InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast

InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast

Every Friday, InsideEVs journalists Patrick George, Tim Levin 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.

Episodes

December 19, 2025 71 mins
This week, we recognize the very best EVs of 2025. The InsideEVs Breakthrough Awards just dropped, and we discuss the pros and cons of each Editors’ Choice pick: the Cadillac Optiq, Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf. 

Plus we debate Ford’s epic EV strategy shift. Was cancelling the F-150 Lightning a good idea? And Patrick recaps his drive in the Mercedes-Benz CLA, one of the hottest EVs lau...
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It's a big news week for Rivian! The EV startup announces that the new $45,000 R2 will get lidar, a big step forward for more affordable autonomy. Plus, it gets an in-car AI assistant, and other tweaks are coming to the R1S and R1T. Then Rivian's head of AI, James Philbin, explains how this all works to Patrick and Tim, as if they were children.
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Bust out those skinny jeans because Donald Trump is taking fuel economy rules back to 2013. This week, Patrick and Tim explain why the rollback of CAFE standards won’t actually make your car cheaper. Tim recaps his time in the extremely impressive BMW iX3, and the guys discuss whether it can succeed in the EV slowdown of 2026. 

Then Tim speaks with John Harris, cofounder and CEO of Harbinger Motors, about the future o...
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This week, Patrick and Tim break down two big electric debuts: the Porsche Cayenne EV and Jeep Recon. Can an electric sibling to the Wrangler be a hit—even with only 250 miles of range? 

Plus, they recap some new research about EV battery health and explain why you shouldn’t worry about replacing the battery in a new EV. And the driverless car space is moving faster than ever, with news this week from Waymo, Zoox and ...
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This week, Tim is joined by InsideEVs Deputy Editor Mack Hogan. They discuss why there’s way too much capacity to build EV batteries, and what happens next. Tim spent a day with the folks at Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies and shares an update on how that joint venture is going. Plus, leaders of Tesla’s Model Y and Cybertruck programs just quit, right after Elon Musk got his $1 trillion pay package. 

We Built...
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On this week’s Plugged-In Podcast, the EV tax credit party ended in September. So what did October’s hangover month look like? Well, sales of all-electric models weren’t great, even for mainstays like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. But we’re convinced there are bigger things at stake here—and that the whole car market needs to shift a certain way. Plus, we get more details about the Launch Edition for the Rivian R2, and discuss Tesla’s ...
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This week, Patrick and Tim recap discuss Toyota’s game-changing Corolla EV concept, plus other reveals from the Japan Mobility Show. Slate answered one of the biggest questions about its mini electric truck: where you can get it fixed. 

And Nvidia is going hard into the autonomous car game through new tech and a bunch of partnerships, including a deal with Lucid Motors to give its upcoming midsize crossover Level 4 se...
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This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Patrick and Tim have lots of news: General Motors' big tech push at its GM Forward event, including Super Cruise where you don't have to watch the road, and Rivian's exciting new e-bike spinoff Also. Is Rivian about to deliver a reset on how e-mobility works? Tim tested one, and he loved it.Also on this episode: Patrick talks to Matias Giannini, the CEO of Horse Powertrain. It's a new engin...
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On this special bonus episode of the Plugged-In Podcast recorded at Climate Week NYC, Patrick and Tim sit down with two BMW executives to discuss “circularity” in automotive manufacturing and what that means.Nils Hesse, BMW’s vice president of product sustainability, and Glenn Schmidt, its vice president of global sustainability, break down the automaker’s efforts across battery recycling and recycled materials—and how those p...
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This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Patrick and Tim are joined by Mark Reuss, President of General Motors. He gets candid about the new 2027 Chevy Bolt, how GM is tackling this chaotic moment, and why GM is “absolutely” getting ready for Chinese EV brands to hit the U.S. Patrick asks about an electric Corvette and Tim wants to know about what other affordable cars are coming after the Bolt. 

The guys also break down ...
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Do you know where all the parts on your car come from, and how they got there?

Most carmakers don't, actually. But BMW is working to change this. Starting with the grille on the new electric iX3, it's finding ways to track the carbon emissions of its entire supply chain—from raw minerals to the final product. 

This episode features a discussion about supply chain innovations and investments in future technolo...
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Tesla’s new “more affordable models” are here. But they’re not actually new, and not that cheap. In this episode, Patrick and Tim break down the Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard. They dig into what these cars are missing, what’s good about them, and whether they’re a good deal or not. 

Then Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, joins the show to chat about how America’s ...
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Hydrogen-powered cars have never quite gotten off the ground. But BMW thinks the new iX5 Hydrogen coming in 2028 can change that.

On this special episode of the InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast, brought to you in partnership with BMW, Patrick and Tim sit down with Dr. Michael Rath, the automaker’s VP of hydrogen vehicles.

They discuss the history of hydrogen-powered cars—from BMW’s first effort in the 1970s to it...
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Electric-vehicle tax credits are dead, and if you didn’t act fast, you’ll pay more than you would have a few months ago. Or so we thought! Car companies like Ford, General Motors and Hyundai are here for you, offering discounts, deals and price cuts on their most popular EVs. But for how long? 

Meanwhile, Porsche tells us why the new Cayenne Electric will be much more than just a bigger version of the new Macan. It’s ...
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That whole EV thing was fun while it lasted, right? America is going back to gas, as electric models from the Acura ZDX to the Nissan Ariya hit the chopping block. Patrick and Tim break down how we got to this moment, and why electric cars are here to stay. 

Plus, BMW announced the iX5 Hydrogen, hitting the market in 2028, and Volvo is trying to put the EX90’s software headaches behind it. 

In Plus/Minus, the...
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The great EV pullback has begun. And the latest casualty is Ram’s electric pickup truck. Patrick and Tim debate whether canceling the 1500 REV was the right move—and whether the brand’s gas-powered EREV pickup can pick up the slack. 

Plus, U.S. regulators opened an investigation into whether Tesla’s electronic door handles are defective after a bombshell report. Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen even commented o...
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Patrick just got back from IAA Mobility, Europe’s biggest auto show. We run through the expo’s biggest EV reveals, including the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ technology. Both are next-gen efforts with 400 miles of range, super-fast charging and way better tech than before. 

But are they enough to stand up to the flood of Chinese cars hitting Europe? BYD, GAC, Xpeng, CATL and more had major announcements at th...
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Tesla’s “Master Plan Part IV” dropped this week, filled with vague notions about “sustainable abundance” and lacking the concrete goals of Tesla’s prior mission statements. Patrick and Tim break down what it says about Tesla right now—and whether the X post was written by Grok.

Then, they discuss August’s EV surge, led by GM and fueled by expiring tax credits. Plus, InsideEVs Staff Writer Kevin Williams joins the show...
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Another day, another car company scaling back plans for the future. But is that the right move? On today’s show, Patrick and Tim discuss the news that Stellantis is shelving its hands-off, eyes-off driver assistance program. The company has been a laggard on EVs, but it’s also dealing with a lot of other problems right now. Plus, Porsche is scrapping plans to manufacture its own EV batteries as demand for electric cars slumps....
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This week, we sit down for a fascinating conversation with Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. RJ takes us back to the startup's origins in 2009 and talks about what he’s working on next, like the R2, R3, R4 and R5.

He breaks down how AI is revolutionizing self-driving technology and explains where he sees battery tech going next. We chat about the looming threat of Chinese EVs, why America needs more great electric c...
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