Episode 87: Nissan’s lazy boi, Epiq tales and some Soul searching

Hello and welcome to your weekly charge of all the very latest electric car news.

On the show this week, we're going to be talking about how the busiest August since we launched the brand in 2020 for new car launches and reveals is fast turning into the busiest September.

And how Nicola and I in particular needed to go and lie in a darkened room for a while.

Yes, of course, we will also be dipping into the post bag answering all your car buying questions.

Welcome to the kilowatt half hour. We're back. We're sorry. We know we've been unreliable recently.

I'm Ginny. I'm Nicola.

And I'm Mike.

And so we're very good reason for not being here regularly because it's been nuts.

In the last 10 days, we've basically published a video every day.

Yeah, every single day.

You've been sleeping in airports, basically, haven't you?

Yeah, yeah, sleeping in airports, travelling everywhere, doing all of this.

I don't know what day it is today. No idea what day it is today.

It's podcast day. That's what it is.

It's podcast day. Yeah.

But then you've been to Munich and back and then Munich and back and then followed by Munich and back and Munich and back.

I know the studios of Munich really well, actually, incredibly well.

You go to Munich, but I should have just seen a whole succession of studios with concept cars in.

Can you remember, Mike, a time when we've seen recently as many cars has come out as this?

Because I mean, I was just looking at the list just before we started recording this.

And we have had nine full form videos go to live on the YouTube channel along with four shorts.

But also all of that stuff has been written up on the website with previews and reviews and Q&As.

And I don't know what happened, but I don't know why there's been so much,

but I can't remember a time as busy as this in a long time.

No, I mean, sometimes you've had three or four.

I think it's the fact that maybe you had that volume of new cars being launched at shows like this,

but because 80, 90 percent of them are electric, we're getting all of them.

I mean, I'm with you. I mean, I don't know how many thumbnails videos I've had to play about.

I'm getting bloody for money out of my Photoshop.

And I thought I'd never say that.

For those of you that don't know, I have delightful thumbnails that encourage you all

to click on our fabulous videos on YouTube.

Mike is our head of design.

So Mike is responsible for those.

Yeah, and you need to work really hard lately because you need to stop me and Jenny looking so tired.

Thank you.

You need to use Photoshop on us.

Do you mind?

No, that would be, that would be dishonest of me to use that.

I would have to declare it, wouldn't I?

Slipped down my thighs a little bit.

It's all been enhanced if you've been enhanced.

No, I can think of a few cars recently that you should have benefited from your photoshopping.

Yes, I mean, some of those thumbnails where you're standing on a motoshow stand

with about 14,000 other people, which that's that's that's yeah,

there have been a lot of painting out of people in some of those thumbnails.

But yeah, I'm glad it's slightly kind of easing off of it now.

Should we do just a quick roundup then of just some of the stuff we've seen

because in the last podcast, we sort of started to talk about a bit of this.

So we'd seen the VW ID cross.

I was able to, I think, talk about in that last podcast, the BMW IX3 Neuerklaas.

And you've been seeing it's probably main rival, haven't you?

The Merck, feel the thing.

So they're both DLC.

Yeah, that's going to be a great head to head on and get those together.

What did you get?

I'll be honest,

I really like it.

Now, here's the thing, right?

I think when I saw photos of it beforehand, I went, oh, oh, God.

Like the front grill, I wasn't just was not a fan of.

But then I saw it in the metal and I changed my mind,

which I didn't think would happen.

And weirdly, over the last couple of launches that I've been on

over like the last week or so, myself and some others

like car journals from other websites or whatever,

we were all talking about it.

And the majority that haven't seen it in the metal don't like it.

But the ones that have do.

OK, I find quite interesting.

That's interesting.

What do you of them both might just from somebody who, you know,

obviously you've done the thumbnails, you've looked at the pictures a lot.

But that is interesting that those two, they are

they are really going to be primed up against each other, aren't they?

Which would you go for IH390 class, Merck?

Do you ask? Yeah, I think that I'm kind of hoping this is the start

of a new design renaissance at BMW, because I think, you know,

after the I3, there hasn't been much to kind of really hang your hat on.

And I think that I think it'd be one of those cars that works better in the metal,

because there are some funny angles of that car in the pictures and the images

and an awful lot of very thin horizontal lines, you know,

which which I don't know how that's going to actually work in reality.

But I would say of the two, the I3, the IH3 is probably more my sort of thing.

Yeah, fair. And actually, I think the grill, the grill on the BMW looks

it's like a really nice slimmered nod to the to the old BMWs of the 90s

and the 80s, I thought was really nice, rather than like the beaver teeth.

And I love the fact that it's they've de-chromed and there was a very, you know,

that's their ideal is you de-chrome because they don't want to put chrome

on the cars anymore, the issues around sustainability.

But I think just having so much, you know, those chrome elements as lights

look brilliant. There is an option that is, of course, an options pack.

So you cannot have the traditional chrome if that's what you really want.

But I think I would agree with you.

I I really do. I like that car that I I've I've yet to be convinced by the GLC,

but then I've not seen it in the metal.

Yes, see, this is the thing.

I think maybe give it time and then I feel like once you see it in person,

you'll go, oh, OK, well, that's quite nice.

Yeah. And that's exactly that's the exact face I made.

Oh, OK, that's quite nice.

And that voice. Yeah.

The one I love that I haven't seen and I don't need to say it's

love it is the Polestar five.

I really like the look of that.

Mike's smiling. Mike doesn't agree.

I know, I don't I don't I'm just thinking of I've watched

Nicholas's video for it last night.

So it just made me laugh just smiling that the performance aspect of it.

Just a year. Yeah, it's ridiculous.

It's ridiculous. It's stupidly fast, but easily one of the best cars

I've driven in a in a long time.

They're they're on to something because we went to there's a place called

Millbrook, which is like a a test track for cars.

And they've got like real roads and they've got a big hyperbola

where you can drive it at top speed around in a big it's literally called

a ball for reasons, just a big circle.

And then you've got like hill climb routes and stuff like that.

We drive it around all of it and it was stunning.

