The Kilowatt Half Hour

Is the Renault 5 getting even better, or is Renault simply fixing what wasn't broken? We look at the latest updates, including more range, a new entry-level version and some intriguing new tech.We also discuss yet another delay for the electric Defender, with the next-generation model now reportedly pushed beyond 2030, and ask whether the smaller Defender Sport could arrive sooner to fill the gap.And there’s a new Chinese EV brand to get your head around: Lepas is coming to the UK with the L6, a 279-mile electric SUV promising plenty of equipment for around £32,000.Plus, Nicola finds herself on the naughty step after some comments about EV range and public charging, we answer your questions about the Smart #1, Toyota bZ4X Touring and Subaru E-Outback, and hear your experiences of EV tyres, electric trucks and V2G.And, of course, we bring you your comments, including the latest instalment of the Kilowatt Half Hour running-time debate.

It’s a big one on the Kilowatt Half Hour this week – and not just because the podcast has once again spectacularly overshot the half-hour mark.Nicola, Tom and Mikeare talking big electric cars, big electric trucks and one very big question: is Volkswagen finally going to give us the electric Buzz camper van we’ve been waiting for?We take a look at the new Genesis GV90, a huge seven-seat electric SUV that’s aiming squarely at the Range Rover, complete with a 123.5kWh battery, 350kW charging and a frankly ridiculous 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.Tesla’s Semi is also finally heading for Europe, with more than 1,000bhp and the ability to add 60% of its range in just 30 minutes. But after all these years, is the Tesla electric lorry still relevant?Plus, the Renault 5 gets a new rival in the shape of the Aion UT, Geely reveals plans for its European production ambitions, and we look at the videos coming up this week – including our BMW iX3 vs Volvo EX60 twin test and the return of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E.In your EV questions, we tackle whether the Audi e-tron GT or BMW i4 makes the better used buy, whether the Renault Twingo could get a bigger battery, and whether EVs really are more prone to tyre blowouts.We also help another listener settle the eternal question: VW ID. Polo or Cupra Raval?And, of course, we dive into your comments – from Jaguar’s controversial new interior and Volvo’s EX60 door handles to the apparently devastating lack of exciting colours on modern cars.Join the conversation at podcast@electrifying.com

This week, we take a look inside Jaguar’s radical new Type 01, celebrate Omoda and Jaecoo passing 100,000 UK sales, and discuss what a YouGov poll tells us about public support for the UK’s EV sales targets.We’re also answering your EV buying questions, including whether to choose the VW ID. Polo or Cupra Raval, and finding the right electric car for a reluctant 78-year-old EV buyer.Plus, we revisit the Audi A2, debate the return of sensible mechanical door handles, discuss what went wrong with the DS brand, and read your reaction to last week’s chaotic episode.And yes, we have to settle the important question: just how ‘quite’ funny is Batch?Message the team at podcast@electrifying.com

July’s EV sales are in – so who’s winning, who’s struggling and what does it tell us about the UK’s electric car market?Join Nic, Mike, Batch (and a cameo appearance by Christian from the Renault PR office) as we also take a closer look at the controversial new Audi A2. Is it a genuine reborn icon, or a clever bit of marketing wrapped around an ordinary EV?Plus, we’ve been driving the tiny Fiat Topolino and Honda WN7 electric motorcycle, Renault Twingos are invading Britain, and we tackle your questions – from the best small EV for a first-time buyer to whether a BMW i4 can beat a Tesla Model 3.We also get stuck into your comments on Lexus vs Mercedes, electronic door handles, the new VW ID. Polo and whether buying a used EV is now a completely different game.Message the team with your questions at podcast@electrifying.com

