The Drivecast

Your OBDII app might have put you on a federal list

Years ago EZ Lynk was in the news for its products, how they were being used, and what they were enabling consumers to do with their vehicles. Now, five years later, the book has been opened, again, and the department of justice is looking at how EZ Lynk enabled customers in modifying their vehicles in a way that violated laws. This time? The DOJ is targeting consumers and their data, which is a whole new set of issues. So today, it’s The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs discussing EZ Lynk, the DOJ, diesel defeat devices, and the Pandora's box that is being opened. Stories mentioned in today's episode: DOJ Orders Apple, Google to Hand Over OBDII App User Data in Emissions Probe [https://www.thedrive.com/news/doj-orders-apple-google-to-hand-over-obdii-app-user-data-in-emissions-probe] US Government Sues Diesel Truck Tuner EZ Lynk Over Emissions Defeat Devices [https://www.thedrive.com/news/39676/us-government-sues-diesel-truck-tuner-ez-lynk-over-emissions-defeat-devices] Fast Times and Million-Dollar Fines: Inside the EPA’s Messy War on Dirty Diesel Trucks [https://www.thedrive.com/news/inside-the-epas-messy-war-on-dirty-diesel-trucks] Trump Administration Guts Framework Behind U.S. Auto Emissions Regulations [https://www.thedrive.com/news/trump-administration-guts-framework-behind-u-s-auto-emissions-regulations] Emissions Defeat Devices No Longer a Top Priority for EPA [https://www.thedrive.com/news/emissions-defeat-devices-no-longer-a-top-priority-for-epa] Feds Won’t Pursue Criminal Charges Against Tuners for OBDII Tampering Anymore [https://www.thedrive.com/news/feds-wont-pursue-criminal-charges-against-tuners-for-obdii-tampering-anymore] Previously Imprisoned Diesel Tuner Receives Federal Pardon [https://www.thedrive.com/news/previously-imprisoned-diesel-tuner-receives-federal-pardon] 00:00 Intro 01:33 About last week 05:25 History and how we got here today 08:20 EZ Lynk 09:38 Consumer privacy 13:02 The scale of the situation 14:13 From President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump 17:43 What comes next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why Porsche is about to copy... Hyundai??

Believe it or not but one automaker is about to copy another’s idea—and neither are who you’d expect. Porsche is an unquestioned leader in the world of performance cars, and its careful treatment of the 911, Cayman, and Boxster is often imitated, never duplicated. But now? It’s about to steal a controversial move from an unlikely source— Hyundai—as it tries to figure out the magic formula for a fun-to-drive electric car. What a world. So today, it’s The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing fun versus electric cars: how a company like Porsche ends up copying Hyundai, what the various tricks automakers are trying means for the next generation of EVs, and why this all matters more than you’d think. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Porsche Is Adding Fake Gear Shifts to Its EVs, 2027 Taycan Will Be First: Exclusive [https://www.thedrive.com/news/porsche-is-adding-fake-gear-shifts-to-its-evs-2027-taycan-will-be-first-exclusive] Future Porsche EVs in frame for Hyundai-like simulated gearboxes [https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/future-porsche-evs-frame-hyundai-simulated-gearboxes] Porsche Says It ‘Learned a Lot’ From the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: TDS [https://www.thedrive.com/news/porsche-says-it-learned-a-lot-from-the-hyundai-ioniq-5-n-tds] 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Review: A Racing Sim You Can Drive on the Road [https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/2025-hyundai-ioniq-5-n-review-a-racing-sim-you-can-drive-on-the-road] 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Preview Drive: More Fun Than Most Sports Cars [https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/2026-hyundai-ioniq-6-n-quick-review] Fake Gears, Real Fun: A Pro Driver Makes the Case for EV Gimmicks [https://www.thedrive.com/news/fake-gears-real-fun-a-pro-driver-makes-the-case-for-ev-gimmicks] 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V First Drive Review: Succeeding Where Mercedes Failed [https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/2026-cadillac-lyriq-v-first-drive-review-succeeding-where-mercedes-failed] 2026 Rivian R1T Quad First Drive Review: When Too Much Is Just Enough [https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/2026-rivian-r1t-quad-review] Rivian’s RAD Tuner Is Like An Equalizer For Your EV’s Powertrain [https://www.thedrive.com/news/rivians-rad-tuner-is-like-an-equalizer-for-your-evs-powertrain] 00:00 Intro 06:49 Porsche is about to copy Hyundai's fake gear shifts in EVs 08:47 What is a virtual transmission for an EV? 17:06 The Dodge Charger Daytona 22:28 Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz 24:12 A limit to the efficacy of these systems 25:02 Hyundai Ioniq 6 n 27:23 Maserati 30:54 Rivian 32:32 Lucid 35:26 Legacy vs. startup automakers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Billions burned: The great EV reckoning

