InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast

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298

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Jul 2026

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About the show

Every Friday, InsideEVs journalists Tim Levin, Mack Hogan, and a rotating cast of experts and friends cover the latest news in electric vehicles, autonomous cars, and the high-tech transformation of the auto industry. From InsideEVs and the Motorsport Network.

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60 recent

July 24, 202647 min

Honda Kills The Prologue + Used EV Deals Are Disappearing!

Honda just pulled the plug on the Prologue—leaving the brand with zero electric vehicles in the U.S. Mack and Tim break down Honda’s big pivot. Plus, Mack bought a Chevy Blazer EV! He breaks down why he chose it, what other options he considered, and why going back to a gas car was out of the question. Also in this episode: if you've been waiting for a cheap used EV, bad news—the legendary cheap Tesla and Chevy Bolt deals are starting to dry up as prices rise across the pre-owned market. Tim and Mack dive into the numbers. In Plus/Minus: Europe’s EV sales are going strong and the Tesla Diner is a surprise hit on the Supercharger network. Chevy Blazer EV: Why I Traded My 20-Year-Old Gas Truck For Thishttps://insideevs.com/features/727637/chevy-blazer-ev-owner-review/Used EV Values Are Actually Rising. Why That's Good And Bad News.https://insideevs.com/news/802240/used-ev-depreciation-reversing-gas-prices/Honda Just Axed Its Last EV In The U.S.https://insideevs.com/news/801921/honda-prologue-discontinued-ev-2026/EVs Just Hit 25% Market Share In Europehttps://insideevs.com/news/802351/europe-ev-sales-half-year/The Tesla Diner Was The World's Most Utilized Supercharger In Its First Yearhttps://insideevs.com/news/802464/tesla-diner-most-used-supercharger/Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

July 17, 202657 min

The EV Winners & Losers Of 2026 So Far + Tesla’s Big Comeback

The EV market isn't dead—but the landscape is changing faster than anyone expected. In this week's episode of the Plugged-In Podcast, InsideEVs journalists Tim Levin and Mack Hogan break down the wild Q2 and H1 sales numbers. While some legacy automakers are suffering brutal 90%+ declines and pulling models, others are surging. We look at Toyota’s shocking rise up the leaderboard, Hyundai's continued success, and how Tesla managed a massive global comeback despite U.S. headwinds. Plus, Toyota's CEO is proposing an unprecedented "alliance" among Japanese automakers. Will sharing basic components be enough to stop China's EV speed?Finally, we look at a quirky $15,000 EV called "Chip" that you can drive remotely, and discuss the costly impact of US clean energy rollbacks. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a LIKE, SUBSCRIBE for weekly EV news, and tell us in the comments: Do you think Japanese automakers collaborating on parts can actually stop China's momentum? Tesla Pulled Off A Shocker Second Quarter. Can It Keep Sales Up?https://insideevs.com/news/801344/tesla-q2-sales-explained-2026/ U.S. EV Sales Rebound To Their Highest Level Since The Tax Credit Endedhttps://insideevs.com/news/801289/us-q2-ev-sales-post-tax-credit/ EV Startup Reveals $15,000 25-MPH Car That You'll Never Have To Parkhttps://insideevs.com/news/801772/chip-motors-ev-remote-driving-2026/ 'Completely False': Lucid Denies Report That It's Weighing Bankruptcy After Shares Crashhttps://insideevs.com/news/801645/lucid-stock-crash-bankruptcy-rumor/ 'We Will Not Survive': Toyota Boss Wants Japanese Automakers To Team Up To Beat Chinese EVshttps://insideevs.com/news/801643/toyota-koji-sato-japan-rival-chinese-ev/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

July 10, 202642 min

What's Next For Tesla? Favorite EV We've Tested? We Answer Your Questions!

Are fake engine sounds good for electric cars? Or just lame? On this week's show, we answer your EV questions. As always, drop a question in the comments and maybe we'll answer it on the show!We also discuss what's next for Tesla—just note, we recorded this before its latest sales release and the Model Y L announcement, which is why we don't talk about it! And we discuss the best EVs we've ever tested—and what we'd buy if money was no object. Porsche Taycan, anyone?

June 26, 202649 min

We Rode In The $24,950 Slate EV Truck... Will It Actually Succeed?

