The discussion covers the recent BMW i3 launch boasting a remarkable 900km WLTP range and the Australian debut of the Tesla Model YL, highlighting its subtle design changes and advanced rear comfort features. Hosts share impressions from test drives and discuss the growing EV market in Australia, including long delivery times for some models like the Zika 7X and the expansion of charging infrastructure such as a large new station near Mackay. The episode also touches on Chinese EV brands like BYD and GAC, rising fuel prices driving EV interest, and the evolving landscape of EV adoption and approvals in Australia.
Catch up on the latest in Electric Vehicle news from Australia and around the world! Hosted by Tom & Joy Gan of Ludicrous Feed, Riz Akhtar from Carloop and Roland Lam from Zapped
"Not much happening at the moment actually on that note. Hey, we rely on your ADR approvals my friends, sorry, keep us going."
ADR approvals are rules that cars have to follow to be allowed on Australian roads. They make sure cars are safe and clean before you can buy them.
ADR approvals refer to the Australian Design Rules, which are national standards for vehicle safety, emissions, and anti-theft measures. Vehicles must meet these standards to be legally sold and registered in Australia.
"Still Australia's cheapest EV, isn't it at the moment? I think so. As it stands, new anyway. You seen any other ones around your neck of the woods, Roland? No, I was just about to say, everyone seems to be buying at two ones as the viewers, but I'm still yet to see one on the road."
The BYD Atto 3 is a type of electric car made by a company called BYD. It's a small SUV that is cheaper than many other electric cars, so more people can buy it.
The BYD Atto 3 is an electric SUV from the Chinese automaker BYD. It is known for offering competitive pricing and features, making it one of the more affordable EVs in markets like Australia.
"It's hard to tell that it's a Model YL without looking at the badge."
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV, which means it runs on electricity instead of gas. It's a bit bigger than a car and can carry more people and stuff.
The Tesla Model Y is a compact all-electric SUV made by Tesla. It shares many components with the Model 3 sedan but features a taller, more spacious body style with optional third-row seating.
"It's hard to tell that it's a Model YL without looking at the badge. I think the easiest to tell is the back spoiler and the brake lights."
Brake lights are the red lights on the back of a car that turn on when the driver pushes the brake pedal to tell other drivers to slow down.
Brake lights are red lights at the rear of a vehicle that illuminate when the driver applies the brakes, signaling to other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping.
"It's hard to tell that it's a Model YL without looking at the badge. I think the easiest to tell is the back spoiler and the brake lights."
The back spoiler is a part on the back of the car that helps it stay steady when driving fast and can also make the car look sportier.
A back spoiler is an aerodynamic component mounted on the rear of a car, designed to reduce lift and improve stability at higher speeds. It can also affect the car's visual proportions.
"just drove my brand new model Y from Melbourne to Sydney on FSD. Wow, that's great. I'm sure it was an easy drive. We've discovered that on FSD, the Y drives superbly."
FSD is a special feature in Tesla cars that helps the car drive itself on highways and some city roads, making driving easier and safer.
FSD stands for Full Self-Driving, Tesla's advanced driver-assistance system that enables features like automated lane changes, traffic-aware cruise control, and navigation on autopilot. It aims to provide a hands-free driving experience under certain conditions.
"Rear is easy at the BMW i3 launch. I don't think so. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Speaking of which, the embargo has dropped for sharing this with you guys. The i3"
The BMW i3 is a small electric car made by BMW. It was one of the first electric cars from BMW and has a unique shape that's easy to recognize.
The BMW i3 is an electric vehicle introduced by BMW as one of their first mass-produced EVs. It featured a distinctive boxy design and was notable for its use of lightweight materials and urban-focused range.
"900Ks of range WLTP, come on, that's ridiculous. Seriously, that's like Sydney, Melbourne, if true, with no charging, just like boom, all the way."
900km range means the electric car can drive about 900 kilometers before needing to recharge its battery.
A 900 kilometer range refers to the maximum distance an electric vehicle can travel on a single full charge under WLTP testing standards. This is considered very high and significantly reduces the need for frequent charging stops.
"900Ks of range WLTP, come on, that's ridiculous."
WLTP is a way to test how far a car can go on a full battery or tank. It tries to show real-world driving instead of just lab numbers.
WLTP stands for Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, a global standard for measuring vehicle range and fuel consumption. It provides more realistic estimates compared to older testing methods.
"That really just eliminates range anxiety, doesn't it? Someone's going to do that test, Sydney, Melbourne."
Range anxiety means worrying that your electric car might run out of power before you find a place to charge it.
Range anxiety is the fear or concern that an electric vehicle will run out of battery before reaching its destination or a charging point. It is a common psychological barrier to EV adoption.
"Now, Roland, 345KW of power, 645Nm of torque. Is that enough for you, my friend?"
345kW power means the car's electric motor is very strong and can make the car go fast.
345kW refers to the electric motor's power output, which translates to about 462 horsepower. This level of power indicates strong acceleration and performance capabilities for an electric vehicle.
"Now, Roland, 345KW of power, 645Nm of torque. Is that enough for you, my friend?"
645Nm torque means the car's motor can push really hard to make the car speed up quickly.
645 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque is a measure of the rotational force the electric motor can produce. High torque in EVs provides quick acceleration and strong pulling power from a standstill.
"I like to see all the legacy brands actually taking EV seriously and trying to be kind of like the best EV of the legacy ones."
Legacy brands are old, well-known car companies that have been making cars for a long time and are now making electric cars too.
Legacy brands are traditional automakers with a long history in the automotive industry, often known for internal combustion engine vehicles, now transitioning to electric vehicles.
"I mean, the Neue class of platform is EV first, right? So that's a good sign."
