On Wednesday, Volvo Cars revealed a new investment in bidirectional EV charging startup dcbel. The company’s “r16” Home Energy Station is a full-fledged renewable energy ecosystem featuring solar power, bidirectional charging capabilities for backup power, and a smart home energy management system.
After being the first major premium car brand to commit to a full hybrid or EV lineup for all its models, Volvo aims to sell one million electrified cars by 2025.
Volvo’s first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge, was launched in 2019, followed by the C40 Recharge, a smaller and lighter crossover version, in March 2021. Between the two models, Volvo saw fully electric sales rise 157% in the first three months of 2023, reaching 18% of total car sales.
The Swedish EV maker plans to launch at least one new electric vehicle each year until mid-decade, including the upcoming EX90 and its smallest SUV yet, the EX30, set for its global debut on June 7 to continue expanding into new segments.
With at least half of Volvo’s sales expected to be fully electric by 2025, the company aims to enhance the ownership experience. Its latest investment in bidirectional EV charging startup dcbel will give buyers a complete home energy management solution.
Bidirectional EV charging coming to Volvo models
Through its venture capital firm Volvo Cars Tech Fund, Volvo announced it would support dcbel’s research and development (R&D) and go-to-market endeavors for its home energy system.
The system automates home energy management by converting solar power from rooftop photovoltaics and storing it in stationary battery storage.
Owners can also leverage the bidirectional charging to send energy from a Volvo EV back to their homes to save on utility costs during peak hours (vehicle-to-home) or be compensated for selling it back to the grid (vehicle-to-grid). It also supports charging two EVs simultaneously.
The dcbel r16 Home Energy Station is a complete solution, replacing the following equipment:
Fast DC bidirectional EV charger
Level 2 EV charger
Solar Inverter
Stationary battery charger
Smart home energy manager
Alexander Petrofski, CEO of Volvo Cars Tech Fund, explains how “Home Energy Management Systems will play a vital role as we move towards bi-directionality of electric vehicles,” saying:
Rising energy prices coupled with frequent blackouts are challenges faced by consumers today and our investment in dcbel and their technology can help alleviate those challenges for our customers.
Customers who purchase dcbel’s home energy system will have the option to customize and buy their vehicle and renewable energy in one bundle online. Once active, homeowners can view and control their energy through the smartphone app, with it updating every five minutes to calculate the best ways to use, store, or sell their home energy.
Volvo already said its upcoming EX90 would be the brand’s first electric car with bidirectional EV charging capabilities.
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Now that the new Tesla Model Y Juniper refresh has been fully unveiled and we know all the details, which one do you prefer: the new one or the old Model Y?
We are curious to get your opinion on the new Model Y design. Opinions appear divided as some see the update with the lightbars as played out, while others appreciate the more aggressive look.
What do you think?
Here are comparison images of the new and old Model Y:
Here are also the updated specs and features, but these are objectively almost entirely positive other than the lack of gear shift stalk, maybe, so the poll is obviously more about the design changes:
Feature
Model Y
New Model Y
Starting Price After Est. Savings
$31,490 Available Now
$46,490 Available Starting March
Trims
Long Range RWD Long Range AWD Performance AWD
Launch Series Long Range AWD
Range
277-337 miles (EPA est.)
303-320 miles (est.)
Seating
First row: power recline and heated Second row: manual fold and heated
First row: power recline, heated and ventilated Second row: power two-way folding and heated
BYD’s record-breaking year is paying dividends. Despite its vehicles selling for less than $17,000 on average, BYD topped Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, ranking first in car sales revenue in China last year. After taking the market by storm in 2024, the world’s largest EV maker aims for even more growth this year.
BYD ranked first in car sales revenue in China in 2024
BYD capped off an impressive run in 2024, selling over 500,000 vehicles for its third straight month in December. The year-end sales push bumped BYD’s total passenger car sales to over 4.25 million passenger vehicles last year, up 41% from about 3 million in 2023.
After topping Volkswagen to become China’s largest car maker in 2023, BYD became the country’s largest auto group in October 2024, surpassing SAIC. SAIC has joint ventures with Volkswagen and GM.
Not only is BYD selling more cars than its overseas rivals, it’s also making more on vehicle sales. According to China’s Sina Finance (via CarNewsChina), BYD ranked first among automakers in China in car sales revenue last year.
