As Texas braces for tighter power margins and record demand on the ERCOT grid, Sunrun and NRG Energy are transforming home batteries into a giant virtual power plant. The two companies are integrating more home battery storage into the grid and tapping those batteries when the state needs power the most.

The solar + storage provider and energy company announced a new multi-year partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption of distributed energy in Texas, with a focus on solar-plus-storage systems that can be aggregated and dispatched during periods of high demand. The idea is simple: use home batteries as a flexible, on‑demand power source to help meet Texas’s rapidly growing electricity needs.

Under the deal, Texas homeowners will be offered a bundled home energy setup that pairs Sunrun’s solar and battery systems with retail electricity plans from NRG’s Texas provider, Reliant. Customers will also get smart battery programming designed to optimize when their batteries charge and discharge. As new and existing Sunrun customers enroll with Reliant, their combined battery capacity will be made available to support the ERCOT grid during times of stress.

“This partnership is a major step in achieving our goal of creating a 1 GW virtual power plant by 2035,” said Brad Bentley, President of NRG Consumer. “By teaming up with Sunrun, we’re unlocking a new source of dispatchable, flexible energy while giving customers the opportunity to unlock value from their homes and contribute to a more resilient grid.”

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Sunrun, which has one of the largest fleets of residential batteries in the US, will be paid for aggregating the capacity, and participating Reliant customers will be compensated by Sunrun for sharing their stored solar energy.

The arrangement gives Texas households a way to earn money from their batteries while also improving grid reliability in a state that continues to see rapid population growth, extreme weather, and rising electricity demand.

Read more: The US’s first residential V2G power plant is running on Ford F-150 Lightning trucks

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BYD offered a first look at its new flagship electric SUV and sedan, claiming the new EVs redefine high-end standards.

BYD preps to launch new flagship EV sedan and SUV

With over 480,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold in November, BYD is coming off its best sales month of 2025. With new technology and vehicles launching across multiple segments, the company expects momentum to pick up in 2026.

That will include a pair of high-end flagship EVs, the Seal 08 sedan and Sealion 08 SUV. BYD confirmed the names for the first time on Monday alongside teaser images revealing the silhouette of each.

According to CarNewsChina, both models are set to debut in the first three months of 2026 and will feature BYD’s latest tech and software.

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Both models are based on the Ocean S concept BYD revealed in April at the Shanghai Auto Show, featuring its latest design theme, Ocean Aesthetic 2.0.

Although China’s MIIT released a sales license for a BYD vehicle named the Seal 08 earlier this year, it launched as the Seal 06 EV this summer.

At 4,720 mm long, 1,880 mm wide, and 1,495 mm tall, the electric sedan is about the size of the Tesla Model 3. It’s offered with 46.1 kWh or 56.6 kWh battery packs, delivering a CLTC range of 470 km and 545 km, respectively.

Although BYD has yet to reveal prices or any other details, the Seal 08 is expected to deliver a longer driving range with added power.

Local news outlet 163 claims the new Sealion 08 will be 5,040 mm long, or slightly bigger than the Tesla Model Y-sized Sealion 07 SUV.

The new flagship SUV and sedan will join other BYD Ocean Series models, including the Seagull, Dolphin, Seal, and Song Plus.

Although November was BYD’s best sales month of the year, growth has slowed in 2025. BYD’s chairman and president, Wang Chuanfu, told investors (via CnEVPost) that the company’s biggest advantage lies in its advanced technologies, including next-gen batteries, smart driving features, charging, and other related EV tech.

“I say our technology isn’t sufficiently advanced now because we have major technological announcements coming, but I can’t disclose details at this time,” Wang said earlier this month.

BYD is also aggressively expanding overseas to drive growth. Last month, BYD’s exports surged 325% with a record nearly 132,000 vehicles shipped overseas.

Headlining our Tuesday Green Deals this week is Velotric’s Christmas Gift Season Sale that is not only taking up to $400 off a select number of its e-bikes, but is also offering a FREE $100 gift card with purchases of $2,500 or more. Among the lineup, we spotted the Velotric Summit 1 Versatile Multi-Terrain e-bike with a $160 FREE bundle of gear back at its $1,799 low. Right behind it is Heybike’s Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike that comes with $89+ in FREE gear/gifts at a new $999 low, as well as Bluetti’s Elite 30 V2 Power Station at $204, an Autel EV Charger at its second-best pricing, and many more Christmas deals waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Hiboy Christmas EV Sale, the latest EcoFlow 48-hour flash sale that ends tonight, and more.

