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An artist rendering of Form Energy’s battery system.
Rendering courtesy Form Energy

A secretive start-up called Form Energy says it’s developing and scaling the production of a new type of rechargeable battery that can store electricity for 100 hours.

Form hasn’t publicly demonstrated its technology or shared proof that it works. Nonetheless, the company has lined up more than $360 million in funding, including a new $240 million round that closed Tuesday, and partners and outside experts are optimistic about its potential.

One notable funder is Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which includes tech celebrities Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman and Richard Branson as investors. In one of his blog posts, Gill Gates touted the importance of Form Energy’s work, writing that it was “creating a new class of batteries that would provide long-duration storage at a lower cost than lithium ion batteries.”

Its first utility partner, Minnesota-based Great River Energy, describes their work together as a pilot project that could be an “important contribution to grid reliability and energy affordability should they achieve commercial success,” a spokesperson says.

In order to be at net-zero by mid-century, meaning that the globe is absorbing as much greenhouse gases as are still being emitted, solar and wind capacity will need to quadruple and investments in renewable energy will need to triple by 2030, according to comments from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.

For that to happen, there also must be a ramp up of long duration battery storage. There has to be a way to provide electricity when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. That’s the market Form Energy is attempting to serve.

No public data, lots of faith

Until recently, the company had been operating under the radar. In October 2019, CEO Mateo Jaramillo, a former Telsa vice president, noted his own reticence to speak with the media.

“As you’ve maybe seen, there isn’t a lot of press about us. And we’ve tried to tamp down anything other than what’s necessary,” he told CNBC at the time, speaking at the Tough Tech Summit in Boston, in the backyard of the company’s headquarters in Somerville, Mass. “There’s just a fraught history with battery startups over the last 15 years. Which is why that hesitancy in general. The industry is a little weary, I would say.”

Despite the company’s early tendency to skirt the spotlight, it’s had no trouble raising funds. On Tuesday, Form Energy announced it had closed a $240 million Series D financing round, led by the decarbonization XCarb innovation fund of the global steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal. Form Energy and ArcelorMittal are working together to develop iron materials for Form’s first commercial battery technology which “ArcelorMittal would non-exclusively supply for Form’s battery systems,” according to a statement. Breakthrough Energy Ventures also participated in the round.

However, Form has released no public data to verify the performance of its long-duration battery technology. (The company prefers the term “multi-day storage” to differentiate it from other companies working on shorter-long-duration batteries.)

The Form Energy battery.
Photo courtesy Form Energy

“We have been doing extensive testing internally. But you asked about public data. There is no public data, we don’t publish public data. We’re a private company, so we don’t need to,” Jaramillo told CNBC in a phone conversation in August.

“We are extremely transparent with our partners … about the testing that we have, the cells that we’re building and testing … but all of the structure of our experiments and exactly what goes in there that’s quite proprietary,” Jaramillo said.

CNBC spoke with several of these funders and partners to learn what they saw in the company’s technology.

Great River Energy is working with Form Energy to implement a one-wasmegawatt battery storage pilot project in Cambridge, Minn. Form Energy’s battery technology depends on having access to iron, and a swath of northern Minnesota is called the Iron Range for its extensive deposits.

The management and technical teams of Form Energy and Great River have been collaborating for more than three years, says Jon Brekke, vice president and chief power supply officer for the utility.

“During this time, Form has shared with us plans, actions, and results of their technology development work that directly supports our pilot project,” Brekke told CNBC. “A shared vision of low cost, long duration storage led us to this pilot project. We see these efforts as an important contribution to grid reliability and energy affordability should they achieve commercial success.” 

While Great River Energy reports to have seen evidence of Form Energy’s battery tech working, the California Energy Commission, from which Form Energy won a $2 million dollar grant, has not.

In June 2020, the California Energy Commission, the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, granted Form Energy the money to be used for pursuing the development of energy storage technologies that do not require lithium. “Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, meaning they are scored based on their technical merit,” Michael Ward, spokesperson for the California Energy Commission told CNBC.

That said, the California Energy Commission “has not seen specific performance data on the iron-air technology yet,” according to CEC researcher Mike Gravely. It expects to “receive that data when the system is built and tested” at a test site at the University of California at Irvine.

