Leading today’s Green Deals is Hiboy’s newly launched early Christmas sale that is continuing Black Friday/Cyber Monday pricing while also increasing savings on some select models, like the 2024 P7 Commuter e-bike that hit a new $800 low. Next, we have Goal Zero’s Alta 50 and Alta 80 Portable Fridge/Freezers that were skipped over in last month’s seasonal savings but return to their lowest rates today, starting from $550. For camping enthusiasts, we spotted UGREEN’s Nexode 48,000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank Station down at $140, as well as Greenworks’ 80V Venture Commuter e-bike that has dropped to $1,550. Lastly, there’s VEVOR’s Tesla Charging Station Enclosure that fell to a new $140 low. Plus, all the hangover Green Deals from Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales are in the links at the bottom of the page, collected together in our dedicated shopping hub for you – but there’s no telling how long they’ll last.
Hiboy’s early Christmas sale drops its 2024 P7 Commuter e-bike to new $800 low (Save $900)
Hiboy has launched its early Christmas sale that is giving us returning Black Friday rates alongside new low prices, with the brand’s 2024 P7 Commuter e-bike dropping to $799.99 shipped. Outside of sales, this model carries a $1,700 price tag, with most of the deals we’ve seen drop things as low as $900, though recently we saw its Halloween and Black Friday sales take things lower to $850. With things switching over to December’s holiday season, we’re getting even more savings than ever before with a 53% markdown this time around that slashes $900 off the tag and lands it at a new all-time low.
Hiboy is offering first-time riders and budget shoppers an even more affordable rate today, with the 2024 P7 e-bike delivering a solid commuter solution at over half off. You’ll be able to cruise up to 28 MPH (which outdoes many other models that usually peak at 25 MPH if that) with three riding modes that offer varying mileages. The standard bike mode gives you the standard riding experience without activating the motor, while the power-assist mode propels you for up to 68 miles of travel, or you can go full electric with the throttle for up to 37 miles.
Hiboy’s 2024 P7 e-bike’s streamlined frame comes equipped with a 500W brushless motor, powered by a removable IPX5-rated waterproof 14.5Ah battery, with the entire setup weighing in at just 56 pounds for easier management should you have to carry it up or down stairs, for example. Notable features include front shocks, 2.2-inch mountain tires, power-off front/rear disc brakes, and an IPX4 water-resistant frame rating. There’s even an upgraded multi-functional LCD display here that not only gives you the usual performance data at-a-glance but also acts as a personal coach, pushing you to outdo your previous days’ best results, if you’re someone looking to get in better shape.
Other Hiboy early Christmas sale e-bike deals:
Hiboy early Christmas sale e-scooter deals:
Hiboy early Christmas sale kids’ EV deals:
Hiboy early Christmas sale bundle deals:
Goal Zero’s Alta 50 portable fridge/freezer holds 75 cans at $550 post-Black Friday low (Save $250)
The official Goal Zero Amazon storefront is offering the lowest prices right now on its Alta Portable Fridge and Freezer models, with the Alta 50 down at $549.89 shipped. Normally sitting at its $800 full price, we’ve only seen a handful of discounts since releasing in February, with the first few only taking costs down to $600 at most until October saw the first fall to the $550 low during Prime Day. After getting skipped over during Black Friday sales, the lowest price we have tracked is returning here today to slash $250 off this portable 53L appliance, beating out many same-sized competitors that keep to higher rates around $750 and up.
Whether you need a reliable fridge/freezer for camping trips, job sites, or other travels where you’ll be bringing your Goal Zero power station along, the Alta 50 (and also the larger 80 model) has your back by keeping food and beverages cold and crisp, tossing out the need to make ice runs. It can go as low as -4 degrees in temperature, with dual functionality for either refrigeration or freezing – keep in mind though that it doesn’t sport its own battery and requires either an outlet for non-stop use or an existing power station for days of use at a time. Its 53L capacity holds up to 75 twelve-ounce cans at once, which is one of the larger capacities we’ve seen at such a price lately, making it an affordable RV appliance for longer outings or a temporary campsite appliance during shorter trips.
