MTE's Plugged In

2 16 Exploring the World of EVs at MTE's SuperCharged Cruise In Event In this episode of MTE's Plugged In Podcast, hosts Brandon Wagner and Amy Byers take listeners to the scenic Fiddler's Grove at Wilson County Fairgrounds for the third annual Supercharged Cruising event. The episode includes interviews with attendees discussing their experiences with electric vehicles (EVs), including first-time...

2 15 How the EV Car Club Began and SuperCharged Cruise-In Highlight In this episode of MTE's Plugged In Podcast, Amy Byers and Brandon Wagoner discuss the origins and highlights of the EV Car Club. They share the inspiration behind starting the club, its growth over the years, and the exciting events and community it fosters. Listeners also hear from various club members about their experiences wi...

2 14 Energizing the Future: MTE's EV Journey with Phillip Lim Join us as we navigate through the electric vehicle (EV) journey with Phillip Lim of MTE’s strategy team, alongside hosts Amy Byers and Brandon Wagner. In this episode, we uncover the inception, challenges, and triumphs of promoting EV adoption at MTE. From Phillip's personal immigration and career journey to the strategic shifts and in...

2 13 Tom Buckton on EV Adventures, Planning, and Performance EV Car Club member Tom Buckton is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician and an EV enthusiast. Tom shares his experiences from a significant 2,500 mile trip in his Hyundai Ioniq 5, comparing it with his previous vehicle, the Bolt. He offers insights into planning long trips with EVs, the impact of weather on EV performance, and...

2 12 Embracing Innovation in the Electric Utility Industry In this episode of MTE's Plugged In Podcast, hosts Brandon Wagner and Amy Byers welcome Chris Jones, President and CEO of Middle Tennessee Electric, to discuss the evolution of MTE's services, the impactful role of broadband and EV initiatives, and the future of energy and technology in Middle Tennessee. Chris shares his journey from a com...

2 11 The Future of EV Fast Charging with Quincy Lee In this episode of the Plugged In Podcast, hosted by Middle Tennessee Electric, Brandon Wagner and Amy Byers welcome Quincy Lee, CEO of Electric Era. Lee discusses his journey from SpaceX to founding Electric Era, a company dedicated to building reliable, affordable, and easy-to-install EV fast charging stations. With a focus on technological inn...

2 10 Embracing the Nissan Ariya Lifestyle with Denise Miller In this episode of Middle Tennessee Electric's Plugged In Podcast, host Amy Byers welcomes MTE's Denise Miller to discuss her recent experience joining the electric vehicle (EV) family with the purchase of a Nissan Ariya. Denise shares her motivations for transitioning to an EV, her initial fears, and the impulsive decision that led to h...

2 9 Navigating EV Tax Credits in 2023 This episode of Middle Tennessee Electric's Plugged In Podcast features a detailed discussion about electric vehicle (EV) tax credits with lead economist Teri Viswanath from Cobank. The conversation covers the qualifications and restrictions for claiming tax credits on new and used EVs, including maximum claim amounts, income restrictions, and the requirement...

2 8 Can the electric grid sustain widespread EV adoption? TVA's Ryan Stanton explains how TVA is planning and preparing the electric grid for widespread EV adoption in the coming years and decades. He outlines some of the things TVA is doing to ensure grid reliability as energy consumption continues to grow. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episod...

2  7 Experience charging and driving a Rivian R1T during the winter TVA's Ryan Stanton owns a Rivian R1T and provides some insight into driving and charging it during the cold. With nearly a decade of driving different EV vehicles, he's excited about how far they've come and looking forward to where they're going. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in...

2 6 Tips to help you drive and charge in the ice, snow, and cold With recent sub-zero temperatures and a snowstorm leaving icy driving conditions, Brandon and Amy discuss the tips to handle these conditions provided by our EV Car Club Facebook group. Brandon also dives into some charging challenges that made national news and how you can avoid the pitfalls of owning an EV when temperatures get so...

2 5 Why Robert traded in a two year old Ford Mach E for a brand new one Robert recently traded in his 2021 Ford Mach E and purchased a new 2023 model. Brandon sat down with Robert to learn why he made the change after previous conversations and ride alongs to discuss his satisfaction with his first-generation Mach E. His reasoning might surprise you and give you some ideas for your next vehicle. H...

