John Ray and James Baggett discuss a recent surge in car sales and dealer optimism for early 2024, highlighting the shift from a slow start to a busy market. They are joined by Ginny Buckley, a veteran automotive journalist and broadcaster, who shares her extensive career journey from early TV car shows to founding Electrifying.com. Ginny recounts memorable experiences like working with Richard Hammond and covering major events such as the Dakar Rally. The conversation touches on industry trends, dealer challenges, and the evolving landscape of automotive media and launches.
"And I think March, some businesses are running into the end of their financial year, hoping that it's going to be just as strong."
A financial year is like a business's calendar year for money matters. Companies want to sell as much as possible before this year ends.
A financial year is a 12-month period used by businesses and governments for accounting and financial reporting. Many companies try to meet sales targets before the end of their financial year.
"... My very first new car launch was the Volkswagen Passat. I think that was a generation two."
The Volkswagen Passat is a medium-sized car that’s roomy inside and well made. Many people have liked it for a long time.
The Volkswagen Passat is a midsize sedan or estate car known for its spacious interior and solid build quality. It has been a staple in Volkswagen’s lineup for decades and is often remembered fondly by enthusiasts.
"...ally done some work on a regional car show, I put Granada. And I love cars my whole life because of my dad..."
The Ford Granada is an old big car that families used to drive. People remember it because it was comfortable and looked nice for its time.
The Ford Granada was a large family car produced mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, known for its comfortable ride and classic styling. It holds nostalgic value for many enthusiasts and is often discussed in historical contexts.
"One of the best things we've ever done is I went to the Dakar rally when Colin McCrae was out there"
The Dakar rally is a very long and tough race that takes place mostly on rough dirt and desert roads, where drivers and their cars have to be very strong to finish.
The Dakar rally is a famous annual off-road endurance event known for its challenging terrain and extreme conditions, testing both driver skill and vehicle durability.
"And then I was Colin McCrae's co-driver for the news of the world, which is not a launch, but we did for a shape, one of the shakedown leg at the Monte Carlo rally. I was given, you know, a bit of instruction on, you know, what you do, how you read the book, what you have to do and they put me in the car and they let me be his, you know, his co-driver."
In rally racing, the co-driver is the person who sits next to the driver and tells them what the road ahead looks like. They help the driver know when to turn or slow down so they can drive fast and safe.
A co-driver in rally racing is the navigator who reads pace notes to the driver, helping them anticipate upcoming turns and hazards during the race. They play a crucial role in rally events by providing real-time information to optimize speed and safety.
"but we did for a shape, one of the shakedown leg at the Monte Carlo rally. I was given, you know, a bit of instruction on, you know, what you do, how you read the book,"
The Monte Carlo Rally is a famous car race that happens on twisty mountain roads with lots of different weather. It's very hard and many drivers want to win it.
The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the World Rally Championship. It is known for its challenging conditions including narrow mountain roads, variable weather, and mixed surfaces.
"but we did for a shape, one of the shakedown leg at the Monte Carlo rally. I was given, you know, a bit of instruction on, you know, what you do, how you read the book,"
Before a rally race starts, drivers do a practice run called a shakedown to make sure their car is working well and ready for the race.
A shakedown in rally racing is a test stage run before the actual event to check the car's setup and performance. It allows teams to make final adjustments and ensure everything is working properly.
"...did for a shape, one of the shakedown leg at the Monte Carlo rally. I was given, you know, a bit of instructi..."
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is an old American car that looks cool and was used in racing events. People remember it for its style and speed.
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a classic American coupe that gained fame partly through motorsport events like the Monte Carlo Rally. It’s often remembered for its distinctive shape and performance heritage.
"...re aware of that. So it was VW Volkswagen took a golf and they did a project with one of the big energ..."
The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that many people like because it’s easy to drive and good for everyday use. It’s often used in special projects because it’s reliable and popular.
The Volkswagen Golf is a compact hatchback known for its solid build quality and versatile performance. It has been a popular choice worldwide and often serves as a platform for various innovative projects, including collaborations with energy companies. Its significance lies in its blend of practicality and driving enjoyment.
"...g, you know, driving, you know, the early Nissan Leafs and the one that really sticks in my mind. And a..."
The Nissan Leaf is an electric car that doesn’t use petrol and is good for people wanting to try driving without gas. The first versions couldn’t go very far, but it helped make electric cars popular.
The Nissan Leaf is one of the pioneering mass-market electric vehicles, known for making electric driving accessible to many. Early models had limited range but helped establish EVs as practical alternatives to petrol cars. It’s often discussed for its role in the transition to electric mobility.
"So I've always, I've always really been interested in electrification. And then I just reached a point, I think, in about 2019 where I thought nobody's really doing this"
Electrification means cars use electricity instead of gas or diesel to move. This helps make cars cleaner and better for the environment.
Electrification refers to the process of replacing traditional internal combustion engines in vehicles with electric powertrains, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids. It is a major trend in the automotive industry aimed at reducing emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
"So I cover automotive stories for them. We did a report about are we ready for the electric car? And we put back in, I think it was 2018, 2019, ITV tonight viewers"
An electric car runs on batteries and electricity instead of gas. It helps keep the air cleaner because it doesn't produce smoke from the tailpipe.
An electric car is a vehicle powered entirely or primarily by electricity stored in batteries, rather than by a gasoline or diesel engine. Electric cars produce zero tailpipe emissions and are considered a key technology for reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
"from all around the country into EVs and let them loose. And, you know, a lot of them really love the experience"
EVs are cars that use electricity to run instead of gas. They have big batteries that power the motor.
EVs stands for electric vehicles, which are cars powered by electric motors using energy stored in batteries. This term includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
"No one's got a better idea, though, than you when it comes to what consumers are thinking about EVs. Give us an overview of what the feeling is out there. I mean, bearing in mind, I suppose, the people coming to your site, they are their EV buyers, are they? Or are they EV?"
An EV is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It uses batteries to power the motor, so it doesn't need fuel like regular cars.