The work that they've put into this car on how it performs is so impressive.

And I know it's really expensive.

That's the problem with that car.

It's going to be very, very expensive.

But if you've got the money, I think you'd be stupid not to go for one.

I mean, we all love the Polestar 2 when that first came out.

I still they kind of, yeah, they then they sort of, you know,

they churned out the three and the four and we went, OK, very nice.

And then, you know, the five comes along and they're making that

their new their new main car.

Can't remember the word for that. My brain's very tired.

That's one flagship. Thank you very much.

And you can tell the work that's gone into it.

And I think it's going to be selling like hotcakes to the wealthy,

to the very wealthy.

There's what's been interesting for me.

I think he's seen some more affordable cars coming through.

And so we saw Epic.

We had a little epic.

They surprised us by popping age very briefly and then took it away.

And Manas and I were like, quick, quick, run and get the cameras

and mist of all the chaos and the noise.

And none is to say what we know about it, which isn't very much.

But that was good to see.

And I think that's I mean, it's a shame, I feel a bit sorry for Skoda

because they're the last ones to get that car to market.

So the, you know, the the Coupe version of that car

and the VW ID Polo version of it, they'll all come first.

And it's a shame, actually, because I think, you know,

we're ready for the epic and it does look great.

It really, I was like, ah, that looks, yeah, looks nice.

And they, you know, it's all that new design language,

which I've been hearing a lot about recently in talking to designers

and looking at concept cars.

But it's the first car you can see this new sort of look that they're going for.

And I do think it looks pretty cool.

I like I liked it a lot.

What did you want if you want to discuss other affordable

EVs that would sort of be going up against it?

I think, yeah, I think I think the epic is utterly adorable

and a really lovely looking thing, and I really hope it does well for Skoda.

But then on the other end of the stick, I drove the Nissan Micra last week.

Oh, yes. OK, lazy boy.

Mike doesn't agree with this.

How do you feel about the the Micra bike?

Well, this is this is the thing.

I'm going to be on a slightly different page to you guys.

I don't know, because I think if it if it's a good if we give the Renault

five 10 out of 10 and the Nissan is the same car, but looks slightly different.

But you've got paddles.

You've got a couple of other things on the Nissan.

Surely it's as good.

Name me the couple of other things.

Well, I can't know.

No, exactly.

Exactly. And the Renault will get the paddle soon.

So then the other thing. OK.

Is it the same?

Yeah, if you were blind, you wouldn't be blindfold and driving it, would you?

OK, that's daft. But you know what I mean?

You know, so in the Renault five and obviously I did the walk around my

challenges that I had the full like design deep dive into the Renault five

when it came out with all like the history of, you know, the the the roof

on the, you know, the you know, it's got the looks of the little squares

on the roof and that's the throwback and all these Easter eggs for the

original car and Chanel lipstick gear selector, the lipstick gear selector.

And then it's got the little the little cock roll in getting, you know,

in there inscribed in the windscreen and all this stuff that was so bespoke

for the Renault five and you literally get in the micro and you go, oh,

no, they really haven't changed anything.

Yeah. And I think that is that's my issue with it is

it's a perfectly fine car.

And there may be people who don't like the way the Renault five looks.

I haven't met anyone yet.

And I think they're probably, you know, not best to advise anyone on design

if they don't like it because it looks bloody great.

But I don't know if it's a bit like, oh, come on, guys.

Like just just make it make it more you at least.

But no, they don't have any money, though.

Do they have got to run two brass ball things together in this

I get I get that.

But at the same time, we went out to Rotterdam to go and drive it.

And you see it outside and the the exterior, you kind of go, oh, it's very

so, yeah, OK, I can see the nods to a to a micro here.

I quite like the headlights, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, OK, it looks similar kind of shape to the Renault five.

I can see what they're trying to do.

And then I sat inside it and I was offended.

But it was just like, are you kidding?

Are you kidding me? I cannot.

This is you've driven both for sure.

It's got also mode.

It's even got the same.

I mean, well, that's good, isn't it?

That works well.

It's like bad engineering gone mad.

This is what's happened, right?

The Renault five come along, absolutely smashed it out of the park,

won all of the awards and knew that they landed a brilliant, brilliant car.

And Nissan went, that's a great car to put a Nissan badge on it.

Yeah, that's what's happened.

And they've changed nothing.

They've changed nothing in the suspension, nothing in the dampers.

We understand it's perfect.

You don't need to listen because many car brands, I understand they share parts, right?

It's it's a cost saving thing.

And it helps a lot of companies if they're struggling financially.

Brilliant, right?

We know that it happens across the whole Stellantis brand,

but each brand and each car still has its own personality.

You know that even though the Fiat six hundred E is very similar

to the Jeep Avenger and it's very similar on the interior except

but they drive very different.

They have their own personality.

This does not have its own personality.

And if I was Renault, I would be livid, said it, done it, done.

Well, I think Renault did sign up for it.

So I don't think they'll be offended.

But I completely agree.

I mean, I'm really not.

I think it looks quite cute.

But I just was like, oh, come on, make an effort.

Look, copy you made homework so precisely.

Can you mark it down for a lack of brand ambition?

We can mark it down for a lack of originality.

Just let me ask people.

I mean, it's it's a good car because the Renault five is a good car.

That's that's that's all you can say about it.

You can go, yes, this is a good car, but the Renault five is also a good car.

I think so it's a good car because the Renault five is a good car.

Let's talk about the rating system, because I think this is Mike's

issue is that the Renault five is like a ten at ten car.

Yeah. Moment the miss.

Then it's a Mike was an A of ten car, a very, very respectable, good score.

Do for me, those extra two stars on the Renault five go because

people look at it and come up to me and ask me questions about it.

I see it and it makes me happy.

It is a most fun, joyous thing.

That is where the extra, you know, they made all that brilliant effort

with the Easter eggs and all the subtle design touches that throw back

to the to the past and the charging five on the front and all that amazing

stuff. It is a brilliant piece of design and they get the extra two stars for me

because of that. Nicola, would you agree?

