The Watt Car EV Podcast

Phil Royle & Ed Sanchez
  • 3.7 (6)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Not your average EV, plug-in, and hybrid (and fuel cell!) automotive podcast.

  1. 2d ago

    290: Harbinger of Good

    BrightDrop’s dead, but that’s not stopping FedEx’s shift to EVs. With GM abandoning its EV delivery truck lineup that FedEx bought into, FedEx is looking to Harbinger, recently ordering 2,000 electric trucks valued at over $300 million, with potential diesel savings for FedEx nearing $800 million over the life of the trucks. We dive in. In other news, we know a little more about the Tesla Semi thanks to test drives hitting the web – MCS is confirmed, production ramp looks promising, and sleeper cabs could happen. Also, the Tesla Roadster launch gets delayed (shocker!), Chinese EVs invade Canada, the Jeep Recon’s range lacks range, and more! SHOW NOTES TFL Truck drives the Tesla Semi: https://youtu.be/uVvUGgvKt7Q?si=rZpi5EVqihWH5wbW FedEx commits to purchasing 2,000 EV delivery vans from Harbinger, expects big payoff: https://electrek.co/2026/10/03/fedex-believes-300m-electric-truck-spend-will-save-them-800m-in-diesel/ Chery announces entry of Omoda and Jaecoo brands to Canada in “late 2026”: https://electrek.co/2026/09/28/omoda-jaecoo-canada-launch-late-2026-ev-lineup/ Trump administration slashes CAFE requirements: https://www.npr.org/2026/09/28/nx-s1-5918509/car-fuel-efficiency-cafe-standards-rollback Jeep Recon gets dismal 160-mile highway range at 75 mph: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a73642665/2026-jeep-recon-ev-drive/ Trump issues executive order allowing on-road use of “farm diesel”: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/emergency-tax-relief-on-diesel-fuel/ This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Episode art courtesy Harbinger Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    290: Harbinger of Good

  2. Sep 24

    289: Martha in Accounting Knows

    Making news this week, Tesla pushes into Europe with its Semi launching 100 megawatt chargers at 21 locations plus Top Gear gives an inside look at how the Semi can relieve financial pressures, and we can’t help but talk about it on this week’s podcast. Also, Windrose open sources its designs, Volkswagen shifts the GTI to rear-wheel drive, Saudi Arabia’s Ceer partners with Foxconn for two interesting EVs, and more. SHOW NOTES Tesla announces 100 Megawatt chargers at 21 locations in Europe ahead of Semi launch: https://insideevs.com/news/808615/tesla-megacharger-europe-rollout/ Top Gear checks out the Tesla Semi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WP9HizHCrk Windrose open-sources its truck parts: https://electrek.co/2026/09/17/open-source-semi-windrose-puts-its-electric-truck-online-for-free/ Volkswagen makes a rear-wheel drive GTI: https://insideevs.com/news/808505/vw-id3-gti-official-range-specs/ Saudi Arabia’s Ceer gets into the EV game with Foxconn’s help: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/09/saudi-arabia-wants-a-car-industry-launches-ceer-with-two-evs/ California governor signs “Leno’s Law.” Honestly, we're not impressed: https://www.hotrod.com/features/lenos-law-sb-1392-california-classic-car-smog-exemption-assembly This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Episode art courtesy Tesla Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    289: Martha in Accounting Knows

