Best Irrelevant But Awesome Podcasts (2025)

1
How Does All That Awesome Tech Get Into Your Connected Car? Laurie Fitzgerald, President, Avanci Vehicle 43:05

8d ago43:05

43:05

By now, you have probably heard that there are more than 200 million connected cars on the road today. But, wait a minute. What is a connected car – and how does a connected car make our lives better? A simple way to think about it is that a connected car is one that is linked to the internet, just like our phone. And like our smartphones, that lin…

1
"China Will Be Dominant And America Will Be Irrelevant." Kyle Chan, Author, New York Times Op-Ed 37:20

15d ago37:20

37:20

It is hard for Americans to imagine not being No. 1. The US has been the leading industrial, economic and military power since the end of WWII. But now America confronts a challenger that appears to be bigger, faster and more ambitious. That challenger is China. The PRC now manufactures one third of the world's cars, sixty percent of EVs, seventy p…

1
Trump's Tariff Shock Treatment - What's Next? Wendy Cutler, Vice President, Asia Society Policy Institute 31:21

1M ago31:21

31:21

How do we begin to get our minds around the global blitz of tariffs unleashed by the Trump Administration. Is it madness or is there a method to the madness? One thing is certain: Donald Trump has definitely captured the attention of leaders in Asia, Europe, Mexico and Canada. They are trying to come to terms with arguably the greatest economic and…

1
Let Only Red Flowers Bloom. Emily Feng, Author and International Correspondent, NPR. 34:43

2M ago34:43

34:43

When it comes to China, most Americans are mostly in the dark. Don't believe me? Just quiz your friends. Ask them to name the five largest cities in China. Or to tell you the difference between people in Fujian and Sichuan, or Beijing and Guangzhou? Or how many cars China exported last year. Is China's economy booming on the back of record exports …

1
InEvitable: Inside the Messy Unstoppable Transition to Electrics. Mike Colias, Author & Detroit Deputy Bureau Chief, Autos, Wall St Journal 45:48

2M ago45:48

45:48

When it comes to EVs, people seem to embrace one of two schools of thought. In school one, electric vehicles may have a role to play but that role is limited. Manufacturers should not be required to build them. And citizens should not be required to pay taxes to subsidize purchase of EVs. In school two, the belief is that electric vehicles are, wit…

1
China Overcapacity: A Permanent Feature, Not A Bug. Joerg Wuttke, Partner, Albright Stonebridge Group 47:48

3M ago47:48

47:48

Chinese leaders believe overcapacity across industries including automotive is a cyclical problem that fresh growth will solve. Foreign investors with experience in the PRC see things differently. To them, overcapacity is a direct result of China's planned economy. Not only does massive overcapacity spark price wars inside China, it also threatens …

1
Navigating the U.S.-China Landscape: Michael Dunne Joins FACE-OFF 45:42

3M ago45:42

45:42

We're trying something a little different this week! Michael Dunne recently appeared as a guest on the podcast FACE-OFF: The U.S. vs. China, where he had an insightful and engaging conversation with host Jane Perlez. He enjoyed the discussion so much that he wanted to share it with you. The description below is from the FACE-OFF podcast. ==========…

1
Autonomous Vehicle Cannonball Run Record. Alex Roy, Co-Founder, New Industry Venture Capital 53:54

3M ago53:54

53:54

Alex Roy and his co-pilots recently made two historic coast to coast trips - California to New York - in his brand new Model S. Their mission: Measure the efficiency and safety of the Tesla FSD system. How close was Tesla to mastering full autonomy? Roy and Team use two key metrics. The first is the total number of disengagements – whether voluntar…

1
Industrial Crown Jewel Of the Future: Rare Earths-to-Magnets. Dean Evans, Co-Founder, Evolution 23:13

4M ago23:13

23:13

What are the industrial crown jewels of the future? Most of us can name two of them right away: Chips that power the brains behind everything, including AI. And batteries or energy storage systems. Batteries power not only EVs but have a much wider application in delivering energy to factories and countless military applications. There is a third o…

1
Ensuring Win-Win Doesn't Mean Western Companies Lose Twice. Ken Wilcox, Author and Former CEO Silicon Valley Bank 45:06

5M ago45:06

45:06

What can we say for sure about China? Many of us can rattle off some incredible statistics. It is a manufacturing and technology powerhouse. China ran up an astonishing $1 trillion dollar surplus in 2024. China builds more EVs than all other countries combined. And China has enough capacity to supply total global demand for batteries. We know these…

