Australia’s EV momentum is the backdrop as the panel digs into Toyota’s confirmed Hilux BEV arrival, pricing, and its surprisingly small 59.2 kWh battery—plus the debate over NEDC range claims and likely fleet-first sales. EV registrations are up sharply (notably NSW), while Jaecoo’s orders surge and XPeng’s Australian operations shift from TrueEV to a new ANZ setup. The group also covers used EV pricing trends, charging app consolidation (Chargefox/ BP Pulse), Tesla updates, and a Sydney arson incident at a Tesla showroom.
Catch up on the latest in Electric Vehicle news from Australia and around the world! Hosted by Tom & Joy Gan of Ludicrous Feed, Riz Akhtar from Carloop and Roland Lam from Zapped
"Should be next week, I think sometime when Embargo lives.
[100.1s] All right, well let's say hello to some of our regular viewers who have joined us nice"
An embargo is basically a “don’t post yet” rule for reviews. It lets everyone publish at the same time when the manufacturer says it’s okay.
An embargo is a media agreement that prevents reviewers from publishing their reviews until a specific date/time. EV launches often use embargoes so manufacturers can coordinate messaging and avoid information being released too early.
"[113.1s] Yes, noting the new Toyota Hilux or Electric Ute, which we'll touch on very shortly of
[118.1s] course."
The Toyota Hilux is a common pickup truck in Australia. This episode is talking about a new electric version of it—basically a Hilux that runs on electricity instead of petrol or diesel.
The Toyota Hilux is a popular Australian-built pickup truck known for durability and strong resale value. In this episode, the host is referring to a new Hilux variant that’s electric (a “BEV” or electric ute).
"So I first covered the Hilux Bev as they call it about three years ago."
BEV just means “electric car.” It uses a battery to power the motor instead of using fuel like petrol or diesel.
BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicle. It means the vehicle is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack, rather than a gasoline or diesel engine.
"It gives dealers some margin as well if they so decide to give you a good deal because they've got a last one on the lot."
Dealer margin is the amount of money the dealership makes when they sell the car. If they have some margin, they can sometimes offer a better discount.
“Dealer margin” is the profit a dealership makes on a sale, often influenced by pricing, incentives, and how much discount they can offer. When the margin is built in, dealers may have room to discount to move inventory.
"It gives dealers some margin as well if they so decide to give you a good deal because they've got a last one on the lot. They can sell that for 70 grand plus on roads instead of 75."
“Last one on the lot” means the dealer only has one left of that model. Dealers often discount the final units to sell them faster.
“Last one on the lot” implies the dealer is trying to clear remaining inventory of a specific model/variant. That often leads to incentives or discounts because the dealer wants to reduce unsold stock and make room for newer deliveries.
"... other Ford hopefully brings their fully electric Ranger. Not even sure if that's under development or no..."
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck, usually used for work, towing, and carrying things. People talk about it in EV news because they want to know if Ford will make an all-electric version. That would be a big change for buyers who already like the Ranger.
The Ford Ranger is a popular mid-size pickup truck known for being rugged and widely used for work and towing. In an EV-adoption discussion, it comes up because people are interested in whether a fully electric Ranger is being developed and how that would fit into the Australian market. It’s a significant nameplate because a Ranger EV would likely bring EV technology to a segment that many buyers already trust.
"Yeah, I must admit the battery pack is smaller than I expected. 59 is like almost nothing."
The battery pack is the EV’s big battery that stores the electricity. A bigger pack often helps with longer range, but it also affects cost.
A battery pack is the large set of cells/modules that stores electrical energy for an EV. Pack size strongly influences range potential, charging behavior, and overall vehicle cost.
"[601.4s] 1.8 tons.
[604.1s] Oh, heated and ventilated front seats.
[605.7s] I mean, you might as well be comfy driving a youth."
Heated and ventilated seats mean the seats can warm you up and also cool you down. That makes driving more comfortable in both hot and cold weather. It can also help reduce how much the car needs to run the heating or cooling system.
Heated and ventilated seats add comfort by warming the seat surfaces in cold weather and actively moving air to cool occupants in hot conditions. For EV buyers, this matters because it can reduce reliance on cabin HVAC settings, which can otherwise impact efficiency and range. It’s also a common “feature value” point when comparing new EVs to mainstream ICE vehicles.
"[624.3s] I agree.
[624.7s] Decent range, good off-road performance, and the ability to put a different trail on the back.
[629.2s] I mean, the Shark 6, except for the fact that the Fab is pretty much all the way there."
Off-road performance is how capable a vehicle is on dirt, sand, rocks, and uneven tracks. It’s not just about power—it’s also about traction and suspension. The speaker is saying they want an EV dual cab that can actually do that kind of driving.
Off-road performance refers to how well a vehicle can handle rough terrain—things like traction, ground clearance, suspension travel, and drivetrain behavior on loose surfaces. For EV dual cabs, buyers often want confidence that instant torque won’t come at the expense of control on dirt, sand, or trails. This is a central evaluation point for whether EVs can replace traditional 4x4s for many owners.
"Now, two weeks ago, they announced that they just reached 2000 orders. And within two weeks, they've just hit 4000 orders now."
Orders are how many people have said they want to buy a car. If orders jump fast, it usually means lots of buyers are interested, even before the cars show up in sales statistics.
Order counts are a leading indicator of demand before deliveries and sales reporting catch up. When orders accelerate quickly, it can signal strong consumer pull—often driven by pricing, product appeal, and EV market momentum.
"Unfortunately, the increase in interest looks like the fuel price. You know, it's sort of what's the word exponentially growing up in the last couple of weeks."
When petrol gets expensive, people start thinking about cheaper ways to drive. EVs can be cheaper to run than gas cars.
Fuel price is a key driver of EV demand because EVs can reduce ongoing “per-kilometre” energy costs compared with petrol or diesel. When fuel prices rise quickly, consumers often look for alternatives, which can boost EV interest and sales.
