Directly Current: EVs for All America

Jamie Butters was the Editor in Chief of Automotive News, has covered the Motor City at outlets like the Wall Street Journal, and is hosting a regular radio show called Auto Town speaking to folks inside the American car industry. Max speaks with him to get an idea at how Detroit is doing in the current US moment where oil prices are high, consumers love hybrids, and fuel standards are absent, giving automakers a spout of relief but also uncertainty for the future ahead as Chinese cars continue their global conquest abroad. Max and Jamie go over- The pause in fuel economy standards giving American automakers relief- Hybrid portfolios and the hype over "EREVs" in Detroit- The tension of value per dollar to the consumer and privacy/national domestic manufacturing that Chinese EVs present to North America- The enduring, emotional appeal of combustion to enthusiasts🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Listen to Jamie's Auto Town on Radio or Podcast Feeds⚡ Stay Plugged InSupport EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)

Many new EVs like GM's EV pickup trucks, Ford's upcoming UEV, and Tesla's Cybertruck are capable of exporting onboard power from their large batteries into someone's home to act as a bckup generator, or even back into the grid to act as a grid stabilizer that could save people money on their bill each month. This is the promise of vehicle-to-grid. However,. the rules around vehicle-grid interconnection are fractured, local, and still nascent. Zach and his team at the Vehicle Grid Integration Council (VGIC) have been working to change that, making sure EVs and utilities are ready for the future in a safe, responsible way.Max and Zach go over- The bottlenecks to adoption that have slowed the technology- The promise VGI has for a more strained than ever grid- The work some states like Maryland have done to advance the ball- The interoperability problem around vehicles, chargers, and gateway switches- Driving down the cost of V2G systems, which are expensive today🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Check out VGIC's workFollow Zach on LinkedIn⚡ Stay Plugged InSupport EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)

Alan Clarke, executive director of Advanced EV Programs at Ford, joins Max to discuss his team's work on the Universal EV Platform—an ambitious plan to make low-cost, next-gen vehicles that make the existing Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning look old-school. Ford's first BEV efforts were well received but had no path to profitability and were simply too expensive for consumers. Now, his team of Tesla vets and auto industry outsiders is using first principles engineering to do more with less, starting with a Ranger-sized pickup truck around $30,000.Max and Alan go over- The engineering tradeoffs going into the design like battery chemistry choices- Emerging use cases like vehicle to grid and vehicle to home- What first principals engineering looks like and the benefit of starting fresh- Merging Michigan and California cultures to create a startup environment inside of one of the world's largest automakers🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Check out Ford's Bounty Hunters video⚡ Stay Plugged InSupport EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)

Corey Cantor from the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) joins Max to discuss some positive trends for EVs going into the new year. 2025 was a rough year for EVs with the axing of federal support after Republican-led legislation dropped the $7,500 credit on new vehicles, and sales have shown it. However, automakers are bringing new compelling products out in mainsteam market segments, the used market has never been better for EV-curious shoppers on a budget, and fast chargers are expanding rapidly. Max and Corey go over How providers like IONNA and Mercedes are racing ahead in charging The market effects of used EVs, plug-in hybrids, and range-extended EVs Advancing state and federal policies like surface transport reauthorization What this moment of recalibration means for the long term Western EV market ▶️ Watch the episode: YouTube🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Check out ZETA's work and Corey's research⚡ Stay Plugged In Support EVs for All AmericaSubscribe to Directly Current

Veteran political guru and pollster behind EVs for All America, Mike Murphy, joins Max to chat about his scheming with Governor Newsom for a new California EV tax credit that could fit into the state budget. He also shares a new batch of polling we've conducted at EVs for All America, highlighting several interesting demographic shifts for EVs going into 2026; including a shrinking partisan gap (Republicans dislike EVs much less than they used to!). Join the two for a fun chat and a return to form for Directly Current in the New Year. The new season is on!▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:View our new batch of polling at EVs for All America⚡ Stay Plugged In Subscribe to Directly Current Support EVs for All America Visit the EV Politics merch store

Ex-SpaceX engineer and founder Quincy joins Max once more to talk EV charging with his company Electric Era's new launch, RetailEdge. It's a sleek unit that uses AI and a friendly interface to make charging easier while allowing retailers who host charging sites to get customers in the door of their establishment and spending money.▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:https://electricera.tech/products/retailedge⚡ Stay Plugged In Subscribe to Directly Current Support EVs for All America Visit the EV Politics merch store

John Voelcker has been reporting on EVs and hybrids for longer than almost anyone. The editor in chief of Green Car Reports for almost a decade, and now a frequent freelancer for magazines like Car and Driver and websites like InsideEVs, John is an engineer by training who has reported on major developments like General Motor's turnaround on producing batteries as well as the formation of the IONNA national charging network.Max and John go over The history of hybrids from the Prius to today and the complexities and problems with "plug-in" models The state of the US auto market, including the fortunes of the big three and their success in investing in EVs Cheap EVs finally within reach including the new Nissan LEAF and Slate Pickup Truck The Chinese market and the untested promise of the software defined vehicle ▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:John's Side Project: Tempting Fate Tours⚡ Stay Plugged In Subscribe to Directly Current Support EVs for All America Visit the EV Politics merch store

