Affordable EV deals, Volvo EX30 update, and Tesla’s latest Robotaxi crash

On today's independent episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at refining and distributing our own fuel supply with home solar as America's war in Iran rages on, shooting gas prices (and EV sales) into the stratosphere. As diesel prices cross $8/gal. in parts of California, more and more Americans are shopping for EVs and hybrids, and that's driving record sales of electrified vehicles for brands like Toyota and Hyundai. It's also brought the ability to generate your own "electric fuel" with a home solar panel system back into the limelight, whether you qualify for a tax credit or not! Source Links The oil crisis is making drivers realize they can’t afford not to drive electric Toyota’s updated electric SUV is a surprise hit The Hyundai IONIQ 5 EV is red-hot after another record sales month in March Kia launches its most affordable EV at lower prices than expected Home solar + battery + EV, one GMC Sierra EV driver shares their experience EV driver shares surprising, real-world data after installing solar panels 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 van-tastic episode of Quick Charge, Elon Musk teases a people-hauling Tesla that's 10 years late, California says there are ZERO Robotaxis on the road, and the Chinese EVs continue to outsell the brand in Europe. It's been nearly a decade since Tesla CEO Elon Musk hinted a new people moving EV might be on its way, and while the company rolled out a twenty passenger Robovan concept in 2024, Musk insists the company's got something coming that's "cooler" than a minivan. By definition, then, it's not the Robovan. Or a Cybertruck. In smarter news, we've got Vanair's latest solar-powered semi truck add-on that can help slash emissions and operating costs for large commercial fleets. You can check it out here, then let us know what you think in the comments. Source Links Tesla is coming out with ‘something cooler than a minivan’, says Elon Musk BYD outsells Tesla in Europe for second straight month as gap widens California regulator confirms Tesla is ‘not operating an autonomous vehicle service’ Adding solar panels to semi trucks helps slash diesel emissions GENIUS: adding solar panels to semi trailers is an idea so obvious it hurts 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 portentous episode of Quick Charge, we've got Harbinger CEO John Harris on-hand to talk through the brand's new low cab forward EV and EREV trucks, the industry-first battery deal with Airstream, and a whole lot more! Harbinger says its all-new HC Series Cab delivers best-in-class maneuverability with a tight, 42-foot turning circle, superior visibility from a car-like driving position that’s not compromised by the needs of an internal combustion engine, and a modular, Lego-style battery pack that addressing one of the most commonly called-out shortcomings of (most) modern EVs. We've got CEO John Harris here to tell us all about it, and explore some of the ways Harbinger's modular battery design can help dealers and fleet operators cut costs and streamline their parts inventory. Source Links Harbinger electric truck brand gets real with $100M Series B funding raise Game changer: Harbinger launches a medium-duty EREV with 500 mile range Harbinger launches standalone modular battery business with new Airstream deal Harbinger announces new, low cab forward electric box trucks at Work Truck Week What driver shortage? Electric trucks give fleets a real hiring edge 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 surprisingly affordable episode of Quick Charge we respond to America's new, $770/mo. average car payment buy rounding up some affordable EV lease deals at less than HALF the new normal. Plus, we take a look at some new entry-level EVs from Kia and BMW, talk about the future of Volvo's compact electric cars, and ask questions about Tesla's lone driverless Cybercab and the company's latest self-driving Robotaxi crash in Austin. Source Links What affordability crisis? These EV lease deals are HALF the average car payment find Chevy Equinox EV deals near you (trusted affiliate link) find Ford F-150 Lightning deals near you (trusted affiliate link) find Honda Prologue deals near you (trusted affiliate link) find Honda Prologue deals near you (trusted affiliate link) find Kia EV6 deals near you (trusted affiliate link) find Subaru Solterra deals near you (trusted affiliate link) Kia reveals EV2 prices are cheaper than expected Volkswagen’s affordable electric SUV is almost here [Images] BMW accidentally leaks new i3 EV days before its debut [Images] Volvo is killing its smallest EV in the US, but the rest of the world can still get it click here for EX30 deals near you (trusted affiliate link) Tesla reports another ‘Robotaxi’ crash, still only has a single unsupervised car Workhorse Group’s electric van fleet hits the 20 MILLION MILE mark 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 episode of Quick Charge, a new lawsuit alleges that Tesla was negligent in retaining Elon Musk as CEO, comparing him to a fast-talking salesman and questioning his input into engineering and safety decisions at the struggling EV brand. Plus, we explore the executive exodus at Tesla that began in mid 2024, ask why Tesla cars equipped with FSD are driving people into lakes and through railroad crossings, then take a look at the Rivian R2 and upcoming, mid-sized Tesla Model Y "killers" from Lucid. Are these the most credible threats to Tesla's Model Y dominance in America's EV market, yet, or will Tesla's "negligent" CEO come through on his AI-powered promises? Source Links Tesla Cybertruck owner sues over FSD crash, alleges ‘negligent’ retention of Musk Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving’ drives through railroad crossing barriers in viral video Tesla loses software director who built its OTA and Robotaxi infrastructure Tesla (TSLA) VP of Finance leaves after 17 years as executive exodus grows Rivian reveals full R2 lineup and pricing, starting at $57,990 with a $45K RWD model coming later Lucid (LCID) reveals Cosmos and Earth SUVs as first midsize EVs, starting under $50,000 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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.

