The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
Ram Bets on Small Vans, Lucid Gravity SUV Raises the Bar, Colorado River in Crisis, and EV Tire Technology Evolves
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A small work van can make or break a business; a luxury electric SUV can reset expectations; and a river can determine what your lights and groceries cost. That’s where we go on TechMobility, moving from the vehicles you can buy today to the systems that quietly shape what “mobility” even means in the United States.
I dig into Ram’s decision to bring back the ProMaster City and why automakers are suddenly treating the small commercial van segment as a serious opportunity again. We cover practical fleet details, including cargo volume, fitting a standard sheet of plywood, and loading a U.S. pallet straight off a dock. Then I get honest about the potential deal breakers: unibody construction for heavy commercial use and the surprising lack of all-wheel drive. If you run a fleet or are a contractor who works year-round, you’ll recognize why those choices matter more than glossy features.
Next, I share my review and impressions of the 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring. I set the context with Lucid’s history and what it learned from launching the Lucid Air, then dive into Gravity’s real-world strengths: a roomy three-row layout, strong cargo flexibility, a clever frunk design, and performance numbers that put it in rare company. I also call out where the young automaker still needs polish, from fit-and-finish details to day-to-day usability quirks, and provide a clear look at pricing and trims.
I close by zooming out to two topics that affect every driver, EV owner or not: the Colorado River drought and the future of EV tires. You’ll hear why the “Deadpool” risk at Lake Mead and Lake Powell matters for hydropower, why organizations are urging Congress for major funding, and how tire makers are engineering for heavier EVs with instant torque by shifting to EV-compatible tires.
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast. Brought to you by Playbook Investors Network. Your strategic partner for unstoppable growth. Visit pincommunity.org to get started.
SPEAKER_02I'm Ken Chester. On the Docket, my review and impressions of the 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring SUV, Colorado River Update, and how technology drives the EV tire's future in the United States. To join the conversation, be it to ask a question, share an opinion, or even suggest a topic for future discussion, call or text the Tech Mobility Hotline, that number 872-222-9793. Or you can email the show directly. Talk at Techmobility.
Ram Pins Small Commercial Van Hopes on Updated ProMaster City
SPEAKER_02From the Tech Mobility News Desk. First, it was smaller pickup trucks. The industry discovered that maybe they left too early, and rather than leave that particular market segment to Toyota and Nissan exclusively, a number of automakers have come back in in recent years. Now it's the return of the small commercial van. And Stellantis' Ram Division is coming back with the return of the ProMaster City. If you go back, oh, about 20 years, 21 years, GM had a set of twins, the Chevy Astro and the GMC Savannah. And they were all around. Those things were so beloved when the Baltimore plant that built them closed in 2005. By the time they were 10 years old, they were almost like gold. People were buying, selling, and looking for them, and they were running some of them upwards of 300,000 miles, and they were still in demand. And you still see some on the road selling. GM chose to not update that body style, which is really unfortunate because it was perfect. Because once that stopped, you were kind of at a loss to where to go next. Chevy tried to fill that with a Nissan variant called the uh city. Um by the same token, Nissan came to market with the NV200, which basically was the Chevy borrowed that and got badge engineered or rebadged as a Chevy, and they sold those for a few years. Stillantis offered the ProMaster City for a while, Ford offered the Transit Connect for a minute, and then Mercedes had something called the Metris. All of these trying to serve that smaller, below the full-size van marketplace. And one by one, they left. According to Ram, they believe their new vehicle will fill a slot that the automaker abandoned in 2023. They believe that that whole market, not just their share of it, but the whole market of the small van market is worth four billion dollars. Billion with a B dollars annually. At its peak, before the bottom fell out, there were sales of more than 100,000 vehicles in the small van segment. And they believe that now is a good time to get back into the market with a model that's targeted sticker for less than $40,000. By comparison, the Mercedes Metris was in about when before they stopped importing it, before they stopped selling it, I believe was at the high end of about $35,000. The new ProMaster City, they believe, is likely to be a better fit than the previous generation because of its slightly bigger dimensions, then increase cargo