EVs are cars that run on electricity instead of gas or diesel. They use big batteries to power electric motors, so they don't need fuel like regular cars.
Kilowatt hours tell you how much power a car's battery can hold, like how much fuel a gas tank can carry. More means the car can go farther before needing a recharge.
When charging an electric car, going from 10% to 80% battery is faster and more normal than charging all the way to 100%, which takes longer to protect the battery.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a new electric van that looks like the old VW bus from the past. It runs on batteries and is meant for families or businesses who want a cool, electric vehicle.
The Rivian R2 is a new electric car that will come out in 2027. It's special because it uses new computer software to help make the car work better and let people change how it looks or works.
The GM EV1 was one of the first electric cars made by a big company many years ago. Now, GM is selling more electric cars again and getting a bigger part of the market.
The Tesla Model Y is a small electric car that looks like a family SUV. It's popular because it can drive far on a single charge and has lots of cool features, so many people talk about it when discussing electric cars.
The Tesla Model 3 is a smaller electric car that looks like a regular sedan but runs on batteries instead of gas. It's important because it made electric cars more affordable and popular.
A steering yoke is like a small steering wheel shaped more like an airplane control than a round wheel. Some cars use it instead of a normal steering wheel, but some places think it might not be safe.
Instead of a round steering wheel, some cars use a yoke that looks like an airplane control. It can be tricky to get used to but changes how you steer the car.
Instead of using a steering column that physically connects the steering wheel to the wheels, steer-by-wire uses computers and motors to steer the car. This can make steering smoother and lets car makers try new steering controls.
The Chevrolet Equinox is a small SUV that many families like because it's roomy and not too expensive. Now, Chevrolet is making electric versions of it, which means it runs on batteries instead of gas.
The Ford Mustang is a famous fast car that people have loved for decades. Ford also made an electric SUV called the Mustang Mach-E, which is like a Mustang but runs on batteries.
Electric vehicles are cars that run on electricity stored in batteries instead of gasoline. They are cleaner for the environment because they don't produce smoke or pollution when you drive them.
Charging bays are special parking spots where electric cars can plug in to get more battery power.
LIVE
The holidays are expensive. You're paying for gifts, travel, decorations, food, and before you know it, you've blown way past what you were planning to spend.
Don't start the new year off with bad money vibes. Download rocket money to stay on top of your finances.
The app pulls your income, expenses, and upcoming charges into one place so you can get the clearest picture of your money.
It shows how much to set aside for bills and how much is safe to spend for the month, so you can spend with confidence.
No guesswork needed. Get alerts before bills hit, track budgets, and see every subscription you're paying for.
Rocket Money also finds extra ways to save you money by cancelling subscriptions you're not using and negotiating lower bills for you.
On average, Rocket Money users can save up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features.
Start the year off right by taking control of your finances.
Go to rocketmoney.com slash cancel to get started. That's rocketmoney.com slash cancel.
Rocketmoney.com slash cancel.
It's time for Trash Day Nose Yoga with Hefty.
Let's transform stinky scenarios with a joyful scent of fabuloso.
Inhale.
You forgot to empty your kid's lunchbox.
Exhale.
The field of lavender.
Inhale.
Stinky leftovers.
Exhale.
Watermelon in the summer.
That's the power of hefty, ultra-strong trash bags with fabuloso.
Hefty, hefty, hefty!
Let's do the 60-Second Savings Challenge.
Step 1. Download Rocket Money.
Step 2. Link your accounts and see every subscription you're paying for.
Tap 1 you don't use and cancel it.
That's money back every month.
Step 3. Create a financial goal.
$50 every paycheck.
Or let the app automatically move small amounts of cash when you can afford it.
In a week, you'll forget you set it up.
In a month, you'll see real dollars piling up.
In a year, you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved.
Bonus Challenge.
Upload an internet or phone bill and let Rocket Money try to lower it.
You only pay if they find you savings.
On average, Rocket Money members can save up to $740 a year
when using all of the app's premium features.
Users love the app with over 186,000 five-star ratings.
Make saving money the resolution you actually keep.
Start the 60-Second Savings Challenge at RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
That's RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
Weight Watchers now offers access to affordable GLP once.
It works for members like...
