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The long-promised “more affordable” Tesla model has been spied on Chinese social media, and it’s disappointingly about what we expected: a slightly decontented version of the Model Y.

For many years, Tesla had planned to build a much more affordable vehicle, starting around $25k. This vehicle was nicknamed the “Model 2,” and would have offered the most affordable entry point into the EV market, at least in the West.

But that project was abruptly canceled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as first reported by Reuters and immediately denied by Musk. Reuters was later shown to be correct in its report, as many who follow Tesla might have expected, given Musk’s constant overpromising (and often outright lies).

In its place, Tesla started offering vague promises about “more affordable models, starting in its Q1 report in April 2024. Tesla later specified that these would enter production in the first half of 2025.

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The language Tesla used suggested that the cheaper vehicles would be “new models,” which means more than one model, and not just based on a current Tesla model. But we reported that this was unlikely to be the case, and that the “new models” would just be a stripped-down Model Y.

That deadline came and went, but on Tesla’s Q2 call last week, it said that “first builds” were produced in June. On the same call, Musk said that the “new affordable model” is… the Model Y.

So, we’ve got confirmation that actual new models aren’t coming – but it does seem like something cheaper is coming down the pipe. And now, from Chinese social media pics of these “first builds,” we know just what kind of decontenting Tesla will do in order to get the cost savings.

Two videos were posted this weekend, on bilibili and weibo. The first was an exterior video by account “极客小猪” (machine translated as “Geek Piglet”). You’ll have to click through if you want to see the whole thing.

Parked side by side with a Juniper Model Y, the two models seem similar in length

It shows the new Model Y as similar in size to the Juniper refreshed model it’s parked next to, though the front and rear are covered by camouflage and it’s hard to tell with perspective of the camera.

As best we can tell from the captions (which isn’t very well), the account seems to think this might be the upcoming larger Model Y L, and the camera perspective in the particular screeenshot above does make it look like the car in the forefront could be slightly longer than the one in the back. But other perspectives show them looking similar in length, and seeing the various missing parts later in the video, we think it’s likely the “more affordable” model.

There are a few holes in the camouflage that give som indication of what might be different, like that the rear light bar from the Juniper might be cut off rather than running across the whole rear of the car. The new one is also missing the “T E S L A” logo across the rear, as can be seen in a little window showing the rear camera.

The video gets a look at the interior of the vehicle, where the seats are covered up. I originally suspected the vehicle might have cloth seats, but the cover seems to have dropped down in the rear, and something leather-like is showing through, so Tesla may still be using its fake leather product to cover the seats.

It also shows that the center console is cut off between the armrest and the screen, using up less material and giving an open space there. This is somewhat similar to the original design of the Model S, which had a large space in front of the center console. We can’t tell from the video if the 2 phone charging mats are still present or not – it looks like the space they’d normally go is there, but the pattern looks different than the current NFC phone chargers.

For another look at the interior, we saw a couple more photos from another Chinese social media account, 42号车库, or “Garage No. 42” on Weibo. These show the steering wheel, front seats, rear and roof a little more clearly. It seems to be of the same car, given the status of the seat covers in the rear.

Two more interior photos, from Garage No. 42

More changes become apparent here: there is no panoramic glass roof on the car, and the rear screen which was added in the Juniper refresh is once again eliminated. But the turn signal stalk, which was eliminated in the Model 3 Highland refresh and returned in a vestigial manner in the Juniper refresh, is (thankfully) still there.

The balance of these changes suggest that a lot of them are just rollbacks of the content which was added to the cars in the Juniper refresh. Interestingly, though, the Juniper refresh did not increase the price of the car significantly. So, rolling back those changes shouldn’t decrease the price of the car all that much either.

But these just show us some of the interior and exterior changes – the model might have other changes as well. From time to time, Tesla has offered cheaper versions of its vehicles either with rear-wheel drive only, to save on the cost of the front motor, or with a smaller or cheaper (e.g. LFP) battery. The new “affordable” Model Y might incorporate those changes too, and be able to get cost down more because of it, but we’ll have to wait for more information on that.

Further, there’s been no indication of a cheaper Model 3 or any actual “new models” yet. Model 3 is a smaller car than the Model Y, and thus could be cheaper – if Tesla is saving a significant amount of money by cutting a little plastic out of a center console, surely cutting hundreds of pounds of aluminum would save even more. We had expected the “more affordable models” to include both a stripped-down Model 3 and Model Y, but per Musk’s comments on the call, we might only be getting a Model Y.

