{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"What happened at Car Dealer Live 2026 – with James Baggott, episode 248","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/what-happened-at-car-dealer-live-2026-with-james-baggott-episode-248","audioUrl":"https://anchor.fm/s/45e120cc/podcast/play/117246446/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-20%2F12a6cb19-a131-7d10-9c69-cc5a0e78e3cc.mp3","description":"Car Dealer Live 2026 took place on March 19 at the British Motor Museum. In this special podcast, James Baggott rounds up some of the highlights from Chinese challenger brands to how car dealers are using AI. To catch up on all the news from the event check out the Car Dealer Magazine website and to watch back all the sessions, grab a replay ticket at CarDealerLive.co.uk\n"},"annotations":[{"startTime":137.3,"endTime":142.5,"type":"concept","title":"Chinese Challenger brands","url":"/glossary/chinese-challenger-brands","quote":"including those Chinese Challenger brands that we've been talking about so much on this podcast. We talked about electric cars, we talked about AI.","canonicalId":"concept:chinese-challenger-brands","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Chinese Challenger brands refer to emerging Chinese automotive manufacturers entering established markets, challenging traditional car makers with competitive electric and conventional vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"Chinese Challenger brands are new car companies from China trying to sell their cars in places like the UK, competing with well-known brands."}},{"startTime":164.3,"endTime":167.2,"type":"brand","title":"Cherry","url":"/glossary/cherry","quote":"On the panel, I had Farrell Soo. He's the UK country manager for Cherry.","canonicalId":"brand:cherry","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Cherry is a Chinese automotive brand known for producing affordable passenger vehicles, often focusing on electric and hybrid models.","simplifiedExplanation":"Cherry is a car company from China that makes cars, including electric ones, which are becoming popular in the UK."}},{"startTime":167.2,"endTime":172.3,"type":"brand","title":"Geely","url":"/glossary/geely","quote":"Greg Woplin, he's the head of regional development for Geely UK.","canonicalId":"brand:geely","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Geely is a major Chinese automotive manufacturer that owns several global brands and produces a wide range of vehicles including electric and hybrid models.","simplifiedExplanation":"Geely is a big car company from China that owns many car brands and makes different types of cars, including electric ones."}},{"startTime":172.3,"endTime":177.6,"type":"brand","title":"BYD","url":"/glossary/byd","quote":"Steve Beattie was also there. He's the deputy country manager for BYD.","canonicalId":"brand:byd","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"BYD is a Chinese automotive and battery manufacturer specializing in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, known for its rapid growth in global EV markets.","simplifiedExplanation":"BYD is a company from China that makes electric cars and batteries, and they are growing fast in selling these cars worldwide."}},{"startTime":296.1,"endTime":299.5,"type":"term","title":"EV","url":"/glossary/ev","quote":"And then, of course, you've then got the new technology and with all the EVs that are coming through, you know, lots of talk about EV, plug-in hybrid.","canonicalId":"term:ev","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"EV stands for Electric Vehicle, which is a car powered entirely by electricity stored in batteries rather than using a traditional internal combustion engine. EVs produce no tailpipe emissions and are becoming increasingly popular due to environmental concerns and advances in battery technology.","simplifiedExplanation":"An EV is a car that runs only on electricity instead of petrol or diesel. It uses batteries to power the motor and doesn't produce smoke or pollution when driving."}},{"startTime":299.5,"endTime":302.3,"type":"term","title":"plug-in hybrid","url":"/glossary/plug-in-hybrid","quote":"...with all the EVs that are coming through, you know, lots of talk about EV, plug-in hybrid. And of course, we're in a really good place for that.","canonicalId":"term:plug-in-hybrid","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A plug-in hybrid is a type of vehicle that combines a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery. It can be plugged in to recharge the battery and can run on electric power alone for short distances, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.","simplifiedExplanation":"A plug-in hybrid is a car that uses both gas and electricity. You can charge its battery by plugging it in, and it can drive some distance using only electricity before the gas engine starts."