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Kicking off this week’s Green Deals is a $600 discount on the MOD Easy 3 e-bike that is now down at a new $2,699 low price. We’ve also got an early Prime Day deal on Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station that is down at a $549 low and running parallel with Anker’s Early Prime Big Deal Days sale that ends alongside the Amazon 2-day event. From there we have a bunch of one-day discounts for you, with EcoFlow’s latest flash sale offering up to 53% off its DELTA 2 and DELTA 2 Max power station bundles that start from a new $779 low. We also have GoTrax’s XR PRO Commuting Electric Scooter down at $400, as well as both a refurbished and brand new option on Greenworks’ 80V 730 CFM cordless blowers that are at their lowest prices starting from $130. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals in the links at the bottom of the page, collected together in our Electrified Weekly roundup from over the weekend.

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.

Save $600 on the Class 3 MOD Easy 3 e-bike at new $2,699 low

MOD Bikes is offering a significant price drop on its stylish Easy 3 e-bike for $2,699 shipped. Normally you’d be spending $3,499 on this newer model, with the few sales we’ve seen since the brand hit our radar usually only taking $300 off its price tag. Today though, that markdown has doubled to a solid $600 being cut from its going rate, giving you a quality ride (with unique and impeccable taste) at the lowest price we have tracked. You can learn some more about this e-bike (and its additional sidecar attachment) by reading through our hands-on review of its earlier design over at Electrek, or head below for more info on this newer model that sports some upgraded features.

As I’ve said before, the MOD Easy 3 has been a favorite of mine since I first discovered the brand, with its quality parts and unique style that resembles the classic Indian 741 Scout motorcycles that would cost you more than just an arm and a leg these days (and likely the closest I’ll ever get to riding one of those bad boys). I recently got ahold of one and so far it’s been a very exciting ride, mainly due to its design differences from most standard e-bikes these days that more resemble mountain bikes. It comes with a 750W rear brushless geared hub motor (1,000W peak), a removable 720Wh MOD Samsung Powerpack battery, and five levels of pedal assistance supported by a new torque sensor (upgraded from the previous version’s cadence sensor).

This thing really picks up and goes with its 28 MPH top speed and 50-mile travel distance (which can be doubled to 100 miles with an extra battery). You’ll also find other features like a 7-speed Shimano ALTUS derailleur, an integrated LED headlight and taillight with brake light functionality, a thumb throttle for pure electric action, fenders to go over both of its multi-terrain tires, a rear cargo rack, hydraulic disc brakes, dual suspension, a wide saddle, a bell, and an S3 smart color display with a USB port for charging your devices (another upgrade from the earlier simple LCD display) and password security for locking the e-bike.

There are two alternative configurations for the MOD Easy 3 e-bike, one with a sidecar attachment that includes a padded seat for $4,299 with the current $500 discount. Now I will admit, this is a steep price if you wanted to take a smaller child with you, considering that the rear rack is more than capable of supporting a child’s seat, but it does allow for kids, teens, and adults up to 150 pounds to have a unique riding experience – and even more specifically, your dog or similar pet. Keep in mind there are no seatbelts here though, but there are the dedicated D-ring anchor points to secure your dog’s leash or harness. If you want the same general style of the Easy 3 e-bike in more chopper-like format, there’s also the MOD Easy Ape Hanger 3 e-bike for $2,699, down from $3,499. It has much of the same features and specs, but with a much more simplistic, toned-down design that features chopper handlebars.

There’s plenty of other models worth checking out in MOD Bike’s latest sale on the landing page here.

EcoFlow flash sale

Score EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 or DELTA 2 Max power station bundles at up to 53% off in 1-day flash sale from $779 low

EcoFlow has launched yet another 24-hour flash sale that is offering some of the best deals we’ve seen on two power station bundles during its Early Prime Big Deal Days sale, which will also be ending tonight at midnight. The first of these deals is the brand’s DELTA 2 Portable Power Station with 220W solar panel for $779 shipped on Amazon. This package would normally cost you $1,649, with the few discounts we’ve seen over 2024 mostly keeping prices between $879 and $999. Today though, you’re getting the chance to score it at a 53% markdown that cuts $870 off its tag and gives you a new all-time low price.

