Tesla paid Powerwall owners $10 million through virtual power plants

Tesla announced it paid Powerwall owners $9.9 million through its virtual power plant programs in 2024.
Distributed energy is working.
RJ Scaringe continues to showcase how much more optimized the R2 design will be

Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has posted another interesting facet into the design of the American automaker’s upcoming R2 BEVs. As you’ll see below, the Rivian R2’s body harness has been significantly reduced in size, weight, and connections to enable lower assembly costs and an overall more environmentally friendly build.
Save up to $5,394 on Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus units from new $2,999 low, NIU KQi 200F e-scooter at new $649 low, Aventon, more

This week’s Green Deals are kicking off with two popular power stations at their lowest prices, as well as two EV sales – and be sure to also check out our Ride to Work EV hub from Friday that has all the best ongoing EV savings that are running through the rest of the month. Headlining today’s edition is Anker taking up to $5,394 off its SOLIX F3800 Plus Portable Power Station and bundles that are starting from a new low of $2,999. We also have Aventon’s Memorial Day Sale, with up to $400 off models like the Abound Cargo e-bike at $1,599, as well as a new low price on NIU’s latest KQi 200F Electric Scooter for $649. Lastly, the popular Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station has returned to its $89 low. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals from last week are in the links at the bottom of the page, collected together in our Electrified Weekly roundup coverage.
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.
Xiaomi to launch its new YU7 this week as a potential game-changing SUV

About one year after first catching wind that EV newcomer Xiaomi Automobile was working on an SUV we’d come to know as the YU7, the company is finally set to launch the new model in China. This will be a direct competitor to the Tesla Model Y and has the potential to reimagine the all-electric SUV market in China.
Genesis GV90 sheds camo and shows off its ultra-luxe look

Genesis is preparing to introduce its new flagship EV, the GV90. The brand’s largest, most luxurious electric SUV already looks stunning. The Genesis GV90 was spotted with less camo ahead of its debut, giving us a sneak peek of the “ultra-luxe” EV.
Tornadoes knocked out my home power for days, but my Rivian became a backup energy savior

The title says it all. Heavy thunderstorms and tornadoes ripped through the Midwest Thursday evening, leaving thousands of homes without power or internet. Luckily, my home dodged severe damage, but I was without power and internet for days. Luckily, I had my Rivian R1S in the garage that I used as a backup energy source, which I documented below (because I honestly had nothing else to do without power and internet).
Tesla wipes odometer on Cybertruck in service, scratches it, and returns it to owner

Tesla has wiped off the 26,000 miles on the odometer of a Cybertruck in service, scratched the vehicle, and then returned it to the owner like nothing happened.
This Yamaha-backed plan hopes to eliminate electric bicycle charging forever

Range anxiety on e-bikes (for those who even worry about that) might soon be a thing of the past. ENYRING, a Yamaha Motor-backed startup offering swappable battery subscriptions for electric bicycles, has announced a new partnership with Swobbee, the leading battery-swapping infrastructure provider in Europe. And now they’re set to soon bring their services to Amsterdam and Berlin.
Instead of ever needing to charge their own battery again, e-bike riders could swap it out for ready-to-ride batteries at swap stations.