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Our headliner closing out this week’s Green Deals is EcoFlow’s latest RIVER 3 Plus Portable Power Station that has not only gotten its first Amazon discount since hitting the online marketplace over a week ago but is also riding that discount to a new $189 low, alongside its expansion battery bundles. Right behind it is another new low price on Rad Power’s RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike that has fallen to $1,099 in the brand’s latest sale change-up. From there, we have EGO’s 56V 16-inch Cordless Telescopic POWERLOAD String Trimmer with 4.0Ah and 2.5Ah batteries dropping to $330, as well as DJI’s Power 1000 Power Station returning to $419. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s EcoFlow Monthly Madness savings, or the full lineup of sales from Rad Power Bikes, Blix Bikes, 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.

EcoFlow’s latest RIVER 3 Plus 286Wh LiFePO4 power station gets first Amazon discount to new $189 low

Running alongside the ongoing Big Spring Sale, the official EcoFlow Amazon storefront is now offering the first savings at the online marketplace for its all-new River 3 Plus Portable Power Station at $189 shippedafter clipping the on-page $100 off coupon. Having only released directly from EcoFlow a month ago and just hitting Amazon’s market last week carrying a $289 price tag, this is the very first chance at savings we’re seeing here – with it even starting $10 under its MSRP from the brand’s direct website, which it has also only discounted it as low as $229 so far. Today’s deal saves you $40 from EcoFlow’s lowest rate and a full $110 off its MSRP, signaling a new all-time low price in the process.

Weighing in at just 10 pounds, EcoFlow’s all-new RIVER 3 Plus provides you with backup power support on your camping trips, road trips, or even at home when you need to keep your devices running during emergencies. It starts at a 286Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can expand up to 840Wh with the addition of either the EB300 or EB600 expansion batteries (bundle options below). With seven port options – three ACs, two USB-As, and a high-speed USB-C – it outputs up to 600W of steady power, surging to 1,200W thanks to the X-Boost tech.

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The battery can recharge in just an hour via a wall outlet with its X-Stream charging, or you can hook up a maximum of 220W of solar input to charge via the sun’s rays, which will top it off in 1.5 hours. Not only does it provide extra protections from surges while plugged into an outlet, but it also provides LED and app-based notifications when it happens on top of offering immediate update alerts – all alongside the usual array of smart controls you’ll be getting.

EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus expansion bundles:

And be sure to check out the many backup power sales we’re seeing through the rest of the month while the savings last, with EcoFlow’s newly launched March Monthly Madness sale taking up to 57% off power stations, while also offering bonus savings, 2x and 3x EcoCredit rewards, and more – all from $169.

Rad Power RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike

Rad Power’s multi-functional, space-saving RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike hits new $1,099 low

Checking back in on Rad Power’s Gear Up for Spring sale, which has continued the RadRunner series lows and brought back the RadCity 5 Plus extra battery bundle, there’s a particular deal amongst the bunch that we want to highlight – namely the RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike that has dropped to $1,099 shipped. Coming off its regular $1,599 price tag, this model is often featured in sales at $1,299, with it only falling lower to $1,199 back in October. The $500 markdown we’re seeing during this new sales period is taking things lower than ever, and drops the costs down to a new all-time low price – just in time to grab yours for spring and summer adventures.

The Rad Power RadExpand 5 e-bike is an ideal model for riders with limited space as its folding design makes it far more manageable when it’s not in use – stowing away in closets, car trunks, RVs, and plenty more. The combination of its 750W brushless geared hub motor and the 672Wh battery provide some solid commuting support at up to 45+ miles on a single charge with its four-level PAS activated and top speeds of 20 MPH. Of course, for shorter commutes where you don’t want to do any manual pedaling, there is a throttle for electric riding that cuts down the travel distance.

The stock features only add to its functionality, especially if you plan to take this on the road with you for camping or other purposes, like the integrated rear cargo rack that has a 55-pound payload for grocery hauling or the paired LED headlight and integrated taillight with brake lighting – as both lights also automatically activate when sunlight drops low enough. Alongside those you’ll also find a 7-speed MicroShift derailleur, fenders over both fat tires, a water-resistant wiring harness, and an LED display.

You can check out the full lineup of offers in Rad Power’s latest round of spring savings running through April 9 by checking out our original coverage here, which includes the ongoing low RadRunner prices, the RadCity 5 Plus e-bike getting an extra battery for 100+ miles of travel, and free gear accompanying other models.

EGO string trimmer

Save $179 on EGO’s 56V 16-inch cordless POWERLOAD trimmer with 4.0Ah and 2.5Ah batteries at $330

As part of its Big Spring Sale, Amazon is now offering the EGO Power+ 56V 16-inch Cordless Electric String Trimmer with 4.0Ah and extra 2.5Ah batteries for $329.99 shipped. Today’s deal is coming in as a 35% markdown from its usual $509 rate, with it only beaten out by a fall to its new $300 low back in the first days of March. While you could save an extra $31 going with the single 4.0Ah battery package, the extra 2.5Ah battery would cost you $180 at full price, with discounts only bringing things down by $36 right now, making this a far better opportunity to save $113 and have that spare battery for longer trimming jobs or to use with other tools in the ecosystem.

