![Dope or nope? A custom truck builder is modding up Rivians with lift kits, Kevlar paint, and roll cages [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/Custom-Rivian-hero.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Dope or nope? A custom truck builder is modding up Rivians with lift kits, Kevlar paint, and roll cages [Video]
If you’ve been inside a Rivian R1T or R1S, you could argue they’re pretty well equipped to handle off-road terrain and are already reasonably customizable with add-ons. However, a custom truck specialist in Florida has reimagined the Rivian pickup for “Apocalyptic” level performance with an entirely customized exterior complete with LED lights, a roll cage, and even Kevlar paint.
Since its inception, the Rivian brand and the ethos of its entire company have been centered around the outdoors. Not only providing zero emissions to help Mother Nature return to her former self but promoting a lifestyle of adventure and exploration in national parks, campgrounds, and off-the-beaten path.
We at Electrek have driven multiple variants of the Rivian R1T pickup and R1S SUV and have no qualms with its off-road capabilities. Whether it’s quad- or dual-motor, Rivian’s active air suspension shines, and its ability to add custom racks and camping tents has been a massive plus for consumers.
However, a custom truck builder called Apocalypse Manufacturing has modded these electric trucks up to a level fit for a “Florida Man.” Apocalypse specializes in tough, rugged custom truck builds, modding up vehicles like Jeeps and Rams with 6×6 capabilities and donning them with intimidating names like “Hellfire” and “Juggernaut.”
As the automotive world inches closer and closer to going all-electric, Apocalypse Manufacturing has adapted as such, pushing its 6.2L HEMI V8 engines over to make some room for custom EVs like the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV in its lineup.
A custom build of the Rivian R1T, called the “Nirvana” by Apocalypse, caught our eye at a local Florida dealer, which led us to this company that could be building some of the coolest or most atrocious off-road EVs you’ve ever seen. It just depends on your taste.
Would you buy one of these custom Rivian R1Ts?
According to the Apocalypse website, its custom Nirvana Rivian R1T features quad-motors, 839 horsepower, and 350 miles of range, which is interesting because the advertised range of a stock R1T with the large battery pack is 328 miles.
While the performance specs remain relatively the same, the overall look of the Apocalypse Nirvana compared to the R1T it was birthed from is quite staggering. The company equips each EV with a custom body, including a revamped front bumper, hood, lined front and rear fenders, a roll cage, a new LED bar, and a reinforced pickup bed with skid plates.
For extreme off-roading, Apocalypse added a lift kit to the custom Rivian, which is complimented by dynamic computer-controlled suspension and 38” x 15.5” off-road tires mounted on 20” x 12” SFJ wheels. As a result, the pickup sits 81″ high – plenty of clearance from mud and water, as you’ll see in the video below.
Since these are custom builds, the price of the Apocalypse Nirvana custom Rivian varies, but someone is currently selling a used one in Fort Lauderdale with less than 1,500 miles on it for $130,000. Check out the Nirvana in action in Apocalypse Manufacturing’s video, and let us know what you think.
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Chinese electric scooter manufacturer NIU Technologies (NASDAQ: NIU) is experiencing a remarkable surge in 2025, with its stock price nearly doubling year-to-date. This impressive performance is fueled by a significant increase in electric moped sales, particularly within its domestic market, despite facing challenges such as international tariffs and rising freight costs.
Domestic market is driving growth
In the first quarter of 2025, NIU reported a 57.4% year-over-year increase in e-scooter sales, totaling 203,313 units. Notably, 183,065 of these units were sold in China, marking a 66.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
This domestic growth was boosted by China’s consumer trade-in program, which incentivizes the replacement of older scooters with newer, more efficient models.
The company’s revenue for Q1 2025 reached RMB 682.0 million (approximately US $94 million), a 35.1% increase from the previous year. However, the average revenue per e-scooter decreased by 14.2% to RMB 3,354, indicating a shift towards more affordable models.
NIU CEO Yan Li explained: “In China, we are advancing our intelligent product development strategy by integrating automotive-grade technologies such as millimeter-wave radar, dual-channel ABS, and AI Smart Ecosystem to enhance the user experience. Our retail network has continued to expand in-line with our expectations, with new stores opening during the quarter. This synergistic combination of product innovation and omni-channel growth is driving measurable increases in domestic sales and market penetration.”
International challenges remain
While domestic sales certainly provided strong tailwinds for NIU, international markets still present challenges for the company. Sales outside China grew by a modest 6.4%, totaling 20,248 units. Factors such as US tariffs and increased freight costs were noted in NIU’s Q1 2025 earnings report as impacting international margins. Despite these hurdles, international sales contributed RMB 60 million (approximately US $8 million) to the quarterly revenue, a 22.4% increase year-over-year.
NIU’s gross margin declined to 17.3% from 18.9% in the same quarter last year, reflecting the pressure from international trade policies and logistics costs. Nevertheless, the company’s net loss narrowed to RMB 38.8 million, down from RMB 54.8 million in Q1 2024, indicating improved operational efficiency. While still operating at a net loss of around US 5.4 million, these numbers indicate a strong turnaround for the company – reflected by the nearly doubling of NIU’s stock price so far in 2025.
Looking ahead, NIU is anticipating continued growth and projecting Q2 2025 revenue to increase by 40% to 50% year-over-year. The company says it is also exploring strategies to mitigate international challenges, such as diversifying its production and focusing on markets less affected by tariffs.
As Li continued, “Globally, the market is undergoing structural shifts, with US trade policies experiencing increased volatility. However, we are leveraging innovation and agile infrastructure to mitigate geopolitical challenges, enabling sustainable global growth through proactive production adjustments.”
Electrek’s Take
If you’re a NIU fan like I am, this is great news that helps claw back some of the losses seen in the last couple of years. The entire micromobility sector has navigated choppy waters after the pandemic bubble burst, and NIU was certainly not immune to the drop in sales. But these numbers paint a promising return that industry analysts and scooter riders who depend on the company alike have been hoping for.
I visited NIU’s factory a few months ago and saw firsthand how much care and precision goes into building its millions of electric two-wheelers. That kind of in-depth look is rare in this industry, and it gave me keen insight into what separates NIU’s high-tech and high-design models from much of the industry.
Now it seems that sales are starting to catch back up to where such innovative pieces of tech deserve to be. Here’s to hoping for another good quarter to follow.
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
Source Links
If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.
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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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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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A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
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