MotorTrend's Ed Loh & Jonny Lieberman sit down with Grid Operations Manager for California ISO/RC West - Cody Smith! The big question on everyone's mind - "Can the grid handle all these EVs?" Let's discuss...

0:36 - Meat smoothie!?
5:11 - Guest intro & role of CA ISO.
7:52 - Deregulated power grids and market transparency.
11:52 - How does the Grid work in America? East, West, & Texas.
13:00 - Grid Operations Manager role.
14:20 - California's green power initiatives and renewables impact.
15:46 - California's progress in 2024.
19:37 - EVs contribution to grid and battery technology.
21:22 - Why battery technology is the key to a greener grid.
24:53 - Power grid reliability, contingency planning, and energy careers.
25:55 - Battery storage facilities.
34:32 - Daily operations at CA ISO and future of EVs and AI in energy consumption.
41:14 - Nuclear energy considerations and reducing natural gas use.
46:25 - Grid capacity, Texas grid resilience, and renewables challenges.
52:08 - Consumer experiences with solar energy and CA ISO's integration of renewables.
56:57 - EV cost benefits and personal experiences.
1:01:01 - Climate change effects and power grid reliability.
1:04:54 - Environmental impacts of renewable energy installations.
1:08:52 - Classic cars, environmental concerns, and the future of EVs.
1:12:46 - Fundamental takeaways.
1:154:55 - Battery technology advances and desire for fun EVs.

*AI was used during the post production process to insert the correct dollar savings amount in the Western Energy Imbalance Market