room to 167.1 cubic feet and extend the floor dimensions to allow a standard sheet of plywood to fit easily. Huh, that's interesting because back in the day, that is how they defined a pickup truck. Your eight-foot pickup truck bed was designed to hold four by eight uh foot sheets of plywood. That was the whole thing behind the eight-foot box. And why typically regular cab long box was the work truck for that exact reason. And back in the day they used to sell a lot of them. They claim that this is a key demand of commercial fleet operators, and with more than 48 inches between the rear wheel wells, ProMaster City can accommodate a standard U.S. pallet. Another advantage. Particularly, you load a pallet right in off the dock. Although right now Stilantis does build both short and long wheelbase models for world markets off its global mid-size platform, the US bound Ram ProMaster City will be built on the longer 29-inch wheelbase. Power for this unibody van is a 1.6-liter direct-injected fuel turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 166 horsepower and 222 pound feet, driving the front wheels through an ASN-supplied eight-speed automatic transaxle. Let me stop right there because there's a couple of things that bother me. If you're going to build this for commercial fleets, eh, unibody, great for passenger cars and some other things, and smaller SUVs. But trust me, commercial fleets, that's that's next level abuse right there. So it's not going to be on any kind of truck chassis, it's going to be a unibody. That's number one. Number two, no all-wheel drive? Really? Oh my goodness. That is a missed opportunity if ever I saw one. To be able to have, because that was actually one thing that the long ago Chevy Astro and GMC Savannah had, you could get the puppy in all-wheel drive. One of the few small vehicles that you could do that. And I think that would be a home run, even if the take rate was 10-15% for those folks, they pay the premium. Because in a lot of situations, a full-size van is not the right solution. And unfortunately, unless you are willing to buy a 20-year-old Astro, or maybe a 15-year-old Transit Connect, if you can find one, or even a used previous generation ProMaster City, you're going to be stuck with used and however it was abused when it was uh run. But that 1.6 liter is the same engine family, which is the basis for the powertrain offered in the new Jeep Cherokee. I really don't have a problem with the powertrain that could work. I have more of a problem with the actual construction. Because, full disclosure, I did own an astro cargo van and I weighted that puppy down. And I'm afraid that under severe use, that that unibody just won't hold. To me, a truck chassis at that size would be the ideal way to go for commercial. Now they say that the global mid-sized platform, this is based on, underpins a variety of vehicles, including passenger models with the capacity of hundreds of thousands of units annually at five plants. So the automaker already has the critical mass required to keep costs in check on the Polo Master City and the production heft to fill the pipeline if demand takes off. If demand takes off. The two challenges they got. And every automaker has this challenge. Can you keep the price reasonable enough, even especially if it's successful? Number one, can you resist the urge to overload it with a bunch of stuff that makes it unaffordable? Number two. Number three, how stout is this thing? I'm still trying to get past the unibody part for commercial use. Like I said, passenger cars, fine. SUVs, light duty SUVs, fine. Commercial duty? Where you're gonna load that puppy to the max every single time. And no all-wheel drive. Seriously? Those are two things I'd rectify. Or I would produce it in a reinforced unibody for sure, if that's the way you're going, to be able to stand up to commercial use. If they don't do that, it's gonna be a problem. You may never drive one, but you need to know about it. My review and impressions of the lucid gravity grand touring is next. You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show. You've heard me talk for years about technology, disruption, innovation, and adapting to change. But the one thing I've also learned in more than three decades in business is this. Most people never start because they think they don't have enough time. That's why I wrote Two Hour Entrepreneur, a practical guide for building a real business in just two hours hours a week, available now on Amazon, Kindle, Goodreads.com, and KennethJchester.com. Two hour entrepreneur, because your future deserves two hours.
SPEAKER_01Are you tired of jumping for apps and platforms for meetings, webinars, and staying connected? Look no further than AON Meetings.com, the all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AON Meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, post virtual meetings and webinars, and stay in touch with family and friends. All in one place and for one price. Here's the best part: you can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. AON Meetings.com, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.