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.

With its weekend flash sale now over, Velotric has switched gears and has launched its Christmas Gift Season Sale with select e-bike discounts of up to $400, free gifts, and even a free $100 gift card promotion when spending $2,500 or more. Among the small selection of deals, a standout is Velotric’s newer Summit 1 Versatile Multi-Terrain e-bike in a Royal Blue colorway with $160 in FREE gear at $1,799 shipped, matching its Black Friday pricing. This e-bike alone would normally cost $1,999 at full price (and $2,059 with the bundled gear), which we only saw 2025 discounts to $1,899 until Black Friday/Cyber Monday, when this same low price came around for the second time since 2024. Now, you’re getting another chance to score the best tracked price, with $200 cut from the tag and a total $360 savings in all. Head below to learn more about it and the other offers during this Christmas sale.

Coming in as a more affordable all-terrain trekker over Velotric’s premium Nomad 2X e-bike, the Summit 1 e-bike still provides plenty of support, regardless of the terrain you’re venturing across. It arrives equipped with a 750W rear hub motor (that peaks at 1,300W) and a 705.6Wh battery, giving you up to 20/28 MPH top speeds (depending on your laws) and up to 70 miles of PAS-supported travel. While the brand claims that throttle-only riding can continue for up to 60 miles, it’s best to expect less from using pure electric action.

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One notable standout among this e-bike’s features is the SensorSwap inclusion, which allows you to utilize both a cadence and torque sensor as you ride after simply switching between them, giving you more versatile support depending on what kind of terrain you’re passing over. Other features include Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and an 8-speed derailleur, Kenda puncture-resistant tires, a light-sensing LED headlight, a brake-activated taillight, Apple Find My security integration, a 2.8 full color display with a USB port, and more.

Velotric Christmas Gift Season Sale offers:

• Fold 1 Step-Thru Folding e-bike w/ FREE $48 bundle: $1,099 (Reg. $1,547)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 55 miles
• Velotric T1 ST Plus Lightweight Urban e-bike w/ FREE $162 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $2,059)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 70 miles
• Breeze 1 Cruiser e-bike w/ $150 FREE bundled gear: $1,799 (Reg. $1,949)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 70 miles
• Summit 1 Multi-Terrain e-bike w/ FREE $160 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,059)
  • 20/28 MPH for up to 70 miles

Carry packages, people, more on Heybike’s 85-mile dual-battery Hauler cargo e-bike with FREE gear/gifts at a new $999 low

As part of Heybike’s ongoing Christmas e-bike Sale, which has returned the ALPHA All-Terrain Mid-Drive model back to its lowest price, we also spotted a new cut on the Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike for $999 shipped and coming with FREE dual rear side baskets ($89 value) and a holiday gift pack. This long-range variant goes for $1,899 outside of sales, which we’ve only seen taken as low as $1,099 previously during the brand’s Black Friday sale. Now, for Christmas, you’re looking at even more savings – $989+ total – that lands it down at a new all-time low price at just $100 more than the single-battery model was before selling out of stock.

If you want to learn more about this long-range e-bike, be sure to check out our original coverage of this new low price here.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2 288Wh LiFePO4 power station and its many colorways start from $204 and arrive before Xmas

Bluetti’s official Amazon storefront is undercutting the brand’s direct Christmas Sale pricing on its Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station at $204 shipped in a standard black colorway, while its sand grey and twilight purple colorways are priced higher at $209 shipped – the latter of these deals matching the price directly from Bluetti, where sadly, they are not eligible for the exclusive bonus savings. These stations all carry $304 MSRPs on the direct site, while Amazon starts them off a little lower at $299. Today’s rates are only beaten out by cuts further to $199 and $189 that we’ve sporadically seen, most recently during last month’s Black Friday events, with you still getting solid $95 and $90 markdowns.

