InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast

How does a car transform into a Ghostbusters Ecto-1 overnight? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and Mack sit down with Rivian’s Chief Software Officer, Wassym Bensaid, for an in-depth conversation about Rivian’s vertically integrated software strategy, custom compute architecture, and zonal controllers—and how those in-house systems power both deep OTA updates and viral seasonal features like their annual Halloween Mode.
Plus, we break down major news across the EV industry:

Europe's Milestone: Fully electric car sales in the EU just officially surpassed gasoline and diesel sales combined for Q3

Ford Fathom Bidirectional Power: New details reveal Ford's upcoming $28K Fathom electric truck moves the inverter onboard—allowing 10kW home backup power with 60% cheaper home hardware.

Cybercab Battery Tech: Digging into the latest specs and pack details powering Tesla's autonomous robotaxi fleet.

Rivian Van Sales Surge: Commercial van deliveries continue to gain momentum as Rivian expands fleet adoption beyond Amazon.

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One full year after federal EV tax credits vanished, the electric vehicle landscape looks completely different. On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Tim and guest host Suvrat step back to look at the big-picture trends shaping the market: which EVs died off (and which deserved it), how Tesla managed to stay strong, why Toyota is surging, the explosive growth of charging infrastructure, and how EV sales actually seem to be in the early stages of a comeback. 
Plus, in our Plus/Minus segment at the end of the show, we discuss a big Android Auto update that brings native EV route planning to Google Maps, plus an exciting update for the VW ID. Buzz. 

Plus: Android Auto gets a huge upgrade with native EV route planning in Google Maps.

Minus: Teasing what's next for Volkswagen as reports suggest a potential new iteration or direction for the ID. Buzz.

#InsideEVs #PluggedInPodcast #ElectricVehicles #Tesla #Toyota #EVTaxCredit #AndroidAuto #VWIDBuzz
Further reading: 
EV Sales Rebound To Their Highest Level In A Year
https://insideevs.com/news/811825/ev-sales-q3-2026/ 
Gen 3 EVs Are Coming
https://insideevs.com/features/781390/gen-3-electric-vehicles-report/ 
America Now Has More Than 80,000 Public Fast Charging Ports
https://insideevs.com/news/811678/us-ev-charging-growth-q3-2026/ 
The Next VW ID. Buzz Could Get More Tech And A Lower Price Tag
https://insideevs.com/news/811821/second-generation-vw-id-buzz/
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Is Jaguar’s radical rebrand genius? Or madness? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, we react to the reveal of Jaguar’s controversial Type 01 grand tourer. The design is impossible to ignore, but can this car and all-electric pivot save Jaguar? 
Plus, is Kia about to dominate the affordable EV segment? Tim reports back from his first drive in the brand-new Kia EV3. With its impressive range, aggressive pricing, and appealing design, is it better than the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf? Tim thinks so. 
Plus, we tackle a listener question: Will the surge of electric cars actually crash or overwhelm the U.S. electrical grid?
Also on this week's episode:

Tesla Powershare Expands: Tesla officially rolled out Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) power capabilities to the Model 3 and Model Y. 

Lucid’s Q3 Production Dip: Lucid has slashed production to better meet demand. What it all means. 

Kia EV3 First Drive Review: The Best Cheap EV SUV Yet?
https://insideevs.com/reviews/810861/kia-ev3-review-drive-best-affordable-ev/

Jaguar Type 01 Revealed
https://insideevs.com/news/810839/jaguar-type-01-launch-ev/
Tesla Model 3 Or Model Y Can Now Power Your Home
https://insideevs.com/news/810989/tesla-model-y-model-3-home-backup-powershare/

Lucid Production Plunges As EV Maker Clears Inventory
https://insideevs.com/news/810884/lucid-sales-production-q3-2026/
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BMW’s next-generation electric sedan gets up to 468 miles of range on a single charge. But will it sell? On this week’s episode of The Plugged-In Podcast, Mack and Tim break down the mind-blowing specs for the all-new BMW i3—a car that promises more range than every Tesla on the market today. They react to its pricing and discuss whether it’ll be a hit during a tough time for electrification. 
Plus, we dive into the massive federal CAFE fuel economy rollback. What do far lower MPG targets mean for automakers, buyers, and the broader timeline for EV adoption? 
Also on this week's episode:

Chevy Bolt’s Limited Run: Reports reveal production of the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV may be capped at just 35,000 units. Why is GM holding back on its most affordable EV?

Ionna Hits 180 Sites: The automaker-backed charging coalition has doubled its footprint this year and shows no sign of slowing down.

Tesla Roadster Event Delayed (Again): Tesla postpones its next-gen Roadster reveal event yet again. 

The BMW i3’s 468-Mile Range Demolishes Every Tesla https://insideevs.com/news/810281/bmw-i3-us-specs-revealed/

America's Clean Car Retreat Is Complete. The World Will Move On
https://insideevs.com/features/809886/us-fuel-economy-standards-rollback/

35,000 Cars: Now We Know How 'Limited' The Chevy Bolt's Run May Be
https://insideevs.com/news/810063/gm-35000-chevy-bolt-production-report/

Ionna Has Doubled Its Charging Network This Year. It's Not Slowing Down
https://insideevs.com/news/810062/ionna-doubled-in-size/
Tesla Patents 'Electric Fan Car' Weeks Before Roadster Reveal
https://insideevs.com/news/809920/tesla-roadster-reveal-event-delayed-october-15/

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