Talking Michigan Transportation New mobility comes at a cost
Mar 5, 2026
Joann Muller, transportation correspondent at Axios and author of the Future of Mobility newsletter, breaks down EV affordability, Ford’s push for a $30K platform, and battery supply moves. She discusses charging infrastructure growth, how federal policy shapes autonomous vehicle development, and realistic safety limits for robotaxis. Short, sharp takes on industry shifts and regional factory impacts.
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Making EVs Affordable Requires Cheap Shared Platforms
- EV affordability depends on scale and low-cost platforms to make margins work.
- Joann Muller explains Ford's new low-cost EV platform aimed at entry-level pickups using shared top hats to cut production costs.
Ford Licenses Chinese LFP Tech For Lower Cost Batteries
- Ford will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries licensed from Chinese producers at its BlueOval plant.
- Joann Muller describes the controversy over licensing Chinese LFP tech to produce lower-cost batteries in a U.S. Ford plant.
NEVI Is Highway Safety Net Not The Whole Charging Solution
- The NEVI program is a small part of EV charging expansion; most chargers are private investments.
- Joann Muller notes highway NEVI chargers provide a security blanket while daily charging mostly happens at home or retail parking lots.