Own an electric bike and prepping for a hurricane? Do this right away
As Hurricane Milton heads towards Florida’s Gulf Coast threatening a lethal combination of high winds, storm surge, and heavy downpouring rain, here’s a reminder of what to do if you own an electric bike and expect to be in the path of a powerful hurricane.
First things first: electric bikes can be both a benefit and a liability in a storm situation. E-bikes can be an important form of transportation and their large lithium-ion batteries store critical electricity that can keep your phone and other electronics charged for days or weeks, but that battery may be prone to water damage and should be protected from potential flooding.
As we’ve already covered, electric vehicles of all types have a unique risk in flooding scenarios, especially when the flooding is caused by sea water from storm surge. That salty water can wreak havoc with electrical connections in submerged batteries.
If you have an e-bike and live in an area expected to see flooding, it is best to park the bike indoors and somewhere elevated. Bring the entire bike upstairs if you can. Even though e-bikes are often waterproof these days, flying debris can damage an e-bike locked outdoors during a storm.
If the bike is too heavy to carry upstairs, remove the battery and bring it to a higher floor. If you live on the ground floor and don’t have an attic or upper floor, put the battery as high as you can, such as on an upper shelf or in a tall kitchen cabinet.
As part of pre-storm preparations, it’s a good idea to check your tire pressure and perform any other maintenance that you’ve been putting off.
Electric bikes can be critical forms of transportation after a hurricane. When roads are blocked by downed trees, e-bikes can simply be lifted over or slide under the obstacle, allowing them to overcome obstacless that cars can’t. A ride of just a few miles to a water distribution center or medical facility can save hours of walking and conserve critical energy.
Caution should be taken for hazards such as downed power lines and other debris, but the ability to navigate roadways that are temporarily impassable by car or motorcycle can prove invaluable when obtaining supplies, reaching medical help, or evacuating from a disaster zone.
Many e-bikes have a USB charging port built directly into their e-bike batteries. If yours doesn’t, your e-bike may still have a USB port on it, often somewhere near the display on the handlebars. During normal rides, this can be useful for keeping your phone charged. When power is lost after a heavy storm, this can be a critical lifeline to charge electronics like phones, flashlights, and radios.
Before the storm hits, be sure to charge your battery up all the way since you likely won’t have access to electricity in the immediate aftermath of the storm, then store the battery in a safe location. If you lose power and your battery and/or e-bike are still accessible, you can use the USB outlet to keep your devices charged. The LED headlight on your e-bike can also be used for emergency lighting when the power goes out. The headlight uses very minimal electricity and can likely run for many days from the e-bike battery. To conserve battery further, the tail light may be able to be unplugged when using the headlight for nighttime lighting.
If you are handy with electronics, you may be able to power other devices with an e-bike battery. While visiting my parents in Florida during Hurricane Irma several years ago, I was able to combine a 48V golf cart inverter with several e-bike batteries to power fans and other 120VAC devices in their home while we waited five days for power to be restored.
Solar chargers for e-bikes are also available, though they are still fairly rare their higher prices mean most owners don’t own one. If you do have a solar e-bike charger, it can come in very handy when using your e-bike for emergency power.
If you have a portable power station, it can be a great way to recharge your e-bike even when the power is out.
Combining a portable power station with a set of solar panels can turn it into a solar generator, which can keep your e-bike and other devices charged up and ready to go. Compared to gasoline or diesel generators, you won’t need to keep a supply of fuel around or worry about whether the fuel cans were flooded in the garage.
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The BYD “Shenzhen” set sail on its first voyage overseas this week. With 9,200 parking spots, or about enough to fill 20 football fields, BYD’s new car transport ship is now the world’s largest.
BYD’s largest car carrier sets sail for Brazil
BYD’s Shenzhen is on its maiden voyage to Brazil after setting sail on April 27. The vessel is carrying over 7,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It’s the largest single batch of NEVs exported from China so far.
The new vessel is BYD’s fourth car transport ship and the world’s largest, capable of carrying 9,000 vehicles. According to the company, that’s enough to fill about 20 football fields.
BYD launched its first car carrier, the Explorer No 1, in January 2024. It has already completed several trips to Germany, Spain, and Brazil.
Its second, the BYD Changzhou, set sail in December 2024, followed by the Hefei earlier this year. All three vessels can carry up to 7,000 vehicles, making the Shenzhen the largest so far.
The Shenzhen is named after the automaker’s hometown and demonstrates “BYD’s firm determination to promote sustainable development in Brazil.”