SPEAKER_00In business, opportunity doesn't wait, and neither should you. At Playbook Investors Network, we connect visionary entrepreneurs with the strategies, resources, and capital they need to win. Whether you're launching, scaling, or reimagining your business, our network turns ambition into measurable success. Your vision deserves more than a plan, it deserves a playbook that works. Playbook Investors Network, where bold ideas meet bold results. Visit pincommunity.org today.
SPEAKER_02Quick question: What could your life look like one year from now if you invested just two focus hours a week into building something of your own? That's the idea behind my new book, Two Hour Entrepreneur. No hype, no hustle culture, just practical steps to help busy people finally move from idea to action. Available now on Amazon Kindle, goodreads.com, and KennethJchester.com. Two-hour entrepreneur. Start where you are.
2026 Lucid Gravity SUV review & impressions
SPEAKER_03The future. It's impossible to see. And when it's finally here, it might not be what you'd expect. It might just be better. Introducing Luxury Electric. Introducing Lucid Air.
SPEAKER_02Just so you know, Lucid, when it first came out, had a commercial. That lucid air was an introductory commercial that introduced the world to this revolutionary nude sedan. A name plate that, yeah, I've never seen a lucid commercial, but yes, I found this one and I wanted to share it with you. I thought you'd get a kick out of it, but I'm telling you, I've driven a lucid air, and it's every bit as amazing as the commercial says it is. It's fast. When it comes to manufacturers of personal electric vehicles in the United States, pretty much everyone's heard of Tesla. With this larger than life leader, Elon Musk, there's no getting around the ups and downs of this particular automaker. And while there's a number of commercial EV truck makers in the United States, you may not have heard of Rivion, who has a manufacturing facility in Illinois, or Lucid that I just mentioned, which has a manufacturing plant in Arizona. And I'm okay if either name draws a blank. Since I rarely get a chance to evaluate vehicles from Lucid, let me introduce you. The company was originally founded in 2007 and originally carried the name Ativa, and that's ATIE VA. Back then, the company built EV batteries and powertrains for vehicle manufacturers. In October 2016, the company was rebranded as Lucid Motors and officially announced the company's intent to develop an all-electric, long-range, high-performance vehicle. In 2017, I got to see a type prototype of the company's first vehicle, the Lucid Air Sedan, at the New York International Auto Show. And I gotta tell you, that sleek, upscale styling inside and out was unlike anything I had ever seen from any automotive manufacturer, foreign or domestic. It was beautiful, sophisticated, and oh so roomy. I also learned at the time that the sedan was undergoing high-speed performance testing at the Transportation Research Center facility in Ohio. The company's stance at the time was that they would launch slowly, producing low volumes as they scaled in order to get the build quality right. Then came COVID. And in the midst of it all, so did the first model, the Lucid Air Sedan, which started rolling off the assembly line on September 28, 2021. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency certified the range of the lucid air at 520 miles on a single charge. The best EV performance in the marketplace, by far, 520 miles independently certified. However, quality and supply chain issues delayed the launch of its second and more consequential model, the Gravity SUV, by several years. During the interim, Lucid diversified by signing a deal with British luxury maker Aston Martin to develop and supply electric motors, powertrains, and battery systems for the company's upcoming range of fully electric cars. Finally introduced last year, the Lucid Gravity debuted a lower-priced touring model for this year. This review is about the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring Model. Built by the company as a force of attraction like nothing else in nature, the Lucid Gravity is a battery-electric mid-sized luxury SUV. Produced in the Automaker's Casa Grande, Arizona manufacturing plant, the Gravity extensively reproduces the stylistic design and technical solutions pioneered by the Air