iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

As an addendum: Ford increasingly talks about its starting-around-$30,000 “Universal Electric Vehicle” platform the same way Tesla did with the Model 3, or Rivian does with the R2. There’s so much hanging on the success of that program, starting with a small truck due out next year:

Frick said he understands the reservations, because no company has “really broken out in the market to have a standout” EV outside of market leader Tesla. Designing a new EV assembly line from the ground up will allow Ford to marry a fresh concept for a vehicle with a solid cost structure, he said.

“Our expectation is to compete not with some of the, you know, average EV players, but with the Teslas of the world,” he said.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

My man Ron out here spitting some heat

Ron Burda, 85, recently bought a new Toyota RAV4 and can attest that he hates the driver-assistance technology—but not because he’s older. The Gilbert, Ariz., resident thinks drivers shouldn’t need help staying on the road or avoiding running into things.

“People need to learn how to drive as they have for 100 years,” he said.

Burda found the digital speedometer hard to read compared with the physical gauges in his previous car. While the car has an option to switch to an analog-style reading, it took a tech at his dealership about a half-hour to figure out, he said.

He’s found a workaround for other annoyances: Sticking pieces of tape to the display so he can find critical buttons by touching them, instead of looking.

Burda recently wrote a letter to Toyota’s American headquarters recommending a separate model for expert drivers. No warning devices or digital displays required.

“It would be cheaper,” he said. “And promote better driving skills.”

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

We turned in our EV lease recently. It's already missed. We aim to replace it with another soon. But as many have noticed, cheap lease deals from 2023-2024 are nowhere to be found. No tax credits, either. What's your plan if you're in the same boat? Buy used? Go hybrid? Try and lease again?

My old Kia EV6, with a wind turbine in the background.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Meanwhile, Gravity sales aren't exactly lifting the startup's fortunes. Lucid's delivered about 2,800 of the SUVs through May, about half what the Kia EV9 has done and 3x less than the Rivian R1S.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Honestly, the standout is the hybrid setup. I averaged nearly 40 MPG in the week I had it (and I didn't drive it slowly.) Mostly drives like an EV because the electric motor primarily drives the wheels, while the engine charges the battery. Doesn't feel as industrial as Toyota's hybrids.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

My most controversial (and yet bravest) opinion of the moment: I actually really dig the new Honda Prelude. The price is bananas, nobody buys two-door coupes anymore, a manual sure would've been nice, and I'm amazed it's even sold in this country. But for what it is, it drives great.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

The future of no-haggle new-vehicle shopping might just be 10-foot-tall cubes and "car playgrounds" as Carvana seeks to move beyond used cars: www.wsj.com/business/aut...

Carvana's 10-foot cube. A phone can be used to operate the video board called the cube that displays vehicle details. Photo: Carvana

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Were you eyeing a Rivian R2? Did that initial lease price put you off, or will you still pull the trigger anyway? We're looking to talk to you! Drop me a note in the replies or email me at patrick.george@wsj.com.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Have you purchased an electric vehicle recently, especially in a state with especially high gas prices? Do those prices have you considering an EV for the first time? Know someone in those categories? We at @wsj.com want to talk! DMs open or find me at patrick.george@wsj.com.

A photo of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 in Palm Springs, California.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

My lease buyout price is outrageously high, but honestly, I'd be perfectly happy buying another one. The used prices are hard to beat.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

We just drove from upstate NY to Detroit for this new job, and I gotta say—this was the easiest and most painless EV road trip I've ever done. For work or for personal reasons.

A white Kia EV6 in front of a DC fast-charging station.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

No love for Diamond Star Motors anymore, huh www.wsj.com/business/aut...

The text reads: A Stellantis spokeswoman said preferred parking is reserved for company-branded vehicles. “Employees must adhere to posted signage and communications,” she said.

The results can be confusing and, at times, amusing. At least one online user said they were ticketed for parking an Eagle Talon sports car in a Stellantis lot, despite Eagle being a long-defunct nameplate from Chrysler, which too is now owned by Stellantis.

“Seems the security needs a little history lesson,” they wrote. The worker didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Honda's wild-looking 0 Series Saloon and SUV are canceled as the automaker records a $15.7 billion EV write-down: www.wsj.com/business/aut...

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

As a quick break from all the auto business stuff I always post about: this thing was dope, and I'm a bit sad to give it back. Rear windows = overrated? Turns out, maybe.