The Slate EV truck FINALLY has an official price tag: $24,950 before destination fees, making it America’s cheapest EV and its most affordable pickup. But can this newcomer actually survive and compete in the brutal electric truck market? In this episode of the Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and Suvrat break down all the massive news surrounding Slate this week. They discuss whether its range, 205 miles, is enough for 2026. And they explain Slate’s new battery strategy (hello, LFP!) Plus, Tim actually got to see the truck in person and take a ride in it! He shares his first impressions on the interior, and whether the driving experience matches the hype. What do you think? Is the Slate truck priced to win? Let us know in the comments!Slate's $24,950 EV Truck Will Test What America Really Wantshttps://insideevs.com/news/799661/slate-truck-pricing-official-2026/ Why The Slate Truck Will Use LFP Batteries After Allhttps://insideevs.com/news/799667/slate-truck-lfp-battery-range/ Slate Truck Vs. Chevy Bolt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Which Affordable EV Actually Wins?https://insideevs.com/reviews/799688/slate-truck-nissan-leaf-chevy-bolt-ev-comparison/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

June 19, 202648 min

The Robotaxi Race Is ON — Tesla Cybercab Specs REVEALED & Uber Bets Big On Lucid

The robotaxi wars just got real. On this week's Plugged-In Podcast, hosts Mack and Tim break down everything you need to know about the race to own autonomous ride-hailing—and there's a LOT happening all at once.Tesla's Cybercab specs are finally public thanks to EPA filings: a 48 kWh battery, 219 hp front-wheel-drive motor, and an astonishing 165 Wh/mi efficiency rating that makes it the most efficient EV ever certified. But EPA certification and commercial robotaxi deployment are very different things—and Tesla's fleet is still tiny.Meanwhile, Uber is building a web of partnerships—Lucid, Nuro, Wayve, and Stellantis—that looks less like a ride-hail company and more like a platform play for the autonomous age. And Mobileye is making a stunning pivot: no longer just a sensor supplier, it's entering the robotaxi arena with its own fleet. And Who actually wins this race? The company with the best hardware? The best software? The best network? Mack and Tim dig in.#Robotaxi #TeslaCybercab #Waymo #Mobileye #ElectricVehicles #FSD #AutonomousDriving #InsideEVsCheck out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X Mobileye, Supplier Of Robotaxi Tech, Is Launching Its Own Robotaxi Fleet In The U.S.https://insideevs.com/news/798968/mobileye-robotaxi-us-launch-2027/ Lucid And Uber Will Bring Robotaxis To Houston Nexthttps://insideevs.com/news/798932/lucid-gravity-robotaxi-houston-expansion-uber-nuro/ Full Tesla Cybercab Specs: EPA Documents Confirm Battery Size, Weight, Power, And Preliminary Rangehttps://insideevs.com/news/798790/tesla-cybercab-specs/

June 12, 202652 min

Will The R2 Be The Hit Rivian Needs? w/ Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained

Can the highly anticipated Rivian R2 turn Rivian into a profitable EV powerhouse? This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Mack and Tim sit down with a very special guest: Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained!Both Mack and Jason recently got behind the wheel of the Rivian R2, and they are breaking down exactly why they loved it—and what it means for the future of the company.But it’s not all good news for EV startups. Jason opens up about his tumultuous experience owning a Lucid Air. We dive deep into the challenges facing both Rivian and Lucid as they fight to become mainstream automakers.Jason’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/engineeringexplained Jason's Lucid Air Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrz1LXNm9cIMack’s Rivian R2 review: https://insideevs.com/reviews/798129/rivian-r2-first-drive-review/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

June 5, 202645 min

Tesla’s FSD Problems, Ferrari EV Backlash, & Rivian’s Charging Glow-Up

Is the internet overreacting to Ferrari’s first-ever electric car? In this episode of the Plugged-In Podcast, Mack and Tim break down the massive wave of public backlash hitting the newly unveiled Ferrari Luce. Tim shares his firsthand thoughts after actually seeing Maranello's Jony Ive-designed EV up close, and explains why he thinks it’s actually cool. (Sorry!)Plus, we look at the positive side of the electric transition: the EV charging grid is officially getting a glow-up. From Rivian hitting a major infrastructure milestone to Walmart and Electrify America making charging less of a headache, things are moving fast. Finally, we unpack a Reuters investigation that suggests Tesla might still be years away from truly scaling full self-driving technology.Reuters story on Tesla FSDhttps://www.reuters.com/investigations/why-teslas-ai-trainers-dont-trust-its-self-driving-tech-or-its-safety-stats-2026-05-28/ Walmart’s Expanding EV Charging Network Is Getting Easier To Pay For (And Cheaper)https://insideevs.com/news/796951/walmart-ev-fast-charging-expansion-card-discounts/ Rivian’s EV Charging Network Is Growing Fast, And It Just Hit A Major Milestonehttps://insideevs.com/news/797654/rivian-ev-charging-network-growth-milestone/ It's Still Way More Expensive To Insure An EV. But That's Changinghttps://insideevs.com/news/797585/ev-ownership-insurance-price-expensive/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

May 29, 202649 min

Do EV enthusiasts care about the Ferrari Luce? Plus, Is Nuro Prepared To Win The Autonomy Race?