Sedan. Its external presentation will assure consumers of its relationship to its air sedan sibling. The Gravity offers a wide range of passenger cabin configurations with the ability to accommodate seven people in three rows of seats, with an optional five or six-seat configuration across two rows. Speaking of seating, the frunk at the front of the Gravity is very trick, designed so that it can also act as a bench when opened. And I'm thinking picnics, parades, fireworks, all seen from the comfort of the front of your vehicle. The gravity is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, that delivers a combined 828 horsepower and 909 foot pound feet of torque. That's a lot. That's compared to the Tesla Model S with ludicrous mode at 2.9 seconds. This sucker is fast. Depending on the passenger seat configuration, the driving range is from 386 to 450 miles. That translates from 3.14 miles per kilowatt hour to 3.66 miles per kilowatt hour. And remember, this is on a single charge. Cargo capacity is 111.9 cubic feet with the second and third seating folded flat. The frunk adds 8.1 cubic feet. Towing capacity is 6,000 pounds. Like I said earlier, this one is super fast, sitting lower than most TVs, meaning its step in height is lower. Should be easy for most people to get in and out of it. It's roomy, solid, and very easy to drive, despite its heft. Handling and control when underway inspires driver confidence. The faster you drive in this thing, and the further you drive in this thing, the more you're going to want to do both. Displays, controls, and switch gear are easy to read and use. Its unique windshield actually goes above and into the header. And in addition to the fast, the second word that is readily that readily comes to mind for me is roomy, capital letters. No matter how you look at it, the awesome packaging of the gravity needs that has plenty of room for cargo and passengers. The rear doors open 90 degrees to facilitate passenger entry and exit. A panoramic sunroof adds airiness to the otherwise roomy cabin. And when it comes to hauling cargo, the gravity boasts an impressively low load height, making it very easy for those who need it regularly during the daily dispatch. Here's what I didn't like about the gravity. Around the edges, you can tell that Lucid is a young automaker that's trying to work some stuff out. Overall fit and finish of the test vehicle is not quite there. Rear windows don't go all the way up and down. Power folding rear seats are powered down but not up. And with no spare tire, the tires on the vehicle are not puncture resistant or run flats. Here's the bottom line. In my opinion, the Lucid Gravity SUV is a 90% vehicle. While some work needs to be done, there's plenty of amazing features on it to recommend. The base manufacturer suggested retail price for the 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring SUV starts from $94,900. Destination charges add $1,650. The options that were on the vehicle, I'm not going to read the list, but I will tell you this: the options added came to $24,350 with a total MSRP, including options and destination charges, $120,900. The good news is if you want a gravity, you can opt for the lower cost touring. It starts at $79,900. Something to consider. I'm telling you, real trick vehicle looks great, runs well, and they'll get the rest of that stuff worked out. Extreme weather, no relief. Organizations asking Congress for help. It's time for a Colorado River Update. This is the Tech Mobility Show. Quick question. What could your life look like one year from now if you invested just two focused hours a week into building something of your own? That's the idea behind my new book, Two Hour Entrepreneur. No hype, no hustle culture, just practical steps to help busy people finally move from idea to action. Available now on Amazon, Kindle, Goodreads.com, and KennethJchester.com. Two Hour Entrepreneur. Start where you are.
SPEAKER_00Every great business starts with a spark, but taking it to the next level takes strategy, connections, and capital. That's where Playbook Investors Network comes in. We're your strategic partner for accelerating growth, navigating challenges, and capturing market opportunities before your competition does. Your business is more than an idea. Let's make it an impact. Playbook Investors Network. Your future starts here. Learn more at pincommunity.org.