}},{"startTime":568.2,"endTime":572.0,"type":"brand","title":"Volvo","url":"/glossary/volvo","quote":"So Geely acquired Volvo in 2010, which gave us a lot of learning about the UK markets, well, European markets in general.","canonicalId":"brand:volvo","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Volvo is a Swedish automotive manufacturer known for safety and durability. It was acquired by Geely in 2010, which helped Geely gain insights into European automotive markets.","simplifiedExplanation":"Volvo is a car company from Sweden famous for making safe and reliable cars. Geely bought Volvo in 2010, which helped them learn about selling cars in Europe."}},{"startTime":634.9,"endTime":640.1,"type":"concept","title":"electric buses","url":"/glossary/electric-buses","quote":"BYD has been in the UK since 2013 with buses. There's about 3,000 electric buses in the UK.","canonicalId":"concept:electric-buses","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Electric buses are buses powered by electric motors instead of traditional internal combustion engines. They produce zero tailpipe emissions and are increasingly used in public transportation for environmental benefits.","simplifiedExplanation":"Electric buses are big vehicles that run on electricity instead of gas or diesel. They are better for the environment because they don't produce smoke or pollution while driving."}},{"startTime":646.5,"endTime":651.2,"type":"brand","title":"Tesla","url":"/glossary/tesla","quote":"And I think as Tesla led the way for the Chinese cars, sorry, for the electric cars that supported, I think with BYD moving into that way...","canonicalId":"brand:tesla","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Tesla is an American electric vehicle manufacturer that has been a major pioneer in popularizing electric cars worldwide. Tesla's success has influenced other electric car brands, including Chinese manufacturers like BYD.","simplifiedExplanation":"Tesla is a company from the USA that makes electric cars. They were one of the first to make electric cars popular and helped other companies, including those from China, to start making electric cars too."}},{"startTime":663.4,"endTime":664.8,"type":"concept","title":"dealer network","url":"/glossary/dealer-network","quote":"I'm really direct. I'm really honest with my dealer network. There's two things as far as I'm concerned...","canonicalId":"concept:dealer-network","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A dealer network refers to the group of authorized dealerships that sell and service vehicles for a particular brand. Maintaining a strong dealer network is crucial for brand presence and customer support.","simplifiedExplanation":"A dealer network is a group of stores that sell and fix cars from a specific company. Having many dealers helps people buy and take care of those cars more easily."}},{"startTime":667.7,"endTime":670.4,"type":"term","title":"retail and profitability","url":"/glossary/retail-and-profitability","quote":"One is BYD volume and the second is retail and profitability. That's the only two things in terms of what I care about.","canonicalId":"term:retail-and-profitability","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Retail refers to the sale of vehicles directly to customers, while profitability measures the financial gain from these sales. Both are key performance indicators for dealerships and brands.","simplifiedExplanation":"Retail means selling cars to people who want to buy them. Profitability means how much money the dealer makes from selling those cars."}},{"startTime":677.5,"endTime":681.6,"type":"concept","title":"independent dealer","url":"/glossary/independent-dealer","quote":"Our dealer of the year last year for BYD was an independent. So they were literally came to us in January.","canonicalId":"concept:independent-dealer","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"An independent dealer is a car dealership not affiliated with a specific manufacturer or brand, often selling used cars or multiple brands.","simplifiedExplanation":"An independent dealer is a car seller that doesn't work for just one car company and often sells used cars."}},{"startTime":693.0,"endTime":694.9,"type":"term","title":"franchise","url":"/glossary/franchise","quote":"They wanted a BYD franchise. So we went through the process with them. We awarded them the BYD franchise.","canonicalId":"term:franchise","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A franchise in the automotive industry is an authorized dealership agreement that allows a dealer to sell and service a particular brand's vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"A franchise means a dealer has permission from a car company to sell and fix their cars."}},{"startTime":698.9,"endTime":700.4,"type":"term","title":"NPS scores","url":"/glossary/nps-scores","quote":"And then we've been rewarded with their volume, with their commitment, with their NPS scores and everything they've done.","canonicalId":"term:nps-scores","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"NPS stands for Net Promoter Score, a metric used to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend a business.","simplifiedExplanation":"NPS scores show how happy customers are and if they would tell friends about the business."