Great to take along with you on weekend getaways into the wilds, the DELTA 2 power station provides you with a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity that you can further expand up to 3,000Wh with the addition of extra batteries (bundle option below). You can charge devices and power appliances with its power output reaching up to 1,800W, with 15 port options to connect to: six ACs, four USB-As, two USB-Cs, and three DCs. Thanks to its fast-charging capabilities, you can get an 80% recharge for the station in just 50 minutes when connected to a wall outlet, while a full battery takes up to 80 minutes. It can also fully recharge in up to six hours with the included 220W solar panel – plus, it comes with real-time smart controls and an IP68 waterproof rating for ensured protection against water, dust, and debris.

There’s a few good alternative bundle options for this station too, with it coming with an extra battery in place of the solar panel for $998, down from $1,599, or you can double up its solar charging ability with two 220W panels for $1,149, down from $1,899. If you’d prefer just getting the power station alone, you’ll save 51% at the moment while its at $489.

The second deal during this short-term sale is direct from EcoFlow’s website, which is offering the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station with an 800W Alternator Charger for $1,299, down from $2,498. With this model you’re getting a much larger 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity that can be expanded up to 6,144Wh with its extra battery additions. It dishes out power up to 3,400W in order to run “99% of home appliances,” with its six AC ports, four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, two DC ports, and one car port. Not only does it allow for two solar inputs to be connected (up to 1,000W), but it also sports dual-charging through its two solar inputs and a wall outlet for faster recharges in just 43 minutes when you need to finish the job sooner than you expected. The included alternator charger also allows you to charge as you drive by connecting it to your car, giving you about 1,000Wh after 1.3 hours of driving.

Be sure not to miss out on all the other incredible deals from EcoFlow’s Early Prime Big Deal Days sale that will be ending tonight, while still offering a few more flash sales through the next couple of days.

Anker

Early Prime Day sale drops Anker’s SOLIX C1000 LiFePo4 portable power station back to $549 low

Early Prime Day pricing is already arriving ahead of the 2-day event, and through its official Amazon storefront, Anker is offering its SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station for $549 shipped, after clipping the on-page $450 off coupon. It normally goes for $999, but we’ve been seeing steadily growing discounts over 2024, with things hitting $599 at the top of July and first dropping to the $549 low after the month’s 2-day Prime Day event. We haven’t seen this low rate return in the time since, only dropping to $599 at best, but its back again today ahead of next week to give you a second chance at scoring it with a $450 markdown at the all-time lowest price we have tracked.

Anker designed the SOLIX C1000 in a more compact unit that is “15% smaller than the industry average,” delivering a reliable 1,056Wh LiFePO4 capacity (which you can bump up to 2,112Wh with this extra battery option). It provides a 1,800W power output that can surge up to 2,400W, covering a wide array of larger appliances despite its smaller size. It offers 11 output options to plug into: one carport, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and six AC outlets. Charging is relatively fast thanks to its UltraFast tech, giving you an 80% battery in 43 minutes or a full battery in 58 minutes, with solar charging through a 600W max input doing the job in about 1.8 hours. Through the Anker app, you’ll be able to get real-time status updates, view your battery level, and set AC charging speeds.

There’s also four bundle options to keep the savings rolling: grab the SOLIX C1000 with a 100W solar panel for $749, or a 200W solar panel instead for $899 – or you can bump it up to the 400W solar panel combo at $1,149. There’s also the chance to snag it along with a BP1000 expansion battery for $949. You’ll also find the expansion battery by itself at $449. These bundles offer some of the best and lowest rates we’ve seen yet and can make excellent backup power companions in everyday or emergency situations alike.

