112 - V8 Superutes and Electric Cars?
About this episode
The hosts kick off with a playful “prediction vs reality” moment after Trevor claims Tesla would never fit extra seats in the Model Y—then Tesla announces the Model Y Long Range/Long Wheelbase with a third row and six-seat layout. They debate real-world practicality (mostly for kids, not adults), ISOFIX use, and how the added space affects boot capacity. Range and value get compared against other EVs. Fuel-price talk continues, with the hosts arguing EV demand shifts won’t be instant. Two listener stories follow: an EV transition to a Geely EX5 and a business fleet electrification case with major fuel savings. The episode ends with a V8 Superutes driver, Christopher Forstner, discussing racing sponsorship and electrified work vehicles.
NRMA Insurance
"Thanks to NRMA Insurance and UNIDAN. ... They're also one of Australia's largest insurers of electric vehicles and we've spoken to them before on the show."
NRMA Insurance is a big insurance company in Australia. They’re talking about how they insure electric cars and how that affects repair shops and services.
NRMA Insurance is a major Australian insurer. In this episode, they’re mentioned in the context of insuring electric vehicles and supporting the service/after-repairs ecosystem.
UNIDAN Smart Dash Cam
"And of course UNIDAN Smart Dash Cam, Stephen. ... Get one with a rear camera. ... UNIDAN award winning dash cams and get the model with the R in the name because that stands for rear camera as well."
UNIDAN makes dash cams. They’re recommending one that includes a rear camera so you have footage from both the front and back.
UNIDAN Smart Dash Cam is a dash-cam product line being promoted on the show. The hosts emphasize choosing a model with a rear camera for better coverage and incident recording.
wheelbase
"The wheelbase is, so the, well, if you don't understand cars, wheelbase is the distance between the front axle and the rear axle."
Wheelbase is the length of the car measured from the front wheels to the back wheels. A longer wheelbase usually means more room inside and can make the ride feel more stable.
Wheelbase is the distance between a car’s front axle and rear axle. It strongly affects interior space (especially rear legroom) and ride/handling characteristics.
ISOFIX points
"And there are ISOFIX points for baby seats in all four of the rear seats, which is awesome."
ISOFIX is a set of built-in hooks in the car made for child seats. It’s designed so you can click the seat in more easily and more safely.
ISOFIX (also written as i-Size/ISOFIX depending on region) is a standardized child-seat mounting system that uses built-in anchors in the car. It makes installing a baby seat easier and helps reduce incorrect fitment.
frunk
"And to Tesla's credit... I do love a couple of massive things about their design, and that is space. Frunk and rear boot, unbelievable space."
A frunk is like a trunk at the front of the car. Because electric cars don’t need an engine up there, you can store things in that space.
A frunk is the front trunk on many electric vehicles, where there’s typically no traditional engine up front. It provides extra storage space, which can be a big usability advantage for daily driving and road trips.
captain's chairs
"Captain's chairs can go down as well. So you can have the whole thing as a, you know, life flat, if you want."
Captain’s chairs are separate seats, not a single bench. Because they’re individual, they can sometimes fold or move to make it easier to get to the back and carry more stuff.
Captain’s chairs are individual, separated seats (often in the second row) instead of a continuous bench. In minivans and some EVs, they can be moved or folded to improve access and increase usable cargo space.
heated and ventilated seats
"Like there are heated and ventilated seats in the captain's chairs. That's a very difficult thing to achieve in an independently moving chair."
Heated seats warm you up, and ventilated seats blow air to keep you cooler. It’s a comfort feature that can make a big difference in extreme weather.
Heated seats warm the occupant, while ventilated seats use fans and airflow through the seat to reduce heat buildup. Together they improve comfort across hot and cold climates, but they require more complex seat hardware than standard seats.
Kia Carnival
"Something that my Kia Carnival had. So even if you had your third row up in the Kia Carnival, so you've got seven seats,"
The Kia Carnival is a minivan built for families. It’s known for having lots of space, including cargo space even when the back seats are up.
The Kia Carnival is a large family minivan known for practical packaging—especially how much cargo space remains even with the third row in use. The speaker uses it as a benchmark for “deep” usable storage.
Tesla
"As nearly all the Australian Tesla vehicles are. But I believe Australia is one of the very first markets to get it."
Tesla is the electric-car company in this conversation. They’re talking about which Tesla models are coming to Australia first and how they’re being made.
Tesla is the EV manufacturer being discussed, and the episode segment focuses on how Tesla vehicles are arriving in Australia and which models/variants are available first. The speaker also connects Tesla’s manufacturing and distribution to early market timing.
kilometre range
"800 kilometre range on the battery, which is just unheard of."