EV stands for Electric Vehicle, which is a car powered entirely or partially by electricity instead of traditional gasoline or diesel engines.
"And just under 50% will tell us that they don't have confidence in driving an EV and the prospect of that making that switch, you know, around two-thirds don't have confidence in how you charge one."
An electric vehicle is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It uses batteries to store power and doesn't need fuel like regular cars.
An electric vehicle (EV) is a car powered entirely or primarily by electricity stored in batteries, rather than by an internal combustion engine using gasoline or diesel.
"you know, around two-thirds don't have confidence in how you charge one. So for new EV drivers, people new to it, there's definitely that hand-holding is still really important, those basics of how much range do you really need? How do you charge? Charging explained,"
Charging an EV means plugging it in to fill up its battery with electricity, similar to how you fill a gas tank but with power instead of fuel.
EV charging refers to the process of replenishing an electric vehicle's battery using electric power from charging stations or home chargers. It involves different levels of charging speeds and connector types.
"those basics of how much range do you really need? How do you charge? Charging explained, you know, why did you range drop in winter?"
EV range means how far an electric car can go before it needs to be charged again.
EV range is the distance an electric vehicle can travel on a single battery charge. It varies based on battery size, driving conditions, and temperature.
"...t for his wife, and he turned up in a Volkswagen ID3. So those sorts of conversations are actually qu..."
The Volkswagen ID.3 is a small electric car that’s easy to drive and doesn’t use petrol. It’s made to help people switch to electric cars.
The Volkswagen ID.3 is a compact electric hatchback designed as a key model in VW’s electric vehicle lineup. It represents the brand’s push towards electrification with a focus on everyday usability and affordability.
"You need to be able to charge it at home really to make the most of this."
Charging at home means plugging your electric car into a charger at your house so it can get power. This is important because it makes using the car easier.
Charging at home refers to the practice of plugging in an electric vehicle to a private charging station or outlet at one's residence. This is often necessary for convenient and efficient use of EVs, especially in the used market.
Battery health means how good the battery still is at holding power. If it's high, the car can drive far like when it was new.
Battery health refers to the remaining capacity and efficiency of an electric vehicle's battery compared to when it was new. It is a key factor in the vehicle's range and performance.
"Perhaps updated at the MOT stage once a year, that it has to be done."
MOT is a yearly test in the UK to make sure cars are safe to drive. They check things like brakes and lights, and for electric cars, maybe the battery too.
MOT is an annual test in the UK that checks the safety, roadworthiness, and emissions of vehicles. Including battery health checks for EVs at MOT could help ensure their reliability.
"...but you need to spend over a thousand pounds on a charger. Oh, that's quite a lot of money."
The Dodge Charger is a big, strong car from America that looks cool and goes fast. Sometimes, fixing or upgrading it can be a bit expensive.
The Dodge Charger is a full-size American muscle car known for its powerful engines and aggressive styling. It’s often associated with performance and a strong road presence, making it a favorite among enthusiasts. The reference to spending over a thousand pounds likely relates to maintenance or upgrades.
"So and I think that that's where with EV I actually think the dealer role becomes increasingly important. Whether that's on a test drive, I don't know because I wonder whether for second and third EV owners are they even doing test drives?"
An EV is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It uses batteries to move and is better for the environment.
An EV is a vehicle powered entirely or primarily by electricity stored in batteries, offering benefits like zero tailpipe emissions and lower running costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.
"... This is going to sound, I would have always had Taycan Crestorismo because I've got a dog. And I love t..."
The Porsche Taycan is a fast and fancy electric car that doesn’t use petrol. It’s special because it’s fun to drive and helps the environment.
The Porsche Taycan is a high-performance electric sports sedan that combines Porsche’s driving dynamics with zero-emission technology. It’s significant as one of the first luxury electric vehicles to offer thrilling performance and advanced tech.
"Yes, it is. So I've been running a Renault 5 for a year. And I think that's a really special ..."
The Renault 5 is a small old car that many people liked because it was easy to drive and looked nice. It’s special because lots of people remember it.
The Renault 5 is a classic compact hatchback that was very popular in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. It’s considered a special car due to its iconic design and cultural impact.
"So I think my budget is Renault 5. Second-hand Taycan Cross Turismo. But I couldn't afford the insurance on that."
The Taycan is a fancy electric car that’s very fast and uses new technology. It’s one of the best electric cars you can buy if you want something special.
The Taycan refers to the Porsche Taycan, a luxury electric sports car known for its performance and technology. It’s often considered a benchmark for electric vehicles in the premium segment.
"...ike how buyers are really using AI, what Chinese challenger brands mean for your forecourt and how the best ..."
The Dodge Challenger is a cool, fast car that looks like old muscle cars but has new technology. People talk about it because new car brands from China are starting to compete with cars like this.
The Dodge Challenger is a classic American muscle car that combines retro styling with modern performance. It’s often discussed in the context of buyer trends and competition from emerging brands, including Chinese challengers in the automotive market.
"... had big plans to make things like this electric Dodge Ram truck in America. I think they had some plans ar..."
The Dodge Ram is a big truck from America that can carry heavy loads. They are planning to make electric versions that don’t use petrol.
The Dodge Ram is a large American pickup truck known for its power and capability. There have been plans to introduce electric versions, reflecting the shift towards electrification in the truck segment.
"... make them kind of things like the Julia and the Stelvio Electric, which aren't at the minute. But they'v..."
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a stylish and sporty SUV from Italy. They might make electric versions in the future, but right now it’s known for being fun to drive.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a sporty luxury SUV that emphasizes Italian design and driving dynamics. While there are plans for electric versions, currently it is known for its performance and distinctive styling.
""...it will worry anyone watching Stellantis, I'm sure. I like to talk about Stellantis in general...""
Stellantis is a big car company made when two big car companies joined together. They make lots of different cars under different brand names.
Stellantis is a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation formed in 2021 by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group. It owns many well-known car brands including Jeep, Dodge, Peugeot, and Fiat.
