{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"Hurricane Charger and Stormy Industry Weather","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/hurricane-charger-and-stormy-industry-weather","audioUrl":"https://anchor.fm/s/6350aba0/podcast/play/117246339/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-20%2F420459269-44100-2-82f36154560aa.mp3","description":"It's the perfect follow-up to last week's Vault episode with Jonny Lieberman. Ross spent a week with the gas-powered 2026 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack, which was a hot topic when they talked last August, too. In addition to the driving impressions, we talk about the state of the industry amid an absolute storm of fast-moving events. EVs may be dead. Or they may be ready for greatness. Give it a listen and let us know what we got right and where we struck out. See you in a week! \n"},"annotations":[{"startTime":15.2,"endTime":22.02,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Charger","url":"/cars/dodge/charger","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/1970_Dodge_Charger_R-T_Hirschaid_22-20220709-RM-120204.jpg","quote":"...gether. You and Johnny had a lot to say about the charger and it'll be an interesting  contrast to see now ...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:charger","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Dodge Charger is a full-size sedan known for its powerful V8 engine options and muscle car heritage. It blends modern technology with classic American performance, making it a popular choice for enthusiasts and those seeking a bold, aggressive vehicle. It is often discussed for its performance variants and cultural impact.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Dodge Charger is a big car made by Dodge that looks sporty and can go very fast. It has strong engines and is popular with people who like powerful cars.","imageAttribution":"Ermell (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":89.8,"endTime":99.7,"type":"term","title":"electric vehicles (EVs)","url":"/glossary/electric-vehicles-evs","quote":"We should probably just start there because it's a real weird situation where automakers pull back from EVs at the very same time that now that energy is spiking, EVs are going to be just the thing and they don't have or they have fewer.","canonicalId":"term:electric-vehicles-evs","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars powered entirely or primarily by electric motors using energy stored in batteries, rather than internal combustion engines using gasoline or diesel.","simplifiedExplanation":"Electric vehicles are cars that run on electricity instead of gas. They use batteries to power electric motors, which makes them cleaner and quieter."}},{"startTime":99.7,"endTime":106.2,"type":"car","title":"Tesla Model S","url":"/cars/tesla/model-s","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/20180630_Tesla_Model_S_70D_2015_midnight_blue_left_front.jpg","quote":"Well, so the whole EV craze really picked up after the Model S came out. Then every automaker was chasing the Model S.","canonicalId":"car:tesla:model-s","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Tesla Model S is a luxury all-electric sedan produced by Tesla. It was a pioneering electric vehicle that helped popularize EVs as viable mainstream cars with long range and high performance.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Tesla Model S is a fully electric car that runs on batteries instead of gas. It showed people that electric cars can be fast, practical, and good for everyday use.","imageAttribution":"Granada (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":112.3,"endTime":119.5,"type":"concept","title":"government regulations","url":"/glossary/government-regulations","quote":"which I think probably just coincided nicely with government regulations at the time that were helpful in the development of EVs, not just as replacements for vehicles in lineups, but as supplemental vehicles and as lineup, full lineups.","canonicalId":"concept:government-regulations","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Government regulations refer to laws and rules set by authorities to influence automotive development, often focusing on emissions, fuel efficiency, and safety standards, which can drive innovation in electric and hybrid vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"Rules made by the government tell car makers how clean and safe their cars need to be. These rules help push companies to make better, greener cars."}},{"startTime":130.3,"endTime":140.3,"type":"concept","title":"hybrid vehicles","url":"/glossary/hybrid-vehicles","quote":"And we saw a lot of hybrids, a lot of electric cars in the 2018 to 2022 range.","canonicalId":"concept:hybrid-vehicles","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Hybrid vehicles combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. They can run on gasoline, electricity, or a combination of both.","simplifiedExplanation":"Hybrid cars use both gas and electric power to help save fuel and pollute less. They switch between the two to give better mileage."}},{"startTime":191.2,"endTime":198.9,"type":"concept","title":"fully EV","url":"/glossary/fully-ev","quote":"...where everybody started growing hybrid first and then plug-in hybrid and then fully EV.","canonicalId":"concept:fully-ev","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A fully electric vehicle (EV) runs entirely on electric power without using gasoline or diesel. It relies on batteries that need to be recharged from an external source.","simplifiedExplanation":"A fully electric car runs only on electricity and doesn't use any gas. You have to plug it in to charge its battery."