Cyberflop Talk, $30K Ford Trucks, and VW's Retreat: What EV Owners Should Take From This Week

Every Friday, Electrek's podcast crew sits down to talk through the week's biggest stories in EVs and clean energy — and the September 4 episode had a loaded slate. Host Fred Lambert framed it around what he called Tesla's "latest Cyberflop," a batch of cheap Ford electric pickups, and Volkswagen landing in serious trouble. If you own an EV (or are shopping for one), a few of these items are worth more than a passing glance.

Here's the rundown of what the show covered, and the practical angle for owners.

Tesla: Cybercab fleet sales, an NHTSA probe, and a smarter FSD

Four Tesla stories made the episode's list. Tesla has opened a search for Cybercab fleet sales, but as Electrek notes, existing FSD owners are still left out — a sore point for anyone who bought in early expecting to put their car to work. Separately, the Cybercab is already under NHTSA investigation not long after launch, which is the "Cyberflop" the headline is pointing at.

On the software side, there's genuinely good news: Tesla's Full Self-Driving can now take over from manual driving to avoid a collision. That's a meaningful shift — the system stepping in while a human is actively at the wheel, rather than only operating when engaged. Tesla also settled a fatal Autopilot lawsuit involving a fire truck, avoiding a jury trial.

The takeaway for owners: driver-assist keeps getting more capable, but it isn't a substitute for the basics. Clean cameras, a properly seated phone mount that doesn't block your sightline, and a charged dashcam drive still do more for your day-to-day safety than any software release.

Ford wants to sell 100,000 cheap electric pickups

The biggest volume story of the week: Ford is targeting 100,000 units of its Fathom electric truck in the model's first year, at a roughly $30,000 price point. That's an aggressive number, and it signals where the affordable end of the EV market is heading.

Cheaper trucks mean a wave of first-time EV owners who need the same starter kit everyone needs — a reliable Level 2 setup at home, the right adapters for whatever public network is closest, and roadside gear that actually fits a pickup bed. If you're cross-shopping, sort out your home charging plan before delivery day, not after.

VW is cutting 100,000 jobs and may pull EVs from four plants

The rough one. Volkswagen is reportedly cutting 100,000 jobs and may stop building EVs at four plants. For current VW EV owners, that's not an immediate service concern, but it's a reminder that the legacy-automaker EV transition is uneven — and worth factoring in if you're weighing a long-term purchase.

Also on the show

• Range Rover's first luxury electric SUV arrives at $140,000, delivering what Electrek describes as V8-equivalent power.
• Polestar 4 SUV launches at €57,900 — and it finally has a rear window.
• Battery degradation study: the largest-ever look at which EVs retain their battery capacity best.
• RivianOS 2 rolls out, unifying software across the R1 and R2 platforms.

That battery retention study is the sleeper item here. Long-term pack health is heavily influenced by how you charge, and steady Level 2 charging at home is gentler on a battery than leaning on DC fast charging for everyday top-offs.

How to watch or listen

The Electrek Podcast goes live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek's YouTube channel, where you can drop questions and comments during the show. After it wraps around 5 p.m. ET, the video is archived on YouTube and the audio lands on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, and RSS.

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. — Electrek

The bottom line

Between Tesla's Cybercab stumbles, Ford chasing 100,000 budget electric pickups, and VW pulling back, this week's news points the same direction: the EV market is getting bigger and cheaper at the entry level, even as the headline products hit turbulence. If a sub-$30K truck is what finally gets you into an EV, spend a little time on the unglamorous stuff — home charging, the right adapters, and a roadside kit in the frunk. That's the gear that makes ownership easy no matter which brand wins the week.