
Everybody in the Pool E125: How Mitra EV is Electrifying the Working Fleet
Mar 5, 2026
26:07
99% of registered fleets belong to small and mid-size businesses — but the EV industry wasn't built for them. High upfront costs, years-long waits for grid access, and charging solutions designed for large operators have left the backbone of the American economy behind.
This week on Everybody in the Pool, we meet a founder who’s changing that. Galina Russell, co-founder of Mitra EV, built a turnkey solution that bundles electric trucks and vans with charging infrastructure, so plumbers, electricians, and delivery companies can electrify their fleets without the logistical headache.
We talk about:
- Why small commercial fleets are the most overlooked (and impactful) EV opportunity
- The barriers to EV adoption for small and mid-size business owners
- Mitra’s "laptop and charger" model: leasing vehicles and installing charging together, from day one
- How Mitra works within existing grid capacity instead of waiting years for new power
- Battery storage, peak shaving, and the vision for 50 megawatts of distributed backup power
- Why cost savings — not climate ideology — is the killer pitch to small business owners
Links:
- Mitra EV: https://www.mitra-ev.com/
- Galina’s book recommendation, The Grid by Gretchen Bakke: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/grid-9781632865687/
- All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/
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