Colorado River Risks Get Worse
SPEAKER_02Longtime listeners know about my concerns about the Colorado River and why it matters, even if you're a hundred or maybe even thousands of miles from it. Serving approximately 40 million people in seven western states in northern Mexico, the Colorado River provides hydroelectric power for Las Vegas and irrigation for important growing regions in California, Arizona, and northern Mexico. A few years back, the effects of a 20 year drought triggered what is referred to as a Tier 1 emergency in the lower basin. The effect of that designation resulted in the upper basin and the reservoirs that serve it to send water down to alleviate the problem. It also triggered a mandatory 5% reduction in water usage that initially affected all participants except for California. And I share all of this information because things have actually gotten worse. This is topic B. If you didn't know, let me recap real briefly. Every drop of water in the Colorado River has been allocated, and it's been that way for over 104 years now. There was a Colorado River Water Pact. It was signed by the states in question in 1922, dividing up the flows of the Colorado. The problem is at the time that it was signed, uh the commitments already exceeded water river flow. Already. Ended up draining water from Lake Powell, which is the upper basin, and the reservoirs that fill in. The problem is that this rollback impacted the farmers at a disproportionate rate more than residents. In fact, Arizona went as far as to tell the cities that got Colorado River water, namely Phoenix and some others, don't you worry, you shouldn't feel any impact. And then turned to the farmers who farm uh fruits and vegetables in central Arizona and said, So sad, too bad, you will. Why does that matter? Strawberries, most of your fruits, a lot of your vegetables that are grown in the United States come from either Central Arizona, Central Texas, or California, Colorado River water. What's happening now is when that 5% reduction was triggered by the Tier 1 emergency, all the stakeholders were supposed to get together and hammer out a reduction plan. They were supposed to do that. Um it didn't go well. As a result, and this is from Waterworld. Here's the headline. Colorado River Coalition urges Congress to approve a $2 billion drought response funding. Over 70 organizations across the Colorado River basin are requesting at least $2 billion in federal funding to combat severe drought impacts, aging infrastructure, and declining reservoir levels threatening water security. Why does that matter? Lake Mead and Lake Powell both produce hydroelectric power. They are in danger. The water is so low, they're in danger of something they call Deadpool. And what deadpool is, is that the water behind the dam is so low it cannot turn the hydroelectric uh turbines to generate electricity. Lake Peade, Lake Mead, and Lake Powell are in that situation. They are close. Very close. This request comes as Lake Powell approaches critical operational thresholds tied to hydropower generation, prompting emergency drought response measures involving the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and reduced releases from the Glen Canyon Dam. Coalition members said near-term federal funding is needed to help stabilize the basin while longer-term water management solutions continue to be negotiated. That's the key. Continue to be negotiated. Even agricultural organizations and tribal nations have joined this appeal, reflecting the growing cross-sector concern over the basin's long-term reliability. Here's a point they make. Phoenix gets their water from Colorado River. They're doing other things. But let me give you an idea. On average, Phoenix receives an average of seven, almost seven and a quarter to eight inches of rain a year. This is compared to non-desert cities in the United States that receive an annual precipitation of roughly 30 to 55 inches. They don't even meet one-fourth of the minimum. In the Midwest, it's 30 to 42 inches. Northeast, 40 to 50 inches, southeast, 50 to 65 inches. Even in the Pacific Northwest, 35 to 40 inches of rain. By contrast, desert cities in the American Southwest receive an average of just 2 to 10 inches per year. Las Vegas, Nevada is an example, a little over four inches. So they get even less than Phoenix does. So yeah, this is a thing. And out there, water conservation is a thing, big thing. So much so that even while these folks cannot agree, they have kind of sort of come up with some sort of plan that will carry them for the next two years. This is also from Waterworld. Water authorities from Arizona, California, and Nevada proposed a comprehensive plan to stabilize the Colorado River through 2028, addressing ongoing drought and declining reservoir levels with conservation and infrastructure measures. It's so bad that San Diego, the city of San Diego, which has a very aggressive water desalination program, so much so that they've generated a surplus in fresh drinking water, are making a deal with Nevada and I believe Arizona, saying, Hey, pay us, we will surrender our share so you can get more, because we already, our desalination system is producing more water than we need. And we can reduce our share. It's real out there, folks. And all of this is really a sign of the future because as long as climate change is continuing to affect the snowpack where it's so dry in the front range at Colorado that the water is evaporating before it can even get to the river. It's not even getting to the river. And any reduction in that snowpack is bad news because there's so many people counting on it. And we ain't even begun to talk about usage in Colorado. Everything I just shared was downstream. It's an issue. They're begging the federal government to help, even as they are confronting getting drastic. And they're getting drastic all kinds of ways. Phoenix has a very elaborate system for water collection and control. Waters like gold in Phoenix, Arizona. The future of EV tires will be driven by technology. Go figure. We are the Tech Mobility Show.
