Are these Ford custom EV builds dope or nope?
Ford teamed up with aftermarket builders and parts makers to deliver three custom EV builds – one Mustang Mach-E and two F-150 Lightnings – at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.
The automaker wanted to highlight how Ford EV drivers can personalize their rides with Ford Performance Parts and Ford Licensed Accessories. Electrek writer Scooter Doll and I put in our two cents below, but we want to hear from you. Tell us in the comments – are these custom EV builds hot or not?
Mustang Mach-e: True Mustang Persona
- Builder: Dom Tucci Design (Tucci Hot Rods)/Kay Automotive Graphics
- Specs: Shadow Black GT, Extended Range Battery
This dual-motor, AWD 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is widened with a custom lift-gate spoiler. It features fender arches with Tucci-made 3D-printed fender flares, vacuum-formed transparent wheel covers (see main photo), and a 3D-printed front lip. A Kay Automotive custom graphics wrap brings the style.
The Tucci vehicle wears Ford Accessories sill plates, door emblems, and a GT badged tailgate. The cabin sports a Ford Accessories 140-degree dash cam, two Recaro seats, racing harnesses with custom harness bar, and custom-painted trim accents.
What Scooter thinks: That body kit magically transforms this already low-riding crossover SUV into something even sportier, and I’m here for it. Usually not a body/kit mod person at all, but it works here. What doesn’t work is that brown paint. Why not make this thing bright orange or completely blacked out and try to get it into the 20th Fast and Furious movie? This is dope.
What Michelle thinks: I’m with Scooter on this one. Body kit is amazing and then … brown. Kind of anti-climactic. Why not a nod to the Mustang’s iconic history with Poppy Red? That would look gorgeous. I am totally down with the Recaro seats. The Mach-e GT can apparently go from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, so that seat and a racing harness would be useful, lol. Cool that they used 3D printing. This is a moderate dope from me.
F-150 Lightning: Swiss Army Knife
- Builder: Tjin Edition/Thule
- Specs: Extended Range Battery, all-wheel drive, SuperCrew, Lariat
The Tjin Edition F-150 Lightning packs solar charging, a portable air compressor, a fridge, console vault, Recaro front and rear seats, and Thule cargo accessories. It’s also got two Super73 e-bikes mounted on the back. Ford says it’s perfect “for a weekend getaway, off-roading adventure, or tailgating with family and friends.”
What Scooter thinks: This looks like the F-150 Lightning dressed up as a Rivian for Halloween. Those look like Lotus racing seats in there. And those wheels? Love the creativity here, but this one is a nope for me.
What Michelle thinks: This custom F-150 has all the accessories you need for outdoor fun. You had me at solar, Ford. If the US National Park Service and a lowrider had a baby, then this is what it would look like. If you were offroading, wouldn’t the bottom scrape the ground? Afraid this is also a nope for me.
F-150 Lightning: Race Support
- Builder: Real Truck/Motor City Solutions
- Specs: 131 kWh Extended Range Battery, AWD, SuperCrew, XLT, Iconic Silver
Real Truck’s Race Support F-150 Lightning is equipped with an air compressor, leveling kit, off-road recovery boards, and Recaro seats, along with a fully mobile toolbox and welding equipment. Ford says that “this F-150 Lightning pickup is equally at home on the road and at a Baja race as a support vehicle.”
It comes with a Retrax bed cover featuring a rail system, crossbars, and extra Raptor wheels. It’s got a custom underbody skid plate, and the Kay Automotive graphics wrap is inspired by Ford Bronco Desert Racer livery.
What Scooter thinks: This is a bit better. Definitely more of a rally sport racing vibe. Not my personal style but well executed in my opinion. I really like the paint design but, personally, would swap out the blue and red with some other colors. Still dope, though.
What Michelle thinks: I’d want this in my Hot Wheels collection so I could fix my racing cars. You gotta be prepared when you’re age 5.
In all seriousness, you get form and function with this race support F-150. These should go into production. Also, I like the red tow hooks – they really pop. Were Recaro seats a requirement for these Ford custom EVs? Hmmm. It gets a dope from me.
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A view of offshore oil and gas platform Esther in the Pacific Ocean on January 5, 2025 in Seal Beach, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
Oil prices jumped on Friday as the U.S. Treasury Department announced sweeping sanctions against Russia’s oil industry.
Brent gained $1.92, or 2.5%, to $78.84 per barrel by 11:12 a.m. ET, while U.S. crude oil advanced $1.89, or 2.56%, to $75.81 per barrel. Brent broke $80 per barrel for the first time since October earlier in day, hitting a session high of $80.75.
The sanctions target Russian oil companies Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas and their subsidiaries, more than 180 tankers, and more than a dozen Russian energy officials and executives. The sanctioned executives include Gazprom Neft CEO Aleksandr Valeryevich Dyukov.
The sanctioned vessels are mostly oil tankers that are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that has dodged existing sanctions on the country’s energy exports, according to the Treasury Department.
“The United States is taking sweeping action against Russia’s key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
Brent crude futures, 1 year
“With today’s actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russia’s oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russia’s oil exports,” Yellen said.
The perception in the oil market is Indian and Chinese refiners that have imported Russian oil will have to scramble for barrels from the Middle East, said Bob Yawger, executive director of energy futures at Mizuho Securities, in a note to clients Friday.
