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Newport Beach, California-based Electric Bike Company has just launched its newest e-bike, the Model J. Not only does it come with some impressive specs, but the introductory pricing borders on unbelievable.

The 28 mph e-bike (unlockable from the 20 mph factory setting) takes on a SUPER73-style minibike design scheme that has become common in the industry lately. It’s a popular frame style among younger riders, offering motorcycle vibes in an e-bike package.

It may be a popular format, but what isn’t as common is the extreme customization opportunity available on the Electric Bike Company Model J. Thanks to its California-based production, literally almost every single area of the bikes can be customized to each customer’s preferences.

Let’s start with the parts that remain standard though, because there are fewer of those.

All of the Model J e-bikes come with the same hydroformed aluminum frame, rear hub motor (with 10-year warranty), dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes, front and rear LED lights with an auto-on feature when the sun goes down, LCD color display with USB charger, and stainless-steel rust-free hardware throughout.

From there, the rest of the bike is customizable.

There are three 48V batteries options to choose from: 14Ah (672Wh), 28Ah (1,344Wh), and 42Ah (2,016Wh). Those three batteries options offer maximum ranges on pedal assist of 65 miles (104 km), 130 miles (208 km), and 195 miles (314 km). All of the batteries come with a five-year warranty.

For those making use of that pedal assist, a torque sensor is available as an optional upgrade to offer a nicer pedal assist experience. For everyone else relying mostly on the throttle to zip around, you’ll be able to choose between a thumb throttle or a half-twist throttle.

The handlebars supporting those throttle options are customizable as well, with riders having the option between normal BMX-style bars or even higher ape-hanger bars like you’d find on a classic chopper. Riders can choose between either rubber bar end grips or hand-stitched vegan leather, as well as either silver or black handlebars.

Continuing down the bike, the 24″ wheels are rocking 3″ wide tires that thread the needle between nimbleness and comfort. Speaking of needles, they’re also puncture-resistant e-bike tires with the option of either brown or black sidewalls.

The standard front fork on the Model J is rigid, but riders have the option of selecting an 80mm-travel suspension fork with adjustable preload and hydraulic lockout.

On the rear, a choice of either a single-speed or 7-speed drivetrain lets riders dial in just how much pedal control they want.

I’m having too much fun with the online customizer

Other optional upgrades include a rear rack with MIK compatibility for mounting cargo accessories, an anti-theft alarm, and a lighting kit that adds high/low beams, turn signals, brake lights, and horn.

And that option list doesn’t even include the color choices. Not only can you choose between different colors for components, like black/brown saddles and black/silver rims and handlebars, but you can also customize the paint color. The three base colors of white, black, and red are complemented by another 40 (yes, forty) paint color options including a number of interesting metallic paint options to really make the Model J shine.

That’s because Electric Bike Company built its own extensive painting facility, allowing it to customize each bike, including separate colors on all of the components such as the fork, chain guard, basket, etc. The company even has its own helmets with built-in front/rear LED lights and that can be custom painted to match the bike. Even the helmets have multiple customization options beyond just the shell color, like different trim and strap colors.

I tried my hand at EBC’s bike customization wizard on the site and designed the custom Model J below with semi-matching helmet, though my wife will tell you that I don’t have much of an eye for aesthetics. I should probably let her design one instead if I really want it to look good.

electric bike company model j customization

As impressive as all of these customization options are, the biggest shocker here is likely the price. The Model J will come with an MSRP of $1,499, but is now available for pre-order at just $1,199 with a five- to six-week wait for delivery. Even without the promotion, $1,499 is a very fair price. But at $1,199, that makes this bike a steal.

Of course keep in mind that several of the options listed above are paid upgrades. For example, the torque sensor will run you an extra $99, while custom paint jobs on the frame can be an extra $299.

Because the bikes are built locally in California, they are packaged fully assembled so that riders only need to open the box and ride. That means they sometimes require a larger delivery truck, but that also prevents your local UPS driver from just slowing down to kick the box out the back of the van, which seems to be the delivery method of choice in my neighborhood.

I’ve tested several e-bikes from EBC, as well as visited the company’s Newport Beach factories to see how they build and package their e-bikes first hand. It’s frankly inspiring to see so many local Californians lacing motors into wheels, painting frames, wiring e-bikes, assembling batteries, and performing every other step of the process that we normally associate with nameless overseas factories.

We’ll be sure to report back as soon as we can get our hands on one of these new Model J e-bikes to let you know how it rides. But from the specs as well as from my own experience with other EBC e-bikes, the bar is set pretty high on this one.

You can check out my EBC factory tour video below.

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This $900 million solar farm in Texas is going 100% to data centers

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This 0 million solar farm in Texas is going 100% to data centers

Enbridge is going big on solar again in Texas, and Meta is snapping up all the solar power it can get.

Last month, Electrek reported that the Canadian oil and gas pipeline giant just launched its first solar farm in Texas. Now it’s given the green light to Clear Fork, a 600 megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar farm already under construction near San Antonio. The project is expected to come online in summer 2027.

Once it’s up and running, every bit of Clear Fork’s electricity will go to Meta Platforms under a long-term contract. Meta will use the solar power to help run its energy-hungry data centers entirely on clean energy.

The solar farm project’s cost is around $900 million. Enbridge says it expects Clear Fork to boost the company’s cash flow and earnings starting in 2027.

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Enbridge EVP Matthew Akman said the project reflects “growing demand for renewable power across North America from blue-chip companies involved in technology and data center operations.”

Meta’s head of global energy, Urvi Parekh, added that the company is “thrilled to partner with Enbridge to bring new renewable energy to Texas and help support our operations with 100% clean energy.”