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SPEAKER_02After years of hosting these programs and talking to entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders, I realized a lot of people are liking ideas. They're liking a realistic path to start. That's why I wrote Tour Entrepreneur is for people with jobs, families, responsibilities, and dreams that have been sitting on the shelf for too long. Watching now on Amazon KingdomGooodreach.com and KennethJchester.com. To our entrepreneurs, start small.
SPEAKER_00You've got the drive, you've got the vision. Now you need the right partner to make it happen. At Playbook Investors Network, we power ambitious leaders with the tools, insight, and investment connections to move faster, grow stronger, and lead markets. We're more than advisors, we're your co-conference in success. Because in business, standing still is an emotion. Playbook Investors Network, fueling ambition and delivering results. Visit Acommunity.org.
SPEAKER_01Are you tired of jumping for absent platforms for meetings, webinars, and staying connected? No further than AON Meetings.com. All in one browser-based platform that does it all. With AOM meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, post virtual meetings and webinars, and stay in touch with family and friends. All in one place and for one price. Here's the best part. You can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. AON Meetings.com, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.
The Future of EV Tires Will be Influenced by Technology
SPEAKER_02According to a recent feature in Modern Tire magazine, despite the loss of federal EV incentives, tire makers say new technology and product versatility will define the fate of the U.S. EV tire market. In fact, tire companies are shifting focus from EV-specific to EV compatible products, emphasizing durability, efficiency, and performance to meet evolving consumer and original equipment manufacturer demands. Interestingly enough, they also expect the demand for EV tires to remain steady, with replacement cycles driven by vehicle weight, torque, and wear rates. Let's get into it. This is topic C. Here's something you may not know about EV tires and a relationship with EVs. EVs are heavy. They're very, very heavy compared to their gasoline counterparts. Typically it's the batteries. But that has an adverse effect on the tires and how the tires have to be made specifically, one to carry the load. And if their tires in the front of the vehicle not only carry the load, but handle all the forces with turning and stopping and the weight and all of that stuff. The future for the EV tire industry is replacement tires. To summarize what they're talking about, really, they anticipate that because of the weight and the acceleration, because here's the other thing the other thing you may not think about is every single EV ever made gives you immediate, constant, right now acceleration, from the smallest one to the most expensive one. That's different compared to gasoline motor that ratches up and spools up its power. And it presents a lot of different forces on the tires that you wouldn't have thought about. So these tires have to be engineered differently from the other tires. They call it heavy load rating. It means that the construction, the wear, the ride quality, is a whole bunch of other more complicated issues that go into tire manufacturing. Because the tires, handling, control, ride quality, all important. Long wear, also important. Because I mean, nobody wants a tire that's only going to last for 20,000 miles. Not at the prices. And with all automakers, regardless of whether it's an EV or not, playing the uh suspension trick game of um bigger tires give you a better ride because you've got better grip. But these 22 and 23, and in some cases, God forbid, 24-inch tires are ridiculous. I mean, really. In fact, I just did a report on a vehicle that had different size tires. 22-inch tires in the front, 23-inch tires in the back, and it was an EV. So not only are you dealing with uh all the characteristics that are unique to EVs and weight and handling, you're also dealing with suspension and uh issues like that where they may even be separate different sizes. More like a supercar where that's more likely to happen. So you got all this going on, and they're looking at it. A couple of takeaways. They expect predominantly that the demand will be steady. There's a lot of EVs on the road. And last quarter, believe it or not, they still sold over 244,000 EVs in the United States of America. People are still buying EVs. No, they're not buying them at the rate when we had a federal tax credit, but EVs are still being sold. And actually, the number to quote exactly uh last year, fourth quarter of last year, was 234,000 units, which is a drop in a bucket in the overall industry, but still ain't bad. That's a lot of vehicles. As this space continues to evolve, many tire makers are continuing to expand their offerings and reach by investing and producing both EV specific and EV