Kia is dropping the base “Light” trim level of their popular EV6 for 2023, resulting in a new base model price of $48,500 for their “Wind” trim level (plus $1,295 destination charge). This is a $1,000 increase for the Wind trim level, but with the new absence of the “Light” trim, this means the cheapest EV6 is now $7,100 more than 2022’s cheapest EV6.
A $1,000 price increase doesn’t seem all that bad, compared to the prices of everything else in the auto industry right now. This is a relatively minor bump, especially given how constrained supplies have been and how many cars, particularly EVs, are selling for well above MSRP. However, the removal of the lowest trim means that the new base price will be much higher than last year.
2022’s “Light” EV6 was the smaller-battery option, with an ample 232 miles of range. This is the main difference between the larger battery Wind and Wave trims, which have 310 miles of range (or 274 for AWD versions). These higher trims have other features, but improved performance and a larger battery are the main chunk of the increased cost.
Kia spokesperson James Hope confirmed the change (while pointing out some of the extra features the Wind trim gets):
“With strong sales and continued customer demand, the Wind RWD becomes the base EV6 for the 2023 model year, replacing the Light RWD. With just a $1,000 MSRP increase from last year, its greater range and sought-after standard features – leather seating surfaces with ventilated front seats, external and internal vehicle-to-load ports, smart power liftgate and a Meridian premium audio system – ensures the Wind RWD offers tremendous value for discerning EV buyers.”
Another problem for Kia is the change in EV tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act. Cars that are assembled outside of North America, as all of Kia’s EVs currently are, no longer qualify for the US federal EV tax credit, as of this August when it was signed. When Kia starts building EVs in the US in 2024, they will potentially be eligible again for these credits, but for the next 1-2 years, they’re left out in the cold.
What this means is that a base model Kia EV6 purchased at the beginning of this year was $14,600 cheaper than a base model Kia EV6 purchased at the beginning of next year will be, which is quite a large practical price change for shoppers at the bottom of the model range.
There are some efforts in Congress to try to fix this problem and re-qualify certain cars for tax credits, but these are only nascent efforts. The success of these bills will likely rely on the results of tomorrow’s US Congressional election – keeping in mind that the vote to extend the EV tax credit went exactly along party lines, being supported by Democrats and opposed by all republicans in Congress.
Electrek’s Take
Kia recently announced prices for the newly-updated Niro EV, coming in at a base price of $39,450. At the time, we thought this price was a tad high, particularly when compared to the EV6, which seems like a better vehicle at an only slightly higher price.
Now, that calculus has changed significantly. The base model Kia EV6 price is more expensive than the top Niro trim, so the relative pricing between the two seems to make a little more sense now. And that’s great, but…when compared to other competing vehicles, Kia’s offerings are starting to look a little expensive.
It’s still a lot more expensive than a 2023 Chevy Bolt EV, but the EV6 competes less directly with that car than the Niro did, so we imagine there will be less cross-shopping between those two.
That said, Kia also has some of the most popular EVs in the US right now, as they and Hyundai are outselling all non-American EVs this year. Their offerings are good, and they know it. The E-GMP platform has produced some amazing cars. So they’re probably hoping they can continue to ride this popularity as long as EV supplies remain limited, and prices of other vehicles are inflated due to lack of supply anyway, before hopefully getting access back to tax credits to make them more price-competitive.
If you’re interested in the 2023 Kia EV6 click here to find a local dealer and ask them to add you to their list of interested buyers.
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Solar panel recycler SOLARCYCLE and Arizona State University just proved that solar panels made with recycled glass work just as well as new ones.
In a new collaboration with Arizona State’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the solar recycling company created a prototype solar panel – what they call a “mini module”– using 50% recycled glass pulled from end-of-life solar panels. The mini module matched the performance of panels made entirely with new materials.
The research was led by Dr. Zachary Holman, Arizona State’s vice dean for research and innovation, and his team. Researcher Kate Fisher built and tested two sets of panels: one using only new glass, and the other using a 50/50 mix of new and recycled glass cullet. The recycled material came from panels processed using SOLARCYCLE’s technology.