}},{"startTime":727.4,"endTime":730.5,"type":"concept","title":"regional dealer","url":"/glossary/regional-dealer","quote":"I think we cannot underestimate the power of a regional dealer.","canonicalId":"concept:regional-dealer","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A regional dealer is a car dealership that operates within a specific geographic area or region, often with strong local market knowledge and customer relationships.","simplifiedExplanation":"A regional dealer is a car seller that works in one area or region and knows the local customers well."}},{"startTime":828.1,"endTime":831.3,"type":"brand","title":"Chery","url":"/glossary/chery","quote":"And also it's very important to say, so Cherry, so we as a group, Cherry group, so we joined the UK market. We spent almost more than 20 years to join the UK market.","canonicalId":"brand:chery","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Chery is a Chinese automotive manufacturer known for producing passenger cars and exporting vehicles globally. It is notable for being one of the first Chinese manufacturers to export cars to overseas markets.","simplifiedExplanation":"Chery is a car company from China that makes and sells cars in other countries too. They were one of the first Chinese companies to sell cars outside China."}},{"startTime":978.0,"endTime":981.0,"type":"term","title":"new car volumes","url":"/glossary/new-car-volumes","quote":"if your question is, how did the quarter start? Well, new car volumes are definitely there. And everyone talks about automotive being especially resilient.","canonicalId":"term:new-car-volumes","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"New car volumes refer to the total number of new vehicles sold or registered within a specific period. This metric is crucial for understanding the health and trends of the automotive market.","simplifiedExplanation":"New car volumes mean how many brand-new cars are sold or bought in a certain time. It helps show if car sales are going up or down."}},{"startTime":1017.0,"endTime":1020.1,"type":"term","title":"balance sheet","url":"/glossary/balance-sheet","quote":"And then it really starts to put pressure on your balance sheet. It affects cash. And, yeah, profitability is really difficult for lots of retailers at the minute and ours certainly.","canonicalId":"term:balance-sheet","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"A balance sheet is a financial statement that summarizes a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time. For car dealerships, a healthy balance sheet is crucial to manage cash flow and financial stability.","simplifiedExplanation":"A balance sheet is like a financial snapshot showing what a business owns and owes. Car dealers use it to see how healthy their money situation is."}},{"startTime":1034.5,"endTime":1039.5,"type":"concept","title":"manufacturer partners","url":"/glossary/manufacturer-partners","quote":"What are you looking for from your manufacturer partners at the moment to improve that? Your profitability, what can they do for you, Richard?","canonicalId":"concept:manufacturer-partners","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Manufacturer partners are the car brands and companies that supply vehicles to dealerships. Strong relationships with manufacturers can help dealerships improve profitability through better pricing, incentives, and support.","simplifiedExplanation":"Manufacturer partners are the car companies that sell cars to dealers. Dealers work with them to get good deals and support to sell cars better."}},{"startTime":1245.0,"endTime":1275.6,"type":"term","title":"ZEV mandate","url":"/glossary/zev-mandate","quote":"between those who are EV at Zev mandate pressured and those who aren't. You're sort of starting to see that the Chinese that are coming in and don't necessarily, they have some EV, but actually a lot of their new product now that's coming into market and selling in great volumes is plug-in hybrid, which gets them away from that massive Zev mandate pressure,","canonicalId":"term:zev-mandate","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"ZEV mandate stands for Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, a regulatory requirement that pushes automakers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles like electric cars. It impacts manufacturers' product strategies and pricing, especially for dealers.","simplifiedExplanation":"A ZEV mandate is a rule that says car makers have to sell a certain number of cars that don't pollute, like electric cars. This affects which cars dealers can sell and how much they cost."