As I stated before, you’ll also find Goal Zero’s Alta 80 Portable Fridge/Freezer at a returning low of $699.89 shipped at the moment too. Unlike the Alta 50, this model doesn’t need to switch between refrigeration or freezing as it offers dual zones to keep both functions running simultaneously. It sports a larger 78L capacity that holds up to 130 12-ounce cans at once. Like its smaller counterpart it requires a power station to remain portable, and depending on which model you hook up, you’ll benefit from up to 12+ days of runtime.
UGREEN Nexode 48,000mAh portable charger and power bank station offers compact backup support at $140
The official UGREEN Amazon storefront is offering its Nexode 48,000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank Station for $139.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $30 off coupon. This model launched a year ago at $200, and since its first discount dropped in July, it’s been more recently fetching $170, with occasional discounts lower, the biggest of which took costs down to the $135 low. You’re getting another big chance at cash savings here today with this combined 30% markdown that saves you $30 and drops things to the second-lowest price we have tracked.
Cover the backup power needs of one to five devices simultaneously with this portable charger/power bank station from UGREEN, which delivers a 48,000mAh battery capacity alongside two USB-A ports and three USB-C ports with fast-charging up to 300W. Keep in mind though, that charging multiple devices at once will divide the output power and increase charge times (depending on which ports you’re using – for example, all three USB-C ports being used will lead to 100W rates for each). The larger capacity does allow for more juice to be divvied out over many smaller models on the market, with an “iPhone 15 Pro able to get 10.8 charges while a MacBook Air M2 15 will be able to get 1.1 charges” before the power bank itself needs to be plugged in – taking only 1.5 hours to get back to full via a standard wall outlet.
Other notable UGREEN power bank deals:
Notable UGREEN charger deals:
Get more from Greenworks’ battery ecosystem on its 80V Venture 27.5-inch commuter e-bike at $1,550 (Save $350)
Amazon is offering the Greenworks 80V Venture Series 27.5-inch Commuter Electric Bike for $1,549.99 shipped. Normally running you $1,900 at full price, we’ve seen very few discounts since this model was released at the start of 2024. We first spotted a price cut in April when it fell to $1,615 before rising back to its MSRP and keeping there until the beginning of November when it hit a new $1,520 low. Today, you’re looking at a solid $350 markdown that drops costs to the second-lowest price we have tracked, even beating out Greenworks’ own website where it’s still listed at its full going rate.
Part of Greenworks’ Venture series of e-transportation models, this 80V commuter e-bike was designed to add more expansion options to the brand’s battery ecosystem beyond just the usual array of tools. It comes equipped with a 350W brushless rear hub motor, peaking at 500W, and is powered by an included 4.0Ah battery (plus a rapid charger to re-juice it) or you can use any of the other batteries you may already own. With its three different pedal assistance levels you’ll get support up to 20 MPH for up to 22 miles on a single 40-minute charge. You’ll also enjoy stocked features like the front suspension fork, an adjustable suspension seat, a 7-speed Shimano shifter, 27.5-inch Kenda tires, an LED headlight, a rear cargo rack, as well as an LCD display paired with a simple control panel along the handlebars.
Get extra protection and security for your Tesla EV charger with VEVOR’s station enclosure at new $140 low
Amazon is offering a great option to better protect your Tesla charger while saving you a solid chunk of money with the VEVOR Tesla Charging Station Enclosure at $140.14 shipped. Normally this would run you $190, with only one previous discount $10 lower in early Black Friday sales. The savings are increasing now that the seasonal shopping event is over, with a total 26% markdown that saves you a solid $50 and gives you a new all-time low price too.
While Tesla’s EV chargers do come rated to withstand weather and thus can be installed indoors or outdoors, they aren’t exactly sitting atop the list of best-protected designs. That’s where this enclosure designed specifically for Tesla chargers from VEVOR comes in, with its IP32 waterproof and dustproof protection and cold-rolled carbon steel makeup to add another layer of defense for your charger. It sports a reinforced lock and hinge for added security, dual outlet holes at the bottom with rubber sleeves for threading, and grounding screws pre-installed.
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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A leaked 2026 order guide shows the price on several Volvo models going up by nearly 6%. That’s thousands of dollars on some models – along with higher destination charges, fewer discounts, and precious little in the way of new tech or features to justify the price hike.
UPDATE: Volvo Cars has a response.
When we originally published this article a few days ago, we I commented that customers being saddled with the across-the-line price increases coming to Volvo dealers in 2026 would get “precious little” in return for those extra dollars.