comparable, compatible tires that are suitable across electric, hybrid, crossover, and internal combustion engine vehicles. Let me explain the difference. For everything I just said about EV's added weight and all the added responsibility that those tires have to carry as a result of that weight and the characteristics, acceleration, deceleration, handling, braking of an EV, which is very different from a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle. EV specific, meaning that's all it's good for. You can't put those on an internal combustion vehicle and get the same kind of performance. And something called EV compatible, meaning that I've built a tire that maybe is 80% there, but it's also useful across other types of vehicles. Because, like any industry, tire manufacturing is capital intensive. And I want to get the most value out of my product runs that I can. And if I can build an EV compatible tire and build a million of them and make money across that as opposed to building 100,000 EV-specific tires with a limited need, which one do you think I'm going to do? I'm going to go EV compatible because I'm doing research, development, all of this stuff, quality control, manufacturing. I need to get the best value for the assets I'm deploying in tire manufacturing. Now, this article basically reached out to various professionals in the EV, well, not EV, but in the tire manufacturing industry. And I had some interesting things to say. And I'm just going to hit some of the highlights that I found. This one fella from American Tire Distributors said while the rollbacks have slowed down short-term EV sales, it doesn't reverse the long-term structural demand for EV tires. EV tire demand growth will moderate, but it will remain durable and increasingly replacement driven rather than new vehicle-driven. Another person backs up what I said. And that is a kind of a response I got from a lot of the folks in the industry in this column, in this, in this thing. Here's something. Demand for used EVs has increased. There's still a growing interest in these vehicles by consumers. Demand for EV tires will continue. But growth may be slower than expected as new EV sales stagnate. However, and they make this point, if higher fuel prices persist, it may drive further interest in EVs. And honestly and truly, that's really the bottom line across the industry that they feel they feel that there could be some upside. It'll be slower than before, but there's there. There's definitely money in being EV compatible if you are shepherding assets and are not the size where you can support EV only. And a lot of these smaller manufacturers, that's what they're going to be. You know, they're not going to be as focused on EVs right now, but bear in mind, market changes, they're going to roll with the punches, they're going to change. But right, they don't see long-term where that's going to be a thing. They're going to let being compatible be good enough till the market says different. And should that happen because of a spike in fuel prices, they'll be ready. They will be ready. But they are expecting to replace EV tires more often. That moment probably isn't coming, but two focused hours a week? Yeah, most of us can find that. In my new book, Two Hour Entrepreneur, I'll show you how small, consistent effort can create real momentum toward building something meaningful. Launching now on Amazon Kindle, Goodreads.com, and KennethJchester.com. Two Hour Entrepreneur built for real life.
SPEAKER_00In business, opportunity doesn't wait, and neither should you. At Playbook Investors Network, we connect visionary entrepreneurs with the strategies, resources, and capital they need to win. Whether you're launching, scaling, or reimagining your business, our network turns ambition into measurable success. Your vision deserves more than a plan, it deserves a playbook that works. Playbook Investors Network, where bold ideas meet bold results. Visit pincommunity.org today.
SPEAKER_01Are you tired of jumping out for absent platforms for meetings, webinars, and staying connected? Look no further than AON Meetings.com. The all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AON Meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, post virtual meetings and webinars, and stay in touch with family and friends, all in one place and for one price. Here's the best part: you can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. AON Meetings.com, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.
SPEAKER_02You've heard me talk for years about technology, disruption, innovation, and adapting to change. But the one thing I've also learned in more than three decades in business is this. Most people never start because they think they don't have enough time. That's why I wrote Two Hour Entrepreneur, practical guide for building a real business in just two focus hours a week. Available now on Amazon, Kindle, Goodreads.com, and KennethJchester.com. Two Hour Entrepreneur, because your future deserves two hours.
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