Quick Charge

Today's episode of Quick Charge is a story of, "Thanks, Joe Biden!" as Ford and LG ink a deal to bring EV battery manufacturing back to Michigan, the city of Louisville gets the nation's first all-electric garbage truck fleet, and Waymo gets a massive $5.6 billion cash injection.

We've also got a hydrogen-powered steal battle tank from Hyundai (yes, Hyundai) that's designed to be incredibly hard to kill and a clever solar carport at the Cincinnati Zoo that promises to make the experience better for everyone in the family.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: Renewables now make up 30% of US utility-scale generating capacity

On today's episode of Quick Charge, we know love hurts – but is Elon's love for convicted felon and sexual assaulter Donald Trump hurting Tesla's sales? We've also got some exciting EV deals and a $27,500 EV with 300 miles of range ... and it's not a Tesla!

We've also got a first public peek at the upcoming 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 rally special, a $27,495 (with $7,500 federal incentive) Chevy Equinox with 319 miles of range, and a raft of EVs that you can lease for under $200/mo. in the month of October. All this and more – enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: Renewables now make up 30% of US utility-scale generating capacity

On today's spooky episode of Quick Charge, Tesla backtracks on the Cybertruck range extender, Ford updates the Mustang Mach-E, and you can now volunteer to help get people to the polls in an electric vehicle.

We've also got a pickup truck dressed like an SUV, an important update for Ford owners on the Tesla Supercharger network, and some news on who you might be able to sue if you get sick due to air pollution.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Read more: Elon Musk delusionally believes Trump support is not affecting Tesla, claims sales are at ‘all-time highs’

On today's educational episode of Quick Charge, Ford Pro cross vehicle brand manager Nate McDonald is here to tell us about a new fleet management tool that can help give fleets a better answer to that modern question: When is the right time to electrify?

If you have a commercial fleet and are interested in transitioning some or all your vehicles to EVs, how and when is the right time to do it? That's the question that Ford wants to help its commercial customers answer with a new tool from Ford Pro called E-Switch Assist.

E-Switch Assist is a complimentary software offering that takes telematic data from existing gas- and diesel-powered Ford F-150 and Transit models and trackes each vehicle's individual energy use to determine if it's a good candidate for replacement with an EV.

The results? After evaluating over 38,000 commercial vehicles in pilot programs, the E-Switch Assist tool revealed that nearly 53% of all commercial ICE-powered Ford F-150 and Transit vehicles are either "Highly Likely Eligible" or "Likely/Potentially Eligible" to switch to electric power without disrupting the business based on their current usage.

"Smart tools informed by data like E-Switch Assist are opening up many new conversations with our commercial customers large and small about EV readiness; we're already using E-Switch Assist regularly in consultations to help organizations determine if electric trucks and vans are right for them," said Nate McDonald, EV strategy and cross vehicle brand manager at Ford Pro. "The importance of these tools and technologies goes beyond selling a customer a new vehicle—it changes mindsets about whether electric vehicles will work for their business while potentially saving them time and money."

Nate McDonald is joining us on today's show to help walk us through it. Enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

On today's exciting episode of Quick Charge, we think Tesla needs to come clean about what's happening with HW3, GMC leaks 2025 Sierra EV Denali pricing online, and charging up your Nissan and VW might have just gotten a whole lot easier.

There's new ultra-luxe and off-road versions of the Class 3 GMC Sierra EV coming next year with nearly 500 miles of range – and no range extender needed. Meanwhile, it's easier than ever to charge up your Nissan Ariya or VW ID.4, and the Chinese have built a wind turbine so massive that "banana for scale" doesn't quite cut it. Enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

On today's highly educational episode of Quick Charge, we talk about some of the impacts that the EPA's multi-billion dollar electric school bus programs are having on schools around the country and explore some innovative ways to help school districts pay for them.

Our guest today is Matt Curwood from Voltera Power, a company that specializes in electric vehicle charging as a service and helping fleets electrify by capitalizing their infrastructure investments. All this and more – enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

* EnergySage is a trusted affiliate of Electrek

On today's episode of Quick Charge, rumors about a new Tesla van join the hype surrounding the Robotaxi reveal, and full self driving might be coming to the Tesla Semi. What's more, Tesla is bringing back 0% financing on new Model Ys ... if you buy FSD, that is.

