This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories of 2025 from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes California’s new e-bike regulations and updated laws, Bafang’s automatic-shifting hub motor, e-bike brand shutdowns, China opting for lead-acid over lithium batteries, Honda’s upcoming low-cost electric motorcycle, and more. Read more…

GM CEO Mary Barra is reportedly considering Sterling Anderson, the former head of Tesla Autopilot and co-founder of Aurora, as her potential successor. But first, she is putting him through a “tough test” in his new role as Chief Product Officer. Read more…

After a sluggish stretch, US wind is heading into a pivotal moment, with a near-term rebound colliding with rising power demand, tariffs, and stubborn permitting bottlenecks. Read more…

SAIC MG delivered the first MG4 model with a semi-solid-state EV battery in China, starting at under $15,000. Read more…

Volvo CE is getting into the spirit of the holidays with the donation of a band-new, $100,000 Volvo ECR25 Electric mini excavator to the Westfield Technical Academy’s horticulture department in Massachusetts.. Read more…

Like a 90s “gifted” kid that was supposed to be a lot of things, the electric Jeep Wagoneer S was supposed to be sporty, luxurious, and appeal to a whole new Jeep buyer. Despite being a decent vehicle, it never really found its place — but now that Jeep is offering nearly $17,000 off select models, it might be time to give the go-fast Wagoneer S a second look. Read more…

After Lucid Group’s (LCID) stock price reached a new all-time low this week, the company’s communication boss is out to set the record straight. Read more…

Chinese and Korean automakers are selling more pickups than ever before, thanks to new electric options. The US, on the other hand, is headed in the wrong direction. Read more…

Scania is calling its first-ever, fully-electric 8×4 heavy-duty mining tipper Sleipner after the Norse god Odin’s famously powerful eight-legged ride – and it’s being put to work at Sweden’s Malmberget iron ore mine. Read more…

It’s fair to say that 2025 was a strange, fascinating, and sometimes downright chaotic year for electric bikes. The technology continued to mature, prices kept shifting in occasionally unexpected ways, and e-bikes found themselves squarely in the middle of broader conversations about transportation, safety, regulation, and urban life. What several years ago felt like a niche corner of the EV world is now impossible to ignore, with electric bikes influencing how cities plan streets, how families get around, and how regulators try (and sometimes struggle) to keep up. Read more…

Rivian has just shared details of its latest over-the-air software update 2025.46, which includes some of the new features announced during its recent AI and Autonomy event last week. The update features a new digital key function for Gen 2 R1 owners, “flavorful” drive styles, kick turns, tuning, and, of course, Rivian’s new Universal Hands-Free driving capabilities. Read more…

Kia is offering generous discounts on its EVs with low finance rates and thousands in savings across its entire lineup. Read more…

LAZ Parking, the largest privately owned parking operator in the US, is going all in on EV charging. It’s made a strategic investment in Silicon Valley–based Epic Charging, with a plan to roll out up to 50,000 Level 2 EV chargers across LAZ’s parking portfolio in the US and Canada.. Read more…

Genesis is gearing up to launch the stunning new ultra-luxe SUV. With its debut just around the corner, we are getting a closer look at the flagship electric SUV with Rolls-Royce-like coach doors. Read more…

The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s second fully electric SUV, but it adds some meaningful upgrades over the outgoing bZ4X. Read more…

Our mid-week Green Deals is headlined by a surprise first-ever holiday deal on the brand-new Navee XT5 Pro Long-Range Off-Road Electric Scooter at $1,400, which boasts some serious premium upgrades. Right behind it, we have Anker’s SOLIX C200 DC Compact Power Station, and its larger C300 counterparts, that start from $108, as well as a roundup of Lectric’s three e-bikes getting up to $500 price cuts and $220 bundles that start from $1,399, Bluetti’s current 48-hour Christmas flash sale through December 18, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Velotric Christmas e-bike Gift Season Sale, the new $999 low on Heybike’s dual-battery Hauler cargo e-bike, and more.. Read more…

The ID.Cross is due out in mid-2026 as part of Volkswagen’s new family of affordable EVs. Like the ID.Polo, the electric T-Cross sibling, is set to bring a fresh new look that VW promises will deliver “the secret sauce” we’ve been waiting for. Read more…

Waymo is reportedly looking to raise a massive new round of funding that would value the autonomous driving company at over $100 billion as it accelerates its expansion. Read more…

A California judge ruled late Tuesday afternoon that Tesla engaged in “deceptive marketing” in reference to its Full Self-Driving system, and that Tesla’s license to sell and produce cars in the state should be revoked for 30 days. Read more…

Through the Exelon Foundation, local utility Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) has granted $250,000 to Civic Works’ Baltimore Shines solar initiative to support no-cost rooftop solar installations for low- and moderate-income homeowners. Read more…