That's where stars go.

Yeah, I'm with I'm with you on that.

I'm absolutely. I know Mike's not.

But I'm also going to put Mike, let us know what do you think?

Comment below on Nicola and I too harsh on the Nissan Micra,

which, which to be fair is an A car is not bad.

We're not like being mean about it.

No, it drives like a Renault five.

It's the interior is a Renault five.

There's still a cockerel on the windscreen,

which which I spoke to Barnard about and Tom Barnard was told it's an origami.

I asked them that.

I asked them that when I went to look at it for the first time,

I told me that as well. I was like, hmm, anyway,

let's move on to a car that looks nothing like anything else.

The car that will become the next Ioniq three.

The Hyundai concept three, which oh, yes, honestly, let honestly just not another SUV.

You've got to applaud them for that.

I think they have knocked that car at the park.

I think they have done an utterly brilliant job with the design.

And I was told that it's 70 ish 60 to 75 percent there.

I mean, obviously things like that brilliant ducktail spoiler on the back.

That's going to go.

But there's so much on that car that is just fabulous, I think.

And I know, yes, it's it, you know, you you might loved it

because it it reminded you of the what was it?

Was it the fellow?

No, Veloster, Veloster, Veloster, Veloster, Veloster, Veloster, I don't know how you say that.

Veloster, Veloster, Veloster, that one.

But I just thought it looked sometimes, you know,

you we're walking to these rooms of the studio and you open the curtains.

You see the car for the first time.

And you go, OK, that's nice.

So I go, that I just thought this is great.

This looks really different, really original.

And Jesus, please make it look like that.

How do you feel about that one, Mike?

I don't mind it.

I think I think it will be.

I think the devil will be in that in that 40 percent

that Ginny says that isn't going to make it.

And I think that will be a slight deal breaker.

So I'm just I'm looking at it now.

I'm just imagining it on sort of, you know, two inch smaller wheels.

None of that yellow glass, the ductile spoiler gone.

And I'm just I'm still I'm yeah, I don't mind.

I mean, yeah, I mean, I'm going to reserve.

I think it's a lovely concept.

I think it's a really clever concept.

Yeah, the thing I would say nowadays, though,

do you remember when we first saw the concept seven

and, of course, the interior, nothing like the interior,

maybe the interior, there's that 40 percent.

If that's what maybe that's what I think that's what it is.

And even elements of the interior.

Like the guy Simon Lowsby, who's you know,

you've met as well many times like who's brilliant,

who's that Hyundai head of style, I think is his title.

He was talking all about wanting to make car interiors less stressful.

So if you want, could you de-screen your car

and literally said, I want all those screens

just when it's going to sink to my phone, you know,

and just like taking it all down a notch, but still having buttons.

And I think he's I think they're so clever in what they do.

But what I'm hoping is that as with the

the concept seven was it was concept.

It was Ioniq seven, wasn't it, that became the Ioniq nine.

That interior, of course, was nothing like the one on the real car,

but it did look externally very close.

And I think if you look at Ioniq six again, very close.

So they do they're very good Hyundai.

As I care, actually,

making their production cars look very close to the concepts.

They tend not to do that.

They the the tin, the Cooper, Tindaya thing,

which is they show you something and you swipe right on it.

And when you meet it in real life,

it looks nothing like the thing you swiped right on.

That they're not they're good at not catfishing us.

I think. OK, that's good.

And of course, the irony of all concept cars

is that the production version is signed off, you know, three years ago.

And then they create the concept car, you know,

six weeks before a motor show to kind of like hint at everything

that's going to be in the real thing.

So the general perception is the concept car comes out

and then the production version then follows on years after.

But, you know, the we all know the side of the reality

is the fact that the production version

would have been signed off three years ago.

That doesn't make any sense.

I don't always do that.

They're often worked on similar.

They're worked on simultaneously.

Yeah, that's not set around for three years.

So has it that concept car?

Whereas the production version will be.

And the set. But I think also we're seeing the much quicker

turnarounds on cars now as well,

which I think is meaning that they are worked on simultaneously.

So anyway, well, that's what I know from my experience

of talking to designers that, yes, that it's not, you know,

they don't want to they don't want to let us down too much.

No, no.

So, yeah, we saw the Cupertyn Dyer,

which is just like that big massive Edward Cisaranzi thing.

And so the weird looking car.

Yeah, I really loved that Skoda.

Skoda, Skoda concept, Skoda.

I thought that was really pretty,

which was there, obviously, what may well be

the next Octavia, which is, of course, a massive seller for them.

I thought that was really lovely and restrained,

just like, like, pared down.

Again, it's got those fabulous rear hinged doors

and we'll get those.

Yeah, I think it works nicely from some angles,

really nicely from somewhere.

And I think the front looks great.

There's a shot of you sitting in front of it.

And it's about that design language

to use a horrible industry term.

It does seem to be extending quite nicely

onto sort of bigger cars as well, doesn't it?

So the side in the back end is a little bit

sort of hearse-like, but I'm not sure about it.

So you want a real estate car, isn't it?

Well, I guess it is.

Yeah, I mean, you know, I think of other markets for that car.

But yeah, I think it was obviously it's a long way off, isn't it?

We're talking, you know,

it's the next generation platform, basically, as well, isn't it?

It's going to be on SSB, so it's going to be a while away.

Yeah, I think the real lights are lovely on that design language

that the Epic's got as well and the VisionO had a slightly

kind of more enhanced version of that.

Anyway, if you want to see all of these cars

that we've been talking about and being seen,

you can check out the videos on the Electrifying YouTube channel.

We've got which there are many, which there are many.

Yes, you've also got loads over at electrifying.com.

We'd like, you know, a lot more information on them,

previews and Q&As and all that kind of stuff.

I'm just have a little look at the notes.

And it says, Mike, Soul Searching.

Well, have you been Soul Searching, Mike?

I've been Soul Searching.

What's the matter? Do you want to talk about it?

No, I'm looking for a used Kia Soul.

Oh, right. Do you know what?

That, I was talking about that car yesterday.

You and I were talking about the Soul.