If you want to learn more about this power station, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Autel’s MaxiCharger Home 40A level 2 EV charging station arrives ahead of Christmas for $319

Through the official Autel Amazon storefront, you can pick up the brand’s MaxiCharger Home 40A Level 2 EV Charger at $319 shipped, which matches the price directly from the brand. It’s coming down from its $470 full price here with a $151 markdown, landing it at the second-lowest rate we have tracked – just $8 above the low we spotted during July’s Prime Day event. If you want an even more advanced model, you can also currently find the MaxiCharger AC Lite Home 40A Smart AI Level 2 EV Charger with voice controls at this same price – with either of these stations arriving ahead of Christmas for the time being.

If you want to learn more about this EV charging solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Best Winter EV deals!

• Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (camo) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $3,048 (Reg. $3,298)
• Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (sage or fig) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $2,948 (Reg. $3,298)
• Heybike Hero 750W Mid-Drive Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike: $2,099 (Reg. $3,099)
• Segway Xyber e-bike (at lowest price): $2,900 (Reg. $3,300)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 35Ah Cargo e-bike w/ $893 bundle: $1,999 (Reg. $2,761)
• Ride1Up TrailRush German Mid-Drive e-bike: $1,995 (Reg. $2,095)
• Heybike Hero 1,000W Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike: $1,899 (Reg. $2,599)
• Tenways Wayfarer e-bike with $366 bundle: $1,899 (Reg. $2,199)
• Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike with DELTA 2 station: $1,898 (Reg. $2,198)
• Segway Xafari e-bike (at lowest price): $1,800 (Reg. $2,400)
• Aventon Aventure 3 Smart All-Terrain e-bike: $1,799 (Reg. $1,999)
• Aventon Aventure 3 Smart Step-Through All-Terrain e-bike: $1,799 (Reg. $1,999)
• Velotric Summit 1 Versatile Multi-Terrain e-bike w/ 160 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,059)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 26Ah Cargo e-bike w/ $744 bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,543)
• Lectric XP Trike2 750 Long-Range eTrike: $1,699 (Reg. $1,799)
• Aventon Level 3 Step-Over Smart Commuter e-bike: $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
• Aventon Level 3 Step-Through Smart Commuter e-bike: $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
• Lectric XPeak 2.0 Long-Range Off-Road e-bike: $1,599 (Reg. $1,699)
• Aventon Abound Cargo e-bike: $1,599 (Reg. $1,999)
• Ride1Up VORSA Modular Multi-Use e-bike: $1,595 (Reg. $1,695)
• Lectric XP Trike2: $1,399 (Reg. $1,499)
• Lectric XPeak 2.0 Standard Off-Road e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,499)
• Lectric XPedition 2.0 13Ah Cargo e-bike with $346 bundle: $1,399 (Reg. $1,745)
• Heybike ALPHA All-Terrain e-bike with $266 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,699)
• Lectric XPress 750 Commuter e-bikes with $518 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,817)
• Lectric XP4 750 LR Folding Utility e-bikes with $514 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,813)
• Lectric XP Lite 2.0 JW Black LR e-bike with $350 bundle: $1,099 (Reg. $1,449)
• Heybike Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike with $89+ bundle (new low): $999 (Reg. $1,413)
• Lectric XP4 Standard Folding Utility e-bikes with $227 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,226)
• Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $350 bundles: $999 (Reg. $1,349)
• Segway ZT3 Pro All-Terrain Electric Scooter: $850 (Reg. $1,000)
• Segway E3 Pro Electric Scooter: $600 (Reg. $700)

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.

• Latest EcoFlow Xmas flash sale drops DELTA 3 Ultra Plus 440W solar bundle to new $1,799 low (Save $1,900), more
• Hiboy’s Christmas Sale offers EV commuting solutions at up to 50% off + bonus savings codes – all starting from $150
• Pass lawn mowing to ECOVACS’ Goat O1000 RTK robot while at a new $699 low for Xmas (Reg. $1,000)
• Off-season savings take EGO’s 56V 15-inch rapid reload string trimmer down to $149 annual low ($50 off)
• Save up to $175 on Goal Zero’s compact Yeti 700 or 500 power stations at best prices in months from $375
• Electrified Weekly – Christmas sales from Lectric, Velotric, Rad Power, Anker SOLIX, EcoFlow, Bluetti, and so much more