We also explore BYD's plans to sell 100,000 new EVs in North America next year, ZEEKR's Europem [sic] expansion, and Texans' take on government meddling in their solar rights. Enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

* EnergySage is a trusted affiliate of Electrek

On today's exciting episode of Quick Charge, we try to find the missing hype that usually surrounds Tesla's new product reveals – and why five years of broken product promises mean it might not show up at all this time around.

We've also got a pickup that doesn't need a $16,000 range extender in its bed to go 490 miles on a single charge, GM takes a jab at Ford's affordable EV "skunkworks," and a new solar study from EnergySage. Enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

*EnergySage is a trusted affiliate of Electrek

Earlier today, global mining giant Fortescue announced plans to begin operations at its new Detroit factory with the production of HV marine batteries that will be used initially by EVOA to power a range of luxury marine vessels, wake boats, and tenders — and they've come to Quick Charge to tell us all about it!

The Fortescue Zero division of the mining giant is opening its first North American Advanced Manufacturing Center in Detroit, next year — and we now know that its first product will be an advanced, high voltage marine battery built around the company's Scalable Battery Module (SBM) technology.

"The Marine Battery Packs we have designed and will manufacture for EVOA in Detroit is
just the beginning of what is possible with the technology we have created," says Fortescue Energy CEO, Mark Hutchinson. "Our Scalable Battery Module product is flexible and adaptable for a range of products and markets. We've pushed innovation and engineering to the limit everywhere from racetracks to mine sites and now our customers get to see the benefits of our real-world experience and get a neat solution for their battery needs that helps minimize investment and risk in their design and development program."

Fortescue describes the Marine Battery Pack being produced for EVOA as lightweight, high-performance products delivering 30kWh to 34kWh per pack, and as engineered to support EVOA's most powerful, 1,000+ hp powertrains. The company insists that fast-charging capabilities will be baked into the new batteries, with practical charge times projected at under 30 minutes to minimize
downtime attributed to charging.

Claiming a 30 min. DCFC top-off time would have raised eyebrows just a few weeks ago — but last week's announcement that Fortescue was driving the technology behind massive, all electric heavy equipment solutions (like the Liebherr T264E rigid haul truck, above) with an all-new, mind-bendingly quick 6 MW DC fast charger that could charge this massive haul truck's 1,900 kWh battery in less than thirty minutes has changed all that.

The game has simply changed, and there are already waterfront megawatt charging projects in play to support the notion that electric boats simply won't get stuck charging for extended periods of time.

Fortescue's Marine Battery Pack solution can be configured as a multi-pack Power System, giving the flexibility to support small and larger vessels.

We were lucky enough to have Fortescue's Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Carlisle join us on today's episode of Quick Charge to discuss Fortescue Zero, the company's major moves towards carbon neutrality, and more. Enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

On today's electrifying episode of Quick Charge, we've got Sylvie Binder from the New York City Mayor's Office here to tell us about the newly launched North American Electric Construction Coalition (NAECC) is committed to decarbonizing the construction industry, and NYC is already making serious headway.

Timed perfectly to hit the news cycle for Climate Week and just ahead of Drive Electric Week, the New York City Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice announced the formation of the NAECC in partnership with other C40 Cities like Austin, Texas, Boulder County, Colorado, and San Diego, California (among others). Together with industry partners and trade allies, the NAECC plans to connect business and public sector stakeholders who are committed to developing the electric construction and heavy equipment markets in North America.

"This market is currently in its infancy and ripe for innovation. Making the switch to this type of equipment helps to reduce noise and air pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and achieve carbon neutrality," reads the press copy. "Cities and manufacturers often come together to solve our toughest sustainability challenges, and coalition members are committed to driving change when it comes to electric construction equipment."

How we construct our buildings and infrastructure greatly impacts the sustainability and resiliency of NYC. Construction as an industry is responsible for nearly 25% of all global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — and that number will only continue to climb as the on-road segment continues to electrify.

In an effort to push back on that, the city of New York has ramped up its commitments to Embodied Carbon and Clean Construction, and is taking on a leadership role in electrifying construction sites by identifying those efforts as, "integral to our environmental justice and decarbonization agenda."

A number of industry partners have already signed on, including AIA New York and the Building Trades Employers Association. Together NAECC coalition partners spend over $13 billion (with a "b") on construction in North America. By joining forces, they hope to cut noise and air pollution, improve the quality of life of people who live and work around heavy equipment, and demonstrate the power of cities and local governments to drive market growth. 

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!