 2.3 feet per second. The 5Ah battery allows enough juice to tackle up to 5,382 square feet on a single charge, with it automatically returning to its station upon low levels and only taking 45 minutes before it’s ready to go once again.

What’s really great here is the trading of any need for perimeter wires to operate via RTK navigation, which works along with the 3D-ToF LiDAR tech and AIVI 3D AI camera to not only stay the course, but also avoid 200+ common garden obstacles – all with an IPX6 waterproof construction for when it gets caught by sudden weather changes. There’s also an array of remote smart controls through its app, which allows you to adjust performance settings, as well as edit the 3D maps that it uses to complete its duties.

ECOVACS’ other Goat robot mower deals:

lectric xp lite 2.0 e-bike

Lectric’s 49-pound XP Lite 2.0 folding e-bikes with 80-mile range get $404 in free gear starting from $999

While Memorial Day may be over, the savings we’re seeing from Lectric are continuing for an unknown amount of time, with up to $742 in free gear accompanying e-bike purchases – and don’t forget the ongoing preorder bundle deals for the brand’s new XP4 and XP4 750 e-bikes that start from $999. One of the notable increases in savings during this sale is on the Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes for $999 shipped and come with $404 in free gear, as well as the XP Lite 2.0 JW Long-Range model that sits a little higher at $1,099 shipped, coming with the same bundle. These packages would normally run you $1,403 and $1,503 at full price, which is beating out most of the bundle sizes we’ve seen since this same package was offered at the beginning of January. The extra add-ons include a rear cargo rack, fenders, a suspension seat post, an accordion-style folding bike lock, two adjustable rear-view mirrors, and an Elite headlight upgrade.

Coming in as the lightest e-bikes under Lectric’s flag, the XP Lite 2.0 e-bikes weigh in at just 49 pounds, making them more manageable up and down stairs or when putting them in your car for longer-distance transport – plus, the foldable design also contributes to saving space when you’re not riding. The 672Wh battery in each delivers up to 80 miles of travel on a single charge when its five PAS levels are being used, while the 300W rear hub motor (819Wh peak) reaches up to 20 MPH speeds.

As is the case with Lectric’s lineup, you’re getting dependable features that you’d expect to raise the price more, like the hydraulic mineral oil brakes, 20×2.5-inch slick tires with 3mm Hippo Skin liner and pre-slimed tubes for anti-puncture resistance, BMX-style folding handlebars, and a full color LCD screen with a USB-A port to juice up devices as you ride, perfect for those using their phones for GPS.

And for just $100 more you can upgrade to the JW Black variant, which has been given a Gates Carbon Drive belt system for a quieter, smoother, and oil-free riding experience, with it also promising a longer-lasting lifespan over chain-drive models. You can also save a bit more going with the shorter 45-mile range standard models that start from $799 shipped, though there are no bundle packages with free gear on these.

Be sure to check out the full lineup of Lectric’s ongoing Memorial Day Sale here while the massive savings last, with even more ongoing sales past the holiday collected in our Memorial Day EV hub, with many slated to end over the next few days, while others are continuing into June.

EcoFlow DELTA 2 smart extra battery

Add 1,024Wh to your DELTA 2 LiFePO4 power station capacity with this expansion battery at $429 low

Coming at us through its official Amazon storefront, EcoFlow is undercutting its ongoing Memorial Day Sale pricing (ending May 28) on the DELTA 2 Smart Extra Battery for $428.99 shipped. This add-on unit normally fetches $799 at full price directly from the brand, but has been starting from $599 in 2025 at Amazon. Discounts have mostly kept costs above $449, though we did see two previous dips to this low. It’s beating out EcoFlow’s direct sale pricing by $30, giving you $170 in savings off its going Amazon rate ($370 off its MSRP) at the lowest price we have tracked.

This add-on battery from EcoFlow is the perfect addition for folks with an existing DELTA 2 power station who want to get far more backup power support for traveling and at-home needs. The battery sports a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can be added to your existing station, giving you 2,048Wh with one or bumping things as high as 3,072Wh when adding two to your setup. Right alongside the station, this battery comes rated for 3,000+ life cycles, giving you over eight years of use if you were planning to discharge and recharge it every single day.

If you were considering starting your backup setup, you can check out EcoFlow’s ongoing Memorial Day deals running through May 28 – which include extra savings (code EF25MEM) that drops the power station and extra battery bundle to $997 from $1,798 – which beats Amazon by $2.

Best Spring 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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CATL’s first 100-second swappable EV batteries debut, proving how far ahead China is

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2 hours ago

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May 27, 2025

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CATL's first 100-second swappable EV batteries debut, proving how far ahead China is

CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries

The first vehicles with CATL’s new ultra-fast swappable EV batteries are now being delivered in China. CATL’s new “Choco-SEB” battery pack can be swapped in 100 seconds, making it just as quick as filling up at a gas station. The new EV features ultra-fast charging and starts at under $24,000 as China widens its lead on the global auto industry.

First EV with CATL’s swappable batteries debuts

CATL’s new swappable batteries could make gas stations obsolete. After revealing the “Choco-SEB” batteries last year, the first vehicles powered by the new technology are now being delivered in China.

On May 25, Changan Automobile announced that it had delivered 1,000 Oshan 520 models, the first electric vehicle (EV) based on CATL’s Choco-SEB swappable batteries. During the event, Changan said the new vehicle has already secured over 15,000 orders from clients.