}},{"startTime":1309.8,"endTime":1315.8,"type":"concept","title":"three to seven year old stock","url":"/glossary/three-to-seven-year-old-stock","quote":"since COVID, we've had a shortage of that golden sort of three to seven year old stock. And that is clearly continuing.","canonicalId":"concept:three-to-seven-year-old-stock","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"The term 'three to seven year old stock' refers to used vehicles that are between three and seven years old. This age range is often considered ideal for used car buyers due to a balance of depreciation, reliability, and remaining lifespan.","simplifiedExplanation":"Three to seven year old stock means used cars that are between three and seven years old. These cars are popular because they are not too old but cheaper than brand new ones."}},{"startTime":1325.02,"endTime":1329.5,"type":"concept","title":"hybrids","url":"/glossary/hybrid","quote":"We're seeing some pretty interesting trends around specific stock types like hybrids, which we've got the highest bid-gray ratio on the platform over the past six months.","canonicalId":"concept:hybrid","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Hybrids are vehicles that use a combination of an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.","simplifiedExplanation":"Hybrids are cars that use both gas and electricity to help save fuel and pollute less."}},{"startTime":1384.7,"endTime":1392.5,"type":"term","title":"digital stock sourcing","url":"/glossary/digital-stock-sourcing","quote":"is that 92% of dealers said in our survey that digital stock sourcing is now absolutely essential to be able to do the job right.","canonicalId":"term:digital-stock-sourcing","priority":0.9,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Digital stock sourcing refers to the process of finding and purchasing vehicles for dealership inventory through online platforms and tools, rather than traditional physical auctions or direct purchases.","simplifiedExplanation":"Digital stock sourcing means using the internet and online tools to find and buy cars for a dealership instead of going to physical places."}},{"startTime":1479.4,"endTime":1483.4,"type":"concept","title":"connecting private sellers directly with dealers","url":"/glossary/connecting-private-sellers-directly-with-dealers","quote":"You can just connect private sellers directly with dealers, remove the middlemen, and therefore get better economics on both sides.","canonicalId":"concept:connecting-private-sellers-directly-with-dealers","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"This concept involves creating a platform or marketplace where individual car owners (private sellers) can sell their vehicles directly to car dealerships, bypassing traditional intermediaries. This can improve pricing and efficiency for both parties.","simplifiedExplanation":"It means letting people who want to sell their cars talk directly to car dealers, so it's easier and cheaper for both."}},{"startTime":1519.6,"endTime":1523.4,"type":"term","title":"SLR cameras","url":"/glossary/slr-cameras","quote":"there was a technology shift that just sort of tipped over, which was that the cameras on people's mobile phones reached a point where they were actually better than SLR cameras.","canonicalId":"term:slr-cameras","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) cameras are traditional cameras that use a mirror and prism system to allow photographers to see exactly what will be captured. They were once the standard for high-quality photography before smartphone cameras improved significantly.","simplifiedExplanation":"SLR cameras are fancy cameras that used to take really good pictures before phones got better cameras."}},{"startTime":1533.5,"endTime":1536.8,"type":"concept","title":"car profile photography","url":"/glossary/car-profile-photography","quote":"to be able to take an amazing profile of their car. So that was definitely a kind of turning point.","canonicalId":"concept:car-profile-photography","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Car profile photography refers to taking high-quality photos of a vehicle to showcase its condition and features, which is essential for online car sales platforms to attract buyers and provide transparency.","simplifiedExplanation":"It means taking really good pictures of a car so people can see what it looks like when they want to buy it online."}},{"startTime":1888.8,"endTime":1942.5,"type":"company","title":"Auto Trader","url":"/glossary/auto-trader","quote":"John, have you ever wondered why I, along with 14,000 other dealers, choose to partner with Auto Trader? Well actually, I didn't think so. I'll tell you anyway, with more than 84 million consumer visits every month, it connects us with more engaged car buyers and delivers more deals than anyone else in the UK.","canonicalId":"company:auto-trader","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Auto Trader is a leading online automotive marketplace in the UK that connects car buyers and sellers. It offers tools and data-driven insights to help dealers optimize their sales and marketing strategies.","simplifiedExplanation":"Auto Trader is a popular website where people buy and sell cars in the UK. It helps car dealers find buyers and sell cars more easily using smart technology."