The Amped EV Podcast
Electric vehicles are causing a shift in the market, so we’ve created The Amped EV Podcast to try to understand and navigate today’s ever-evolving EV automotive landscape. Host and editor of The Buzz, David Sickels, studies the latest trends and innovations surrounding EVs to keep our audience informed on where we see this market heading, as well what can be done to take advantage of its emerging opportunities.
Episodes
April 15, 2024 • 16 mins
First Student isn't messing around when it comes to its ambitions for school bus electrification – 30,000 school buses by 2035. At first glance, it may seem a bit pie-in-the-sky, but Kevin Matthews, head of electrification at First Student, assures that school buses may be the area that makes the most sense when it comes to fleet electrification opportunities in the U.S.
"That number was not a 'throw darts at a dart board approach.'...
"That number was not a 'throw darts at a dart board approach.'...
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February 26, 2024 • 13 mins
Electric vehicle charging and grid management are both critical factors when it comes to handling the increased adoption rates of EVs. The fragmented nature of the electric utility industry mixed with the necessity for the intelligent management of EV charging on a hyperlocal level isn't an easy hurdle to cross – and it's hard to do it alone.
The good news is that the industry is intimately aware of this, and partnerships are croppi...
The good news is that the industry is intimately aware of this, and partnerships are croppi...
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January 30, 2024 • 18 mins
Electric vehicles have been steadily rising in popularity in the US for around a decade now, so surely consumers have had plenty of time to research and understand the differences in aspects like maintenance costs, range and government incentives, right?
...Right?
The truth is, there are plenty of misconceptions about the current state of EVs, a topic that has recently been researched in-depth by CDK Global in the company's recently ...
...Right?
The truth is, there are plenty of misconceptions about the current state of EVs, a topic that has recently been researched in-depth by CDK Global in the company's recently ...
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October 23, 2023 • 17 mins
The U.S. energy grid is a complicated, dynamic system involving a vast infrastructure, power generation, transmission, distribution, substations, and so much more. Thus, it would be easy to assume that creating your own, personal microgrid – something that fleets across the country are beginning to experiment with – would be a hair-pulling, blood-boiling process.
The truth is that establishing a microgrid can be an intimidating expe...
The truth is that establishing a microgrid can be an intimidating expe...
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October 2, 2023 • 25 mins
Autonomous vehicles tend to be electrified using powerful batteries because they are covered in sensors and require the latest computer hardware to interpret the onboard data in near-real time. This draws a ton of electric power, and an all-electric battery pack can not only provide this power, but keep the stream much more steady and stable when compared to an ICE engine.
These sensors work together to provide a comprehensive view ...
These sensors work together to provide a comprehensive view ...
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September 18, 2023 • 28 mins
Think back to the year you first received your driver's license. What did you do? Maybe driving to school or across town to a friend's house was your idea of excitement. Maybe you even braved the highway, holding your breath on the onramp until safely merged into traffic.
When multiple-time Guinness World Record holder Rainer Zietlow first received his license in 1988, one of his first missions was to conquer the Sahara Desert via a...
When multiple-time Guinness World Record holder Rainer Zietlow first received his license in 1988, one of his first missions was to conquer the Sahara Desert via a...
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August 21, 2023 • 15 mins
Collisions happen, and even when no one is hurt, they're a pain. Working with insurance, getting your car worked on, potentially being without a car for a while... none of it is fun. With an EV, this entire process can be even more problematic.
"I think [drivers] need to know that if they're involved in an accident in their EV, they need to have a whole different set of expectations around what's going to go on as it relates to repa...
"I think [drivers] need to know that if they're involved in an accident in their EV, they need to have a whole different set of expectations around what's going to go on as it relates to repa...
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August 7, 2023 • 21 mins
If we're talking about electric vehicles, I'll give it about five minutes before we hit the ol' "range" topic. Typically, the conversation swings into range anxiety territory, and this makes talking about easy ways to extend the driver's range so much fun. Instead of focusing on "range anxiety," we can shift our focus to "range serenity."
To this end, many drivers may be surprised at the effect their choice of tires has on their max...
To this end, many drivers may be surprised at the effect their choice of tires has on their max...
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July 20, 2023 • 19 mins
EV manufacturers depend on a variety of resources to maximize the range, performance and charging capabilities of an all-electric powertrain. Among these is tungsten, a rare metal that, even in tiny doses, is essential to meet the expectations of today's electric vehicle.
"In relation to EVs, you use [tungsten] in the looms. Tungsten gas is pumped into every semiconductor and you have about 2,000 semiconductors in each EV," says Lew...
"In relation to EVs, you use [tungsten] in the looms. Tungsten gas is pumped into every semiconductor and you have about 2,000 semiconductors in each EV," says Lew...