Electrek’s Take

While it’s nice to see a potential lower base price, all of this is disappointing compared to the actual more affordable model that we could have had, the Model 2, which Musk unwisely canceled, instead putting his attention on becoming the largest funder of anti-EV, anti-environment and anti-American forces, and spending effort on spreading climate change disinformation and white supremacist nonsense rather than focusing on the mission of his company.

Maybe it would be nice to have someone in charge who takes the mission of sustainable transport seriously. Which Musk does not, and has in fact acted against with his recent actions.

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Navee flagship ST3 Pro smart e-scooter at $684, Aiper HydroComm pool monitor $250 low, Heybike Back to School sale, more

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July 29, 2025

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Navee flagship ST3 Pro smart e-scooter at 4, Aiper HydroComm pool monitor 0 low, Heybike Back to School sale, more

Headlining today’s Green Deals is Navee’s new flagship ST3 Pro Electric Scooter that comes packed with an amazing array of features at $684 right now. We also have Aiper’s HydroComm Smart Solar Pool Monitor hitting a second-ever $250 low, as well as Heybike’s early access Back to School sale with up to $698 in e-bike savings starting from $999. We also have an 80V Greenworks mower deal, a one-day-only discount on Anker’s SOLIX C300X DC Power Station, and more waiting for you below. Plus, all the hangover savings at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Segway Xafari Red e-bike low price, the exclusive savings on a refurbished Anker SOLIX F3800 power station, 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.

Navee’s ST3 Pro electric scooter with Find My, regen brakes, and more takes you 47 miles to class at $684

By way of its official Amazon storefront, Navee is offering its new ST3 Pro Electric Scooter at $683.99 shipped, after redeeming the on-page promo code for an additional 10% savings, which beats out the direct pricing by $77. This scooter launched in March with a $1,299 MSRP that has since fallen to $950 at full price in the time since. We’ve seen discounts mostly taking the costs down to $760, though during the brand’s direct Prime Day Sale we saw extra savings take things to a $660 low. If you missed out on that low rate, you can score it at the next best price here, with a combined 28% markdown giving you $266 in total savings. Head below to learn more about this model and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming hands-on review.

Navee is really upping the ante with its new flagship ST3 Pro electric scooter that certainly stands up to many of Segway’s popular models both in performance and pricing. It’s been equipped with a 600W motor that peaks at 1,350W to better tackle up to 28% inclines while also providing faster acceleration to its max 25 MPH speeds, depending on which of its riding modes you’ve activated. The 597Wh battery gives it plenty of juice to carry you up to 46.6 miles, while the new damping arm suspension system smooths out rides on uneven pavement, as well as bumpy off-road terrain. The inclusion of an eABs brake (along with hydraulic and drum brakes) not only guarantees stopping power, but the regenerative capabilities help to extend travel times with recycled momentum up to its impressive maximum.

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It comes packed with quality features that you’d expect in a higher-priced model, including Apple Find My integration so you always know where your scooter is and can track it down in case of theft, though they’ll also have to get through the proximity locking features too, making it quite a secure ride. Your fun won’t be stopped prematurely thanks to the self-healing tires, and riding at night is all the safer thanks to the ambient lighting located under the footboard that sports 15 different modes. There’s plenty more too, like the traction control system, auto-on headlight, a taillight with brake lighting functionality, integrated turn signals in the handlebars, and much more.

Aiper HydroComm smart pool monitor floating in pool surrounded by bubbles

Streamline your pool testing with Aiper’s HydroComm smart 5-in-1 monitor at a second-ever $250 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, Aiper is offering its HydroComm Smart Pool Monitor at $249.99 shipped in both colorways, beating out its direct website pricing by $30. This newer device has only been on the market since mid-April when it launched at $300 before rising to its $500 full price tag, though lately, the MSRP has dropped to $400. Discounts at Amazon have mostly kept prices between $340 and $400 in the time since it launched, with Prime Day giving us the first drop to $250, which is coming back around for a second time here while the savings last. Taking advantage of this deal gives you Prime Day pricing once more, cutting $150 off the going rate for the best price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this device, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man and woman riding down street on Heybike Ranger and Mars 2.0 e-bikes