}},{"startTime":1914.6,"endTime":1919.9,"type":"concept","title":"buying signals","url":"/glossary/buying-signals","quote":"And now, with the launch of buying signals, we'll have brand new insights on every deal, showing how likely a customer is to buy the car they're interested in.","canonicalId":"concept:buying-signals","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Buying signals are data insights that indicate how likely a customer is to purchase a vehicle. These signals help dealers prioritize leads and tailor their sales approach to increase the chances of closing deals.","simplifiedExplanation":"Buying signals are clues that show if someone is ready to buy a car. Dealers use these clues to help sell cars faster and better."}},{"startTime":1923.4,"endTime":1928.4,"type":"term","title":"AI","quote":"Plus, as someone who set out to use AI and data as much as possible in my business, I've found their technology, data and tools genuinely invaluable.","canonicalId":"term:ai","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as recognizing patterns or making decisions. In automotive sales, AI can analyze data to predict customer behavior and improve sales outcomes.","simplifiedExplanation":"AI means smart computers that can learn and help people make decisions. In car sales, AI helps dealers understand what customers want and when they might buy a car."}},{"startTime":1962.3,"endTime":1965.5,"type":"brand","title":"Dacia","url":"/glossary/dacia","quote":"He was joined by Lena Rabiro. She's the brand director at Dacia UK.","canonicalId":"brand:dacia","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Dacia is a Romanian car manufacturer known for producing affordable and practical vehicles. It is a subsidiary of Renault and has a growing presence in the UK market.","simplifiedExplanation":"Dacia is a car company that makes simple and affordable cars. Many people like them because they are good value for money."}},{"startTime":1965.5,"endTime":1967.1,"type":"brand","title":"Suzuki","url":"/glossary/suzuki","quote":"David Cately, he joined. He's the director of automobile at Suzuki GB.","canonicalId":"brand:suzuki","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Suzuki is a Japanese automobile manufacturer known for producing compact cars, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles. Suzuki GB refers to the company's operations in Great Britain.","simplifiedExplanation":"Suzuki is a car and motorcycle company from Japan. They make small cars that are popular in many countries, including the UK."}},{"startTime":2028.1,"endTime":2034.4,"type":"concept","title":"legacy manufacturers","url":"/glossary/legacy-manufacturers","quote":"It's more about what it means for legacy manufacturers and the actions they've had to take in order to achieve their mandate targets.","canonicalId":"concept:legacy-manufacturers","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Legacy manufacturers refer to established, traditional car companies that have been producing internal combustion engine vehicles for many years. They face challenges adapting to new regulations and transitioning to electric vehicles.","simplifiedExplanation":"Legacy manufacturers are the old, well-known car companies that have been making cars for a long time, mostly petrol or diesel cars. They now have to change to make electric cars."}},{"startTime":2158.2,"endTime":2162.7,"type":"term","title":"pence per mile","url":"/glossary/pence-per-mile","quote":"like pence per mile, you want to incentivize customers to buy EVs, but then you want to penalize them for it, potentially.","canonicalId":"term:pence-per-mile","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"Pence per mile is a cost metric used to charge drivers based on how many miles they drive, often proposed as a way to replace fuel taxes as electric vehicles use less or no gasoline. It can be used as a government policy tool to incentivize or penalize certain types of vehicle usage.","simplifiedExplanation":"Pence per mile means paying money for every mile you drive your car. This helps the government get money from drivers, especially when cars use less gas or electricity."}},{"startTime":2165.6,"endTime":2171.8,"type":"term","title":"electric car grant","url":"/glossary/electric-car-grant","quote":"You've then got the aspects of an electric car grant that in some ways raises the profile of EV, but can be quite again confusing for customers.","canonicalId":"term:electric-car-grant","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4.1-mini","data":{"explanation":"An electric car grant is a government incentive program designed to reduce the purchase price of electric vehicles to encourage adoption. These grants help make EVs more affordable for consumers but can sometimes cause confusion regarding eligibility and application.","simplifiedExplanation":"An electric car grant is money the government gives to people to help them buy electric cars. It makes electric cars cheaper and easier to get."}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Car Dealer","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/what-happened-at-car-dealer-live-2026-with-james-baggott-episode-248/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}