The Watt Car EV Podcast

Since the only thing certain in life is death and taxes, EV owners should expect to eventually be charged a road tax — similar to the one already paid by ICE drivers every time they fill up. But what are the pitfalls of implementing such a program, and is there even a fair and equitable way of accomplishing the goal? We dive into the topic, looking at what some states and countries do (or have pro...

Did Cummins just step into the same mess that got Volkswagen in hot water nine years ago, and could this inadvertently lead to Ram leading the EV truck revolution with HD electric pickups? We discuss. We also discuss Xiaomi’s first car, Porsche letting the Taycan rip on the Nürburgring, BYD EV sales surpassing those of Tesla, the Chevy Bolt now being a sub-$20,000 car, and more. Subscribe to the p...

This week, we dive into a real-world dealership experience when a friend of the podcast heads to a Lexus dealership for an oil change on their ICE vehicle and leaves with their very first BEV, a Lexus RZ 450e. How did the dealership educate this new EV buyer? How are they enjoying the vehicle’s charging experience? The answers might surprise you, because it certainly wasn’t the experience we were...

The Cybertruck is the gift that keeps on giving, with more news coming in the form of production rumors and a Jay Leno walk-around of the uniquely angular pickup. Then: Did GM flawlessly execute its EV plan? GM’s CEO Mary Barra says no — and we agree. Also, VW swaps to NACS, Ramcharger is a class-leading mushball of a truck, AT&T and Rivian become bedfellows, and so much more! Subscribe to the...

Union battles continue, this time beyond U.S. shores as Tesla and unions clash in Europe. What began as a few hundred Swedish Tesla employees pushing back has become a very big deal. Has Tesla met its match? We discuss the details. We also chat about a recent Tesla recall — but is it really a recall? Also, Ford cuts back on F-150 Lightning production, hot hatch EVs might be just a few years away,...

It’s been a week since the production-ready Tesla Cybertruck was unveiled in a darkened room, and since then, we’ve learned a lot — but even still, many mysteries linger. We dive into the Cybertruck’s unveiling and the specs that have since been uncovered about this radically designed truck. Will the Cybertruck succeed, are the specs good enough, what are the long-term prospects? We (attempt to) g...

The Cybertruck is about to be revealed — we’ll have more about that next week. This week, let’s talk about something else that should have no problem selling units: the Scout. Turns out, Scout’s new owner Volkswagen has plans to have a third party produce the cult classic — but who? We’ll tell you. We’ll also tell you about powered Class 8 trailers, the problem with hydrogen, how CNG fueling compa...

This week, we’re “live” from the 2023 LA Auto Show. Was it the blockbuster gathering it’s been in the past? Hardly. But there were numerous hidden diamonds in the rough. Lucid had a presence for the first time, Kia brought a couple EV concepts, Acura showcased its upcoming electric SUV, but the real gems we uncovered were ones you would never suspect. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts , G...

Canoo unveiled its EV pickup — again! Supposedly called the American Bulldog, we think it looks more like a VW Doka…and that’s not a slam. But before we get to that topic on this week’s podcast, we discuss how the UAW strike might be far from over, the future of the Ram TRX, Lucid’s foray into electric pickups, strange bedfellows for Mercedes, and more! Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts ,...

Stellantis is in the news this week with several significant announcements, and we can’t wait to jump in because with Ram, Dodge, and Jeep, nothing is ever quite what it seems. For instance, Ram’s latest electric truck has an engine, but the engine doesn’t drive the wheels. Dodge, meanwhile, originally announced an EV Charger, and is now circling back to gas, while Jeep is going the opposite direc...

Is the shine gone from EVs? From Ford and Chevy cutting EV truck production, to Tesla’s disappointing third quarter profits and tempering Cybertruck expectations, Hertz suffering from its electric investment, and more, there’s been a lot of news over the last two weeks that show that EVs aren’t all puppy dogs and rainbows. Is this the beginning of the end for electrification or just an inevitable...

On this week’s podcast, we dive into the Big Three (Stellantis, General Motors, and Ford) and their most recent clash with the UAW (United Automobile Workers). We rewind the clock to 2008, then fast forward to today before discussing what the UAW wants, what the Big Three argue, and where the strike might lead. What does the future hold? We tackle that topic, too. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple...

Kia adds three to its now-quintuplet of EVs, and we can’t help but toss in our $0.02. We also revisit a topic from last week by comparing the Corvette E-Ray to something McLaren’s leadership recently said, then we dive into Ford cutting F-150 Lightning production, Ram’s REV battery costing a small fortune, Nio being on the precipice of releasing EVs with solid(ish) state batteries, and more! Subsc...