The Oshan 520 starts at 166,800 yuan in China ($23,100) with a CLTC driving range of up to 515 km (320 miles). It can also gain a full recharge in 100 seconds thanks to CATL’s new tech.

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According to CATL, it has already established 34 Choco-SEB swap stations in Chongqing, Changan’s hometown. By the end of the year, it will have over 50 stations completed in the city.

CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries
CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries

In total, it aims to have 1,000 battery swap stations in 31 cities across China by the end of 2025. Changan and CATL signed an agreement in November 2024 to launch the first models based on the new tech.

After the meeting, officials watched the battery replacement process. Within 100 seconds, the vehicle gains over 310 miles of range (500 km).

CATL-EV-battery-swap-station
CATL Choco-Swap EV battery swap station (Source: CATL)

Several other major automakers, including GAC, Chery, NIO, FAW, and BAIC, are also partnering with CATL to launch vehicles based on its Choco-SEB.

CATL wants to make charging an EV as easy (or even easier) than filling up a gas vehicle. The battery giant released two “grades” last year, one for smaller cars and the other designed for larger A or B-class vehicles.

According to the latest data from SNE Research, CATL maintains a commanding lead in the global EV battery market, holding a 28.8% share through the first two months of 2025, up from 26.9% in the same period last year.

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There’s a hidden number on every e-bike. You should find yours right away

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2 hours ago

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May 27, 2025

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There’s a number hidden somewhere on basically every electric bicycle – or pedal bicycle – including the one in your garage. If you haven’t found it yet, you should do it today. Here’s why.

That number is the frame number, and for all intents and purposes, it’s basically like a VIN but for a bike. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your car is the number that gives it an identity and helps track it down if it’s ever stolen.

The same goes for your bike’s frame number. This innocuous string of characters, often stamped inconspicuously beneath your bike’s bottom bracket or on the head tube, isn’t just there to fill space – it can be the key to protecting your bike from theft or recovering it if the unthinkable happens.

Why is the frame number so important? Simply put, it’s your bike’s fingerprint, a unique identifier that distinguishes your ride from every other two-wheeler out there. In a scenario where your e-bike goes missing, having this number documented can drastically improve the odds of it being returned by law enforcement.

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Rad Power Bikes recently shared some great tips on the importance of knowing your frame number and where to find it. As you can see in the images below, the number is usually stamped into the frame on the bottom of the head tube (the front of the bike), or under the bottom bracket (the underside of the bike where the pedals are connected).

But knowing your frame number is only half the battle. The next critical step is registering that number with a bike registry. Fortunately, several trustworthy services offer free registration, creating a central database accessible by law enforcement, bike shops, and fellow cyclists who might stumble upon your stolen steed.

Bike Index (bikeindex.org) is one of the most popular platforms, boasting thousands of successful recoveries and a simple, intuitive registration process. And the best part is that it’s free! Another solid option is Project 529 (project529.com), widely used in North America and highly praised by police departments for its effectiveness in tracking stolen bikes. Again, it’s free to use!

Additionally, some local municipalities offer their own registries, such as the National Bike Registry (nationalbikeregistry.com), which collaborates directly with law enforcement to streamline the reporting and recovery process.

These types of services offer a form of passive protection, where you can mark your bike as stolen in their registries and then hope that someone finds it. In the event that someone does find your bike (such as in a shady Craigslist sale, etc.) and decides to check the frame number against the databases, they’ll see it’s stolen. If the police raid a bike theft ring and find a cache of stolen bikes, they may run all their frame numbers and find that yours is in the mix.

If you want protection that is a bit more active, there are full-on insurance options (though your renters or homeowner’s insurance may cover your e-bike), or theft protection services like Tempo that aren’t technically insurance, but operate somewhat similarly by offering a combination of holographic tracking number stickers for the bike combined with up to $2,500 in coverage for a replacement bike, if they can’t recover your stolen bike. I had the chance to sit down with Tempo’s founder Michael Keating at Micromobility America late last year, and you can see more about what I learned from him here.

This is probably a good time for a reminder to us all that a good lock is usually the only thing standing between our precious e-bike and those who want to take it from us.

I’ve reviewed a ton of locks, but some of my favorites include the Foldylock Compact for its high security, smaller size, and ease of locking to various sizes/shapes of bike racks, or the Foldylock Forever which is the big brother of the Compact and is nearly as impenetrable as it gets for a bike lock, as confirmed by the top bike lock testing agencies in the world.

For those who prefer a U-lock instead of a folding lock, my go-to lock is the Mason 220. Again, it is one of the top-rated locks, but it’s also wide enough to fit around the battery-fattened downtube of my e-bikes. That’s rare in the world of U-locks, and so the fact that it carries so many high-level awards and certifications is icing on the cake.

But no matter how good your lock is, there’s always a chance that your e-bike can be separated from you. And so the long and the short of it is that every e-bike has a unique identifier on it, and finding that frame number is your best chance of getting your bike back if it is ever stolen.

So take a minute today and locate your frame number to write it down or take a picture of it. Better yet, take a selfie with it and yourself. If you ever need to quickly prove that it’s your bike to a police officer on the sidewalk (such as if you followed an AirTag right to the bike), that’s a great way to do it.

I’ve had my e-bike stolen more than once, and the only way to curb that sinking feeling is to get it back. Taking a few minutes now to locate your frame number and register your e-bike can save you countless headaches later. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth several thousand dollars worth of cure when it comes to stolen bikes. So flip that bike upside down, jot down your frame number, and give yourself some peace of mind.

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