Using industry-standard power conversion efficiency tests, the results were clear: There was no statistically significant difference in how the two types of panels performed.
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“This is exactly the kind of result we hope for when industry and academia collaborate,” said Holman. “Together, we proved that you don’t have to sacrifice performance to build solar panels more sustainably.”
This isn’t just a one-off science experiment. SOLARCYCLE says the recycled-glass panel is part of a bigger plan to make solar manufacturing more circular – and less wasteful. The company plans to build a solar glass factory in Cedartown, Georgia, next to its existing recycling factory. It’ll be the first in the world to use recycled cullet like this at commercial scale.
“By proving we can manufacture new solar panels using recycled materials that produce at peak performance levels, we’re taking a major step toward making the solar industry more sustainable, scalable, and self-reliant,” said SOLARCYCLE’s CTO and co-founder, Pablo Dias.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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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EcoFlow launches new TRAIL 60,000mAh and 90,000mAh power stations with bundles, free gear, and extra savings from $113
EcoFlow is launching its newest and most compact series of power stations with some significant savings, starting with the TRAIL 200 DC 60,000mAh Portable Power Station at $113.05 shipped, after using the code 25EFTRAFF at checkout for an additional 5% off, while the TRAIL 300 DC 90,000mAh Portable Power Station is at $151.05 shipped, after using the same promo code – and both are also getting a free RAPID 30W GaN Charger ($26 value) along with the purchase. These two new personal backup power solutions will go for $200 and $250 at full price, getting cut down to $119 and $159 in initial discounts, but you’ll also be shedding an extra $6 and $8 thanks to the bonus savings code – for combined $113 and $125 markdowns (including the free chargers) that set the bar for future discounts. Head below to learn more and browse all the bundle offers.
These new EcoFlow TRAIL 200 DC and 300 DC power stations are the brand’s most compact backup power solutions to date, rivaling Anker’s PowerCore Reserve/C200 DC/C300 DC stations in their portability and performance. The 200 DC model weighs in at four pounds and sports a 60,000mAh LiFePO4 battery, while the 300 DC is under six pounds, sitting higher at a 90,000mAh LiFePO4 capacity. You’ll get up to 220W and 300W output power with these units, with the 200 DC providing two 12W USB-A ports, a 140W USB-C port, and a 100W USB-C port, while the 300 DC has the same USB-A ports but two 140W USB-C ports and a 120W car outlet.
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The EcoFlow TRAIL DC power stations come with loads of protection measures against overvoltage, overloading, short circuiting, various temperature spikes or drops, overcurrent, and more. There are also built-in woven handles that make carrying them all the easier, though with their small designs, they can also easily stow away inside your bag. You can charge both via a standard wall outlet at up to 200W or 280W speeds, with the 300 DC bringing a 110W max solar input into the mix for solar charging.
***Note: The extra savings has not been factored into any of the prices below, so be sure to use the code 25EFTRAFF at checkout for an additional 5% off your order. All the following offers also come with a free RAPID 30W GaN Charger too!
EcoFlow TRAIL power station launch offers:
Score up to $3,150 in exclusive savings on Bluetti’s new Apex 300 versatile power station and bundles starting from $1,439
Bluetti is officially launching its new Apex 300 Versatile Power Station along with several bundle options at up to $2,600 off in initial early-bird discounts alongside an exclusive 10% bonus savings for our readers. Things start with the lone Apex 300 Power Station at $1,439.10 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5TOYS10F at checkout for an additional 10% off your order. This new backup power unit will normally fetch $2,399 at full price once the early-bird savings ends, but you can take advantage of these first-time savings now to score a $960 markdown that sets the bar for future discounts in the future. Head below to get the rundown on this station’s capabilities and check out the many bundle offers also available.
If you want to learn more about this all-new power station’s monstrous capabilities and the many bundle offers we’re seeing during this launch, be sure to check out our original coverage of these exclusive deals here.