On this week’s podcast, we have a few words for car dealerships and their place in the future — and none of those words are good. We also talk about the Hyundai Group adopting NACS in the U.S., EV rebates becoming a point-of-sale benefit, Porsche teasing the Macan EV, McLaren talking electric supercars, Lucid taking its first public step in producing a $50,000 midsize EV, and more! Subscribe to th...

Battles heat up in the EV world. In the SUV market, Tesla raises (or perhaps lowers) the bar with a less expensive RWD Model Y, while Honda unveils its competitively equipped Prologue. In the pickup arena, Ford reveals the Flash version of its F-150 Lightning, offering long range with affordable features, while Rivian stuffs a 149 kWh battery in its chassis. And in the tuner world, EV swaps are ge...

For EVs to succeed, there needs to be ambition, commitment, and consistency — so says a European Ford exec. Could a lack of consistency by the British (and American) government cause an early undoing of EVs? We chew on that topic on this week’s podcast, as well as whether Jeep’s making a mistake staying boxy, if Hyundai will actually build the N74, and if it’s possible that Toyota/Lexus could have...

This week, we speak to Victor Atlasman, Director of Strategy and Product at Nxu, an Arizona-based company looking to build the next generation of electrification, including battery cells, packs, and megawatt+ charging. Our conversation spans limitations of existing EV charging infrastructure and the grid, and how Nxu intends to bring robust solutions to the public for a strong electric future. Sub...

Chinese cars are hiding in plain sight through the likes of Lotus, which recently unveiled its Emeya “Hyper-GT.” With more than 900 hp on tap, this Lotus will be a thriller. Not to be outdone, Porsche is rumored to be working on a 1,000 hp Taycan GT, and the Zeekr 001 FR will sport even more power. But power isn’t the only secret to speed, as a one-off electric university project hits 62 mph in le...

EVs generate more power than ICE, but are EVs capable of generating as much emotion? Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann seems to think so. But what do WE think? On this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into what emotion means in the automotive world, what drivers connect to in the ICE world, and how automotive manufacturers can capture that passion as the world moves to full electrification. S...

Ford’s in the news with a confirmed Platinum Black edition of its F-150 Lightning, along with rumors of a Tremor EV variant. Pricing — well, lets just say they’re not for the weak of heart. Mercedes unveils pricing for its eSprinter, and while it’s not as pricey as a Platinum Black Edition Lightning, it ain’t pocket change. What might be affordable, however, is if Volkswagen opts to produce an ele...

Between Monterey Car Week and other unveilings, there’s a lot to talk about on this week’s The Watt Car EV podcast. We begin with Acura ZDX specs and pricing before moving on to the Lamborghini Lanzador, Pininfarina B95 Barchetta, and VinFast VF9 specs — but whoa! — that’s not all. Click “play” and give a listen. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Amazon Music , Audible...

Why does the year 2025 keep popping up in the EV world? Once again, “2025” is in the news, this time “connected” to Fisker (pun totally intended). On this week’s podcast, we also discuss Lotus reaping the benefits of going EV, why Lamborghini’s first EV could be a Taycan Nevera, Rivian owners struggling with tire wear (we get to the bottom of it and offer a solution), why VW won’t build an ID. Buz...

On this week’s The Watt Car EV Podcast, Cadillac unveils the Escalade IQ, Fisker takes the wraps off the Pear, Alaska, and Ronin (two of which feature “Houdini” mode), GM says exciting V2H features are on the horizon, Car and Driver gets smacked in the face with Lucid power, the Cyberfrunk is smaller than expected, VW EV sales in Germany outpace Tesla, and more! Subscribe to the podcast on Apple P...

Who killed the Mazda MX-30 EV? One theory is Tesla. Another theory is that the MX-30 simply wasn’t enough of an EV to fight the good fight. Who’s right? In better news, Chevy unveils Blazer EV pricing (and it’s not for the faint of heart), MotorTrend does something unique to their Rivian R1T (that they probably shouldn’t have), Exxon moves into the lithium business (money money money), and more! S...

When is a motor an engine? It depends on where you get your definitions — and like Pokemon, we attempt to catch them all on this week’s podcast before moving on to actual news. The news convo begins with the spotting of a BrightDrop FedEx delivery van in the wild, which turns into a deep dive into EV battery sourcing, recycling, and (ultimately) labor unions. Indeed, it’s a roller coaster. We then...