Tesla Autopilot less safe, Optimus freezes, electric Mustang goes 250,000 miles

On today's episode of Quick Charge, the Germans are rolling out a raft of great-looking new EVs with great range, fast charging, and competitive price tags. Meanwhile, Tesla's US market share has sunk to near record lows. As punishment, Elon's getting a trillion-dollar raise. Mercedes and BMW each have a fresh take on the electric crossover with more than 400 miles of range and VW has a new affordable EV on tap, too. Plus, I talk you through the ins and outs of some of my favorite toys: the 10x10 Siesta Dock XL from Retrospec and the all-electric, go-anywhere John Deere TE 4x2 Gator UTV. Source Links Retrospec Siesta Dock XL inflatable platform (sponsored) Mercedes unveils GLC electric SUV: a more refined all-electric platform with 440 miles of range 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV exterior leaks ahead of schedule Check out the new Mercedes-Benz GLC EV interior and its giant 39″ infotainment screen Meet the new BMW iX3: A 500-mile range EV with ultra-fast charging and much more The Volkswagen ID.Cross delivers the ‘secret sauce’ as an affordable, sleek electric SUV Tesla (TSLA) sees US market share of electric car sales drop to new lows Tesla (TSLA) board fully loses its mind and offers Elon Musk a pay package worth up to $1 trillion E-quipment highlight: John Deere TE 4×2 Electric Gator UTV 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

Chevy set a new EV range record going nearly 1,060 miles on a single charge in an optimized, but unmodified Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck that no one saw coming. No one, that is, except Chargeway founder Matt Teske. His EV route-planning map predicted the Silverado's record-setting run with better than 99% accuracy – and he's here to talk about it on today's electric episode of Quick Charge! We've also got a deep dive into what I think the biggest issue facing more widespread EV adoption might be, and a new solution from Blink Charging that might solve it. Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec—makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Check out Retrospec’s viral city ebike, the Beaumont Rev 2, made with a vintage-inspired frame design and modern electric features, all for just $999! The best part: Electrek listeners can get 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com Source Links The Retrospec Beaumont Rev 2 might be the most stylish eBike for under $1K [Video] New EV Totem from Blink could solve electric fuel’s biggest problem World record alert: 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck drove 1,060 miles on a single charge Check out Chargeway for yourself and pick your entry in the Tube-squeeze 1000 McKinstry powers up its fleet with 100 Chevy Silverado EV work trucks 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

The floodgates are open following a landmark $243 million ruling against Tesla in a wrongful death suit in Florida, and now that same lawyer is thirsty for more. He's not alone, either, and America's leading EV brand seems to be dodging court issues in California and even from its own shareholders! We've got all this and more on today's ruinous episode of Quick Charge! We've also got some killer deals on J.D Power award-winning 2026 BMW electric and plug-in hybrid models and a massive, 82 MW community solar project happening right here in Chicago. Today's episode is brought to you by Retrospec—makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Check out Retrospec’s viral city ebike, the Beaumont Rev 2, made with a vintage-inspired frame design and modern electric features, all for just $999! Electrek listeners can get 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com. Source Links Fresh TSLA lawsuits, V2X options, and the USAF is blowing up Cybertrucks Tesla does a rare ad and it’s pathetically misleading Tesla leads price cuts as US EV sales post 2nd-best month ever Revel is shutting down its Model Y-powered ride-hailing, which was basically Tesla Robotaxi BMW isn’t wasting any time discounting its new 2026 EVs Prologis set to generate a MASSIVE 82 MW of energy with rooftop solar 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

Elon wants the US military to start buying Tesla Cybertrucks – and now they are! The Air Force has ordered two Cybertruck testers for target practice to determine how easy they are to blow up, while Jo makes up a whole new conspiracy theory on today's explosive episode of Quick Charge! Today's episode is brought to you by retrospec—makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Electrek listeners can get 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com. An it doesn't stop there. We've also got exciting new home battery backup and V2X options for Tesla owners, and one Texas EV driver that decided to conquer the Texas floodwaters by harnessing the awesome combined powers of electrons and stupidity (it's pretty awesome). Source Links US military is buying Tesla Cybertrucks to use as targets for missiles Tesla gets sued for securities fraud over its ‘Robotaxi’ launch Tesla cars can now do vehicle-to-home (V2X) with this new Powerwall competitor It's time to start recommending some Tesla Powerwall alternatives Chevy Bolt EUV goes full Boat Mode in Texas floodwaters California’s grid gets a record power assist from a 100k home battery fleet 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

Tesla is in trouble, facing down hundreds of millions in fines on a single Autopilot wrongful death claim, accusations of covering up evidence, and plummeting sales in Europe, China, and the US. But, hey – that's no reason to NOT give Elon a $29 billion bonus, right? Find out more on today's troubling episode of Quick Charge! We're also helping Costco celebrate the first half-birthday of its EV marketplace, where you can get a great deal on a new Chevy Silverado EV capable of going more than one thousand miles on a single charge [insert 400 pages of fine print and disclaimers here –Ed.]. Today's episode is brought to you by Retrospec, the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Quick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off their next ride until August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10, only at retrospec.com. Source Links Tesla (TSLA) is found liable in fatal Autopilot crash, has to pay up to $243 million [updated] Tesla withheld data, lied, and misdirected police and plaintiffs to avoid blame in Autopilot crash New data shows how Tesla led in brand loyalty… until Elon Musk ‘got political’ Tesla board (TSLA) gives Elon Musk $26 billion worth of shares Tesla sales in Europe are in free fall and the pain is just starting Costco EV Marketplace celebrates milestone with fresh deals [update] World record alert: 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck drove 1,060 miles on a single charge Mary Kay goes electric with new Pink Cadillac OPTIQ (cue the music) 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. BLUETTI portable power stations offer enough capacity to run power tools, appliances, or even serve as a full-home backup during outages. For extended outages, BLUETTI offers modular systems can keep your fridge, lights, or Wi-Fi going for days. And, if you’re traveling light, the new Handsfree line of backpack power stations offer plug-and-play energy on the go — perfect for remote work, camping, or emergencies.