1
Europe: Launching The Clean Industrial Deal. Barbara Glowacka, Cabinet Member, Energy, European Commission 47:36

7M ago47:36

47:36

Europe's aim is to become a global leader in adopting next generation clean technologies. In the first phase, beginning in 2020, the focus was on meeting ambitious emission reductions goals. Four years later, the European Commission is making an important adjustment to its strategy. The new goal is to have Europe be a global leader in adopting and …

1
Europe Under Maximum (China EV) Pressure: Roger Atkins, Founder, Electric Vehicles Outlook 45:34

7M ago45:34

45:34

Europe wants to go green in a hurry. China has EVs to help Europe achieve their goal faster. What's the problem? The problem is that too many Chinese cars are flooding into France, Germany and Italy And that is putting enormous pressure on Europe's auto industry. Making things worse, European brands' sales are skidding in China, which used to be th…

1
How To Make The (Clunky and Complicated) EV Charging Experience Better. Christopher Balcom, Schneider Electric 39:24

8M ago39:24

39:24

One of the most significant limiters to EV adoption in America is the dreaded charging experience. Where do I find the nearest station? Wil, the chargers work? Do I need an app? Will I be safe sitting alone in my car for thirty minutes? Who can I call if things go wrong? In this episode, we learn from Christopher Balcom of Schneider Electric that i…

1
History W/ Arnold & Musk, Plus The Future of EVs & Automated Vehicles. Dr. Daniel Sperling, Institute of Transportation Studies UC Davis 46:04

8M ago46:04

46:04

Dr. Daniel Sperling is one of the world's leading experts on electric vehicles. His knowledge runs very deep. Dr. Sperling founded the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. He has written 13 books, including Two Billion Cars, and published 250 papers. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to the powerful…

1
Getting To More Affordable EVs Starts With Batteries: Vincent Pluvinage, CEO, and K.T. Neumann, Board Members, OneD Battery Sciences 51:11

10M ago51:11

51:11

Here is a candidate for the single most important development in the global auto industry this year: One of every two new cars sold in China this year will be electric. Half! In the US and Europe, we are experiencing a kind of EV wheel spin. EVs as a share of total sales in America still hover under 10%. Europe is a bit higher at 15%, but the pace …

1
Building An Electric Sports Car That Ignites Maximum Emotion. Toni Piech, Founder and Tobias Moers, CEO, Piech Automotive 55:15

11M ago55:15

55:15

It is no secret that electric cars are fast - very fast. But for many drivers, EVs like Tesla or Lucid - even Porsche - do not seem to fuel quite the same emotion as sports cars powered by internal combustion engines. To borrow the French term, the piece de resistance seems to be missing. This makes today's buyers ask: What is the point of driving …

1
What's Web 3.0 & How Will It Make Our (Automotive) Lives Better? Tram Vo/Co-founder/MOBI & Marguerite Watanabe/Founder/Connections Insights 27:41

12M ago27:41

27:41

In his best-selling book, Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari describes the most important feature that separates human beings from all other species on the planet: Imagination. We have the ability to imagine something that does not (yet) exist, communicate the concept to others and persuade them to believe it. As a concrete example, he cites the limited li…

1
What Exactly Is A Software-Defined Vehicle? John Wall, SVP and Head of QNX Engineering, Product and Operations, Blackberry QNX 47:24

1y ago47:24

47:24

By now you may have heard the term software defined vehicle. But what does it mean? Tesla was the first to make one. Chinese automakers like NIO and Xpeng followed quickly. Most Western OEMs today are still figuring out how to make them. But what exactly is a software-defined vehicle? How do they work? Today I am joined on the Driving With Dunne po…

1
The Secret Superpower of Chinese Automakers? Dr. Ilaria Mazzocco, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) 39:34

1y ago39:34

39:34

Dr. Ilaria Mazzocco and her colleagues at CSIS found that Chinese subsidies to companies in strategic industries are more than twice as high as in other countries. The numbers are not insignificant. This week, we learned that BYD secured some $3.4 billion in subsidies in 2023 alone. As a group Chinese automakers have benefited from tens of billions…

1
The Giant Battle Over The Critical Minerals That Power Our Future: Ernest Scheyder, Author, The War Below. 45:20

1y ago45:20

45:20

The world is in the midst of a monumental transition from fossil fuels to critical minerals. Those critical minerals, like lithium, cobalt and nickel, are the key ingredients in the batteries that power electric cars, cell phones, electric lawn mowers and more. Today, the minerals are extracted from the ground at mining sites around the world. Mass…