Veloz is a nonprofit leading the charge with a national messaging campaign to sell the public on EVs—not for environmental advocacy but for practical cost of ownership and tangible benefits. Josh Boone, their executive director, joins Max for a chat on their new Electric for All campaign we've partnered with them on—featuring the iconic voice of Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation).Max and Josh go over The progress EVs have made in adoption in just the last few years The major investments automakers have made which have yet to fully realize The improving technology making range and charging concerns of the past The environmental concerns people have about EVs and their wrong assumptions ▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Electric for AllIRS Guidance on EV tax credits phaseout⚡ Stay Plugged In Subscribe to Directly Current Support EVs for All America Visit the EV Politics merch store

You've probably heard that the electric grid is under severe strain and that electric cars are of no help. And this is in some ways a little bit overblown, but it's also true, particularly in the era of large data centers and AI. But it doesn't have to be that way.Electric vehicles can be part of the solution. We've spoken on this show briefly before about concepts like vehicle to grid and vehicles like the Ford F-150 lightning being used as a home backup power source but to do grid solutions at scale. That's going to take a lot of smart software and coordination, enter WeaveGrid.WeaveGrid CEO Apoorv Bhargava speaks with Max Patten on how they work with utilities, OEMs, and customers to enable a new kind of smarter power grid. The upshot for ratepayers, aka customers? You pay less and maybe even realize incentives for letting your EV flexibly charge (and one day, discharge) while you sleep.Watch the full episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/-uyEtDhQVT8Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.Learn more:WeaveGrid Incentive FinderWeaveGrid's Active Programs for Drivers/ConsumersStay plugged in: Subscribe to Directly CurrentSupport our work at American EV Jobs AllianceShop EV Politics merch

Max speaks to Quincy Lee, founder and CEO of Electric Era, a charging business that's integrating high-quality hardware with smart software and batteries to deploy rapidly at retailers like Costco for low cost. It's a story of entrepreneurship, quality-obsession, and paving the infrastructure for the future.Electric Era's SiteQuincy's TwitterQuincy's LinkedInAmerican EV Jobs Alliance Messaging CampaignSubscribe to Directly Current

Long before the Tesla Roadster or GM EV.1 were a twinkle in engineers' eyes, there were people hard at work making whacky electric cars in their garages. Declan Kavanaugh, a college student and budding engineer interning at startup Telo Trucks, is one such enthusiast, taking pride in buying cheap EV curiosity projects from the 1970s and restoring them with modern-day battery technology and upgrades. He documents his efforts in entertaining fashion on YouTube.This episode is a fun one for the nerds among you, and if you're still unsure what a kilowatt is worry not, Max and Declan break down some of the jargon as they dive down the messy history of electric cars into our present day. In the present, they discuss the buzz around Telo as well as Slate Auto's cheap mini electric pickup, examining how new niches are starting to become possible with better commoditized technology that can (hopefully) be built for affordable prices in America.Mentioned Links:Declan's YouTube ChannelTELO TRUCK's WebsiteFollow The Podcast: Subscribe to Directly CurrentLearn More About the American EV Jobs AllianceReach Out to Max with Feedback:max.patten@colorado.edu

Andrew Lambrecht owns a Tesla Model 3, freelance writes for several EV publications, and is a graduating engineering student who's interned at startups like Lucid Motors. Max speaks to him to get a sense of where Tesla lies as a company in 2025 amidst a chaotic and unpredictable CEO, global headwinds, an aging product lineup, and revolt among some of its most formerly loyal customers.While we've explored the polling data behind this at EV Politics (and will continue to do so!) it's worth hearing from an educated expert on the company and someone invested in its product on where they stand. Even if you hold your nose and decide to buy a Tesla, how competitive are they when you can buy a Hyundai IONIQ 5, Mustang Mach-E, or even lightly used older Tesla for less? Max and Andrew also go over the story by analyzing their colleague John Voelcker's excellent piece on Tesla's messy, seemingly unbreakable bond with Elon Musk.Mentioned Links:Andrew's Podcast, The Current ReviewJohn Voelcker's Article For InsideEVs on Tesla and MuskFollow The Podcast: Subscribe to Directly CurrentLearn More About the American EV Jobs AllianceContact Us:max.patten@colorado.edu

EV charging is a hard business, and it's only gotten tougher with the federal axing of incentive programs like NEVI. But Rohan Puri, CEO and co-founder of Stable, thinks there's a way to make it sustainable in the long term. His company uses data analytics so that site hosts can have happy accounts and keep deploying electrons to a growing population of EV drivers.Check out Stable's Site and Data InsightsSubscribe to Directly CurrentLearn More About the American EV Jobs Alliance