On today's battle-ready episode of Quick Charge, it's Elon Musk vs. the world as big players position themselves for control of enough lithium to build 600 million electric cars and the rest of the industry squares up to Tesla in the battle for market leadership. While Windrose is making sales and expanding into new markets, the Tesla Semi is still in limited tests, Robotaxi launches as a "ride hailing service" in California with randos in the drivers' seat and Academy Award nominated actor/noted college football analyst Timothée Chalamet teams up with Lucid to steal (even more) sales from the embattled Model S and X lines. Today's episode is brought to you by Retrospec, the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure. Quick Charge listeners can get 10% off their next e-bike ride through August 14 with the exclusive code ELECTREK10 only at retrospec.com. Source Links Are Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos headed for epic showdown in a lithium-filled volcano? Windrose lines up $60M electric semi truck order PLUS South American expansion The Retrospec Beaumont Rev 2 might be the most stylish eBike for under $1K [Video] Lucid (LCID) Air drivers can now use these Hands-Free driving features Tesla stops taking Model S/X orders in Europe Lucid gets Lisan al-Gaib: Timothée Chalamet becomes Global Brand Ambassador Tesla’s Robotaxis are officially powered by human drivers as it launches ride-hailing in Bay Area 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

On today's test-acular episode of Quick Charge, it's a new day and a new Chinese ADAS test for Tesla to conquer – but this one's got a LOT more pedestrian carnage to parse through! We've also got some great e-bike deals from Retrospec and a bladder-busting Hyundai. Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we’ve got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by the updated Hyundai IONIQ 6 with nearly 350 miles of range from its updated long-range battery. With that, Hyundai now has the longest range Korean EV on the market, while Texas is adding megawatts of battery energy storage to beef up its troubled grid, and it's doing so faster and cheaper than ever before. Plus: Quick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off the price of their next awesome e-bike by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com! Source Links Tesla tops 36 car Autopilot test, affordable Model Y spied, and a $5,000 EV Tesla tops 2nd Chinese self-driving test, with deadly results from some brands ChargePoint just launched EV charger checkups – before they break Hyundai’s new IONIQ 6 takes the crown for Korea’s longest-range domestic EV with 350 mi This new Texas battery storage project runs on used EV packs 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

Credit where credit is due: in a massive, 32-car multinational independent test, Tesla's Autopilot ADAS came out on top, the new affordable Tesla turns out to be a corner-cutting Model Y, and one of the company's original founders compares the Cybertruck to a dumpster. All this and more on today's episode of Quick Charge! Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we've got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by a super cute, super affordable new EV from China with nearly 150 miles of range for less than $5,000 USD. PLUS: listeners can get an extra 10% off by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com! Source Links Tesla’s ‘more affordable model’ shown in spy shots on Chinese social media Tesla founder is disappointed Musk canceled $25,000 EV and made ‘dumpster-looking’ truck Chinese real-world self-driving test: 36 cars, 216 crashes, with Tesla on top The Retrospec Beaumont Rev 2 might be the most stylish eBike for under $1K [Video] Retrospec Valen Rev+: A fat tire e-bike with the spirit of an all-terrain scrambler [Video] This EV just launched in China for under $5,000 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

On today's road-ready episode of  Quick Charge, Tesla released data hinting that its Autopilot ADAS solution may be less safe to use than before. We've also got some news from inside the Tesla diner experience, plus a 250,000 mile Ford Mustang Mach-E that still has more than 90% of its battery capacity left! We also cover Lucid's plans to reinvigorate American EV manufacturing WITHOUT help from Washington by forging stronger bonds between automakers, mineral miners, and battery recyclers – plus: Optimus breaks down. Source Links Tesla’s own data confirms Autopilot safety regressed in 2025 Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner and Supercharger is here and it looks sick Tesla teleoperated robot failed while serving popcorn on first day of new diner Lucid (LCID) is driving EV innovation in America with or without help from Washington After more than 250,000 miles, Ford Mustang Mach-E still has 92% battery life 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

The State of California is moving to ban the sale of Tesla cars amid claims that the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, have misled buyers about the self-driving capabilities of their cars. We've also got market-leading news out of Vietnam and a pricey, pricey lesson for one VW ID.Buzz buyer on today's lesson-learning episode of Quick Charge! We also ask what this might mean for the recent Uber/Lucid autonomous taxi tie-up and go through a full rundown of the fastest depreciating EVs on the market (and yes, there are four Tesla models in the top 10 ... because the Cybertruck was too new to qualify). Source Links Vietnam setting bans on gasoline motorcycles next year, followed by cars Tesla (TSLA) might lose its right to sell cars in California amid false advertising lawsuit Uber to deploy 20,000 Lucid Gravity robotaxis equipped with Nuro Driver, beginning next year [Video] These cars are losing value fast — that’s GREAT news for used EV buyers! This Volkswagen ID.Buzz cost its owner $11,000 in just 398 miles 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 (most weeks, anyway). 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. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.