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SMMT blasts EV sales targets, Big Motoring World court case continues, and what's going on at Cargiant? – with Martin Miller, episode 247

SMMT blasts EV sales targets, Big Motoring World court case continues, and what's going on at Cargiant? – with Martin Miller, episode 247

Car Dealer Podcast Mar 15, 2026 68 min
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About this episode

Martin Miller from EV Experts discusses the evolving electric vehicle market, highlighting increased demand despite supply challenges and changing customer profiles. The conversation touches on the psychological impact of rising petrol prices on EV sales, the importance of well-prepared adverts, and the shift from early adopters to a broader audience. Martin shares insights on popular EV models, emphasizing the Volkswagen platform and cautioning against older Nissan Leafs due to battery concerns. The episode also covers dealer experiences, upcoming events like Cardiolive, and a humorous auction challenge involving dealer purchases.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Company

Auto Trader

"I think Auto Trader told us at one point it's at least a couple of weeks before the people who are considering your cars actually make contact."

Auto Trader is a website where people can look for cars to buy or sell their cars. It's like an online car shop where many cars are listed.

Car

Jeep Renegade

"... bad. The other one, I'm pretty sure, was a Jeep Renegade that sold really fast. It did sell really fast, ..."

The Jeep Renegade is a small SUV made by Jeep. It can drive on rough roads and is good for both city and outdoor use.

Car

Nissan Leaf

""So we used to sell a lot of Zoe and a lot of Nissan Leaf. We don't stock either of those in any big volumes.""

The Nissan Leaf is a fully electric car that many people buy because it doesn't use petrol or diesel. It can drive a good distance on a single charge.

Car

Renault Zoe

""So we used to sell a lot of Zoe and a lot of Nissan Leaf. We don't stock either of those in any big volumes.""

The Renault Zoe is a small electric car that is good for driving in cities. It doesn't use petrol and needs to be charged with electricity.

Part

water-cooled battery

"Also the Nissan Leaf has an air-cooled battery, which is not great for longevity where everything else is water-cooled."

Some electric car batteries use liquid to keep them cool. This helps the battery last longer and work better, especially when charging fast or driving hard.

Part

air-cooled battery

"Also the Nissan Leaf has an air-cooled battery, which is not great for longevity where everything else is water-cooled."

Some electric car batteries are cooled by air blowing over them instead of using liquid. This can make the battery wear out faster because it doesn't stay as cool.

Car

Volkswagen ID.3

"When you get an ID.3 under £20,000, it's the same price as the equivalent petrol-auto Golf. If you can charge at home and let's face it, 60% of Brits can, or charge on your street or workplace, which then gets the number up to 80%, it's a no-brainer."

The Volkswagen ID.3 is an electric car that looks like a small hatchback. It's made to be affordable and easy to use, just like regular petrol cars.

Car

Volkswagen Golf

"When you get an ID.3 under £20,000, it's the same price as the equivalent petrol-auto Golf."

The Volkswagen Golf is a well-known small car that runs on petrol and can have an automatic gearbox. Many people like it because it's easy to drive and reliable.

Brand

Skoda

"We also like the Skoda version, the Cooper version, the Ford Explorer. We love those, they're really good."

Skoda is a car company from the Czech Republic that makes cars which are good value and share parts with Volkswagen cars.

Concept

Chinese cars

"I hear customers say, oh, what's happening with all the Chinese cars? Well, let's, you know, the Chinese are important, but more important are the Koreans."

Chinese cars are cars made by companies from China. They are becoming more popular because they often cost less and have many features.

Term

EV

"I would say, Kira, Nero, EV, you know, you can't fault it. It's what the gulf used to be, it's 8 out of 10 on everything."

An EV is a car that runs only on electricity stored in batteries, so it doesn't use gas or diesel like regular cars.

Term

warranty

"I think we've published research in the past from some of the warranty companies that sort of backs up some of those claims."

A warranty is like a promise from the car seller that if something breaks within a certain time, they will fix it for free or at a low cost.

Term

battery state of health

"There's state of health of the battery, and that basically shows how much the car's worn out."

Battery state of health tells you how good or worn out the electric car's battery is compared to when it was brand new.

Term

battery health

"However, battery health will just tell you how much worn out, and you know that a battery should lose 2% per annum,"

Battery health tells you how much the battery in an electric car has worn down. A healthier battery means the car can drive farther before needing a recharge.