GoTrax

Get through your commute on GoTrax’s XR PRO electric scooter at $400 for today only

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the GoTrax XR PRO Commuting Electric Scooter for $399.99 shipped. You’d usually find this model sitting at a $550 price tag, with the last time we saw it being a drop to its $350 low back in April during a similar one-day sale. Today you can add it to your commute with a 27% markdown that strikes a solid $150 off its going rate, giving you the second-best price we have tracked.

A great option for folks with a shorter commute, the XR PRO electric scooter utilizes a 300W motor (peaking at 400W) alongside a 36V battery that allows it to reach top speeds of 15.5 MPH and carry you up to 19 miles before needing to recharge. It has an integrated digital display that gives you control over the scooter’s settings, a bright LED headlight for those late-night commutes and joyrides, with 8.5-inch pneumatic, pre-slimed tires that help you to avoid flats, pops, and tears. It also features a one touch folding function with a simple hook-n-latch system for easy transport and storage when you’ve arrived at your destination.

greenworks

Refurb and new condition Greenworks 80V 730 CFM cordless blowers at lowest prices from $130

Coming to us through its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering a refurbished Greenworks 80V 730 CFM Cordless Handheld Blower for $129.99 shipped. Normally costing $250 in new condition, you’re looking at the third discount in 2024 that we’ve seen drop on this refurbished model, with May first seeing a drop to $160 and a further fall to $140 at the end of July. Today it’s getting an even bigger 48% markdown, saving you $120 and giving you the lowest price we have seen on a made-to-look-new-again model. Best Buy has even thrown in a 6-month warranty on both the blower and battery to ensure you get your money’s worth.

Coming along with a 2.5Ah battery that can be switched out for any others you may already have at the ready, this 80V blower promises “25% more air volume and 20% more speed” than its predecessors while also weighing in “20% lighter than gas blowers.” The battery gives it enough juice to tackle the debris in your yard for up to 70 minutes, depending on which of its two settings you choose. The brushless motor here produces air speeds up to 170 MPH, with an ergonomic design and variable speed control for easier handling – plus, you can toss out the need for gas and simultaneously work without smelling fumes the whole time. If you’d prefer to grab this model in new condition, Best Buy has also dropped the price there to its $170 low, down from its regular $250.

Fall e-bike 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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Solid-state batteries may yet catch up — but silicon anodes are winning the race to power EVs

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November 5, 2024

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Solid-state batteries may yet catch up — but silicon anodes are winning the race to power EVs

A Wallbox EV charger for electric car is displayed during the “Mondial de l’Auto” at Parc des Expositions on October 15, 2024 in Paris, France.

Chesnot | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Silicon anodes appear to be leading the way in the race to commercialize next-generation battery technologies for electric vehicles.

The buzz around silicon-based anodes, which promise improved power and faster charging capabilities for EVs, has been growing in recent months — just as the hype around solid-state batteries seems to have fizzled.

It comes as increasing EV sales continue to drive up global battery demand, prompting auto giants to team up with major cell manufacturers on the road to full electrification.

While some OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have inked deals with solid-state battery developers, carmakers such as Mercedes, Porsche and GM have all bet big on silicon anodes to deliver transformative change in the science behind EVs.

A recent report from consultancy IDTechEx described the promise of advanced silicon anode materials as “immense” for improving critical areas of battery performance, noting that this potential hadn’t gone unnoticed by carmakers and key players in the battery industry.

It warned, however, that challenges such as cycle life, shelf life and — perhaps most importantly — cost, need to be addressed for widespread adoption.

Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science at the U.S. government’s Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, said silicon anodes appear to have the edge over solid-state batteries.

“If there’s a horse race, silicon does seem to be ahead at least at this moment, but we haven’t commercialized either one of them,” Srinivasan told CNBC via videoconference.

How silicon could enable cheaper EVs, electric flight and more powerful batteries

Srinivasan said five years ago silicon-anode batteries had a calendar life of roughly one year, but recent data appears to show a dramatic improvement in the durability of these materials, with some tests now projecting a three to four-year calendar life.