Form Energy’s air electrode, a component of its battery technology.
Photo courtesy Form Energy

A co-chair of the investment committee at Breakthrough Ventures, Carmichael Roberts, said the firm would not comment on the performance of Form Energy’s technology. However, he told CNBC the caliber of the personnel gave the Breakthrough team the confidence to invest.

“When we started Breakthrough Energy Ventures, we knew that long duration energy storage was going to be an important part of the portfolio. When we learned that Yet-Ming and Mateo were each creating a new battery company, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to bring together two of the world’s leading experts, and Form was launched,” Roberts told CNBC. Yet-Ming Chiang is a co-founder and the chief scientist at Form Energy, and a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology since 1985.

“We knew that the core technology had great potential, but more importantly we had faith in the team that could deliver it,” Roberts said.

The rechargeable iron-air battery Form Energy is not the only technology the company has pursued.

In 2018, Form Energy received $3.8 million from the federal government’s Department of Energy as a part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (abbreviated as ARPA-E). But that was for a different battery based on “aqueous sulfur battery chemistry,” Form told CNBC.

“We chose to focus on an iron-air battery as our first commercial offering both because of its promising performance in the lab and because the iron-air chemistry positions us to tap into the global iron supply chain that already exists to support steel manufacturing,” the company said.

How iron-air battery tech works

The essential ingredients in Form’s battery are iron, air and water, all readily available and low cost. The battery works with a process the company calls “reversible rusting.”

To charge, an electric current converts rust back to iron and the battery breathes out oxygen. To discharge, the battery takes in oxygen from the air and converts the iron to rust.

Each battery is filled with a non-flammable electrolyte liquid, similar to the electrolyte used in AA batteries and is about the size of a washing machine, Form Energy says. Thousands of the washing machine-size battery modules are clumped together in power blocks and depending on what is needed, tens to hundreds of power blocks can be connected to the electricity grid.

A diagram of the Form Energy iron-air battery technology.
Form Energy

The technology is not new. “You can get something to rust, obviously. Rust happens all the time,” Jaramillo told CNBC. “To better control that process and to control it at its least cost, most performing points is an altogether separate matter.”

Experts agree that the technology has promise.

“There is obvious economic potential if iron can substitute for expensive precious metals such as cobalt, nickel and lithium,” says Stefan Reichelstein, an accounting professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business whose recent work includes studying the cost competitiveness of low-carbon energy solutions.

“But the information disclosed thus far leaves open the key question: What is the unit cost of storing (and discharging) electricity in relatively few — rather than daily — cycles each year?” he added.

The cost question

Form Energy aims to have its battery cost less than $20 per kilowatt-hour, the company tells CNBC. If the company can deliver on that cost goal, it would be a meaningful advance, experts say.

“From an economics point of view, Form’s announced cost target of $20 per kilowatt-hour is in line with what we found in our study published in Nature Energy to be the cost level required for long-duration energy storage to play a significant role in decarbonization of energy systems,” Nestor Sepulveda, who holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in developing methodologies that combine operations research and analytics to guide the energy transition and cleantech development, told CNBC.

By comparison, lithium ion batteries cost between $100 and $200 per kilowatt-hour, explained Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford.

Form Energy’s iron anode, a component of its battery technology.
Photo courtesy Form Energy

“If the cost is actually $20 per kilowatt-hour, that would be a breakthrough and allow the rapid large-scale transformation of all electricity world wide to clean, renewable (wind-water-solar) electricity,” Jacobson said.

Battery tech at the $20 per kilowatt-hour price point “would eliminate the need for natural gas or any other type of combustion fuel for backup power,” Jacobson told CNBC. “It would break any chance of nuclear power from playing a role in an energy future. It would end coal, fuel oil, and natural gas as fuels for electricity generation.”

Sepulveda, who is currently working as a consultant, is a bit more conservative about what $20 per kilowatt-hour means.

He said the threshold is meaningful “with very high penetration of renewables (not our current levels).” So in order for $20 per kilowatt-hour to be meaningful for the quest for carbon reduction, there will have to be more renewable energy production on the ground. “The question then becomes, is there a market in the near future for these technologies? I think that the answer is that there is going to be a niche market for long-duration-energy-storage in the short-medium term, but a big one in the long-term.”