Kilometre range is how far the EV can go on one full charge. The real number can change depending on how you drive and the weather.
“Kilometre range” is the distance an EV can travel on a single charge, usually expressed as a rated number. It’s a key metric for EV buyers, but it can vary a lot with speed, weather, driving style, and battery temperature.
rear spoiler
"it had this, it has a very distinct rear spoiler like it has an extra lip on the on the on the rear tail."
A rear spoiler is the little wing/spoiler on the back of the car. It can help the car’s shape work better in the air, and it can also be a visual clue to which version it is.
A rear spoiler is an aerodynamic add-on at the back of the car, often used to improve airflow and stability. On EVs and other cars, small spoiler/lip changes can also help distinguish trims or updated versions.
six-seater
"BMW Brennan said, how many hours from Tesla won't release a six-seater to it being released?"
A “six-seater” just means the car can hold six people. In an electric car, that can be tricky because the battery takes up space, so it’s a practical detail people care about.
A “six-seater” refers to a vehicle designed to accommodate six passengers. For EV buyers, seating layout affects practicality, packaging, and how much space remains for batteries and cargo.
ludicrous mode
"I stand by the fact that I was broadly right. They didn't put seats in the back of the car in one of one... I'm making it ludicrous mode. That's it."
“Ludicrous mode” is a Tesla setting that makes the car feel much faster. It’s basically the “go as hard as possible” acceleration mode.
“Ludicrous mode” is a performance setting associated with certain Tesla models, designed to increase power delivery for quicker acceleration. It typically changes throttle response and power limits to maximize launch performance.
test drove
"So what did you look at, mate? And tell us what, first of all, what you test drove and then reveal what you went with."
A test drive is when you take the car out for a real drive before you buy it. With electric cars, it’s a good way to see how it feels and how far it can go in everyday driving.
A test drive is the hands-on evaluation you do before buying a car. For EVs, test drives are especially important because they let you experience throttle response, braking feel, cabin comfort, and—most importantly—real-world driving range.
EV
"[904.9s] So I test drove an Ato3 on my own and then I was suggesting to the wife that I thought [914.9s] might be a good idea to go EV and was spruicking that vehicle. [920.5s] Was that a hard was that hard to convince her, mate?"
EV means electric vehicle. They’re talking about moving to an electric car and figuring out which one fits their family and lifestyle.
EV stands for electric vehicle. The discussion is about switching from a conventional vehicle to an EV, using test drives and family needs (especially space and towing considerations) to decide what to buy.
Land Rover Discovery 4
"Well, I don't know. We've got a Land Rover Discovery 4, so that does turn your camper trailer and stuff."
They mention their Land Rover Discovery 4 SUV. It’s the vehicle they use for towing things like a camper trailer.
The Land Rover Discovery 4 is a mid-size SUV used here as the family’s non-EV vehicle. The hosts mention it because it can handle towing duties like pulling a camper trailer.
range anxiety
"And there was no range anxiety or anything like that. And we found a local charger to top it up."
Range anxiety just means worrying your EV won’t have enough battery to get where you need to go. It usually shows up when you’re still learning how far your car can go and where charging is available.
Range anxiety is the worry that an electric vehicle won’t have enough battery to reach the destination or the next charging stop. It’s common for first-time EV owners, especially when planning longer trips or unfamiliar routes.
V8 petrol gas
"Stick with me because we're going to we're going to talk throbbing V8 petrol gas as they call it in the States. We're going to get we're going to go old school here"
That phrase means a car with a V8 engine that burns petrol. It’s the classic “gas car” setup people often compare to electric cars.
“V8 petrol gas” refers to a V8 engine configuration running on gasoline (petrol). In racing discussions, it highlights the sound and character of traditional internal-combustion powertrains versus electric motors.
Uniden
"You are joining us because you've been backed in 2026 by our great sponsors, Uniden and Brad and the team at Uniden always love to put up, put a shine of light on the people that they're supporting."
Uniden is a consumer electronics brand known for products like radar and dash-cam-related devices, and it appears here as a sponsor. Sponsorships like this are common in motorsport to connect brands with racing audiences.
top 10s
"Can you deliver some some top 10s for Uniden?"
“Top 10s” means finishing in the top ten of the race results. It’s a way to measure how well the driver and team are doing.
“Top 10s” means finishing a race in the top ten positions. In racing, it’s a common performance benchmark for competitiveness, consistency, and points potential.
paddock
"when they had the one round, but it was also in the paddock. Uniden is the perfect sponsor for V8 super youths because..."