I'm Haley and I've lost 100 pounds.
Weight Watchers has everything I need.
From weight loss medications to nutrition support
and help with my side effects, it's all in one place.
Weight Watchers handles the insurance for you
and offers affordable cash pay options.
With our program, our members are losing more weight
with expert nutrition and side effects support.
I'm Mike and I've lost 135 pounds.
Weight Watchers prescribing GLP One medications.
It's been life-changing.
I'm Sharia and I lost 80 pounds on Weight Watchers.
I realized that it would take more than a prescription
to lose weight and feel good on a GLP One.
Better results, expert support.
Lose more weight, make it last.
I can't imagine doing a GLP One without Weight Watchers.
Get started for as low as $25 at WeightWatchers.com slash GLP One.
For over 60 years, we've helped millions of members
find what works for them.
Now it's your turn.
Weight Watchers, watch it work.
And Tesla fades in America.
Plus, stay tuned later in the show.
I'll tell you how the UK public EV charging market
changed significantly in a single week.
No EV news China today.
It's the weekend.
It'll be back on Monday.
Now, global EV sales reached 1.2 million units
last month, January 2026.
That was actually down 3% year on year
and 44% from December.
That's according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
with the annual decline entirely due to China.
China sold 600,000 EVs.
That's down 20% year on year and 55% down month on month.
After the purchase taxes on EVs returned for the first time
in 12 years.
Most models now face a 5% levy
against a 10% rate for combustion
while a flat to proportional shift
in trading subsidies hit smaller, cheaper EVs.
Europe recorded 320,000 sales.
That was up 24% year on year, but down on December.
As tighter EU emissions rules and renewed incentives
drove the UK up 14, Germany up 25
and France up 41%.
Norway fell 71% year on year
and 92% month on month after pre-buying
ahead of VAT tightening from the 1st of January.
The Netherlands fell 28% and 64% respectively
again on pre-buying ahead of these higher company car tax rules.
North America posted just 90,000 sales.
That was down 33% year on year and down 27% on December.
The US' lowest monthly figure since the early part of 2022.
After federal levy tax credits were scrapped
on the 30th of September last year
and the cafe fines abolished
GM and Stellantis have taken multi-billion-dollar write downs.
Canada with the subsidies expired last January.
Now says they will admit up to 49,000 Chinese made EVs
at just 6.1% tariff following the 100% tariff
which they had for just over a year.
The rest of the world, well that posted 190,000 EV sales.
That was up 92% year on year
and flat December to January.
Thailand tripled its EV sales
after a deadline extension and excise cuts
South Korea and Brazil also growing very strongly as well.
A rare bit of news on the podcast where EV sales
stuttered on the month but all for very explainable reasons
and all for reasons that we knew were coming.
Things like the Chinese tax changes, the Norwegian,
the Dutch changes and things like that.
Alright let's move on.
Rivian has removed the European launch of the R2
from its website replacing it with a generic prompt
to sign up for more information.
The company has also pushed Canada's debut
which was due to be this year into 2027
and deleted the previously listed price
of 66,500 Canadian.
That's 48,700 US.
Rivian has built dedicated pages for 18 European countries.
UK, obviously right hand drive, Germany, France,
Spain, Italy, Sweden, Austria.
But none now lists a launch date
at the IAA show last September.
The CEO, RJ Scarringe, declined to give a European timeline
saying only that the brand would be highly aspirational
but highly attainable.
US reviews of the new dual motor R2
have been published, 656 horsepower
and 609 pound feet of torque.
60 miles an hour in 3.6 seconds.
The battery, 87.4 kilowatt hours, 300 miles.
That is almost 500 kilometres of range.
But a 30 minute 10 to 80 charge
which some people felt was a little slow.
The R2 is about 186 inches long.
That's 4.17 metres.
That's about 15 inches or 38 centimetres
shorter than the R1 S.
It's actually 2000 pounds lighter as well
and it's obviously not going to take such a chunk out of your wallet.
It started 45,000 US dollars
but we get the exact pricing on March the 12th.
Talking of Rivian, they have now
shipped vehicles to Volkswagen
with the new joint venture software for winter testing.
13 months after forming RV Tech,
the joint venture with Volkswagen Group.