1
US-China: Bigger Storms Ahead. Jim McGregor, Chairman Greater China, APCO Worldwide 46:03

1+ y ago46:03

46:03

By now everyone understands US-China relations are at their worst in 50 years. There is mutual distrust. And mutual animosity. China complains bitterly that America is trying to keep it down. America, meanwhile, is wary of China's new-found aggressiveness. Are the world's two most powerful countries heading for a showdown? If so, how should compani…

1
Can Autonomous Vehicles Get Back Up After Knockout Punches? Alex Roy, Principal, Johnson & Roy 29:09

1+ y ago29:09

29:09

What is an autonomous vehicle? And how will we know one when we see one? Today, the picture is pretty confusing. We have all sorts of names out there: autonomous, self-driving, fully self driving, drive pilot, autopilot, blue cruise, super cruise, Sensing 360, Apollo and NGP navigated guided pilot. Further complicating the picture: In recent months…

1
Are Silicon Batteries The Next Breakthrough? Rick Luebbe, Founder & CEO, Group 14 Technologies 36:39

1+ y ago36:39

36:39

It is time to take an honest look at battery technologies. The fact is that batteries that power electric cars today have many limitations. There are limits to the range they can deliver. There are limits to how quickly you can charge them. And there are limits to how many times they can be charged before they start losing their full capacity. And …

1
Meet the Luvly O, A Light Urban Vehicle That Solves A Lot of Problems 36:52

1+ y ago36:52

36:52

In this episode, we use our imagination, well, to imagine a totally different kind of future. One in which we get to where we want to go in town not in several thousand pound SUVs but in sensible light weight vehicles that save on fuel and are good for the environment. Our guest is Hakan Lutz, founder and CEO of Luvly, developer of the Luvly O, a t…

1
What The West Must Do To Match China on Affordable EVs: Vincent Pluvinage, Karl-Thomas Neumann and James Frith, OneD Battery Sciences 56:48

1+ y ago56:48

56:48

Many say that price is the single biggest limiter to EV demand in Western countries. In the United States, the average price of a new EV is $53,000. In Europe, the number is even higher - $60,000. On the other hand, China produces EVs across the price spectrum – from $5,500 to $160,000. Why is it so hard to match China on cost? What steps must West…

1
China: One Bed, Two Dreams. Ken Wilcox, Former CEO, Silicon Valley Bank. 54:56

1+ y ago54:56

54:56

When a Western executive is called on to build business in China what should be his or her mindset? What are the most important things they need to know before they go? Ken Wilcox, former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, has answers. For three years, Mr Wilcox ran a 50-50 joint venture with the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. On paper the two partners…

1
China's Economy: On The Verge of Collapse – Or Not? Leland Miller, CEO, China Beige Book 38:09

1+ y ago38:09

38:09

What is the truth about China' economy today? Read the headlines or social media and we could be forgiven for thinking that the People's Republic is falling apart. The 42 trillion property market seems to be in a death spiral. Youth unemployment is at record highs. Government debt keeps rocketing higher. And just this week, reports that foreign com…

1
Leveraging AI For Battery Breakthroughs. Jason Koeller, Co-Founder and CTO, Chemix 38:46

1+ y ago38:46

38:46

When it comes to batteries for Evs, can we be done with the incremental, inch by inch improvements? Everyone in the battery business is looking for a breakthrough. Dramatically more range. Lower costs. Faster charging. And, of course, make them safer. Today we meet a potential game changer: AI. Artificial Intelligence has the ability to assess and …

1
Chinese Car Exports, Subsidies & Simmering Trade Tensions. Wendy Cutler, Vice President, Asia Society Policy Institute 38:33

1+ y ago38:33

38:33

China is surpassing Japan in 2023 to become the world's leading exporter of cars. BYDs, Cherys and Zeekrs are finding their way to more than 100 markets worldwide. Top destinations include Russia, Mexico, Australia and Spain. Never before in the history of the car has the world witnessed such explosive growth in car exports from a single country. N…

1
When Are Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems Better Than Battery Electrics? Charlie Freese, Executive Director, General Motors 34:56

1+ y ago34:56

34:56

Tesla and BYD steal the headlines as they race for global leadership in battery electric vehicles. But on the near horizon there is another technology that delivers zero emissions: hydrogen fuel cells. General Motors has been developing fuel cell solutions for more than 20 years. They are doing important pilot testing of fuel cell applications for …