Mercedes, Lexus and Audi are all fighting for executive EV supremacy, Volkswagen's new electric supermini is finally on sale, and BYD has launched a tiny kei car in Japan. There's plenty to get through in Episode 118 of the Kilowatt Half Hour.This week, Vicky Parrott is joined by Batch and Tom to discuss the latest electric car news and compare notes on the new Mercedes C-Class Electric, Lexus ES and Mercedes GLA. They also look ahead to Audi's upcoming electric hatchback, share their first impressions of the wild 1,600hp Denza Z, and ask why Audi has been so quiet while rivals have been grabbing the headlines.Elsewhere, the team debates whether flush electronic door handles should be banned, takes a closer look at BYD's bold move into Japan's kei car market, and discusses the launch of the Volkswagen ID.Polo.There's also the latest Bargain of the Week, including an eye-catching lease deal on the BYD Sealion 7 and a nearly-new Jaecoo 5 with a hefty discount.As always, the listener questions and comments spark plenty of debate. This week the team recommends the best first EVs for a young driver, revisits the pay-per-mile road pricing discussion, compares real-world EV efficiency figures, hears from a happy Ford Mustang Mach-E owner, and explains why journalists are sometimes invited to drive cars they can't actually talk about.If you've got a question or topic you'd like us to cover, email us at podcast@electrifying.com. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of the Kilowatt Half Hour.

Range Rover has a new electric GT, Ford has teamed up with Geely in one of the biggest automotive stories of the year, and Mercedes has unveiled a family EV that has us reminiscing about the Blur vs Oasis rivalry. There's plenty to get stuck into in Episode 117 of the Kilowatt Half Hour.Ginny Buckley, Mike Askew and Vicky Parrott discuss the latest electric car news, including the sleek new Range Rover GT, Ford's surprising partnership with Chinese giant Geely, and the wave of new Mercedes EVs heading our way.There's also a look at what the Electrifying team has been driving, including the Mercedes C-Class Electric, Honda WN7, and Vicky's long-term Škoda Elroq. Plus, we pick out a bargain BYD Seal lease deal, suggest an overlooked used EV alternative to the Kia e-Niro, and answer your questions on EV servicing costs, Volkswagen ID. Buzz wheels, and when you can expect our Peugeot E-208 GTi review.As always, we dive into your comments too, debating pay-per-mile road pricing, EV efficiency versus battery size, DS pricing, Volkswagen's future, and, naturally, Batch's ever-expanding trouser collection.If you've got a question or topic you'd like us to cover, email us at podcast@electrifying.com. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of the Kilowatt Half Hour.

Ford and Geely? It's the partnership nobody saw coming.In this podcast special, Ginny Buckley and Tom Barnard are joined by "the Godfather of the Nissan Leaf", former Nissan COO and Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer, to unpack one of the biggest stories in the automotive industry this year.Why has Ford turned to Chinese giant Geely to help build its future European models? Is this simply a smart way to cut costs, or does it signal a much bigger shift in the global car industry? And what does Geely stand to gain?The team discusses what the deal means for consumers, whether buyers still care where their cars are made, the risks Ford is taking, and whether this is the latest step in the company's transformation from traditional manufacturer into a global automotive brand. They also look at the future of familiar names like Capri, Explorer and Bronco, and ask why manufacturers are still investing in combustion engines alongside electric cars.It's a fascinating conversation about the changing face of the car industry – and what it could mean for the cars we'll all be driving in the years ahead.

This week on the Kilowatt Half Hour, Vicky and Batch dig into the government's newly confirmed pay-per-mile scheme for electric cars, set to land at 3p per mile from 2028, and unpack what it really means for the cost of running an EV versus a petrol car (spoiler: home charging still wins).They also cover Volkswagen's bombshell restructuring plans, with up to 50,000 jobs at risk in Germany and a major shake-up of its model line-up and platform sharing across the VW Group.Plus: more highlights from Goodwood, first impressions of the DS No7, this week's leasing and used-car bargains (a Renault 5 for under £280 a month, and a Mini Electric for under £10k), and your comments and questions, including a listener's case for wanting 600 miles of range, and a brilliantly weird suggestion for testing whether car colour affects EV range.All that, plus your comments from across the Electrifying.com channels.🔌 Brought to you by the team at Electrifying.com