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We’ve all read so-called “range anxiety” stories — and most EV owners know they amount to a hill of beans when it comes to the lived experience of electric cars. And yet, there seems to be a narrative in mainstream media that range anxiety is the key issue when it comes to EV adoption, one that they’re rather keen on pushing whenever the opportunity arises.

The New York Times published an article this week in which one of its climate reporters — one who claims to have had experience driving and charging Teslas in the past — describes an incident that ended with his depleted rental Volvo C40 Recharge being towed away by Hertz in rural Minnesota.

The blame, according to that Times reporter, lies at the feet of Hertz for not informing him of the few charging stations where he was headed (how would they know?), the C40 Recharge’s “slow” recharge speed (it supports 149kW DC), and the general state of US charging infrastructure (read: the one charger he found was too slow).

The reporter also briefly blames himself for choosing an EV for a trip into rural farming country without checking on the availability of charging stations, but this seems rather beside the overall story he’s attempting to drive home here: EVs and EV infrastructure aren’t “ready” for regular Americans. From the article:

But for now, if electric vehicles can’t get me from Minneapolis to the South Dakota border and back, they’re almost certainly not ready for the great American road trip.

The facts of the story are as follows.

  • The reporter rents a C40 Recharge from Hertz in Minneapolis.
  • He says the vehicle has 200 miles of indicated range (read: it probably wasn’t fully charged — the C40 offers 226 miles of EPA range), but knows that he has planned a 308-mile round-trip journey with deadlines.
  • He finds a single (6kW) charger while en route and stops to use it, but it’s Very Slow (“2%” added in 30 minutes).
  • He decides to go on anyway, hoping there will be more charging stations ahead (he does not appear to research this at all). There aren’t any.
  • He arrives at a farm near the South Dakota border with 20% charge remaining (45 miles) and charges the car on an AC wall outlet for 15 hours, adding 20 miles of range (so, 65 miles, presumably — this will become important later).
  • He decided that because there are no chargers within 50 miles of the farm, he has to call Hertz and have them tow the car, which they do, and he gets a ride with a friend back to Minneapolis.
  • Hertz charges him a $700 tow fee, and he works with Hertz PR to get this refunded because he believes the fee is unjust.

A few things come to mind.

First, I can’t even begin to understand how any of this is Hertz’s problem. This person used a rental vehicle in a way that was likely to leave it stranded and is blaming the rental company for this? Is this any different than renting a Ford Mustang and then blaming Hertz when it gets stuck on a washed-out dirt road in the backcountry? Did he even tell Hertz what his route was? Did he truly expect them to say something like, “Hey, this is probably going to mean planning your charging carefully”? His justification here is borderline ridiculous.

But Hertz deserves some blame too. The company rented me a car that was slow to charge, and did nothing to warn me about the dearth of charging stations outside of Minneapolis. Surprising me with a huge fee poured salt on the wound.

Second, his assertion that this was a “slow charging” car. Now, this is just flatly wrong — the C40 Recharge supports 149kW DC fast charging. While you’ll be lucky to find something like that out in the Minnesota sticks (barring Tesla Superchargers), a 50kW charger plugged in for an hour would likely have avoided this whole debacle.

Third, the whole chain of events here is a comedy of errors. I bothered to actually do some Google Maps sleuthing, and everything about this outcome was utterly avoidable. The reporter claims that a 6kW Blink charger was the “only” option on his way back to Minneapolis, but that was only after he’d passed a 50kW ChargePoint about 60 miles into his journey, presumably with around 140 miles of indicated range remaining on the C40. Had he stopped there and charged near to full, he’d have been able to hit the same station on the way back for a brief second charge before returning the car the next day.

This 50kW ChargePoint location was en route from the airport, where he likely rented his car

All this is to say: The person who ended up in this situation was a victim of their own ignorance. Nothing more, nothing less. In choosing to use a vehicle with an understood set of capabilities and limitations, he chose not to inform himself and instead ended up in a debacle whose summary analysis should have started and ended at “well, that was stupid of me.”