The Neue Class platform is a new way BMW builds cars so they work best with electric power instead of gas engines. It helps make better electric cars.
The Neue Class platform is BMW's new electric vehicle architecture designed from the ground up to prioritize electric drivetrains and battery integration. It represents BMW's strategic shift to EV-first vehicle development.
"Now, RIS has the top of this. So I saw a kind of 1000Ks of range earlier this week. Is that any, is that C, what's the CLTC RIS or is that WLTP? Making our new news feel old."
CLTC is a way to test how far electric cars can go in China. It usually shows higher numbers because of how the test is done.
CLTC stands for China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle, a driving cycle used to estimate electric vehicle range and emissions in China. It often results in higher range estimates compared to other standards due to its testing conditions.
"...which we also love having seen that in the flesh on the Autobahn. And the acceleration from 50K to 200K was amazing."
The Autobahn is a highway in Germany where cars can drive very fast because some parts don't have speed limits.
The Autobahn is Germany's federal controlled-access highway system, famous for sections with no speed limits, allowing vehicles to travel at very high speeds legally. It's often used for testing vehicle performance.
"Now, let's share this one real quick. So this is a story about X-Pung. X-Pung and Volkswagen have released their first joint venture vehicle, the ID UNIX 08, officially off the production line."
The XPeng ID. UNiK 08 is an electric SUV made together by a Chinese company and Volkswagen. It is designed mainly for people in China who want electric cars.
The XPeng ID. UNiK 08 is a joint venture electric SUV between XPeng, a Chinese EV manufacturer, and Volkswagen. It represents a collaboration to produce EVs tailored for the Chinese market, combining XPeng's software expertise with Volkswagen's automotive experience.
"It was wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. No such thing as wireless. Okay, well, at least it's Apple CarPlay still, right? It doesn't matter if it's wireless."
Apple CarPlay lets you use your iPhone on your car's screen. You can get directions, make calls, and play music safely while driving.
Apple CarPlay is a system that allows iPhone users to connect their phone to a car's infotainment system, enabling access to apps, navigation, and communication features through the car's display.
"we can't just say, oh, it's been ADR approved, it would be a couple of months away, could potentially be three weeks away."
ADR approval means a car has passed Australia's safety and design rules, so it can be sold and used there legally.
ADR stands for Australian Design Rules, which are national standards for vehicle safety, emissions, and design that vehicles must meet to be legally sold and driven in Australia. Being ADR approved means a vehicle complies with these regulations.
"I feel like Mazda is one of those brands that will get people who weren't previously looking at EVs to maybe consider an EV. They're like just a really, a comfort brand. And like once, I don't know, for like me, once I had my Mazda, it's like, I didn't want to move from a Mazda."
Mazda is a car company from Japan that makes cars people find comfortable and easy to drive, and they're starting to make electric cars too.
Mazda is a Japanese automaker known for producing reliable, comfortable, and driver-focused vehicles. The brand is gaining attention in the EV market by appealing to customers who value comfort and brand loyalty.
Car
GWM Aura GT
"So traded in our second car, i30 diesel wagon for a GWM Aura GT. Good work. Nice. That's a good, good little car there."
The GWM Aura GT is a small SUV made by a Chinese company called Great Wall Motors, and it's designed to be a good value car.
The GWM Aura GT is a compact SUV from Great Wall Motors (GWM), a Chinese automaker. It offers modern styling and features, targeting buyers looking for value in the SUV segment.
"We're just saying two weeks from ADRs to order for Tesla. That, that is phenomenal, isn't it? That's Tesla time."
Tesla time means how quickly Tesla can build and deliver their cars, which is usually faster than other car companies.
Tesla time refers to Tesla's reputation for very fast vehicle production and delivery timelines compared to traditional automakers, often seen as a benchmark in the EV industry.
""Obviously, bigger battery, better charging, more power. I don't know how much more you can improve the interior...""
The battery in an electric car is like a big rechargeable box that holds electricity to make the car go.
In electric vehicles, the battery stores electrical energy to power the motor. Larger batteries generally provide longer driving range but add weight and cost.
""The base one is about 120-something drive away, brand new. For front-wheel drive, and then the other two are about 149 thereabouts...""
Front-wheel drive means the car's front wheels make the car move. This helps with grip, especially in rain or snow.
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a drivetrain layout where the engine's power is delivered to the front wheels. It is common in many passenger cars and often offers better traction in slippery conditions.
"But there is an iX3 in Melbourne, as far as I know. So you can... Oh, probably some dealerships around Australia too."
The BMW iX3 is a bigger electric car shaped like an SUV. It uses electricity instead of petrol to move.
The BMW iX3 is an all-electric version of BMW's popular X3 SUV, combining electric powertrain technology with the familiar SUV body style. It offers a balance of electric range and utility for everyday use.
"Readers are suggesting under $110,000. Yeah, that's not bad. I was hoping closer to $100,000 for this. Maybe $110,000 drive away."
Drive away price is the total money you pay to buy a car, including all extra fees and taxes, so you know exactly how much it costs.
Drive away price refers to the total cost of purchasing a vehicle including the base price, taxes, dealer fees, and any other charges, meaning the final amount the buyer pays to take the car home.
"Wouldn't get a PHEV. So easy to take breaks and charge."
A PHEV is a car that uses both petrol and electricity. You can plug it in to charge the battery and drive on electric power sometimes.
PHEV stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, which combines a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery that can be charged from an external power source.
"And I agree with you. John, hopefully they keep the FBT discount for EVs going forward. I do too. Yeah, crazy to be thinking about removing this in the middle of a fuel crisis."
FBT discount means a tax break for companies that give electric cars to their workers. It helps make electric cars cheaper for employees.