Head back to school on Lectric’s XP Lite 2.0 folding e-bikes with $365 in free gear from $999, more bundles up to $654 off
Lectric has launched its Back to School Sale that is offering up to $654 in free gear accompanying e-bike purchases, with a bunch of models seeing increased bundle sizes this time around – plus some select accessory savings too. One such model is the XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes that are all coming with $365 in free gear at $999 shipped, while the XP Lite 2.0 JW Long-Range e-bike gets the same bundle at $1,099 shipped. You’d normally have to pay $1,364 and $1,464, respectively for these same packages at full price, but as you’re likely aware by now, the savings come in the form of the bundled gear rather than actual price cuts on the bikes themselves. We’ve been seeing these models getting much smaller bundles between $100 and $200 over the last few months, but now they’re increasing in size just in time for students prepping for their upcoming class commutes. Head below for more on these and the other deals during this sale.
Get 2,700 PSI power through this Greenworks Pro-grade electric pressure washer + foam cannon at $360
Amazon is bringing back the best pricing of 2025 on the Greenworks Pro 2,700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer with Foam Cannon at $359.99 shipped. This particular model with the added foam cannon bundle isn’t available directly from the brand’s website, with it normally fetching $450 at full price. In 2025 we’ve seen three previous discounts to this same repeating rate, with today’s deal following suit for a fourth-time opportunity, giving you a 20% markdown for $90 in savings at the second-best price we have tracked – $45 above the all-time low last spotted during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Worx’s 6.2-pound 20V PowerShare 10-inch cordless chainsaw returns to annual $100 low, more from $158
Amazon is returning the best 2025 pricing on the Worx 20V PowerShare 10-inch Cordless Chainsaw for $99.99 shipped. It’s coming down off its usual $120 price tag, and is currently going for as much directly from the brand’s website. It was priced down to $104 during Prime Day, with that rate beaten out here today as the best price we have tracked in 2025 – landing it just $11 above the all-time low that we haven’t seen in quite some time. Head below to learn more about this model and its pole saw bundle counterpart option.
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.
Trump’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is rescinding every single Wind Energy Area (WEA) in US federal waters, wiping out over 3.5 million acres of zones once earmarked for offshore wind development.
This masochistic move is part of Trump’s January 2025 executive order halting all offshore wind leasing and ordering a review of wind permitting. It follows a new directive from his Interior Department — “Ending Preferential Treatment for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources.”
This is pure propaganda politics, not energy policy.
Trump has spent years spreading lies about offshore wind farms, from calling them “bird graveyards” to wrongly blaming them for whale deaths. Now his administration is taking a wrecking ball to one of the country’s most promising clean energy industries – just as the aging US grid faces unprecedented strain from climate change, EV adoption, and the explosion of data centers that demand massive electricity.
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Offshore wind is not unreliable. It’s already producing clean power for homes and businesses all over the world, including the US. In fact, many of the world’s most successful offshore wind developers — including European firms — have decades of experience building turbines in deep waters and tough weather. These companies work hand-in-hand with US firms, bringing expertise and creating good-paying American jobs, from manufacturing to port construction to long-term operations and maintenance.
The government’s rollback affects critical areas for future wind projects in the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Central Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, California, and Oregon. By removing these designated offshore zones, Trump’s BOEM is essentially canceling the roadmap for the US’s offshore wind future – one that would have powered millions of homes, stabilized energy costs, and brought climate benefits when we need them most.
Jason Walsh, executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance, released a statement in response to this destructive decision:
Donald Trump should support the country’s progress and do everything he can to foster more resources for the people. Instead, he is trying to wipe an entire sector of the energy industry off the board at a time when our electric grid is overburdened and electric bills are rising. Attacking offshore wind will put America behind its foreign competitors, kill jobs, and weaken our energy sector.
This isn’t just an energy issue – it’s a jobs issue, a climate issue, and a national competitiveness issue. At a time when we need more power on the grid, more affordable energy, and more tools to fight climate change, the Trump administration is deliberately dismantling a homegrown solution. We will all pay for it with our wallets, and our kids will pay with their futures. Europe and China’s offshore wind industries are leaving the US in the dust.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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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