Connect with us

Published

on

eVTOL developer Joby Aviation is starting to make good on a massive contract signed with the US Department of Defense this year. The company is not only celebrating its delivery of Joby aircraft to the US Air Force, but it is also claiming to be the first company to deliver an all-electric air taxi to a customer in the entire country… and it did so ahead of schedule.

Joby Aviation ($JOBY) is an increasingly better-known eVTOL developer that is quickly moving ever closer to becoming a fully certified scaled aircraft manufacturer in the US, especially with the help of the US military. The company recently shared it will call the state of Ohio its US home for manufacturing, in the same town as aviation trailblazer Orville Wright.

Previously, we’ve watched the startup garner significant funding from companies like Intel, JetBlue, and Toyota – the latter of which has evolved into a major partner in helping Joby reach scaled eVTOL commercial operations.

However, the company truly turned some heads this past April when it secured a $131 million contract with the US Department of Defense (DOD), including at least nine aircraft – two of which were air taxis for the Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Originally, the first air taxi was expected to reach the Air Force base in early 2024, but Joby recently confirmed it has already been delivered.

Joby eVTOL
Joby’s eVTOL production prototype / Credit: Joby Aviation

Joby delivers to Air Force first of (potentially) many air taxis

According to news from Joby Aviation, the first of at least two all-electric air taxis has been delivered to the Edwards Air Force base and will soon be operated by US military pilots as a demonstrator eVTOL for logistics missions on base.

Pilots from Joby Aviation will also partake in the demonstration flights in California, which will include rides such as cargo and passenger transportation. Joby shared that NASA will also use the air taxi for research pertaining to national airspace as part of a partnership with the US Air Force, potentially benefiting the entire nascent mobility industry. Per Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt:

We’re proud to join the ranks of revolutionary aircraft that first demonstrated their capabilities at Edwards Air Force Base, including the first American jet fighter, the first supersonic aircraft, and many others that have pushed the boundaries of aviation technology. The longstanding support of the DoD and NASA has been critical to the rapid development of electric aviation and eVTOL aircraft, and demonstrates how successful public-private partnerships can bring new technology to life at speed. Their work will have profound implications for continued American leadership in both commercial and defense aerospace technology.

According to Joby, its electric air taxi has already begun flights at the Edwards Air Force base, making it the first to ever be stationed on a base in the US. The recent delivery is part of a $131 million AFWERX Agility Prime contract Joby currently has with the US Air Force. That being said, the aviation company’s current contract potential with the DoD tallies $163 million in value.

Joby shared that over the past year, the US Air Force and Marines have taken multiple visits to the air taxi company’s flight test facilities in Marina, California, and four pilots have already completed full remotely piloted transition flights of the aircraft this past April. Two groups of Marines also visited in May to conduct mission analysis regarding the potential logistics and medical applications of the eVTOLs.

Joby is currently manufacturing its eVTOL aircraft out of the aforementioned facility in Marina as it works to erect its new facility in Ohio. You can check out a video of today’s delivery to the US Air Force below:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Prime Day-2 Green Deals: Greenworks electric mini-bike + tools, EGO equipment, Navee sale, Aventon e-bikes, and much more

Published

on

By

Prime Day-2 Green Deals: Greenworks electric mini-bike + tools, EGO equipment, Navee sale, Aventon e-bikes, and much more

It’s the second day of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event, and we’ve got another jam-packed edition of Green Deals for you, led by a rare price cut on the Greenworks 80V STEALTH Electric Mini-Bike to $1,440. Right behind it is a more sizeable collection of EGO electric tools and equipment getting discounts than we usually see at once, with the brand’s EGO Z6 52-inch Cordless Electric Zero-Turn Riding Lawn Mower coming with six 12.0Ah batteries at $5,600. There’s also Navee’s increased Autumn EV Sale savings starting from $266, and so much more waiting for you below – plus, all the other eco-friendly discounts we couldn’t stuff in here are available within our Prime Day Green Deals hub. And don’t forget to check out yesterday’s edition with the first-day favorites.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Hop on Greenworks’ 80V STEALTH electric mini-bike with Bluetooth speakers and rare price cut to $1,440 for Prime Day

As part of its Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon is offering a rare price cut on the Greenworks 80V STEALTH Electric Mini Bike to $1,439.99 shipped. Normally sitting up at its full $1,800 price, discounts are pretty rare on this model, as opposed to the few but more frequent savings that hit its counterparts in the brand’s e-transportation series. We saw the price drop to its lowest to $1,349 in May, with the deal here coming in as the second-best rate that saves you $360 off the tag.

This is the most advanced of Greenworks’ e-transportation lineup, which all take advantage of the brand’s versatile and interchangeable batteries for power, letting you get more bang for your buck, especially when you have quite the arsenal of the brand’s tools. The Greenworks 80V STEALTH electric mini-bike is powered by the two included 8.0Ah batteries to carry you for up to 27 miles, only taking two hours to recharge thanks to the 8A dual-port charger. The stylish mini-bike frame houses a 1,000W brushless rear hub STEALTH motor (hence the name), which can top out at 20 MPH when in its Eco mode and up to 25 MPH when set to the Sport mode.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Compared to the other e-bikes in the brand’s series, this model brings along a much larger list of additional features, like the front fork suspension, dual rear shock absorbers, 19-inch all-terrain tires, an integrated headlight and taillight with three settings, an IPX4 water-resistant build, a push-button start, 3-in-1 functionality (forward, neutral, reverse), integrated Bluetooth speakers, an LED screen, and more.