"...'ve done with the 4 and the 4? The 4th coming to Twingo is joyful. It's the most like amazingly fun."
The Renault Twingo is a tiny car that’s easy to drive in the city and fun to use. It’s great if you want a small car that’s not boring.
The Renault Twingo is a small city car known for its compact size and fun driving experience. The latest generation is praised for its joyful character and urban practicality.
"...ing a bit more of that. But where's the electric 2CV? Bring some of these great brands back."
The Citroen 2CV is an old, simple car from France that many people loved because it was easy to fix and use. Some people want a new electric version of it.
The Citroen 2CV is a legendary French economy car known for its simple design and practicality. It’s often nostalgically referenced and there is interest in an electric version to revive its spirit.
"They could play on all their kind of innovation, but the C3 is not. You know, so it's okay, but it's not. It's really a budget car, isn't it?"
The Citroen C3 is a small car that is easy to afford and good for everyday driving. It's not very fancy but gets the job done.
The Citroen C3 is a compact hatchback car that is positioned as an affordable and practical vehicle in Citroen's lineup. It is known for its comfort and distinctive styling but is often seen as a budget-friendly option.
"Yeah, the one that I just think that I've found with the dealerships is Volkswagen e-golfs. They are incredibly popular."
The Volkswagen e-Golf is a small car like the regular Golf but runs on electricity instead of petrol. Many people like it because it’s easy to use and good for city driving.
The Volkswagen e-Golf is the electric variant of the popular Golf hatchback, offering an accessible entry into electric driving with familiar styling. It gained popularity for combining the Golf’s practicality with an electric powertrain.
"...ybe they could have had a differentiation there. 205 GTI. Electric 205 GTI would have been."
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a small, fast car from a long time ago that was fun to drive. People still talk about it because it was really good for its size.
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a classic hot hatch from the 1980s and 1990s, celebrated for its sharp handling and sporty character. It’s often mentioned in discussions about iconic performance small cars.
"It's coming, is it? 208 GTI, but yes. Yeah, just anyway."
The Peugeot 208 GTI is a small car that’s faster and more fun to drive than regular models. It’s good if you want a sporty car that’s still easy to use.
The Peugeot 208 GTI is a sporty version of the popular 208 hatchback, offering enhanced performance and handling. It appeals to drivers seeking a small but fun-to-drive hot hatch.
"especially ASX. I sold a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV this week. That was one of the nine that we..."
The Mitsubishi Outlander is a family car that uses both petrol and electricity to save fuel. It’s good if you want to drive a normal car but also use electric power sometimes.
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a plug-in hybrid SUV that combines petrol and electric power for improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. It’s popular among buyers looking for a practical family SUV with some electric driving capability.
"is there? You've got your Ford Ranger and your Amarok to the same thing. You've got a...."
The Ford Ranger is a medium-sized truck that can carry heavy stuff and go off-road. It’s like other trucks such as the Amarok and is good for work or fun.
The Ford Ranger is a midsize pickup truck popular for its durability and versatility, often compared with similar models like the Volkswagen Amarok. It’s favored for both work and leisure due to its robust build and off-road capabilities.
"... got a... an IZuzu, a Maxus electric thing and a Hilux, and that's kind of it, isn't it?"
The Toyota Hilux is a strong truck that can drive on rough roads and carry heavy things. Lots of people trust it because it lasts a long time.
The Toyota Hilux is a rugged and reliable pickup truck known worldwide for its toughness and off-road capability. It’s often used in challenging environments and has a strong reputation for durability.
"...much as they quoted the same person for a Toyota RAV4. Insurers, Ajiz, is that how you say it? Ajiz?"
The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that’s good for families because it’s reliable and doesn’t cost too much to run. Many people buy it because it’s easy to own.
The Toyota RAV4 is a compact SUV that combines practicality, reliability, and efficiency. It’s one of the best-selling SUVs globally and is often referenced in insurance and ownership cost discussions.
"for four of the Chinese cars on the list. The JQ7, which was the second best... I should have work..."
The JQ7 is a car made in China that many people like. It shows how Chinese cars are becoming more popular around the world.
The JQ7 is a Chinese car model that ranked highly among Chinese vehicles in a given list, reflecting the growing presence of Chinese brands in global markets. It’s part of the discussion on how Chinese cars are influencing the automotive industry.
"...gher for that car than the equivalent Volkswagen Tiguan. Carwell says this is down to the fact"
The Volkswagen Tiguan is a small SUV that’s comfortable and nice inside. People compare it to other similar cars to see which is better or cheaper.
The Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact SUV known for its comfortable ride and premium feel. It’s often compared to other vehicles in its class for pricing and features, making it a common benchmark in the segment.
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The Cardiola podcast is sponsored by Autotrader.
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I've found their technology, data and tools genuinely invaluable.
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Autotrader is always on hand and committed to supporting us to get the very best from our package.
To find out how they can help you, visit trade.autotrader.co.uk
Welcome back to the Cardiola podcast, where we pick our favourite stories of the week
and ask an industry guest to choose which were the best.
I'm John Ray and joining me this week, you'll never guess, but it's James Baggett.
James, how are you?
I'm very good, thanks John. Back again, nice to see you. How are you?
I'm very well. Just to match your environment, I've also joined you from what looks like a boiler cupboard.
Yeah, welcome.
It's just a nice aesthetic, I find, for a podcast environment.
Warm, cosy. Yeah, they're very handy.
Absolutely. So what's new with you? What's been going on in the world of Kierpa Kanto's?
We've had a very good week, John. It's been absolutely crazy.
We've sold all our stock. Sold nine cars this week.
James, that's not all your stock, is it?
No, it's not. No, it's all the cars that I had advertised, which is a bit of the problem.
And actually, a little bit more.
So we had a real run Monday, Tuesday, sold seven cars, since then sold a couple more.
And as you know, our handyman Luke is not in the dealership.
So we've really struggled to get any advertised.