Heybike’s early access Back to School sale takes $500 off e-bikes with up to $198 in free gear starting from $999

Heybike has launched an early access Back to School sale that will run through August 4 with up to $500 discounts across its e-bike lineup. One of the most popular models that makes a perfect companion for students on campus is the brand’s Mars 2.0 Fat-Tire Folding e-bike that is down at $999 shipped during this event and comes with a free front basket and rear large basket ($198 value). While it carries a $1,499 full price tag, discounts often see it down at this same rate during sales, with it only beaten out by the short-term $900 rate we saw from Best Buy earlier in the month and the $899 low that occasionally pops up in flash events. You’ll be saving $500 off the bike and $698 in total with the free gear, with the option to even upgrade to a more powerful motor for $100 more.

If you want to learn more about this model or the other Back to School deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

man mowing yard with Greenworks 80V 21-inch cordless push lawn mower

This 80V 21-inch Greenworks cordless mower brings 4-in-1 functionality for up to half an acre at $365

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 80V 21-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower with 4.0Ah battery and rapid charger for $365.18 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing by $33. Normally, you’d be paying $500 for this package at full price, with discounts in 2025 mostly keeping things between $380 and $400, though we have seen it go as low as $360 occasionally, which was last seen during Prime Day. You’re looking at the next best price here while the savings last, giving you a $135 markdown off the going rate while also upgrading your lawn care routine with a more environmentally friendly solution.

If you want to learn more about this mower, be sure to check out our original coverage here of this deal here.

man and woman laying in tent illuminated by Anker SOLIX C300 DC power station

For the rest of the day you can get Anker’s SOLIX C300X DC LiFePO4 power station at $180

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Anker SOLIX C300X DC Portable Power Station at $179.99 shipped, with the grey model matching at Amazon while it’s sitting full price directly from the brand’s website. While this model carries a $250 price tag directly from Anker, it’s more often seen at $200 at both Best Buy and Amazon, with discounts dropping costs in 2025 between $180 and $150, while things went lowest to $140 back during Christmas sales. You’re looking at a 28% markdown that will only last through the rest of the day, giving you $70 in total savings off the MSRP at the fourth-lowest price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this compact backup power solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Summer 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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Trump’s EU trade deal is based on massive energy purchases that are unlikely to materialize, analysts say

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36 mins ago

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July 29, 2025

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Trump's EU trade deal is based on massive energy purchases that are unlikely to materialize, analysts say

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (not pictured), after an announcement of a trade deal between the U.S. and EU, in Turnberry, Scotland, Britain, July 27, 2025.

Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters

President Donald Trump’s massive energy deal with the European Union will be difficult to implement, setting Washington and Brussels up for a potential future confrontation over tariffs and trade.

The EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion in the U.S. by 2028, according to the White House. In exchange, Trump has agreed to a tariff of 15% on EU goods excluding steel and aluminum, which is half the 30% rate that he had threatened.

But the $600 billion investment in the U.S. is not binding on EU member states or companies. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, simply said that companies “have expressed interest in investing at least” that amount in the U.S by 2029.

The massive energy purchases in the deal are unrealistic due to market and political constraints, analysts said. The EU cannot force member states and companies to buy U.S. energy just as the Trump administration cannot force producers to sell to Europe, said Mathieu Utting, an analyst at Rystad Energy.

“This is non-binding. It’s a pledge,” said Erik Brattberg, an expert on Europe at the Atlantic Council, a think-tank with a focus on international affairs. “The EU itself doesn’t buy energy. It would be member states or companies from member states.”

A White House official told CNBC on Tuesday that Trump expects the EU to abide by its commitments under the deal.

“That is what the EU agreed to purchase,” the official said. “The President reserves the right to adjust tariff rates if any party reneges.”

The energy purchases are divided into $250 billion annual installments over the rest of Trump’s term, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters Sunday. The EU is pledging significant purchases U.S. oil, liquified natural gas (LNG) and nuclear fuel to replace Russian fossil fuels, von der Leyen said.

But it is unclear how much EU member states and companies intend to buy of each fuel type. “Details have to be sorted out and that will happen over the next weeks,” von der Leyen told reporters.