We were, yeah, because we were talking about,

I was talking about my hatred for the Nissan Cube,

which I quite like, talking about your love for it.

And then we started talking about the Kia Soul, which I love.

I love the Kia Soul.

I just love it.

You need another car, Mike.

I feel like you have a lot of cars

and I don't know if you need to use this car.

I've got enough junk.

I don't need any more.

Why are you searching for a Soul, then?

So there's a friend at Running Club.

She had a Skoda Roomster

and loves, really likes unusual cars.

She has a Yaris, was that kind of odd sort of Yaris

that looked like a Roomster as well.

So that's Yaris Verso and one of those.

So like, kind of likes odd looking cars

and asked me to drop a short list of electric cars.

She wants to go electric.

And I thought, well, a Kia Soul jumped straight to the top of the cube.

It's perfect. Yeah.

You know what?

They are not hanging around for very long.

As soon as she finds one on, you know, the used one,

by the time she calls up and the car dealers does the usual kind of,

oh, I've got two other people come and have a look at that this afternoon.

So if you want to, if you're interested, you better move quick.

And both times she hasn't been able to get to it to the weekend.

Through three times she's had that.

You've got there and it's been sold.

So yeah, they're not hanging around for very long.

It doesn't surprise me because it's a really well specced car.

Yeah, it is.

Everyone, if you know, you know, car is it?

It's really nice to drive.

It's one of the most comfortable rides I have driven.

I've had an electric car. It's amazing.

But also it's efficient.

Yes. I've had a lot of long journeys in that car in summer and winter.

And that was one of my big takeouts from that was how efficient it is.

I have a massive soft spot for that, actually.

I love that car.

It's a don't underestimate the power of the soul.

It's a really, it's a really, really good car to drive.

I remember driving it when it first came out.

And I was like, Plusie, oh, this is good, isn't it?

For such a car that I wouldn't normally look twice out.

But actually, this is pretty solid and it made me fall in love with it.

It was my first international EV launch.

Was it?

Well, so the leaf had come out, but I've driven the leaf in the UK.

And there was the leaf.

There was the ivory and there was the soul.

And actually, they invited me out to Namyang,

which is their sort of research and development centre

where the design studios are in Korea to do the small group to drive it.

And it was really weird because I was quite nervous about driving, driving it.

I don't know why.

I've driven so many cars before because electric was still so new then.

Yeah. It's going back a long time.

This is going back to probably what?

Like, I don't know.

Like, to, I don't know, 20, when was that being?

Like, 2011, 2012, maybe?

It was a long time ago.

Yeah. I mean, the leaf was 2011, wasn't it?

So, 2014, something like that.

But I drove it early.

There were pre-productions and I remember we had like all these deep

dyes into, like, what the battery technology and what they thought

the range could be and all of this stuff was really interesting.

But I think I've got a soft spot for it because of that as well.

And I just think it's a great car.

So, yeah, good luck.

Maybe you should find one for me and Nick as well.

I think we can. Yeah, yeah.

I'm starting off tracking down one of them.

This is a universal agree that it's a great car

and we're happy for you to find your friend one.

That's great.

Oh, thanks. Thanks for the approval.

I'll pass it on to her. Yeah.

Well, she wants a weird car.

The weirdest car that I can think of is still the PT Cruiser.

Do you remember the cries of the PT Cruiser?

It's what electric.

But that was weird looking thing.

Sorry. That was that was weird.

That was one of those cars that went from being super cool

and everybody wanted to drive it to everyone hating it

within about six months.

Is that that's the one that looks a cross

between a London cab and a hearse?

I've never heard that before,

but it was probably not a bad description.

Right, let's talk about new stuff.

What's been going on in the news night?

Well, we've got a few things happening in the new thing.

The Geely EX5.

I know if we're going to contain our excitement here

for another Chinese brand with a midsize SUV.

I'm going to do a competition next week.

I'm just going to get a picture of all like four or five of them.

Take the badges off and see if you can name

what which ones they are because, you know, I was trying to find.

I mean, I realize I'm getting old.

I don't know anyone that's in the hit parade now.

And I don't I'm not able to.

I'm not now.

I'm not able to distinguish my midsize Chinese SUVs from each other.

I don't think I'm alone in that.

And I think, you know, if Paris thought that there's a crime committed

and like, you know, normally if you say, oh, yeah,

they were driving a white Corsa or they were in a they're in an early 2000s.

Mini, if you're committing a crime and you're in one of these midsize SUVs,

you're going to get away with it.

There's no one's going to know what it is.

That's going to go well, it was kind of like a car.

It was a car, a midsize kind of car.

These felons are going to get away with it.

So, yeah, if you're if you're planning a life of crime,

I suggest you buy a Geely EX5 or a Leap Motor.

Good solid advice or whatever it's called.

Yes. Anyway, so to be serious for a second,

it's 32 grand, 60 kilowatt hour battery, 267 mile range,

100 kilowatt hour charge.

I mean, it's going to be price competitive.

It's got loads of kit.

I actually quite like the interior on it.

It looks kind of it's white and blue with two toned interior.

It looks quite nice, but I'm going to see it in a couple of weeks.

So I think it'll be quite interesting to see.

And do you know what?

Geely are they're massive.

They're one of the biggest car makers in the world.

They're making the Volvo EX30.

It's going to be fine.

There's going to be nothing wrong with that car at all.

It will be absolutely like great.

Listen, exactly.

We're a nation that buys, you know,

paints the house Magnolia and listens to Coldplay.

So we like bland in this country.

So it will not be a problem.

It is not, actually.

We've got a lot of different colours in my house.

I do like Coldplay, though.

This is actually more of a kind of like a green,

not very greeny Magnolia.

So I'm just going to say, you know, it's not Magnolia.

I think that was for me the refreshing thing

about going back to the concept three,

which will become the only three.

Just that it wasn't another SUV.

It wasn't like another, you know,

it would have been very easy for them to move done

like a mini version of the Ioniq 5.

And when you looked at it,

you could see both the Ioniq 5 and the 6 in it,

actually in its lines, but it had a nice look.