Even while “$20 per kilowatt-hour is very cheap,” Sepulveda and his co-authors determined it the price of long-duration battery storage would need to be less than $10 per kilowatt-hour to “meaningfully displace” other forms of firm energy generation, which refers to energy technologies that can be counted on to meet demand when it is needed in all seasons and over weeks or longer.

The demand for multi-day-battery technology depends on the development of other technologies, too.

“While it seems plausible that iron-air batteries are less expensive than lithium-ion batteries, the more interesting comparison will be with other seasonal storage technologies, for instance, hydrogen conversion,” Reichelstein said to CNBC.

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Heybike Hauler cargo e-bike at new $1,099 low, EcoFlow multi-day power station flash offers from $349, Aiper solar pool skimmer, more

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April 23, 2025

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Heybike Hauler cargo e-bike at new ,099 low, EcoFlow multi-day power station flash offers from 9, Aiper solar pool skimmer, more

Headlining today’s Green Deals is Heybike’s Mother’s Day Sale that is taking up to $500 off e-bikes on top of offering some additional free gear, with the brand’s Hauler Cargo e-bike getting brought down to a new $1,099 low, among others. We also have EcoFlow’s final flash offers that will be running for the duration of its Mega Sale through April 15, with notable returning low prices on the RIVER 2 Pro power station, a DELTA Pro 3 solar generator bundle, an EcoCredits purchase opportunity from $1, and more. You can prep for swimming season by grabbing Aiper’s latest Surfer S2 Solar Pool Skimmer while it’s back at its $320 low, as well as gear up for camping and storm cleanup needs with Greenworks’ second-generation 40V 12-inch Cordless Electric Chainsaw at $128. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s exclusive $2,000 in savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Ultra station at a new low price, 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.

Heybike’s latest Hauler cargo e-bike with a 440-pound payload for up to 85 miles starts from new $1,099 low

Heybike is launching its Mother’s Day Sale through May 11 with up to $500 taken off initial e-bike prices while also offering free gear along with your purchase. Amongst the bunch, we spotted Heybike bringing its latest Hauler Cargo e-bike down to $1,099 shipped during this sale. Recently, it’s been carrying a full $1,499 price tag since the start of 2025, which we saw drop to $1,199 in February before staying at $1,399 in the sales since. Today’s deal, though, is coming in better than ever as a $400 markdown that takes things to a new all-time low price. You’ll also be getting the bonus of a large rear cargo basket that attaches to the rear rack. Head below for more.

A solid option for folks who are looking for an alternative for errand running over their car, the Heybike Hauler e-bike sports a 750W brushless geared hub motor that reaches a top speed of 28 MPH and can peak at 1,400W for inclines and better pick-up when hauling packages, groceries, and the like. There are two removable battery options here, depending on just how much travelling you plan to do, with a single 18Ah setup for up to 55 miles on a single charge with its PAS levels activated, or you can upgrade with an additional 12.5Ah battery at $300 more to increase its range up to 85 miles.

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Heybike’s Hauler e-bike sports a nice 440-pound payload capacity and even comes with foldable running boards if you end up hauling a passenger along too. And for the price right now, it also offers some solid stock features, like the hydraulic front suspension fork, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-protected tires with fenders over each, a 7-speed Shimano derailleur, an LED headlight with an auto-on feature, an integrated taillight with braking functionality, a kickstand, the obvious rear cargo rack, and an LCD for your real-time data and setting controls.

Heybike’s other Mother’s Day Sale offers:

  • Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
    • 28 MPH for up to 45 miles
    • 1,000W motor (32 MPH speed) costs $100 more
    • comes with free front basket and large basket
  • Ranger S Folding Fat-Tire e-bike: $1,099 (Reg. $1,499)
    • 28 MPH for up to 55 miles
    • 1,000W motor (32 MPH speed) costs $200 more
    • comes with free front basket and large basket
  • Cityrun Urban Commuter e-bike: $1,099 (Reg. $1,599)
    • 21 MPH for up to 55 miles
    • comes with free front basket and large basket
  • Tyson Uni-Body e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,699)
    • 28 MPH for up to 55 miles
    • comes with free large basket
  • Horizon Full-Suspension e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,999)
    • 28 MPH for up to 55 miles
    • comes with free front basket and large basket
  • Brawn Off-Road e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,799)
    • 28 MPH for up to 65 miles
    • comes with free large basket
  • ALPHA All-Terrain e-bike: $1,599 (Reg. $1,699)
    • 28 MPH for up to 60 miles
  • Hero Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike: $2,499 (Reg. $2,599)
    • 35 MPH for up to 60 miles
    • comes with free large basket
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station

