Wheel Bearings

This week Nicole had a Chevy Blazer EV that had to go home early and a Hyundai Kona. Robbie drove the Fiat 500e and Sam drove the BMW 530i xDrive.

Despite some recent skepticism because of the Supercharger layoffs at Tesla, EVgo is moving forward with installing J3400 connectors on its DC fast chargers. Rivians run Android Automotive and are getting Google Cast support. Honda provides an EV update. BYD has a plug-in hybrid midsize pickup called the Shark, and Motor Trend disproves Tesla's 911 Cybertruck drag race claims. BMW's Neue Klasse EVs will charge really fast and Nicole has thoughts on a French safety campaign. Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis retires and we answer listener questions.

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Links

EVGo begins NACS deployment

Android Automotive gets Google Cast support starting with Rivian

Honda EV update

BYD Shark

Motor Trend drag races the Cybertruck and 911

BMW Neue Klasse - 186 miles in 10 minutes

France encourages everyone to drive like a woman

Audi/Porsche PPE platform

Tim Kuniskis retires

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Robbie is back from Japan and driving the BMW i5 M60. Nicole jumps from last week's Suburban into the Nissan Altima and Sam had the Cadillac Lyriq with new better door handles and fully functional software.

In the news, will Rivian partner with Apple on something? Infotainment, ADAS? Will the US impose 100% tarrifs on Chinese made EVs? Ford is scaling back orders for EV batteries, but how much are they really losing per electric vehicle? On the combustion side, nearly 1/4 of F-150s are now hybrids. The aftermath of Tesla gutting its charging team is still playing out as other companies scramble to pick up the pieces. Cadillac has a new documentary about its Le Mans racing program and Hyundai steps in to save Motional and its automated driving efforts. Finally ZF had a technology demo day and Sam got to try out some cool stuff.

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Links

Apple and Rivian to partner?

100% Tariffs on Chinese EVs?

Ford Cuts Battery Orders, How Much Are They Really Losing on EVs?

Nearly 1/4 of F-150s now hybrid

It's all about the charging

BP Pulse and Shell interested in Supercharger sites

No Perfect Formula Trailer

Trying to get a speeding ticket in a slow car

ZF Demo Day

Hyundai spending nearly $1B to keep Motional driving

Nissan Altima Review

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As Robbie and his wife celebrate 18 years of marriage with a vacation in Japan, we're joined this week by our friend Jill Ciminillo. Jill shares her thoughts on one of the most affordable new cars still offered for sale in the US, the Nissan Versa SR. Nicole hwas been driving something nearly large enough to hold a Versa inside, the Chevrolet Suburban High Country and Sam has the Infiniti QX55 with its silly dual screen infotainment system.

We also have a first drive review of the new 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and a discussion of why Mercedes-Benz won't be adopting the next-generation Apple Carplay. That rolls into a discussion of GM's decision to drop Carplay support from its EVs. NHTSA is looking into why there were two fatal crashes of vehicles running Ford's hands-free BlueCruise system. Tesla has fired its whole Charging team. By 2029 all new vehicles in the US will need automatic emergency braking systems capable of working at speeds up to 90 mph. The woes for Fisker Ocean owners continue with a lack of parts availability.

Links

2024 Chevrolet Traverse

Mercedes-Benz Won't Let CarPlay Take Over

NHTSA Investigating BlueCruise

Tesla fires supercharger team

Tesla fires supercharger team

AEB up to 90 mph to be mandatory by 2029

Fisker Ocean totalled over a $910 door ding

Fisker cannibalizing prototypes for service parts

Chevy Blazer EV infotainment demo 

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Nicole is back and she shares her impressions of driving a Lynk&Co 01 that she and her husband rented in France during their vacation. Robbie will have more to share next week about the BMW i5 and Sam has driven the Land Rover Defender 110 and Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.