FBT stands for Fringe Benefits Tax, a tax on benefits provided to employees. Some governments offer FBT discounts or exemptions for electric vehicles to encourage adoption by reducing tax costs for employers.
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Hello everyone, I am Tom and this is Joy. Hello. Welcome to the EV show on Wednesday,
the 18th of March, 2026. So nice of you to join us tonight. I've got a big show as always,
lots to chat about. And yeah, good to talk about all things EV, what's happening in Australia
and around the world as well. Let's say hello to our co-host for this evening. Hello Roland, nice to
see you. Hey Tom, hey Joy, good evening all. Yeah, what's been happening? Not much at the moment
actually. Just editing ADR approvals, not much happening at the moment actually on that note.
Hey, we rely on your ADR approvals my friends, sorry, keep us going. It's always exciting
seeing that it's almost as good as you know when you buy something and then it says your order's
being shipped. It's almost like that. Nice. Just want to thank our channel sponsors before we
move on. So thank you to Karloop, Dada to empower Australia's EV revolution. And also thank you
to Power Shop as well for the EV day and night plans, details in the video description below.
Speaking of Karloop, Riz may or may not be joining us. He's our international man of mystery as you
know. I'm showing this in some bonzo lounge somewhere in the world. So he may or may not
pop in. So if he does, he can share where he is. So stay tuned for that. It's always exciting with
Riz, never a dull moment. So let's say hello to some of our early joiners of the show. Hello to
Xander. He says, good evening all. Finally got matter one premium and Arctic blue last week.
Congratulations. First EV in lovely and so far. That's the kind of stories we like to hear just
in time too. Yes. That's fuel prices. Skyrocketing around the strength. So congratulations.
Hello, James. Nice to see you as well. Yes, out of one is impressive value. Yes, indeed. Very good.
Still Australia's cheapest EV, isn't it at the moment? I think so. As it stands, new anyway.
You seen any other ones around your neck of the woods, Roland?
No, I was just about to say, everyone seems to be buying at two ones as the viewers, but I'm
still yet to see one on the road. In fact, I drive past the BYD dealership fairly often and I
driving past her just a quick glance, but I'm still yet to see one on the road. Looking forward to
it, though. Yeah, yeah. I think I've seen a couple of them that you join on your travels.
I think I've seen some twos. I don't know about the ones. Yeah. Yeah, there's few and far between,
but yeah, certainly a lot more twos, that's for sure. Looks like Xander got a good run. Seven
weeks from order to delivery. That's not bad actually, this day and age. That's a two months
spotter. What are they all parking them at Tambourine at one point?
Yeah, I've got to store them somewhere. Hello, Rob. Nice to see you from Adelaide.
Hello, Jim from Northwest Sydney. Hello, nice to see you. Hello, Andrew from Ararat in Western
Australia. Victoria. Sorry, Western Victoria. That's just my brain just filled in Victoria
with Australia. Hello, I should know Ararat is definitely Western Victoria.
Hello, All Terrain Action. Hello, Mark from Hamilton. Hello, Pauline from Newcastle.
Hello, Murray. Hello, Wayne from Toowoomba. We've got viewers from all over Australia. It's so nice.
And hello, Lewis from Brisbane. Passed 2000Ks on the auto too. Well done. It's a lot of Ks already.
I don't think we've reached 2000Ks yet on our MGS5, to be honest with you. So you're doing well.
And that's six months old already. Yes, hello everyone. Thanks for joining us too. Nice to see
you. Yes, we will get an update from Riz if and when he does join us. If you've just joined us on
the stream, he is somewhere in the world. We're in the world as a Riz actor. We don't know.
Yes, that's right, Gene. No smugglers because increased fuel prices does affect us as well.
That's right. Not just petrol car owners. The cost of living is going to grow up, unfortunately.
Okay, let's keep going. Let's see. Yes, hopefully you guys touched on the Tesla Model YL in this
video. Yes, of course we will. It was a comment that was only announced last week, Rowland,
Friday. That's when the news came through. Seems like a lot happens in our world.
Not even a week. That's right. Let's put up Darryl's X here. Oops, not that one. This one. So
there it is. The Model YL is in showrooms and I think it's shopping centers around Australia too.
This one's in that nice red. There we go. I was fortunate enough to be in Tesla Sydney today
and I must admit, Joy and I have a Model YL in our possession for the next 48 hours.
So our video should be dropping very soon. So after the stream, check out the Lucris V channel.
Do I show you our impressions on our little drive around Sydney as well?
But it is hard to tell. I don't know about you, Rowland, whether you've seen it in the flesh.
It's hard to tell that it's a Model YL without looking at the badge.
I have not seen one in the flesh as yet. From a quick glance, I think the easiest to tell is the
back spoiler and the brake lights. It's probably the key thing because there's a brake light that's
underneath the spoiler. It's not in that photo. I think the spoiler for me is probably the only
clue outside of the Triple Y. At the Sydney showroom, this back behind the C-pillar window
is definitely bigger than the standard Y and this back here is more dome-like. That's probably
another giveaway if you've got an Evil Eye, but apart from that, it's hard to tell, isn't it?
It looks pretty proportional. That's the thing. I can't remember. There was another car we saw
and it just looked like they inflated it this way or inflated it this way. But this one,
the proportions are pleasing. It doesn't look odd.
I think you're right. The elongated Y just looks more almost wagon-like, dare I say it.
It doesn't look like they slapped on it and pulled it along the X-axis. It doesn't look...
Yeah, it's good. It's a good check. James, we actually have one already in our possession,
just the test one. The video is dropping very soon. Check that out. Here we go.
Andrew says, update from a few weeks ago with the Zika Community Drive and Lunch. That's great.