As icing on the cake, his claim about the car being unable to reach another charging station after adding 20 miles of range at the farmhouse overnight seems dubious. A ZEF 50kW station in Marshall, Minnesota, is at most 65 miles from wherever this person was headed, and likely a bit closer (I picked a town that would have actually made for a round trip longer than the 308 miles the reporter claimed).

If the article math is accurate, this 50kW ZEF station was reachable (and this origin point is likely farther than the one in reality)

The article says that the car showed no chargers “within 50 miles” of the farm, so presumably that means anything beyond that radius just… didn’t exist?

I get it: When traveling for work, considering the peculiarities and planning necessary for your means of conveyance is probably not the first thing on your mind. But when you’re taking a 300-plus-mile road trip in rural Minnesota in an electric car, you should probably be thinking about this stuff.

And as for Hertz refunding that $700 tow fee, while I’m not going to say I love anything about Hertz as a company, it sure seems like they did it to avoid the ire of The New York Times more than any belief this person had a valid grievance.

EVs aren’t complicated. This person’s trip was entirely feasible — with five minutes of planning. They chose not to put in that five minutes and ended up stranded. I don’t think electric cars or their infrastructure are to blame.

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This tiny EV that’s selling for under $12,000 in Europe is coming to the US

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December 9, 2025

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This tiny EV that's selling for under ,000 in Europe is coming to the US

Tiny-EV-US-Fiat

Is this the tiny “kei” car everyone is talking about? Not exactly. Jeep maker Stellantis announced plans to bring the tiny Fiat Topolino EV, which sells for under $12,000 in Europe, to the US.

Fiat plans to launch the tiny Topolino EV in the US

Less than a week after President Trump called Japan’s kei cars “really cute” during a White House meeting with Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, Ford’s Jim Farley, GM’s Mary Barra, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in attendance, we might actually get one in the US.

At Miami Art Week, Fiat CEO Olivier Francois announced that the company is planning to launch the ultra-compact Topolino EV in the US.

After a few appearances in the US, including at last month’s LA Auto Show, Francois said the tiny electric car is “creating tremendous excitement among consumers.”

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So much so that the company is actually planning to make it available for US buyers. “I’m happy to share that we’ll be bringing the Fiat Topolino to the US,” Francois said.

Although the company didn’t reveal any other information beyond “more details to come next year,” we have a good idea of what to expect.

Tiny-EV-US-Fiat
The new Fiat Topolino (Source: Stellantis)

The Topolino, which translates to “little mouse” in Italian, is currently sold in Europe and South America. In Europe, it starts at 9,890 euros, or roughly $11,500.

At just 2,530 mm (99.6″) long, the Topolino is classified as an electric “quadricycle,” rather than a standard car. In some EU countries, like Germany, it can be driven by 15-year-olds.

Powered by a 5.4 kWh battery pack and an 8 hp electric motor, the tiny EV delivers up to 75 km (46 miles) of WLTP range. It can also be fully charged in four hours using a 240V outlet. We will find out more details soon, including prices and US specs.

Can Fiat’s tiny EV win over US buyers? With America’s love for bigger trucks and SUVs, it might be a tough sell. Fiat sold just 1,528 vehicles in the US last year, down from nearly 44,000 in 2012, its first full sales year.


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EcoFlow Christmas Sale offers up to 68% power station savings + flash sale, Aventon e-bikes up to $500 off, Anker security lows, more

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December 9, 2025

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EcoFlow Christmas Sale offers up to 68% power station savings + flash sale, Aventon e-bikes up to 0 off, Anker security lows, more


Leading the pack of today’s Green Deals is EcoFlow’s newly launched Christmas Holiday Sale with up to 68% initial discounts, extra savings, FREE gifts, and two segments of giveaways. Among the bunch, we’re seeing the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station bundled with two 220W solar panels and getting a FREE Power Hat for its second-ever $1,139 low + there is separate coverage of the event’s first 48-hour flash sale with returning low prices there, too. We also have Aventon’s entire e-bike lineup getting up to $500 discounts – plus, getting orders in by December 10 ensures they’ll be delivered by Christmas – all starting from $999. There’s also a collection of Anker eufy smart security devices – including solar cameras – back at lows starting from $50, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Lectric Christmas e-bike sale with a December 15 shipping deadline for the holiday, and more.

