Rivian: LiDAR R2 reaches customers in 2027, employees get it this year
Rivian’s first R2s with LiDAR and its in-house RAP1 autonomy computer will go to employees before the end of 2026. Paying customers will have to wait until 2027. It could be interpreted as a delay compared to previous communications.
The automaker laid out the timeline at an investor conference in New York this week, along with updates on point-to-point driving, its Uber robotaxi deal, and what LiDAR now costs it: “a few hundred dollars.”
E-bikes are giving teenagers something we thought they’d lost
If you’ve spent any time reading local neighborhood social media groups lately – and for your mental health, I hope you haven’t – you’ve probably encountered a familiar complaint: teenagers on e-bikes.
Monarc smart e-bikes get largest $838 FREE bundles, EcoFlow power station flash sale, Anker SOLIX E10 exclusive lows, Worx, more
We have a jam-packed midweek Green Deals for you, with a bunch of these deals coming from Amazon’s early fall Prime Day sale. Starting off today’s edition is the limited-time chance to score a larger-than-ever $838 FREE bundle (extra battery, smart helmet, stem bag) with Monarc’s Tracer Commuter e-bike and Marker All-Terrain e-bike starting from $1,899. Right behind that is the latest EcoFlow 48-hour flash sale returning the 2x bundle of DELTA 3 Classic Power Stations to $938, and more from $599. We also spotted the Worx Nitro 20V Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum at a $117 2026 low, as well as the continuing and exclusive low prices on Anker’s SOLIX E10 Whole-Home Backup System for early Prime Day deals starting from $3,799. From there, we have a Greenworks trimmer and blower combo kit, a 2x SKIL battery bundle, cooler deals, smart floor lamp savings, and more down below. You can find the hangover deals from the last two days down at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Mango Power E early Prime Day Sale with up to 72% discounts, 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.
China’s 2,250kW chargers are already in service, while US thinks about 750kW next year
Just last week, Geely announced it would roll out 2.2 megawatt chargers, able to charge an EV in under 5 minutes. Those chargers are now already in service in 5 cities, with 15,000 charging sites planned by the end of next year.
Meanwhile, the fastest upcoming charger in the US, a respectable 750kW, is coming sometime next year, after being pushed back from 2026.
Tesla Robotaxi fleets are the new crypto treasury for zombie companies
A Nasdaq-listed company worth about $2.4 million says it wants to buy 500 Tesla Robotaxis. KIDZ AI, formerly an online coding school for kids, announced today that it sent Tesla a “procurement inquiry” for the vehicles and plans an “Autonomous Fleet Operations Strategy.”
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, the playbook should. Tesla’s Robotaxi is turning into what bitcoin treasuries were for failing micro-caps in 2025: a buzzword you bolt onto a dying business to get the stock moving.
Range Rover Sport EV orders open at nearly $150,000 with up to 378 miles of range
The Range Rover Sport EV is bringing new levels of performance with an all-electric powertrain, but it isn’t cheap.
Tesla’s solar factory dragged into patent war between Chinese suppliers
Tesla’s planned solar factory in Texas has landed in the middle of a US patent lawsuit between two Chinese solar equipment makers, both chasing the ingot-growing furnaces Tesla needs to hit its 100 GW goal.
Linton Crystal Technologies, a Rochester, New York company wholly owned by China’s Dalian Linton, sued Zhejiang Jingsheng in a Texas federal court last week. Chinese industry reports say Jingsheng won a roughly 3 billion yuan (about $420 million) Tesla order for crystal pullers earlier this year.
IONNA tops 180 charging sites, with discounts for these EV drivers
Rapidly expanding DC fast charging company IONNA now has more than 180 sites open across the US, and EV drivers of four of its founding automakers’ brands can now get discounts when they plug in.
Tesla takes on $30 billion in credit as it approaches unprofitability
Tesla opened $30 billion in lines of credit according to a regulatory filing today. The loans come as company profits have dropped in recent years, and as Tesla guides for more spending in upcoming quarters.