Sup. This is Plugged In. The EV newsletter that’s like having a secret weapon in your back pocket. You never know when you’ll need it, but you’ll be glad when you do.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• Toyota Partners With BYD 🚗

• Extinguishing the EV Battery Fire Hype 🔥

• Cruise Robotaxis Need Constant Human Assistance 📉

We’ve also released our EV Handbook! Thanks to the readers who submitted questions last week - if you still have unanswered questions around EVs let us know by reply email!

TOYOTA PARTNERS WITH BYD 🚗

Toyota just pulled the curtain back on this shiny electric Sport Crossover concept.

This new fastback EV is Toyota's way of saying, "Hey, we can be cool, too!"

They teamed up with BYD to create what they're calling a "style hero". Corporate speak for "We really hope this will make us look hip."

It's supposed to be the car that'll make first-time EV buyers swoon and forget that their bank accounts are about to cry.

They're marketing it as the stylish cousin of the SUV family.

Five doors and enough room to make your passengers feel like they're in a lounge. Toyota's got big dreams about making this car a "personal space" for the young crowd.

Now, Toyota and BYD already have an EV lovechild rolling around China, the bZ3. It's like the bZ4X's cousin who studied abroad.

But for the new crossover, BYD's throwing in their Blade batteries and other electric goodies.

By 2026, Toyota's betting on electric cars to make up a good chunk of their sales in Europe. And they're throwing everything to do that.

New batteries. Fancy platforms. Even making the factories smarter.

But let's be real.

A concept car is just a bunch of promises on four wheels until it's actually rolling down the street. Looking at you Nio.

It's got to have a price that doesn't make you gasp and a range that doesn't induce range anxiety.

Toyota's banking on the idea that Millennials and Gen Z are just itching to drop their cash on EVs. But these are savvy buyers won't be swayed by just a pretty face. They'll want the full package, good price, and a battery that lasts longer than their phone. 

We're all waiting to see if Toyota's big electric dream turns into something you can actually buy. Until then, it's all just a very, very shiny tease.

EXTINGUISHING THE EV BATTERY FIRE HYPE 🔥

Hey you.

Yeah, you. Have you heard?

Cars are catching on fire 😮

But before you go thinking it's EVs with their battery packs and space-age vibes, hold your horses.

According to some number crunching from 2023, your good ol' gasoline guzzlers are the ones throwing the real fiery fiestas.

Like 1,530 shindigs per 100,000 cars sold.

EVs? They're sparking up 25 parties per 100,000. Party poopers, right?

So why's everyone still chatting up a storm about EVs being a fire hazard?

Well, Professor Paul A. Kohl from GeorgiaTech reckons it's because gas fires are so last century. They don't get the people going anymore.

Seriously, he saw a car barbecue on the freeway recently, and it was less 'breaking news' and more 'break for lunch' for the onlookers. Total yawn fest.

But let the whisper of an EV-related fire start... and it's a Hollywood blockbuster premiering in the streets.

Take Hanoi, where an electric scooter got blamed for a fire faster than you can say "fake news."

Turns out, it was a gas scooter playing the villain all along, but that didn't stop a citywide crackdown on EVs.

And remember the ship fire with all those cars? The media was betting on an EV starting that bonfire, but spoiler ahead—it wasn't them.

Over in Sweden, EVs are practically saints with only 24 cars getting toasty in 2022.

That's a tiny 0.004 percent!

Meanwhile, gas cars are living it up with a fire rate 20 times higher.

But when an EV does decide to light up, putting it out can be a real drama.

It's like firefighters are bringing a water pistol to a flamethrower fight. Only half of the firefighters in the U.S. are trained to tango with an EV inferno.

Despite all the side-eye at EVs, the world's still doing the electric slide away from fossil fuels. So as we gear up for an electric future, let's not let the rumor mill run on overdrive.

It's time to park those outdated myths and get charged up by the facts. Because soon, EVs won't be the new kids on the block—they'll be part of the gang.

CRUISE ROBOTAXIS NEED CONSTANT HUMAN ASSISTANCE 📉

Oh, boy.

Cruise, the robotaxi dream, is having a bit of a nightmare.

Remember when we thought self-driving cars would be like, "Look Ma, no hands!" all the time? Well, turns out it's more like "Look Ma, I still need you!" every four to five miles.

Despite having the word 'self-driving' as their middle name, these cars are like when your kids say they're going to study at their friend's house. When actually, they're there for the snacks and Wi-Fi.

The New York Times spilled the beans that these cars have a whole army of human helpers on standby. Ready to jump in when the cars get a bit confused. Which is pretty often.

And then, like that one friend who overshares on social media, Cruise's CEO, Kyle Vogt, pops up in the comments to say, "Yeah, that's kinda true."

bHe mentions that their cars need a human high-five through the internet about 2-4% of the time. 2-4%? Doesn't sound so bad.

But when you do the math, it's needing a hint every few miles.

Imagine if you had to call a friend every few pages into reading a book to ask what's happening. That's a lot.

Now, the company tried to play it cool, like it's all part of the plan. They say their cars are being extra cautious, like double-checking the answer in a group quiz.

And sure, the remote helpers are not really driving-driving the cars... they're just giving them a little nudge in the right direction, kind of like a GPS with a heartbeat.

But this whole thing raises more questions than my three-year-old nephew. Like, how exactly are these remote humans helping out?

Are they playing a real-life video game with the cars?

And what about the hackers?

Has Cruise got that covered, or is it like leaving your front door open with a sign that says 'Come on in'?

In a world where AI can do everything but make your morning coffee... (coming soon). It turns out Cruise Robotaxis still need a grown-up in the room.

This story is less about 'robots taking over the world' and more 'robots politely asking for help... a lot. 

THE JUICE 🔋

The EV Handbook - Compiled by Battery Boy of Plugged In

Great News: There’s a Wedge-Shaped Honda On The Way

EVs to surpass two-thirds of global car sales by 2030

Tesla finally offers V2H capability - “Powershare”

Hyundai and Kia introduce a new ‘Uni Wheel’ drive system

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.