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Electric motorcycles are being used by VIPs and in all-electric motorcades to escort delegates from the international community attending the annual G20 Summit.

The G20 is a global forum that includes 19 countries and the European Union, together representing the world’s 20 largest economies.

The main goals of the G20 Summit are to address issues with the global economy, including financial stability, climate change, and overall sustainability.

This year the G20 Summit is being held in Bali, Indonesia, where President Joko Widodo called for 100% of the government’s transportation used during the event to be electric vehicles.

In addition to electric cars, several high profile electric two-wheeler companies have been called on to supply electric motorcycles and mopeds for use at the Summit. Companies including Zero Motorcycles, Energica, Gogoro and NIU have all provided fleets for official use.

Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi (center) on a Gogoro electric scooter

A representative from Taiwanese battery swapping giant and electric scooter manufacturer Gogoro explained to Electrek that the company jointly deployed 30 Gogoro SmartScooters and a GoStation battery swap center along with Indonesian Partner Electrum.

The scooters each use a pair of Gogoro’s famous green and black swappable batteries, allowing officials to ride the scooters until the batteries are nearly empty, then swap in freshly charged batteries in seconds.

That allows the scooters to stay on the road continuously instead of needing to stop for a multi-hour charge.

The move was likely facilitated by Gogoro’s presence in the country via a Jakarta pilot with Gojek, with electrum being created as a Gojek joint venture.

Electric scooters are growing in popularity in Indonesia, a country that has wholly embraced the benefits of two-wheeled vehicles over larger four-wheeled cars and trucks.

In fact, Indonesia has set a goal of putting 2 million electric motorcycles and scooters on the country’s roads by 2025.

They are now 300 e-scooters closer thanks to NIU’s electric scooters are also being used by officials at the event. The company provided 300 GOVA series electric scooters to the Indonesian National Police for use at the summit.

NIU electric scooters ready for the G20 Summit

Ahead of the event, California-based Zero Motorcycles announced that it has provided a fleet of nearly 300 electric motorcycles to the Indonesian National Police and National Armed Forces.

According to CEO Harun Sjech of PT, Elektrick Motoriz Global, the Indonesian Zero importer:

Meeting the ambitious zero-emissions goals set by President Joko Widodo was made possible thanks to the excellent partnership with both Zero motorcycles and the Indonesian Government, both organizations that are highly motivated to be leaders in transitioning away from fossil fuels. We are extremely proud to have delivered all of these motorcycles and we look forward to building on our relationships with both Zero and the Indonesian government.

zero motorcycles police patrol bike

The fleet of nearly 300 motorcycles provided by Zero is mostly comprised of the Zero DSRP (Police) model, which is available exclusively to global fleet operators and authority forces.

Zero’s large delivery also includes SR/S and SR/F models that had been modified for tactical use by the Indonesian security apparatus.

As CEO of Zero Motorcycles Sam Paschel added:

We applaud President Widodo and the entire Indonesian Government for their clear vision, admirable climate leadership goals, and for the speed with which they sought to equip and train their staff for the G20 Summit. The G20 is an extremely important platform and being able to deliver a large fleet of reliable electric motorcycles for the event is a credit to our amazing team, and a benefit for the entire world.

Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica also announced recently that it received an order of 88 Energica EsseEsse9+ electric motorcycles from the Indonesian National Police ahead of the G20 Summit.

Energica CEO Livia Cevolini underscored the importance of electric motorcycles leading the charge, saying:

When G20 delegates arrive in Bali, they will be welcomed and escorted by a security detail riding Energica bikes. That means their first experience will be seeing zero-emission, high-performance vehicles in action. My hope is that this experience sticks with each delegate throughout the summit and in all discussions around climate change and transportation.

Electric motorcycles outfitted for police use at global summits is a growing trend. The COP26 summit used a fleet of Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles for official police patrol use.

Outside of flashy summits, electric motorcycles are finding homes in an increasing number of police departments and military units.

US police departments have turned to Zero Motorcycles for years, though low-cost electric motorcycles are now getting their turn in the police spotlights as well.

In some cases, US police departments have turned to high-power electric bicycles that border on electric motorbike performance.

Even conventional, low-power electric bicycles have proven popular with an increasing number of police departments looking to supplement their patrol cars with lighter electric two-wheelers that can penetrate deeper into city alleyways, community parks, and other areas normally off limits to larger police vehicles.

lapd police electric bike

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Global offshore wind surges ahead as Trump sinks US progress

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Global offshore wind surges ahead as Trump sinks US progress

Global offshore wind targets are still strong enough to triple global capacity by 2030, despite the US’s offshore wind stagnation under Trump. A new analysis from energy think tank Ember and the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) shows that the rest of the world is charging forward, underscoring confidence in offshore wind as a cornerstone of future clean energy systems.