40 attendants. That's fantastic. Wow. That's a huge turnout for a community group. That's great.
I hope you guys had a good time.
Got some more people joining us. Kenny says, evening, everyone, just drove my
brand new model Y from Melbourne to Sydney on FSD. Wow, that's great. I'm sure it was an easy drive.
We've discovered that on FSD, the Y drives superbly. It's just like a robot driving you around.
It's the most better than I could drive, at least.
Yeah, in terms of the smoothness of accelerating and decelerating. But I still get very nervous
at how slowly it takes turns, though. Can't do that in Sydney traffic.
Yeah, I think it needs an agro Sydney mode between 7.00 and 9.00 a.m., that kind of setting.
Rear is easy at the BMW i3 launch. I don't think so. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.
Speaking of which, the embargo has dropped for sharing this with you guys. The i3
was launched in Munich today. Roland's got some pictures of the i3 for us.
I think it looks phenomenal. I love sedans, as you guys know, and it looks very pleasing.
This new no-air class, the shape of the front here.
I like the back, too. Reminds of the five series, which I currently like.
Yeah, very true. The i3, I could be wrong, but the i3 was the boxy, original EV, right, from BMW?
There was a original ix, the i3? There was a small one.
I think that was it, wasn't it?
It was, yes, i3.
Yeah, they're good. So they've obviously changed the nomenclature. It's now this sedan thing,
which is cool. Yeah, I'll just share with you some of the specs and details from the Australian
press release. This is the second no-air class model. I love saying that, by the way, no-air class.
Yes, I think we all know you love saying that.
This is where I was off the tongue. Second no-air class model, first sedan,
it would be the i350x drive, the first variant, dual-mode is fed up, like the ix3.
900Ks of range WLTP, come on, that's ridiculous. Seriously, that's like Sydney,
Melbourne, if true, with no charging, just like boom, all the way.
That really just eliminates range anxiety, doesn't it?
Someone's going to do that test, Sydney, Melbourne. I mean, it was still top,
you still got to pee and eat and stuff.
Well, that's the thing, you stop because you physically want to stop,
not because the car needs to stop.
Now, Roland, 345KW of power, 645Nm of torque. Is that enough for you, my friend?
Wait for the M-spec. They're just teasing you.
But no, you're not serious. The specs are pretty amazing.
Yeah. You've got cars that do 300, 400, which is, I think, okay, for city cars,
but then you've got BMW here trying to take the leaderboard in terms of highest range.
And it wasn't long ago that Volvo said that EX60 was going to be the longest.
So none of these cars are out and they're already fighting for the top spot.
I know, I know.
I like to see it, though. I like to see all the legacy brands actually taking EV seriously and
trying to be kind of like the best EV of the legacy ones. So that's good.
I mean, the Neue class of platform is EV first, right? So that's a good sign.
Yeah, that's good. Well, that's great to hear. We've got a little short as well on the channel,
so just got more details. Look at that. And Electric Ferris says the i3 was the small city
hatch. Thank you for confirming that. And yes, the Neue class is the retro styling.
Yeah, that's right. Oh, look, Riz is here. Hang on. I didn't notice he didn't pop up.
There we go. Hello, Riz. Good evening from the bonza lounge. Looking forward to tonight's show.
Hey, welcome, welcome. You can send us some details, Riz, if you've got anything from your end.
Yeah. Question from Scotty. Do you use more energy going from Melbourne to Sydney or
Sydney to Melbourne due to elevation? Well, I mean, logically, it should be no difference, right?
I know that the big difference is the middle leg, like getting into the middle where
sort of like from Melbourne to the middle part, you're going up in elevation. And then from the
middle part, you're going back down in elevation to Sydney. So I can't remember like the whole way
where it was. I mean, Sydney Harbour is like sea level. Port Melbourne or Melbourne
Docklands is like sea level. So it should be the same, right? I think the top, it's like
Melbourne. Melbourne's like or Sutton Forest, I think it's like the highest level. Somewhere
there, like you really do notice like you use more energy going there. And then afterwards,
it's kind of like, we're good now. Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean, you know, it's going to
Sydney to Canberra is definitely more hungry than going back home to Sydney.
Now, RIS has the top of this. So I saw a kind of 1000Ks of range earlier this week. Is that any,
is that C, what's the CLTC RIS or is that WLTP? Making our new news feel old.
And it might be in full eco mode with like everything switched off, is it?
Anyway, a con.
Yeah, Electric M3 is more Roland spec, Quad Bota incoming in the same place. Yeah,
that's totally Roland. Not my money spec, but I'll take it.
Yes, OTPOS confirms. Sydney to Canberra and Melbourne to Canberra as the client. Definitely,
I would think. Yeah, confirming. That's good. So Necro says, watch the video of the new IX3,
which we also love having seen that in the flesh on the Autobahn. And the acceleration from 50K
to 200K was amazing. Have you ever travelled at 200KPH on a road? Trying to think. Don't think so.
That's pretty quick. I know. Like, have you ever been, have you been a passenger on a track?
No, but even. Maybe not. Oh, that's not true. Yes, we have, haven't we, on a track? Yeah,
the Zika 7X. I'm sure it reached 200. Yeah, as a passenger, I'm sure. But not as the driver.
I think we got pretty close. I have to watch our video again. One of us is driving.
But still, nothing like, what was the Yang Wang U9 top speed? 490 something?
It's 400C.
Riz is reminding us the bin. That's right. So that was the Zika 7X day. Thanks, Riz.
Now, let's share this one real quick. So this is a story about X-Pung. X-Pung and Volkswagen
have released their first joint venture vehicle, the ID UNIX 08, officially off the production line.