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.

promotional banner for EcoFlow Christmas Holiday Sale

EcoFlow has transitioned from its Cyber Week deals into its newly launched Christmas Holiday Sale with up to 68% discounts, extra savings, FREE gifts, and even two rounds of giveaways that you can be eligible for by giving your email and joining its mailing list. We’re seeing plenty of Black Friday deals returning during this sale, like the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station with two 220W solar panels at $1,139.05 shipped, after using the code 25EFXMAFF at checkout for an additional 5% off, which beats out Amazon’s pricing by $160. This bundle carries a large $3,197 MSRP directly from the brand, but at other marketplaces, like Amazon, you’ll often find it only climbing as high as $2,099 these days. We saw this same rate (along with the extra savings) appear during the previous Cyber Week sale event after cutting it from its $1,214 Black Friday pricing, and now its coming back around again, giving you $960 off the going rate ($2,058 off the MSRP) and landing it back at the best price we have tracked – plus, you’ll get a FREE Power Hat ($99 value). Be sure to head below for the rest of EcoFlow’s Christmas Holiday Sale’s lineup.

We’re seeing a much larger spread of bonus savings/gifts during EcoFlow’s Christmas Holiday Sale, starting with the 5% bonus savings you can get on most offers by using the code 25EFXMAFF at checkout. From there, you’ll have four tiers of FREE gifts (aside from free gifts attached to select units): orders of $300 to $499 get a free RIVER series bag, orders from $500 to $2,499 get a free Power Hat, orders of $2,500 to $3,499 get a free refurbished RIVER 2 Max power station, and orders above $3,500 get two free 160W portable solar panels. There are also the two giveaways that you can join on the sale’s main landing page here, with two winners getting select power stations and six getting gift cards – to be drawn/announced on December 18 and 28, 2025.

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One of EcoFlow’s more popular backup power solutions with a well-rounded build, the DELTA 2 Max power station comes housing LiFePO4 battery cells with a starting 2,048Wh capacity, which you can bolster up to 6,144Wh with extra batteries added on. There are 15 versatile output ports to deliver up to 2,400W of steady juice to devices and appliances, while also having the surging power rise as high as 3,400W.

This bundle gives you four ways to recharge the station, starting with the 440W of solar input that puts you closer to its 1,000W maximum – of which, only 800W is needed to fully recharge in 2.3 hours, so expect about double that time with this package. An AC outlet can get it back to 80% in up to 68 minutes, or you can use AC and solar together for faster rates. As it comes, you can use your car’s auxiliary port as you drive, or with the purchase of the brand’s 800W alternator charger, you can recharge in 2.6 hours of driving.

***Note: The prices below have not had the bonus savings factored in, and not all of the offers will be eligible to stack the discount on their initial price cuts, like the DELTA 3 1000 Air, for example. Be sure to still use the code 25EFXMAFF at checkout to ensure you’re getting the best deals!

EcoFlow’s top Christmas Holiday Sale picks:

EcoFlow’s 3-6kWh home backup deals:

EcoFlow’s 1-2kWh essential backup deals:

EcoFlow’s newest arrival deals:

EcoFlow solar panel deals:

EcoFlow’s other accessory deals:

As I mentioned, EcoFlow is having a separate RAPID power bank seasonal promotion that is taking up to 50% off the latest series – including the new 25W MagSafe models – all starting from $55. We also have three exclusive sales from Wellbots that give you much more savings at all new low prices, starting with the DELTA 3 Ultra power station at $879. There’s also the DELTA Pro Ultra station that gets a FREE 400W solar panel at $3,329, as well as up to $13,289 savings across 20 different DELTA Pro Ultra X gear and bundles that start from $174.

man and woman sitting on bench next to lake with Aventon e-bikes

Until December 10, score up to $500 savings on all of Aventon’s e-bikes and get it ahead of Christmas – deals start from $999

Aventon still has its ongoing extended Black Friday Sale offering up to $500 discounts across its e-bike lineup, with a deadline to receive your new ride ahead of Christmas set for December 10. We’re seeing all the newest models join the savings train here, with things starting lowest on the Soltera 2.5 Lightweight Commuter e-bike at $999 shipped. Normally going for $1,199 at full price, we first saw this low rate pop up back in late August, and its back around during this holiday shopping season giving you $200 savings at the best tracked price.

