Waymo says California regulators have signed off on the biggest expansion of its robotaxi service yet, covering 18 counties from Sonoma down to San Diego.
The California Public Utilities Commission approval clears Waymo to charge for fully driverless rides across the whole Bay Area and Los Angeles, and to open two brand-new markets in Sacramento and San Diego.
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the Tesla Roadster actually happening, the Kia EV3 coming to the US, gas pumps being replaced by EV chargers, and more.
Today’s episode is sponsored by GM. GM EV charging made easy, with Energy Pass and Plug and Charge. Learn more at https://gmenergy.gm.com/energypass
BYD’s new Qin Max is now on sale, another Tesla Model 3-sized electric sedan that’s about half the price.
Hickory, Kentucky-headquartered MRCOOL has launched an all-in-one heat pump that plugs into a standard 115-volt outlet and doesn’t have a bulky outdoor condenser.
We are closing out this week with a fully packed Green Deals edition, half of which are EV deals. To start, there’s Velotric’s newly launched End of Summer Sale, which has offers like the Nomad 2 Off-Road Fat Tire e-bike at a new $1,749 low. We also spotted a bundle for Greenworks’ 60V 54-inch MaximusZ Cordless Electric Zero Turn Riding Mower with 6x batteries and a wall charger at a new $5,000 low. There’s also the Anker SOLIX F3000 Portable Power Station at an exclusive $1,330 price, and the Segway Max G2 Electric Scooter down at $750, which is part of the soon-to-end Back to School Sale. We also have the Worx electric leaf mulcher back at its 2026 low, Eve’s Aqua HomeKit smart water controller $6 above its 2026 low, a return Gotrax R7 e-bike low, and more waiting for you below. That includes the hangover deals from this week that are down at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Jackery Power Outage Ready Sale on power stations with three bonus savings codes, 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.
Hyundai wants the IONIQ 3 to be “the best vehicle in Europe.” With sales set to begin soon, the electric hatch is now rolling off the line.
Kia’s new EV3 is among the most affordable electric vehicles in the US, starting at just $29,890. In Canada, it’s the lowest-priced EV.
Tesla is planning to finally show its new Roadster as early as this month, and the event is supposed to include a stunt where the car lifts off the ground, according to a new report from The Information (paywall).
There’s a catch. The car will be operated remotely with nobody in it, and spectators will be kept several hundred yards back because the SpaceX-developed cold gas thrusters are loud enough to damage their eardrums.
Lucid Motors (LCID) introduced the Gravity GT-S, calling it “America’s most powerful three-row SUV” with over 1,000 horsepower.
When New Jersey passed one of the country’s most restrictive e-bike laws earlier this year, plenty of riders, advocates, and bike shops warned that it would have consequences. Now, just a few weeks after the law officially took effect, those predictions appear to have come true.