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Gates Carbon Drive is a global leader in belt drives used to replace chains on two-wheeled vehicles like bikes, scooters, and motorcycles. The company’s new Gates Carbon Drive Moto X5 product line was just introduced this morning, helping make already quiet electric motorcycles even quieter.

Gates Moto X5 belt drive unveiled

Gates belt drives are engineered with high-stiffness, long-lasting synthetic compounds layered with carbon fiber cords for superior strength and durability.

New nylon tooth fabric improves the Moto X5 drivetrain’s durability, and the tooth profile is backward compatible with the company’s Moto X9 sprockets.

Depending on the vehicle and setup, Gates’ belts are frequently rated for tens of thousands of miles. Compared to chain drives – those are also much quieter miles.

According to independent lab testing, the Gates Moto X5 belt drive system was shown to be up to 15 decibels quieter than chain drives over a range of operating speeds.

But noise reduction is just one of many benefits of belt drive systems like these. Reduced maintenance and efficiency gains are also key advantages.

Unlike chains, which require periodic maintenance to clean, oil, and check tension, belt drives are essentially maintenance-free.

And because they long outlive the life span of chains, that maintenance-free operation is even more impactful to the amount of time that riders have to spend wrenching instead of riding.

Gates also claims that the Moto X5 has an efficiency advantage over chain drives.

As the company explained:

Throughout the life of the vehicle and under normal operating and maintenance conditions, Moto X5 is more energy efficient than chain, which can lead to improved vehicle range, a critical factor on electric vehicle applications.

I’ve always heard that chains are a couple of percentage points more efficient than belts, but that may only be true for new chains. As the chain quickly wears in, its efficiency decreases. Belts retain their high efficiency in a more linear curve throughout their life spans, meaning that they can be more efficient when compared to chains across the entire useful lifetime of the drivetrain.

Gates is targeting the large markets of sit-down electric scooters and electric motorcycles used for commuting applications. These types of two-wheeled electric vehicles are skyrocketing in use across Asia, even if their numbers are growing more slowly in Europe and North America.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), new registrations of electric two and three-wheelers reached over 10M units in 2021, with the majority coming from China, India, and Vietnam.

By the end of this decade, the IEA expects over 80% of two and three-wheelers sold in China to be electric.

Tom Pitstick, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of strategic planning for Gates, explained further:

As the transition from internal combustion engines to electric scooters accelerates in core markets like India, Southeast Asia, and China, we expect drivetrain noise, efficiency and durability to become more important to customers. Moto X5 is designed to meet the needs for quiet, long-lasting, low-maintenance operation. Congratulations to the efforts of our global R&D teams that made this breakthrough possible.

Those wanting to see the new Moto X5 system in person can check it out at the China International Motorcycle show from November 3-5 and the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show from Nov 8-13.

An example of a previously-released Gates belt drive system used by Gogoro

Electrek’s Take

I’ve been a Gates fanboy for a while, and some of my favorite everyday rider electric bicycles use a Gates carbon drive.

Each time I hop on a Zero motorcycle or one of Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire motorcycles, I enjoy the quiet ride that Gates belt drives offer.

In fact, it’s rare I even see a new chain-drive electric scooter or motorcycle introduced anymore. The only two I own (yes, I own a lot of electric two-wheelers) are a Sur Ron Light Bee and a Gogoro S2 ABS Performance. I love both of them, but it’s frankly surprising how loud each vehicle is. All you hear when riding them is chain noise, which is accentuated by the lack of exhaust noise covering it up like on an ICE-powered scooter or motorcycle. Plus I know that I have to occasionally check the chains on both of them, which other than normal brake and tire wear, is pretty much the only maintenance I have to perform on a two-wheeled electric vehicle. Both Sur Rons and Gogoro have Gates belt drive options, and I’m thinking that I need to explore both of those soon.

So yea, I’m sure the Moto X5 will be a smashing success on this massively growing wave of new electric scooters and motorcycles. The noise alone is a huge benefit, but the longevity and lack of maintenance are the real deal sealer.

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Tesla (TSLA) brand damage is destroying used car value: ‘People don’t want them anymore’

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Tesla (TSLA) brand damage is destroying used car value: 'People don't want them anymore'

Tesla’s brand damage is eroding the value of used Tesla vehicles at a rapid rate, as owners rush to sell theirs.

It is breaking the used Tesla market as prices are plunging just as the broader used car market is recovering.