Equipped with a high-efficiency brushless motor and just the 4.0Ah battery alone, there’s enough power for this EGO trimmer to tackle jobs for up to 60 minutes, with the additional 2.5Ah battery adding on another 45 minutes to that count. It provides a 16-inch cutting swath that has variable speed control and two different settings. The actual makeup of the trimmer has been given a telescopic shaft for comfortable handling depending on varying sizes of users, while also featuring the brand’s POWERLOAD tech, making reloading the dual line easier with a simple press of its button.

We’ve covered a lot of amazing deals from EGO this month, many of which are still going. Be sure to check them out before the savings end:

DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station and solar generator

Electrify your outdoor adventures with DJI’s Power 1000 1,024Wh LiFePO4 station at $419

As part of the ongoing Big Spring Sale event, DJI’s official Amazon storefront is offering its Power 1000 Portable Power Station for $419 shipped. Coming down from its usual $999 price tag, this is the lowest price we have tracked outside of Black Friday and Christmas sales when it dropped further to $399 and then $379, though we haven’t seen those rates reappear in the time since. You can score yours today with this 58% markdown that puts $580 back into your pocket – with it beating out DJI’s direct site by $280 too.

If you’re planning to head out into nature more in these warmer months, especially to get in some photography, drone-flying, and more, DJI’s Power 1000 will support you through your adventures with a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity and eight output ports. Among those port options, you’ll be getting 2,200W output through the two ACs (surging to 2,600W), as well as 140W fast-charging speeds from each of its dual USB-C ports.

To take advantage of its solar charging capabilities, you’ll need to pair the station with either a MPPT module or the brand’s Power Car Power Outlet to SDC Power Cable – which will allow for up to 1,600W of solar input to recharge the battery to full in 80 minutes (bundles below). When it’s plugged into a wall outlet, you can regain an 80% battery in 50 minutes or wait 70 minutes to have it back at full capacity.

Now, if you want to skip the headache of tracking down all the appropriate parts for solar charging, there are two bundles that will give you all you need to start. There’s the power station with a 100W panel and the compatible cables down at $669 from $1,247, or you can grab it with three 100W panels for $1,475 over its usual $1,955 rate. There are other options on the same page for the cables, if you already have compatible solar panels, though they’re currently sitting at their full prices.

Best New Year EV 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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Forbidden fruit: new Volkswagen Passat eHybrid Match and Black Editions

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Forbidden fruit: new Volkswagen Passat eHybrid Match and Black Editions

Wagons don’t get a lot of love Stateside, with American buyers choosing SUVs over – well, pretty much every other type of vehicle imaginable. That’s our loss, as the latest plug in hybrid versions of the Volkswagen Passat are here to prove.

The latest Passat Variant eHybrid (or, in some markets, Vario, which is what the Europeans like to call wagons) is different from the version we get in the US. Unlike the domestic version which is based on a low-cost platform specific to the US and China, the Euro-market version is built on the MQB platform that underpins VW’s flagship Arteon four-door coupe and both VW‘s and Audi’s entry-luxe SUVs.

That might seem weird, since VW has sold more than 34 million units sold worldwide and the Passat is the second top-selling Volkswagen of all time (behind the Golf and ahead of the Beetle). It’s understandable, then, that the European execs are pretty proud of their Passat.

The latest evolutionary stage of the modular transverse matrix (MQB evo)forms the highly innovative technical basis of the ninth Passat generation. Thanks to the significant economies of scale of the MQB evo, Volkswagen has again democratised numerous high-tech developments and made them available for hundreds of thousands of drivers. The two completely newly developed plug-in hybrid drives (eHybrid) are a perfect example of this. In combination with a new battery, they make all-electric ranges of around 100 km possible. This distance turns the new Passat Variant into an electric vehicle for everyday life – this is additionally ensured by short charging times as the battery can now be charged at AC charge points with 11 kW instead of the previous 3.6 kW. The Passat Variant eHybrid can even be charged with up to 50 kW at DC fast charging stations. In addition, the combination of electric drive motor and new economical turbocharged petrol engine provides overall ranges of around 1,000 km.

KAI GRÜNITZ
Member of the Brand Board of Management, VW

In case the jealous American wago-philes reading this aren’t jealous enough, Volkswagen has announced new Passat eHybrid Match and Black Editions that add nearly £5k of options for the new model year effectively for free.

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“Match is better equipped than the outgoing Life, with additional features including metallic paint, VW’s IQ.Light LED matrix headlights, tinted rear windows and an ‘assistance pack’ which adds area view and emergency assist,” reports Alastair Crooks, from the UK car site AutoExpress. “The new Black Edition comes with metallic paint, 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, tinted rear windows (darker than the Match’s), heated front and rear seats, a head-up display, a 15-inch central touchscreen and the same assistance pack as the Match.”

The entry-level Match replaces the previous Life trim, but costs the same £45,555 (about $60,500), while the Black Edition costs the same as the outgoing R-Line, from £48,900 (about $64,950). The order books open 14 August.