And also we managed to just do a really quick smash and grab video

of a leap, the new leap motor, you know, which had no interior

randomly because it was just like an exterior mule.

You couldn't even open the doors.

But again, not an SUV as well, you know, small hatch.

And, you know, I'm with you.

I think we've reached peak SUV, peak screens, peak SUV.

Let's do something else.

No, please, everybody.

And that's why cars like I think that Visiono as well,

you know, in their state slash hers are, you know, we should welcome.

Well, do you know what?

Do you know what everyone should do?

They should just get the Renault 5

and just stick their own badge on it.

Why not? It's a good car.

Seems to be the going thing.

OK, talking to Renault, we've got Renault 4 van.

I don't know what.

Yeah, there's bonkers.

We seem to have this every week.

There's another electric car brand saying there's a van version of this car.

We had the ENYAC the other week.

There's the Citroen EC3 that's the van as well.

So the latest one is a Renault 4 van.

It may not come to the UK yet.

It's under evaluation for UK, but it's basically it's the Renault 4

with the back seats taken out.

But it's got 930 litres of space, which is loads, 375 kilos payload.

It's converted by a company in France.

I guess they're not doing the conversions themselves the way they're not doing.

No, it's a bit like the scoad ones.

They all tend to get put out to someone else

because they're basically the production car that they can be converted.

They don't need any kind of changes as they leave the production line.

So but I guess they know I've got slight headache and so much

that they've already got the Kangoo EV, which is quite a good van.

So I guess there's a degree of cannibalisation.

It would be cheaper though.

I did the sums just now.

The Kangoo is 34 grand, which is a lot of money for a van.

Anyway, and the Renault 4, if you do the conversion from Euros,

is 27 that would be about 27,000 in the UK with the with the plug in grant.

So it would be quite a bit cheaper.

It would look nice as well.

Yeah, I love the Renault 4.

That's really great.

Oh, yeah, I'm just looking at it now.

The Renault 4 is a car that has massively grown on me.

I think my problem when I first saw it

was I was still so much like in the first throws of having a crush on the Renault 5.

It does was a bit like, oh, it's really nice, but it's not a Renault 5, you know.

Renault, but don't worry about it, because Nissan are going to stick a bad.

Oh, but I do.

And I think but also, do you remember we had one in grey to film with the Renault 4?

And it was a bit like, OK, and then we got one in that amazing,

like, minty, tannicky green.

Yeah, minty green.

In some colours, that Renault, the Renault 4 looks absolutely banging.

It really does. I love it.

And then, yeah, it's good.

Oh, that makes me happy. I like that.

Yeah, so that's coming.

Yeah. And the Mercedes of the old.

Yeah, the thing that's going to be like, you know, the holy grail of electric,

the solid state battery, which we hear about every kind of, you know,

you know, and it's always coming next.

It's like it's worse than Elon Musk's full self driving coming.

You know, it's never going to.

Anyway, Mercedes are getting as close as anyone has in that.

They've just done a test of their own solid state one.

Did 835 miles and apparently still had 100 or so miles left on the plane.

Did it really?

Did it? Did it? Yeah.

Did it, though?

Was it going 20 mile an hour? Did it?

No, it wasn't. It drove from Malmo to Sweden.

Tom's written the story.

It's even got the route, if you're interested in going on.

Bring that route again.

But it was all auto straddle.

How slow were they doing that route, though?

Did it? It wasn't like the Polestar one.

They won it. It was a lot of.

Anyway, the interesting for this story was that the battery has been developed

by high performance powertrains in Bricksworth, who, as you know,

build the Formula One engines for Mercedes.

So it's an interesting UK angle to it.

Now, obviously solid state batteries, not everyone would sort of understand

what the problem is here, but they are inherently fragile.

They're inherently hard to make.

So yes, it's incredibly expensive.

They do have much higher energy densities.

So 25 percent more energy that so you can, you know, for a smaller battery,

you can get a longer range and they charge up a lot quicker as well.

But no, no, but yeah, and they're very expensive.

Nobody has cracked the kind of, you know, mass production element.

So yes, I mean, they say. Expensive.

Have I mentioned that they're expensive as well?

But they are. They're really expensive.

Are they? Are they?

They should be. Mercedes reckon 2028, but it will be.

All right.

But it will be.

I mean, I imagine they will probably do, you know,

a version of the EQS or something with it on and it will be a gazillion pounds.

But at least they'll, you know, they'll have that kind of cash out of being

first to market. You're not going to see them in Dacia Springs.

Yeah, we can try it along with the that the portion of wireless charging.

You know, we can give them both.

You know, well, yeah, yeah.

I mean, I know you will knock in this, but I think it is.

It is a development, you know, and it isn't just something

that's been proven in a lab, but they've actually driven it.

I know Nikola's, you know, not sure what speed they went.

But I mean, I can put you in touch with what made me laugh was the quote

that came through from on the press release.

And if I read this on one more press release about electric cars,

I might have to be like the solid state batteries.

A true game changer for electricity.

Literally every bloomin week, it's a game changer.

It's a game changer.

But it's because everyone that doesn't drive electric will go,

well, I'm not going to buy an electric car unless it can do

a thousand miles on one charge.

This is the thing that people pick up on because, you know,

the Daily Express or whatever will pick up on that.

And they'll say, you know, when I get a running club next Monday,

I'll get tapped on the shoulder and say, I bet you feel a fault

buying that because there's a new one coming out that does nine

hundred miles.

Just going back to the IX3 and IO class with that range of,

I suppose it four, two, five, topping at five hundred miles.

I was thinking, God, I don't want to drive five hundred miles

without stopping.

I mean, it's great to do it, but I don't want to do that.

That's my worst. I've been a light driving, but I don't want to drive

five hundred miles.

I'm going to need to go where he's at some point.

I'm going to be caffeine, aren't we, where he's.

Yeah. Yeah.

And sweets.

Yeah. Yeah. Anyway.

What else have we got, Mike?

Should we do a bar?

Have we got a bargain?

Yeah, he sent me through.