1
The Blockbuster China Story That Won A Pulitzer - Part II. David Barboza, Co-Founder, The Wire - China 45:19

1+ y ago45:19

45:19

We begin Part II of this conversation with David Barboza in the days leading up to publication of arguably the most explosive and dangerous story out of China in 50 years. For the past 18 months, Barboza has been systematically collecting records and data and information about a massive amount of wealth accrued by the family of China's Prime Minist…

1
Writing The Blockbuster China Story That Won The Pulitizer: David Barboza, Co-Founder, The Wire - China - Part 1 48:13

1+ y ago48:13

48:13

David Barboza won a Pulitzer prize for a blockbuster story he wrote while reporting in China for the New York Times. The story took years to research and write. Here is how things got started: Barboza had challenged himself with a daring and impossible goal. Would it be feasible, he wondered, to gather evidence that powerful leaders in China's Comm…

1
From the Volt to the Bolt to the Lucid Air: Tony Posawatz, CEO, Fermata Energy 37:18

2y ago37:18

37:18

For most of his career, Tony Posawatz was a highly successful engineer working in GM's lucrative truck division. That meant big rigs powered by gasoline and diesel engines. Then one day in 2006 GM's top leadership appointed him to lead a breakthrough initiative. "Build us an electric car that will make people forget all about the Toyota Prius," the…

1
Chinese Cars & Everything Else: Coming To Your Neighborhood Soon. Jorge Guajardo, Former Mexican Ambassador to China. 30:11

2y ago30:11

30:11

Here is the powerful China formula for commercial dominance that everyone needs to know. Build up massive capacity. Achieve scale. Reduce costs. And then export like a bat out of hell all over the world. This is exactly how China overwhelmed the solar panel industry. Will cars be next? You bet. In fact, it is already happening. China today has the …

1
Mexico: China's Backdoor Play? Jorge Guajardo, Partner, Dentons Global Advisors & Former Mexican Ambassador to China 32:53

2y ago32:53

32:53

Who supplies the most cars to the Mexican market? If you guessed China, you are not wrong. China is flooding the market with low cost gasoline-powered and electric vehicles. Leading brands include SAIC-MG, Great Wall and Chery. But there's more. One of every two vehicles GM sells in Mexico is built in China. Meanwhile, Chinese suppliers are pouring…

1
She Test Drives 80 Cars a Year. What's Her Verdict? Nicole Wakelin, Creator, The Road Reflected 42:18

2y ago42:18

42:18

Never before in the history of humanity have we had so many choices when it comes to what we drive. Think about it: We have cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, crossovers. station wagons. On size we run the spectrum from the tiny Mini Cooper beastly Hummer. And now these vehicles might be powered by gasoline engines, hybrids, batteries or hydrogen. Some of …

1
What BYD Looks Like From the Inside: Carlos Roma, Veteran Executive, BYD do Brazil 48:50

2y ago48:50

48:50

China is now the world's No. 1 exporter of cars and trucks, blowing past Japan. In 2023, Chinese automakers will ship more than 4 million vehicles to over 100 markets markets worldwide. Leading destinations include Russia, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Sweden, Malaysia and Mexico. How good are these Chinese cars? And what kinds of challenges are they bound …

1
China: Dominator In The Global Battery Arms Race. Simon Moores, CEO, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence 38:04

2y ago38:04

38:04

Ready or not, we are in the midst of a global battery arms race. China enjoys a commanding lead. America and Europe are racing to catch up. This week we are joined by Simon Moores, CEO, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. No one on the planet knows more about the lithium ion battery industry and gigafactories than Simon. He's been laser focused on it f…

1
Taiwan: China's Salami Slicing Takeover Strategy. With Guest Bethany Allen, Author, Beijing Rules 34:14

2y ago34:14

34:14

How much do you know about Taiwan? Until recently, most people in the world, if they were being honest, would say practically nothing. But not today. Today, Taiwan finds itself in a highly precarious situation. The People's Republic of China has clear its intentions to integrate Taiwan, to take control of the island and its 22 million residents. No…

1
BYD: The Roar of China's EV Powerhouse 34:34

2y ago34:34

34:34

BYD is an electric vehicle powerhouse. Already dominant globally in buses and trucks, BYD is now chasing Tesla for world leadership in battery-powered electric vehicles. The Shenzhen-based company will produce more than 3 million electric vehicles in 2023. Many of those cars and SUVs will find their way to global markets including Thailand, Mexico,…