BYD sold 3.49 million vehicles in China, generating 420.7 billion yuan, or around $58 billion. Mercedes-Benz was second, with 710,000 cars sold for 307.9 billion ($42.5 billion) in revenue.
Volkswagen placed third with 2.1 million vehicles sold in 2024 and 303.2 billion yuan ($41.9 billion) in sales revenue.
The most interesting part is that BYD’s average selling price (ASP) per vehicle was just $16,700 (121,000 yuan), compared to Mercedes-Benz’s $59,500 (430,000 yuan) and Volkswagen’s $19,700 (143,000 yuan).
Ranking
Automaker
Average Vehicle Selling Price (*USD)
Vehicle Sales Revenue (*USD)
1
BYD
$16,700
$58.1 billion
2
Mercedes-Benz
$59,500
$42.5 billion
3
Volkswagen
$19,700
$41.9 billion
4
Toyota
$23,300
$36.7 billion
5
BMW
$46,900
$32.7 billion
6
Tesla
$33,800
$22.3 billion
7
Aito
$55,500
$21.4 billion
8
Li Auto
$42,000
$21.1 billion
9
Honda
$20,800
$17.8 billion
10
Geely
$12,700
$13.2 billion
Top ten automakers by car sales revenue in China for 2024 (Source: CarNewsChina/ Sina Finance)
BYD beat out Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, and Tesla even with a significantly lower average selling price.
Electrek’s Take
After BYD stopped making fully gas-powered vehicles in 2022, the company has become a force in the auto market. With over 1.76 million EVs sold in 2024, BYD ranked second, slightly behind Tesla, which delivered over 1.78 million vehicles.
Despite this, BYD was the “world’s top EV maker,” beating out Tesla with about 4,500 electric cars produced in 2024.
With China becoming saturated with domestic rivals, BYD is aggressively expanding overseas to drive growth in 2025. Last year, it sold more EVs in Japan than Toyota, and it was BYD’s first full sales year in the country.
BYD was Singapore’s best-selling car brand last year, the first Chinese automaker to achieve this feat. With plans to rapidly expand in Europe, Central and South America, and other key regions, BYD is poised to see even more growth in 2025.
Although it’s best known for low-cost electric cars, like the Seagull, which starts at under $10,000 in China, BYD is quickly expanding its lineup with new pickup trucks, smart SUVs, off-road models, and electric supercars rolling out.
Earlier this month, it launched the world’s largest car carrier, which will ship up to 9,200 vehicles overseas as BYD prepares for another big year in 2025.
Electric bicycle incentive programs have grown considerably over the last few years, and Washington State is one of the most recent to lay the groundwork for yet another program designed to reduce the cost of this alternative transportation for lower-income commuters. But the state is also going about it in a unique way, by using funding raised from its emissions taxes.
That’s right, a new $5 million budget earmarked for electric bicycle rebates in the state is being funded by the state’s emissions taxes as part of the Climate Commitment Act, which received a groundswell of support among voters in the state.
The rebates will range from $300 for those making more than 80% of the area median income to up to $1,200 for lower-income residents.
Applications will take place via a still-in-development online portal system, and the rebates will be honored at the register, meaning riders won’t have to fork over the entire amount and then wait for a reimbursement check or tax rebate.
Unlike other e-bike incentive programs we’ve seen, such as the infamous California state program that was beset with issues from the start, the Washington State e-bike incentives won’t be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, lucky state residents will be randomly selected from the pool of entrants in a lottery-style drawing. However, many of the other details of the program are still being hashed out ahead of final implementation.
E-bike incentive programs like this one have been gaining traction nationwide as policymakers recognize the role electric bicycles can play in expanding transportation access. These programs often specifically target lower-income individuals who may not have the upfront cash to invest in an e-bike, despite the long-term savings they offer.
For many people, car ownership is an expensive burden, with costs for gas, insurance, and maintenance quickly adding up. E-bikes provide a cost-effective alternative, allowing people to commute to work, run errands, and access essential services without the financial strain of owning a car.
Beyond affordability, these programs also help address transportation equity and environmental concerns. Many lower-income neighborhoods have limited public transit options, making daily travel difficult for those without a car.
E-bikes can bridge that gap, providing a reliable and efficient mode of transportation that extends the reach of bus and train networks. Shifting more trips from cars to e-bikes reduces traffic congestion and carbon emissions, contributing to cleaner air and more livable cities.