So this might be China first, I think, or China only for now. That's what the car looks like as
you do. You release an SUV first. Makes sense in this day and age. And that's what it looks like
from the front. So, yeah, so the one thing about the BW is obviously the software that we all sort
of moan about on our reviews. So hopefully with X-Pung tech and X-Pung software, this might be
more compelling, right? What's the last Volkswagen you drove, Roland? Evie or otherwise?
Funny enough, no Evies, but I used to have a Volkswagen. I used to have many cars from the
Volkswagen group. It was my modified Golf R. So it was very outdated in terms of technology.
It was wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. No such thing as wireless.
Okay, well, at least it's Apple CarPlay still, right? It doesn't matter if it's wireless.
Yeah, yeah. But this car doesn't look too bad. I actually think it looks right.
I agree. I don't know about the name. I don't know what UNIX means, but it just doesn't roll
off the tongue. What do you drive? I drive an ID UNIX 08.
Evie, though, she just called it ID8, right? Because ID bars, ID4, ID3.
ID8 is almost like a word, isn't it? ID88, come on.
Double the sales. Lost opportunity, seriously. I agree, Andrew. It's a win for VW, 100%.
Very compelling. Good drive quality for VW, good tech from X-Pung. It's a marriage made in Evie,
will there be a VW up performance for Roland? I mean, surely.
It was up GTI overseas, so, you know, they can do it.
We're playing guessing games where RIS is. Is RIS in the US for the Roadster? Launch April 1st.
I don't know. I don't know. It literally is two weeks away.
Two weeks. Exactly, two weeks. How funny.
Richard says, I may or may not have exceeded 250kph, publicly saying this,
on the way back from Sydney to Melbourne in my new BMW M3 wink.
Don't worry, your secret is safe with us and 177 other live viewers at this stage.
All good, Richard.
Drive the 7th Exeter State last week for fun from Malula to Tweet Heads. Very good.
Good stuff, Mark. The 7 Exeter is a fun car.
I was just going to say, that's the thing, isn't it? You're sitting in it and you're like,
yes, let's go for a drive.
It's really just stuck in Melbourne traffic. It could very well be. I don't know.
I'm an international man of mystery. I don't know.
Look, this is a, there's some tough choices at the moment, isn't there, Roland? Enjoy.
J5, B10, Ado2. I'll just throw the MGS5 in there in the mix.
Smart hashtag 3 if you've got the money. It's, yeah, it's great. I think it's
so good having all this choice. All right.
We drove the B10 this week after you switched off the 8S. It's phenomenal.
It's like a different car. It's like, switch that off and it's a different car.
Night and day, seriously. Real drive. Great specs. Yeah.
If you've got money, the Mini. The Mini Aisman is up there too, if you want a small car.
Yes. Yep. That review is coming as well.
Here we go. Watcher says, drove my 7x long range up to Sydney from Canberra,
arrived with 60% battery, started with 100. That's phenomenal. That's very good.
Very good. Question for you, Roland, any ADR releases this week on the horizon?
There was one that I actually didn't make a post on funny enough. I took spin,
because I just realized now that I saw how it's comment, there was the Mazda C,
I think it was a CX6E or 6E that was approved earlier on. Oh, yes. The Chang'an. Chang'an
approval. Yeah. Yes. So even though it was a partnership between Mazda and Chang'an,
the ADR approval actually says it's from Chang'an. Interesting. Okay. There you go.
Reset 16. Thank you, Riz. I mean, we love that car, because it's like a D-PAL basically.
Drives phenomenally too. So yeah, can't wait. Hopefully soon, Roland, if ADRs are approved,
I would thought. It's got to be a couple of months at most. I mean, look, realistically,
if we look at timelines, the smallest timeline we've had now is the Model YL, because it was
ADR approved, then the following week it was spotted, and then it's released.
So I think that's probably the shortest timeline we've seen to date, three weeks. So
we can't just say, oh, it's been ADR approved, it would be a couple of months away,
could potentially be three weeks away. You're right, because a week ago on this show,
we were showcasing the cars on trailers. Yeah, that's right. And the Friday was the press release,
we've got the car today. Yeah, it's crazy. We need like Tesla time, like China time, Tesla time.
It's pretty good for Tesla. Yeah, bring it on. It makes it more exciting.
Exactly, exactly. Scottie says they've been advertising the 60 lot on billboards. I mean,
you know, legacy brands do what they do with advertising. I think, yeah, I think it's good.
I feel like Mazda is one of those brands that will get people who weren't previously looking at EVs
to maybe consider an EV. They're like just a really, a comfort brand. And like once,
I don't know, for like me, once I had my Mazda, it's like, I didn't want to move from a Mazda.
So hopefully they'll get, yeah, all the people like that who kind of just like to stay with the
same brand. Yeah, I agree. Have seen the new Mazda 60 SUV advertised by Mazda on socials?
It is a good looking car. I agree. Yeah, it's a really nice car.
Do we know when the Ato 3 EVO is coming? I don't think there's a timeline yet. We need BYD time.
Tiny says, couldn't cope with rising diesel prices. Yeah, I'm with you. $2.80. We're just
chatting off camera. Roland and us were saying at the moment, the leader in Sydney. It's crazy.
So traded in our second car, i30 diesel wagon for a GWM Aura GT. Good work. Nice. That's a good,
good little car there. We're just saying two weeks from ADRs to order for Tesla. That,
that is phenomenal, isn't it? That's Tesla time. Yeah. Now I just want to touch on Zika here. So
yes, this has been, this has been doing the rounds on the forums too. Ordered a Zika 7x mid
September last year. Still no car. Got a colleague in the same boat as well. Posted it on the Zika
website. A number of people waiting over six, seven months disappointed as Tesla would have been fine.