  3. Sep 17

    288: Asterisk

    Nine years later, Tesla is ready to relaunch its Roadster, but is there a market for the $200,000+ supercar that may or may not use cold gas thrusters, and is there a more nefarious purpose for this upcoming announcement? We dive in. Also on this week’s podcast, VW showcases its Mission Efficiency parts-bin EV, Volvo extends the range of its PHEVS, and ICE emissions are about to get serious. SHOW NOTES Tesla “Go For Launch” event set for 10/01/26: https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-roadster-event-date-spacex-package-demo/ VW shows off “Mission Efficiency” concept: https://www.motor1.com/news/808114/vw-mission-efficiency-concept-specs-photos/ 2028 Volvo PHEVs double the electric range: https://insideevs.com/news/807862/2028-volvo-xc60-xc90-long-range-plug-in-hybrid/ Emissions standards are getting significantly stricter from 2027 forward: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-04-18/pdf/2024-06214.pdf https://marqueeig.com/resources/epa-2027-emissions-standards-fleets/ This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Episode art courtesy Tesla Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    288: Asterisk

  4. Sep 10

    287: Thinking About the Future

    With ever-increasing global uncertainty (especially since the U.S. invaded Iran), energy is on everyone’s minds. On this week’s episode of The Watt Car EV Podcast, we speak with Euan Graham, Senior Analyst for Ember, an energy think tank that, as its website states, “aims to accelerate the clean energy transition with data and policy.” From the war to solar, wind farms, and more, we dive into what the data says the future holds. SHOW NOTES Learn more about Ember: https://ember-energy.org/ This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    287: Thinking About the Future

  5. Sep 3

    286: Come At Me

    Telo Trucks is taking the driver’s seat, poking Ford and Hyundai on the size and capabilities of their small pickups. Is Telo all talk, or is there more to this plucky little startup? We dive in on this week’s podcast. Also, Slate announces a cargo van attachment, Aptera solar panels get third-party testing, an American company breaks through on LFP battery tech, and more! SHOW NOTES Telo releases cheeky video flexing on Maverick and Santa Cruz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRCqKB6eo5o  Slate teases cargo van variant: https://www.motor1.com/news/806667/slate-electric-pickup-high-roof/   Aptera gets its solar system tested & validated by a third party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uzuW-YvBE0  American LFP battery company claims breakthrough in charging cycles: https://insideevs.com/news/806443/graphite-free-lithium-metal-battery-ev/  Waymo deploys in more cities, one of them Denver: https://insideevs.com/news/806758/waymo-denver-san-diego-tampa-launch-day/  Tesla is going to announce the launch of the Cybercab, Semi, and Roadster in September: https://electrek.co/2026/09/01/in-sept-tesla-will-re-launch-3-products-it-launched-a-decade-ago-for-a-stock-pump/  This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Episode art courtesy Telo Trucks Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    286: Come At Me

  6. Aug 27

    285: Sacrilege, or the Word of God

    The original Mini was a fun-loving, tossable runabout. The new Mini has its own following for different reasons. But what if the next Mini was EV and rear-wheel drive? Rumors indicate that might be the case, and we discuss what that means on this week’s podcast. Also on the show, Polestar theories abound, the Genesis GV90 gets coach doors, diesel EREV tech comes to EV semis, and more. SHOW NOTES Polestar claiming “disparate treatment” from Volvo in U.S. ban ruling from Commerce Department: https://www.autoblog.com/news/polestar-says-its-u-s-ban-doesnt-add-up-after-volvo-gets-a-pass Next Mini Cooper could be RWD: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/next-mini-cooper-be-inspired-2001-r50-%E2%80%93-and-could-go-rwd Aptera partners with Shanghai-based Launch Design to streamline production processes, lower component purchasing costs: https://theevreport.com/aptera-launch-design-production-program Coach (aka “suicide”) doors make the cut on the production Genesis GV90: https://electrek.co/2026/08/20/genesis-gv90-luxury-coach-doors-images/ EREV tech comes to the heavy truck segment: https://insideevs.com/news/805476/electric-truck-range-extender-mahle/ Tesla says Semi will debut for the European market at IAA Hannover in September: https://x.com/tesla_semi/status/2090333014576488877 Mate Rimac says the future of supercars is combustion engines: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/25/bugatti-ceo-mate-rimac-supercars-gas-engines.html This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Episode art courtesy Mini Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    285: Sacrilege, or the Word of God