"Like we know with BYD when they took over, the EV Direct Group became the EV Dealer Group. And they're still kind of running at the moment, right? ... So the transaction that occurred at the end, my understanding is BYD did that transaction with EV Direct..."
BYD is a major Chinese EV manufacturer referenced here as taking over parts of an EV distribution/dealer operation in Australia. The discussion uses BYD’s acquisition/transition as an example of how EV brands can reshape local distribution and dealer structures.
"Any news on secondhand EVs? ... Are we seeing increases in secondhand EVs?"
They’re talking about buying EVs that have already been owned. The key idea is whether used EV prices are rising or falling as more people want EVs.
The discussion is about the used-electric-vehicle market—how supply, demand, and pricing change as more people switch to EVs. Used EV prices can move quickly when new-car inventory is constrained or when EV interest spikes.
"But if there's no, you know, new inventory available... as that inventory dries up, that's what happened in COVID, right?"
If fewer new cars are available, people start buying used cars instead. When that happens, used prices usually go up.
When new-car inventory “dries up,” fewer new vehicles are available to buy, so shoppers move to the used market. That shift typically increases used-car prices until supply improves.
"Doesn't matter. As long as this is an EV, it's all good. Just buy them."
EV just means an electric car. They’re saying it’s a win as long as more EVs are being bought and delivered.
EV stands for electric vehicle—cars powered primarily by an electric motor and rechargeable battery. In this context, the hosts are framing EV adoption as the key goal, regardless of brand competition.
"“Well, didn't have any camera on it, but it is a left hand drive like the one we drove in Lang Lang…”"
Left-hand drive means the steering wheel is on the left side. Since Australia drives on the left, LHD cars are the normal setup and make the car easier to use right away.
Left-hand drive (LHD) means the steering wheel is on the left side of the vehicle, which is standard for Australia. For EVs and other imported vehicles, confirming LHD is important because it affects usability, compliance, and driver experience.
"“So, yeah, but I think due for arrival in Q3, and I think we'll get to drive it sometime later next quarter.”"
“Due for arrival in Q3” means the vehicle is expected to land in the market during the third quarter of the year. For buyers, timing matters because it affects when test drives, pricing, and availability will realistically happen.
"“I'm going to throw a joy, obviously, being the Mazda fan. What do you reckon? … like Mazda bringing out something like this…”"
They’re saying Mazda’s involvement makes people more willing to try something new. If Mazda is bringing it out, buyers may feel more confident giving it a look.
Mazda is discussed as the familiar brand that could help introduce a new EV model or new brand lineup to Australian buyers. The point is that brand trust and recognition can reduce buyer hesitation when considering unfamiliar EV makers.
"I want to drive the Camo version like they did with the Camo wrapped car. It's just cool.
[1675.9s] Well, Joy, the next G6 you get, we will Camo wrap it."
A camo wrap is a patterned cover put on a car to hide its real design. People look for these cars because they often show up before the official release.
A camo wrap is a temporary camouflage-style vinyl covering used to disguise a vehicle’s final shape during testing or marketing. Enthusiasts often track these “camo” sightings because they can hint at upcoming models and design changes.
"And we're not hearing things along the lines of reliability issues. Yes, there's some issues with its ADAS, lane keep assist, those type of things, but I think they've been improved over the years."
ADAS are driver-assist features that help with things like staying in the lane or warning you about hazards. The hosts are saying these features can have issues, but they can improve over time.
ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems—features like lane keeping, adaptive cruise, and collision warning. The hosts mention ADAS reliability/behavior as a known area of concern for some EVs, even when overall reliability is otherwise improving.
"there's some issues with its ADAS, lane keep assist, those type of things, but I think they've been improved over the years."
Lane keep assist is a system that helps your car stay in its lane. It uses sensors to detect lane markings and can steer a bit to help you stay centered.
Lane keep assist is an ADAS feature that helps keep the vehicle centered in its lane using steering inputs and camera/vision sensors. The segment suggests that early behavior or calibration can be imperfect, but updates can improve it.
"He just said then done. I've asked before, six figures to expand the garage. No thanks."
“Six figures” means the cost is over $100,000. Here it’s used to show that the speaker wouldn’t spend that kind of money just to make room for the car.
“Six figures” is shorthand for a purchase price in the $100,000+ range, which is central to how buyers evaluate EV adoption and affordability. The speaker uses it to frame the cost of expanding a garage versus buying the car.
"...I think this car is either getting announced or getting launched in that Melbourne Motor Show, if you're just going to read this room."
The Melbourne Motor Show is a major Australian auto event where brands often announce or launch new vehicles and technologies. In this segment, it’s framed as the likely venue for Denza’s upcoming EV reveal.
"So this I think is awesome because ChargeFox app works 99.9% of the time. So true. It's one of the better apps."
ChargeFox is an app and charging network for EVs in Australia. You use it to locate chargers and start charging, and the hosts are saying it’s usually reliable.
ChargeFox is an Australian EV charging network/app used to find chargers and start sessions. In this segment, the hosts discuss how reliably the ChargeFox app works and how it’s becoming the go-to option for multiple networks.
"Our Premier in New South Wales did say this week he wanted to invest more in EV infrastructure..."
EV infrastructure is the network of charging stations and the systems behind them. More infrastructure means it’s easier for more people to charge their cars.
EV infrastructure includes charging stations, grid upgrades, and planning that makes charging convenient and reliable. The speaker highlights the NSW Premier’s intention to invest more in infrastructure to support broader EV use across the state.
"Speaking of chargers, here we go. Tesla just announced or launched their 150th Supercharger..."
Tesla is the company behind many electric cars and a big charging network. Here they’re talking about Tesla adding more fast chargers in Australia.
Tesla is the EV manufacturer and charging network operator referenced here for expanding fast-charging coverage. The segment credits Tesla’s Supercharger rollout and installation quality.