EcoFlow launches multi-day flash offers on DELTA and RIVER power stations + EcoCredits purchase from $1

As we approach the end of EcoFlow’s ongoing Mega Sale through April 25, the brand has launched its last and longest flash sale offers, taking up to 48% off three units while also offering a major EcoCredits purchase opportunity. Alongside the return of the DELTA Pro 3 bundle we saw on Friday, you can now grab the RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station for $349 shipped. Normally fetching $599 outside of discounts, we first saw it come down to this rate during similar flash offers in the first phase of this sale. It’s returning as a second-chance opportunity for $250 in savings, giving you a solid traveling companion at the best rate we have tracked. It’s also beating out the pricing we’re seeing from Amazon by $10.

A more ample backup solution among the brand’s RIVER series, the RIVER 2 Pro is ideal for short-term needs at campsites, on road trips, and the like, providing you with a 768Wh LiFePO4 capacity to cover your essential devices and appliances. Through its eight output ports it can deliver up to 1,600W of power, with X-boost tech allowing it to “run 80% of home appliances.” It’s a great option for those who often make last-minute plans too, as plugging it into a wall outlet regains the battery in about 70 minutes, with it also having the options for USB-C and car port recharging, as well as a max 220W solar input, which can put it back at full in 3.5 hours to 4.5 hours in sunny conditions.

EcoFlow’s other flash sale offers ending April 25:

EcoFlow’s massive lineup of Mega Sale deals will only be lasting through April 25, complete with larger EcoCredit rewards, extra savings, and plenty of low prices – don’t miss it while it’s still around!

Aiper Surfer S2 Solar Pool Skimmer

Keep floating debris out of your pool with Aiper’s Surfer S2 solar skimmer back at its $320 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, Aiper is offering its latest Surfer S2 Solar Pool Skimmer for $319.98 shipped. Only on the market for a few months now, it usually carries a $540 price tag, which we first saw drop to this same rate at the top of February, which repeated last month in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, and has otherwise kept between $340 and $400. You can pick one up while the $220 in savings last for your pool at the lowest price we have tracked, with the price also matching direct from Aiper’s website.

Building upon the success of its predecessor, Aiper’s second-generation Surfer S2 pool skimmer has been upgraded with features like the DebrisGuard anti-leak design, an improved brushless motor, an expanded suction inlet, and a 150-micron filtration system – all to provide better performance when collecting small and large debris alike from your pool’s surface. It’s also been given a larger battery that ramps up its runtime to 35 hours, with recharging available through the onboard solar panel for sunny days or its DC adapter as a backup option.

Working alongside the brand’s algorithms, it’s been equipped with dual dToF sensors to improve its obstacle avoidance – plus, there are even four retractable anti-standing columns to keep it from getting stuck on pool steps as it works. Should the columns fail to impede any such situations, the programming here knows to use its automatic self-rescue capabilities to get it back into the water to continue on its routines. There are the usual smart controls through the companion app that you’d expect, allowing you to monitor and adjust settings with the added bonus of being able to manually steer it.

Be sure to also check out the ongoing discounts across Aiper’s robotic pool cleaners that work right alongside the above pool skimmer to keep your pool clear and swim-ready, as well as the first discount we’re seeing on the new HydroComm 24/7 Smart Pool Monitor that provides 5-in-1 testing for your pool’s pH, ORP, EC, TDS, and temperature, as well as coming solar-powered.