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July 10, 2023 • 8 mins
The words "tires" and "sustainable" aren't typically muttered in the same breath, but this reputation is slowly shifting for the better. New materials and recycling processes being implemented by many tire manufacturers are helping to make a tire's life more environmentally friendly, but Champtires, a seller of used tires, says we can do better, as the company says many tires with decent tread remaining are still ending up in landf...
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June 19, 2023 • 22 mins
Car dealers know that being pro-sustainability is good for business, but increasing sustainability efforts in the showroom doesn't have to be just about what powertrain you're selling. Instead of pushing EV sales, some dealers have found success with their sustainable-conscious clientele by promising to offset the carbon emissions offset by the vehicle being sold – no matter what energy source the vehicle uses to move.
"Our partners...
"Our partners...
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June 5, 2023 • 8 mins
Like most ICE vehicle components out there, EV components – everything from batteries to inverters – have a shelf life. When the end of life arrives, in some cases the best thing to do might be to recycle that component down to its raw materials. However, many of these EV components that are failing or degrading over time can be sustainably remanufactured to either extend their life or give them an entirely new life.
TerrePower, a d...
TerrePower, a d...
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May 22, 2023 • 20 mins
Renting a car can be tricky for reasons you might not expect. If you don't own a car, it can be hard getting used to remembering your keys or being mindful of where you parked. Even if you do own a car, you don't own THIS car, and working all the new gizmos and gadgets can be just as challenging as navigating the open road.
UFODrive, a car rental company that began in Europe in 2018, saw these challenges and found a way to turn them...
UFODrive, a car rental company that began in Europe in 2018, saw these challenges and found a way to turn them...
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May 10, 2023 • 25 mins
Hearing a lot about electric school buses lately? That's no coincidence. Last year, the EPA announced the Clean School Bus Program, offering a $5 billion investment for low-emission school buses over the next five years, and the EPA says it will make another $1 billion available for clean school buses in the 2023 fiscal year. Yes, electric school buses and the infrastructure to support them are a massive investment, but school dist...
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April 26, 2023 • 21 mins
For new players in the EV manufacturing space, success depends on finding ways to stand out. That means designing your charging stations with aesthetics top of mind and including software out of the box to integrate with future EV innovations. It also means doubling down on using high-quality, automotive-grade hardware to ensure the reliability of the product is as close to 100% as possible. This is exactly the strategy Autel Energ...
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April 11, 2023 • 19 mins
Tires wear faster on EVs as a result of the added weight of the vehicle and the near-instant torque provided by the all-electric drivetrain. Can tiremakers really combat this by tweaking the compounding or materials and putting an EV stamp on the sidewall of the tire?
The short answer: Yes! The long answer: Yes... but maybe we're asking the wrong question.
Tires are complicated and offer endless varieties of combinations of cost, per...
The short answer: Yes! The long answer: Yes... but maybe we're asking the wrong question.
Tires are complicated and offer endless varieties of combinations of cost, per...
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March 29, 2023 • 19 mins
It's easy to read the headlines on social media and pontificate on where the market is headed in the comment sections of all your best friends' posts, but if you really want to develop a solid understanding it's best to talk directly with those making waves in the industry. There's no better place to do that than on the tradeshow floor.
Sustainability and electrification seem to be all the rage in the trucking industry today, but it...
Sustainability and electrification seem to be all the rage in the trucking industry today, but it...
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March 13, 2023 • 30 mins
Ponder this, non-EV owners: Would you accept an EV as your next vehicle if, no matter your budget, you knew you'd always have the range you needed without ever having to plug in to charge up?
If you ask Jeremy McCool, founder and CEO of HEVO, this promise will be the catalyst that will convert the masses to EV owners.
"The one thing that wireless does better than anything else in terms of accelerating EV adoption is that it can provi...
If you ask Jeremy McCool, founder and CEO of HEVO, this promise will be the catalyst that will convert the masses to EV owners.
"The one thing that wireless does better than anything else in terms of accelerating EV adoption is that it can provi...
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February 27, 2023 • 31 mins
If you're an EV owner, you're going to want to own a home charging station too. However, about a third of the U.S. population rented the space where they lived in 2021. That complicates things and slows EV adoption rates across the board.
But where there are problems, so too are opportunities. On this week's show, we speak with the CEO of Refuel Electric Vehicle Solutions, a company that is helping the multifamily sector navigate th...
But where there are problems, so too are opportunities. On this week's show, we speak with the CEO of Refuel Electric Vehicle Solutions, a company that is helping the multifamily sector navigate th...
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February 13, 2023 • 21 mins
As EV adoption grows, so too does the basic understanding of how these vehicles function. While it may still seem bonkers, EVs are managing to take us from Point A to Point B using only a few dozen moving parts, in stark contrast to the tens of thousands you may find in vehicles with internal combustion engines. As you could imagine, this ultimately leads to fewer opportunities for something to go wrong, thus saving the owner a few...
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