Brand
BP
"[3383.0s] saying Charge Fox does charge more at BP than BP does. Thank you for that confirmation, Gary."
BP is a big gas station brand. Here, they’re comparing charging prices at BP locations versus another charging service.
BP is a major fuel and retail brand that also operates EV charging locations in Australia. In this segment, BP is part of a comparison about charging prices versus what Chargefox shows.
"[3432.0s] This is why we're kind of nice things. I found Jerry cans next to it. So someone has made the [3437.3s] effort to buy something that is already sort of like in short supply and then to pour it over"
Jerry cans are portable fuel containers commonly used to store and transport gasoline or other liquids. The host mentions finding them next to the cars to suggest accelerant use, which supports the arson theory rather than an EV-specific failure.
"We'll see Apple CarPlay and Android Auto soon. Okay, just a couple more things guys and girls just to chat about."
Android Auto connects your Android phone to the car’s screen. It brings useful apps like navigation and music into the dashboard display.
Android Auto is Google’s smartphone-to-car interface for Android phones. It mirrors supported apps onto the car’s infotainment system, giving drivers access to navigation, media, and communication features in a standardized way.
"We'll see Apple CarPlay and Android Auto soon. Okay, just a couple more things guys and girls just to chat about."
Apple CarPlay lets you connect your iPhone to the car’s screen. Then you can use apps like maps and music right from the dashboard.
Apple CarPlay is a smartphone-to-car interface that lets you use compatible iPhone apps through the vehicle’s infotainment screen. It typically supports navigation, music, calls, and messaging while keeping your phone functions integrated and safer while driving.
"Episode: Toyota Hilux BEV Launch as EV Adoption continues to rise in Australia
[3889.7s] Join us as we've got the overseas for a few weeks."
EV adoption just means how many people are starting to drive electric cars. It usually depends on things like charging stations, car prices, and government incentives.
EV adoption refers to how quickly electric vehicles are being purchased and used in a market. In Australia, it’s often discussed in terms of charging availability, incentives, model availability, and electricity costs.
F1 is the highest level of race car driving in the world. People follow it for the racing, and it often shows up in car conversations because it’s so influential.
F1 refers to Formula 1, the top tier of open-wheel motorsport. Motorsport coverage often influences car culture and technology interest, and it’s common for EV and performance discussions to overlap with F1 news.
Select text to request an explanation
Hi everyone, I'm Tom and this is Joy.
Hello.
Hello.
Welcome to The Evie Show by Ludicrous Feed.
Today is Wednesday the 1st of April, 2026, he has to not adjust your screens, it is
the 1st of April and yeah, it should be a good show, lots to chat about as always.
Real news, we're not going to do any fake joke news.
No, no, I promise it's all legit, always, always on the show.
Yeah, let's welcome our co-hosts for this evening, apart from ourselves.
Oops, sorry, not that one.
Hello Riz, hello Roland, gentlemen.
So nice to see you both.
How are we?
Start with you Riz.
Going well, it's good to see both of you yesterday and yeah, hey Roland.
Hey Riz, hey Tom, Joy and everyone.
Missed last week but good to be back.
Yes, nice to have you back Roland.
Yes, Riz is referring to the MG4 Evie Urban that we were at last, oh, yesterday.
Joy, myself and Riz.
So yeah, let's get a little car.
So watch out for those reviews to drop.
Should be next week, I think sometime when Embargo lives.
All right, well let's say hello to some of our regular viewers who have joined us nice
and early, 167 viewers already guys, a minute in.
It's great to see, thank you everyone for joining us.
Hello Jean, nice to see you.
Hello Zofa.
Hello Michael.
Yes, noting the new Toyota Hilux or Electric Ute, which we'll touch on very shortly of
course.
Hello Moolah Mark.
Hello Paul Newman.
Hello Jim from the Burbs.
And hello Gary Buck.
Hello Murray.
Hello Mr Brightside.
Hello Midge.
Hello DWA.
So many of our regulars joining us.
It's good to see and lightning says hello everyone.
Us EV people are the angels of Australia by not using patrol or petrol, meaning more
for the less fortunate.
Well, certainly not great times for everyone, but look at this.
We do what we can I suppose.
So we'll chat about that as well as the show goes on.
Hello Wayne.
It says hi Tom Joy Riz and Roland from Wayne and Grace.
Hello guys.
And hello Andrew.
All right.
And a one more hello.
Hello Lewis from Brisbane.
Hello.
Yes.
All righty.
Jen's lots of news as I said, but let's let's touch on first the Toyota Hilux Ute, which
has been confirmed and now is going to arrive in Australia.
This is Riz's article from the Driven.
Maybe Riz could fill us in on some of the pricing and the specs that we can expect Riz.
Yeah.
So I first covered the Hilux Bev as they call it about three years ago.
So when Toyota reported that they were bringing some in to get it in the hands of some of
their trusted customers to see what they're like.
So almost three years later, here it is.
To be honest, it's here quicker than I thought it was going to get here, given what Toyota
has been like over the last couple of years.
But I think NVES is doing what it's supposed to do.
Offered in two variants and it has a relatively small 59.2 kilowatt battery pack.
But the pricing with that small battery starts at $74,900 for the dual cap chassis.
And then you can get it into a dual cap pickup sort of body for another $1,500.
And then they have the flagship SR5 for $82,990 before on roads.
Now, it's pricing seems high, but it's the type of pricing you'd expect from Toyota.
In the sense that what retail customers like us see versus the deals they do with fleets are
very different things.
So I would not be surprised if this car ends up in a fleet that buys $100 for $64,990.
So that's sort of typical Toyota pricing.
It gives dealers some margin as well if they so decide to give you a good deal because
they've got a last one on the lot.
They can sell that for 70 grand plus on roads instead of 75.
So you feel like you're getting a good deal.
So all in all, good step.