The Biden administration has sought to ratchet up pressure on Russia and dispense aid to Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
“The Biden administration opted for more robust energy sanctions, which caught the oil market especially complacent about sanctions risks,” said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group.
“Therefore, we expect today’s material risk premium in Brent to stick pending signals from the Trump team as to whether they will continue these sanctions,” McNally said.
Hydrostor’s GEM A-CAES has received a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.76 billion from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to build the Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, a cutting-edge compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, in Eastern Kern County, California.
If everything goes as planned, Willow Rock will bring 500 megawatts (MW) and 4,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of long-duration energy storage (LDES) to the southern California power grid.
This system will lower energy costs, improve grid reliability during peak demand, and expand the rollout of renewable energy into the grid. Here’s how it works and why it’s unique.
How compressed air energy storage works
CAES technology is all about storing energy for later use, especially when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Here’s how it works:
- Storing energy: The system takes surplus energy (often from renewable sources like solar or wind) and uses it to compress air, which is stored in underground caverns.
- Releasing energy: When the grid needs power, the compressed air is released, passing through a turbine to generate electricity. Willow Rock will be able to dispatch stored energy at full power for over eight-hour periods.
Unlike conventional batteries, CAES can scale up based on the size of the storage cavern and doesn’t rely on scarce critical materials. It’s durable, too –systems like Willow Rock are designed to last over 50 years.
Why advanced CAES is different
Traditional CAES systems face two big challenges: wasted heat and inconsistent power output. Willow Rock’s advanced compressed air energy storage system (A-CAES) technology solves these problems:
- Thermal energy capture: Conventional CAES loses around 50% of energy during the air compression process. Willow Rock pairs a proprietary thermal storage system with this process, so it captures, stores, and reuses heat from the compression cycle.
- Constant Pressure: Traditional systems lose efficiency as underground air pressure drops. Willow Rock maintains consistent pressure by using water from an above-ground reservoir. As a bonus, the facility will be a net producer of fresh water, as water condensed during the compression process will be captured and reused.
This innovative design means A-CAES systems can be installed in a greater variety of underground conditions – an estimated 80% of US geology could support similar systems, opening the door for wide deployment.
Willow Rock will create up to 700 construction jobs at its peak, and 40 full-time operations roles will follow. These positions require skills similar to those used in the oil and gas industry, making it a natural fit for Kern County, a region with roots in fossil fuel production.
GEM A-CAES is a subsidiary of Hydrostor USA Holdings, a subsidiary of Hydrostor of Canada.
Read more: The world’s highest solar + storage project is online in Tibet
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Chinese EV automaker Build Your Dreams (BYD) has unveiled its ATTO 2 compact SUV to the European public. The launch, which took place at the Brussels Motor Show, kicks off BYD’s next EV entry into European and UK markets. The BYD ATTO 2 is smaller and more affordable than its SUV siblings, with a decent range to boot, perfect for European roads.
The ATTO 2 is a rebranded version of the Chinese EV automaker BYD’s Yuan Up – an ultra-affordable compact SUV that debuted in China in February 2024. BYD may not be bringing “Yuan” branded EVs over to new markets in Europe, but that lineup continues to grow each month.
BYD currently sells four all-electric models in the UK and seven in Europe, including the ATTO 3 SUV. Today, BYD debuted a rebranded version of the Yuan Up called the ATTO 2, which will go on sale to customers in the UK and Europe next month.
BYD unveils ATTO 2 in Brussels, sales begin in February
The Brussels Motor Show recently kicked off as the first major automotive expo in Europe in 2025, and BYD showed up with a new affordable BEV option to complement the ATTO 3. Per BYD executive vice president Stella Li:
We’re excited to start 2025 with another important model for our plans in Europe. The B-segment SUV class is incredibly popular here, and with the ATTO 2, we have an agile and versatile offering that will appeal to that large potential customer base. It takes all of BYD’s strengths in batteries, electric motors and Cell-to-Body construction and combines them in a compact package that brings new intelligent technologies to the urban SUV class.
The ATTO 2 is 4,310mm long, 1,830mm wide, and 1,675mm tall—145mm shorter and 45mm slimmer than its ATTO 3 sibling. Despite its compact size, the ATTO 2 offers up to 1,430 liters of cargo capacity with its rear seat down.
The ATTO 2 also sits atop BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, the first of the brand’s compact SUVs to utilize Cell-to-Body (CTB) construction, which integrates the battery completely into the vehicle chassis—this design results in optimized space and overall increased vehicle rigidity.
Speaking of batteries, the EU and UK customers who opt for an ATTO 2 can experience BYD’s proprietary Blade Batteries, which integrates LFP cells directly instead of fitting them into multiple modules. BYD says customers can choose between two battery sizes in their ATTO 2 order. At launch, a standard range edition will utilize a 45.1 kWh Blade Battery, delivering a (WLTP) 312 km (194 miles) range.
However, BYD said a larger-battery version of the ATTO 2 will arrive in the coming months and offer drivers greater range. The automaker is not yet sharing individual pricing for the ATTO 2 in the UK or Europe. Still, a representative for the company said the compact SUV is expected to land between the BYD Dolphin and ATTO 3 BEVs, which in the UK cost 26,140 GBP ($32,157) and 37,140 GBP ($45,689) respectively.
ATTO 2 sales are expected to begin in February.
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