The paddock is the team area at a race track. It’s where cars are serviced and where you’ll often see sponsors and team activity.
The paddock is the area where teams park, prepare cars, and work on them between sessions. It’s also where sponsors are often visible and where fans may interact with drivers and teams.
regenerative braking
"Yeah, the regenerative braking. So there is a lot."
When you slow down in an EV, it can “charge” the battery a little instead of just using the brakes. That helps reduce brake wear and improves efficiency.
Regenerative braking is how an EV slows down while turning its electric motor into a generator. Instead of wasting energy as heat in the brakes, it recaptures some energy and sends it back to the battery.
electric delivery trucks
"And just for a second, it's pretty wild to realize that Woolworths went to electric delivery trucks and they've gone."
These are delivery trucks that run on electricity instead of fuel. Businesses use them for local deliveries, and they can be cheaper to run and easier to maintain over time.
Electric delivery trucks are battery-electric vehicles used for last-mile logistics. They’re often adopted by retailers because they can reduce operating costs and simplify maintenance versus diesel fleets.
Woolworths
"And just for a second, it's pretty wild to realize that Woolworths went to electric delivery trucks and they've gone."
Woolworths is a major retail brand that has used electric delivery trucks as part of its logistics operations. Mentioning a mainstream retailer helps illustrate that EV adoption isn’t limited to niche fleets.
flux capacitor
"So have you got have you get it out the DeLorean with like the flux capacitor and all that stuff in it as well? It's got the flux capacitor, the plutonium chamber."
The flux capacitor is a made-up part from the Back to the Future movies. It’s the gadget people associate with the DeLorean’s time-travel powers.
The flux capacitor is a fictional device from Back to the Future that’s said to be required to generate the conditions for time travel. In the transcript, it’s mentioned as part of the DeLorean’s “time machine” setup.
plutonium chamber
"It's got the flux capacitor, the plutonium chamber. So, mate, so when you hit 88 miles an hour..."
The plutonium chamber is a fictional “power” part from the Back to the Future movies. It’s not something you’d find in a real DeLorean—it’s part of the story.
The plutonium chamber is another fictional component from Back to the Future, described as the power source for the time-travel system. The speaker lists it alongside the flux capacitor as part of the DeLorean’s setup.
88 miles an hour
"So, mate, so when you hit 88 miles an hour, does you see some serious shit or what? It's funny, the speedo, and they give it to 85."
In the movies, the DeLorean only starts time travel at 88 mph. Here they’re joking about the speedometer and how it relates to that famous number.
“88 miles an hour” is the famous Back to the Future trigger speed where the DeLorean is said to activate time travel. The transcript also mentions the speedometer being “given it to 85,” which is likely a joke about the car’s gauge calibration or a modified setup.
Ghostbusters car
"So if you don't know what that is, that's the Ghostbusters car. Yes, I've got the Lego version, but that's about it, mate."
They’re talking about the famous Ghostbusters vehicle from the movies. It’s become a recognizable car project for fans to recreate or modify.
The “Ghostbusters car” is the iconic ambulance/vehicle from the Ghostbusters franchise. In car culture, it’s a common reference point for builds because it has a distinctive look and a clear identity.
BYD
"So we're doing that and we're hoping that she put a BYD motor. You're building from that car, the Ghostbusters ambulance, but with BYD electrification. Exactly, so it's going to be fully EV."
BYD is a company that makes electric cars and batteries. They’re saying they want to use BYD parts to turn this car into a fully electric vehicle.
BYD is a major Chinese EV and battery manufacturer. In this segment, they’re talking about using BYD components (“BYD electrification”) to convert the project vehicle to a fully electric setup.
Batmobile
"when dad brings them to school in a Batmobile one day and her be the next."
The “Batmobile” is a made-up car from Batman. They’re using it as a fun joke to say the future could be really exciting—especially with electric cars.
“Batmobile” is a fictional, pop-culture vehicle associated with Batman rather than a specific production car model. In this context, it’s being used as a playful exaggeration for how cool the future could feel with EVs.
electric car
"But if you've just got an electric car, you don't have to have a batmobile or a Herbie. You just have an electric car that you love for one month or 10 years."
An electric car runs on electricity stored in a battery instead of gasoline. You usually charge it at home or at public chargers, and it can slow down using the motor when you lift off the accelerator.
An electric car is a vehicle powered primarily by one or more electric motors drawing energy from a battery pack. The big day-to-day differences versus a gasoline car are how it’s charged, how energy is used, and how driving feel can change with regen braking.
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