As the average transaction price of a new car creeps towards $55,000, a coming wave of low mile, off-lease EVs with massive depreciation could help car dealers solve the affordability crisis, combat sticker shock, and move more units. CDK's David Thomas talks us through it on today's surprisingly affordable episode of Quick Charge. A tidal wave of EVs leased in the early-2020s is about to come back to dealers, with over 300,000 electric lease returns expected in 2026 alone, and many hundreds of thousands more every year thereafter just as used values fall and fuel prices climb. For dealers and buyers alike, that volatility could turn what looks like a resale disaster on paper into one of the biggest affordability opportunities the car market has seen in years. Source Links US average new car price tops $50k for the first time – here’s why Used Tesla prices rise 4% while rest of EV market drops after tax credit ends Forget what you’ve heard – leasing your car is almost ALWAYS the right move 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 solar-powered episode of Quick Charge, we've got EnergySage director of insights Emily Walker with a look inside the company's 22nd industry report, this time featuring home solar, EV charging, and whole home electrification. In addition to some key takeaways from millions of solar customer datapoints across North America, Emily talks us through the changing landscape of hardware availability, what trade restrictions on China could mean for the residential solar market, some of the ways people are choosing to finance their solar panel systems – and why the right choice can help save them big money! You can check out some of the article we referenced in the episode, below, and let us know if you knew that Franklin WH stood for "Whole Home" in the comments. Source Links Solar installs surged 205% before the tax credit cut – and reshaped the market EnergySage Plugged In podcast Home Electrification Marketplace Report [FEB2026] It's time to start recommending some Tesla Powerwall alternatives Report: solar could increase your home value by $39,500 to $79,000 EV driver shares surprising, real-world data after installing solar panels 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 disturbingly dirty episode of Quick Charge, Elon Musk is undoing nearly two decades of decarbonization by pumping out massive amounts of pollution to keep his xAI and Grok slop-machines rolling – and hurting some of America's most vulnerable communities at the same time. Tesla's troubles with pollution and carbon don't end there, either – two of company's biggest buyers of carbon credits are taking their business elsewhere, and the damage to Tesla's bottom line could be in the billions. Plus: it's a record month for Hyundai IONIQ 5 sales, electric semi trucks really do save fleets money, and some cool pictures of Volvo heavy equipment assets getting topped off at the Circle K! And, before you ask: NO! The irony is not lost on me ... but I didn't waste any water making the image, I just copy/pasted it in (he said, defensively). Source Links Tesla loses Toyota and Stellantis from its EU CO2 pool, taking billions with them Elon Musk’s xAI is undoing Tesla’s climate work all in the name of AI slop Hyundai bucks the trend as IONIQ 5 EV sales surge 33% in record-setting February Real-world test: electric semi trucks can save fleets nearly $160,000 per truck Where do you charge your wheel loader? Try the Circle K! 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 extraordinary episode of Quick Charge, we reflect on the fact that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and both Donut Labs AND Tesla are a long long way from turning everyone into believers. While Donut Labs' allegedly groundbreaking solid state battery tech gets put to the test, Tesla engineer Victor Nechita, who served as Tesla’s vehicle program manager for the Cybercab, has announced he is leaving the company as part of the recent exodus of the brand's top staff. Plus, a new study of 5,000 home sales showed that rooftop solar really does pay for itself – almost as soon as you put it in! Source Links Donut Lab’s ‘miracle’ solid-state battery confirms 0-80% charge in 4.5 min — but there’s a catch Verge unveils 370-mile electric motorcycle with solid state battery; sounds too good to be true? This battery is about to change the world in 3 months, or make this guy a fool Tesla Cybercab program manager exits ahead of launch Tesla rolls first steering wheel-less Cybercab unit off the line before solving autonomy Tesla launches legal war over ‘Cybercab’ name against seltzer company Report: solar could increase your home value by $39,500 to $79,000 EIA: 62% more renewable energy capacity is coming in 2026 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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 high-dollar episode of Quick Charge, Tesla is reeling from a $243 million judgement against it in a high-profile wrongful death case involving the company's Autopilot system, and has a hard time getting the relevant data to NHTSA. We've also got news that Waymo its expanding its L4 autonomous and driverless taxi operations into four new US cities across Florida and Texas, bringing its total to 10 compared to Tesla's 0 total cities with driverless electric vehicles in operation. Plus: the US Air Force has deployed the world's first portable 5MW nuclear reactor – which seems like the kind of thing we should all know about, you know? Source Links Tesla has to pay historic $243 million judgement over Autopilot crash, judge says Tesla avoids 30-day California sales suspension after dropping misleading ‘Autopilot’ marketing Tesla sues California DMV to reverse ‘Full Self-Driving’ false advertising ruling Tesla is having a hard time turning over its FSD traffic violation data Waymo adds 4 more cities to its robotaxi service, now 10 total (Tesla: still 0) Tesla admits it still needs drivers and remote operators — then argues that’s better than Waymo Waymo founder trashes Tesla safety as Waymos illegally pass school buses World’s first: US Air Force deploys portable nuclear power station 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 (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. 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 podcast series. 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.