AM CAR RADIO FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Preparing for the Next Disaster

There are stories out there of homes able to withstand the flames while many of neighboring homes in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena regions burned to the ground. Ember-retardant attic and cellar vents is one of the hottest topics. Fire-retardant paint and sprays, ample distance between exterior walls and shrubbery, sealed roof overhangs, and auxiliary water supplies have all entered the water cooler discussions. Let’s add another one: AM car radios.

Portable AM radios are often listed among the basic survival kit items one should keep in case of emergencies. However, the last time Los Angeles experienced a wind like the one in January was 14 years ago in 2011. Will you remember where you kept your portable AM radio after 14 years? Will the batteries have corroded by then, making the unit inoperable?

The California Wildfires

Two days before the howling winds hit Los Angeles, my daughter texted, “Did you hear about the wind advisory? Life threatening, they say.” I had a hard time appreciating the seriousness of the warning, as there was no wind in sight. The last time Los Angeles had violent, power-losing wind, there where thankfully no wildfires.

But just as forecasted, the winds picked up during the afternoon of January 7th. By the evening, trees were toppling, including a tall palm tree across from our house. Sadly, unlike the winds of 2011, it was followed by reports of fires breaking out in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas.

The Eaton fire could be seen from our front yard. After our friend in neighboring Sierra Madre received evacuation orders, we were able to provide her refuge in our casita—albeit without power. For several moments that evening, our phone reception also went out.

During the onset of the power outage when the winds first hit, we managed to find our wind-up flashlight with the built-in AM radio. Unfortunately, the radio only came in intermittently after each wind-up.

It felt strange to not have any contact with the outside world. But without phone reception and without a properly working AM radio, we didn’t know what was going on, aside from the unrelenting wind we can feel and the glowing flames we can see from the mountains above our front yard.

AM Radio to the Rescue

And then I remembered one of our cars had an AM radio. Surprisingly, it was our electric Bolt—surprising because many EV makers have eliminated the AM radio since the electric motors create electromagnetic interference that distorts AM radio signals. Thankfully, Chevrolet chose to go the extra mile in cable shielding and placement to keep AM radio accessible and viable in its electric vehicles.   

Once back in touch with the world, we received the word: Prepare to evacuate. So, our Sierra Madre friend retreated to her mother’s home further south and we sought refuge with our daughter in Montebello. The evacuation only lasted a day in Monrovia as the first responders did an excellent job of keeping the fires away from our hillsides. The power was out for another day, but the brief evacuation allowed us to recharge our phones and portable electric power station. Phone reception in Monrovia returned, and the city was pretty much back in business by July 9th.

The Uncertainty of Outcomes

For now, we were fortunate the Eaton Fire spared Sierra Madre and Monrovia. Our friend in West Hills said he could see the water helicopters refilling at the nearby Chatsworth reservoir for the Kenneth Fire. They too were spared. 

Many of the residents and businesses in Altadena and Pacific Palisades—including friends and family of friends we know—were not as fortunate. For them, a number of tough decisions await—e.g., should they rebuild, or should they move to another area less disaster-prone? Staying in or near the foothills now has its price. Or as our friend in West Hills said, “It’s part of the toll for living where we do.”

AM Radio is Not Just for Emergencies

Aside from AM radio’s importance when disaster strikes, it’s still an exceptional medium for sports entertainment. When Freddie Freeman hit that walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning of the 2024 World Series, it was KLAC 570 AM airing on my desktop. And continuing on with a decades-long tradition, a few of my sports-minded colleagues still listening to the audio transmission from the radio while watching NBA basketball, NFL football or MLB baseball on the TV monitor.

Vehicles with AM Radio 

One way to prepare is to know which vehicles come equipped with AM radios. Most EVs don’t, but some do. Ford decided to eliminate AM radio across its entire line for 2024, but reversed its decision. For 2025, Ford’s entire line come with AM radio, as do every Chevrolet and Toyota. A bill is working its way through Congress that appears to have bi-partisan support called the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.

Here are the 2025 car brands with AM radio access:  

Acura – every model, including the electric ZDX, can access AM radio

Audi – non-EV models only

Bentley – all models available with AM radio

BMW – X1

Buick – check to make sure the model you seek carries it

Cadillac – all models, including Cadillac’s EVs

Chrysler – most come with an AM radio; check for the specific model you’re interested in.

Chevrolet – every model, including the electric Equinox EV, Blazer EV and Silverado EV

Dodge – all models, except the Charger EV

Fiat – the electric 500e is equipped with an AM radio

Ford – every model, including the electric F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E

Genesis – every model, including the electric GV60, GV70 and GV80

GMC – every model

Honda – every model, including the electric Prologue

Hummer – all models

Hyundai – every model, including the electric Ioniq5, Ioniq6 and Kona EV

Ineos (Grenadier) – all models

Infiniti – every model

Jaguar – every model

Jeep – some have HD Radio, providing digital playback for local AM programming

Kia – every model, including the electric EV6, EV9 and Niro EV

Land Rover -all models

Lexus – every model, including the electric RZ

Lincoln – every model

Lotus – every model

Lucid – every model

Mazda – every model, except the electric MX-30

Mercedes-Benz – every model, except the electric vehicles

MINI – every model

Mitsubishi – every model

Nissan – every model

Porsche – every model, except the electric Macan and Taycan

Ram – every model, except the

Rolls Royce – every model, including the electric Spectre

Subaru – every model, including the electric Solterra

Toyota – every model, including the electric bZ4X

Vinfast – every Vinfast EV includes AM radio access

Volkswagen – every model, except the electric ID4 and ID Buzz

Brands without standard AM Radio

Alfa Romeo – it can be added as an option

Aston Martin Valkyrie – “the only thing you hear is the V-12 engine”

Polestar – no Polestar vehicles carry an AM radio

Rivian – no Rivian models carry an AM radio

Scout – no confirmation from the manufacturer about this feature

Tesla – no Tesla models carry an AM radio

Volvo – AM radio has been phased out of the new Volvos