I hope it means that Isuzu and other Ford hopefully brings their fully electric Ranger.
Not even sure if that's under development or not.
But it's a good first start from Australia's biggest car, I guess, car seller.
Yeah, I must admit the battery pack is smaller than I expected.
59 is like almost nothing.
You see that in sort of everyday EVs these days.
So yeah, as Ruth said, you know, probably going to fleet buyers first.
And yeah, you'd be what?
You're trying to say that paying that price.
Most consumers wouldn't be paying $74,990.
Straight off the bat.
Be silly to do that, right?
Without some sort of deal.
Yeah.
But yeah, this, you know, this car beat what?
The Geely Radar here.
So that's something at least.
Yeah, what kind of range are we looking at?
$315,000.
That's sort of without anything on the flatbed or towing, I suppose.
That's NEDC as well.
But I guess one thing to note is that Toyota apparently has been working with their mining
and fleet customers.
And I guess if they think it's going to go well, then it's going to go well from,
they'll sell a couple of thousand a year.
That's more than what, you know, many other battery electric units have had a go at so far.
I can't think of any that has sold that many apart from, of course, the BYD Shark 6,
which is the plug-in hybrid.
Yeah, that thing is everywhere.
We see that on our roads around our neighborhood, certainly.
So very popular indeed.
Let's take some feedback from our audience.
Yep.
Tassie says specs sound pitiful compared to BEV pickups in the U.S.
Is it Japanese?
That's a good question.
I don't know where this is made.
My understanding was most of the youths coming into our market were made in Thailand.
And this has been showcased at the, this and the Isuzu, which is very similar.
They've been showcased at the Thailand Motor Shows for a couple of times over the last few years.
So I wouldn't be surprised if it's made in Thailand, but I think, you know,
our audience can double-check that and correct us if we're wrong.
Just did a search made in Thailand.
Thailand.
Thank you, Roland.
Thanks, Roland.
Yep.
Michael, councils and government fleet, as Riz alluded to, and Max, this is too expensive.
Donald said it should be 20 grand.
I mean, for 20 grand, even I'd take one, I think, but 74.
Oh, sorry, 20,000 less.
Oh, well, okay, 54.
Yeah, probably not still, I think, for that range.
Yeah, it's a good question.
Why would a Japanese company quote any DC?
I suppose to inflate numbers, right?
Because WLTP would be...
So it looks better.
Yeah.
Subtract 20% from that.
Yeah.
I don't know why they quote any DC.
They should throw that out the window, honestly.
Well, I remember a couple of years ago, BYD did the same thing with their cars.
They were putting up any DC ranges all over the place.
So, you know, you're right.
It should be WLTP.
And you'd think that with them having a little bit of experience with BZ4X, I nearly forgot.
Yeah, BZ4X, that you'd think that WLTP is what they should be putting out.
But two ton towing, so that's something.
What's the range after two ton towing, Riz?
Oh, well.
What's NEDC for that?
3,000 kilometers on the NEDC side, so forth.
Right.
And John says, probably a compliance car for NVES as Riz said as well.
Yep, indeed.
Yeah, MGU9 Electric, that's something I'd be keen to see as well.
This is the MGU, isn't it?
Yeah, I'll see if I can top that up.
This is the LBVE Terron that was showcased a couple of years ago and never came.
So this is sort of the, I know it's MG, but I think the underpinnings are very similar to that E-Terron.
Right, so it's being rebadged as the MGU9.
Yeah.
Right, because it's SAIC, isn't it?
Yeah.
Okay, that makes sense.
Yeah, I mean, people are more familiar with the MG brand as we found out on the MG Drive Day.
Yeah, okay, we'll certainly look forward to that.
And I saw someone talk about the, what's that one?
The Korean one?
KV?
KGM.
KGM.
Yeah.
Yeah, does that look more promising?
I haven't really looked up on that one much.
My understanding is it's okay, but it won't win the hearts of many youth buyers.
Okay, let's pop this up here.
That's what it looks like for everyone's reference, the Musso EV.
Sounds very Italian, Musso.
But it's Korean built to last.
Well, it kind of reminds me of BYD, right?
Build Your Dreams, KGM, Korean built to last.
This one's saying 420Ks for a much cheaper price, 60 to 64 drive away.
Yeah, interesting.
1.8 tons.
Oh, heated and ventilated front seats.
I mean, you might as well be comfy driving a youth.
Yeah, okay.
Well, that's good.
At least that's something, right?
So we'll look forward to the Geely Radar and hopefully some other EV youths on the market shortly.
We'll see.
Yeah, A-Dang saying, I really want someone to have a genuine go of an EV dual cab.
I agree.
Decent range, good off-road performance, and the ability to put a different trail on the back.
I mean, the Shark 6, except for the fact that the Fab is pretty much all the way there.
So maybe a Shark 7, guys.
That'd be nice.
We'll see.
Yeah, Jag says KGM looks better than the front than the Toyota.
I agree.
Yep, I agree.
Radar as well.
That's the Geely Radar.
Radar.
Whatever you want to call it.
Yeah, I mean, the BZ4X does so well in, for example, the Norway market, we know.
So people obviously recognize the brand.
So let's see how many Toyota can sell just based on that.
Okay, let's move on.
Now, this article here, another one of Riz's article, EV registration search 50% in March.
That's great.
As Australians go electric amid fuel crisis.
So Riz, can we hope for 15% this month or we don't have the numbers yet?
Well, we don't have the numbers yet, but I mean, I looked at, we analyzed some data for two of the states,
New South Wales and South Australia that we get pretty timely sort of data from.
And yeah, New South Wales saw almost 50% increase in the total number of EVs registered in March compared to February,
which, you know, I think it's a gives a bit of an idea of where things are sort of heading in terms of New South Wales and being such a big part of the market.
So yeah, I mean, these are very early numbers and early analysis, right?
We expect that.
But because the way things are working out this year, it's falling over Easter.