Obviously, he sends his apologies for not being here,

but he has sent me his bargains.

And the first one is, I think we all love Renault.

A Fiat 500.

So it's chosen a duff colour.

It's grey, which may be the reason why it's a good price.

But it's a grey colour, actually.

It's quite nice.

It's got a red highlight.

So it's got the red wing mirrors.

I think it looks quite, you know, it's got like it's got a bit of makeup on.

Exactly. So it's a 72 plate.

It's 13 and a half grand, which is actually according to Tom,

nearly seven hundred pounds lower than the book price for that car.

5000 miles, 97% battery health.

And we know that because it's through car 360,

which supply battery health certificates with that car.

So that's always good to know.

Yeah, it's a 13 and a half grand.

That's not bad.

It's not bad at all.

It looks a tiny little car.

And they do.

It's the reason that we partner with car 360,

because we do have these preferred partners in our listings

is because we all went up there.

Like about I think you probably met

maybe the only members who didn't go up.

There was like loads of us went up and we were all like looking

around the prep and the paint shop.

And it's huge.

It's a huge place.

It's proper.

I mean, we were alive.

There's their standards are really good.

So anyway, yes, that is on the website at the moment.

I'll now use card listings along with lots of others.

So do go and check it out.

Electrifying.com forward slash forward slash used hyphen cars.

Why do we have a hyphen in it?

That seems weird.

But anyway, we do.

OK, fine.

All right, at least it's got a lease for you.

Would you rather?

Right, so you will draw.

OK, yeah, yeah, I'm ready.

MG for X power, 64 kilowatt hour.

Look at her face.

Nicholas face just was like, oh, or a Volkswagen ID three match

pro 79 kilowatt.

They're both well, the MG is cheaper.

The MG is a tenner cheaper a month.

357 pounds.

And that's for an identical sort of finance deal

with nine months down, 48 months, 8,000 miles a year.

So would you have the X power?

Or would you go for the comfort of a Volkswagen?

I'm getting an X power.

This is just an easy question to answer.

Really?

Yeah, the launch control on that thing is so much fun.

So much fun.

It's an absolute joy.

I know that it's a little bit more basic on the interior.

And yes, the ID three will be more comfortable

and be a little bit more plush.

But the X power goes so quick on your launch control

that your phone falls off the phone holder.

It's just great.

OK, OK.

So we've got we've got Nicola down for the X power.

Buckley, what are you going for?

I'm going to go for the X power, too, just because I just

really like the idea of Nicola and I going to long

crossing them and doing, you know, like little lights

so you can be fastest off the line.

OK, funny.

I think the X power just because for the fun factor,

I think that's a lot of fun for the money.

And the ID three, it's a good it's a good deal on that.

But for me, I'm just feeling like I'm feeling in a fun mood.

So I want a fun car at the moment.

So yeah, yeah, it's fun.

OK, well, you both wrong.

The correct answer is the ID three.

Do you know what?

Stick in the sand badge on both sides.

I really didn't get on with that, that X power at all.

I hated it.

It's a horrible thing.

I can really feel the intro to a new video coming up

where we just stick in the sand badges on the glass.

OK, this is where we're going to ask you to do something for us,

because if you are watching the killer what half hour on YouTube,

which we know loads of you do, we thank you very much.

Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

You can ask all your questions.

But could you also do as a favor?

Could you go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast

and give us a follow there too?

Maybe even leave a comment recommenders.

Yeah, and I think it's only right that you share it with maybe

like an EV curious or a converted or a friend to see if they would enjoy it as well.

Yes, I think that's just a really nice gesture.

We don't ask you for much, but we're asking for this.

And I think I think that's fair.

And it would make us happy, wouldn't it, Nick?

Yes, it would.

It would make Mike giddy with excitement if you live out, wouldn't it, Mike?

Crazy excited.

Yeah, calm down, Mike.

Right, Karl questions.

Shall we do it?

He's gone on.

Shall I start with David Payton?

Hi, David Payton.

Hi, David.

I am a disabled driver five to six months ago.

He did an item on the Kia PV5 since then I've had nothing.

And my local Kia dealer knows nothing about it.

Is it an idea that just ran out of steam or is it actually happening?

Any update would be massively appreciated.

Local Kia knows nothing about it.

What's that about?

Because it is happening.

This is a definite.

And I'm actually going to go and drive it in the next few weeks.

It is a real thing.

It is happening.

Now, the conversion version, the conversion version, the wheelchair adaptability version

on the PV5, which is going to get, which looks fantastic.

That isn't going to be there initially.

That is coming.

But there's a whole range of different body styles being done on the PV5.

And we were just talking about Renault, with Renault four using a conversion company.

Actually, what Kia have done to speed up the whole process is they've built a factory

in Korea and they're going to do all the conversions themselves.

So you don't have to get any of those awkward aftermarket accessories or that kind of thing.

So it's definitely coming.

What I will do when I'm out there with them, I'll just try and find out a little bit

more about that, David.

But I think, you know, the PV5 itself, we're going to get next year.

So only next year.

But the conversion one I will find out more about.

But it is definitely coming.

It is a real thing.

OK, nice.

Fantastic.

Shall I do the next one?

Yeah, do the next one.

Because I've lost where we are.

Shall I do the next one?

Yeah, you're not allowed to reply to this one because you're you know you're also.

I'll do the next one. So Dan and Shan.

Hi, Dan and Shan.

And I love those names.

Dan and Shan, that's nice.

So we recently reached out to you for advice on a used family EV

to replace our Hyundai Wind Knife.

The Ioniq, the original Ioniq was the Wind Knife.

Wind Knife. I've never heard of it.

Oh, it was, yeah, it was it was the one that did like sort of seven or eight

miles per kilowatt hour.

It was just like insanely efficient.

I've never heard of it before.

It was known as the Wind Knife before.

It's not mine. I've not put that in.

That's what people call me.

I love that.

So we have a toddler and a baby on the way looking to have three kids

total in the next few years.

You're such an old, nice couple.

Come on, Dan.

You need to get a lot of sleep while you.

