Directly Current: EVs for All America

Rivian is on a tear in 2026 with their affordable R2 SUV earning accolades and maxing out their American production capacity. Behind the scenes, AJ Hatzis leads strategy and growth for the company's highly-regarded DC-fast charging network, the Rivian Adventure Network (RAN, for short). Max catches up with him to learn why Rivian is investing so much in its own chargers, even for non-Rivian EVs, and what makes them special.
Some highlights of the convo:
- Rivian's vertical integration advantage at tying in great charging hardware with a reliable ecosystem
- The differing strategies between retail hubs and remote outposts that Rivian serves
- The brand investment made at sites like Moab where you can buy granola and test drive an R2!
- What AJ's learned in his decade-plus of experience in the evolving DCFC business
🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

 🔗 Resources and Links:
Check out a map of Rivian's sites
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EVs for All America founder Mike Murphy just went cross-country, 3,000 miles with zero gas and plenty of American factory tours in his brand new Porsche Cayenne Electric. Max and Mike catch up to see how the journey went, unpack how easy and fast charging has become, and the highs and lows of seeing free world auto investment in a landscape of turbulent US policy contrasted by clear global progress in electrification.
Some highlights of the journey and their conversation:
- A drone mishap at a windy Bucc-ees station in Texas
- A missed highway exit for a critical cahrging stop and an opportune turnout that let Mike roast some fancy tires on gravel
- Mike's stops at from Tesla, Honda, Francis Energy, LG Energy that tell a story of American investment
- The duo's recommendations on the best non-Porsche road tripping EVs to buy for the rest of us
🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

Resources and Links:
Watch the full series
Read Mike's Substack writeup on the journey
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Support EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)

Dario Pagani transitioned from ChargePoint to Autel Energy years ago as the compancy, once a scan-tool manufacturer from Shenzhen, was building out its transition to charging hardware with a North Carolina factory and California-based innovation center. He's ready to share some of the trends he's seen in both the level 2 (slow) and DC (fast) charging industries for EVs, where market and incentive structures are shaping a lucrative but novel business that's part-construction, part-manufacturing reliant on global supply chains, and part-technology company.
Max and Dario go over
- The aggressive pace of EV charging relative to modest EV passenger adoption in the US
- The challenges since COVID of being a global manufacturer who produces their own hardware
- The evolution of his role from being at a CPO (Charge Point Operator) to a company that ships interoperable hardware that is flexible
- Trends he's seeing in the charging business as retail and multifamily adoption grows
🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

Resources and Links:
Check out Dario's LinkedIn

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Jamie Butters was the Editor in Chief of Automotive News, has covered the Motor City at outlets like the Wall Street Journal, and is hosting a regular radio show called Auto Town speaking to folks inside the American car industry. Max speaks with him to get an idea at how Detroit is doing in the current US moment where oil prices are high, consumers love hybrids, and fuel standards are absent, giving automakers a spout of relief but also uncertainty for the future ahead as Chinese cars continue their global conquest abroad. 
Max and Jamie go over
- The pause in fuel economy standards giving American automakers relief
- Hybrid portfolios and the hype over "EREVs" in Detroit
- The tension of value per dollar to the consumer and privacy/national domestic manufacturing that Chinese EVs present to North America
- The enduring, emotional appeal of combustion to enthusiasts
🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

Resources and Links:
Listen to Jamie's Auto Town on Radio or Podcast Feeds

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Support EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)

Transportation electrification is often framed in environmental terms, but Ben Prochazaka and his colleagues at the Electrification Coalition present a different reason to plug in. Oil dependence is a dangerous addiction for economic and geopolitical reasons, as current events have reminded many Americans. He joins the show to explain the progress made in EVs, both passenger and freight, and how barriers like affordability are rapidly becoming less steep.
Max and Ben go over
- The roadblocks to EVs in charging, supply chain, and affordability
- Oil dependency in the US and why electrification is a must
- The progress in medium and heavy duty electrification with Tesla Semi
- The unfair surface transportation bill being proposed to unduly tax EV drivers
🎙️ Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

Resources and Links:
Tell your Congress person about the unfair EV bill
Stay tuned to the Electrification Roadmap
⚡ Stay Plugged In
Support EVs for All America (and buy our merch!)