Greenworks 40V 12-inch Cordless Electric Chainsaw

Expand your arsenal with this 2nd-gen Greenworks 40V 12-inch cordless chainsaw at $128

Amazon is offering the 2nd generation Greenworks 40V 12-inch Cordless Compact Chainsaw for $127.99 shipped. Coming down from its usual $170 price tag, discounts have been repeating to this same rate throughout the months since July of last year, with things before then only having gone as low as $120. Today’s deal is a 25% markdown off the going rate, saving you $42 while equipping your arsenal with the latest of the brand’s 12-inch compact chainsaws.

Coming in a more compact form, this 40V Greenworks chainsaw makes a reliable companion for firewood needs at home or while camping, as well as storm cleanup with hurricane season on the horizon. Powered by the included 2.0Ah battery, it sports a 12-inch bar and chain with an auto-oiler to ensure everything remains lubricated and running smoothly, delivering up to 50 cuts on a single charge. It weighs in at just six pounds, making it easy to operate for most users, complete with a safety lock and push-button start to save you time and energy over the frustrations caused by pull-strings.

Other notable Greenworks chainsaw deals:

Best Spring 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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Tesla (TSLA) stock surges on Elon’s lies despite disastrous earnings

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54 mins ago

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April 23, 2025

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Tesla (TSLA) stock surges on Elon's lies despite disastrous earnings

Elon Musk at Tesla company wide meeting 2022

Tesla’s stock (TSLA) surged by as much as 8% today following the company reporting disastrous earnings results – its worst in years and way below expectations.

The stock seems to surge based on people believing Elon Musk’s lies.

Yesterday, Tesla released its Q1 2025 financial results, confirming its worst performance in years.

The automaker is now operating at just 2% margins and would have lost money last quarter if it weren’t for the sales of regulatory credits.

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The financial performance was worse than most analysts predicted, and yet, Tesla’s stock surged by as much as 8% today.

The reason for the surge appears to be shareholders overlooking Tesla’s degrading auto business in favor of Musk’s vision for the future of Tesla.

However, the problem is that Musk has been misleading people about his vision of Tesla’s future and lied several times on the earnings call that followed the release of its financial results.

I did a whole live stream to break down and fact-check Tesla’s earnings call:

Musk literally started out his comments on the Tesla call with a lie. He claimed that people protesting Tesla right now are “paid-for” and/or simply upset because they were receiving money that his DOGE team cut:

Now, the protests that you’ll see out there, they’re very organized, they’re paid for. They’re obviously not going to say, admit that the reason that they’re protesting is because they’re receiving fraudulent money or that they are the recipients of wasteful largesse, but they’re going to come up with some other reason. But that is – the real reason for the protests, the actual reason is that those receiving the waste and fraud wish to continue receiving it.

It’s not the first time Musk has claimed that despite having zero evidence. He uses the claims to distance himself from any responsibility for Tesla’s current brand damage.

Musk and the rest of Tesla’s management have tried their best during the call to attribute the 50,000 fewer deliveries last quarter to the Model Y changevoer, but they never explained the massive increase in inventory vehicles that also happened during the quarter and would point to a broader demand issue.

Instead, Musk focused on Tesla’s self-driving and humanoid robot efforts.

With the humanoid robots, Musk again claimed that he believes Tesla will make millions of robots by the end of the decade and become the world’s most valuable company because of it. The CEO said that he doesn’t see any competitor getting close to Tesla.

The problem is that it’s not clear why Tesla would dominate this market. On the robotics front, it looks like Tesla is already behind competitors like Unitree:

As for the AI that goes into humanoid robots, Tesla has also not shown any competitive advantage as all its demonstrations involved human teleoperations.

Tesla’s own AI effort has primarily focused on solving the self-driving problem, and that has also not yet been achieved. Musk has claimed that Tesla was on the verge of solving self-driving “next year” for every one of the past 6 years.

During Tesla’s earnings call, Musk again updated several self-driving timelines for Tesla, including “millions of robotaxis on the road in the second half of 2026” and “unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles by the end of the year.”

Again, Musk has been making similar claims for the last six years, and they have never come true. However, people are starting to give more credibility to his self-driving timeline because he reiterated that Tesla plans to launch its unsupervised self-driving pilot program in Austin as soon as June.

However, we noted that this represents a significant shift in Tesla’s self-driving efforts, as it will rely on an internal, geo-fenced fleet with human teleoperation assistance. It’s basically the same service that Waymo has been offering for years and Musk claimed isn’t scalable.

