If you like your auto news with a side of legal intrigue, this one’s for you. Today, Brian Maas, President of the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) is back on the show *again* to talk lawsuits, EV reversals, and why Scout’s reservation list might be more complicated than it looks. First up, a federal court allows CNCDA’s lawsuit move forward, challenging Scout’s direct-to-consumer reservation model and pushing for sales through franchise dealers instead. Scout’s first vehicles are now pushed to 2028, but tens of thousands of consumers have already put down deposits for vehicles that aren’t here yet and might not be sold the way the law intended. Next, Sony Honda Mobility rethinks its electrification strategy, putting the brakes on the infamous Afeela while CNCDA’s lawsuit is still active. And finally, we discussed how Rivian successfully negotiated with dealers to withdraw opposition in Washington. Brian breaks down why some states let Tesla and Rivian sell directly while others don’t, and why dealers say the 125-year-old franchise system still protects local jobs, service, and competition. Ready for more? Press play for a continuation of all the legal drama in the EV world.

_______________________________

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

__________________________

Bear wants you to support his snack addiction, I mean, this show.

Shop all merch here!

https://evs4everyone-shop.fourthwall.com

_______________________________

Connect with Elena:

https://evs4everyone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/

Let's talk on X:

https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryone

Are you connected with the show on LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/

________________________

Christian Spencer, Senior Manager of Marketability at Nissan Technical Center North America joins the show today to tell us exactly what happens when you mash up EV-style performance with hybrid convenience. Nissan calls it e‑POWER, and the all-new 2027 Rogue Hybrid is bringing it to U.S. roads later this year. Driven exclusively by dual electric motors (eliminating the need for a transmission) the gasoline engine serves as a generator and provides convenient refueling. Press play on this episode to get the inside scoop on how the Rogue Hybrid delivers instant, shift-free acceleration with no transmission, why the gas engine is basically just the battery’s personal assistant, the quiet, refined, EV-like drive, and how it stacks up against hybrid heavyweights like Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR‑V. If you love new product reveals and the feeling of your hair getting blown back on acceleration, this one’s for you.

_______________________________

What is Nissan e-POWER? While most hybrid-electric vehicles in the U.S. use a parallel hybrid system, Nissan e-POWER is a next-generation series hybrid. That means two electric motors power the wheels directly, delivering instantaneous torque and quick, smooth acceleration. Meanwhile, a gasoline engine serves as a generator for the battery and motors, providing the convenient refueling that customers equate with internal-combustion vehicles. Drivers refuel just like a typical gas-powered car, there is no plug. In city and suburban driving, the gasoline engine runs infrequently, because speeds are lower and battery demand is modest. On highways or under heavy load, the engine runs more often to maintain battery charge and supply sustained electrical power. The lithium-ion battery stores energy captured through regenerative braking and from the engine, which is connected to a generator instead of a transmission. The third-generation hybrid system in the all-new Rogue, tuned for the North American market, can effectively meet the demands of a wide variety of driving environments.

_______________________________

Learn more about Nissan's Third Generation of e-POWER here.

https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY/ARCHIVE/E_POWER_GEN3/

_______________________________

Shop all EV4E merch here!

https://evs4everyone-shop.fourthwall.com

_______________________________

Connect with Elena:

https://evs4everyone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/

Let's talk on X:

https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryone

Are you connected with the show on LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/

________________________

Working in the auto industry in 2026 is either “a marathon” or “like fracturing a couple ribs” and this episode lives right at that intersection of never ending hustle and pain tolerance. Jimmy Douglas, CEO of Plug, a used EV marketplace built exclusively for electric vehicles and John Possumato CEO of DriveItAway, join the show today to talk about the coming tidal wave of off‑lease EVs (about 1.1 million over the next three years) and why it's the buying opportunity of the decade. With gas prices going off the rails, consumers are finally doing the math: it’s not just about the monthly car payment, it’s about the monthly fuel bill, and EVs are suddenly looking... good? We unpacked why used EVs are the best arbitrage on the planet: often 40–50% depreciated while barely 10% into their useful life, how flexible leases are pulling people with shaky credit and no down payment into reliable transportation, instead of dumping them into 200,000 mile gas beaters, the huge gap between dealers who actively lean into EVs (28‑day turns, healthy margins, happy customers) and those who get one on trade every few months and let it collect dust while sales staff can’t explain regenerative braking and how OEMs like Tesla and others have built powerful pre‑owned pipelines and reconditioning networks behind the scenes. Bottom line: used EVs aren’t a consolation prize. They’re the cheat code for dealers, for consumers, and for an industry trying to survive the most chaotic, opportunity‑packed decade it’s ever seen.

________________________________

This episode is sponsored by DriveItAway. If you’re a franchise dealer, you can now launch a profitable (and scalable) micro-lease to own program with zero upfront costs, to transform your unsold inventory into monthly revenue, effortlessly. And if you want to support DriveItAway’s mission directly, check out their stock on the OTC markets, "DWAY." Learn more at driveitway.com/dealers

_______________________________

Connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn

Connect with John on LinkedIn

________________________________

Connect with Elena:

https://evs4everyone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/

Let's talk on X:

https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryone

Are you connected with the show on LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/

________________________