Sup. This is Plugged In. The daily newsletter that gives you EV news more often than you floss. And you don’t have to lie to your dentist about it.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• Mercedes Unveils Tesla Semi Rival 🛻

• A 3D Printed Delivery Van 🚐

• Mazda admits electric MX-5 is “a possibility” 🏎️

MERCEDES UNVEILS TESLA SEMI RIVAL 🛻

Mercedes have decided to hop onto the electric truck bandwagon.

Enter the fancy new Mercedes eActros 600.

Trying to give Tesla's Semi a run for its money, eh? This thing's got the typical Euro-truck look. Think of it as a high-tech mobile rectangular box on wheels.

Now, it's got some beefy stats.

Two electric motors, chucking out what's essentially 536 very electric horses. And those horses run on three big ol' battery packs. The total juice? 621 kilowatt-hours.

If that doesn't make sense, think of it as roughly 6,210 smartphone charges. Yup.

It’s got this 4-speed transmission thing, made for the big trucking leagues. When this bad boy's flexing, it's pushing a solid 600 kW. The eActros also comes with the 'charge-me-up' feature through a CCS2 connector. And in the future? This truck's gearing up for a supercharge of 1 million watts.

That's... a lot.

This European creature can travel up to 321 miles with a fully charged battery. It can also pull the weight of 18 elephants. The more you know… Also, somewhere in there, the driver needs to stop and take a power nap.

Payload's a decent 48,501 lbs. Think of it as carrying around 22 small cars. Oh and for the chassis enthusiasts (all three of you), there's a choice between long legs and slightly longer legs.

Compared to Tesla's Semi?

Pretty neck-and-neck.

Elon boasted about a Semi hauling for 500 miles once, but PepsiCo's Semi was like, "Hold my charging cable," and did a 1,000-mile day-trip. Although, it did need a battery snack break after 372 miles.

Tesla's Semi's battery is like, huuuge.

And there's chatter about a baby version with a range of 300 miles. For some perspective? Think of the GMC Hummer EV. It's like that cousin who brags about their new tech gadget, boasting a 212 kWh battery for a 300-mile strut.

Inside, this electric giant feels... surprisingly normal.

Classic steering wheel and a couple of screens to play with. One for making it look like you know what you're doing. And one for distractions because you don't know what you're doing.

Safety's all up in there too. It's got more assists than a professional sports team – Brake Assist, Frontguard Assist, Sideguard Assist... Basically, if you're bad at driving, the truck's got your back.

If trucks were in a high school yearbook, the eActros 600 would be voted 'Most Likely to Give Tesla a Run for Its Money'.

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A 3D PRINTED DELIVERY VAN 🚐

Alright pluggers, gather 'round. Let's dive into the world of... innovative vans?

Yep, you read that right.

So, there's this British company named Helixx, right? They've unveiled this electric van that's going to be the savior of "emerging megacities". Because, you know, that's the first thing I think of when someone says "sustainable development".

And here's the kicker: it's a one-seater with the driver slap bang in the middle.

Move over, McLaren F1, there's a new speedster in town.

But hey, after this van, Helixx is going all out with an entire lineup of vehicles that look like they've come straight out of a cartoon. We're talking trucks, taxis, and even a rickshaw where you can do a little hop, skip, and jump in and out.

So, the Helixx van is like that compact car you thought you couldn’t fit your groceries in. Only 3.2m long and 1.5m wide.

But bam! 2,100 litres of space in the back!

Oh, and it can carry 500kg. Perfect for, I dunno, a ton of those small IKEA pencils?

Now, the van's construction is the real magic.

It's like an IKEA flat-pack but for cars. Helixx is 3D printing this bad boy, which sounds futuristic, but I still can't 3D print a decent meal.

And the body? Five major pieces that snap together like your favorite childhood toy. Helixx claims this method cuts the manufacturing effort in half. Let's hope they didn't cut corners.

Word on the street is they're planning to roll out 100 of these in the UK by 2024. Brace yourselves, the future of vans is here, and it’s... quirky.

MAZDA ADMITS ELECTRIC MX-5 IS “A POSSIBILITY” 🏎️

Oh Mazda… how weird and wonderful you are.

To understand Mazda, let’s imagine cars were like slow-moving dating profiles. Mazda's kinda like the guy who's super traditional. But now he's considering getting a modern haircut because, you know, "everyone's doing it."

Mazda's been doing this dance around electric cars.

They've got this one electric car called the MX-30 - not to be confused with the name of your latest shaving razor.

Now, they're "actively" thinking about making an electric MX-5. "Actively thinking" is like when you're considering starting a diet... on Monday. Always Monday.

In the middle of all this electric hoopla, they made a surprising move. They've announced a focus on the MX-5 at this fancy car show in Japan. Oh, and get this, the Tokyo Motor Show is now called the Japan Mobility Show. Because, renaming things makes them new, right?

When TopGear.com got a bit nosy and asked about the electric MX-5 dreams, Mazda was all mysterious: "It's a possibility." Ah, cryptic, just like when you ask your friend if they ate the last cookie.

By 2030, Mazda says everything's gonna have "some electrification." Maybe like how everything in the 90s had "some glitter." The point is, don't expect your MX-5 to turn into a battery storage unit anytime soon.

The company's motto is Jinba Ittai, which means "horse and rider in perfect harmony." Which is sweet and all, but a horse didn't need to worry about lithium-ion weights. So, if the MX-5 goes all electric, it better feel special - like that first sip of coffee in the morning.

Speaking of the MX-5, it's like that one actor who's been around forever but looks 25. It's 8 years old and still kicking! Especially in Japan, where they've been selling like... well, hot cars.

Oh, and if you think an electric two-seater convertible is wild, just remember: Mazda is that quirky friend who brings a spoon to a knife fight. They've got a rotary-powered MX-30. Why?

Because, why the heck not?

In short, Mazda's taking baby steps into the electric world. Will they jump in with both feet? Who knows, but it's gonna be a fun ride. Or drive. You get the point.

THE JUICE 🔋

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World EV Sales Now 18% of World Auto Sales

Honda debuts its first-ever electric autonomous riding lawn mower

Tesla now offering official wrapping service Currently available for Model 3 and Model Y

New Chinese EV Supercar with 1224hp. Price starts at $176k USD.

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.