Quick Charge

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?

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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.

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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.