So Volkswagen, Audi and Scouts all involved.
VW pledged up to 5.8 billion dollars,
2 billion coming this year
and a billion dollars contingent on those test vehicles,
1 billion on in non-recourse debt.
Software and services did well
for Rivian, $447 million in Q4.
The partnership develops
the scalable systems platform
for up to 30 million VW Group vehicles eventually
and licensable to other OEMs if you're interested.
Led by Co-CEOs.
Not sure how that always works out.
Many companies, not the time an expert.
But from Rivian, CEOs Wassem Ben Said
and from Volkswagen, the CEO Carsten Helming.
The Volkswagen ID1 prototypes are now being evaluated
in Palo Alto and Irvine.
Production in 2027.
Rivian's R2 is the first vehicle on a new software stack.
Brand customization tensions seem to be persisting
according to automotive press.
Some of the sources noting that when you add a new skin
to the software for the brand to have its own look,
it can materially alter the user experience.
Rivian's platform for LiDAR autonomy
is not part of this by the way.
And Volkswagen want to get back to making more combustion cars
because they're more profitable.
And I imagine if I was at Rivian I would have no interest at all
in making my wonderful, beautiful lines of code
and software work with dirty pistons that go pop and bang.
But that's the source of some tension.
VW Group expects a longer combustion runway than anticipated.
So they've got to carry on funding their own software department
and carry it to the tunes of billions of euros.
Let's move on with the final story on Rivian.
They plan a third version of the Amazon-backed EDV
electric delivery van.
This one will have all-wheel drive.
Amazon's been backing Rivian for a long time now since 2019.
This new model uses the existing EDV,
adding all-wheel drive and a bigger battery.
The first time either option has been featured.
The larger battery extends the range by 30%.
The drive addresses traction in mud and snow.
Route types, the current front-wheel drive models
can't fully serve in extreme conditions.
Rivian says the variants will expand the EDV
route coverage in Amazon's network.
The existing lineup, there's the EDV 500.
That'll do you 160 miles.
The EDV 700 for 160 miles is the other one.
And now they're developing their third version.
Both use front-wheel drive and that standard size battery.
The new all-wheel drive model sits above them.
And the CEO, RJ Scarridge, expecting growth in EDV demand in 2026,
calling his Amazon relationship very positive,
noting that the EDV performs extremely well,
he says in the field.
Rivian has not disclosed a launch date.
Goldman Sachs analysts pressed Scarridge on timing,
but had no answer.
Now, Tesla's US sales are fading.
They fell 17% year-over-year in January.
And they went from 48,500 last year to 40,000 this year.
That's a fourth consecutive monthly decline in the US.
And the ninth year-over-year drop in 12 months.
According to Motor Intelligence, of course,
Tesla don't report neither monthly nor region-specific details.
So that doesn't come from Tesla.
That comes from registration data and other sources.
The $7,500 federal tax credit expired at the 30th of September.
So that reversed the Q3 pull forward.
November fell below 40,000.
December recovered slightly, but Cox Automotive,
but the average EV transaction price in America now
at $51,981 in January.
The US EV market share fell to 6.6% from 9.5%,
and Kelly Bluebook estimated that total EV sales fell 30%.
Tesla's registrations were down across all of 2025.
And who else did OK?
Well, General Motors, EV sales, they actually rose over the year,
lifting their market share to 13.2% of the US market,
with the Equinox EV doing much of the work behind the 3
and the Y from Tesla.
Ford's market share fell.
Then it was Hyundai Kia.
And what cars have been doing very well in America?
New standard from Model Y, or the Model Y standard,
I should call it, and Model 3 standard,
weren't enough to offset the losses
from the federal tax credits going.
Over here in Europe, registrations for Tesla fell 27.8%
over the entire year.
If you look at the big markets,
it's been falling even more heavily.
The UK was down 57% last year for Tesla.
Norway, 88% in the UK.
BYD actually overtook Tesla by the tune of about 2 to 1,
which is somewhat of a bloody nose for Tesla.
Work to be done.
They've been shifting around the management at Tesla
in terms of sales.
Now, I think a single head in charge of sales
for both Europe and North America,
maybe possibly Africa, maybe even Asian region,
I'm not sure, but I would think everything but China,
probably, and they have a large job on their hands
to get us all buying Teslas again.
