InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast

Can class 8 semi-trucks and heavy-duty transit buses actually go 100% electric on a global scale? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and Mack sit down with Ray Minjares, Director of the Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).Ray breaks down the state of zero-emission commercial transport around the world—from megawatt charging hubs for trucks to —and explains whether the Tesla Semi and its competitors can truly replace long-haul diesel fleets.Plus, we tackle what this week’s election results could mean for federal EV tax credits and the shift to clean transportation. We also cover some unlikely news from the highly controversial Ferrari Luce EV, and Mack gripes about screen-based vent controls. Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

How does a car transform into a Ghostbusters Ecto-1 overnight? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and Mack sit down with Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, for an in-depth conversation about Rivian’s vertically integrated software strategy, custom compute architecture, and zonal controllers—and how those in-house systems power both deep OTA updates and viral seasonal features like their annual Halloween Mode.Plus, we break down major news across the EV industry: Europe's Milestone: Fully electric car sales in the EU just officially surpassed gasoline and diesel sales combined for Q3 Ford Fathom Bidirectional Power: New details reveal Ford's upcoming $28K Fathom electric truck moves the inverter onboard—allowing 10kW home backup power with 60% cheaper home hardware. Cybercab Battery Tech: Digging into the latest specs and pack details powering Tesla's autonomous robotaxi fleet. Rivian Van Sales Surge: Commercial van deliveries continue to gain momentum as Rivian expands fleet adoption beyond Amazon. Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

One full year after federal EV tax credits vanished, the electric vehicle landscape looks completely different. On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and guest host Suvrat step back to look at the big-picture trends shaping the market: which EVs died off (and which deserved it), how Tesla managed to stay strong, why Toyota is surging, the explosive growth of charging infrastructure, and how EV sales actually seem to be in the early stages of a comeback. Plus, in our Plus/Minus segment at the end of the show, we discuss a big Android Auto update that brings native EV route planning to Google Maps, plus an exciting update for the VW ID. Buzz.  Plus: Android Auto gets a huge upgrade with native EV route planning in Google Maps. Minus: Teasing what's next for Volkswagen as reports suggest a potential new iteration or direction for the ID. Buzz. #InsideEVs #PluggedInPodcast #ElectricVehicles #Tesla #Toyota #EVTaxCredit #AndroidAuto #VWIDBuzzFurther reading: EV Sales Rebound To Their Highest Level In A Yearhttps://insideevs.com/news/811825/ev-sales-q3-2026/ Gen 3 EVs Are Cominghttps://insideevs.com/features/781390/gen-3-electric-vehicles-report/ America Now Has More Than 80,000 Public Fast Charging Portshttps://insideevs.com/news/811678/us-ev-charging-growth-q3-2026/ The Next VW ID. Buzz Could Get More Tech And A Lower Price Taghttps://insideevs.com/news/811821/second-generation-vw-id-buzz/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X

Is Jaguar’s radical rebrand genius? Or madness? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, we react to the reveal of Jaguar’s controversial Type 01 grand tourer. The design is impossible to ignore, but can this car and all-electric pivot save Jaguar? Plus, is Kia about to dominate the affordable EV segment? Tim reports back from his first drive in the brand-new Kia EV3. With its impressive range, aggressive pricing, and appealing design, is it better than the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf? Tim thinks so. Plus, we tackle a listener question: Will the surge of electric cars actually crash or overwhelm the U.S. electrical grid?Also on this week's episode: Tesla Powershare Expands: Tesla officially rolled out Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) power capabilities to the Model 3 and Model Y.  Lucid’s Q3 Production Dip: Lucid has slashed production to better meet demand. What it all means.  Kia EV3 First Drive Review: The Best Cheap EV SUV Yet?https://insideevs.com/reviews/810861/kia-ev3-review-drive-best-affordable-ev/Jaguar Type 01 Revealedhttps://insideevs.com/news/810839/jaguar-type-01-launch-ev/Tesla Model 3 Or Model Y Can Now Power Your Homehttps://insideevs.com/news/810989/tesla-model-y-model-3-home-backup-powershare/Lucid Production Plunges As EV Maker Clears Inventoryhttps://insideevs.com/news/810884/lucid-sales-production-q3-2026/ Check out InsideEVs for the latest future of transportation news and find us online: Instagram Threads YouTube BlueSky X