I think straight away, just get an ID buzz because you'll be able to keep him back.

Anyway, we've whittled it down to two.

One of us loves the Ennyak, but it's value, it's interior.

And most importantly, it's food space.

The other loves the style of the Mustang Mackey wants to live a little.

Which would you go for in our shoes?

Bearing in mind, they've got a toddler, a baby on the way

and are also looking to have a third in the next few years.

Which of those two would you go for?

And they're saying also it's really frustrating that so few cars

have three-second-row i-fix, Mackey and the Ennyak don't.

Just the model like the Linge, the partner, the new 3,000 and 5,000 and eight.

But you could get one of those massive three triple car seats that Nikki has.

Yeah, she's got that's a really cool one.

And OK, I'm going to just recuse myself from this because as we know

which one I would be telling them to go for.

So I'm going to hand that over to my two colleagues to Nicola.

OK, and I'm not a parent.

So I don't know if I'm the right person to give advice on this.

But my my gut instinct would go just because you have children

doesn't mean that you can't go for something that's a little bit cooler

and a little bit more fun, which as much as I love the Ennyak,

I feel like maybe a Mackey might be a more fun way to go

if that's what he's leaning towards.

So then maybe when the kids are not in the car,

then you turn on the fake V8 noise and you have a jolly old time.

That's how I feel.

OK, I'm going to be the opposite.

I'm going to say I'm going to say the Ennyak because I think if you if it's

the performance is the bit that you want to live a little,

well, you know, they do a VRS.

That's three hundred and forty horsepower, five hundred and forty five

new metres of torque.

I mean, that's going to be as quick as the GT is.

Yeah, no, no, sorry.

It says the other loves the style.

The Mustang Mackey.

What's the style?

The style.

The Mackey.

Well, in which case, I mean, star, as we know from the earlier discussion,

beauties in the eye of the beholder,

whether you like the look of something or not.

So I think you would have to be if you did prefer the look of the Mackey.

Thank you for that.

But I mean, I think the Ennyak's the better car of the two.

I think I think your practical lifestyle, the Ennyak.

But interestingly, I was I was talking to Zach, my son last last night,

actually, I'd picked him up from college in the Renault five.

And we were just chatting about cars.

And I said, which of all the cars we've had, you know, you know,

like that that fabulous, you know, the G, G5, Mercedes G580, you know,

the, you know, all the different electric cars we've had.

Which one do you really like?

And he said, that Mustang, the Mackey.

I really like it.

Yeah, it was a long time.

I mean, it's a long, long time ago since I've had time for a few years.

And he was just like, I just thought it was really cool.

And I'm really like, yeah, it really, it's sort of, don't forget about it really,

that he's, because he's really into cars.

I mean, his dad works in the car industry as well.

So he, he likes cars and knows cars.

And he was like, oh, OK, I wasn't expecting to say that.

But it is a good looking car.

I think at the time, everyone was just really upset that they were calling

it a Mustang, you can't call this a Mustang, because it's not a Mustang.

But now I think we're kind of getting used to that.

And then Ford obviously released the Ford Capri.

And then that's more offensive than what the Mustang is.

So maybe now the Mustang is kind of shining through

in in the horrible, farp dust that the Capri left behind.

So it's making people appreciate the Mustang a little bit more.

Yeah, I mean, talk about catfishing, taking me out to see a Capri.

And then I basically got an Explorer.

They had the same doors and wing mirrors from the Explorer.

I mean, at least they changed some of it, looking at Unison.

Sticking this m badge on it.

It's still had all the wrong bit, like the awful sliders

and loads of stuff that you didn't want to do.

Anyway, I mean, if I can go back to the original, I would say that,

you know, in terms of design, I think only I mean, I'm probably

a bit overly led on the way stuff looks.

But I think you have to have a car that, you know,

you want to turn around and look of, look at as you walk away from it.

And if an Enyak doesn't do that for even a Mustang does,

I would say always go for the one that makes you smile

and that makes you look out and you see the car outside.

I think, yeah, I'm glad I chose that.

So, yeah, I mean, I agree.

Yeah, OK, you're just going to have to pack a little lighter.

But, you know, you're not horrendously lighter.

Oh, I'm just a little bit, quite, quite, quite a little bit lot.

A little bit lot, a little bit lot.

Do you want to do the next song?

Nev Brownlee, long, long time listener to the Kilowatt, half Irish.

Hi, Nev. Right.

Good to have the Kilowatt half hour back.

Am I the only person who's bought an Insta?

I have now done just over 3,000 miles

and often travel the M6 and A14

and I've yet to see another Insta.

Plenty of different EVs on the road

and at public charging stops, but no other Instas.

I'm surprised by this,

as it is highly rated by the numerous reviewers,

including yourselves and while it's not cheap,

it's not expensive compared to many other EVs.

It's great, by the way, really like it and suits my needs.

Do you know what?

I haven't seen any on the roads.

I've seen one.

Any Instas. I haven't seen any.

It's a really curious thing, right, the Insta,

because it's not.

I mean, you're not seeing them

and I don't think they are perhaps selling in the numbers.

They may have hoped they would sell them in

and it's a really good car.

We, you know, I like it a lot

and I think a lot of us on the team.

My suspicion with it is

that it's the two plus two seating

that I think because it's kind of a lot of people

in consideration for that car

are probably looking for a family car as well.

Maybe.

And I think maybe that is what puts people off.

The other thing is, I just wonder if going back

to this whole beauty in the eye of the beholder thing,

it's got quite a strong look.

I really like the way it looks.

I think it's cute.

I think it's a clever car.

But again, maybe it is just not kind of,

I don't know, crown pleasing enough.

Don't know, what's your theory on the Insta, Mike?

Yeah, I think I agree with you.

I think it's one of those cars

that people are spending a lot of money on cars, aren't they?

You know, it's a big commitment.

And if you think there's something in it

that you're slightly doubtful of

in terms of the way something looks,

I think you are, you become risk averse with it.

I think, you know, we're probably not

the best people to comment on that

because we're quite, you know, we drive a lot of things

and I personally like the wacky,

the fewer people have got a car,

the more I'm attracted to it.