Volvo Cars apparently disagrees, and a Volvo rep reached out via email to share some background on the changing prices. “We evaluate every aspect of our business in pricing decisions, in line with our standard practice,” they wrote. “For MY26, we have made significant upgrades to the in-car technology across our lineup, as well as major improvements to our top-selling XC60 in the areas that matter most to our customers. These upgrades are reflected in the new price structure, along with price increases driven by challenging current market conditions.”
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I asked if they could specify what some of the “significant upgrades to the in-car technology across our lineup” were.
“You’ll be able to see more about the upgrades in our (02JUN2025) press release,” came the reply. “Some major ones include the introduction of the next-generation Snapdragon® Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies, which Google Android Automotive-based infotainment system to run more than twice as fast as outgoing models.”
You can check out the press release for yourself at the link, then let us know whether or not having a touchscreen that’s twice as fast as the one you have now is worth as much as $3,200 to you in the comments.
Original post, below.
CarsDirect is reporting that Volvo Cars is raising US prices across the board by as much as 6% for the coming year, translating to a $3,200 price increases on some of the Swedish brands’ most popular plug-in SUVs and crossovers.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, the 2026 Volvo XC90 appears to have the largest price hike of $3,200 on the plug-in hybrid variant. The XC90 T8 Core PHEV has an MSRP of $76,200, excluding destination, $3,200 more than the current price tag of $73,000. That represents a 4.4% price hike compared to the 2025.5 plug-in.
In the case of the 2026 Volvo XC60, we found a 5.6% price increase on the base model, which is going up $2,650 from $47,050 to $49,700. On average, we’re seeing a 4.2% price hike on the Volvo V60, V90, XC40, XC60, and XC90, depending on the trim level, with the increases ranging anywhere from $1,800 to $3,200.
Volvo isn’t the only brand raising prices. BMW will increase prices starting 01JULY by about 2%, and Ford raised prices on cars and trucks made in Mexico by about $2,000 last month.
If you’re in the market for a new Volvo XC90 PHEV or EX90 EV and want to avoid the 2026 price increases, it doesn’t look like there are many tangible differences coming (the XC60, to Volvo’s credit, will be getting a series of updates similar to those on the well-received 2025.5 XC90 for 2026). You can find local deals on those models, below.
SOURCES: CarsDirect; featured image by Volvo Cars.
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At the 103rd running of the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb, electric cars once again impressed as Ford’s Super Mustang Mach-E won its class on a difficult race day where running was limited due to inclement weather.
The Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb is one of the longest-running races in the world, being held 103 times since 1916.
It’s a famously difficult race, starting at an already-high 9,390ft (2,862m) in elevation and finishing at 14,110ft (4,300m), with an average 7.2% vertical grade. Until 2011, the track was largely unpaved on dirt or gravel roads, and it is still not uncommon for cars to leave the track and crash into the woods or, worse, end up tumbling down the mountain. The race is also commonly stopped by rain, snow, fog, or other inclement weather… of the type you commonly get at the top of mountains.
In particular, the high altitude nature of the race (which earned it the nickname “Race to the Clouds”) has always been difficult, because at high altitudes there is less oxygen, which means less complete combustion of fuel. This means that gas-powered race vehicles need to have incredibly oversized engines to do well.
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That difficulty does not apply to electric vehicles since EVs don’t need oxygen for combustion, so for years EVs have overperformed in the race.
So EVs do well here, and it’s pretty common for manufacturers (or private teams) to bring them to show off.
Last year, EVs performed exceptionally well, with electric entries from Ford, Rivian and Hyundai each topping their respective categories.
The R1T Quad Max set a production truck record (gas or electric), the Ioniq 5N set a record for unmodified EVs (which the R1T Quad Max had set about 5 minutes earlier) and was a mere three tenths of a second off of the overall production SUV record, and the Ford SuperTruck set the fastest time of the day, but didn’t set an actual record because it lost about half a minute when it suddenly lost power on the course and needed a reboot. Had it not had that shutdown, it would have beaten Ford’s SuperVan’s class record from the previous year.
Ford’s entry this year: the bonkers 1400hp Super Mustang Mach-E
So, Ford had its work set out for it this year, but it brought the right car for the job.