Won't be easy, will it, with all the increased competition
and the various other factors involved.
All right, we'll take a break.
We'll come back.
China's rules on yoke steering wheels
and Canada and their rebates.
Stick around back in a moment.
Five years ago, I was paying $65 a month for my subscriptions.
Today, those same subscriptions cost $111,
and I don't even use half of them anymore.
That's why now I use RocketMoney
to manage my subscriptions for me.
The app gives you a list of all your subscriptions
and reminds you of upcoming payments
so you're not hit with any surprise charges.
On top of that, it also sends you alerts
when subscription prices go up,
so you always know the price you're paying.
If you decide you no longer want a subscription,
you can cancel it right from the app.
No customer service needed.
And the best part is, RocketMoney even reaches out
and tries to get you refunded
for some of the money you lost.
On average, people that cancel their subscriptions
with RocketMoney save $378 a year.
And overall, RocketMoney has saved its members
$880 million in canceled subscriptions.
Stop wasting money on things you don't use.
Go to RocketMoney.com
slash cancel to get started.
That's RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
If you're the purchasing manager
at a manufacturing plant,
you know having a trusted partner
makes all the difference.
That's why hands-down you count on Granger
for auto-reordering.
With on-time restocks,
your team will have the cut-resistant gloves
to shift.
And you can end your day knowing
they've got safety well in hand.
Call 1-800-GRANGER
click Granger.com or just stop by.
Granger for the ones who get it done.
$50 every paycheck.
Or let the app automatically move
small amounts of cash when you can afford it.
In a week, you'll forget you set it up.
In a month, you'll see real dollars piling up.
In a year, you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved.
Bonus challenge.
Upload an internet or phone bill
and let RocketMoney try to lower it.
You only pay if they find you savings.
On average, RocketMoney members can save
up to $740 a year
when using all of the app's premium features.
Users love the app with over 186,000 5-star ratings.
Make saving money the resolution you actually keep.
Start the 60-second savings challenge
at RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
That's RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
RocketMoney.com slash cancel.
If you're an HVAC technician and a call comes in,
Granger knows that you need a partner
that helps you find the right product,
fast and hassle-free.
And you know that when the first problem of the day
is a clanking blower motor,
there's no need to break a sweat.
With Granger's easy-to-use website
and product details, you're confident
you'll soon have everything humming right along.
Call 1-800-GRANGER, click Granger.com
or just stop by.
Granger, for the ones who get it done.
Welcome back to the podcast.
MG has launched the second generation
of the MG4 outside of China,
where inside China it's just called the MG4,
but we already had the MG4
and it's a very good car.
But they wanted to refresh it,
but the thing is the MG4 in China
is an entirely different car.
It's a different chassis.
It goes from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive.
It looks different on the outside.
So they've kept the MG4, as we know it,
and then they call it the MG4 Urban
to try and say, look, it's the MG4,
even though it's a very different car.
And now they're launching it in Austria,
where it starts at 20,000 euros
for the 43-kilowatt-hour version.
That price does include, in case you're wondering,
that's cheap, 20K.
That's 5,000 euros of incentives,
a 2.5K trading bonus,
a $2,000 euro environmental bonus,
and 500 euro insurance bonus.
The range also includes the comfort model
for 54-kilowatt-hours
and the luxury model with the same battery.
Austria is currently the only confirmed
EU market for the Urban.
It was unveiled in the UK
late last month, available in China
since September last year.
This new one is front-wheel drive
and a very different driving experience,
but even though car review
has raved about
the existing MG4,
saying, you know, loads of smiles,
it really can take the battle to a GTI,
this new one,
I mean, does anybody buying an MG4
ever think about
how spirited they should be
driving it? I mean, I'm not being insulting,
but probably for the best,
if the car can be really cheap
as long as it doesn't
drive dangerously terribly.
I don't know. Right.
The Urban's body is actually larger,
it's 11cm longer and it's wider
and taller and it's got a longer wheelbase
as well, but they've kept the original
MG4 on sale
all the way up to its
77-kilowatt-hour extended range
trophy trim. You get the X-Power
version as well.