But I know a lot of other people.

You know, we've had a couple of emails

in about Renault 5 and what else was it?

I can't remember, it slips on my mind now.

Renault 5, just saying, you know, I want to buy one

but I haven't seen many people driving them

and it came across as that was a bit of a concern

that they weren't catching on as much as anything.

And that's a Renault 5,

which you think, you know, is almost guaranteed.

Renault 5, I was just talking to the MD of Renault

this morning actually, I was at an event with him

and he was saying back that it's some,

I think he said, there's a massive figure

of people coming to that car,

are coming to EVs for the first time.

It's getting people out of petrol cars

and they've been taken about

by the sales figures on that car.

So they are being sold and there's actually,

it's quite cute because I'm running one at the moment,

there's one here where I live.

We passed each other for the first time

and we did that thing that I haven't seen anyone do in ages,

flashed each, the lights at each other away.

Oh, it's like a really cute thing.

So I think I am a seam Renault's,

but also I don't think the Instas actually have been

out that long because it was a while,

they kept sort of pushing it back and pushing it back.

So I'm not actually sure that they've had that many in yet.

And it may be enough that you are an early adopter,

I'm sure you'll see more because it's a car.

Good choice though.

He's an Insta fluencer.

An Insta, I like what you did there.

Brilliant.

Shall we do a few comments?

Yeah, let's have a little look.

Where are we?

Yeah.

Shall I do one?

I've got one here on the BMW iX3.

H Fletcher 5906.

Theoretically, this new iX3 sounds brilliant.

The styling is horrendous though.

I have a new NUC 85X coupé,

which is a brilliant all-rounder,

so I will stick with it.

BYD and Tesla to name a few beautiful style cars.

The BMW, no, thanks.

It is literally in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?

Yeah.

I haven't been a fan of how BMWs have looked

over the last few years,

but I do feel like this latest one has made me go,

oh, I've got maybe my women back again.

Can I just put another quick one on the iX3 as well,

just from a B2, B280C-2.

I'd love to know your name, B280C-2, but hi.

I've never liked the BMW,

Bram would never consider owning one.

However, this new iX3 raises an eyebrow.

It looks very nice.

As for the Audi TT and with Ginny,

it's going to cost too much.

They should have just gone on with calling it the R8,

which we were talking about,

which is just like the new TT, it's too much.

It's not that affordable, fun car

that we think the TT should be.

So yeah, interesting.

It's just completely what you're saying, wasn't it, Mike?

Some people love it, some people hate it.

What makes us all so different and unique?

Otherwise, supermarkets will be much smaller.

Yeah, and Deliveroo wouldn't be a business model, would it?

Exactly.

Yeah, okay.

Have you got any comments you want to?

Well, yeah, if we're going to stick on the subject of the iX3,

Chris Townsend says,

I don't see why people are so excited by the iX3.

He says, it doesn't look anything much from the exterior.

The passive steering wheel controls

and everything else on the screen.

I drive BMWs when ergonomics matter.

I mean, I do like the iX3,

but I kind of agree about iDrive,

as much as my i3 has iDrive,

so it has the wheel controls over it.

The screen isn't touched at all.

And I kind of know that often.

I know it's sort of three clicks to the right.

I'm in the sound controls.

I know four clicks to the left.

I'm in the charging controls.

I know that car inside out.

And I'd much rather be doing the wheel

than I am touching the screen.

It sounds odd, but it's completely agreeable.

As soon as you start reaching across

and kind of doing something like that,

your minds take the horror.

I can just sort of do both.

Whether I've just got used to that,

I don't know, but I did love iDrive.

I hate, everyone hated it when it first came out.

It was so controversial, wasn't it?

That wheel and everything.

But I think that with that sort of

hit-peak ergonomics, really.

I agree.

Do you want to go for a final comment

from about Munich, right?

So this is from AtmigV40.

Okay.

In your roundup of the motor show,

you didn't mention the smartphone 2

making a comeback as the new hashtag 2.

I'm so excited for it.

Oh, God.

I mean, bear in mind, we have to say,

you tried to cover as many cars as possible at Munich.

It wasn't there either.

And it was absolutely completely mental.

Was it not a Munich?

No, it was announced as they're going to do it,

which I think was a spoiler for the fact

they didn't have anything there.

So it wasn't there.

Just talk about it.

There was nothing to film and nothing.

I would have been there,

but you're right, we didn't mention it.

So, but we will be following the story.

So make sure if you weren't already,

subscribe to the channel and our podcast

because, of course, we'll bring you all the latest news.

Are you excited about it coming back

as the new hashtag 2, the smartphone 2 Mike?

I am actually, yeah, yeah.

Because as a previous owner of a city coupé,

I would, yeah.

I mean, there's a few challenges involved in that,

but yeah, I think I'd be very pleased to see it back.

It depends on how you open the boot.

If you still get to stick your finger in the a-hole,

then we're good to go.

Keep moving it down to that same level every episode.

We should move on.

And long may that continue.

So we'll be back next week.

We promise it's not gonna be like another 10 days.

We've all been resting,

but I think we're all refreshed and ready to go.

So thanks for joining us.

That is it for this episode

of The Killer What Almost An Hour.

Apologies.

I mean, it's been a good podcast.

It's been good enough to stick in this and badge all it.

Yay.

See you next time, gang.

Bye.

Episode 87: Nissan’s lazy boi, Epiq tales and some Soul searching

Bmw Ix3

BMW i3

Polestar 2

Nissan Micra

Dodge Avenger

Hyundai Ioniq

Hyundai Veloster

Skoda Octavia

Kia Soul

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Galaxy Geely Ex5

Hyundai Ioniq 5

5 Renault 5

Renault 4

Citroën ë-C3

Renault Kangoo

Renault 5

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Dacia Springs

Fiat 500

Volkswagen Id

PV5 Kia Pv5

Ford Mustang

Ford Capri

Ford Explorer

BMW M6

Audi Tt

Audi R8

About this episode

Original notes