I've done that thing that I said I never would do, which is advertising cars with terrible pictures,
where they're not clean, saying a waiting prep coming soon.
Just so it looks like we're not having a closing down sale on the website.
Because at the moment, it does look like we only have...
Well, at one point this week, we had one car on the website, which was quite embarrassing.
You've got to up your game.
What would you be saying to Luke if there was no cars prepped?
Well, yeah, I mean, the problem is I've got another job to look after at the same time.
So after this podcast, I will be hot-footed up to the dealership
to clean some cars and get some advertised for the weekend, because at the moment, we've got nothing.
But yeah, positive though.
I mean, I know I've been sort of moaning a little bit over the last few weeks that it's been quite quiet,
but it's just funny how things swing.
I mean, from one last week to nine this week, which we're very happy about,
but it just means we've been very, very busy.
What's the sort of sentiment you're getting from other dealers at the minute?
I think it's a bit more positive than it has been recently.
The ones I've been chatting to are saying they're having a really good start to the year.
January and February have actually turned out to be very positive compared to the back-end last year,
which got quite quickly.
I don't think the budget helped.
I think obviously the Christmas break always slows things down a little bit,
but it was a little bit slow to get started.
But now with the dealers looking back at nearly February over the point we were recording this,
they've had a good, strong couple of months.
And I think March, some businesses are running into the end of their financial year,
hoping that it's going to be just as strong.
And I can't see any reason it won't be.
It does feel a bit more positive.
The customers I've had coming into the dealership feel a little bit more buoyant.
Some of them are buying...
I sold a Suzuki Jimny this week to a guy who's just treating himself.
Well, that says a lot to me.
Those people who are buying cars to treat themselves, they're not necessity purchases,
and they're the ones that sort of keep this industry running, aren't they?
So, yeah, a bit more positive, John.
A happy Friday to you.
Well, that's good news, James.
And do you know why?
Because all those dealers that are doing so well have got time to take a day out of their busy schedules
and toddle along to Gayden British Motor Museum on the 19th of March for Cardi were live,
which I'm going to plug early on in the podcast.
Well, you are a professional.
I mean, that was very good.
So yeah, but yeah, nice plug, John.
Thanks for getting out early.
But we should probably introduce our guests, shouldn't we?
Yes, we should.
So our guest this week is the broadcaster, journalist and founder of the very excellent Electrifying.com.
Easier for me to say than you.
Ginny Perkley. Ginny, lovely to have you on.
It's so nice to be here finally.
I know.
I've been talking about doing this for ages, but I'm a big fan of the podcast.
And also of Cardi LeLide.
Get your tickets now.
Oh, brilliant.
Come on in.
Quick.
I'd use it.
Thank you very much.
Seriously though, really interesting stories come from that.
I've never actually been to it.
But what I do follow is a lot of the content you create from it.
And there is some really interesting stuff that you get from that.
So yeah, it's great to be on.
So I am also in a broom cupboard.
Perfect.
Welcome.
You know, I've got a nice painted wall behind me,
but it's basically doubles as my junk room slash office slash anything else that I can think of, you know.
Nice to see you, Ginny.
I mean, quite the CV there, John Reddow, ahead of your introduction or for your introduction.
Tell those people then who haven't been following what you do,
like just a little bit about how you got into where you are now.
Oh, God.
How long have we gone?
That was a podcast.
We've got an hour.
I'll try and condense it.
So I started off in the car industry in 97.
My very first new car launch was the Volkswagen Passat.
I think that was a generation two.
So there was a channel that you could never ever have on television now called Men and Motors.
And we do remember that.
I don't remember being on some satellite channel somewhere.
Well, it was actually one of the very first satellite channels.
So B SkyB got licenses to launch two channels,
one of which was the poor Mounds version of programs like This Morning,
and it was all lifestyle stuff.
The other one was Men and Motors.
And I ended up presenting a car show on that.
I'd actually done some work on a regional car show, I put Granada.
And I love cars my whole life because of my dad.
So everybody's got a story like that, haven't they?
So my dad's got two daughters, wheeler, football and wheel of cars.
Well, I love cars more than my sister, actually.
So that came from being dragged around, particularly Volkswagen shows as a kid,
because we were VW fanatics.
So it was being dragged around all of those classic car VW shows.
And I grew up loving cars.
And this was just like my dream job.
So I was working in Granada News.
My background was in journalism.
I started off in radio and I worked in regional news as a reporter.
And started off this as a bit of a side project that we did.
And I ended up just absolutely loving it.
And then from there, I did that for a number of years.
Somebody, I don't know if you've heard of him, Richard Hammond.
He was working as a PR at the time for Renault.
And I used to bump into Richard at motor shows.
And he was, he'd done a bit of work for BBC Radio Lancashire
and was like, I really want to work in cars.
I really want to work in cars.
You know, anything you can do, can you introduce me to your boss?
So I did introduce him to my boss.
And I did help him with a kind of show reel kind of thing.
And he ended up getting a job on the programme that we presented,
which was called Four Wheels Good.
So we presented Four Wheels Good together.
So it was, yeah, it was a really interesting time.
And then from that, I got the opportunity in the late 90s
to become Motoring Editor at the News of the World,
which was absolutely a brilliant experience.
I didn't get to any of the meetings and no phones were hacked under my watch.
That's for sure, if I'm allowed to say that.
I just cleared out the record.
But no, it was, I was done very remotely.
So that was my route into the industry really,
and it sort of carried on from there.
Juggernaut of a paper that was back then, wasn't it?
It was, we were selling six million copies.
It was the, I think it was the world's most red Sunday newspaper.
And the fact I used to love was that it was often,
people used to often buy two Sunday papers
and a large proportion of our readership
and the people they knew also took the Sunday Times
because the Sunday Times was big,
so you could hide the news of the world inside it.
I may or may not have done that in my time.
I know you did, James, I know you did that.