During the earnings call, Musk claimed that the fleet will initially consist of just 10-20 Model Y vehicles. Tesla’s head of self-driving admitted that Tesla is currently focused on optimizing FSD for driving in Austin to support the service. This explains why Tesla’s FSD in consumer vehicles, which buyers paid for with the promise that it will eventually become unsupervised, hasn’t been significantly updated in months.

Now, Musk will claim a win in self-driving with Tesla’s launch of its limited pilot program in Austin in June, but in fact, it is only delaying the delivery of what he promised for years: unsupervised self-driving in every consumer vehicle built by Tesla since 2016.

Electrek’s Take

Musk now claims this is going to happen by the ned of the year, but let’s see if he still says that in a few months. Virtually every year for the last 6 years, he said early in the year that it would happen by the end of the year, and when the end of the year gets closer, he pushes the timeline to next year and repeats the cycle.

I would like to give more credibility to his prediction now, but it’s hard to do when the best data available still only points to FSD in consumer vehicles achieving about 500 miles between critical disengagement when it needs to be in the tens of thousands of miles for a geo-fenced ride-hailing service in in the hundreds of thousands of miles for generalized unsupervised driving solution in consumer vehicles, which is what Tesla has been promising for years.

It’s hard for me to believe that some people still take his claims seriously, but there’s a fool born every minute and most of them become Tesla shareholders, evidently.

It’s starting to sound like Tesla earnings calls are run by a Musk AI trained on Musk’s comments made over the last 10 years – with the addition of humanoid robots over the last few years.

As for the stock price, forget about earnings, forget about fundamentals, it’s simply an index to gauge the shareholders’ confidence in Musk’s claims. Right now, they seem pretty confident. They are still drinking the Kool-Aid.

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I went inside China to the world’s largest EV maker’s summit. Here’s what I saw

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2 hours ago

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April 23, 2025

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I went inside China to the world's largest EV maker's summit. Here's what I saw

When you think about the biggest names in electric vehicles, Tesla or BYD probably come to mind first. But the largest electric vehicle producer by sheer numbers isn’t either of these car giants—it’s Yadea, the Chinese powerhouse behind an enormous array of electric two- and three-wheelers. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit China and attend Yadea’s annual retail summit, an expansive event hosting over 4,000 global dealers and showcasing what felt like an endless variety of electric rides.

It was an eye-opening that you can relive with me by watching my video from the event below. Or just keep reading for the full details!

The retail summit, held in Wuxi, China, was equal parts impressive product showcase and dealer-focused presentations. Navigating through a bustling hall filled with thousands of attendees was daunting, especially when breaks saw everyone flood the floor at once. It definitely showcased just how broad the company’s reach is, with dealerships spanning the globe. Yadea recently surpassed 100 million electric two-wheeler sales, underscoring just how massive their global reach has become.

Capturing footage and pictures of every vehicle on display was nearly impossible, but I did my best to highlight the extensive diversity in Yadea’s lineup.

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Yadea’s design ethos clearly recognizes that different riders have vastly different needs, whether it’s high-performance scooters packed with cutting-edge technology, or adorable mopeds designed around current fashion trends and popular licensing agreements. Although some of these designs lean heavily toward Chinese consumer preferences—the company’s largest market—there’s no shortage of international influences woven into their offerings, proving Yadea’s global ambitions are well underway. From automotive inspiration to more childish and fun-looking rides, there’s seriously something for everyone.

Admittedly, not every model suited me—particularly some of the more “cutesy” scooters clearly aimed at a demographic less familiar in Western moped commuting circles. But considering how universally popular two-wheel commuting is in China, Yadea clearly knows its audience. In China, commuting by scooter or moped transcends typical demographics, becoming a practical transportation option for everyone, regardless of age or gender. That’s a pretty sharp contrast with many Western markets, where motorcycles and mopeds still largely remain associated with younger demographics and male riders. Suffice it to say, you don’t see a lot of bubbly, cartoonish mopeds or child seats in the west, but they were all over the expo in various fascinating forms.

