![Archer Aviation demonstrated public eVTOL flights in California and they were so quiet! [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/Archer-eVTOL-flights-CA.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Archer Aviation demonstrated public eVTOL flights in California and they were so quiet! [Video]
After an announcement last week, eVTOL developer Archer Aviation completed display flights to the public at the 2025 California International Air Show. This public display was Archer’s latest aerial achievement in the public eye as it moves closer to certification and commercial eVTOL operations.
While Archer Aviation ($ACHR) has been a mainstay on Electrek‘s eVTOL news beat for the past few years, the past few months have been fascinating. In May, Archer signed on as the exclusive air taxi provider of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
By June, it became the latest sustainable aviation developer to begin bona fide piloted test flights in its flagship Midnight aircraft (pictured below). Archer’s success continued through the summer, as it reported milestones that marked its longest piloted eVTOL flight (55 miles in 31 minutes), as well as its two highest altitude flights, reaching heights of 7,000 and 10,000 feet.
Last week, Archer announced that it would be demonstrating the capabilities of its Midnight eVTOL to the public with multiple flights over the weekend during the California International Air Show. One day later, we have footage of one of the flights that we want you to see (and try to hear).
Archer shows of eVTOL tech during display flights in CA
As promised, Archer Aviation completed display flights with its Midnight eVTOL during both days of the 2025 California International Air Show in Salinas, CA, this past weekend. The Salinas Municipal Airport is actually home to Archer’s test flight facility, and the startup was a sponsor of the event.
The annual air show was expected to welcome over 65,000 attendees, not including the 1,000 expected to visit from Archer’s engineering, operations, and flight test departments. According to Archer, its Midnight eVTOL was scheduled for initial test flights, followed by notable flybys from other prominent groups, such as the Blue Angels and the USAF F-16 Viper Demo team.
While those other aerial teams are indeed more death-defying entertainment, their conventional technology is significantly more polluting, from an air and noise perspective. That’s a huge selling point for eVTOL developers like Archer, as they offer more and more public flight demonstrations to inform people of the benefits of this segment.
You have to see Archer’s flight footage of the Midnight to understand what we’re talking about. The aircraft is zooming by over the crowd, and you can not only clearly hear the emcee tallying off the eVTOL’s specs, but you can actually hear murmurs and conversations of people in the crowd—no chance you’re hearing any of that when the Blue Angels soar by.
Obviously, there’s a huge design gap between an all-electric air taxi and an F/A-18 Super Hornet, but the test flights still showcase how much quieter certain aerial travel can be. A better comparison would be a helicopter, which could easily be replaced by eVTOL vessels in the near future.
Until then, you can enjoy the demo eVTOL flight video from Archer below.
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On today’s incredibly frustrating episode of Quick Charge, Tesla is making it easier than ever to make fun of them by rolling out a new, “affordable” Model Y that costs $2,000 more than the “expensive” one did last week, thanks to the cancellation of the $7,500 tax credit that Elon Musk (the guy who is so good at business that he’s allegedly worth $1 trillion) spent $200 million campaigning for.
We’ve also got the new, single-motor Volvo EX30 at a price that undercuts the cheap Tesla, but includes a full length glass roof that isn’t inexplicably covered in upholstery to punish poor people. All this and more – enjoy!
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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. Get started here.
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Chevy’s electric SUV is now the best-selling EV in the US outside of Tesla. The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is slightly more expensive than the outgoing model, but GM has added new style packages for you to choose from.
GM raises 2026 Chevy Equinox EV price, adds options
The Chevy Equinox EV doesn’t need much help. Starting at just $34,995, the 2025 Chevy Equinox quickly became one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US.
Entering its third year, the Equinox EV remains GM’s most affordable EV, with starting prices slightly higher at $36,495. That includes the $1,395 destination fee.
Since it’s a carryover model, there aren’t too many changes, but buyers will have several new style packages to choose from.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox LT gains a new Midnight Package, which adds black emblems, bowtie, badging, wheel caps, and 19″ black painted aluminum wheels, for $595.
There’s also a new Tech Bronze Package available on the LT and RS trims. The new option includes a Tech Bronze decal, a black nameplate, a black bowtie emblem, and 21″ Tech Bronze wheels. It costs an extra $3,595.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is now listed on GM’s website. It’s still available in LT1, LT2, and RS trims with Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) powertrain options.
The base 2026 LT FWD trim starts at $36,495 with up to 319 miles of range, including a $1,395 destination fee. Upgrading to AWD costs an extra $5,300, with a slightly shorter range of 307 miles.
| Chevy Equinox EV trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range |
| LT 1 FWD | $34,995 | $36,495 | 319 miles |
| LT 1 AWD | $38,295 | $39,795 | 307 miles |
| LT 2 FWD | $43,295 | $43,295 | 319 miles |
| LT 2 AWD | $46,595 | $46,595 | 307 miles |
| RS FWD | $44,795 | $45,595 | 319 miles |
| RS AWD | $48,095 | $48,895 | 307 miles |
Following another record quarter of EV sales in Q3, GM said that the Chevy Equinox EV was the best-selling non-Tesla electric vehicle in the US.
With several new affordable EVs arriving, including the new Nissan LEAF, will the Equinox continue to be a top seller in 2026? It will be interesting to see where the rankings end up at this time next year.
Wondering if Chevy’s electric SUV lives up to the hype? You can use our link to find 2025 and 2026 Chevy Equinox EV models near you and try it out for yourself.
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A surge in EV charging cable thefts is putting the reliability of the UK’s charging network at risk and undermining trust among drivers. InstaVolt is the UK’s largest network of fast chargers, and over the past two years, nearly 1,000 of its charging stations (it has over 2,100, so nearly 50%) have been targeted by cable thieves. But now InstaVolt is fighting back with GPS tracking.
Bafflingly, the incentive for thieves is low-value scrap: There’s only about £25 ($33) worth of copper inside a charging cable. But the damage is costly – around £1,000 ($1,342) per site for repairs.
In April, InstaVolt CEO Delvin Lane told the BBC that the thefts had cost his company about £410,000 ($550,150) since November 2023. Lane said, “This isn’t just an InstaVolt problem; this is an industry problem. The biggest impact is on drivers.”
InstaVolt has reinforced its cables with Kevlar sheaths, making them harder to cut. It has also rolled out live GPS tracking across its network on its charging cables in partnership with GPS supplier Trackit247. The technology provides location updates every three seconds, allowing the company to detect, trace, and recover stolen cables in real time.
Each charging cable is geo-fenced to its charger, so an alert is immediately triggered if it moves outside the designated area. InstaVolt’s 24/7 security center receives instant notifications by text, email, and phone, and it can coordinate directly with the police.
The system’s biggest advantage is live tracking in transit. If a thief drives off with a charging cable, police can follow its exact route and move in fast, increasing the chance of recovery and arrest. Instavolt’s GPS technology marks a major step forward in protecting critical EV infrastructure, deterring theft, and enabling quick response when it happens.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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. Get started here.
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