So that was the route into the industry
and, you know, I'm coming up to know my, oh my God, 20,
oh, what is it next year will be my,
oh God, make sure we my 30th year.
Oh, Jesus.
Wow.
So I love the industry.
It's a brilliant industry.
It's like nothing else on earth.
It's way better than telly and broadcasting.
I know it.
We had Mike Askew, one of your colleagues
on the podcast last week,
and I do always like asking motor and journalists,
we'll come on to Electrifying in a moment,
but I do always like asking motor and journalists
about the best launches they've ever been on
because there's always a good story there.
Oh my goodness me.
Do you know what?
Launches were great when I started off.
If you were a print journalist is what I would say
because I've always done video.
And in the early days,
we were the first people turning up without sound recordists.
So that was a very new thing.
I mean, unthinkable now.
So I remember turning up at launches at the airport
and being given a massive press pack filled with gump
that I then had to sit on the flight and work through
and try and write a script
because at the other end we'd be filming.
And I think the thing that struck me was that
I always used to felt like on launches
we'd be in these fantastic places
and we'd be in beautiful hotels.
But for us it would be bloody hard work
because we were producing a video
and all the other guys had to do.
You remember like your colleagues going back in the day,
Ken Gibson and Ray Massey and those guys,
you can sit around, drive a car, drink some wine,
have a glass of wine on the plane because why not?
You know, you weren't driving for a while
whereas I'd be furiously
because it was like nothing under embargo,
nothing emailed out.
There was no email then.
And you know,
and then they'd have a lovely time
and they go back and they might write 400 words the day after.
So a lot of my experiences of early launches
are a little kind of,
they were very hard work involving some lovely places
that I didn't see properly.
It hasn't changed really, has it?
But now it's different
because we're all on the same plane field.
So as you guys know, you go on a launch now
and everybody's like furiously,
social content, getting a new story up,
how quickly can you publish?
But that was my life for a long time.
But I'm not so,
but yeah, I think I have been in, you know,
some absolutely incredible things.
One of the best things we've ever done
is I went to the Dakar rally
when Colin McCrae was out there
and he was driving this and that.
And just to spend time and experience,
you know, that with him was, you know, off the scale.
And then I was Colin McCrae's co-driver
for the news of the world, which is not a launch,
but we did for a shape,
one of the shakedown leg at the Monte Carlo rally.
I was given, you know, a bit of instruction
on, you know, what you do, how you read the book,
what you have to do and they put me in the car
and they let me be his, you know, his co-driver.
And for like the first sort of 30 seconds,
I really attempted to, you know, like read the instructions.
Then after that, I was just going, yes!
Yes!
And that's literally was the rest of it.
Was that right or left?
I was like, yes!
Anywhere you want to go.
So yeah, amazing.
You know, over the years, some of the experiences
that this industry has given me is fantastic.
But yes, car launches, I think, are very different now to the ones
that used to be, but that is not to say we don't, you know,
it's such a privilege still to go and see these cars
at such an early point and, you know,
and you do get to stay in some nice hotels.
But you get just to go on a lot of coaches as well.
Anyone who's been on a Stellantis launch
will know there's a lot of coaches involved.
Yeah, sure is.
Well, talking of launches,
tell us about how electrifying came about
and where the idea for this originated.
James, can we take a moment to celebrate that segue that you did?
Thank you, thank you.
Oh, it's just awesome.
You got a side career as a DJ.
I've been taking lessons with John Ray.
He doesn't need more jobs, Ginny.
Don't give him ideas.
Like, I'll give him radio Hampshire next.
What an incredible segue.
Anyway, so launches.
So, um, I guess, so my, I've,
he said always works in automotive.
I did my time on, on Carbire
with the lovely batch of your parish.
Yeah.
He was one of my on-screen husbands.
I had Matt Watson as one of my on-screen husbands for a while.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We got divorced.
I don't speak anymore.
No, we do.
Actually, so, you know, that was sort of when,
and I guess at that point YouTube was still quite early.
You know, we were using, you know, there was still established channels,
but nothing like, you know, the monster that it is today.
Um, I think what I thought for a long time was,
so I drove my first electric car in 1999,
and it was a car called the Volkswagen City's drama.
So I don't know if you guys ever were aware of that.
So it was VW Volkswagen took a golf and they did a project
with one of the big energy companies in Germany
and they converted it into electric power.
And it had the number plate flipped up
and it had a little curly plug that came out
like we now see on the Fiat Grande Panda.
They were not the first to do it.
And I went to a tech summit and drove this car
and thought it was really interesting
and just was really fascinated by the fact
that it opened my mind to the fact there could be different powertrains.
And then I remember going, you know, driving, you know,
the early Nissan Leafs and the one that really sticks in my mind.
And as a brilliant launch as well was the first time I went to Korea
and I went to Seoul and I drove the Kia Seoul Electric for the first time.
And I just got the bug, I really did.
So I've always, I've always really been interested in electrification.
And then I just reached a point, I think, in about 2019
where I thought nobody's really doing this
and thinking about what the consumer needs.
So I did a programme, one of the things I do is I work on ITV tonight.
So I cover automotive stories for them.
We did a report about are we ready for the electric car?
And we put back in, I think it was 2018, 2019, ITV tonight viewers
from all around the country into EVs and let them loose.
And, you know, a lot of them really love the experience
but they had no idea about charging and infrastructure
and it's a very different time then.
And I think we spoke to lots of industry experts
and I think the thing that really struck me after making that
was that the industry was getting ready
because we could see all the products coming through.
And I knew what the pipeline was.
But for most people, if you weren't an early adopter
there was nobody out there helping you.
So I wanted to bring all that together in one resource
and that's where electrifying was formed.
It was always about explaining the EV to my auntie Dee.
And now my auntie Dee lives in Burry
and she's, you know, she'd have been,
an EV would have been great for her
but she didn't have the foggiest.
And that was always the approach that we wanted to take.
And actually I took the idea to a couple of bigger publishing companies
and they said, no, I laughed at me and, you know, sent me away.