Yeah, that, that is a worry, isn't it? It's a long delivery time at the moment for Zika.
You didn't miss. I see the mix, I see a mix post on the Facebook groups as well.
It's a shame because it is a great car. So we're just going to get the cars out here.
I mean, look, Tesla had the same teething issues, you know, years ago before they
got sorted all that out, but that's the, I guess, the risk you take with the new brand.
These kind of teething issues, servicing, it'll take time, unfortunately. So
thoughts on the GAC ION UT launch deal versus BYD Dolphin ADO 2. Only thing stopping me from the
ION is the lack of GAC dealership in my area. Yeah. So again, BYD is further along the line
of sorting the brand out in Australia. So that's certainly worth something, I think,
as we keep saying it with the legacy brands that we review.
Although the ION UT does look good. It's like a nice little SUV, small SUV or large hatch.
It's a funky shape. Yeah.
Like BYD, their aim is just to be everywhere. Like, and that's why they do,
like they're advertising in kind of like, yeah, like mass media spaces as well.
And I think they're like one of the only ones I think with like actual dealerships in Tasmania,
because you know these things and they always show you the map and they're like,
look, they're all over Australia. And then there's like this empty area here. But no,
they're BYD, you know, they're very good at making sure that Tasmania are covered as well.
So I think, yeah, that if that is, you know, needing a dealership locally, I think it is important.
To the credit, they've done very well. They've done the research, they know where they need
these dealerships. Yeah. Otherwise, it's usually Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,
coming soon, Perth, Adelaide. That's all.
And the next step with BYD's evolution is it's got to be the Gantry charging that we talked
about last week, the 1.5 megawatt, the T2. Yeah. So hopefully, we just need another brand
other than the Tesla to roll out a fast charging network. So fingers crossed, we use that every
time. Hopefully this year is the year. They've still got nine months. Exactly. Exactly. Oh,
look at this. Riz, Intel for us. So good. GSE plays to open 150 deals within five years.
That is a lot. Wow. Bring it on. Bring it on. That's right.
Aion UT is another good looking little car, has the best performance of the bunch at the moment.
And you're right, Richard. Yep, as Joy said, BYD in regional Victoria as well, not just the cities.
Yeah, J5, JQJ5 selling 17 a day. There you go. That's pretty good. Another nice little car.
And again, Riz, Aion UT, great car, 400Ks of range, 31K drive away. Phenomenal.
If the Aion UT is anything, sorry, if the Aion V is anything to go by, which drove very well
for a front-wheel drive, phenomenal value, actually drives better than the Geely X5 in my
opinion, probably yours too. Yeah. Yeah, I think GSE is a good brand. Yeah, everywhere in Guangzhou,
collaboration with Toyota, Honda, so on in that city. So fingers crossed.
Charles from Tassie says, I think BYD and Geely are the only Chinese brands in Tassie at the moment.
It's a good effort from Geely as well to be there. Build your dealer.
Nice. Yeah, Geely X2 for me. That's the one to watch. That's the one to watch.
Best selling car in China. I think it'll just blow all these cars out of the water in my opinion.
We'll see. Let's see. Look at this. Richard saying, I saw a mainstream media article
applying that EV sales have doubled this month. That's good. Looking forward to Riz's data on
that, really looking forward to official numbers for sure. It makes sense, right? Petrol prices.
I saw a comment earlier. Any brands with any cars at the moment are going to sell well.
Yeah, that's true. They've got inventory, isn't it? Any stock. Yeah. So it just makes sense.
This might be the push-roll, and I think to get people on EVs, right? With what's happening in
the Middle East. Totally. Totally. It's like regardless of your monetary situation, like
you're going to feel the pinch, like looking at the fuel prices go up that much in such a
short period of time. Crazy. Yeah, and it's not just the price either. It's reliability. There's
a lot of articles freaking people out saying that there's going to be actual fuel shortages,
not just expensive, but that you're not even going to be able to buy any fuel. So I think,
yeah, having an EV, knowing that you can charge with electricity, you don't have to rely on
what, 80, 90% of it being imported, isn't it? So yeah, just from a security point of view.
The question is though, will people go full EV or they still go the FAV route, right?
Because FAV is still a petrol, don't you? Yeah, but hey, either way, it's at least a step in the
right direction. Let's hope. Looking forward to seeing those numbers definitely from Riz when
he returns from wherever he is at the moment. Will is saying, I feel wounded by fuel for the
ride on lower. It's still painful. Still painful, right? Depending how big your lawn is, I suppose.
And look, Roscoe from Amazing EV, one of our friends seeing a lot of inquiries for used EVs.
Good, good, good. Excellent. All right, let's put up this article here, which I forgot to share
last week from Charles. There's a highway service centre near Mackay with 25 charging stalls that
are at least a development application too. So Mackay, for those who don't know, North Queensland.
Far North Queensland, I think. Borderline Far North Queensland? Pretty far north. Just before Kansas,
isn't it? Is it considered far north? Someone can correct us from Far North Queensland.
Yeah, 25 stalls. This could be the biggest site in Australia. The current one,
current title holder is the one in Melbourne, which we visited, the Tesla Supercharger site.
So 25. It's a good effort from Queensland. It's great. I think this might have been misreported
in the TeslaRadi website, saying this was meant to be in Melbourne and it's supposed to be Tesla
Superchargers. See, I think Charles has written that down here. So this is not Tesla. This is,
I think, generic. So I wonder what brand this is. I wonder which CPO is doing this.
That's what I'm really curious about, actually. Because there's a lot of chargers, actually,
for a third party. Yeah. I'm used to, like, at most four, two of which aren't working.
They have a proposal built at Fairleigh about 13 minutes north of Mackay on the Bruce Highway.