After a few tough years for the used car market following the pandemic, it is finally starting to recover over the last month.

Economic uncertainty and a fear of higher inflation due to Trump’s tariffs are prompting some buyers to shift from the new car market to the used car market.

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From March 2024 to March 2025, average used car prices decreased by 2.68% in the US, but the trend has finally reversed.

According to Car Guru‘s used car index, used car prices have risen an impressive 2.17% in the last 30 days alone.

However, there’s an exception: Tesla.

The price of used Tesla vehicles has been falling, like the rest of the used car market, since the pandemic; however, it is not benefiting from the reversal in the current macroeconomic situation.

While average used car prices rose more than 2% in the last 30 days, Tesla’s used car prices decreased by 1.34% in the US.

That’s due to oversupply, as many Tesla owners are selling their vehicles to distance themselves from the Tesla brand, which is associated with CEO Elon Musk and his increasingly divisive political views.

The demand to sell used Tesla vehicles is so high that many used car dealers, who had been fighting to acquire inventory just a year prior, are starting to be reticent about buying Tesla vehicles as the value decreases so rapidly.

In Quebec, Le Journal de Montréal spoke with local used car dealers and attended a car auction where many Tesla vehicles were up for sale, with some selling for half the price they were selling for just over a year ago.

Éric Piuze, owner of a used car dealership on Montreal’s South Shore, said (translated from French):

“People don’t want them anymore. The Elon Musk effect is very real in Quebec.”

The used car dealers at the auction noted that they are not confident they can sell the used Tesla quickly enough to avoid further value decreases.

Furthermore, they note that potential buyers are lowballing on Tesla vehicles because they are aware that inventory is high, creating a buyer’s market.

Dealers are also seeing higher defaults on Tesla car payments, as buyers who took on debt to purchase them just a few years ago struggle to make payments.

Piuze added (translated from French):

People paid a lot of money for Teslas. During the pandemic, we saw many people remortgaging their homes to buy a Tesla. Those days are over.

At its peak, the average used Tesla price was over $60,000 in 2022. Now, the same vehicles are worth a fraction, but their car payments are still high.

Electrek’s Take

Even with the used car market finally getting a breather from crashing prices, Tesla vehicles are not benefiting at all. This highlights a significant issue in the used Tesla market. It’s broken.

The market can’t absorb the surge in people selling their Tesla vehicles.

I wouldn’t want to be a company holding a fleet of Tesla vehicles right now. The value erosion is impressive.

I thought that maybe the Cybertruck was dragging the entire Tesla market down, with a 6.64% decrease in used value over the last 30 days. However, the Model Y alone saw a 1.67% decrease during the same period.

The good news is that the vast majority of people selling their used Tesla vehicles are purchasing other electric vehicles, thereby boosting the EV market. It’s also giving people the chance to get into Tesla vehicles for cheaper, although they should expect the value of those vehicles to decrease rapidly.

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E-quipment highlight: Sandvik QH443E electric cone plant

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E-quipment highlight: Sandvik QH443E electric cone plant

The new flagship Q-Range electric drive cone plant from the quarry experts at Sandvik is engineered to be safe, quiet, and tough enough to operate in the most hostile environments the mining and quarrying industries can put it in.

Cone crushers enhance quarrying efficiency by enabling operators to crush rock, stone, and ore down to a precise size. In ELI5 terms, big rocks go into the top of the plant. Inside, a cone-shaped mantle moves inside a larger cone in an eccentric circle that grinds up the stone and ore between the mantle and the cone’s sides, breaking them up into smaller pieces. Once the pieces are ground to a given size determined by the position of the mantle within the larger cone, they fall out into a cone-shaped pile (but that’s just a coincidence).

Basic mechanisms of cone crusher

The “how it works” version.

The cone crusher is part of a broader “train” of machines on a quarry that work together to turn a massive rock face into a fine sand and/or anything in between. With the launch of the QH443E electric cone plant, Sandvik now offers mine operators a fully electric driven train – one that includes the UJ443E fully electric jaw crusher launched in 2023, the QE342e hybrid scalper, and the QA452e hybrid triple-deck Doublescreen launched in 2022 (if you want to know more about how those work, let us know in the comments).

The new QH443E features a new heavy-duty feeder design equipped with electrically driven components, which can be powered by batteries, or a connection to grid power. An on-board diesel generator capable of running on 100% HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil), providing a number of more sustainable fuel choices and effectively reducing the mine’s operating costs.