2 5 2023 Holiday Break Message We're taking some time off for the holidays but encourage you to listen to any of the podcasts you missed or found interesting. We hope you have a great holiday season! Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episode: MTE's Electric Vehicle Programs & Educational Resources https://mte.com/DriveEV — Hub for all things el...

2 4 Christmas gifts to give the EV owners in your life It's almost Christmas, and you may need a few last-minute gifts for the EV owners in your life. Amy and Brandon go through some great ideas and products you might consider giving this holiday season. They've pulled together some great gift ideas to fit your budget, ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred. Product Links Mentioned in Episode...

2 3 First look at Tesla's Full Self Driving Mode Co-host Brandon Wagoner and EV Car Club member Roscoe Shelton take a drive in a Tesla Model Y using the full self-driving mode. They discuss what the car can do and how it is changing the safety and experience of driving a car. In the second part of the episode, you'll hear Brandon's initial reaction to letting the Model Y drive him down city street...

2 2 Take advantage of 2023 tax incentives and MTE's EV programs EV owners have access to some unique tax incentives on qualifying EVs. Brandon outlines a few things to consider regarding tax incentives and provides more information on some of MTE's EV programs designed to help you save. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episode: Episode 14 - NiteFl...

2 1 The process to converting an antique car into an EV Season 2 starts off with an inside look into a custom EV built by podcast co-host Brandon Wagoner and his father-in-law John Kieffer. Together, they have been working to restore and convert a 1961 Austin British Healey into an electric vehicle. Amy stops by the garage to discuss how and why they decided to start this project and what they've...

1 21 Season 1 Recap Part B We're finishing our Season 1 recap with another bonus episode. Season 2 is approaching, and now is a great time to catch up on what you missed in Season 1. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episode: MTE's Electric Vehicle Programs & Educational Resources https://mte.com/DriveEV — Hub for all things electric vehicles a...

1 20 Season 1 Recap Part A In preparation for Season 2 of MTE's Plugged In podcast, we're recapping the highlights of Season 1. If you've not listened to Season 1 or if you need a refresher, this will help catch you back up. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episode: MTE's Electric Vehicle Programs & Educational Resources https://mte.com/DriveE...

1 19 MTE's Annual Supercharged EVent Special with Member Interviews Amy and Brandon close out the first season by highlighting the MTE's EV Car Club Supercharged EVent. The June 10th event was held at the MTE Williamson County office in Franklin. We talked to a few members about their experience and what made them buy an EV and participate in the EV Car Club. Here's some more information you might...

1 18 Exploring MTE's New Energy Hub with Tim Suddoth MTE's EnergyHub Trailer is a new way MTE engages members in the conversation about energy efficiency, smart home technology, EVs, and renewables. Tim Suddoth leads this new educational initiative and discusses how it is helping members. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episode: MTE's Energy Hub...

1 17 Understanding microgrids with MTE's Avery Ashby With recent conversations about bi-directional charging, members are beginning to ask how EVs can integrate with their homes through microgrid technology. To understand how microgrid technology works, we talked with MTE's Avery Ashby. Avery leads our microgrid project, which involves a functional microgrid at our Lebanon office as well as educat...

1 16 Understanding bi-directional or 2-way charging Some EVs are capable of providing power to your home like a backup generator. This is called bi-directional or 2-way charging. Amy and Brandon break down how that works and the safety concerns it presents to you and first responders if installed incorrectly. Here's some more information you might find helpful to topics we referenced in this episo...

1 15 MTE improves grid resilience as EV adoption grows Many cooperative members express concern about the stress EVs will place on our electric grid. Amy and Brandon discuss this concern and explain how MTE is working to reduce EV adoption's impact on the grid through innovative programs and infrastructure development to ensure our grid remains affordable, reliable and safe. Here's some more infor...

1 14 MTE Launches New NiteFlex Rate — A conversation with MTE CFO Cindy Layne MTE is excited to launch the new NiteFlex rate for residential members. This rate helps members save money by encouraging them to shift large amounts of energy consumption into overnight hours. MTE's CFO Cindy Layne sits down with Amy and Brandon to discuss the new rate in greater detail including why MTE has created thi...