Thank you for Lewis. Oh, look, and it's going to have, yeah, a quick service restaurant,
standalone grocery. Awesome. Oh, good. Like a mega truck stop. Thank you, Lewis, for correcting
us. Yes, not quite far south from Townsville, even. Okay, thank you. So mid-north Queensland.
Can we call that? I'm sure there's a proper term. Yeah. Before Townsville, after Rockhampton. Thank
you, Tony. Kind of middle Queensland. Mid-Queensland. No, that's rude. No, that's mean. No, no. Just, like,
halfway up the coast. Yeah, I mean, is there really a need up there? That's a good point. I mean,
I'm not complaining, but could make it easier to drive up there. That's for sure.
Yeah, Richard, asking, is it actually AC rather than DC? That's also a good point.
Yeah, okay. Could be. I suppose 25 DC does seem a bit overkill. Could be wrong.
Hmm. But then if they're making, like, a whole kind of, like, retail hub around it,
maybe not that crazy an idea, but... It's not. If there's one in my local area in the opposite,
Hill Showgrounds Stadium, or Hill Showgrounds Home, I think there's 30-something, AC chargers. It's all
paid. It's in our shopping complex with apartments upstairs. And there's, like, 10 or 15 on each floor.
There's three levels. I think, yeah, you just reminded me, apartments. But I mean, this is on
this is on a highway, but yeah, we need more of these just in areas of our cities where there's,
you know, people who live in apartments, so that they've got somewhere to charge easily, isn't
it? Yeah, Charles, saying the chargers are alongside the service stations, and I guess
whichever service station operates, it could operate this, it could impact the charger operator.
Okay. Hopefully Web AC seems ridiculous for a servo. Yeah, I wouldn't think there'd be
many apartments up there in Mackay. Interesting. Especially if it's, like, in the middle of,
like, a highway. Bruce, highway. Well, we'll follow that story. So thanks, Charles, for sharing that
story with us. Yeah, half the N'Zika delivered cars, I don't know. We've been told May, June for
new 7X stock and Adelaide. Okay. It's a couple of months away after Easter.
Yep. Tony says, go straight to EVs. Don't waste money with hybrids or revs or feds.
Yeah. Okay. If there are enough charges, like the one they're building in Mackay, yeah, maybe.
Or if you buy a BMW and you can just drive 900 kilometers on it. Charging. Who needs the charging?
Yeah, that's true. It is what happened to the massive BP site from two years ago. The one they
were trying to build in, I think it was Albury, wasn't it? There were plans for that. So,
don't know. Don't know. Any more CPOs building chargers, that's for sure.
According to Chris Bowen, one in six Australians live in Strata from the launch of that 250.
Sorry, from the launch of that 250 outlet apartment in Hawthorne, okay. One in six Australians.
That's higher than I thought it would be, to be honest.
I mean, I guess most people live in the capital cities.
Yeah. Some parts of Sydney you would think, yeah, one in six, but some parts of Sydney,
probably like 80% of people live in apartments. True. 90% of people live in apartments.
And speaking of Zika, let's pop this up. So, we all love the Zika 009 and looks like
Roland's found. He's moved on. He's moved out to China to transport filings now.
What do they call in China? CDRs? No.
It was the Ministry of Transport or something, the Ministry of Transport filings.
900. I'll take that title, but I could not. It's such a cool car. I know it's probably out of
the general price range for everyone, but the fact that they're outdoing what is already a massive
lead in the market for people, members is just crazy. Up the power. I think, look, there's not
much information on it. Obviously, bigger battery, better charging, more power. I don't know how much
more you can improve the interior. Surely there'll be something. I'm sure there's something.
A swimming pool. Like a spa or something. Yeah. It just pops up. Yeah.
Like a demister or a unifier or something. I don't know. It's got to be something.
Two weeks ago, we had this buy shot, and then last week or this week,
they've announced it here. Who knows? Maybe we'll get it in the next year.
120,000 here, isn't it, from memory? The base one is about 120-something drive away, brand new.
For front-wheel drive, and then the other two are about 149 thereabouts.
People take one or 2,000 between the six and the seven-seater from memory,
but just under 150 before negotiation, of course.
I know it's a different class. This car is like streets ahead of the Model YL in terms of luxury
and comfort. But when you got the Model YL at half the price, it is quite compelling. But if
next step up, you want like RIS-level luxury then. I think it really depends. Are you ferrying
six to seven people every day all the time, or are you ferrying six to seven people on the
odication? That's the question. It is a big car. It's 5.2-something meters long.
Sure is. I wouldn't mind being ferryed by that in this thing every day, honestly.
The thing is, the flip-slide is that you won't want to try and drive it and maneuver it through
car parks or side streets. I'm not driving it. No, no. I want to be ferrying it.
That's what I'm saying. Someone has to drive it. I'm not parking this thing.
You're driving it, Joy. Tom's trying to save. You get what? You're driving it.
We need a butler. Ask Jeeves. That's what you need FSD for, because no one wants to try.
What's the park this thing? RIS is asking, anyone order the Zika 7x Black Edition,
which we discussed last week? Some of my wrapper friends have contacted me to ask
to see what they should replace their Caddy with. The Vistik is not good enough? RIS? Come on.
Yeah, let us know. How much was it extra? A couple of $3,000 extra.
$3,000 extra. Yeah, that's some cosmetic improvements.
Plus the on-road cost, so it's a little bit more than the $3,000.
Yeah, perfect for executive transfers, Richard. Exactly. The 7x, sorry, the
009. Let's pop it up again.
Wayne says, saw the Zika MPV, which is this thing, the 9x, sorry, 7x, 009. Sorry,
I'm getting late. Let them let a number. At the lights in Toowoomba, and then we both pulled
up at Plain Land, about $50,000 from Toowoomba. Nice. Very good. Is it all a drive? Well,
I think there is an all-wheel drive variant. I think you want an all-wheel drive with an MPV,
I would have thought, like with a 7-seater. It seems more stable to me.