The successor to Ford’s ridiculous 1400hp SuperVan and SuperTruck is the Super Mustang Mach-E, using a similar powertrain to the last two vehicles, but this time in a form factor that’s actually appropriate for racing (and… kind of looks nothing like a Mach-E, though we’d love to see a Mach-E like this on the road). Instead of a giant box, it actually looks like a race car. What a concept!
Source: @FordPerformance/Instagram
The new incarnation doesn’t just look more fit for purpose, but a smaller and lower vehicle helps performance in several ways, especially in a hillclimb. A smaller vehicle means less weight to haul up a mountain, a smaller front cross-sectional area means less drag, and a lower weight distribution means better handling on the twisty track.
The car also has 6,125lbs of downforce, important in the thin air of the mountain on those twisty turns.
And remember that name I told you to put a pin in earlier? Well, Ford hired overall record-holder Romain Dumas to drive its entry again, showing that it’s serious about trying to set a record. The VW ID.R was a purpose-built beast, so it would be a tough attempt, but their driver choice proves they’re serious about winning this race.
Three other interesting EVs ran this year
A few other EVs ran this year, but the others weren’t necessarily vying for the top overall spot.
One is an Ioniq 5N, race prepped by Evasive Motorsports. It’s been heavily modified with a stripped interior saving 500lbs of weight, aerodynamic wheel covers, new suspension, and a new bodykit with enhanced aerodynamics. Evasive previously ran a modified Tesla Model 3 up the mountain, but had an electrical issue on that race.
The next is the confusingly-named Honda CR-V e:FCEV, a fuel cell plug-in hybrid vehicle (more on that car here). It ran only mild modifications supplied by Honda Racing Corporation, with a lowered suspension, racing brake pads, and upgraded wheels and tires, along required safety improvements like a roll cage.
And the most fun one is a “Volkswagen Fun Cup” car. Fun Cup is a European racing series, with vehicles that have bodywork based on classic VW beetles. But instead of the standard 1.8L engine used in that series, this one has been engine-swapped to electric by Electric Classic Cars. They’ve dubbed it the “BugZappa.”
Weather reared its ugly head, as it often does
Pike’s Peak has a well-earned reputation for difficulty, and today’s race put the tough conditions on display.
The race start was delayed due to high winds which were blowing rocks and debris onto the track near the peak. Eventually it was decided that the race would be held only over the bottom half or so of the track – from the start at 9,390ft through Glen Cove, at 11,440ft (see photo).
This put EVs at a slight disadvantage compared to normal running, considering they gain more and more ground against ICE cars at higher and higher elevations where combustion is more difficult in the thin air.
However, EVs still impressed regardless.
How the EVs did
The Honda, piloted by Daijiro Yoshihara, was the first car to run on the day. It managed to finish the shortened course with a time of 5:55.744. It had no record hopes, but given that it’s the first hydrogen vehicle ever to compete in this hillclimb, you could kind of call it a record (but not really, given that weather forced everyone to only run the short course today, so there’s really nothing to compare against).
Not long after, Evasive’s race-prepped Ioniq 5N took its shot and Robert Walker set a more representative benchmark time of 4:23.858. A full minute-and-a-half improvement over the CR-V’s time, even over this shortened course, shows the significant difference between a commuter car and a race-prepped performance vehicle. The Ioniq 5N’s time held onto the top spot for a while, as several gas competitors followed, including Porsche GT4 and GT3 cup cars. It only fell once some of the serious purpose-built or open-wheel racecars from the Pike’s Peak Open, open wheel, and unlimited classes crossed the line.
One of those purpose-built cars was the aforementioned Super Mustang Mach-E, running in the Pike’s Peak Open class. All eyes were on this entry and Dumas as the driver, expecting it to set a top time for the day, and it did. The Super Mustang Mach-E finished with a time of 3:42.252 on the short course, setting the best time in its class by a longshot… but only the second-best time overall.
The restricted running turned out to be Ford’s downfall, as the ultralight prototype racecar, the Nova Proto NP01, piloted by Simone Faggioli managed to set a 3:37.196, beating the Ford by five seconds. The NP01 ran in the looser-rules “unlimited” class, so Ford still managed a class win in the more-restrictive Open class, but Dumas wouldn’t be crowned “King of the Mountain” on this day.
In an interview after the race, Dumas said his Ford would have likely had the advantage if the full track was open, due to lighter air at the top, but that “the mountain decides.”