BYD is preparing to launch two more vessels, the Changsha and Xi’an. The Changsha is expected to launch soon, while the Xi’an was introduced on April 2.
The new car carriers will help accelerate BYD’s aggressive overseas expansion. In the first three months of 2025, the company sold over 206,000 NEVs overseas, more than double the number it sold last year.
BYD sells a wide range of vehicles in Brazil, including the low-cost Dolphin Mini, starting at around $20,000 (99,800 BRL). In October, it launched its first hybrid pickup truck, the Shark, starting at 379,800 BTL ($66,900).
Brazil is only one overseas market that BYD is targeting. BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe in 2025, with significant growth in other key regions like Southeast Asia, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea, to name a few.
Source: BYD
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‘Tesla homes’ in a Houston neighborhood where all the homes have Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls went for sale.
7 out of the 11 homes have reportedly already sold.
Tesla neighborhood is a term that is being used for new developments where all the homes integrate all or part of Tesla’s power ecosystem, including the Powerwall home battery pack.
The best example is a giant new development project in Austin, Texas, by Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra in which up to 12,000 new homes are to be built and offering Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls.
However, since the announcement, it looks like only some of the homes in the new neighborhood have Tesla energy systems.
In 2022, Tesla also announced a similar project in Las Vegas.
A year later, the company claimed to have deployed “over 600 solar neighborhoods” worldwide, with a total capacity exceeding 100 MW.
One such ‘Tesla neighborhood’ is a small block of 11 townhouse homes featuring Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls in Houston, Texas.
The homes were recently completed and went on sale, starting at $544,900.
Here are some pictures from the listings:
Utopia Homes, the developer behind the project, described the properties (via Chron):
Step into modern elegance expertly crafted by Utopia Homes. This property showcases groundbreaking Tesla Solar Roof Shingles and Power Wall technology, ensuring 100% energy security and eliminating electric bills for a truly sustainable lifestyle.
The house has proved popular according to the real estate agents, with 7 out of 11 homes already sold.
As we recently reported, Tesla’s solar roofs have proven to be a more expensive and niche product than the company previously presented.
Tesla has largely stopped discussing it, but it is still being deployed through some third-party installers, such as in this case, on new homes.
However, its Powerwall product remains a very popular solution for homeowners seeking greater energy independence and protection against outages, which have been a frequent problem in Texas.
More homeowners are turning to generators, and alternatives like home battery packs are gaining popularity.
Now is a great time to begin your solar journey. If you want to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 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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Canadian electric propulsion specialist Vision Marine continues to graduate beyond advanced outboard motors into a provider of all-electric boats. This month, Vision introduced two new electric pontoon boats – the 12-passenger V24 and 15-passenger V30, each capable of a range up to 90 nautical miles.
Vision Marine Technologies ($VMAR) is a Canadian technology company with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. The company made waves (literally) by introducing its E-Motion turnkey powertrain system, which it has since integrated into a catamaran speedboat, which set a speed record of 109 mph in 2022.
Since then, Vision has introduced six hp two-cruiser vessels – the Fantail 217 and Volt 180, each capable of transporting 10 passengers via its E-Motion technology. Most recently, Vision Marine has integrated the full power of its 180 hp electric powertrain technology into two additional vessels, both electric pontoon boats.
Earlier this month, the company officially began sales of the Vision V24 and V30, which you can view below.
Vision Marine brings power and range to electric pontoons
According to Vision Marine Technologies, orders for its two new electric pontoon boats are now open, and they are touting the same E-Motion technology that put the company on the map a few years ago.
The first model is the V24, a 12-passenger electric pontoon that is 24′ 8″ in length and has 180 hp. The ultra-quiet E-Motion powertrain is powered by a standard 43 kWh marine battery pack, offering 40 nautical miles (46 miles) of all-electric range on a single charge. For added range, Vision sells a version of the electric pontoon with a second battery pack, totaling 86 kWh and delivering up to 90 nautical miles (104 miles) of range.
While the V24 offers more of a classic attempt at the pontoon boat, Vision’s additional new vessel, the all-electric V30, is a tad sportier and provides room for more passengers aboard (15). This 30′ vessel features the same E-Motion powertrain options, complete with the same two battery configurations to offer the same ranges as the V24.
However, the V30 has additional features such as 4 x 6.5″ interior speakers and cool-touch seats. Both models feature an integrated onboard charger that supports both 120- 240V (30 to 50 amps) for seamless charging, no matter the dock plug while moored.
The Vision V24 starts at $99,995 for the standard battery pack version, while the V30 starts at a higher price of $139,995. As previously mentioned, both electric pontoon boats are available to order today.
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