Tripling U.S. exports unrealistic

EU member states bought about $80 billion U.S. oil, liquified natural gas, liquified petroleum gas and coal from the U.S. in 2024, according to data from Kpler. The bloc would have to triple its purchases of U.S. energy to meet the $250 billion annual purchase target laid out in the agreement.

“If this deal were to be realized, we’d be talking about the United States providing the lion’s share of European energy imports,” Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told CNBC on Monday. EU energy imports totaled $433 billion in 2024, according to Eurostat.

Increasing U.S. oil exports to the EU is difficult because production is flat and will likely decline in the coming months, said Svetlana Tretyakova, an oil analyst at Rystad.

U.S. companies would have to reroute exports from customers in Asia and Latin America to the EU, Tretyakova said. Importing more oil also does not align with the EU’s climate goals and the continent’s refining capacity is declining, she said.

Surging LNG exports is also tough, Utting said. U.S. terminals always run at full capacity so there isn’t slack capacity to increase shipments to the EU right now, he said. As in the case with oil, LNG would have to be diverted from other customers to Europe, he said.

More LNG capacity is coming online over the next two years that could be exported to Europe, he said. But the EU already receives more than half its imports from the U.S., Utting said.

“It’s very unrealistic that Europe would import exclusively from the U.S.,” he said. “They will want to diversify to some extent.”

While the headline $750 billion figure is unrealistic, the EU is showing that it is serious about expanding its energy trade with the U.S., said Alex Munton, director of global gas and LNG research at Rapidan Energy.

The EU was already planning to eliminate what remains of Russian LNG and pipeline gas imports to the bloc by 2028. This will create a supply gap of 25 million metric tons per year that the U.S. is perfectly positioned to fill, Munton said.

“The interests line up, they go hand in hand,” he said. “That’s why it’s essentially a convenient deal.”

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This $10,000 EV outsold the BYD Seagull and Tesla Model Y in China

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45 mins ago

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July 29, 2025

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This ,000 EV outsold the BYD Seagull and Tesla Model Y in China

$10,000-EV-outsold-BYD-Tesla

The best-selling vehicle in China, EV or gas-powered, in the first half of 2025 was not the BYD Seagull or Tesla Model Y. It was actually the Geely Xingyuan. AKA the “Star Wish,” Geely’s EV topped the sales charts with prices starting under $10,000 in China.

Geely’s $10,000 EV outsells BYD and Tesla in China

BYD’s smallest EV, the Seagull, went back and forth with the Tesla Model Y for the title of most popular electric vehicle in China last year.

Through the first half of 2025, there’s a new leader at the top spot. According to Chinese media outlet Yiche, the Geely Geome Xingyuan was the best-selling EV in China through H1 2025, dethroning the BYD Segaull and Tesla Model Y.

Geely sold nearly 205,000 Xingyuan models in China through June. The BYD Seagull was second with 174,912 units sold, followed by the Tesla Model Y in third at 171,491.

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The Geely Xingyuan EV starts at 69,800 yuan in China, or just under $10,000. It’s available with two CATL-made LFP battery packs: 30.12 kWh or 40.16 kWh. The former is suitable for a CLTC range of 310 km (192 miles), while the latter is rated for 410 km (255 miles).

10,000-EV-BYD-Tesla
Best-selling vehicles in China in the first half of 2025 (Source: Yiche)

Although it was beaten out by Geely’s Star Wish, the BYD Seagull still put up impressive numbers, selling nearly 30,000 units per month.

To keep pace, BYD slashed prices (again) earlier this year to just 55,800 yuan ($7,800). The Seagull is typically priced from 69,800 yuan ($9,700), which is the same as the Xingyuan.

$10,000-EV-outsold-BYD-Tesla
BYD Seagull EV (sold as the Dolphin Mini and Dolphin Surf overseas) Source: BYD

The Wuling Hongguan MINI EV (171,046) and BYD Qin PLUS (163,603) rounded out the top five. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi SU7 is quickly climbing the charts with over 155,000 units sold, ranking sixth. Despite limited production capacity, monthly SU7 sales have now averaged over 20,000 since October.

$10,000-EV-outsold-BYD-Tesla
Xiaomi SU7 (Source: Xiaomi)

Tesla’s Model Y remained the top-selling premium EV in China in the first half of the year, but Xiaomi’s SU7 is quickly closing in.

Where will the rankings end up by the end of the year? It’s shaping up to be a close race in the world’s largest EV market. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Yiche

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