Yadea isn’t just about stylish scooters, though. They showcased a robust selection of utility and fleet vehicles, from sturdy police patrol units to versatile three-wheeled cargo haulers. I’m personally a huge fan of their electric trikes, which range from rugged utility vehicles perfect for agricultural use to enclosed commuter vehicles ideal for running errands or taking kids to school. While these trikes are incredibly popular throughout Asia, they’ve yet to fully catch on in Western markets—something I believe is overdue after spending quality saddle time in them. The versatility of these three-wheelers makes them an excellent option for urban environments with congested streets, offering enhanced stability, cargo capacity, and ease of operation compared to traditional two-wheelers or larger vehicles.

Beyond trikes and mopeds, Yadea impressed me with their comprehensive foray into practically every two-wheeled electric category imaginable. They featured trail bike-style dirt bikes, substantial full-sized electric motorcycles, and even a broad spectrum of electric bicycles designed for fitness, mountain biking, and commuting. Standouts included the popular Trooper, beloved by fans of the moped-style bikes, and the growing lineup of stand-up electric scooters, such as the affordable Starto scooter designed specifically to target budget-conscious consumers in markets like the U.S.

The diversity in Yadea’s electric bicycle lineup has continued to grow over the several years I’ve followed it closely. The sporty fitness models I saw feature lightweight frames and sleek designs aimed at urban commuters and recreational riders looking to blend exercise and convenience. Their mountain e-bikes boast robust frames, powerful mid-drive motors, and quality suspension, ready for challenging trails and off-road adventures. The commuter-style e-bikes are practical, with designs optimized for daily use, complete with integrated lights, fenders, and racks to accommodate everyday necessities. Basically, they’ve come a long way and branched out into very specific cycling niches that we hadn’t seen from Yadea only a few years ago.

Naturally, I couldn’t leave without testing as many of these rides as possible. Rainy conditions and a slippery rock slab floor outside the exhibition hall made for tricky testing conditions, but miraculously, I kept the rubber side down on everything I test-rode.

From fat-tire mopeds like the Trooper e-bike to practical scooters like the Starto, it was easy to see why these models are already gaining traction internationally. The Starto scooter, in particular, struck me as an ideal entry-level model—affordable, practical, and perfect for urban commuting. Its simplicity and affordability position it perfectly for new riders who may have previously considered electric vehicles too expensive or complicated.

I’ve tested other Yadea electric kickscooters and have been impressed, but several of them have loftier prices thanks to fancier features, full-suspension, and higher performance. The Starto’s basic design helps keep it within reach of more commuters.

Throughout the day, I was consistently impressed by the sheer number of electric vehicles on display. The vast range highlighted Yadea’s commitment to addressing nearly every possible niche in the electric mobility market. But perhaps even more striking was the scale and detail of Yadea’s dealer support system. Dealers benefit from extensive training programs, robust diagnostic tools, and a comprehensive range of accessories and upgrades. Conversations I had with dealers from all over the world highlighted the unique challenges and successes of bringing these electric vehicles to their respective markets. Many shared stories about the ease of working with Yadea as well as the brand’s name recognition helping to win over new riders.

Last year, I toured one of Yadea’s eight global factories, gaining insight into the meticulous manufacturing processes behind these vehicles. Witnessing the production process highlighted the precision, technology, and quality control standards that underpin every product Yadea manufactures. This year’s summit completed the picture, demonstrating Yadea’s equal commitment to customer-facing operations. From their expansive product lineup to their global dealer network, Yadea is making two-wheeled electric transportation accessible and appealing worldwide.

Yadea’s global impact is truly impressive. They operate on nearly every continent, with robust sales networks spread around the world. This international presence isn’t just about market share, it’s also about driving the global adoption of electric mobility solutions. Yadea’s products help reduce emissions and traffic congestion while providing affordable and accessible transportation options to millions worldwide.

When discussing true global impact, few can rival Yadea’s sheer reach and scale. Even the major electric automakers like BYD and Tesla are playing for a distance second place when it comes to annual units sold. After spending time immersed in Yadea’s latest offerings and engaging with their global dealer community, it’s clear that Yadea isn’t just leading in volume—they’re also at the forefront of innovation, design, and customer support, truly defining the future of electric mobility.

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