1
Tech Frankenstein Invades The Car: Kathy Rizk, JD Power 31:44

2y ago31:44

31:44

It is no secret that technology is taking over our cars. But what is stunning is the speed and magnitude of the onslaught. Some of it looks amazing. Other stuff feels downright invasive. Hello biometrics and autonomous driving. Where did you come from, phantom braking. And did I agree to those driver monitoring cameras capturing my every move? Coul…

1
America's Booming Battery Belt, Chris Berry, Founder, House Mountain Partners 40:08

2y ago40:08

40:08

Think of batteries for electric cars as the most important American industrial movement since WWII. Investors are pouring more than $100 billion into new battery plants across the country, from South Carolina to Georgia, from Ohio to Michigan. There's new battery factories coming up in Kansas, Texas and Arizona, too. These battery manufacturing sit…

1
Mercedes-Benz –The New Software King? Magnus Ostberg, Chief Software Officer, Mercedes-Benz AG 38:10

2y ago38:10

38:10

You may not know it yet but there is a great battle underway for your eyes and for your ears inside the car. That battle is taking place between two powerful competitors. In this corner, we have current hardware and software giants like Apple and Google. Most of us are already addicted to their weapons - smartphones. In that corner, we have giant g…

1
Why This New Hampshire Family Is Not Going Electric – At Least Not Yet. Guest: Entrepreneur Andy Minckler 29:53

2y ago29:53

29:53

Drive the streets of San Diego and it will feel like the whole world is going electric. Here is a Tesla Model 3. There is a Hyundai Ioniq 5. Look at that Lucid Air. Or that cyber orange Mach E. Take your driving to the northern climes, like Detroit, Michiganor Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the picture looks totally different. There full-size pickup tru…

1
The Mongolian-Manchurian-Stanford Entrepreneur. Lu Zhang, Founder, Fusion Fund 44:07

2y ago44:07

44:07

Ms. Lu Zhang moved from Inner Mongolia to the United States at the age of 20 to study material sciences at Stanford. Shortly after graduation, she founded her first company - one that made her independently wealthy. Today she leads Fusion Fund, a Palo-Alto based venture capital company that focuses on early stage investments. Ms Zhang is recognized…

1
Cracking The Affordable EV Code. Vincent Pluvinage, Co-Founder, OneD Battery Sciences - PT2 32:26

2y ago32:26

32:26

Electric vehicles are expensive, out of reach for most customers. The average price of EVs sold in America last year was $65,000. The story in Europe was similar. China offers more affordable EVs. But they are driven by batteries that deliver dramatically lower range or power – or both. Who wants to buy an EV that is not quick off the start ? Or on…

1
Sensors: The Car's Almost-Perfect Eyes. Ross Jatou, GM, Onsemi's Intelligent Sensing Group 40:04

2y ago40:04

40:04

Most modern cars come with adaptive front lighting, park assist, surround-view and rear view cameras, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and collision avoidance. But how do these magical powers work? These systems use image sensors that continuously sample the vehicle’s operating environment. A machine vis…

1
Investing In Software Startups for Battery And Charging – Risks and Upsides. Marie Thompson, Partner, Powerhouse Ventures 46:10

2y ago46:10

46:10

Powerhouse Ventures invests in early-stage software companies that save energy, save time – or both. Of the 33 companies in Powerhouse portfolio, several operate in the battery and electric charging arena. A few years ago, Ms Thompson made a monumental shift from the oil and gas industry in Texas to the clean energy focus that defines her work at P…

1
Cracking the Code For Affordable EVs: Vincent Pluvinage, Co-Founder, OneD Battery Sciences 40:46

2+ y ago40:46

40:46

Electric vehicles remain expensive, out of reach for most customers. The average price of EVs sold in America last year was $65,000. The story in Europe was similar. China offers more affordable EVs, but they are driven by batteries that deliver dramatically lower range or power – or both. Who wants to buy an EV that is not quick off the start ? Or…

1
Boom! Pop! Battery Lockup. John Voelcker On Some Unpleasant Fast-Charging Moments 44:48

2+ y ago44:48

44:48

In late 2022 and early 2023, customers from Ford, Rivian and Bolt separately reported an unusual and slightly terrifying experience while fast charging their vehicles. In the middle of their charge sessions, customers recalled hearing a large boom, then a pop. Seconds later, their charging stopped and their battery ceased to work. Tow trucks were s…

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Irrelevant But Awesome Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen