Covering the automotive industry these days often feels like trying to hit a moving target blindfolded or playing an endless round of Whack-a-Mole. Yet somehow, amid all the chaos, flip-flopping policies, and doom scrolling, EV owners are happier than they've ever been. Shocked? Yeah, me too. That's why I'm happy to welcome back Brent Gruber, Executive Director of the EV Practice at JD Power, to talk about the 2026 Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study. He breaks down exactly why satisfaction has hit an all-time high heading into 2026: massive leaps in battery tech, far more accurate range estimates, and finally (yes, finally!) better public charging availability and reliability. We also unpack the satisfaction gap between premium and mass-market EVs, and the eye-popping stat that 96% of current EV owners would happily jump back into another one despite all the noise about slowing sales. Plus, Brent explains how the incoming flood of used and off-lease EVs is about to make electric driving way more affordable.

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The Tom Selleck meme mentioned at 13:25

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EV Owner Satisfaction Climbs to New High Amid Sales Slump, JD Power Finds

https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2026-us-electric-vehicle-experience-evx-ownership-study

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Uber’s letting you hail the future: this summer you can book a driverless Zoox in the Uber app in Las Vegas, with LA on deck for next year. Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is sounding the alarm that winning the autonomous vehicle race is a national security, economic, and safety must win for the U.S. and yes, he’s the same guy from MTV’s The Real World: Boston, 90's (core memory unlocked). On the retail side, WSJ recently reported Volkswagen dealers are suing over a direct‑to‑consumer plan for Scout Motors, prompting guest commentator John Possumato, CEO of DriveItAway to label the strategy as “stupid, stupid, and stupid” and argues that EV makers should lean into dealer networks and flexible leases instead of reinventing the wheel.

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WSJ article from Chris Otts: Volkswagen Dealers Revolt Over Plan to Sell a New Brand of SUV Directly to Consumers

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By the time your team feels like somebody’s watching, they’ve already taken the money and run. Jim McGuire, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Experian Automotive, joined me at NADA a few weeks ago to talk about the rising threat of fraud in auto dealerships. Jim explains that nearly 9 in 10 dealers are concerned about fraud, and about 70% say the problem is growing compared with previous years. He outlines three primary fraud types impacting dealers: identity fraud, vehicle fraud, and income/employment fraud. A major focus is synthetic identity fraud, where fraudsters blend pieces of real personal data to build a fake identity and credit history before “busting out” with high‑value vehicle purchases (like EVs). Jim emphasizes that fraud prevention must be embedded across the entire sales process, from validating driver’s licenses and insurance before test drives to confirming trade‑in ownership, liens, and title status. The conversation also challenges the notion that fraud is solely a lender problem, as many dealers ultimately “hold the bag” when fraud losses aren’t fully covered by lenders or insurers. So what's the bottom line? Dealers need to take a more proactive, holistic approach to fraud mitigation, supported by data, tools, and insights. Although this is a bit of a departure from pure EV news content, fraud is definitely a growing issue in the retail space that deserves to be highlighted. The link to Jim's report is here!

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Check out Experian's EV Resource Page for all things electric vehicle data

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This episode is sponsored by Experian. Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. Experian helps to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using their unique combination of data, analytics and software. Learn more here

https://www.experian.com/automotive/ev-resource-center?cmpid=EVS_for_Everyone

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Here's the link to Experian's Automotive Dealer Fraud Threat Report

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The vet said Bear is chunky. Now he wants a second opinion. Earlier this week, we talked about Tesla dropping the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck to $59,990 finally approaching that mythical 2019 $40k promise if you ignore inflation, reality. But wait! New information surfaced this week and it's definitely a limited-time deal ending February 28th, because nothing says "trust us" like a countdown timer for a Black Friday doorbuster. Meanwhile BYD is steamrolling the continent with sales numbers and aggressive pricing. They're not just growing; they're basically giving EVs away with breakfast. Big news from the bull: Lamborghini cancels its first all-electric model because demand for electric Lambos is "near zero." So they're pivoting to plug-in hybrids to keep the glorious engine noise alive. Volvo is recalling 40,323 EX30 SUVs to replace modules in their high-voltage battery packs due to a fire risk, with the fix expected to cost around $200 million. The EX30 is Volvo's entry-level electric SUV, popular in Europe, and this recall hits nearly all units sold so far. While this is disappointing news it does underscore the reality: scaling EVs is hard, y'all.

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Good morning to everyone except the one guy who roasted my mic flag in Vegas a few weeks ago. Let's get into it! Tesla drops a more wallet-friendly dual-motor Cybertruck base model at $59,990, complete with humble cloth seats and slightly dialed-back towing, yet it still promises a solid ~325-mile range. Elon teases that this “affordable” version is “only for the next 10 days,” leaving everyone wondering if it's a flash sale or just classic Musk mixed messaging sabotaging his own demand. Meanwhile, the Cyberbeast gets a $14k haircut to $99,990, Lucid slashes 12% of its U.S. workforce to chase better margins amid sluggish high-end EV sales (even with the sleek new Gravity Touring SUV dropping), and used non-Tesla EVs dip 3.6% in value while used Teslas buck the trend and climb 4.3%. Bottom line: if you're looking for a another ride right now, a used Model 3 or Y going for under $40K is a steal.

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Comedian Blake Wexler joins the show today to unpack the latest EV twists and turns and fair warning: you'll need a sense of humor and imagination for this one. This is *not* an in-depth industry analysis. First, Farley’s push for a new universal EV platform (UEV), is positioned as a bold effort to create efficient, affordable American EVs amid massive reported EV losses and industry pullbacks. Then, we mention the broader workforce stakes of Chinese EV makers like BYD and Geely planning U.S. factories, as well as the potential impact on nearly a million American jobs. Next, Toyota’s upcoming 2027 all-electric Highlander SUV is highlighted as a late but significant move away from gas and hybrid models, sparking a reflection on die-hard brand and team loyalty (exemplified by Philadelphia 76ers fans too?) And finally, we dig into Tesla’s Cybercab, a steering wheel–less, pedal–less autonomous vehicle raising questions about safety perceptions, design aesthetics, and how people might ease into trusting fully self-driving rides. The whole thing closes with plugs for Blake's upcoming Atlanta and Philadelphia tour dates, callbacks to glorious nicknames like "E train" and "Kid Streak," and the kind of unhinged loyalty usually reserved for Sixers fans who still believe next year is the year.

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Blake Wexler is a New York-based comedian who started doing stand-up at the age of 15 as a high school student in Philadelphia. In addition to writing for and appearing on Comedy Central & ABC, Blake also has been a featured performer in (too) many comedy festivals and can be regularly heard on The Cracked, Daily Zeitgeist & The Todd Glass Show podcasts. He is also the host of the gameshow LIES! for the Philadelphia Eagles. All four of Blake’s critically acclaimed stand-up comedy records debuted at #1 on the iTunes & Amazon comedy charts, and his album 12 Years of Voicemails from Todd Glass to Blake Wexler charted on Billboard.

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Tour Dates: https://www.blakewexler.com/live-dates

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In honor of Galentine's Day, I've assembled a powerhouse trio: Alycia Gilde (LA County’s decarbonization dynamo wrangling fleets for 10 million people), Rachael Nealer (Atlas Public Policy’s sharp-eyed analyst keeping tabs on clean energy wins), and Erika Myers (CharIN North America’s queen of charging standards). Erika drops the mic on those “EV slowdown” headlines while Rachael spotlights states flexing those NEVI funds beyond highway chargers. Then, Alycia spills the tea on her efforts to turn public agencies into zero-emission anchor buyers, battling duty cycles, range anxiety, and procurement drama with telematics and smart partnerships. If you're curious about where EVs are really headed, want optimism grounded in facts, or just love celebrating legendary women crushing it in a male-dominated field, hit play. You'll walk away informed, inspired, and probably smiling. Happy Galentine's Day, trailblazers!

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Alycia Gilde is Chief Strategy Officer for Climate Action Partnerships at Los Angeles County Internal Services Department where she forges strategic public-private partnerships to accelerate the County's Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) deployment goals and drives the decarbonization of municipal infrastructure through integrated energy and resiliency measures to help shape an equitable and sustainable future for 10 million residents.

Erika Myers is Executive Director at CharIN North America. CharIN is a leading global charging technology association dedicated to accelerating the electric vehicle transition through the adoption of universal open and interoperable charging standards. Erika guides CharIN's activities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, engaging with members, governments, and other stakeholders, and focusing on the use of open standards and interoperability for public infrastructure investments.

Rachael Nealer is a Director at Atlas Public Policy, where she provides strategic leadership and policy expertise to advance data-driven solutions for transportation electrification, climate policy, and infrastructure. She brings over a decade of experience spanning federal government leadership, academic research, and cross-sector collaboration to tackle complex energy and environmental challenges.

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