EGO riding lawn mower parked in garage with other tools hanging on wall

Prime Day drops 52-inch EGO Z6 cordless zero-turn riding mower with 6x 12.0Ah batteries to $5,600, more

As part of its ongoing Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon is offering up to 28% discounts on a collection of EGO Power+ lawn care equipment. One notable price cut during this event is on the newest EGO Z6 52-inch Cordless Electric Zero-Turn Riding Lawn Mower with six 12.0Ah batteries for $5,599.99 shipped. Normally going for $6,999 in full, the few discounts we’ve seen hit it over the year have taken the costs down as low as $5,499, which we last saw at the top of April. The deal here provides a 20% markdown off the going rate, slashing $1,399 off the tag for the third-lowest price we have tracked. You can also find a large number of other tools seeing discounts in the brand’s official storefront here, with the best of them collected together below.

If you want to learn more about this riding mower, as well as browse the other EGO tool discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.

man doing wheelie on navee st3 pro electric scooter

Navee’s Autumn Sale increases EV savings for Prime Day, with its flagship ST3 Pro dropping to $710, more

Navee’s ongoing Autumn EV Sale has increased savings on e-scooters for the week of Prime Day, complete with bonus savings and some free gear too. A notable price cut is coming to the brand’s flagship ST3 Pro Smart Electric Scooter for $709.99 shippedafter using the code AFF50 at checkout for an additional $50 off the price, with the first 30 orders also getting a free chain lock (a $49 value). This model released back in March and carries a $950 MSRP these days, which we’ve mostly seen discounted to $760 during most sales, though there have been falls as low as $685 and $660 in the past. While this event continues, you can score $240 off the going rate for the third-lowest price we have tracked, which also beats out its Amazon pricing by $50.

If you want to learn more about this scooter, either read our in-depth hands-on review or check out our original coverage of this and the other EV deals here.

woman riding Aventon Aventure 2 e-bike down beach
woman mowing lawn with greenworks 40V 21-inch cordless lawn mower
govee outdoor garden lights lighting up flower beds with color
lectric one e-bike
ecoflow early prime day power station sale
anker solix early prime day power station sale

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

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.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Nissan reveals new lower-priced LEAF B5 in Japan

Published

on

By

Nissan reveals new lower-priced LEAF B5 in Japan

The new Nissan LEAF is among the most affordable electric vehicles in the US, with a starting price under $30,000. Overseas, it’s a different story. To keep pace with BYD, Hyundai, and others, Nissan revealed a new, lower-priced LEAF B5 model in Japan.

Meet the new Nissan LEAF B7, next up is the B5

We got our first look at the third-gen LEAF in June. Although Nissan’s iconic electric hatch was once a top-selling electric vehicle, it was long overdue for an update.

The new LEAF is back and better than ever, boasting a significantly longer driving range, faster charging, and a new crossover SUV-like design.

Even with the improvements, Nissan claims the 2026 LEAF has “the lowest starting MSRP for any new EV currently on sale in the US” at just $29,990. That’s even cheaper than the first model, which arrived in 2011 for $32,780.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Overseas, including in its home market of Japan, it won’t be so easy. Nissan faces stiff competition from lower-cost electric vehicles from BYD, Hyundai, Kia, and several other brands.

Nissan announced plans to launch a new, lower-priced “LEAF B5” model on Wednesday, aiming to fend off the wave of new competition entering the Japanese market.

Nissan-lower-priced-LEAF-B5
Nissan unveils the new LEAF B7, plans for lower-priced B5 model (Source: Nissan)

Nissan said it plans to launch the lower-priced LEAF B5 in February 2026. It will feature a smaller 55 kWh battery and “is expected to be priced more affordably for a wider range of customers,” the company said.

In the meantime, Nissan will open orders for the LEAF B7 in Japan on October 17, with deliveries scheduled to begin in January 2026.

Nissan-lower-priced-LEAF-B5
New Nissan LEAF B7 models (Source: Nissan)

Powered by a 78 kWh battery, the B7 variant delivers a WLTC driving range of up to 702 km (436 miles). Using a 150 kW fast charger, Nissan said it can also recharge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes.

The third-gen LEAF features a new energy management system and battery conditioning feature to optimize energy consumption.

Nissan-lower-priced-LEAF-B5-interior
The new Nissan LEAF B7 interior (Source: Nissan)

Inside, the new Nissan LEAF B7 looks about the same as the other model, with a dual 12.3″ display at the center.

Nissan offers two grades, “X” and “G.” The LEAF B7 X starts at 5,188,700 yen ($34,000) while the G model is priced from 5,999,400 yen ($39,300).

Both the B7 and B5 will receive an AUTECH upgrade. The LEAF B7 AUTECH starts at 6,513,100 yen ($42,600), while prices for the B5 version have yet to be announced.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Nvidia CEO says AI needs way more energy. Cramer says this is the power stock to own

Published

on

By

Nvidia CEO says AI needs way more energy. Cramer says this is the power stock to own

Continue Reading

Trending