So we won't get FCAI sales data probably till early next week.
So this is a good early indicator of what to expect.
And then we have some interesting news out of Jaiku, a moda.
Now, two weeks ago, they announced that they just reached 2000 orders.
And within two weeks, they've just hit 4000 orders now.
Amazing.
So really goes to show that cars price so right for the time, but also the interest that people have when it comes to electric vehicles.
And a moda Jaiku is a pretty new brand.
So, you know, those buyers are not coming from another new brand to this brand.
They obviously walking away from legacy what legacy car makers are offering.
So yeah, 2000 orders in less than two weeks.
Just goes to show sort of the demand that is being built up around the place.
That's phenomenal.
We saw a white Jaiku actually in Chatswood recently.
It looks good, I must say.
Looks really quite nice.
I can see why people are attracted to it.
I wonder how many actually X Range Rover drivers.
I'd say a lot of them, Roland.
Maybe 2000 of them.
I don't blame them.
Looks good.
It really does look good.
And you know, it's got a lot of good tech and inclusions as well in that price.
So yeah.
And a lot cheaper to keep running week to week.
Totally.
It's no brand at the moment.
It's funny, like, you know, you're seeing Jaiku jump by 2000, 50% increase in EV sales in New South Boswell registrations.
And look, even on a personal level, I'm sure Roland can have tested this too.
Like our metrics across our YouTube videos have increased as well by at least that much,
if not more in the last two, three weeks, four weeks.
So certainly the war is having an effect on interest in EVs, if nothing else, which is a good thing.
Nice side effect, I suppose.
Yeah.
Unfortunately, the increase in interest looks like the fuel price.
You know, it's sort of what's the word exponentially growing up in the last couple of weeks.
But it is what it is.
Unfortunately at the moment.
Yeah.
So hopefully 15% guys, hopefully 20.
We'll see.
We'll see what RISC's data looks like very soon.
Okay.
Let's move on.
So the big news from this week is obviously XPeng.
So this actually dropped today.
And this is not an April Fool's joke, as far as I know, verified across many media outlets.
So yes, confirmed that XPeng HQ is now taking over operations in Australia.
And again, correct me if I'm wrong, RISC and Roland and Joy.
It looks like they'll be running operations side by side with TrueBV, which is the current distributor.
I think neither side is confirming who's doing what or whether one's taking over the other.
As far as I can see in this press release, there's nothing on the local distributor news.
So what's going to happen?
I mean, will both operations sell cars?
That's a big unknown, isn't it at the moment?
My understanding is that as what we discussed on the stream last week, the cars are no longer in TrueBV's hands.
The last 170 or 190 odd cars were, I think, taken over by somebody else, the finance people.
Right.
And I don't know whether those cars are to be released to be sold or what's going to happen there.
And then there's no announcement today about upcoming models.
But I guess what I said last week that there will be some sort of a formal announcement and this is it here.
Probably it's a first step, I think, of more formal communication to come.
What does all of this actually mean for existing customers and then future customers based on the future products that they roll out in our market?
Like we know with BYD when they took over, the EV Direct Group became the EV Dealer Group.
And they're still kind of running at the moment, right?
They're kind of still organizing dealers or something on the side.
Most of the dealers, like a big group, they've got a big chunk of it.
I think what happened there was slightly different in the sense that EGAS, I think at one stage, while EV Direct was still running,
the operation acquired 90 or 95% of EV Direct.
So EGAS, the big dealer group, acquired that part of it.
So the transaction that occurred at the end, my understanding is BYD did that transaction with EV Direct,
obviously being overlooked by the EV Dealer Group.
So then whatever was left over was transferred over to EV Dealer Group.
And they became the distribution partner, although the rest of the operation is being managed by BYD.
But they're not the only distribution partner.
There's Harmony and a couple of others as well that are distribution partners with BYD.
So this is slightly different at the moment because my understanding is that true EV was the distribution partner.
And they do control some retail locations, mascot, crown, a couple of others, but they're not the only ones.
And there is private dealer groups involved as well, some of which I believe have given their dealerships back.
So not like EV Direct where they controlled a lot of the dealers with EGAS.
This is a bit more piecemeal compared to that.
And it looks like from this press release, ExPang ANZ, which is the new conglomerate in Australia, will establish their own network as well.
So that's what they're trying to do.
Yeah, it's still a bit messy, I must say, just from someone looking in from outwards.
So hopefully they'll get this sorted soon.
And just to give customers who already have ExPang some reassurance with warranties, with maintenance, with parts, all these kind of things we expect from after-sale service.
Interesting times for the ExPang group, which is a shame because as we know, they make great cars, good operations in China, so they need to sort this out pretty quickly.
Yes, obviously, you know, truly is in public or external administration at the moment, so there's no public comment just yet.
So again, we'll find out what's going on soon, hopefully.
Yeah, this is a good point actually from John.
I don't know why ExPang didn't go with FIW distributor and showrooms given FIW stake in the company in China.
That's not a bad idea.
I think one thing there is that VW dealers themselves have a lot of problems here in Australia to deal with, such as dealership, well, such as the dealership groups wanting to give Volkswagen dealership sort of back to
Volkswagen and going with another brand because Volkswagen themselves aren't doing very well as we can sort of tell the prices on all their products have gone up and EVs aren't really hitting off.
They've been a bit delayed into the market, so yeah, it's going to be interesting to see.
But at the moment, my understanding is that ExPang ANZ is going to be finding their own sort of dealers to work with long term.
Yep, makes sense.
And obviously inclination as well as Richard pointed out, VW Australia don't really care about EVs to put it bluntly at the moment.
So yeah, things might change given the current global climate.
We'll see.
Any news on secondhand EVs?
This is what I'm interested in.
Obviously during the COVID lockdown, secondhand ICE prices went off, given demand has now shifted to EVs.
Are we seeing increases in secondhand EVs?
Ruth, do you have any data on that?
