What could be more true to the Aussie experience than a bit of bush-bashing off the beaten track, but can EVs cut the mustard when it comes to off-road driving? This is the question Nadine and Rusty are on a mission to answer with Ralph Gilles, head of design at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, who helped design the first off-road 4x4 electric Jeep that might just crawl better than its ICE counterpart. We also meet EV-er Geoff Morgan who you’ll find driving a Porsche Taycan - yes, a Taycan – to and from his farm 300km away. The news has Nadine blushing with the mention of Zac Efron, and trucksales.com.au Editor Geoff Middleton gives us the rundown on electric trucks after visiting the IAA Transportation Show in Hanover. And Dave Budge, Chief Product Officer at Fellten, tells us about how an idea to convert his beloved Land Rover to an EV, led to a business that might just have you considering a retrofit.

It’s the topic almost synonymous with electric vehicles themselves – the environment – but are EVs really as beneficial as we think? To help simplify the science, Nadine and Rusty sit down with Dr Karl Kruzeniski, to debunk some of the most common myths about how green our EVs seem. Our meet an EV-er joins us from the driver’s seat of his BYD Atto 3 and we meet Wiebe Wakker, the Dutchman who drove from the Netherlands to Sydney in 2019 to promote sustainability, although it didn’t exactly start that way. Dubbed the ‘Forrest Gump’ of electric mobility, Wiebe tells us about the triumphs and challenges of the trip, one that involved leveraging a tailwind to extend his range into Coober Pedy… tune in to find out if he made it!

Find Wiebe on Instagram @plugmeintravel or head to his website here. 

Are Electric Vehicles really better for the environment?

As more electric vehicles hit the road, more power is needed to charge them, leading hosts Rusty and Nadine to ask, can the grid keep up with this increase in demand? CEO of Transgrid Brett Redman thinks so. From innovations in power supply, to their own newly revealed fleet of EVs, Brett shares insights into what the future of electricity in Australia could look like and what they’re doing to adapt. We also meet Tim Clarke, eMobility Manager and Product Strategy at Mitsubishi Motors who tells us about the first bi-directional EV charging infrastructure in Australia and what that means for consumers. Our meet an EV-er Garrick Rollason also knows a thing or two about the grid as the Chief Financial Officer at CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy; he reveals the important lessons he learnt as a new BMW i4 owner.

Can the grid cope?

As the world rapidly adjusts to the growth of electric vehicles, can Australia rise to the challenge and lead the way in EV policy? In this episode, Rusty and Nadine are joined by movers and shakers from the EV industry to explore this question. NSW Minister for Energy Matt Kean reveals the most up-to-date plans from the desk of the NSW Government, Scott Nagar from Hyundai shares what industry would like to see from those in charge, and Dr Gail Broadbent, a policy advisor to the NSW Government and expert in EV policy and social attitudes shares what she thinks our EV future should look like. Plus, we meet a petrol-head turned EV’r and answer your questions in Listener Mailbox!

Could Australia ever lead the way in EV policy?

Everyday batteries get smaller and quieter, leaving manufactures with an empty blueprint and one central question: what should and could electric vehicles sound and look like? Dr Stephan Gsell, Audi Sound Engineer, joins Rusty and Nadine to discuss exactly how they answered that question when it came to the sound of the Audi e-tron GT and why a didgeridoo was central to the process. Our meet an EV-er Chris Kerr from Clipsal by Schneider Electric tells us about the most comfortable 30,000kms he’s ever driven now he’s in a Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Ralph Giles, Head of Design Global at Fiat Chrysler is back to discuss the evolution of electric vehicle design and what could be on the design horizon for Jeep and the iconic 7-bar grille in the future.  

The art and engineering of EV sound and body design explained

The electric vehicle landscape is changing every day and Australian consumers are hungry for what’s next according to Stephen Connor, Managing Director of Volvo Australia who have committed to an all-electric fleet by 2026. Chatting to Rusty and Nadine, Stephen shares the exciting two-way charging capabilities and a local infrastructure plan that could make EV driving easier than ever, and save you money. Our meet an EV-er tells us how the one-pedal drive in her new BMW iX3 has her happy to be sitting in traffic, and carsales journalists John Mahoney and Feann Torr beam in from overseas checking out the latest in EV-releases. Ben Wilks, Director of CUPRA Australia, also stops by to discuss the new CUPRA Born that’s putting style and fun back into EVs.

What’s next for Electric Vehicles in Australia? Tech, product and bringing fun back into driving

The end of your weekend?... Going off-road in an EV

Electric vehicles are often classed as luxury due to their price-tags, but as the dollar’s drop, it might be time to re-consider the net worth of an electric vehicle. Nadine and Rusty are joined by carsales’ Toby Hagon to deep dive into the actual cost of ownership, from general servicing, solar powered charging and the most expensive considerations of EV ownership that might just surprise you. If luxury is what you’re after, then news has you covered with the announcement of a $1million vehicle plus insight into some more affordable options too. Our meet an EV-er, Matt Quinn, tells us about his cost-journey from an ICE vehicle to an EV, and Chau Le, General Manager of Strategy & eMobility at Origin Energy discusses the intersection between energy and mobility, and what they’re doing as a provider to help people move towards electric vehicles.

Will Electric Vehicles ever be affordable?

It’s the beating heart of an electric vehicle yet widely misunderstood - the battery. EV batteries are far more durable than you may think according to Scott Nargar, Senior Manager of Future Mobility and Government Relations at Hyundai Australia. He joins Rusty and Nadine to explain just how electric vehicle batteries have changed since the early days. We’re also joined by Noah Wasmer CEO and Co-Founder of new Electric Vehicle company Roev. Roev is on a mission to bring back Australian manufacturing starting with an Aussie classic - the ute. He explains bidirectional charging solutions and how EVs could one day make you money. Mark Cripsey, a keen EV owner also joins us to share his pro-tips on low-cost charging - $14 for a month’s worth of charge type of low - and how swapping a petrol bill, might leave you with an Ikea bill instead...

What you actually want to know about batteries

It’s World EV Day! And to celebrate, Rusty, Nadine and one of Australia’s most respected automotive journalists, Marton Pettendy, kick things off by crowning the winner of the carsales Best Electric Car for 2022! Hear why this car reigns supreme and the rigorous testing criteria of over 100 individual attributes that determined this year’s winner. Our meet an EV-er, Porsche Taycan Owner Natalie, has Nadine seeing hearts, and we meet Behyad Jafari, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council of Australia who discusses the new government standards that could mean more EVs in Australia sooner.

Read the carsales Best Electric Car 2022 article here

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