Stellantis kills its plugins, Tesla could back out of Berlin, and leasing vs. buying

On today's plug-pulling episode of Quick Charge, Stellantis is pulling the plug on a number of popular plug-in hybrid models from Jeep and Chrysler, while falling sales and ongoing union clashes at Giga Berlin could spell the end of the road for Tesla production in Germany. We also take a quick look at some of the many other EVs going the way of the Dodo in 2026 (including the best-selling electric pickup in all the land and a credible Model Y competitor that never got a fair shake), a red wave of EVs headed into Europe, and why this writer thinks you should lease instead of buy – enjoy! Source Links The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is dead along with these two other Stellantis plug-in hybrids Last call: check out these EVs before they’re gone for good in 2026 [update] Are Tesla Gigafactory Berlin’s days numbered? Tesla throws ‘cringe’ anti-union concert for Giga Berlin employees ahead of vote EU and China are close to deal on electric cars, as Chinese EVs surge even with tariffs in Europe Forget what you’ve heard – leasing your car is almost ALWAYS the right move Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. New episodes of Quick Charge are supposed to be recorded several times per week (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage podcast series. Got news? Let us know!Drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.