So I went out and raised Angel Investment to do it
and I had some, you know, fantastic people step forward
to invest in the business.
One of whom I've been on the podcast with, John Bailey,
who you guys know, who really believed in the business.
I'm very grateful to him.
And we, the idea was always there's no stupid question
because EVs are a really big leveler.
You might be able to strip an engine down
but you still might be confused about how to charge an electric car.
So, and I think as we review every electric car
we're increasingly moving into reviewing used electric cars as well
because that's where the market is exciting for me.
And it was about it being a space where any,
there's no silly questions.
People could come for not just the review
but also for the house and the wise and there is it right for me.
It must have been quite a challenge launching a,
it's a publishing company, isn't it, that you've launched
and it's alongside all your other stuff.
It must have been hard work.
Yeah, I launched it in April 2020.
And I don't know if we all remember what happened in April 2020.
We had some time in our hands, didn't we, sir?
We had some time in our hands.
So, yeah, it was, I remember we took the Y-Frames.
So, you know, a couple of people came on board really early days.
We had Tom Ford, who, you know, from Top Gear and Nikki Shields,
Formula E, they were committed to joining.
We were going out, I was going out myself to agencies
trying to sell, you know, get launch partnerships
and actually signed three launch partnerships.
So, I had enough money from some angel investors,
literally friends, family and fools, as they say.
This was before John came on board and, you know, to get it made.
And then we had money and then to keep the business running
for the sort of six to nine months after that.
And then we went into lockdown and all of those purchase orders fell
and we had no money.
So, it was like, well, what do we do?
So, we just had to launch.
We just launched and we just did it.
And then, you know, just carried on doing it.
And we managed to get some advertising money in it
in the August of 2020.
And the story has just rolled on from there.
And it's, you know, had its ups and downs for sure.
You know, the economy, you know, there's been a lot of things
that have thrown curveballs in our way,
but the business is now very strong.
We've got a really successful YouTube channel with
and now the most watched EV channel,
review channel globally on YouTube,
a new editor, Vicky Parrot, who runs the website,
who is brilliant and it's going really well,
but it's been a real challenge to get there.
But, you know, it's the thing that I've loved doing most
in my career.
And, you know, I presented BBC Holiday and Traveled the World
for three years in the early noughties.
I love it more than that.
You know, I love this industry.
I mean, huge congratulations because I mean,
I know just how hard it is to do.
And especially in the time that you've done it.
No one's got a better idea, though, than you
when it comes to what consumers are thinking about EVs.
Give us an overview of what the feeling is out there.
I mean, bearing in mind, I suppose, the people coming to your site,
they are their EV buyers, are they?
Or are they EV?
Curious.
Curious, yeah, thanks, John.
Yeah, there's been a shift in that.
So we, you know, when we first launched, we were getting,
you know, roughly 25% of our audience already owned an EV.
The rest were, you know, confused consumers,
as we like to call them.
And I think the shift now is that we're roughly at 50-50.
So it's slightly more probably on the EV owners.
So we've definitely seen that shift.
So we know that some people are coming onto their second
and third EVs.
Other people still need that hand-holding.
And increasingly, as a team, what we're looking at now is
we still do need to give people that early information.
So we do a big survey every year with the AA.
And we did the last one just at the end of 2025.
We surveyed over 13,000 UK drivers, around 4% EV drivers,
so roughly in line with where the overall car part was,
you know, back then.
And just under 50% will tell us that they don't have confidence
in driving an EV and the prospect of that making that switch,
you know, around two-thirds don't have confidence
in how you charge one.
So for new EV drivers, people new to it,
there's definitely that hand-holding is still really important,
those basics of how much range do you really need?
How do you charge?
Charging explained, you know, why did you range drop in winter?
But then what we're seeing is we're at this point now
where we've got second and third EV buyers
who want to drill down into the charging curve in EV.
They want to know about battery health certificates.
They want a deeper level of knowledge.
And that's a real challenge for dealers, right?
Because, you know, we live and breathe this.
And, you know, we know that that level is there.
So I think this is where it's getting very interesting.
I think, you know, we talk to an EV-engaged audience.
75% of our audience are looking to purchase
within the next 12 months.
So they're on that journey.
I think if you do look at the wider, the early majority
that we're into now, there are definitely concerns.
There's concerns about charging.
We need to do much more nationally about visibility of charging.
You know, the fact that we have more charges in Westminster
than we have in, you know, the big northern cities
of Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield combined
is shocking, you know.
And there's no surprises that, you know,
that's where you see the proliferation of EVs going.
And I think we need to do much more work.
The government needs to take much more
of a lead around used EVs.
Because that's where the real difference is, right?
That's where we make the difference.
I do think the used EV market is fascinating.
I've sold one this week, sold a Nissan Leaf.
What did you sell?
Nissan Leaf, 67.81.
The customer turned up.
He was purchasing it for his wife,
and he turned up in a Volkswagen ID3.
So those sorts of conversations are actually quite easy.
But then we had another Nissan Leaf in stock
the week before, which I talked the customer out of,
because, you know, they turned up and said,
we're looking at our first EV.
I said, how are you going to charge it?
They said, well, I'm going to go to the local Tescos.
I said, well, it's not for you.
You know, this is not the car for you.
You need to be able to charge it at home
really to make the most of this.
So I do find in the used market customers
really do need education.
But there are massive opportunities,
and a lot of things are still scared of selling them.
What are you finding when it comes to used EVs then, especially?
Yeah, we did look particularly used in this last survey,
and I think there's a lot of confusion around it.
So the two stats that really stood out for me
was around affordability,
which we know is really key with EVs.
So around 60% of that survey spread said
they thought new electric cars were too expensive.
That dropped to 30% for used.
So people are definitely seeing
that more affordable used models are coming through.
But where we saw concerns is in confidence.
So only 3% said they felt confident in buying a used EV.
Really? What do you think that was then?
It's batteries.
We need to do so much work around batteries.
There's so little understanding
of the fact that an EV battery would last.
