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