What I am seeing is that a whole lot of available stock on secondhand websites has gone down quite a bit.
So yeah, there seems to be, it's not being replenished as quickly as people are buying them.
There was a bit of data released by car sales last week where they were sort of talking about searches in electric vehicles have jumped up quite a bit.
Tesla is doing quite well in terms of the search data that they're collecting on the website.
So, and I'm also noticing just, you know, this is just observations that prices of used EVs are starting to go up a little bit,
but not, you know, waiting to see what next month or two sort of stays around that.
But if there's no, you know, new inventory available, as an example, as that inventory dries up, that's what happened in COVID, right?
When the new car inventory dried up, everybody went over to used cars and used car prices went up.
So I think we're going to start to see a little bit of an effect on that unused EV prices.
But I think it's a little bit early to say.
Good time to sell.
Soon.
Yeah, I think you've hit the nail the head there is it's it's too early to tell.
I think just judging by just, you know, reading the room, the consumers and the economy just wants to keep going, keep calm and carry on, right?
We just want the oil to keep coming.
We want, you know, we just want just to keep going and just the way things are.
We just haven't quite sunk in that the world is is possibly going to change very shortly, just depending on what happens overseas.
Right. So it is probably too early to tell at this point.
Michael says secondhand Tesla's have dropped a bit.
Okay.
On car sales, few examples of Tesla prices being revised upwards.
As Richard says, not sure whether this affected final sales price.
It's hard to know.
Yeah.
And maybe people are deciding not to sell as well.
Yeah, that's also a good point.
Hanging on to the EVs, which is not a bad idea.
Okay.
Yep.
Race has the same people hanging on to EVs now for sure.
John says one model three long range that have been on car sales for a year got sold last week.
Well, it's last anecdote.
Yep.
And car sales reporting interest in EVs has tripled in the most recent vlog.
Not surprising.
Yep.
Yes.
Okay.
Well, let's let's move on to this bit of news.
Speaking of EV sales.
This is Zika celebrating their 3000 seven X in Australia.
Delivering to Mr. Andrew Fox from Lin Fox, of course.
And yeah, there it is.
Happy Mr. Fox receiving special delivery of the seven X.
Look, if anyone does pass his car, then you can pull out a sign and says you're passing another Fox.
Nice risk.
Just putting it out there.
But, you know, I guess even executives are buying, you know, Zika's best SUV 3000 delivery so far.
And I think they've come a long way.
Tom Joy and Roland since they did their little the track day at the bend back in, I think it was September or October.
So yeah, 3000 deliveries.
I mean, congrats to the Zika team and frankly himself.
You might be passing another Fox, but Jacob is passing Zika, right?
4000 orders you said, didn't you?
We did say that's right.
Give him two weeks to see where we're at.
Correct.
Correct.
Doesn't matter.
As long as this is an EV, it's all good.
Just buy them.
It's good to see.
They are nice car seven X with you by the rule drive for all drives.
So yeah, good to see Zika doing well.
I do have a serious question though.
How did Frank and the Zika team get on though to do a painting?
Is that on those painting?
Oh, no, it's not.
But I'm just saying.
You said serious.
I believe you.
Me too.
I was thinking, oh, where's the same on April fours.
I should have stuck with it.
We should run with it.
You should have.
Very good.
Oh, okay.
How says 3000 viewers?
Okay.
I missed that completely.
I was laughing at Riz's joke, but yeah, thanks everyone for watching.
That's great.
Interest is tripled on ludicrous food.
EV strings.
That's good.
Wayne says was reading today.
The word is already installed 5000 flash charges since announcing them 27 days ago.
That's great.
Good.
Good.
C.B. Y. D doing good things.
Oh yeah, Andrew.
Does this mean future electrification of the Lynn Fox truck fleet?
Well, that'd be nice wouldn't it?
Well, I skirt just say it's not already happening.
That's right.
Now here's a game we can play on April fours.
What car is this spotted?
I think was spotted in the November city was in Melbourne or Sydney.
Good big toy and plates.
CXX.
Steve? I think so, Riz. I think so. This was sent in by one of our viewers. I forget who
you are. Chris E spotted in Point Cook, Southwest Melbourne. Master 6 CX6E looks like the obviously
the SUV version of the 6E that we got to test in Lang Lang last year. Yeah. I assume this is also
Chang'an platform? It is. I got to see one at Master's head office earlier in the week.
Well, didn't have any camera on it, but it is a left hand drive like the one we drove
in Lang Lang, but that was the 6E sedan. And I have to say, in person, this car looks,
for an SUV, it looks gorgeous. So, and it is definitely Chang'an built because it has
a screen that is in the middle and extends out all the way to the passenger side.
So, yeah, but I think due for arrival in Q3, and I think we'll get to drive it sometime later next
quarter. I'm going to throw a joy, obviously, being the Mazda fan. What do you reckon?
I'm so excited. I'm so excited. And the reason I get so excited about, you know,
like Mazda bringing out something like this is because I think it brings a whole new potential
group of buyers who wouldn't look at like a new brand that they don't know anything about.
But they're like, okay, well, if Mazda is doing it, then let me have a look at it.
So, that's what gets me excited. 6E or CX6E? SUV or sedan?
For me, I always like to sit higher up.
Fair enough. I think so too. I think the SUV will probably sell better, honestly,
between the two. Hopefully a Roland spec for Roland. All-wheel-drive, 0-103, something like that.
I will drive at this point in time, unfortunately.
I want to drive the Camo version like they did with the Camo wrapped car. It's just cool.
Well, Joy, the next G6 you get, we will Camo wrap it.
And then we know your passing. Exactly. Then you know you're passing a Joy.
