From Transport Evolved.
Happy new Year!
It’s 2026 – and hopefully for many of you it’s time for a new start. But new starts are nothing if we don’t remember what went before, and in the U.S., that means looking back on 2025 and some of the horrid things that happened in the EV and clean energy world at the hands of the U.S. administration.
If President Donald J. Trump were asked to describe this episode, he might say something like this:
"THIS EPISODE is about YOUR FAVORITE PRESIDENT, ME. And that’s OKAY, because nobody knows ENERGY like I do. NOBODY. ⚡️I HAVE THE BEST ENERGY knowledge!
They show ALL the clips — the BEST CLIPS — where I talked about ELECTRIC CARS, WINDMILLS, and the DISASTER left behind by Sleepy Joe Biden. TOTAL DISASTER! He wanted ELECTRIC CARS FOR EVERYONE, TRANSGENDER FOR EVERYBODY. TERRIBLE DISASTER.
ELECTRIC CARS are FAKE. They Cost TOO MUCH and Go NOWHERE, LEAVING AMERICANS STRANDED. VERY DANGEROUS. AND THE BATTERIES ARE DANGEROUS TOO, JUST LIKE ELECTRIC BOATS. YOU COULD ELECTROCUTE YOURSELF IF IT RAINS. SO SAD!
Windmills? VERY BAD. They kill ALL THE BIRDS AND CAUSE CANCER They ruin beautiful views and don’t work when the wind doesn’t blow — which is a LOT. LIKE THE FAKE GREEN NEW SCAM THEY WERE WASTING BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. But I FIXED AMERICAN ENERGY FOR GOOD! NO more SLEEPY JOE. NO MORE FAKE LEADERSHIP AND AUTOPENS MAKING DECISIONS!
NOW we have BEAUTIFUL CLEAN COAL MADE HERE IN AMERICA, AS GOD INTENDED. COAL WORKS AND IS STRONG AND CLEAN! OIL IS COMIGN OUT OF THE GROUND WE HAVE THE BEST OIL IN THE WORLD. NOBODY HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE!
THIS 30-MINUTE SHOW SHOWS how much DONALD J TRUMP has done to AMERICA and WHY HE IS YOUR FAVORITE PRESIDENT!
WATCH VERY CAREFULLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER."
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But the reality is very different.
Over the past year, Donald Trump’s rhetoric, campaign promises, and policy positions have had real and lasting consequences for electric vehicles, clean energy, and climate action in the United States. He’s made sweeping executive actions after executive actions. Threatened global allies on the world stage, and done everything he could to push EV and clean energy development back. He’s cancelled climate change research, allowed lobbyists to occupy positions of power, and (in a large part) been enabled to do some of the worst things for global climate and energy in living memory.
Watch the clips.
Listen closely.
And understand what’s at stake. Because both abroad and in the U.S., the actions of one person in 2025 could change all of our futures. And if your’e in the U.S., we also hope this episode serves as a gentle reminder to become an active participant in democracy as the 2026 Midterm Elections near.
Editorial note: This week, all of our links are back to the original episode it’s from!
Find full show notes, links to covered stories, and transcription at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/01/02/ten-episode-564-the-orange-episode-a-year-of-rhetoric-rollbacks-and-real-consequences/
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*👥 Today’s Sponsors*
🌱 Electric Vehicle Association – https://www.myeva.org
⚡ EnergySage – https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101290941-16952262
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00:00 – Intro & sponsor shoutouts🎙️
00:21 – Welcome 👋
00:28 – Recycling last year ♻️
01:28 – Reactionary measures by Trump ⏪
03:07 – Illegal executive orders; DoE boss says efficient cars less safe📜
05:31 – The Purge🩸
06:38 – Import tariffs threatened ❌
07:37 – State of the Union causes issues🤥
08:53 – EPA protections decimated🪓
10:14 – Trevor Milton pardoned; donated to Trump💰
11:34 – EO brings back coal, etc.🪨
12:53 – Govt passes OBBB🏛️
13:56 – Sponsor Segment: Energy Sage🌞
15:15 – Feds cancel EPA fines🧾
16:10 – EPA rescinds Endangerment Clause 🛢️
17:13 – Trump kills all wind permits💀
18:21 – NEVI funding unfrozen; guidance issued⚡️
19:22 – Trump kills solar/wind permits 🌬️
20:57 – Trump threatens countries on climate🕴️
22:02 – Trump removes funding for cycle paths❌
23:03 – DoE bans words🛑
23:58 – Programs cut ✂️
25:08 – EPA rolls back CAFE regulations🛢️
26:39 – Sponsor Segment – You 📣
28:42 – NREL renamed🏛️
29:33 – Federal Government kills climate research🌡️
30:47 – Thanks & Goodbye👋
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*🎙️ Credits:*
Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Camera, Color: Vi Horton
Art & Animation: Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music: via Artlist.io
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2025