Meta’s first multi-gigawatt data center, Prometheus, is expected to come online in 2026.

Clear Fork is part of a growing trend: tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Google are racing to lock down renewable energy contracts as they expand their fleets of AI-ready data centers, which use massive amounts of electricity.


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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Isuzu’s first electric pickup is impressive, but it’s not cheap

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Isuzu's first electric pickup is impressive, but it's not cheap

A fully electric Japanese electric pickup truck? It’s not a Toyota or Honda, but Isuzu’s new electric pickup packs a punch. The D-MAX EV can tow over 7,770 lbs (3,500 kg), plow through nearly 24″ (600 mm) of water, and it even has a dedicated Terrain Mode for extreme off-roading. However, it comes at a cost.

Meet Isuzu’s first electric pickup: The D-MAX EV

After announcing that it had begun building left-hand drive D-MAX EV models at the end of April, Isuzu said that it would start shipping them to Europe in the third quarter.

By the end of the year, Isuzu will begin production of right-hand drive models for the UK. Sales will follow in early 2026.

Isuzu announced prices this week, boasting the D-MAX EV features the same “no compromise durability” of the current diesel version.

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The D-MAX EV pickup features a full-time 4WD system, a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tons (7,700 lbs), and an added Terrain Mode, which Isuzu says is designed for “extreme off-road capability.” With 210 mm (8.3″) of ground clearance, Isuzu’s electric pickup can wade through up to 600 mm (24″) of water.

Powered by a 66.9 kWh battery, Isuzu’s electric pickup offers a WLTP range of 163 miles. With charging speeds of up to 50 kW, the D-MAX EV can recharge from 20% to 80% in about an hour.

The electric version is nearly identical to the current diesel-powered D-Max, both inside and out, but prices will be significantly higher.

Isuzu D-Max EV specs and prices
Drive System Full-time 4×4
Battery Type Lithium-ion
Battery Capacity 66.9 kWh
WLTP driving range 163 miles
Max Output 130 kW (174 hp)
Max Torque 325 Nm
Max Speed Over 130 km/h (+80 mph)
Max Payload 1,000 kg (+2,200 lbs)
Max Towing Capacity 3.5t (+7,700 lbs)
Ground Clearance 210 mm
Wading Depth 600 mm
Starting Price (*Ex. VAT) £59,995 ($81,000)
Isuzu D-Max EV electric pickup prices and specs

Isuzu’s electric pickup will be priced from £59,995 ($81,000), not including VAT. The double cab variant starts at £60,995 ($82,500). In comparison, the diesel model starts at £36,755 ($50,000).

The EV pickup will launch in extended and double cab variants with two premium trims: the eDL40 and V-Cross. Pre-sales will begin later this year with the first UK arrivals scheduled for February 2026. Customer deliveries are set to follow in March.

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AI startups raised $104 billion in first half of year, but exits tell a different story

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AI startups raised 4 billion in first half of year, but exits tell a different story

In this photo illustration, Claude AI logo is seen on a smartphone and Anthropic logo on a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

OpenAI and Anthropic continue to lead a fundraising bonanza in artificial intelligence, raising historic rounds and stratospheric valuations.

But when it comes to finding AI exits for venture firms, the market looks a lot different.

AI startups raised $104.3 billion in the U.S. in the first half of this year, nearly matching the $104.4 billion total for 2024, according to PitchBook. Almost two-thirds of all U.S. venture funding went to AI, up from 49% last year, PitchBook said.

The biggest deals follow a familiar theme. OpenAI raised a record $40 billion in March in a round led by SoftBank. Meta poured $14.3 billion into Scale AI in June as part of a way to hire away CEO Alexandr Wang and a few other top staffers. OpenAI rival Anthropic raised $3.5 billion, while Safe Superintelligence, a nascent startup started by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, raised $2 billion.

While Meta’s massive investment into Scale AI amounted to a lucrative exit of sorts for early investors, the overarching trend has been a lot more money going in than coming out.

In the first half, there were 281 VC-backed exits totaling $36 billion, according to PitchBook. That includes the roughly $700 million acquisition of EvolutionIQ, an AI platform for disability and injury claims management, by CCC Intelligent Solutions, and the public listing of Slide Insurance, which builds AI-powered insurance offerings for homeowners. Slide is valued at about $2.3 billion.

Read more CNBC reporting on AI

“The dominant exit trend right now is frequent but lower-value acquisitions and fewer IPOs with significantly higher value,” said Dimitri Zabelin, PitchBook’s senior research analyst for AI and cybersecurity.

CoreWeave’s IPO, which took place at the very end of the first quarter, was the exception on the infrastructure side. The stock shot up 340% in the second quarter, and the company is now valued at over $63 billion.

Zabelin said the pattern of more investments in applications with smaller deals has been in place for the past year.

“Vertical solutions tend to plug more easily into existing enterprise gaps,” Zabelin said.

The acquisitions wave is being driven, in part, by what Zabelin calls bolt-on deals where larger companies buy smaller startups to enhance their own future valuations, hoping to enhance their value ahead of a future sale or IPO.

“That also has to do with the current liquidity conditions in the macro environment,” Zabelin said.

Outside of AI, activity is slow. U.S. fintech funding dropped 42% in the first half of the year to $10.5 billion, according to Tracxn. Cloud software and crypto have also seen sharp pullbacks.

Zabelin said IPO activity could pick up if economic conditions improve and if interest rates come down. Investors clearly want opportunities to back promising AI companies, he said.

“The appetite for AI, specifically vertical applications, will continue to remain robust,” Zabelin said.

— CNBC’s Kevin Schmidt contributed to this report.

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