When: September 18, 2026 @ 1:15 pm EDT
Auto loans are a major recurring cost for households, but the interest rates lenders charge rarely account for a vehicle's fuel economy. A new Atlas Public Policy analysis, conducted with support from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), examined nearly 380,000 auto loans and found efficient and electric vehicle (EV) borrowers were up to 50% less likely to fall behind on payments, even though EV borrowers still paid more in financing costs. In this episode, Atlas’s Nick Nigro sits down with Annabelle Davis of NRDC and Jose Orozco Pelico of USC Credit Union to discuss what this data means for how lenders price risk, how credit unions are exploring non-traditional underwriting, and how aligning rates with actual risk could avoid penalizing EV drivers and support the broader shift to cleaner vehicles.