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Tesla ‘Robotaxis’ keep crashing despite ‘safety monitors’

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Tesla 'Robotaxis' keep crashing despite 'safety monitors'

Based on the latest NHTSA report, Tesla’s ‘Robotaxis’ keep crashing in Austin, Texas, despite ‘safety monitors’ preventing an unknown number of crashes.

Under an NHTSA Standing General Order SGO, automakers are required to report crashes involving their autonomous driving (ADS) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) within five days of being notified of them.

For years, Tesla was only reporting ADAS crashes, since, despite the names of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, they are only considered level 2 driver assistance systems.

Since the launch of the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, where Tesla moved the supervisor from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat, it has now reported its first few crashes under the ADS reporting.

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In the first month of operation in July, Tesla reported three crashes with its ‘Robotaxi’ service in Austin.

This week, NHTSA has updated its crash report and revealed a 4th crash that happened in September:

Report ID Incident Date Incident Time (24:00) Make Model Model Year Automation System Engaged? Highest Injury Severity Alleged Crash With Roadway Type Weather
13781-11687 SEP-2025 01:25 TESLA Model Y 2026 ADS Property Damage. No Injured Reported Other Fixed Object Parking Lot Partly Cloudy

As we previously highlighted, when it comes to both ADS and ADAS crash reporting, Tesla abuses the redacting capacity and hides most information about its crashes, unlike most of its competitors.

Therefore, we don’t have much information about this new crash, but it reportedly occurred in a parking lot and involved a Tesla Robotaxi crashing into a “fixed object,” resulting in property damage.

What’s most interesting about this crash is that it comes as Tesla released the first bit of data about its Robotaxi program in Austin.

During its earnings call last week, Tesla confirmed that the Robotaxi fleet has traveled 250,000 miles since its launch in late June.

Therefore, Tesla Robotaxi currently crashes at a rate of about once every 62,500 miles. That’s with a safety monitor with a finger on a kill switch, ready to stop the vehicle at all times.

We have no data on how often Tesla’s safety monitors prevent crashes in its robotaxis.

For comparison, the NHTSA report lists 1,267 crashes involving Waymo vehicles. However, Waymo’s robotaxis have covered over 125 million fully driverless miles since inception. That’s a crash every 98,600 miles and without any onboard safety monitor.

Electrek’s Take

That’s the problem with comparing Tesla and Waymo.

At least we can now clearly see that Waymo’s incident rate is much lower than Tesla’s, but that’s with a safety monitor in Tesla robotaxis that prevents an untold number of crashes.

The actual difference could be 10x higher. We simply don’t know. Tesla has always refused to share any data regarding disengagement or intervention rates.

One thing is clear: Tesla is way behind Waymo in autonomous driving safety.

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This electric hot hatch is the Subaru STI we deserve

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This electric hot hatch is the Subaru STI we deserve

The electric hot hatch is more than just a show car, Subaru says it offers capabilities only possible with a battery EV.

Subaru unveils new electric STI hot hatch

It’s been quiet on the STI front since Subaru dropped the gas-powered WRX STI in 2022. However, that may change very soon.

The WRX STI was axed due to stricter emissions regulations in Europe, leading many to believe it would be replaced with an electric version. Subaru even said it was looking into opportunities for a next-gen STI version, including an electrified model, but said it would not be built on the new WRX platform.

Now, we are getting our first look at the future of STI. Subaru unveiled two new STI vehicles at the Japan Mobility Show on Wednesday, one a battery-electric (BEV) model and the other a gas-powered model.

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Subaru said the EV variant, dubbed the Performance-E STI concept, “represents the future of the Performance Scene, spearheading Subaru’s new generation.”

Subaru-electric-hot-hatch-STI
The Subaru Performance-E STI Concept (Source: Subaru)

The electric hot hatch still features a design that “evokes the brand’s heritage,” but with a bit more flair. Unlike the gas version, the Performance-B STI, the EV debuts a new three-line LED headlight design and sportier silhouette.

According to Subaru, the electric STI is “not just a show car,” it can also be used as a daily driver. The aim was to create a performance car that “would inspire everyday life,” Subaru said, adding that “this packaging is only possible with a battery EV.”

The electric hot hatch is equipped with a cylindrical battery, which offers a lower center of gravity and opens up interior space.

Subaru said the setup results in a 15% lower center of gravity than on its previous vehicles. By optimizing downforce and air resistance, the company claims it will outperform the current Subaru Global Platform.

The electric hot hatch also features a new “next-generation suspension” that lowers the hood height by more than 5% while improving control and responsiveness.

Subaru didn’t reveal any other specifics, but said that it will incorporate “innovative technologies” to offer an intuitive, exhilarating driving experience.

Will we see the electric hot hatch actually come to life? Subaru didn’t confirm it was headed for production, but said it represents the future and spearheads a new generation. When and if we will see an electric Subaru STI remains up in the air for now.

Subaru isn’t the only one jumping into the electric hot hatch craze. Honda revealed the Super-ONE at the Japan Mobility Show today, a compact EV that’s packed with fun features.

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