We're like 320 kilowatts of power
and that thing's bonkers. Right.
Let's talk about how many yokes
you may be seeing on the road.
Tesla, of course, do this.
Toyota
and Lexus have started rolling out
yokes. Well, I think you won't see them anymore
because China are going to
ban them. China's MIIT
publishing a safety standard that would
ban steering yokes from new passenger cars
for the first of January next year.
The standard requires...
This is actually about impact forces.
It's an odd topic to talk about on the podcast, but
in terms of the
upper and lower rims of a steering wheel,
there's a lot of data and measurements
available for things like occupants
hitting steering wheels, airbags,
how the steering columns
can cause injury. And there's not
of data on yokes, in fact
potentially more dangerous, say China,
so they banned them. And so
if you want to sell a car inside of China,
well, it won't have the silly yoke
steering wheel. I think kind of a shame because
there were some interesting things happening
with steer by wire, and
that may have been interesting, but
China says, hey, no more.
Two yoke-specific
risks are identified. Deploying
airbags can slide under
the driver's head, reducing cushioning
and raising the risk of striking
the steering column or dashboard. And the
regular airbag cover
shattered on deployment, they say,
scattering debris into the cabin. Without steer by wire
or a fast variable
ratio rack,
yokes require large steering
inputs for things like parking, type maneuvers,
roundabouts. They just don't work.
The yoke
in the S and the X have had persistent
criticism on both grounds.
Lexus addressed it on the RZ
with its full steer by wire system.
They said it has better forward visibility.
You get more knee and leg space as
well. They're still a niche and
they will be no more. If you want to sell your
cars in China, so what's the point of developing them
because China is the world's biggest car market.
Now Canada's
electric vehicle affordability program,
the EVAP launched
and it's offering
up to 5,000 Canadian
dollars, that's three and a half thousand US
equivalent for battery
electric vehicles and two and a half
thousand Canadian for plug-in hybrids. It replaces
the previous federal rebate,
offering eligibility from the hard
MSRP
to the final transaction value.
For non-Canadian built EVs,
the 50,000 Canadian
dollar threshold covers the base
price, trim upgrades,
factory options, accessories
and dealer fees, but excludes
freight, taxes, winter tires, extended
warranties, things like that. Transport Canada's
initial list covers 35 vehicles.
So
Chevy Equinox
EVs, LT and RS
trim, the Bolt LT and RS.
There's five Fiat 500 variants,
the F, the Ford
2026 Mustang, Mach
E, in select standard
range trim. Three Hyundai
Conas are included.
The Dodge Charger Daytona
RT
exceed 50,000
Canadian, but they
qualify on being Canadian produced,
which is rather genius, isn't it?
Plug-in hybrids include all six
Chrysler Pacific trims
and the Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid. Tesla's Model
Y
is $10
below the threshold,
but it doesn't appear
on this first eligibility list.
Now let's talk about Skoda.
Skoda's rolling out four features
for the ENIAC and the L-Rock.
Air console gaming,
Skoda Play Video, Native Spotify
and their new
emergency vehicle approaching
alerts. All four
form the media streaming package.
That is free
for three years on new vehicles. Air
console delivers cloud gaming,
15 titles from Tetris
and other things,
and a single and multiplayer
are available. Skoda Play
available when you're parked, streams
news and educational content
from Euro news, NASA, CNN,
Reuters, Bloomberg and more.
Spotify comes pre-installed and works
while moving, obviously
streaming music and podcasts
but I would presume not video
podcasts, which are very common on Spotify these days
and the traffic update
that is providing real-time alerts
for approaching emergency
vehicles. Check out your ENIAC or L-Rock
for your new software.
Now, Europe car
they have
pointed to the UK's
2025 Barometer
study showing a steady improvement
in business driver sentiment
towards electric vehicles.
Fewer employees
are noting any kind of barrier
towards going electric. The share
citing no barriers at all
to adopting EVs in fleets
the kind of
no problem response
went from 11% to 21%
year on year, which is great
news. Charging infrastructure
concerns fell from 36%
to 29%
and the knowledge gap dropped as well
from 20% to 16.8%
What is the leading barrier then?
Why aren't we all driving EVs
if you're a fleet buyer?