It's time to check in on the state of electric vehicles both in America and abroad—and how much money automakers have lit on fire in the last few years rushing to cash in on electrification, which… hasn’t really paid off. Now, it feels like a big correction is underway. Car companies spent most of 2025 in a wait-and-see position, but now they’ve waited and seen enough, and started to make big moves. Ford killed its once-revolutionary F-150 Lightning pickup, Honda killed its next-gen EVs that were supposed to be built and sold in America and lost over $15 billion in the process, GM has paused development of its next-gen electric trucks, Nissan’s walked things back and shifted directions, Volvo’s killed an entire model line, and more. It’s a wild and wildly expensive time to be an automaker, and the decisions being made now will have long-lasting effects on the shape of the global auto industry for years. This week it's The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing the state of the EV union—how automakers are reacting to the uncertainty, whether they’re over-correcting, and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Stellantis’ EV Retreat Cost the Automaker $26.5 Billion: TDS [https://www.thedrive.com/news/stellantiss-ev-retreat-cost-the-automaker-26-5-billion-tds] Ford’s EV Gamble and Bust Will Cost the Automaker $19.5 Billion: TDS [https://www.thedrive.com/news/fords-ev-gamble-and-bust-will-cost-the-automaker-19-5-billion-tds] GM CFO Says Automaker Can Absorb EV Losses: TDS [https://www.thedrive.com/news/gm-cfo-says-automaker-can-absorb-ev-losses-tds] Honda Kills Three US-Built EVs Before They Ever Launch, Taking up to $15 Billion Loss [https://www.thedrive.com/news/honda-kills-three-us-built-evs-before-they-ever-launch-taking-up-to-7-5-billion-loss] Ford’s Never-Seen, Canceled Moonshot EV Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight Online for a Year [https://www.thedrive.com/news/fords-never-seen-canceled-moonshot-ev-has-been-hiding-in-plain-sight-online-for-a-year] 00:00 Intro 08:13 Who burned how much? 08:34 Stellantis 13:38 Ford 18:42 Honda 24:04 GM 31:05 VW Group 34:38 Nissan 36:36 Toyota 38:04 Mercedes-Benz 39:02 BMW 39:12 Volvo 40: 18 Tesla 41:35 Rivian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Nissan's going all in: Inside the plan

Nissan's in trouble, but the automaker's not going down without a fight. After laying out a massive turnaround plan it's clear Nissan's not just on the ropes, but about to swing for the fences and really try and cater to both the masses and enthusiasts, again, as it refocuses. This week, The Drive's Director of Content and Product, Joel Feder, is joined by Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan [https://www.thedrive.com/category/nissan-news] North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, in an exclusive one-on-one chat taking place in Japan discussing what's coming from both Nissan and Infiniti. From a family of U.S.-made body-on-frame vehicles to special edition Zs, the timeline for the next GT-R, backdate kits, restomod and classic parts, to a 600-plus-horsepower QX80, Pandikuthira spills the goods about how Nissan and Infiniti intends to win back the hearts, and wallets, of buyers ranging from millionaires to enthusiasts on a budget and everyone in-between. So, today, it’s behind-the-scenes on Nissan’s turnaround plan and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Nissan Announces Huge Turnaround Plan To Cut Models and Keep the Good Stuff [https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissan-announces-huge-turnaround-plan-to-cut-models-and-keep-the-good-stuff] Nissan’s Next GT-R Will Be a Hybrid, Keep the VR38 Block, and Arrive by 2030 [https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissans-next-gt-r-will-be-a-hybrid-keep-the-vr38-block-and-arrive-by-2030] The Nissan Z Is Thriving Thanks to an Unlikely Hero: Your Parents [https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-nissan-z-is-thriving-thanks-to-an-unlikely-hero-your-parents] The Next-Gen Nissan Xterra Is Real, and Here’s Your First Look [https://www.thedrive.com/news/heres-your-very-first-look-at-the-next-gen-nissan-xterra] Nissan Confirms New Xterra Will Offer Hybrid and Non-Hybrid V6 Options [https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissan-confirms-new-xterra-will-offer-hybrid-and-non-hybrid-v6-options] Nissan Is Looking at Doing a Sports Car Lineup Again, Exec Says [https://www.thedrive.com/news/nissan-is-looking-at-doing-a-sports-car-lineup-again-exec-says] 00:00 Intro 03:27 Next-gen GT-R 07:46 What's next for the Z? 09:44 Summarization of the upcoming products 10:39 Infiniti's "high-horsepower" sedan (the Skyline) 11:26 The future of Infiniti 15:37 A performance version of the Infiniti QX80 16:43 A Skyline JDM kit for Q50? 19:17 Bringing back and providing heritage parts 22:44 Hotter QX80s and what could come next 25:20 Special projects? 26:44 Xterra is coming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Hyundai and Kia are coming to crash the truck party

In a shocking turn of events: Both Hyundai and Kia are preparing body-on-frame pickup trucks. Sounds far-fetched, but it’s true, and it’s quite the development as these two juggernauts continue to blaze a trail forward challenging the rest of the industry on multiple fronts. It doesn’t sound like we’ll have long to wait. Now Hyundai announced it will kick off a family of body-on-frame vehicles in the U.S. before 2030 and teased them with an SUV that looked like a Bronco competitor. A week later, Kia confirmed it too will be bringing a body-on-frame truck to the U.S. by 2030, and it even talked powertrains. Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder dive behind-the-scenes on Hyundai and Kia preparing to sell you a pickup truck, and what comes next.  Stories mentioned in today's episode: Hyundai Targets Bronco, Wrangler with Body-on-Frame Boulder SUV Concept [https://www.thedrive.com/news/hyundai-targets-bronco-wrangler-with-body-on-frame-boulder-concept] Hyundai Learned the Hard Way What Truck Buyers Do and Don’t Want [https://www.thedrive.com/news/hyundai-learned-the-hard-way-what-truck-buyers-do-and-dont-want] Midsize Trucks Have All the Same Problems. Hyundai Thinks It Can Fix Them [https://www.thedrive.com/news/midsize-trucks-have-all-the-same-problems-hyundai-thinks-it-can-fix-them] Kia’s Launching a Body-on-Frame Truck by 2030: TDS [https://www.thedrive.com/news/kias-launching-a-body-on-frame-truck-by-2030-tds] 00:00 Intro 06:55 Hyundai and Kia have body-on-frame trucks coming 13:26 What Hyundai has told The Drive its truck needs to be 16:55 Which powertrains will these trucks have? 21:21 Kia and Hyundai dealers are a risk 25:45 What do these trucks need to be to win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]