}},{"startTime":191.2,"endTime":198.9,"type":"concept","title":"plug-in hybrid","url":"/glossary/plug-in-hybrid","quote":"...where everybody started growing hybrid first and then plug-in hybrid and then fully EV.","canonicalId":"concept:plug-in-hybrid","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A plug-in hybrid vehicle has both a gasoline engine and an electric motor, but unlike regular hybrids, it can be charged from an external power source to drive longer distances on electric power alone.","simplifiedExplanation":"A plug-in hybrid car can be charged by plugging it in, so it can drive using only electricity for a while before using gas."}},{"startTime":198.9,"endTime":206.4,"type":"concept","title":"EPA emissions and fuel economy regulations","url":"/glossary/epa-emissions-and-fuel-economy-regulations","quote":"...plug-in hybrid and then fully EV. And the regulations, the EPA with emissions and then fuel economy, both together were also pushing things toward the only viable solution being further electrification.","canonicalId":"concept:epa-emissions-and-fuel-economy-regulations","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets regulations to limit vehicle emissions and improve fuel economy. These rules push automakers to develop cleaner and more efficient vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"The EPA makes rules to make cars pollute less and use less gas. This helps keep the air cleaner and saves fuel."}},{"startTime":206.4,"endTime":213.8,"type":"concept","title":"electrification","url":"/glossary/electrification","quote":"...fuel economy, both together were also pushing things toward the only viable solution being further electrification. And now that's lit on fire.","canonicalId":"concept:electrification","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Electrification refers to the process of replacing traditional internal combustion engines with electric powertrains in vehicles. This includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric cars.","simplifiedExplanation":"Electrification means making cars run on electricity instead of just gas. This can be part or all of how the car moves."}},{"startTime":294.3,"endTime":309.5,"type":"concept","title":"electrified vehicles","url":"/glossary/electrified-vehicles","quote":"...every car has to be electric. Every car sold here has to be electric or electrified, which is why we saw a lot of the conversations about like, and disputes about Volvo saying all our cars will be electric, because they were saying they'll be electrified electrified.","canonicalId":"concept:electrified-vehicles","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Electrified vehicles include all cars that use some form of electric power, such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric vehicles. The term covers a range of technologies combining electric and traditional powertrains.","simplifiedExplanation":"Electrified cars use electricity in some way to help them run. This can be just part of the car's power or all of it."}},{"startTime":299.3,"endTime":303.1,"type":"brand","title":"Volvo","url":"/glossary/volvo","quote":"...which is why we saw a lot of the conversations about like, and disputes about Volvo saying all our cars will be electric, because they were saying they'll be electrified electrified.","canonicalId":"brand:volvo","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Volvo is a Swedish automotive brand known for safety and innovation. Recently, Volvo has committed to making all its cars electric or electrified within a set timeframe to meet regulatory and environmental goals.","simplifiedExplanation":"Volvo is a car company from Sweden that focuses on making safe cars. They are working to make all their cars run on electricity soon."}},{"startTime":318.3,"endTime":333.1,"type":"concept","title":"supply chain complexity","url":"/glossary/supply-chain-complexity","quote":"...because there's the depths of the supply chain are immense. There's tens, if not hundreds of thousands of components and pieces and hands that get touched over the lifecycle between when a car is first seen on an assembly line and shows up at the, you know, dealer for you to pick up.","canonicalId":"concept:supply-chain-complexity","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The automotive supply chain involves hundreds of thousands of parts and many different suppliers and workers, making it a highly complex process to manufacture a vehicle from start to finish.","simplifiedExplanation":"Making a car needs lots of parts and many people working together. This makes building cars a big and complicated job."}},{"startTime":362.5,"endTime":367.9,"type":"term","title":"EV mandate","url":"/glossary/ev-mandate","quote":"The thing is, though, and there's talk like, oh, there was an EV mandate. No, there wasn't.","canonicalId":"term:ev-mandate","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"An EV mandate refers to government regulations that require a certain percentage of electric vehicles (EVs) to be sold by automakers within a region, aiming to reduce emissions and promote cleaner transportation.","simplifiedExplanation":"An EV mandate is a rule that says car companies have to sell a certain number of electric cars to help the environment."}},{"startTime":367.9,"endTime":377.4,"type":"term","title":"fuel economy standards","url":"/glossary/fuel-economy-standards","quote":"There was fuel economy standards that continued to get further more efficient, which they honestly, they should.","canonicalId":"term:fuel-economy-standards","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Fuel economy standards are government-imposed regulations that set minimum efficiency requirements for vehicles, pushing automakers to produce cars that consume less fuel and emit fewer pollutants.","simplifiedExplanation":"Fuel economy standards are rules that make sure cars use less gas so they don't pollute as much."}},{"startTime":393.4,"endTime":398.4,"type":"term","title":"battery production","url":"/glossary/battery-production","quote":"Batteries were expensive. The cost of batteries has come down a lot. We didn't have battery production here.","canonicalId":"term:battery-production","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Battery production refers to the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, which is a critical part of the EV supply chain and affects vehicle cost and availability.","simplifiedExplanation":"Battery production is how companies make the big batteries that power electric cars."}},{"startTime":409.4,"endTime":415.1,"type":"term","title":"EPA rules","url":"/glossary/epa-rules","quote":"I remember being as fast as this last change where they were like, yeah, I know all those EPA roles and stuff that we talked about, forget it.","canonicalId":"term:epa-rules","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"EPA rules refer to regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency in the US that govern vehicle emissions and fuel efficiency standards to protect the environment.","simplifiedExplanation":"EPA rules are government rules that make sure cars don't pollute too much."}},{"startTime":419.8,"endTime":427.1,"type":"term","title":"bespoke platforms","url":"/glossary/bespoke-platforms","quote":"We don't have really bespoke platforms for the US. Your market's not big enough.","canonicalId":"term:bespoke-platforms","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Bespoke platforms are vehicle architectures designed specifically for a particular market or model rather than shared globally, which can increase development costs and complexity.","simplifiedExplanation":"Bespoke platforms mean making a car's basic design just for one place or model instead of using the same design everywhere."}},{"startTime":427.1,"endTime":439.6,"type":"concept","title":"global auto market","url":"/glossary/global-auto-market","quote":"I mean, it is and it isn't, right? Like we have, I think the second biggest auto market, but it's a lot smaller than China. China, I think sells five or six million more cars per year on a predominantly electric at this point.","canonicalId":"concept:global-auto-market","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The global auto market refers to the worldwide car sales and manufacturing landscape, where different regions like the US, China, and Europe have varying market sizes and preferences influencing automaker strategies.","simplifiedExplanation":"The global auto market is all the car sales happening around the world in different countries."}},{"startTime":468.3,"endTime":472.6,"type":"concept","title":"car culture","url":"/glossary/car-culture","quote":"And we're a long time past since when America and like the new Western world and the creation of highways and the American dream and all that stuff was really like capturing everybody's imagination. And that's what drove car culture and car development until the 70s when Japanese cars really took off.","canonicalId":"concept:car-culture","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Car culture refers to the social and cultural enthusiasm around automobiles, including their design, driving, and impact on lifestyle, which historically was driven by factors like highways and the American dream.","simplifiedExplanation":"Car culture is how people enjoy and get excited about cars and driving."}},{"startTime":472.6,"endTime":480.4,"type":"car","title":"Japanese cars","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/A_Japanese_Type_97_tankette_and_several_surendered_armoured_cars_%28AWM_096848%29.jpg","quote":"And that's what drove car culture and car development until the 70s when Japanese cars really took off. And now we're seeing probably the next phase of new, of really like a change over.","canonicalId":"car:japanese-cars","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Japanese cars refer to vehicles manufactured by automakers based in Japan, such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Subaru, which gained significant popularity worldwide starting in the 1970s due to their reliability and efficiency.","simplifiedExplanation":"Japanese cars are cars made by companies from Japan that became very popular because they are reliable and use fuel well.","imageAttribution":"Unknown authorUnknown author (Public domain)"}},{"startTime":508.2,"endTime":515.58,"type":"term","title":"TPMS","url":"/glossary/tpms","quote":"The only thing I think that was as fast as that rollback, which is just going to cause chaos is the implementation of TPMS.","canonicalId":"term:tpms","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System, a safety feature in modern vehicles that monitors tire pressure and alerts the driver if it falls below a safe level, helping prevent accidents and improve fuel efficiency.","simplifiedExplanation":"TPMS is a system in cars that checks if your tires have enough air and tells you if they don't."}},{"startTime":577.1,"endTime":584.1,"type":"concept","title":"backup camera mandate","url":"/glossary/backup-camera-mandate","quote":"We also we 10 years after that, literally, we saw the mandate for backup cameras hit. 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But there's a lot of rejiggering that the companies have to do.","canonicalId":"term:infotainment","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Infotainment refers to the integrated multimedia systems in modern cars that combine entertainment, navigation, and connectivity features. By 2017, many cars already had infotainment systems which helped integrate backup cameras.","simplifiedExplanation":"Infotainment is the screen and system in a car that lets you play music, use maps, and connect your phone."}},{"startTime":610.8,"endTime":639.0,"type":"concept","title":"fuel price impact on vehicle demand","url":"/glossary/fuel-price-impact-on-vehicle-demand","quote":"Fuel prices are now spiking. Depending on how long it goes, fuel prices are going to spike. Also, the thing that you don't really see yet, but you will. So gas prices spike that tends to drive a high percent, like I think 20% depending on how they go up.","canonicalId":"concept:fuel-price-impact-on-vehicle-demand","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Rising fuel prices often lead consumers to prefer more fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrids and electric vehicles. This economic factor influences automotive market trends and consumer buying behavior.","simplifiedExplanation":"When gas prices go up, people usually want cars that use less gas or run on electricity. This changes what kinds of cars people buy."}},{"startTime":1709.6,"endTime":1713.0,"type":"term","title":"C pillar","url":"/glossary/c-pillar","quote":"just proportionally like the the C pillars a little too big and the fronts a little too melty, you know...","canonicalId":"term:c-pillar","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The C pillar is the vertical or angled support structure on a car's body located behind the rear doors and windows. It affects the car's styling and rear visibility.","simplifiedExplanation":"The C pillar is a part of the car's frame near the back window. It helps hold the roof up and can change how the car looks and how well you can see out the back."}},{"startTime":1724.2,"endTime":1728.0,"type":"concept","title":"muscle car","url":"/glossary/muscle-car","quote":"Like it was quintessential muscle car and this maybe it'll just take some time to get used to.","canonicalId":"concept:muscle-car","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Muscle cars are a category of American cars known for their powerful V8 engines, aggressive styling, and affordable performance. They were especially popular in the 1960s and 1970s.","simplifiedExplanation":"Muscle cars are cars made to be very fast and look strong. They usually have big engines and were very popular a long time ago in America."}},{"startTime":1780.5,"endTime":1787.0,"type":"concept","title":"pedestrian crash test standards","url":"/glossary/pedestrian-crash-test-standards","quote":"And I wonder if some of that is what they had to do for for like passenger like for pedestrian crash test standards.","canonicalId":"concept:pedestrian-crash-test-standards","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Pedestrian crash test standards are safety regulations that require car manufacturers to design vehicle fronts to minimize injury to pedestrians in case of a collision. This can influence car hood shape and height.","simplifiedExplanation":"Pedestrian crash test standards are rules that make sure cars are safer for people walking near them. Cars have to be designed so they don't hurt people badly if they accidentally hit them."}},{"startTime":1792.1,"endTime":1796.0,"type":"term","title":"hatchback","url":"/glossary/hatchback","quote":"I didn't realize it's a hatchback. So how's visibility? It is a hatchback. Visibility backwards is fine.","canonicalId":"term:hatchback","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A hatchback is a car body style featuring a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the cargo area. Hatchbacks often offer more versatile storage space compared to sedans.","simplifiedExplanation":"A hatchback is a type of car where the back door opens up like a big lid, making it easier to put things in and take them out."}},{"startTime":1846.5,"endTime":1853.8,"type":"term","title":"EV","url":"/glossary/ev","quote":"And the powertrain thing, they sort of whiffed by having an EV first from a brand that's not really like they just didn't have EV customers that had never done an EV prior","canonicalId":"term:ev","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"EV stands for Electric Vehicle, which is powered entirely by electric motors and batteries instead of a traditional internal combustion engine.","simplifiedExplanation":"An EV is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas or diesel."}},{"startTime":1981.1,"endTime":2009.6,"type":"term","title":"Hemi V8 engine","url":"/glossary/hemi-v8-engine","quote":"There weren't enough applications for a Hemi V eight. And the six cylinder, the hurricane. It's the hurricane. Hurricane. Yeah, I six. Yeah, just more, more flexible architecture.","canonicalId":"term:hemi-v8-engine","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Hemi V8 is a traditional V8 engine design known for its hemispherical combustion chambers, delivering strong power and torque. It has been used extensively in Chrysler and Dodge vehicles but is less favored now due to emissions and efficiency standards.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Hemi V8 is a type of eight-cylinder engine that makes a lot of power and is famous for its special shape inside the engine that helps it run well."}},{"startTime":1998.8,"endTime":2003.2,"type":"term","title":"Pentastar V6 engine","url":"/glossary/pentastar-v6-engine","quote":"And they've got the Pentastars. So they really don't need the V eight based v six. It's not the 80s. Right.","canonicalId":"term:pentastar-v6-engine","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Pentastar is a family of V6 engines developed by Chrysler, known for reliability and smooth performance. It is widely used across many Stellantis vehicles as a versatile engine option.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Pentastar is a six-cylinder engine used in many cars and trucks that runs smoothly and is reliable."}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Dan Roth","role":"host"},{"id":"s2","name":"Ross Ballot","role":"host"},{"id":"s3","name":"(Jeff Glucker)","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/hurricane-charger-and-stormy-industry-weather/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}