One more EV, the “Fun Cup” car, will run later today, but we wanted to get an article up as soon as the top qualifiers finished their laps, as the rest of the cars running today are not contenders for the top spot. We’ll update this post later with the Fun Cup’s performance when it runs, or you can tune into the livestream of the rest of race day on youtube.
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The world’s largest direct-membership organization for shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents is warning that while it is still unclear how Iran will respond to Saturday’s U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the threat to commercial shipping in the waters around the Arabian Peninsula has risen.
“The Houthi threat against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has also gone up,” said Jakob Larsen, head of security at Bimco, which represents global shipowners. “The Houthis now threaten merchant ships with affiliation to Israel or the U.S., but attacks against merchant ships with other affiliations cannot be ruled out.”
Larsen said it is expected that U.S. warships and merchant ships affiliated with Israel or the U.S. would be the preferred targets for the Iranians.
In an email to CNBC, a Hapag Lloyd spokesperson tells CNBC, “We currently are still crossing the Street of Hormuz. Alert level is high, though, and things might change by the hour.”
Integrated logistics provider Maersk announced Friday it is temporarily suspending port calls to Israel’s largest container port, Haifa. The $4.2 billion cargo facility at Haifa, owned by Adani Group, has been a target of Iranian missiles but has not suffered any damage. Last week, Jugeshinder “Robbie” Singh, CFO of the Adani, debunked misinformation posted that the port was on fire from a strike on Iranian social media.
Bimco’s Larsen warned Iran could attempt a wider disruption of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz through attacks on merchant ships. Antiship missiles or drones of both airborne and surface types could be used in these attacks, he said.
“The laying of sea mines would constitute another dangerous development, but Iran’s intent to do so is questionable due to the risk to Iran-affiliated commercial ships and the risk of environmental disaster in case a ship is damaged,” said Larsen.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is recognized as one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints. The inability of oil to traverse through the Strait of Hormuz, even temporarily, can ratchet up global energy prices, raise shipping costs and create significant supply delays. In 2023, oil flows through the waterway averaged 20.9 million barrels per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, accounting for about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.
“Given the Iranian threat to U.S. military bases in the region, availability of warships for protection of commercial shipping is probably limited, especially for commercial ships with no affiliation to the U.S. or Israel,” Larsen said.
The Strait of Hormuz handles less than 4% of global container trade but the ports of Jebel Ali and Khor Fakkan are critical intermediary points for global shipping networks in the region.
The majority of cargo volumes from those ports are destined for Dubai, which has become a hub for the movement of freight with feeder services in the Persian Gulf, South Asia, and East Africa.
The conflict in the region has also sparked ocean freight rates to surge from Shanghai to Jebel Ali, the Arabian Gulf’s largest port.
Freight intelligence firm Xeneta said average spot rates have increased 55% month-over-month, prior to the conflict escalation between Israel and Iran. Rates are now $2,761 per forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU), a standard unit for measuring the capacity of container ships and volume of cargo.
On the tanker side, spot rates for very large crude carrier (VLCC) voyages between the Middle East and China are up 154% week-over-week. Rates on the long-range tankers’ (LR2) Middle East-Japan trade route are up 148% and Middle East-Japan very large gas carrier (VLGC) rates are up 33%.
The reason behind the increase in rates includes the added expenses on security measures, higher bunker fuel prices, and fuel costs as vessels use more fuel due to faster sailing through high-risk areas.
Marsh McLennan, the world’s largest marine insurance broker, noted hull and machinery insurance rates for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have increased by more than 60%.
In light of the latest wave of defense measures, Bimco is encouraging shipowners to review their security risk assessments and carefully consider mitigation measures.
“Merchant ships in the area should consider reducing their exposure to threats from Iran, for example, by routing away from the Iranian coast,” said Larsen. “We also recommend that ships maintain close contact to naval forces in the area through UK Maritime Trade Operations, maintain strong vigilance and increased lookout, report suspicious sightings and events to UKMTO, and increase the resilience of ships to absorb damage by ensuring watertight integrity and readiness of damage control organization including firefighting capability.”
“Bimco never directly recommends shipowners to completely stay away from a conflict area. Such a decision should be taken by the shipowner, taking into consideration all relevant factors of the security risk assessment, including, for example, the threat, the ship’s vulnerabilities, and the risk acceptance level of seafarers, the shipowner, and the cargo owner.”