Yeah, it depends how sedately you want a drive. Speaking of the Model YL, I was,
you'll see in the video, but we were surprised by how much the software can tweak the comfort level
in the rear two rows. It can switch from what was it called? Comfort to balance.
Balanced and rear comfort. I was a bit skeptical, but I got first shift in the third row when
Joy was driving, and it made a huge difference, actually. It went from firm to just a bit more
gentle. We did a test where I actually just sat there with my eyes shut in balance mode,
and then I had to guess when he switched over to rear comfort. I think I told you basically,
it was only about a minute into it, I think maybe 90 seconds into it, and then I said,
like within two seconds, I was like, you've changed it. It was that noticeable.
Almost imperceptible when it changes until you... But instead of sort of like moving like this,
suddenly you're just moving like this. Yeah, the smallest fine wave.
It's very compelling. It's smaller than your Model X, Roland. Is yours a six-seater?
Seven. Seven-seater, yeah. So it's genuinely hard to get to the third row, because the seats are
really heavy. If it's even on a slight slope, I genuinely am using my entire body to hold the
seats, just so someone can get in. Do you have a seven-seater because you're ferrying extended
family around, or what's the reason? Yep, yep, yep. Yep, that's pretty much it.
That's the reason why I'm tempted, because it's so handy, as you well know. It is. At any time,
if you need, you just know, I got the seats. Yep. You're the man to go to. It's so good.
Yeah, okay. We'll keep thinking about that, what a while. Marcus says,
my boss just bought a Geeky... No, sorry, Geely EX5 traded the whole old ice when full EV after
initially wanting a hybrid. Good move. I think lots of people are really keen on EVs, but are
afraid. Now it's an easy jump. It's the tipping point, so you just need to push.
Well, that and the fact that there are so many really good cars for such a reasonable price,
that's the thing. You've got the Geely EX5, and then the Leakmotor V10, really,
really sensible value cars. You get so much car for the price. So much. We are very well
poised in Australia. No tariffs from China. So much choice. So many brands, honestly.
Pick of the litter, honestly. And if they're going from an old ice car, the jump in technology,
they'll feel like they've travelled to the future. They're going to be like...
Cars like this exist. They're going to be like, what? I know we split hairs when we do reviews.
I'm sure Roland does too, between the different drive qualities. But honestly,
these are all still better than driving any ice car, honestly. So yeah,
we're just trying to help you decide where to put your money.
Yep. A question from Alphorn. Is there any news on pricing on the i3? I don't think so. The
pricing will come later this year. And Australian deliveries, hopefully 2027. So that's all we've
got for now. But there is an iX3 in Melbourne, as far as I know. So you can... Oh, probably
some dealerships around Australia too, I'm not sure. But it's definitely a few around.
And they look very nice on the inside.
Readers are suggesting under $110,000. Yeah, that's not bad. I was hoping closer to $100,000 for
this. Maybe $110,000 drive away. But I was thinking $100,000 would be really nice.
Just a psychological barrier, right? Yeah.
And Steve's saying, I've already done a road trip from Dubbo to Adelaide back to Fire Broken
Hill in my GLE-X5. Wouldn't get a PHEV. So easy to take breaks and charge. Nice one.
And I agree with you. John, hopefully they keep the FBT discount for EVs going forward.
I do too. Yeah, crazy to be thinking about removing this in the middle of a fuel crisis.
Yeah. Yeah, all right. Well, I think that might be it for tonight. I think there's some big news,
obviously, the i3 we talked about, the Model YL as well. So, yeah, unless you've got something
else you wanted to bring up. No, nothing else. We've been at quite the start of the week.
No one's approved anything else. Well, then that's the 60. We tried that as well.
Yeah, we've just got that one. That's right. And I remember the pricing's been announced too. It was
quite reasonable. I think it was like mid 50s from memory, I think. 50s, yeah. Yeah. Yeah,
the double check that. But, yeah, hopefully we get to test that on real roads. I mean,
from what we saw on the track at Lang Lang, it was pretty impressive. Drove very well,
as you'd expect with the DPAL. Watch out, so fingers crossed. All right. Well, thanks, everyone,
for joining us. Thank you, Riz, from wherever you are. Someone's allowed somewhere. Oh, here's a
good question. BMW i4 Polestar. That's a tough one, isn't it? Yeah, all right.
If I last recall right, unless it was an old variant, I recall seeing back then,
our i4 was a four-star AMCAP. So for the ones, if it matters, I don't know the specifics on where
it missed out. So it was either the old one or the current one. It was four-star. Okay. That
certainly is important, for sure. Aaron says, two neighbors have bought EVs in the last week,
right? Shift is on 100%. Definitely. I've been asked a lot this week, actually, from
my people I know, my circle of influence and friends, including neighbors. So it's good. It
is happening. And Riz sends his apologies. Sorry. All in bumper-to-bumper traffic tonight in
Turac East. That's okay, Riz. That's okay. You're here in spirit. That's all that matters.
Too many specters. That's right. Too many specters on that street.
Bring the back of a AA9. Comfortable. Too funny. All right, Roland. Well, thanks so much for
joining us. And don't forget to check out Roland's YouTube channel, ZeptAU, as always,
in the video description. And thank you to our audience. Thank you to Joy for joining us as well.
We shall see you all next week when hopefully Riz returns. Thanks, Roland. See you then.
Thanks, Roland. Thanks, Roland. Thanks, all. Thanks, everyone. Have a good night and take care.
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