Smoglandia Pt 6: FUTURE ELECTRIC, FUTURE TROUBLE

About this episode

The episode discusses the history and future of electric cars in Los Angeles, highlighting environmental challenges and community impacts.

Decades ago, some unhappy Angeleno wondered why cars couldn’t just run on nice, clean … water? Not for want of trying – cleaner power has created lots of engine experiments, most dramatically Caltech versus MIT in the great electric car race of 1968, a story you’ll hear from the winner. Not all is fresh air and plug-ins: smog has been especially devastating on communities of color, and the Trump administration may pull the plug on that have let California clear its own air.

Topics covered

• electric cars
• environmental issues
• California air quality
• community impact
• historical events
• automotive technology

Keywords

• electric cars
• smog
• California
• Caltech
• MIT
• environment
• Trump administration
• air quality
• automotive history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trump administration

Places: California, Los Angeles

More episodes of Boiling Point

• Introducing: The De Los Podcast · June 3, 2026 · 12 min
• Smoglandia Pt 5: SMOG CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK · December 4, 2025 · 38 min
• Smoglandia Pt 4: SCIENCE AND GOVERNMENT, BESTIES? · November 20, 2025 · 36 min
• Smoglandia Pt 3: COUGH COUGH · November 13, 2025 · 34 min
• Smoglandia Pt 2: SCIENCE TO THE RESCUE · November 6, 2025 · 33 min
• Smoglandia Pt 1: L.A. SMOG – VERY OLD-SCHOOL · October 30, 2025 · 25 min