If you want to learn more about this model, or browse the entire lineup of e-bike deals and get your order in before the December 10 shipping deadline, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

Anker eufy solar security camera mounted to wall outside in rain

Several Anker eufy solar cameras, smart locks, more are seeing up to 50% savings back to lows from $50

Through Anker’s official eufy Amazon storefront, we’re seeing the brand offer several of its smart home security devices back at Black Friday rates or the next-best prices. One such model heading back to its best pricing is the popular Anker eufy SoloCam S220 Wireless Solar Security Camera starting at $49.99 shipped, while its 4-camera bundle is back at $179.99 shipped. These two bundles usually fetch full $100 or $280 prices, with the deals here having first been spotted during Amazon’s full Black Friday sale event. You’re getting 50% and 36% markdowns for the second time here while the deals last, cutting $50 and $100 off the going rates to land them back at their all-time lowest prices.

If you want to browse the entire lineup of Anker eufy smart security devices benefitting from discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.

man powering home office with EcoFlow DELTA 3 Pro power station

EcoFlow’s first 48-hour Christmas Holiday flash sale returns the DELTA Pro 3 power station to $2,099 low, more

As part of its newly launched Christmas Holiday Sale, EcoFlow has also launched the first of this event’s 48-hour flash sales taking up to 65% off four offers, with the sole power station unit in the bunch being the DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station with a FREE folding wagon cart at $2,099 shipped. While this unit has a $3,699 MSRP, you’ll find it more often starting around $2,699, particularly at Amazon, where it is priced without the wagon cart $200 higher. Discounts over the year have only seen it come down this low in price once before, during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale event, with things otherwise keeping above $2,299. You’re getting another chance at the all-time lowest price here, complete with $600 off the going rate and $1,600 off the MSRP. Head below to check out the full lineup of flash deals while they last through December 10.

You can learn more about this power station, or the other bundles at up to 65% off, be sure to check out our original coverage of these flash deals here.

Segway e-bike and electric scooters with family in garage and driveway

Best Winter 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.


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XCharge NA just launched New England’s fastest charging site

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5 hours ago

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December 9, 2025

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XCharge NA just launched New England's fastest charging site

XCharge NA New England

Photo: XCharge NA

XCharge NA and Cellerate Power have brought online what they say is New England’s fastest EV charging site in Vermont, right at the base of Stratton Mountain Resort.

The site opened to the public in late October 2025 and offers 400-kilowatt ultra-fast charging to a part of the state that previously topped out at much slower speeds.

The site is powered by XCharge NA’s C7 Ultra-Fast Chargers, which can deliver up to 400 kW — about two to three times faster than most other fast chargers in the region. Cellerate Power says the nearest alternative fast-charging option is about 30 minutes away and limited to 150 kW for CCS-equipped vehicles only.

By contrast, the Winhall site supports both NACS and CCS connectors, meaning it can serve virtually all EV models.

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Cellerate Power, a Vermont-based company focused on expanding equitable access to infrastructure, says the project aims to make EV travel more practical in a state where cold winters and mountainous terrain can amplify range anxiety.

The C7 chargers also feature large 21.5-inch screens, which XCharge NA and Cellerate Power claim can enhance the charging experience while promoting local economic development.

Aatish Patel, cofounder and president of XCharge NA, says the Vermont deployment marks the first North American installation of its C7 Ultra-Fast Chargers. “It will expand access to fast charging in regions where it was previously unavailable and offer drivers a more efficient, reliable charging experience.”

The charging station is located at 40 VT Route 30 in Winhall, Vermont, 05340, at the base of the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort access road, making it a convenient stop for locals and travelers heading to and from southern Vermont’s ski and recreation areas.

Read more: XCharge NA is now leasing DC fast chargers to small businesses

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Your personalized heat pump 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. – *ad


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