You can take a look at some of the VW press photos of the European Passat wagon Variant, below, then let us know if you’d rather have this for $60K or the discount American version in the comments.


SOURCE | IMAGES: VW, via AutoExpress.


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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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E-quipment highlight: Wirtgen Vögele launches new electric MINI pavers

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E-quipment highlight: Wirtgen Vögele launches new electric MINI pavers

Wirtgen Vögele recently revealed the battery-powered MINI 500e and the MINI 502e electric pavers. With an electrically heated screed, a range of paving widths, and zero-emission operations, they’re paving a greener, cleaner path.

Co-developed by Wirtgen Vögele and Italian road equipment manufacturer C. M. S.r.l., the new electric pavers will enable contractors to bid on construction projects that are subject to even the strictest noise and emission limits – but the company is quick to point out that they’re capable enough to serve on conventional job sites.

“These pavers excel on small-scale construction projects and jobs covering a small area – the type of work for which paving crews would not previously have been able to use machines,” reads the official Wirtgen Vögele copy. “Thanks to their elimination of manual labor, among other benefits, the new MINI pavers improve the efficiency and quality of asphalt paving, particularly in the construction of sidewalks and drains, as well as in tight downtown locations.”

The new Wirtgen MINI 502e (the one with wheels) and the MINI 500e (the one with crawler tracks) offer pave widths from 0.25 to 1.8 m, feature a battery-electric drive outputting 22.8 kW (30 hp), and your choice of either a 15 kWh or 22 kWh 48V li-ion battery – good enough battery capacity for up to 16 hours of continuing paving. Both versions can be fully charged on a conventional 110/120 “L1” power socket in about eight hours.

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Electrek’s Take


Wirtgen Vögele MINI 500e; via Wirtgen.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what the federal EV incentives are or even what the guys on your crew want to operate. What matters is that construction noise upsets Mrs. Clancik’s terrier, and she will force the town council to keep the noise down all by herself.

If your construction company wants to bid on any municipal work, that means you’re gonna have to stay quiet. Maybe even keep the smells to a minimum, too. Buying electric equipment means you can do both.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Wirtgen, via Construction Equipment International.


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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Is this Hyundai IONIQ the safest affordable EV you can buy?

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Is this Hyundai IONIQ the safest affordable EV you can buy?

Car brands like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla have built up solid reputations for safety, but their ultra-safe vehicles often come with a premium price tag. The good news for car buyers looking for a deal, but still prize safety, is that there’s an all-electric Hyundai for under $40K that scores top marks on the IIHS’ toughest new safety tests.

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Last Februray, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) established new benchmark criteria that included stricter side-impact and moderate overlap crash safety standards, improved safety for back seat passengers, and a stronger emphasis on pedestrian detection in low light.

“We followed the tougher requirements we introduced last year with another major update to the award criteria,” explains IIHS President David Harkey. “(The 2024) winners are true standouts, offering the highest level of protection for both vehicle occupants and other vulnerable road users.”

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is making it harder to earn its Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards from 2024, challenging manufacturers to offer better protection for back seat passengers and improve their pedestrian crash avoidance systems.

IIHS

We’ve covered a few of the standout performers already over the past year-plus since the new safety standards were awarded, including the Rivian R1T (the only electric pickup to earn the coveted Top Safety Pick+ award), Audi Q6 e-tron, and the Tesla Model Y … but what we haven’t written about was the fact that the Hyundai IONIQ 6 was the only electric sedan to get a Top Safety Pick+, as well.

Why it matters, now


Hyundai-free-charger-EVs-IONIQ-6
Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited, via Hyundai.

With the average transaction price of a new car at $48,907 and the looming demise of the $7,500 Federal tax credit accelerating demand for EVs (even for those that may not qualify), new EV buyers looking for a dependable commuter with long-range chops, ultra-fast charging capabilities, and the latest infotainment tech for under $40,000 have precious few options. And, if that Top Safety Pick+ rating is a must have? They only have one.

The good news is that it’s an excellent option. The 2024 version was named Car and Driver‘s 2023 EV of the Year, and led our own Scooter Doll to ask, “is any other automaker delivering more value in high-tech EVs right now?” and Nigel Evans over at CarBuzz to write, “Comparing the Ioniq 6 to its rivals is also an interesting exercise. For example, the Tesla Model 3 RWD now costs more than $40,000, with questionable interior design and layout and no Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. You can’t get the Chevrolet Bolt or Bolt EUV anymore in the budget EV sector, but they also lacked fast-charging capability.”

With up to 342 miles of range and a starting MSRP of $37,850 with all trims eligible for $7,500 in Retail Bonus Cash through Labor Day plus dealer discounts (if you can get them) bringing the price down even further, there’s a nonzero chance car buyers will be able to score a 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 for a sub-30K transaction price. Other featured deals include 0% interest financing for up to 48 months on any 2025 IONIQ 5 models in dealer inventory for well-qualified buyers, while lease buyers able to get a new SE model for $199/mo. with $3,999 down.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Hyundai, IIHS; via CarBuzz.


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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