So only 2% felt that an EV battery would last
as long as a petrol and diesel engine,
which all the data now shows that that is not the case.
And what we know with EV batteries is
they've got second and third lives, right?
They're worth a load of money.
40% to 60% are the value of a new car,
new EVs in that battery.
So, you know, they're built to last.
They come with long guarantees.
We've had a Tesla recently that's done 250,000 miles
as a taxi.
Battery health was still at 91%.
These are the messages we need to get out.
And I think when we ask people
what would give them more confidence.
And this was really key for me.
And I think this is where the government needs to be doing
a lot more focus.
40% said some kind of government-backed battery health check
on a used EV would give them confidence.
Now, that is not complicated to do.
You know, when you buy a house,
you expect to see, you know,
the electricity efficiencies at the EPC.
It's a really simple way of understanding it.
Why shouldn't EVs work in the same way?
We get a clear standardised measure of battery health.
It's independently checked.
Perhaps updated at the MOT stage once a year,
that it has to be done.
A lot of dealers are doing them.
We do it.
Every used EV we sell.
We use Generational's product.
We put that certificate on the advert.
And the guy who bought the list this week said,
the reason I bought this one
is because you're so open about the battery health.
So it makes a big difference.
It makes a huge difference.
But I think if it was suddenly something
that just has to become part of the MOT,
that's not even a complicated thing to do.
And I think that, so for me,
the government is spending money in the wrong places.
The electric car grant, don't get me started on that.
What is, you know, for new cars.
That should have gone into the used market for me.
Scotland for years has been running a fantastic scheme,
which I think you guys may know about,
which helps you get into a used electric car van.
It ran out of money, didn't it? It was so successful.
It runs out of money every year, and then they bring it back.
So it always runs out of money.
And you know, I think the last time I checked,
it was 28,000 pounds interest-free loan
to be used on a used vehicle.
But I mean, brilliant.
Why are we not doing, why are we not doing that?
Why are we focusing on new cars,
on helping certain brands sell more new cars
and not just doing that, giving it a level playing field?
And my other rank, because I'm obviously,
I'm starting to rant, aren't I? Sorry.
You're very welcome to. We like those.
It's where the money is going on charging.
So we've seen a big part of money go this week
on charging, right, on, you know,
on getting them fitted on rental properties.
If I, yeah, okay, look, I know it's all helpful, isn't it?
But that really assumes that anyone with a driveway is loaded.
I don't, I'm sorry, but you know,
my mum and dad have a driveway, their pensioners,
they're not loaded.
If you're looking at a really good,
I mean, what did you sell your Nissan Leaf for, James?
Four and a half.
Four and a half grand, right.
So that's a brilliant car for a load of people.
If that's your first EV and then, oh,
but you need to spend over a thousand pounds on a charger.
Oh, that's quite a lot of money.
Well, that could well be the thing that makes you stay in petrol or diesel.
I think they need to look at affordability more.
I think we need to bring incentives back for all homeowners around chargers.
You know, there's got to be a better way to spend this money
that helps more people.
And I think the use market is where the focus should be.
Yeah, absolutely.
What's your take on that other really big issue
that sort of affected the motor industry
and especially so in your set of the Chinese car makers.
I mean, they're coming in with plenty of very affordable Chinese cars.
What's your take on all of that?
It's just fascinating, isn't it?
I mean, I don't think I've ever been, you know,
I've found a more exciting time in this industry than this.
I think the one thing a lot of them have done,
which is very smart is they're partnering with really strong local dealership.
Groups that people know because if you're a new brand coming in,
you try to do it on your own, that's definitely not going to work.
Whereas if you've got that trust of a wall,
that's the dealer around the corner that I bought my Ford from
and my Peugeot from.
I think that that's a really smart move.
I think the interesting thing for me was a story that I think you guys
kind of reported on,
which was when I went out to Gothenburg and spoke to to Polestar,
who were of course one of these, you know, it's a digital only
and we're going to have studios and spaces.
And then they realized that actually people like to talk to people.
And the great line, I think from that interview that I did with a CEO
was when he said, we have to learn from the Brits.
When I go to Germany, we have to learn from the Brits.
And he talked about this renaissance of the dealership.
And a real acknowledgement that it's not the dealer doesn't,
you know, you don't just have a first car.
What the first time what a dealer does by building that relationship is
he said it sells the car the second and the third time.
And I think this is more critical than ever before now with with used
and but also with EVs, particularly with EV because you need the trust
and you need the confidence.
And that's why people come to us and if dealers can position themselves
as that person that is open and honest, like you saying James to that guy,
this isn't going to work for you if you charge at Tesco.
If he's buying a car with 300 miles of range and does 20 miles a day,
then charging it once a week on a rapid is absolutely fine.
But not only Nissan Leaf that's not got, you know, full battery life left.
So and I think that that's where with EV I actually think the dealer role
becomes increasingly important.
Whether that's on a test drive, I don't know because I wonder whether
for second and third EV owners are they even doing test drives?
I know people that aren't, but they want to see the car.
They want to talk to somebody.
They want to feel it.
They want the conversations.
And I think that's where that dealer experience becomes absolutely key for me.
Yeah.
I mean, we sold another leaf last week and it was over the phone.
The guy went just deliver it to my house.
I didn't even want to drive it.
So there are some people out there with that confidence.
Ginny, what's your experience of car dealers then when it comes to comes to
electric car sales, both franchising independent, I mean,
and yours personally and those you hear from your readers?
I mean, I'll be honest with you.
I haven't bought a new car in years.
So, you know, but I obviously get a lot of my friends come to me for advice around
EVs and a couple of friends recently have had an experience of going into dealers.
And, you know, they bought the car pretty much based on recommendations from me on
both occasions.
They'd been out with me in a test car that I had in.
I'm not going to name the brands because that's not really fair to do,
but they both said the dealership experience was awful.
It wasn't special.
They didn't get given really any information.
The handover wasn't good.
Now, I know that that's not reflective of all dealerships.
