Episode 22: Empire Bin State Of Mind (feat. Josh Boerman)

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a modern electric crossover built around Hyundai’s EV platform, known for its fast-charging capability and retro-futuristic styling. In this segment, it’s mentioned as the car the host received an ad for, tying the episode’s podcast sponsorship to a specific EV model.

This is the episode’s framing theme: the hosts discuss the “decline of empire” as a broader cultural/political idea. It’s not a specific automotive subject, but it sets the context for why they’re talking about car-industry players like Stellantis and its brands.

Stellantis is a major global automaker formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group. In the U.S., it’s the parent company behind brands like Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler, and it also owns European performance and luxury marques such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Abarth.

The Fiat Topolino is a tiny “microcar” sold by Fiat, and it’s notable because it’s being offered in the U.S. as a small, low-cost electric-style city vehicle. The host says it’s based on the Citroën (citrone) platform and is classified as a quadricycle in Europe, which affects how it’s regulated and marketed.

In the podcast, “Truck” appears as a general reference in the context of news about a confusing cheap EV, suggesting the discussion is about an electric pickup/utility vehicle rather than a specific model. Trucks are often discussed in EV conversations because they’re typically used for work or hauling, which makes battery range and charging practicality important topics. The mention likely sets up a broader point about how EV trucks are marketed and understood.

A quadricycle is a European vehicle category for small, lightweight vehicles (typically with lower power and weight limits than normal cars). Because the Fiat Topolino is described as being “classed as a quadricycle in Europe,” it can qualify for different regulations and licensing rules than a full passenger car.

Citroën is a French automaker known for compact, city-focused designs. In this segment, the host says the Fiat Topolino is based on the Citroën (citrone) platform, implying shared engineering or packaging that supports the microcar/quadricycle approach.

A street legal kit is an aftermarket or manufacturer-provided package that modifies a vehicle so it can comply with road-legal requirements (like lighting, mirrors, and safety equipment). The hosts are implying the Topolino may start as a limited-use vehicle and then become road-legal after the kit is sold.

The Renault Twizy is a European microcar known for its very small size and low-speed, city-focused design. The hosts compare the Topolino to the Twizy, saying it’s the same “class” in Europe, which helps listeners understand the intended use case and scale.

The hosts mention the vehicle’s batteries being “really low in the frame,” which matters for handling and stability. Lower battery placement lowers the center of gravity, but with bicycle tires and low speed limits, the overall stability can still be poor if you crank the steering.

“Bicycle tires” implies very narrow, low-grip tires compared with car tires, which reduces cornering stability and increases the chance of tipping during aggressive steering. The hosts use this to explain why the microcar can flip even at relatively modest speeds.

The Dodge Ram (now commonly branded as Ram) is a full-size pickup known for its size and aggressive road presence. The speaker uses it as a shorthand for a specific kind of driver/encounter, contrasting it with the earlier “terrifying” small-vehicle idea.

“Destination fees” are charges added to a car’s price to cover shipping the vehicle to the dealer. The host uses it to explain the all-in cost of the EV after those added charges.

“Range” is how far an EV can drive on a full battery charge. When the host says it has “46 miles of range,” they’re talking about the distance the car is expected to cover before needing to recharge.

A “kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery” is the amount of electrical energy stored in an EV’s battery pack. A “five kilowatt hour battery” is relatively small, which helps explain the limited range the host just mentioned.

“Fast charging” refers to higher-power EV charging that can refill a battery much quicker than plugging into a standard outlet. The host says there’s no fast charging here, meaning you’re limited to slower, convenience charging.

The host compares the EV’s charging experience to “charging an e-bike,” implying it’s slow and outlet-based rather than quick and station-based. It’s a way to frame charging convenience and time expectations for a small-battery EV.

Grand Army Parkway is a roadway in New York that the host references as an example of complex driving conditions. The point is that in dense city traffic, maneuvering and speed changes can be stressful—especially for a small EV with limited range/charging flexibility.

Ocean Parkway is another New York roadway the host brings up while talking about driving stress on parkways. They contrast it with other, more intense parkway situations, but still imply it can be demanding at higher-than-limit speeds.

The Chevrolet Suburban is a full-size SUV known for being practical and durable, and it’s often used as a base for special-purpose builds. Here, the host is discussing a marketing-style tagline that frames the vehicle as capable of “violence,” which is a tongue-in-cheek way of talking about armored or high-protection variants.

EV stands for electric vehicle, meaning the car is powered primarily by an electric motor and a battery rather than a gasoline engine. The host uses EV range numbers to argue about value and practicality.

A moped is a small, low-speed motorized vehicle—typically lighter and cheaper than a motorcycle. In many places it’s regulated differently than a motorcycle, which is why people talk about getting something “street legal” and easier to park.

The hosts discuss using small, easy-to-park vehicles as a “concierge” amenity—like a resort or country-club experience where staff or guests get transported between areas. It’s framed as a luxury-adjacent alternative to normal cars, especially in places with long walking distances.

Golf carts are small, low-speed vehicles commonly used on golf courses and at resorts. They’re popular in hospitality settings because they’re easy to move around tight areas and don’t require the same infrastructure as normal cars.

A popemobile is a specially designed vehicle used to transport the Pope during public appearances. It’s typically built for visibility and safety, often with an elevated seating position and open or protected areas for waving.

The BMW i3 is a compact electric car designed for city driving, known for its distinctive “egg-shaped” look and efficient packaging. It often gets discussed because it represents BMW’s early approach to EVs and because it’s small enough to be practical while still feeling unique. In the podcast, it’s described as a “beautiful wonderful little” car, which fits how people often talk about its design and character.

