Solar panels destroying farms? The U.S. President and members of his cabinet say so. The peer-reviewed science says otherwise — and we've got the receipts.

We're back with another FUD-busting episode, and this time it's something near and dear to Nikki's heart. From claims that renewable energy can't coexist with farming, to the idea that solar panels monopolize prime agricultural land, we dig into the actual evidence — and show this narrative for what it is: a malicious attempt to stop farmers, rural communities, and working families from gaining the energy independence that could save the family farm.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

📊 Sources and Further Reading:

Farming Crops With Solar:

-ISE Fraunhofer Study on crop yield changes with solar panels - https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/press-media/press-releases/2019/agrophotovoltaics-hight-harvesting-yield-in-hot-summer-of-2018.html

Farming Animals With Solar

-Sheep grazing as sustainable vegetation management for solar energy production in the northeastern USA - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1625483/full

Solar tracking vs static

Solar benefits for farmers:

U.S. Politics:

Secretary Rollings Blocks solar panels -

Fallout of solar policy change for farmers - https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture/american-farmers-bet-on-solar-then-trump-changed-the-rules

Trump pays companies to stop wind, pursue fossil fuels - https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5851702-trump-offshore-wind-lng-fossil-fuels

John Oliver - Last Week Tonight - Corn - youtube.com/watch?v=MI78WOW_u-Q

Additional Links:

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Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Disclaimer - Transport Evolved received this product free of charge from WOLFBOX in order to bring you this first-person review. No money exchanged hands for the review itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. WOLFBOX sees this review the same time it goes live.

We all know that modern pickup trucks - including electric ones - are a long way off the ground. And while that quite rightly comes with a whole host of concerns over vehicle safety - it also poses practicality concerns about getting into and out of the truck bed. And while many EVs (and ICE trucks) include steps embedded into the tailgate to aid getting in and out of the vehicle, it's not always practical to open the tailgate when you need to get something from inside the bed.

Which is where aftermarket side bed steps like the WOLFBOX Retractable Bed Step come into play.

After WOLFBOX reached out to offer a chance to test its F-150 bed step out - just when our camera operator Vi was having mobility issues, we knew it was the perfect time to film a review.

Direct Link to WOLFBOX's Product Page: https://gears.wolfbox.com/products/retractable-bed-step-ford-f150-21-26-f150-lightning-22-26?c=truck-steps

WOLFBOX Side Step - Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4C7WW3L?tag=transporte036-20 *Please note: this link includes TE's standard Amazon (not WOLFBOX) affiliate.

00:00 - Introduction

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Just one week after feeling incredibly behind in the garden, Nikki has enjoyed a very productive week - and she's managed to move a little closer to where she wants to be.

Stay safe, stay engaged. If you can, please take a few hours to watch our livestream from earlier this year. It shares some things that we can all do to resist peacefully, smartly, and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.https://youtube.com/live/OxKt_APYQug

About The Chicken and Garden Updates:

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield.

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The ongoing saga of the Ford Charge Station Pro and its propensity to not actually work as planned has been a regular feature on this channel for nearly four years. And while we've been lucky enough to get Nikki's broken FCSP units looked at — and replaced — it's becoming a painful experience for everyone involved.

This week, Nikki has some good news! Her Charge Station Pro is (again) replaced. But this time, she's following some forum advice and working on a theory about why her past units kept failing — and taking steps to try and prevent history repeating itself. And while it's good to have a functioning Home Integration System, Nikki has learned that Ford has pretty much quietly retired the Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System in favour of a backup solution that's less complex — and works with ICE vehicles too.

And if that wasn't enough — during the process of filming next week's video, Vi spotted something alarming on the truck. A crack on the bumper mount, almost certainly from the collision the team suffered in Southern California earlier this year, when an uninsured driver hit their stationary F-150 Lightning. Despite a local repair shop giving the truck a clean bill of health at the time — there most certainly is damage. And now begins the fun of dealing with insurance.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Nikki Talks To Her Cock(erel)

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As many scholars will attest, we humans must either learn from the lessons of

And whenever a conflict wages in one of the world's most oil-rich regions, the

As the U.S./Israeli war against Iran enters its third month, oil prices around

So today, Nikki is delving back into history to see what happened with EVs the

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

📊 SOURCES & FURTHER READING

Casualty & conflict tracking:

Fuel price data:

European EV sales data:

Canada/China EV trade deal:

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Since the very first Earth Day in 1970, April 22nd has been a day where people could push for a cleaner, greener future — a day to lobby politicians and companies to do better by the planet, and where we as consumers could find better ways to live.

