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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

Staff writer for InsideEVs and auto journalist Kevin Williams joins Max to discuss his experiences reporting on and driving Chinese EVs. How compelling are they in 2026 and how do they stack up to Western automakers? What does he make of Canada's new policy to lift tariffs on them and allow Chinese cars into their market? Max and Kevin go over The tech going into new EVs from Xiaomi, XPENG, Geely, and others How it compares to what Western OEMs have done Why China's EV market may not be as bulletproof as it looks Canada's warming to Chinese imports The feasibility of joint ventures with US and European companies ▶️ Watch the episode: YouTube🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:Follow Kevin's workView 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

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

Executive director of EVs for All America, Dan Krassner, joins Max to discuss the work that our team has been doing on local advocacy in California to make installing charging in apartments and multifamily units a lot easier. Californian apartment dwellers make up more than the population of at least 30 US states, and they'd be a huge get for EV ownership if the lower costs and home charging convenience worked out for them. With some polling and research, Dan and Max go over what might work and why the tide's on the side of more charging in apartments.▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:https://www.evsforallamerica.org/news/category/multifamily-charging/⚡ 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: YouTube Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform Resources 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

PSE&G is New Jersey's largest utility and is over a century old, but under Dawn Neville's team they're doing an agile and decent job of adapting to EVs with programs that subsidize home charging and forecast load for necessary grid uprades. Max speaks with Dawn to learn more about the challenges a utility faces with EVs, as well as some of the opportunities that come about from peak shaving and distributed energy storage from EV batteries.▶️ Watch the episode: YouTubeListen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platformResources and Links:PSE&G's EV Programs⚡ 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: YouTube Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform Resources 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

It's time for a news roundup on Directly Current, and Max is joined by Republican strategist and EVs for All America boss Mike Murphy to discuss the positive market developments in German and American EV manufacturing, as well as some bad news with an ICE raid at Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions' battery plant in Georgia which went about as well as an episode of Keystone Cops. Max and Mike go over BMW's Awesome Neue Klasse Platform debuted at the IAA in Germany with 400 miles of range and very rapid charging (15 minute 10–80%) Mike's sitdown with Gavin Newsom on apartment and multifamily charging for over 7 million citizens in California Ford's American plan to reinvent the Assembly of Cars and Build a $30,000 EV Pickup Truck The Hyundai ICE immigration raid, the South Korean government's response, and the implications for US manufacturing Mike's summer EV road trips in his BMW iX and the good news of fast charging deployment ▶️ Watch the episode: YouTube Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform Resources and Links: Electric for All at the MAGNET Conference IRS Guidance on EV tax credits phaseout (Act before September 30th!) ⚡ 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

Our Next Energy (ONE) is developing LFP battery cells in Michigan. If you're an EV nerd, you know how big of a deal that is. These kinds of chemistries are what are going to enable durable, long lasting, and most importantly, affordable EVs and China already specializes in them and currently basically chokes the world's supply, not just in terms of minerals, but also IP know-how and manufacturing for this super valuable battery chemistry.But ONE came to the market at a time a few years ago with a promise to make a hybrid battery, called Gemini, utilizing some LFP and an anode-free manganese-rich chemistry to give you the best of all worlds—performance and long range. They demonstrated this in a BMW iX chassis showing that vehicle to double its factory range at the time.The Gemini battery never came to market in production cars.  However, ONE has been toiling away quietly—working on continuing LFP chemistries for not only the automotive industry, but also battery energy storage systems, which are crucially important in the age of AI and data center where we can't make our grid resilient quickly enough.Max speaks with the Chief Strategist at One, Deeana Ijaz. , She's the daughter of the founder and CEO Mijeeb Ijaz. Deanna  come from a neuroscience and public health policy background but is leading the charge at ONE in turbulent times for the automotive industry to survive and thrive.Watch the full episode on YouTubeOr listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.More about Our Next Energy Stay plugged in: Support our work at American EV Jobs AllianceShop EV Politics merch

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/-uyEtDhQVT8 Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more: WeaveGrid Incentive Finder WeaveGrid's Active Programs for Drivers/Consumers Stay plugged in: Subscribe to Directly Current Support our work at American EV Jobs Alliance Shop EV Politics merch

One of the biggest sources of electrification isn't your home or your neighbors', but the commercial fleets and trucks that power American business. Wex is a company doing fuel card services, but their EV charging solutions have taken off and they're continuing to invest in it despite federal headwinds. In this episode of Directly Current, host Max Patten speaks to Libby Bittman, the Business Development Director for EVs and Mobility at Wex. Previously, she's worked at companies like ChargePoint, ChargeLab, and Tesla. Libby also has an EV car, truck, and motorcycle in her household, so she's no stranger to the electric liffetyle. Max and Libby discuss how EV adoption continues to prove itself on cost of ownership merits in the commercial sector even without the White House's support. Regardless of politics, businesses love margins!Some of the ground Max and Libby cover; Why Fuel Cards Need an EV Analogue Charging Hubs dedicated to business fleets Electric motorcycles are very fun, but unlike cars and light duty, aren't yet cost-competitive! Libby is a great speaker, advocate for EVs, and a pragmatic and seasoned participant in the business world. Enjoy!Watch the full episode on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VeV_AXRb88Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.Learn more:Wex for EVsSawatch Labs Fleet Electrification/Emissions Software Stay 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

Electric towing is hard, particularly when you're hauling a big family-sized camper that can halve a Rivian's range. Lightship is a startup that's laser-focused on solving that pickle by engineering a smart trailer that not only makes itself more aerodynamic in motion, but also pulls its own weight with an e-axle and independent battery system. It's a clever piece of tech but it also costs a pretty penny.Max speaks with Toby Kraus, the CEO of Lightship, on what it's like building EV hardware in Colorado and how he and the team are dealing with challenges like unpredictable tariff policy. He also hints at some future developments that might drive down the price tag much as EVs themselves have gotten cheaper and more accessible.Lightship's Website for the AE.1Subscribe to Directly CurrentLearn More About the American EV Jobs Alliance

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 Website Follow The Podcast: Subscribe to Directly CurrentLearn More About the American EV Jobs AllianceReach Out to Max with Feedback:[email protected]