![Watch this electric semi truck drive a heavy load nearly 600 miles [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/windrose_validation.png?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Watch this electric semi truck drive a heavy load nearly 600 miles [video]
Battery electric semi trucks continue to prove their worth every day in port and regional route service across America — but many US truckers still believe that EVs aren’t ready for long-haul runs. The good news is that the facts don’t care what you believe, and Windrose’ latest, all-electric 578-mile route validation (with a fully loaded trailer) across the I-10 corridor is making the doubters look like dummies!
We last spoke to Windrose founder Wen Han back in April at the ACT Expo in Anaheim, California, where the Shell-sponsored NACFE group was promoting the idea of “the messy middle” as, in my interpretation, an excuse for fleets to hold off on buying electric — if only for one more asset replacement cycle.
Not everyone agrees with the oil-backed efficiency group’s take on things, however, and those fleets who are willing to take a look at the battery-electric options available now, today, in the US, and in customers’ hands are going to find immensely capable electric semi truck options.
One of those electric semi truck options, the Windrose R700 shown here, features efficient, aerodynamic bodywork, a competitive price tag, and a sleeper configuration. And if the company’s I-10 route validation video (below) proves anything, it’s that R700 operators will be able to put those sleepers to good use on 300+ mile runs. (!)
Windrose electric semi 578 mile round-trip
In the video, the Windrose R700’s 729 kWh li-ion batteries were tasking with hauling a 75,000 lb. combined load (max. allowed combined vehicle and trailer weight for a BEV is 82,000 lbs.) 289 miles each way between Colton, California and Buckeye, Arizona across the critical I-10 freight corridor that runs coast-to-coast from California to Florida. And, with its 1,045 hp electric motors, I’m sure the R700 did so with very little strain on the uphill portions!
“From long-haul highway conditions to charging stops and elevation changes, the Windrose truck handled every mile with zero emissions and total confidence,” reads the official copy. “This is more than a test — it’s proof that electric freight is ready for the real world.”
Between 2023 and 2024, Windrose and Rongqing Logistics jointly completed tens of thousands of miles of real-world testing on a 1,456 km (over 900 miles) route between Shanghai to Guangzhou. The R700 electric semi required just two charging stops to complete the run, demonstrating impressive capabilities. And, with an 800V high-voltage platform capable of megawatt-level dual-inlet charging, it can even “fill up” in less time than it typically to power down lunch.
Electrek’s Take
It’s great to see the electric semi truck market filling up to with options — and seeing those options get put to work in real-world heavy haul applications, as opposed to the easy-to-criticize potato chip hauling performances we’ve seen from that other brand in the recent past. As Windrose ramps up production, PACCAR Kenworth expands its offerings, Mack joins the fray, and Volvo’s deployed electric truck fleet knocks on the door of 100 million miles driven, it’s hard to believe that other will be able to catch up (regardless of what Trump decides to do to them).
SOURCE | IMAGES: Windrose; via Clean Trucking, CTrucks Review.
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Lucid’s electric minivan can outsprint the Chevy Corvette Z06, and it has more interior space than a Ford Explorer. Is the Lucid Gravity really the “ultimate uncompromising SUV?”
Lucid Gravity SUV is faster than a Corvette Z06
Lucid’s electric SUV is impressive inside and out. The Gravity provides up to 450 miles of driving range, ultra-fast charging (200 miles in under 11 mins), and it even offers up to 120 cubic feet of cargo space. That’s more than the Ford Explorer (87.8 cu ft).
It’s also faster than most sports cars. The Grand Touring trim has up to 845 hp, good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds, but the Dream Edition takes it to another level.
Powered by dual electric motors, the Lucid Gravity Dream Edition boasts 1,070 hp. To see how Lucid’s minivan stacks up against the competition, Car and Driver nabbed one for testing.
On the test track, the Lucid’s minivan covered a quarter-mile in just 10.6 secs, beating a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 to 150 mph by nearly three seconds.