Unlike the cycle life of a battery, which counts the number of times it can be charged and discharged, the calendar life measures degradation over time. Typically, the calendar life of a battery refers to the period in which it can function at over 80% of its initial capacity, regardless of its usage.

Srinivasan said solid-state batteries, long billed as the “holy grail” of sustainable driving, still have a long way to go before they can match the recent progress made by silicon anodes.

“That transition still has to be made in solid-state with their metal batteries and that’s why I think you’re hearing from people that, hey, it looks like that promise hasn’t panned out,” Srinivasan said.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t get there. It may happen in a few years. It just means that it feels like today silicon is in a different part of the technology readiness level.”

Silicon anodes vs. solid-state batteries

Analysts say silicon anodes theoretically offer 10 times the energy density as graphite, which are commonly used in battery anodes today. Yet, these same materials typically suffer from rapid degradation when lots of silicon is used.

“Silicon anodes and solid-state batteries are two emerging technology trends in the EV battery market aimed at pushing the boundaries of high-performance battery cells,” Rory McNulty, senior research analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, told CNBC via email.

A researcher checks the electromagnet de-ironing machine at the Daejoo Electronic Materials Co. R&D center in Siheung, South Korea, on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

It has typically been the case that better battery performance comes at the cost of longevity or safety, McNulty said. Silicon anodes, for example, are known to swell significantly during charging, which reduces the battery’s longevity.

By comparison, McNulty said solid-state batteries were claimed to greatly improve the stability of the electrolyte to high performance electrode materials, combating the challenges of using high energy density materials such as silicon and lithium.

As the name suggests, solid-state batteries contain a solid electrolyte, made from materials such as ceramics. That makes them different from conventional lithium-ion batteries, which contain liquid electrolyte.

Especially in the West, advances in the area of silicon anodes [are] seen as strategic opportunity to catch up with China.

Georgi Georgiev

Battery raw materials analyst at Fastmarkets

Japan’s Toyota and Nissan have both said they are aiming to bring solid-state batteries into mass production over the coming years, while China’s SAIC Motor Corp reportedly said in early September that its MG brand would equip cars with solid-state batteries within the next 12 months.

Nonetheless, analysts remain skeptical about when solid-state batteries will actually make it to market.

A strategic opportunity?

“Silicon based anodes promise to be the next-generation technology in the anode field, providing a solution for faster charging,” Georgi Georgiev, battery raw materials analyst at consultancy Fastmarkets, told CNBC via email.

Georgiev said several industry players have been looking into the potential of silicon anodes, from well-established anode suppliers in China and South Korea to new players like Taiwan’s ProLogium and U.S. manufacturers Group14 and Sila Nanotechnologies.

“Especially in the West, advances in the area of silicon anodes [are] seen as strategic opportunity to catch up with China, which dominates the graphite-based anode supply chains with Chinese anode producers holding 98% of the global anode market for batteries,” Georgiev said.

“However, there are significant technical challenges going to 100% silicon anode such as silicon expansion affecting the longevity of the batteries and currently there are several routes to produce silicon anodes,” he added.

A FEV x ProLogium Technology Co. 100% silicon composite anode next-generation battery at the Paris Motor Show in Paris, France, on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Taiwanese battery maker ProLogium debuted the world’s first fully silicon anode battery at the Paris Motor Show last month, saying it’s new fast-charging battery system not only surpassed traditional lithium-ion batteries in performance and charging efficiency but also “critical industry challenges.”

ProLogium, citing test data, said it’s 100% silicon anode battery could charge from 5% to 60% in just 5 minutes, and reach 80% in 8.5 minutes. It described the advancement as an “unmatched achievement in the competitive EV market,” which will help to reduce charging times and extend the range of EVs.

Fastmarkets’ Georgiev said a big question mark over the commercialization of silicon anodes is the cost of production and whether any of the major silicon-anode producers “could produce material at scale with a consistent quality and at a competitive price — [a] major requirements of OEMs.”