  7. Aug 20

    284: The Polestar Conspiracy

    Why is Polestar leaving America? There’s a conspiracy theory about that, and it now has a Polestar dealer suing the company over its reason for removing the brand from American shores. Also on this week’s podcast, Porsche’s Taycan run may end by 2030, Tesla can’t beat Zoox in Vegas, Ferrari sells a Luce for $40 million, and more. SHOW NOTESPolestar dealer alleges brand used Connected Vehicle Rule as cover story to exit U.S. market: https://insideevs.com/news/804851/nj-dealer-suing-polestar-coverup/Porsche may end Taycan production by 2030: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/porsche-plans-discontinue-taycan-production-by-2030-wirtschaftswoche-reports-2026-08-13/Lucid unveils Gravity GT-S, effectively replacing Dream Edition, at a discount: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a73402285/2027-lucid-gravity-gt-s-revealed/Tesla asks Las Vegas for approval for 5,000 robotaxis, it gets approved for 10: https://electrek.co/2026/08/17/tesla-nevada-robotaxi-permit-10-vehicles-las-vegas/Tesla Robotaxi in Austin plows through traffic bollards: https://electrek.co/2026/08/18/tesla-robotaxi-rams-through-bollards-austin/Waymo gets approval to expand to 18 counties in California: https://electrek.co/2026/08/14/waymo-cpuc-approval-california-expansion-18-counties/Rivian announces point-to-point autonomous driving will launch later this year: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/15/rivian-tesla-self-driving-adas-fsd.htmlFlorida man spends $40 million at Car Week auction to get the first production Ferrari Luce: https://www.thewattcar.com/2026/08/the-ferrari-luces-40-million-sale-means.htmlJaguar shows off the electric Type 01 interior during Car Week, but keeps exterior in camo: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/jaguar-shows-off-its-past-and-previews-its-future-in-pebble-beach/Polish Model 3 owner DIY upgrades HW3 to HW4: https://insideevs.com/news/805235/tesla-hw4-retrofit-progress-owner/This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. SanchezEpisode art courtesy PolestarMusic courtesy Twisterium at PixabayWebsite: https://www.thewattcar.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    284: The Polestar Conspiracy

  8. Aug 13

    283: A Ford-able Truck

    Ford has announced some of the specs of its new affordable EV pickup, and we can’t fathom a more compelling product. Yet, with a starting price barely north of $28,000, is the Ford Fathom the nail in Slate’s coffin. We discuss the future on this week’s episode. We also talk about Lucid’s “operational reset,” Cadillac’s uptown shift, and more. SHOW NOTES Ford’s affordable pickup is the Fathom, not the Ranchero: https://www.thewattcar.com/2026/08/fords-fathom-is-four-door-punch-to-face.html Lucid says it is undergoing an “operational reset” as it delays Cosmos Launch: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/04/lucid-group-lcid-earnings-q2-2026.html Lucid recently moved to a hybrid dealership model in Germany, and it's now rumored to be doing the same in the UAE: https://eletric-vehicles.com/lucid/exclusive-lucid-extends-indirect-sales-model-to-uae-despite-german-dealer-result/ Cadillac will let you build a bespoke Escalade IQ, for a price: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a73395844/curated-by-cadillac-escalade-iq-revealed/ Hoping to get the California EV credit for a new Tesla? Too late: https://insideevs.com/news/804405/tesla-runs-out-of-california-ev-rebates/ This week’s hosts: Phil Royle and Edward A. Sanchez Episode art courtesy Ford Music courtesy Twisterium at Pixabay Website: https://www.thewattcar.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewattcar

    283: A Ford-able Truck
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3.7
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About

Not your average EV, plug-in, and hybrid (and fuel cell!) automotive podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    Phil Royle & Ed Sanchez
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    290
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Phil Royle & Ed Sanchez
  • Show Website
    The Watt Car EV Podcast

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