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Sandvik claims the electric delivers a 25% fuel savings on generator (and, obviously, 100% on grid or battery power), as well as a 78% reduction in oil usage compared to previous generations.

The new crusher bridges the gap between tracked mobile, wheeled portable, and stationary cone plants by combining electric drives and track mobility on a single platform. The QH443E uses Optik intuitive automation system and My Fleet remote monitoring software hooked to a suite of sensors that provide 24/7 telematics, geo-fencing, and remote-operator support that’s designed to ensure continuous crushing and optimal performance.

Those sensors also help drive innovations in safety, as well. “Safety is paramount in the design of the QH443E,” said Sandvik, in a statement. “The unit includes remote camera viewing of the crushing chamber, 270 degree access around the crusher for easy maintenance and mandatory audible and visual warnings for safe operation. Our extensive global distributor and sales support network ensures that you receive the best support for your operations.”

The QH443E is available in the EU now through Sandvik Mobile’s global dealer network, and will be available everywhere by Q4 of 2025.

Electrek’s Take

Sandvik QH443E portable cone plant rounds out the company’s electric train offering; via Sandvik.

While there are a lot of people outside the drilling and mining space who may scoff at environmental concerns, the quest for improved efficiency and cost reduction among commercial fleet managers knows no political ideology. Simply put: If it’s better or cheaper, they’ll buy it. If it’s better and cheaper, they’ll buy two — and battery power is proving to be consistently better, in a broader scope of use cases, than diesel.

SOURCE | PHOTOS: Sandvik; via Global Highways, Pit & Quarry.

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Past classic that deserves the electric restomod treatment: Ford Taurus

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Past classic that deserves the electric restomod treatment: Ford Taurus

The current EV era is ripe with revered classic car designs and nameplates that are being reborn as battery-powered rides – and the success of cars the Renault 5 proves it can be a winning formula. Today, I’m suggesting another classic that deserves a modern electric update: the OG Ford Taurus.

It might seem old and dated now, but when the original Ford Taurus made its debut in 1985, it was so fresh, so different, so futuristic that it was included, almost unchanged, in Robocop’s sci-fi vision of a dystopian Detroit. Really.

I’d buy that for a dollar

From the movie poster for Robocop; MGM Studios.

The aerodynamic design of the Ford Taurus wasn’t just futuristic, it was successful – and, from 1992 through 1996, the OG Taurus was not just Ford’s best-selling car, but the best selling car in North America.

The sedan market is very different forty years on – so different, in fact, that Ford doesn’t actually sell any sedans in North America. With the exception of the 2-door ICE Mustang, the Blue Oval brand doesn’t even sell any cars, and operates almost entirely as a truck and SUV brand.

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Now, imagine Ford decides to get back into the sedan game. It’s 2025 now, and the Tesla Model 3 has proven that there’s enough demand for at least one successful electric sedan in the US. And, crucially, it seems like most of those buyers won’t be trading their Tesla back in for another one.

If there was ever a time to do it, that time is now – and Ford is perfectly positioned to fast-track a new-age Taurus.

The VW connection

Chinese-market Volkswagen ID.7 Vizzion; via VW.

Yes, I know that’s a Volkswagen – but hear me out. Ford and VW have a strong, existing relationship when it comes to EVs, having co-developed the MEB electric skateboard platform that underpins both the high-riding Ford Capri (itself a modern take on a classic Ford) and the Volkswagen ID.7 shown, above.

The ID.7 is an interesting piece, because it was always Volkswagen’s original intention to bring the car to the US, but slowing sedan demand and a dealer body that would rather sell Scout-branded SUVs and pickups than near/entry-luxe sedans killed the car’s chances before before the first one made it over. Now, it’s not coming to the US at all.

That might have been a mistake, since the the midsized ID.7 sedan is currently the best-selling EV in Germany, with sales continuing to accelerate throughout Europe in the wake of Tesla’s catastrophic, politically-fueled decline.

So, VW dealers don’t want a perfectly capable, Ford-developed, aerodynamic midsized sedan to sell in the US? No problem. Ramp up the BlueOval SK battery plant, set off a hiring frenzy at BlueOval City, start building an oval-badged ID.7-based Ford Taurus in the US, and slap a Tesla conquest rebate on the thing to help overcome Tesla buyer’s increasingly negative equity.

It even looks good in 90s Ford Taurus green.

Original content from Electrek; featured image by ChatGPT.

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