Do EV enthusiasts care about performance cars? Do traditional car enthusiasts care about EVs? This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Mack Hogan and Andrei Nedelea break down the news about the Ferrari Luce, the company’s first EV. It’s got over a thousand horsepower, four independent motors, and a trick suspension that should make it plenty interesting to drive.But in the second segment, we break down a key challenge for the Luce: Who is it for? Typical car enthusiasts that buy Ferraris seem relatively closed off to electric performance vehicles. And even for InsideEVs’ enthusiastic audience, nobody seems to care about the high-power stuff. They’d rather read about Hyundais and Chevies than Porsches and Ferraris.Finally, Tim Levin and Mack sit down with Andrew Chapin, the Chief Operating Officer of autonomy company Nuro, to get an update on the autonomous vehicle race. You won’t want to miss it. I Saw Ferrari’s First EV In The Flesh. Here’s My Honest Takehttps://insideevs.com/news/796897/ferrari-luce-electric-car-2026/ Mercedes-Benz's Electric Super Sedan Has A New Kind Of EV Motor And Unprecedented Charging Speedhttps://insideevs.com/news/796361/2027-mercedes-amg-gt-4-door-coupe/ Nobody Wants Electric Supercars. But Why?https://www.motor1.com/features/766252/nobody-wants-electric-supercars-opinion/ Lucid Gravity Robotaxis Will Hit The Uber App Next Year, With Nuro Techhttps://insideevs.com/news/766132/lucid-gravity-robotaxi-uber-nuro/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

May 22, 202652 min

Is The $130 EV Fee Fair? + Driving The Volvo EX60 EV & America’s New Fastest-Charging EV

Is the federal government about to change the cost of EV ownership? This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Tim Levin and Mack Hogan break down the proposed $130 annual federal registration fee for electric vehicles and what it means for the future of highway funding.Mack also shares his experience behind the wheel of the Volvo EX60—a minimalist luxury SUV that might just be the most polished electric vehicle Volvo has ever built. Plus, we discuss the brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT, which has officially claimed the crown as the fastest-charging EV in America, boasting an 11-minute charge time from 10-80%. Finally, Tim sits down with Brandt Hastings, President of North America at ABB E-Mobility, to talk about the massive shift in charging infrastructure and how ABB is meeting the demands of the next generation of EVs, trucks, and robotaxis.Congress Wants You To Pay $130 A Year Just To Drive An Electric Carhttps://insideevs.com/news/796222/ev-fee-gas-tax-house-bill-2026/ I Drove The 2027 Volvo EX60 And Think It's The Best Volvo Ever. All Because It’s Electric.https://insideevs.com/reviews/796359/volvo-ex60-first-drive/ Mercedes-Benz's Electric Super Sedan Has A New Kind Of EV Motor And Unprecedented Charging Speedhttps://insideevs.com/news/796361/2027-mercedes-amg-gt-4-door-coupe/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

May 15, 20261 hr 5 min

How Ionna Wants To Take On Tesla + Google Gemini’s Car Takeover

Is the Golden Age of EV charging finally here? This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Tim sits down with Seth Cutler, CEO of Ionna, the massive charging joint venture backed by seven of the world’s biggest automakers. We dig into how Ionna plans to deploy 30,000 chargers by 2030 and whether this company can actually fix the reliability crisis.Plus, Mack takes the new Volvo EX60 for a spin to test its Google Gemini integration, which is also coming to vehicles from GM, Polestar, and other brands. Forget basic, frustrating voice commands. We’re talking full-on conversational navigation. The guys discuss why this is probably the best feature in new cars. We also look North as Chinese EVs trickle into Canada. While the US doubles down on 100% tariffs, Canada is taking a different path. Is this the backdoor for BYD and Geely to get into America?Tesla Is Now Testing A Virtual Waitlist For Superchargershttps://insideevs.com/news/795797/tesla-supercharger-virtual-queues-tk/ Mazda's EV Delay Is Barely A Pivothttps://insideevs.com/news/795650/mazda-delays-first-major-ev/ The Floodgates Open: Chinese EVs Land In Canadahttps://insideevs.com/news/795438/first-chinese-evs-canada-deliveries/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X