Term

battery fault

"But then you've also got battery faults. Now, battery faults are a bit like a cam belt."

A battery fault means something is wrong with the car's battery, which can cause problems or make it unsafe. Sometimes the company has to fix it by recalling the car.

Concept

manufacturer safety recall

"or more likely is a manufacturer puts a safety recall out. The big ones at the moment are, for example, the Volvo EX30."

Sometimes car companies find a problem that could be dangerous and ask owners to bring their cars in to get it fixed for free. This is called a recall.

Car

Volvo EX30

"The big ones at the moment are, for example, the Volvo EX30. You know, there are 30,000 units, I think, that have got to be recalled to have three battery cells replaced."

The Volvo EX30 is a small electric SUV made by Volvo. Some of these cars need a battery fix because of a safety issue.

Term

battery cell

"that have got to be recalled to have three battery cells replaced. And they've told all owners to only charge the car to 70%."

A battery cell is one small part inside the big battery that helps store electricity to power the car.

Term

charging limit (70%)

"And they've told all owners to only charge the car to 70%. And that's a hard ask, because you know,"

Charging the car only up to 70% means not filling the battery all the way to keep it safe and avoid problems.

Car

Hyundai Kona Electric

"And exactly the same happened with the Kona about five years ago."

The Hyundai Kona Electric is an electric SUV that had some battery problems a few years ago and needed to be fixed.

Car

Mercedes-Benz EQB

"Mercedes have just about announced the EQA as well, EQA, EQB."

The Mercedes-Benz EQB is a bigger electric SUV that can carry more people and is part of Mercedes' electric car range.

Car

Mercedes-Benz EQA

"Mercedes have just about announced the EQA as well, EQA, EQB."

The Mercedes-Benz EQA is a small electric SUV that combines electric power with Mercedes' luxury and style.

Term

full service history

"unless it hasn't got full service history. So I would say what matters, full service history matters more an electric car than it does on a petrol diesel."

Full service history means having a paper or digital record that shows all the times the car was checked and fixed by mechanics. This helps prove the car was taken care of properly.

Term

HV connectors

"When they check a battery, they check the fact that the HV connectors are working. That means that the battery is getting the right voltage."

HV connectors are special plugs that carry the battery's power to the car. If they don't work right, the car might not get enough power or could have problems.

Term

cell voltage balancing

"make sure all the voltages on all the cells are balanced. And if they're not balanced, that's a reason. It might mean that the battery needs to be rebalanced,"

Inside the battery, there are many small parts called cells. They need to have the same amount of power. Balancing makes sure they all work together well so the battery lasts longer.

Brand

Tesla

"Because Tesla is the source of all knowledge, of course, and Tesla originally didn't say to people to service their cars, that rumor has got to the street, but it's absolutely not true."

Tesla is a company that makes electric cars, which run on batteries instead of gasoline. They are famous for making cars that can drive themselves and have long battery ranges.

Term

petrol car

"better to drive than a petrol car, then there's somebody on the other side of the fence who's,"

A petrol car is a regular car that runs on gasoline, which is the fuel you put in at the gas station. It uses an engine that burns this fuel to move.

Concept

classic car

"Bit like going out in a classic car, right? Really, really good."

A classic car is an old car that many people like because it looks nice or reminds them of the past. Driving one can be fun and different from driving newer cars.

Car

Volkswagen e-Golf

"I mean, we had this weird one with the e-golf that I've been talking to you about, where it won't charge on a fast charger."

The Volkswagen e-Golf is a regular Golf car but powered by electricity instead of petrol or diesel.

Concept

fast charger

"where it won't charge on a fast charger. I had no idea what it was."

A fast charger is a special charger that fills up an electric car's battery much faster than normal chargers.

Company

Motorway

"and exclusive research from headline sponsors, Auto Trader, as well as Google, Motorway,"

Motorway is a website that helps people sell their cars quickly by connecting them with dealers who want to buy.

Company

Cox Automotive

"and exclusive research from headline sponsors, Auto Trader, as well as Google, Motorway, Cox Automotive,"

Cox Automotive is a big company that helps car dealers and manufacturers by providing tools and services to buy, sell, and manage cars.

10 cars featured

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