According to Car and Driver, the Gravity didn’t just impress in the quarter-mile, “it was a beast in every acceleration metric.” Lucid’s SUV hit 30 mph in 1.4 seconds, 70 mph in 3.7 secs, and topped 100 mph in just 5.9 seconds.
Dave Vanderwerp, the testing director who took the Gravity for a spin, said the electric SUV “gets a sort of second wave of thrust starting around 60 mph.”
With a quarter-mile of just 10.6 secs, Lucid’s Gravity is the fastest SUV they have ever tested, beating out the Rivian Tri-Motor Max (11.1 secs), BMW iX M60 (11.5 secs), and Mercedes-AMG EQE53 SUV.
Although the Rivian’s 850 hp R1S Tri-Motor beat the Gravity to 60 mph, Lucid’s SUV sprinted ahead in the quarter-mile, traveling nearly 20 mph faster.
It was also faster than gas-powered super SUVs, including the Lamborghini Urus Performante (11.2 secs) and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT (11.2 secs). However, they have yet to test a Tesla Model X Plaid, so that could change the game.
In what it called the “1,000 hp mom missiles” drag race, Hagerty recently pitted the Gravity Dream Edition against the Audi RS Q8 Performance, Range Rover Sport SV, Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, Rivian R1S Quad, and Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.
The result was a three-way tie between Lucid’s Gravity, the Porsche Panamera Turbo, and Rivian R1S Quad hitting the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds.
The Lucid Gravity is available to order starting at $94,900 in the US. Later this year, Lucid is launching the lower-priced Touring trim, priced from $79,900.
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Solar provided over 11% of total US electrical generation in May, while wind + solar produced over one-fifth, and the mix of all renewable energy sources generated nearly 30%, according to data just released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Solar continues to set new records
Solar continues to be the fastest-growing source of US electricity, according to EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through May 31, 2025), which the SUN DAY Campaign reviewed.
In May alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar (>1-megawatt (MW)) increased by 33.3% year-over-year, while “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV increased by 8.9%. Combined, they grew by 26.4% and provided over 11% of US electrical output during the month.
For the first time ever, the mix of utility-scale and small-scale solar produced more electricity than wind: solar – 38,965 gigawatt-hours (GWh); wind – 36,907-GWh.
Moreover, utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic expanded by 39.8% while that from small-scale systems rose by 10.7% during the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 31.1% and was nearly 8.4% of total US electrical generation for January to May – up from 6.6% a year earlier.
Solar-generated electricity easily surpassed the output of US hydropower plants (6.1%). Solar now produces more electricity than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
Wind is also on the rise in 2025
Wind produced 12.2% of US electricity in the first five months of 2025. Its output was 3.9% greater than the year before, almost double that produced by hydropower.
During the first five months of 2025, electrical generation by wind + utility-scale and small-scale solar provided 20.5% of the US total, up from 18.7% during the first five months of 2024. Solar + wind accounted for nearly 21.5% of US electrical output in May alone.
During the first five months of this year, wind and solar provided 26.2% more electricity than coal, and 15.4% more than US nuclear power plants. In May alone, the disparity increased further when solar + wind outproduced coal and nuclear power by 55.7% and 22.1%, respectively.
All renewables produced almost 30% in May
The mix of all renewables – wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, geothermal – produced 9.7% more electricity in January to May than they did a year ago (7.6% more in May alone) and provided 28.1% of total US electricity production compared to 26.5% 12 months earlier.
Electrical generation by all renewables in May alone provided 29.7% of total US electrical generation. Renewables’ share of electrical generation is now second only to that of natural gas, whose electrical output actually dropped by 5.9% during the month.
“Solar and wind continue to grow, set new records, and outproduce both coal and nuclear power,” said Ken Bossong, the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director. “Consequently, the ongoing Republican assault against renewables is not only misguided and illogical but also a good example of shooting oneself in the foot.”
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind made up 96% of new US power generating capacity in first third of 2025
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Environment
Podcast: Tesla’s disturbing earnings, self-driving challenge, solid state batteries, and more
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 disturbing earnings, a new self-driving challenge, solid-state batteries, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
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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