Nice. Can I ask you, this car, because it is a joint partnership, would you then classify this
as a Japanese or a Chinese car? Sido, Japanese. To what Joy said, you've got some people that
diehard most of the fans or diehard Japanese car fans. And for whatever the reasons are,
they go, I'm not going to touch a Chinese car. You've got both sides of the argument for something
like this. Japanese Camo, Chinese underpinnings. You can have it both ways. It'll be like,
you know, it'll be a sea of Japan relations building with this car, right? Yes, that's right,
because they're kind of having a bit of a tiff at the moment, isn't it? We can mend bridges
through EVs. Sino, Japanese, hopefully one day. Yeah, Jim says, it was seen by my neighbour
in my street about a week ago. They were then set up at the same hotel as the previous model,
no picks. Okay, we know Jim's always on the hunt for Camo, so hopefully Jim will get some more picks
for us. Yeah, question. Leetmote, a B10 or JQJ5, which EV is better? These are tough questions.
We're getting these questions a lot in our videos. You know, Addo2 versus GAC, IRNUT versus the MG,
MG4 EV. There's so much choice. It's really hard to split them, actually. What do you think,
Jets? We'll start with Roland. What do you reckon, B10 or JQJ5? I personally like the B10 styling
more, so I would go with the B10. Chris? I think for buyers, if it's going to be your first EV,
you want a bit of peace of mind. I think that JQJ5 has got the cherry backing. Cherry, I thought
they had been in our market for a lot longer than three years. They recently celebrated a three-year
birthday. Cherry did. Is that it? Yeah, I know they launched over a decade ago. It's incarnation.
This current, so yeah, three years. Then JQJ5, of course, is less than 12 months old,
this particular brand in the market, backed by Cherry. I personally would go with the JQJ5.
I think Leap Motor, the cars, the technology, everything is amazing. I wish the land just
knew how to sell it in Australia. Yes, that's the problem. Joy, what do you reckon?
From my memory, JQJ5 was front-wheel drive, wasn't it? Yeah, Leap Motor, B10 for me. When I was in it,
it felt like the baby sibling of the G6. That's how I thought of the B10 in my head. For me,
the B10. For me, it's the B10 in every way, but Riz just threw a spanner and it works with reliability
and long-term after sales. That's actually a huge part of car ownership. If it was just
me testing cars, I'd just take the B10, but yeah, it's a tough one. JQJ5, if you want to hold it
for longer, if you're worried about that kind of thing. It's a tough one. Another question,
actually, is a question for Joy. Would you buy an Ato, sorry, Ion UT, which is the GAC,
we just reviewed and released today, or the Ato I or II? Yes. I think I said it in the video,
too. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, I said when I was driving it, I think this is now
my favorite in this segment. Yes, Ion UT. Yeah, I agree. I love the UT. It's a great little car.
But again, the GAC is a new-ish brand, but we know they're a huge company in China,
so I've got more confidence in GAC. I haven't driven the Ato II yet, honestly, so I can't
comment on that. No. The other thing is that I can understand why people will go with BYD,
because they have really made an effort to get into the country early and be everywhere and
to be reliable with the whole thing of taking over all the dealerships we were just mentioning
before, with the whole thing with EB Direct and now they're coming in, they're the ones actually
doing everything. I think, yes, credit where credit is due. They've done the hard yards,
and so, yes, they've got that badge of stability now, isn't it, and reliability?
A badge of stability. I like that. Good. Use that for no one.
This is an even tougher question, which we tried to answer in our MG4 video. This is a
really hard one. Ion UT or MG4 Urban. Now, keep in mind, we're under environment.
I can't say. We discussed it, but we cannot answer it. Thank you for pulling it up, but
I wasn't going to. I'm just getting troubled. Okay, but we will answer that soon. We promise.
It was discussed at length at the MG video. I think the answer to that without going into
the driving parts of it is what we've just covered, which is you want someone or a company that
has proven record in the Australian market. It depends on how much of a risk taker you are.
Ion UT, I think, looks better in person, but in terms of dealership network, parts,
after sales, all of those sort of things, it will take GAC a couple of years to develop that.
MG, on the other hand, MG4, the last generation, sorry, still being sold. I think they've just
done a run out. 13,000 cars they sold is within two years. That's a lot of cars.
And we're not hearing things along the lines of reliability issues. Yes, there's some issues with
its ADAS, lane keep assist, those type of things, but I think they've been improved over the years.
MG4 is a slightly different car, but if we take that as a bit of a, in terms of how the brand
has been with EVs, then I think that's 13,000 cars. There's a lot of cars. So GAC will get there.
Yes, phenomenal, isn't it? Like I said, GAC, huge brand in Guangzhou in China.
So I think I'll be fine, honestly. Now, this is hot off the press, guys. This was sent to me
by one of our viewers just then by email. So have a look at this. Another camo spot. I love these
camo spy shots. I think this is still the 6C, isn't it? Just behind the Tesla in West Coast.
Yes, I was going to say, I know those charges.
MG4 Yeah, I think we took the poll star for the run. Yeah, so thank you for that.
I can say, yes, this is Kimberly M who sent us this beautiful picture just then. Thank you,
and appreciate that. Keep those camo shots coming. We actually saw a camo car the other day,
but it was actually a legitimate camo wrap for a youth. Someone actually used a camo wrap. So
MG4 Too funny. Okay. Now, Riz, what happened here? I thought you might have got this roll,
but Daniel Craig will be launching the new range for Denza ahead of global expansion. Looks like
Riz got pipped for the job for the Z9 GT. Sorry, Riz. RIZ Look, I think my career ended at the
BYDC launch in Australia. It was the only shot that I ever got. Stuff that up. So hence,
deserves it. He's got it. Yeah, I don't know. I guess it's one way to get international
sort of customers interested. But I find the Chinese companies, right? This is just my observation.
I think this is more to get Chinese people to buy their cars than it is for anyone out in the West.