I know there are some brilliant dealerships out there who were doing great stuff around
used EVs, for example, where they are really trying to provide battery health checks
and they are really trying to be very open.
But I think it just for those people, you know, coming to EV for the first time,
I think we need to up our game.
And, you know, we need to have, you know, you need to be an expert.
You need to be their phone friend.
You've got to be saying to those first time buyers, any problems when it's gone,
give me a ring.
You've got to be explaining.
You've got to be interested.
You know, we do get a lot of, I think interesting.
We've had quite a lot of complaints about people popping into these studios where
they feel like there's just some nice looking people standing around with an iPad,
not really that willing to help.
But I think this is, it's about striking that balance, isn't it?
Not being down somebody's throat and selling them.
But you've got to make that experience special.
And I think that's something that, you know, a lot of dealers do need to work on.
Yeah, I do think, I mean, especially with electric cars, the role of a dealer is vital.
Vital? Absolutely vital.
You know, you're not selling, and this is the difficult thing, right?
Because if you look back to that experience, that those stats about, you know,
people don't have confidence in public charging, it's not enough to sell the car anymore.
You've got to sell the overall experience.
So what you've got to do is be like, yeah, I know you'd be worried about charging,
but, you know, John over there, he's been running one for ages.
And actually, you know, there's now a charger going in every 30 minutes.
And, you know, and on longer journeys, you know, the numbers of rapid charges have increased massively.
You need advocates in the dealership who live and breathe EVs,
who can be there open and honest with information and give confidence.
Because I think the battleground now for the electric vehicle is going to be one between confidence and trust.
So you talk about all those OEMs that are coming in, they're very competitive on price and technology.
It's ultimately trust and confidence.
And I think the dealers that can provide that and the brands that can provide that the OEMs are the ones that will win out on this.
I do think we'll see a couple of codecs of the car industry.
I think there will be legacy brands that will be no more because they haven't switched enough because of the competition.
And I think that will happen with dealers as well.
But I think it's now more important than ever to have knowledgeable advocates in your dealerships
and to be, you know, the person that gives that car buyer trust and confidence.
Yeah, absolutely.
Out of those new brands that you've been seeing and trying, which ones impressed you the most?
I think you can't ignore BYD, can you?
You know, and I often get asked, are there any good, you know, these Chinese cars?
And the honest answer is some of them are not and a lot of them are.
You know, it's just like any other brand, you know, everybody's got some dots that, you know, they are good.
They're good cars in many, you know, in many, many cases.
I think it's the scale of BYD.
You know, the fact that they, you know, they basically they control their own supply chain.
So they're building their own batteries, they're building their own motors.
I think it's, I think I'm right in saying that it's only the wipers and the tires that they don't actually, you know, provide themselves for their vehicles.
And that sense of scale is a massive buffer for them.
They're also incredibly, incredibly competitive and they want to win.
So I think, you know, I think BYD are absolutely here to stay.
I think an interesting one to watch will be Zika.
We're seeing a lot of interest in Zika within our audience, both on the website and on YouTube.
They are, of course, part of the GD group, which is just a massive, you know, massive group.
It encompasses, you know, Polestar and Volvo.
And they are coming to the UK, as we know, that date hasn't been announced yet.
But I know it's not that far off now.
And I think it will be really interesting to see Zika when they arrive,
because I think that they're going to shake things up a bit.
And what electric car would you buy?
Oh, it's so hard.
Do you know what this is?
This is going to sound, I would have always had Taycan Crestorismo because I've got a dog.
And I just love that.
And I love the sexy estate, you know.
The used one, be very good value.
A used one is very good value at the moment.
As a business owner, though, you know, new is the way to go.
Yes, it is.
So I've been running a Renault 5 for a year.
And I think that's a really special car,
because what that's done is brought desirability back.
And it's done that brilliant thing that is very hard to do, that it appeals.
It's got massive appeal.
People love that car.
Young, old men, women.
I've had so many people stop me about it.
It's a tiny little thing.
I'm getting about 20% less under the WLTP range running it in winter.
So about 190, 180, 190.
It's not going to massive range.
I've not got the top spec.
It's not got heated seats.
I love that car.
It's going back soon.
And I haven't bought a new car in a long time.
And I'm actually thinking, do I buy one?
Because it makes me happy.
And for me, I love cars so much.
I want a car that makes me happy.
So I think there is so much to be said for that,
because they've been very clever in not creating a pastiche
of a car that we all know and love.
Yeah.
So I think my budget is Renault 5.
Second-hand Taycan Cross Turismo.
But I couldn't afford the insurance on that.
I don't think.
I don't know.
Final question for you before we get on to our stories.
Do you think the 2030 ban will happen?
Yeah.
I hope so for the industry's sake.
Everybody knows, other than the government,
I think that the car industry needs certainty.
It's the one thing we need.
When you're spending billions of dollars building factories,
creating new models, building product line-ups,
it needs certainty.
I think it will.
I think it will still go ahead.
I wonder whether we'll see more loosening
of the flexibilities around it.
I think that will probably be the push,
the fudge that we'll see.
But I think that the deadline I think will state,
but I think it will have flexibilities.
Interesting stuff.
Ginny, thank you so much for joining us.
I love it.
Thank you.
Thank you for sticking around to hear our stories.
Well, John, we should probably do some.
We'll be right back.
Running a dealership means making hundreds of decisions every day.
But James, when do you get the time to step back and think?
Well, John, I don't.
But this is exactly what Cardiola Live is for.
On March the 19th at the British Motor Museum in Gayden,
the UK's car dealers, manufacturers and suppliers
will come together to learn what's actually working right now.
You'll hear from dealers who've built great businesses
and exclusive research from headline sponsors,
AutoTrader as well as Google, Motorway,
Cox Automotive, Keyloop and Impel.
We'll be tackling the big questions like how buyers are really using AI,
what Chinese challenger brands mean for your forecourt
and how the best dealers are growing faster than anyone else.
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