Cost was what they
said. Europe car
Tom Middleditch from Europe car
attributing the shift to better
charging infrastructure
broader vehicle ranges as
well. They position EV rental
as a way for businesses to test
electric drive trains
without leasing a bunch of them long.
Now, in just a few days
the UK charging
map, if you like
changed quite significantly
the UK public EV charging
market changed in a single week
with three acquisitions. Manchester
based BEV bought out
Mer
but only the UK bits of Mer
MER
So that is 1600
charging bays in 450
sites now acquired by
BEV
They're backed by Octopus
Mer is exiting
UK public charging but they're keeping
its fleet operations
with 500 workspace charges
That's quite a big deal actually. There's loads of Mer charges
around here in Dorset
and Bournemouth Pool Christchurch
where I am
and I don't see them everywhere
but maybe they did a deal
with tons of Mer's
so they will be branded BEVs
Connected Curb bought Trojan
Energy's assets
after they went into administration
That is on-street charging
There's 1500 on-street charge points
for residential neighbourhoods
now owned by Connected Curb
and Ubitricity
acquired FM Conway's
Sure Charge Network
that's 2,500 lamp post charges in London
added to Ubitricity's
Shell Recharge Portfolio
The logic behind
this consolidation that's now happening in the
CPO
Market Charge Point Operator
is about scale. Scale can win
their BEV's CEO, Asif Ghafour
telling the Guardian
he expects the UK Charge Point Operators
the number of them to fall
from 150
to 5 or 6
dominant players in time
Few operators could bring a more consistent
better covered charging experience
but also more pricing power
if competition
fades
More mergers and acquisitions will be likely
not just in the UK but around the world
Drivers may be happy
about one thing
fewer apps to download on your phone
and that's your podcast for today
thanks to our premium partners
that'll be national car charging on the US mainland
and the low-ha charge in Hawaii
and TESTV, Avalu's trusted partner
for independent EV battery health testing
in Australia and New Zealand
have a good one soon
and remember there's no such thing
as a self-charging hybrid
on top of that
it also sends you alerts
when subscription prices go up
so you always know the price you're paying
if you decide you no longer want a subscription
you can cancel it right from the app
no customer service needed
and the best part is
RocketMoney even reaches out and tries to get you refunded
for some of the money you lost
on average people that cancel their subscriptions
with RocketMoney save $378 a year
and overall
RocketMoney has saved its members
$880 million in canceled subscriptions
stop wasting money
on things you don't use
go to RocketMoney.com
to get started
that's RocketMoney.com
RocketMoney.com
If you're an HVAC technician
and a call comes in
Granger knows that you need a partner
that helps you find the right product
fast and hassle free
and you know that when the first problem of the day
is a clanking blower motor
there's no need to break a sweat
with Granger's easy to use
website and product details
you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along
call 1-800-GRANGER
click Granger.com
or just stop by
Granger for the ones who get it done
This episode is brought to you by Intuit QuickBooks BillPay
Growth is the goal but the paperwork
is a trap if your accounts payable
feels like a second job
you're doing it wrong
pay, reduce manual data entry
automate your approvals and track 1099s
in one place
no more chasing signatures
no more spreadsheet headaches
just control over your cash flow
and a back office that actually scales
automate your accounts payable today
at quickbooks.com
terms apply
money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc
licensed as a money transmitter
by the New York State Department of Financial Services
If you're the purchasing manager
having a trusted partner makes all the difference
that's why hands down
you count on Granger for auto reordering
with on time restocks
your team will have the cut resistant gloves
they need at the start of their shift
and you can end your day knowing
they've got safety well in hand
call 1-800-GRANGER
click Granger.com
or just stop by
Granger for the ones who get it done
About this episode
Global EV sales dipped in January 2026, mainly due to China's tax reintroduction on EVs causing a 20% drop. Europe showed growth with strong sales in Germany, France, and the UK, while North America saw a decline after federal tax credits expired. Rivian delayed its R2 launch in Europe and Canada, focusing on software partnerships with Volkswagen and expanding its Amazon-backed delivery van lineup. Tesla's US and European sales continue to fall amid rising competition and the end of tax incentives, with GM gaining market share. The episode also touches on evolving EV market dynamics and regulatory impacts.