SCCA autocross events are timed driving competitions run by the Sports Car Club of America on a closed course with cones. They’re a common way to evaluate how well a small car handles and accelerates in tight, low-speed maneuvers.

“25 miles per hour” is the referenced top speed limit for the vehicle being discussed. In microcar contexts, low speed limits often drive how and where the car is allowed to operate, and can lead to calls for bans or restrictions.

Horsepower is a measure of engine power—how much work the engine can do over time. When someone quotes a specific number like “707,” they’re usually talking about peak output for a performance model or tune.

The “three series” refers to the BMW 3 Series, a compact luxury sedan/coupe line known for sporty handling and a driver-focused layout. The speaker rented one in LA and comments on how it handles.

The BMW M2 is a compact performance coupe, and the speaker specifically calls out the 2016 M2 as the last “good” BMW they think the brand made. The M2 is known for a more traditional, analog-feeling driving character compared with many newer BMWs.

“I7” refers to the BMW i7, the brand’s flagship electric luxury sedan. The speaker says it’s “isn’t bad” because it feels sedate, contrasting it with other BMWs they find too “crazy” to drive.

The Chevrolet Corvette is a long-running American sports car known for its performance and iconic styling. In this segment, the speaker specifically mentions a Corvette convertible from 1989, which matters because late-1980s Corvettes were less brutally fast than modern ones, making them a more “middle-class aspirational” dream car at the time.

“Faster to 60” refers to how quickly a car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph. The speaker contrasts the older Corvette’s era with modern electric crossovers, suggesting the electric car can reach 60 mph much quicker.

“Horsepower wars” is the enthusiast term for automakers and buyers chasing ever-higher engine output numbers. It’s a marketing and engineering arms race where power figures become the headline metric, often at the expense of other goals like drivability or efficiency.

The “quarter mile” is a drag-racing distance (one quarter of a mile) used to compare acceleration performance. When people talk about “sub-10 seconds” for the quarter mile, they’re referring to elapsed time from launch to crossing the finish line.

The Toyota GR 86 is a modern, affordable sports coupe built around driver-focused handling rather than chasing huge power numbers. It’s known for being light and fun to drive, which is why the host compares it to other cars as “compelling.”

The Fiat 500 is a small Italian city car (the “500” name is a nod to the original 1950s Fiat 500) known for being compact, easy to park, and relatively affordable. In this segment, the host is wishing for a version that’s still available and fits their idea of a “zippy” car.

The Honda Fit is a subcompact hatchback known for practical packaging and being easy to live with day-to-day. The host recommends it as a “normal sensible car” that can still be driven with a manual (“a stick”), emphasizing its usability and longevity.

“B-spec” refers to a specific class/category used in some club racing rulesets, where cars are prepared to a defined level of modifications. The point is that it limits what you can change, so cars compete more on driver skill and allowed setup rather than unlimited engineering.

“Throw coils” is shorthand for installing coilover suspension (often called “coils” in enthusiast slang). Coilovers let you adjust ride height and damping, and the speaker claims this setup helps the car “pick up the inside wheel,” which is a description of aggressive cornering behavior.

In car talk, “tune” usually means changing the engine control software (ECU calibration) to alter performance or drivability. The host is claiming the newer Corvette is effectively “untunable” because tampering would trigger diagnostic trouble codes.

An “engine code” refers to a diagnostic trouble code stored by the car’s onboard computer when it detects a fault. The host suggests that attempting to modify the car would cause these codes to appear.

“GM team six” is a humorous, exaggerated reference to a rapid-response team that would be sent to handle an issue. It’s not a standard automotive term, but it’s used here to describe manufacturer intervention.

The Renaissance Center is a well-known complex in Detroit associated with major corporate offices. The host uses it to talk about where GM is (or isn’t) located in the city.

The Chevrolet Blazer EV is an electric SUV, discussed in the podcast alongside other racing-related references and general EV news. It’s significant because it’s part of the shift toward mainstream electric SUVs, where buyers expect everyday usability rather than just performance. In the episode context, it’s mentioned as a specific EV model that the hosts are trying to place and understand.

The Chrysler New Yorker is a full-size luxury sedan that was built to deliver a comfortable, upscale ride. It’s significant because it represents a classic era of American “big car” comfort and status, which makes it a natural topic when someone wants to talk about the “New Yorker mind” or the kind of owner experience the car was meant to provide. In the podcast, it’s referenced as part of a broader discussion about identity and perspective.

The Chrysler Fifth Avenue is a luxury-oriented version of Chrysler’s large sedan line, associated with a more upscale, status-focused image. The podcast’s “wealthiest bit of shopping” reference ties it to the idea of where and how these cars were perceived—big, comfortable, and aimed at affluent buyers. It’s discussed as a cultural/identity marker as much as a vehicle.

The Challenger is a muscle car known for strong performance and a style that’s closely tied to enthusiasts and drag-style culture. In the podcast, it’s referenced in the context of “Hellcat owners” making videos of themselves driving hard, which highlights how the model is often associated with aggressive driving and high-power trims. That kind of owner behavior is a common reason the Challenger comes up in car conversations.

The Mazda MX-5, commonly called the Miata, is a lightweight two-seat roadster designed to be fun and easy to drive. It’s frequently discussed because it’s approachable for beginners, yet still offers real driving engagement. In the podcast, it’s brought up as a “Miata question,” suggesting it’s being considered as a practical, enjoyable alternative for someone’s situation.

The Subaru Outback (2023) is a crossover wagon built around Subaru’s all-wheel-drive focus and practical, family-friendly packaging. It’s especially popular with buyers who want wagon-like cargo space with SUV-style ground clearance.