So, you know, there's way more promo going out in China about this than there is here. So I don't
know. Like, you know, if you're going to buy Denza in, you know, here, I don't know whether,
you know, 007 is going to be the thing you'd be going for. I think right now they're really
looking after the off-roading enthusiasts with their products. I'm glad Jay Z said this because
I was thinking the same thing. Craig, he's looking a little bit worn out there. He doesn't look happy.
Yeah, you gotta have one of the C-Drama actors there. Someone local, right? Yeah. I guess,
like, a cool suave car deserves a cool suave guy like Daniel Craig. No, you need those guys that
get mobbed at the airport, which is the actors, the Chinese actors. Yeah.
Yeah, I do like Daniel Craig. I enjoyed the more recent Bond series. It was a bit more gritty.
So, yeah, I can see why they went for him. The recent one meaning the one like 15 years ago.
The last 20 years. That's recent enough for me. Yeah. Secretly drives a double as seven Zika.
Yeah, seven GT. That's a tough call, Roland. I mean, seven GT or seven Z9 GT, which one?
That's the hard question. Personal ownership, the Zika, seven GT. If you're just talking about power,
gotta take this one. But realistically, I couldn't buy that one because of the length
of the garage. It's 5.2 from memory, or just under 5.2. And the seats don't follow because
you've got the fridge. So you can't go to IKEA. Done fridge. It's just a personal thing. I don't
gotta have my fridge. They can't really like it. I mean, you don't you don't really buy this car
for the practicality, do you? Like it's not really a family. It's your car, right?
I think we, when I did the BYD trip, I did some, I think we did some tank turns and this,
I think it was the GT, it was the Z9, pretty sure. The one where you're spinning on the spot
that manoeuvre. Yeah, time to get a big garage, as Jean Rowland.
He just said then done. I've asked before, six figures to expand the garage. No thanks.
Yeah, lightning. Someone from BTS to headline.
I suppose I'm like, why get someone Korean, but then why get Daniel Craig? So that's
not Chinese. Sorry, Rowland, we interrupted you. What were you going to say?
No, I was going to say, I think this car is either getting announced or getting launched in
that Melbourne Motor Show, if you're just going to read this room. And the reason why is because
I saw a LinkedIn post. I forgot who I think it was. It was a post. Anyways, Mark Harlan,
who's the COO for Denza said, you'll have to come down. It was a post about this with
Daniel Craig's picture. He said, you'll have to come down to the Melbourne Motor Show to see.
I mean, well, Daniel Craig. I don't know. Well, maybe you're going to be there.
I think it's going to be Daniel Craig's cut out.
Come on down. But no, look, on a serious note, Rowland, I think you're right because
on Denza's website in Australia at the moment, if you look at the models,
there used to be two cars, the four cars that they show and two cars that they've blurred out.
And then they launched the Denza D9. And now I think there's one car that gets blurred out.
And I think it's this one. So you never know. We could get a cardboard cut out or we could
get the real deal of the car. Can you please take a photo with the cardboard cut out?
Please. Hey, a couple of weeks ago, I was in a Denza showroom in China,
and they had cardboard cutouts of their flash charging stations.
A T-shaped thing. The T-shaped thing. So you had two cars on either side. George Russell.
And then you had a cardboard cut out to show that this would work on that
flash charger, which will charge 10 to 70% in five minutes. So anything is possible. But
you know, I'll keep the viewers and listeners and everyone here informed if I do see any
cardboard cutouts or real deal at the Melbourne Motor Show.
You could have cardboard cut out, Daniel Craig, holding a real charger from the cardboard cut
out T-shaped thing into a real Z9 GT. Is that close enough? Still better than AI, right?
Well, the real Daniel Craig standing next to his cardboard cut out.
Next to Riz. Yeah, Jackie Chan would have been a good choice, actually. That might have sold
more cars. You know, Jackie's pretty cool. Yeah. Jackie's history is interesting because,
you know, I'm a huge fan of Russia. You know, Arthur was the best movie ever growing up.
But Jackie's history, he had big affinity with Mitsubishi for a long, long time. And I also
believe they've made some very special cars for him, some evolution evos that are specifically
that Jackie Chan requested. So if he's not making those cars anymore, I mean, if Mitsubishi is not
making those high performance cars and Denze is, then I reckon we need to see Jackie Chan versus
Daniel Craig in rush hour four. Oh man, that would be cool, right? I'd back at Jackie Chan,
I'm pretty sure. He's still got the moves. And maybe throw Chris Tucker in there as well.
Now, staying with fast cars. Here we go. This is Rollins Alley. This is the Xiaomi U7 GT,
another GT spotted at the Nurburgring test circuit, 101 kilowatt hour battery, 738 kilowatts,
which is 990 horsepower, insane. It's got a plenty of interest. Beautiful. So finally
uncovered. So I think it was spotted a while back with lots of camouflage, but that's the first
time you've got the photos. So I think the photos are put. So this is the black one just then was
the GT. You can see the rear diffuser and you can see the GT beige on the bottom right. And then I
think there's another photo, which you'll see the not so topspick. No, there's another one of the
really nice thing. Okay, that doesn't have the rear diffuser. Maybe take a ride. I've only got
three. There is. Okay, must have missed it. But there is, it's been tested between both.
So they're clearly doing something with that, but crazy power figures. That's nuts. A bit
battery too. That's twice the size of the Toyota Hilux BEV. Amazing. Is it just me?
Okay. But has shit. These wheels look very similar to Tom Tesla wheels on some flat cars
from a while ago. But you know, I guess if the whole car looks like a Ferrari, then what are the wheels?
That is a nice shape. It's just a nice GT lowish wagon shape. Beautiful. Beautiful. Year of the GT
2027. We'll see. We'll see. We can only hope. I'm just going to keep tagging this CEO every time
he puts on the help. Hey, June. Now sticking with GT, sold out in China, seven GT amongst the
cherry blossom and so on. And the lavender, the refresh 900 volt architecture is launching
very soon as well. That lavender color is nice, isn't it?
Like I said, it's a microphone color of certain someone.
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