In the news, the Ram TRX has been shelved for now, but Ram has a six-cylinder powered version called the RHO. Mercedes-Benz has revealed an all-electric version of the new G-Wagen with four motors. There were several interesting reveals at the 2024 Beijing Motor Show and some of them might make it to North America. The Mini Aceman is all electric, but it doesn't directly replace the discontinued Clubman. The Mazda EZ-6 is a great looking electric sedan that should come to America along with the Buick Electra L and LT. While the design of the Toyota bZ4X is polarizing, the bZ3C and bZ3X are much more appealing. Honda and its partners will invest $11 billion into an EV production ecosystem in Alliston, Ontario and NHTSA has closed one Tesla Autopilot investigation and opened up another.

Links

Lynk & Co 01

2025 Ram 1500 RHO

Tesla Autopilot has caused hundreds of crashes, dozens of fatalities

Mini Aceman

Mazda EZ-6

Toyota BZ3C and BZ3X

Buick Electra L, LT concepts

Honda $11B investment in Canada EV production

Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen EQ

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Nicole is still cruising European rivers so it's just the boys this week. Robbie drove the Range Rover Sport and used a Ford Transit to get his bands to Salt Lake City for a couple of shows (hence why there was no episode last week). Sam has been driving the Subaru CrossTrek Wilderness.

In the news, VW workers in Tennessee join the UAW, and Mercedes-Benz is voting next. Toyota launches a 6th gen 4Runner. Sam sees the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X in person and talks with Designworks CEO Julia de Bono. Kia is testing the EV3 and it may sticker for under $35,000. GM launches its vehicle to home charging products. Alfa Romeo unveils its first EV as the Milano and almost immediately changes the name. Back in the 1980s, Porsche was developing a Miata competitor before the Mazda launched. Maserati shows off the stunning Gran Cabrio Folgore and Honda is launching a new design language for its Ye EVs in China.

Links

VW Workers in Tennessee Vote for UAW, M-B next?

2025 Toyota 4Runner

BMW Vision Neue Klasse X

Soapy Cybertruck Recall

Kia EV3 may be under $35,000

GM Launches V2H products

Alfa Romeo Launches Milano EV, Quickly Renames it Junior

What if Porsche built a Miata Competitor?

Maserati Gran Cabrio Folgore

Honda Ye EVs for China

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This week Nicole and her husband compare the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE to their 2022 model that they own. Robbie takes the Kia EV9 on a snowboarding trip and is unimpressed by the new Lincoln Nautilus. Sam drives the 2024 Polestar 2 dual motor performance model.

Nicole shares her impressions of driving the updated Jeep Gladiator in Moab and Hyundai has unveiled a race version of the Ioniq 5 N. Friend of the show Alex Dykes shares his impressions of a Fisker Ocean he rented on Turo. Chevrolet officially prices the Silverado EV RST first edition and cuts the price by $10K from what was originally announced while JerryRigEverything goes 460 miles on a charge. Tesla kills its $25K car to focus on a robotaxi and Ford delays its next EVs by up to 2 years. Our friend Tommy Mica from TFL decides to driving his 1915 Model T in the snow and a listener asks about a Mitsubishi pickup truck in California.

Links

IONIQ 5 N eN1 Cup car

2024 Jeep Gladiator

Alex on Fisker, 12V problems and broken vents

460 Miles in the Silverado EV RST

Chevy Cuts Silverado EV RST price by $10K

Tesla scraps $25K EV

Ford delays next-gen EVs up to 2 years

Driving a Model T in the snow

Mitsubishi Triton

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This week, friend of the show Perry Stern is filling in for Robbie and he's been driving the Mercedes-AMG GLB. Nicole tries out the latest variant of Honda's pickup truck the off-road-ish Ridgeline Trailsport and Sam has the Acura TLX Type-S.

Perry went to the New York for the Auto Show this week and gives us a rundown on what he saw including the new Genesis Neolun concept and the GV60 Magma performance model. Kia also unveiled the new entry level K4 sedan and teased an upcoming hatchback version. Hyundai showed off mid-cycle refreshes for the Tucson and Santa Cruz that look a bit more truckish and bring back the buttons on the center stack. Nissan also unveiled a new version of the Kicks and the Infiniti QX80.

Instead of New York, Nicole went to Moab for the Easter Jeep Safari and got to try out a bunch of cool Jeep concepts. Fisker is inching closer to bankruptcy and BMW has a new Neue Klasse SUV concept. For those concerned about buying used EVs, Cox has a new battery health reporting tool and Chinese phone maker Xiaomi is getting into the EV game with the SU7 sedan.

