Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Consumer Reports experts discuss the financial viability of EV startups like Rivian and Lucid, share EV charging best practices, give advice for hauling large audio equipment, the future of the minivan, vehicle-to-vehicle communication. We also discuss what it takes to become a Consumer Reports vehicle tester, and compare the real-world costs of driving EVs vs. hybrids and gas-powered vehicles. Have a question for a future episode? Send us your questions or a 30-second video to TalkingCars@iCloud.com
SHOW NOTES:
0:00 - Intro
0:37 - Question #1: What’s the best vehicle for hauling DJ equipment (no minivans please)?
5:17 - Question #2: Are we likely to see automakers produce more minivans like the Kia Carnival?
8:13- Question #3: Why does Rivian seem more financially successful than Lucid? What should you study to become a CR Tester?
13:34 - Question #4: What are the best practices for charging an EV?
15:31 - Question #5: Is it possible to calculate the cost-per-mile of an EV vs. a gas-powered vehicle?
18:13 - Question #6: What happened to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) technology that was being developed by the federal government?
LINKS:
Will an Electric Car Save You Money?: consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/will-an-electric-car-save-you-money-a9436870083/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Toyota Grand Highlander: consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/grand-highlander/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Kia Carnival: consumerreports.org/cars/kia/carnival/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
10 SUVs and Minivans With the Most Usable Cargo Space: consumerreports.org/cars/top-10-suvs-and-minivans-with-the-most-cargo-space-a6572456101/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Owner Satisfaction: Best & Worst Car Brands: consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-and-least-liked-car-brands-a1291429338/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
CR Survey: Hybrids Are Still The Most Reliable Cars: consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/electric-vehicles-are-less-reliable-than-conventional-cars-a1047214174/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Consumer Reports experts discuss the financial viability of EV startups like Rivian and Lucid, share EV charging best practices, give advice for hauling large audio equipment, the future of the minivan, vehicle-to-vehicle communication. We also discuss what it takes to become a Consumer Reports vehicle tester, and compare the real-world costs of driving EVs vs. hybrids and gas-powered vehicles. Have a question for a future episode? Send us your questions or a 30-second video to TalkingCars@iCloud.com
SHOW NOTES:
0:00 - Intro
0:37 - Question #1: What’s the best vehicle for hauling DJ equipment (no minivans please)?
5:17 - Question #2: Are we likely to see automakers produce more minivans like the Kia Carnival?
8:13- Question #3: Why does Rivian seem more financially successful than Lucid? What should you study to become a CR Tester?
13:34 - Question #4: What are the best practices for charging an EV?
15:31 - Question #5: Is it possible to calculate the cost-per-mile of an EV vs. a gas-powered vehicle?
18:13 - Question #6: What happened to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) technology that was being developed by the federal government?
LINKS:
Will an Electric Car Save You Money?: consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/will-an-electric-car-save-you-money-a9436870083/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Toyota Grand Highlander: consumerreports.org/cars/toyota/grand-highlander/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Kia Carnival: consumerreports.org/cars/kia/carnival/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
10 SUVs and Minivans With the Most Usable Cargo Space: consumerreports.org/cars/top-10-suvs-and-minivans-with-the-most-cargo-space-a6572456101/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Owner Satisfaction: Best & Worst Car Brands: consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-and-least-liked-car-brands-a1291429338/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
CR Survey: Hybrids Are Still The Most Reliable Cars: consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/electric-vehicles-are-less-reliable-than-conventional-cars-a1047214174/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