But in recent years, Earth Day has become little more than a chance for companies to win customers with "Earth Day Discounts" — encouraging you to pick them over a rival, because they're greener.

So today, we're going back to a more literal interpretation of Earth Day. Join Nikki in her greenhouse as she plants some seeds for the year, shares practical ways to live Earth Day every single day — and looks toward a more hopeful future.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - Welcome to Nikki's Greenhouse!

03:03 - DIY Sunflowers!

Links for Today's Video:

🌱 PLANTING RESOURCES Northern Hemisphere viewers: April is a great time to start sunflowers, sweetcorn and courgettes/zucchini indoors. Southern Hemisphere viewers: bookmark this for September/October!

🔧 RIGHT TO REPAIR

⚡ SOLAR & HOME ENERGY

US DoE Energy Saver Site: - energy.gov/energysaver

🌿 PLANT-BASED COOKING

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The Tesla Model Y is currently the world's best-selling electric car. It packs a decent amount of tech, convenient charging via Tesla's Supercharger network, and for many buyers, is their first foray into electric vehicles. And for that, it deserves real credit.

But as Elon Musk has become increasingly vocal about his political views, willingly platformed white extremist and xenophobic voices, and meddled in multiple countries' political processes, there's a growing number of people who would drive a Model Y were it not for his leadership position at the company.

Polestar may have come up with a solution for those who want Model Y-like vibes without the Tesla badge.

Meet the Polestar 4. Sure, it's got one really weird quirk — but after a week with it, Nikki is liking it more than she thought she would...although she's got some significant concerns over night time visibility thanks to an all-digital rear-view mirror.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

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The Ford F-150 Lightning BEV may no longer be in production, but when it launched back in 2022, one of its killer features was its ability to provide backup power to your home using a dedicated charging station paired with a Delta inverter system.

While the inverter has proven very reliable, the Ford Charge Station Pro — as you all know — has been nothing but a headache. And, despite replacing the motherboard on her most recent unit in October, Nikki's system is yet again broken. And because she followed Ford's advice, it also no longer pairs with her truck to provide backup power.

Not only is she frustrated — but she's frankly wondering when Ford will give every F-150 Lightning owner who paid for the Home Integration System a refund.

Love the truck — for truck stuff. Love the idea of being able to back up her home — and when it works, it's great. But fit for purpose isn't something this Siemens-made (and Ford-badged) unit is capable of meeting.

Today, Nikki gives an update on what's been happening, how Ford flew someone out to diagnose the problem (and has committed to sending a new unit out... again) — and gives an update on her customization plans for the truck (which are proceeding nicely!)

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

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If you're an EV driver right now, you're probably watching the situation in the Middle East with a mixture of dread and quiet relief. The war between the U.S., backed by Israel, and Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — through which a quarter of the world's seaborne oil passes — and fuel prices are heading somewhere uncomfortable for anyone still at the pump.

This video is for you — and for the friends, family members, and random strangers who've started asking whether they should make the switch. We cover the real numbers, the common myths, and the honest caveats. As always.

We made two versions — this one, with the full editorial commentary intact, and a cleaner cut for newcomers. You might want to share that one instead if the people you're helping aren't quite ready for Nikki's usual level of snark — or her political opinions about the current state of the world. (You can see it here: https://youtu.be/mrhcTsugdCc)

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

0:00 Introduction

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We pride ourselves on helping people make smarter choices in the world of cleaner, greener, safer, smarter and more equitable transportation and energy - and in an age where new EV models are dropping like flies in the U.S., we thought it was time to expand our coverage a little.

So today, our video editor Vi takes you on a tour of Vi's new* ride, a 2027 Chevrolet Equinox. Gone are the days of waiting to fast charge... of not having smelly hands, and of being able to confidently accelerate in traffic and in its place, eight whole gears of soul-destroying, automated gear change mushiness.

Luckily though, we think Vi might be about to get buyers' remorse.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction

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🎙️ Credits:

Host: Vi Horton