Links

Fisker almost done

Fisker couldn't track millions in payments

Genesis Neolum and GV60 Magma

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

2025 Hyundai Tucson

BMW Vision Neue Klasse X

Jeep Gladiator Mojave in Moab

Cox rolling out battery health reports to Manheim auctions

Xiaomi SU7

Kia K4

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While Robbie is off doing some late winter snow boarding, Nicole and Sam are holding down the fort. Nicole has been driving Buick's new entry level model, the Envista and the Hyundai Palisade. Meanwhile Sam had the new Toyota Prius Limited AWD and the very pricey Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV.

Nicole gives a preview of the concepts coming up at this year's Easter Jeep Safari in Moab. We've got a first drive review of the blocky new Hyundai Santa Fe with some more rigorous off-roading than the last Hyundai SUV we tried. We also drive the new Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor. The New York Auto Show is coming up this week and none of us will be there so of course there are some interesting vehicle launches. Nissan has both ends of its product lineup covered with a second-generation Kicks crossover and an all-new Infiniti QX80 that really steps up its game in the big luxury SUV segment. Kia also has a new entry model with the new K4 sedan replacing the Forte. After the uproar over the news that GM was sharing driver data with data brokers, GM has decided to halt that new approach to monetization.

While attending Nvidia GTC in San Jose, Sam took some time to ride Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco and then sat down in the new Volvo EX90 with the Swedish automaker's head of software engineering Alwin Bakennes. Finally, we answer some listener questions.

Links

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

2024 Ford Ranger

2024 Ford Ranger Raptor

2025 Infiniti QX80

2025 Kia K4

2025 Nissan Kicks

GM stops data sharing

Riding with Waymo

Running the Ranger Raptor in the desert

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This week Sam has been driving the Honda Passport Trailsport.

Sam assesses the new Lincoln Nautilus and likes the big screen, but there are other issues. Don't forget to check out the video Sam and Nicole did with the Nautilus. Porsche is finally bringing out a hybrid version of the 911. Renowned automotive Designer Marcello Gandini has died at 85. Are automakers sharing too much of our data? Polestar cuts the price of the 3 before it even arrives. Audi is forcing subscriptions on the new A3. Dan Edmunds and Motor Trend look at the Cybertruck and Automotive News no longer classes Tesla as a luxury brand. Finally, Rivian drivers can start using superchargers.

Links

2024 Lincoln Nautilus First Drive

Sam's Nautilus take

Hybrid Porsche 911

Polestar 3 US pricing down by $10K

Marcello Gandini dies at 85

Data from connected cars

Audi A3 subscriptions

Dan Edmunds examines the cybertruck

Motor Trend on the Cybertruck

Tesla no longer a luxury brand

Rivian Supercharging now working

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This week Sam has been driving the Genesis Electrified G80. Robbie was picking speakers for his band in the Land Rover Defender 130 and Nicole has the Infiniti QX60.

The core of Henrik Fisker's original design for the Karma continues to live on, now as part of the Karma Automotive and the Chinese-owned company has just launched a refreshed version that ditches the plug-in series hybrid for a full electric powertrain. Nissan has addressed one of the biggest complaints about the Ariya EV by cutting the price. There are currently no EVs that will charge at 500 kW, but Gravity Mobility has installed just such a charger in New York. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is still relatively new, but it's already getting an update.

We frequently complain about automakers putting controls into the touchscreen and now EuroNCAP is going to cut their safety ratings if they don't bring back physical controls.Rivian has revealed now just one, but two new vehicles, but they won't start arriving for at least two years. The Blazer EV is back on sale and now has a significantly lower price. Finally Sam has been using a local Tesla Supercharger station with Ford and Genesis vehicles.

Links

Karma Gyesera

Nissan cuts Ariya prices

500 kW charger in NYC

Hyundai Ioniq 5 refresh gets more battery, rear wiper

EuroNCAP calls for return of physical buttons

Rivian R2 and R3

Return of the Blazer EV with a lower price

Supercharging a Ford Mustang Mach-E

Charging a G80 with a Magic Dock

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