“At this stage silicon anodes are used more as an additive to graphite-based anodes and in the years to come we expect to see increase of silicon share in anode, but in combination with graphite, while 100% silicon anodes will take longer time to enter the mass market,” he added.

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Oil giant Saudi Aramco posts 15% drop in third-quarter profit but maintains dividend

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November 5, 2024

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Oil giant Saudi Aramco posts 15% drop in third-quarter profit but maintains dividend

Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal

Ahmed Jadallah | Reuters

Saudi state oil giant Aramco reported a 15.4% drop in net profit in the third-quarter on the back of “lower crude oil prices and weakening refining margins,” but maintained a 31.05 billion dividend.

The company reported net income of $27.56 billion in the July-September period, topping a company-provided estimate of $26.9 billion. The print is also a 5% drop from the previous quarter, which came in at $29.1 billion, as lower global oil prices, weaker demand and prolonged OPEC+ production cuts led by Saudi Arabia continue to impact crude prices.

The average selling price of oil for the second quarter of 2024 stood at $85 per barrel, but dropped to $78.7 per barrel during the third quarter, according to Saudi-based bank Al Rajhi capital, as non-OPEC supply volumes grew.

The oil firm said its year-on-year decline was partly offset by a “reduction in selling, administrative and general expenses primarily driven by a gain from derivative instruments, and a decrease in production royalties largely reflecting lower crude oil prices and a lower average effective royalty rate compared to the same quarter last year.”

Aramco’s dividend includes a base payout of $20.3 billion and an atypical performance-linked one of $10.8 billion. The Saudi government and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth vehicle, the Public Investment Fund, are the main beneficiaries of the dividend, holding stakes of roughly 81.5% and 16% in the company.

The remaining shareholding trades freely on Saudi Arabia’s Tadāwul stock exchange, with the company having finalized its second public share offering back in June.

Aramco’s earnings before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) came in at $51.45 billion in the third quarter, down 17% year-on-year. Aramco’s capital expenditure guidance was brought up 20% to $13.23 billion.

The company was trading at 27.45 riyals following the announcement, down 0.18% on the previous day.

The earnings align with a broader trend across oil majors, whose third-quarter profits have also suffered from declines in crude prices and refining margins. Aramco said it achieved average realized crude price of $79.3 per barrel in the third quarter, compared with $89.3 per barrel in the same period of last year.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter who produces roughly 9 million barrels per day of crude at present, serves as the de facto leader of the OPEC+ oil producers’ alliance, a subset of whom agreed over the weekend to delay a planned December output hike by one month.

OPEC chief says delayed December output hike is 'nothing unusual'

“Aramco delivered robust net income and generated strong free cash flow during the third quarter, despite a lower oil price environment,” CEO Amin Nasser said in a statement. “We also progressed our upstream developments, strengthened our downstream value chain, and advanced our new energies program as we continue to invest through cycles.”

The revenues will be a boon to the Saudi economy, which is currently undergoing a diversification process under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s legacy Vision 2030 scheme spanning a slew of high-cost infrastructure “gigaprojects.”

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance cut the kingdom’s growth forecast to 0.8% in 2024, in a steep decline from a previous projection of 4.4%, and raised the outlook for the national budgetary shortfall to roughly 2.9% of GDP, from a prior indication of 1.9%.

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Cybertruck backlog runs out, Model S gets stuck, GM hits a sales milestone

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13 hours ago

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November 5, 2024

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Cybertruck backlog runs out, Model S gets stuck, GM hits a sales milestone

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, Tesla’s Cybertruck is now available in Canada – and, like in the US, there’s no waiting! Plus, we’ve got an “actually” smart summon Tesla that’s actually stuck, GM reaches a sales milestone, and we get a brand-new title sponsor!

Today’s episode is the first with our new title sponsor, BLUETTI – a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonusLucid proves than an EV company can keep its promises while Xiaomi teams up with Chevrolet and Honda to prove – at least conceptually – that records are made to be broken. 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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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: Renewables now make up 30% of US utility-scale generating capacity

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