EV Brief Podcast

#45 - Mark Peters from Transit Systems on Battery Electric Buses in Australia; Operating and Powering a BEV Fleet, Renewables, Hydrogen and More.

In this episode of the EV Brief Podcast, Jonathan was fortunate to sit down with Mark Peters, General Manager Fleet, Innovation & Business Intelligence for Transit Systems; one of the largest bus operators contracted to Government in the country. Mark's technical and business experience ensures he is across all of Transit Systems' business units, and he is fixed firmly on a zero-emissions future for the fleet. Timestamps: 00:19 - Introduction 01:50: Mark's role 03:42 - The importance of data 04:20 - Transit Systems' zero-emission fleet strategy 05:13 - The appetite for fleet electrification nationally 08:30 - Driver training for electric buses 09:40 - Mark's thoughts on the electrification transition 10:29 - Technical details of buses, and balancing charging in the depot 13:05 - Will depot design change as electrification takes hold? 14:10 - Charging the buses 15:50 - Bus efficiency 17:20 - Regional travel and electric buses 19:18 - Any operational cost savings over the diesel fleet? 20:48 - Battery degradation in the fleet 21:51 - Battery chemistry 22:22 - Hydrogen fleets - will we see them in Australia? 23:35 - Medium to large scale hydrogen generation 24:51 - Solar and battery infrastructure at the depot 26:16 - Wrap up

#44 - Podcast Hangout with Danny Thai, Zecar and Shaun Garrard, EV Industry Expert

Three EV-focused friends sit down at a table and discuss zero emissions transport on World EV Day. Danny Thai is the founder of zecar.com, a one-stop-shop for electric car news, comparisons, data and clean energy. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannythai123/ Shaun Garrard has extensive experience across the automotive and electric vehicle sectors in the Asia Pacific region, including with Tesla Australia and WM Motor in Shanghai. Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 01:25 - What's happening this week in EVs 02:50 - Shaun's background 06:20 - Do western countries see China as a serious automotive player? 08:35 - Wan Gan - the man behind China's EV dominance 13:30 - Talking NIO 18:07 - Battery swapping; will it work in Australia? 22:00 - The cost of charging infrastructure 26:40 - Tackling residential charging issues 29:20 - EV Uptake in Australia 30:15 - Are there benefits from not being first; will it pay off to watch other countries makes the switch to EVs from fossil fuel 30:50 - Carrot + stick - how to drive people into EVs, and what should Australia's national strategy be? 37:20 - Which future products are we looking forward to?

#43: In conversation with Chris Vanderstock - EV enthusiast and Victorian ZLEV tax challenge plaintiff

Christopher Vanderstock and co-plaintiff Kathleen Davies are bringing a claim in the High Court of Australia against the State of Victoria to challenge the ZLEV Act. They argue that the State of Victoria lacks the constitutional authority to impose such a charge. As Australia begins the slow transition to electrification and states look to increase revenue, This case has important ramifications nationally. Find out more about the High Court challenge here: https://equitygenerationlawyers.com/cases/vanderstock-v-victoria/ Follow Chris on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/chrisvanderstock Timecodes: 0:00: Introduction 01:55: What is the Victorian ZLEV Act? 08:25: How is the EV and PHEV owner charge administered? 10:35: The Commonwealth is supporting Chris's challenge 25:20: What currently excites Chris about the future of electrification in 2022? 29:08: EV news wrap up of the day Thanks for following EV Brief! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast network. You can get in touch with us and stay up to date with the latest EV news and reviews at EVbrief.com

#42: In conversation with Samantha Johnson, Managing Director, Polestar Automotive Australia

EV Brief Podcast #42 In this episode, Jonathan chats with Polestar Automotive Australia's managing director Samantha Johnson. Ms Johnson holds a considerable amount of automotive industry experience, including with Harley Davidson and Volvo Cars. She is passionate about sustainability, design and technology, and was recently appointed to Australian Electric Vehicle Council's board of directors. Jonathan and Samantha discuss the brand's recent launch in Australia, semiconductor shortages and supply chains, the Polestar's current and future model range, and the brand's core values around environmental sustainability. Timecodes: /0:00: Introduction /01:20-What differentiates Polestar? /04:30-Does Polestar's family tree affect its ability to act as a start up? /05:40-Polestar 2 sales ambitions in Australia /07:35-Polestar 2 delivery times in Australia. Is the brand facing delays? /09:10-The Polestar 3 SUV is confirmed for a 2023 release in Australia /10:16-How has the semiconductor shortage affected Polestar in Australia? /11:05-Polestar Spaces (showrooms) coming to Australia /12:50-Polestar's 7-day money back guarantee /14:01-Servicing, roadside assistance and battery warranty /14:24-The Polestar service network /15:07-The brand's core sustainability values and its climate neutral car /18:34-The importance of in-car software, and how it will differentiate the Polestar brand /20:39-EV charging infrastructure in Australia ---- Apologies for the audio quality; this episode was recorded in the restaurant of the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney, April 2022. ---- Thanks for tuning in! Please get in touch with any questions and comments! If you enjoyed the interview, please leave a review and subscribe to ensure you don't miss future episodes! For the latest EV news, analysis and reviews, visit our home at EV Brief

#41: In conversation with Carola Jonas, Founder and CEO of Everty

In this episode, we speak with Ms. Carola Jonas, the founder and CEO of electric vehicle charging technology company Everty. Ms. Jonas has a background in business, marketing, climate and energy policy, and sat on the board of the Australian Electric Vehicle Council from September 2019-March 2021.  Everty demonstrates the new opportunities available for Australian companies in the electric vehicle and renewables sectors, with customers all across the globe. Everty's product offerings include charging software, an in-house developed charging network and turnkey charging solutions for business. Find out more here: https://everty.com.au/   Timecodes:  00:00 Introduction  02:22 Everty's products and services  07:01 DC vs. AC charging; a mindset shift is required  08:43 How Everty can help with energy demand and load management  10:56 What challenges do businesses face in Australia around EV charging?  12:23 What should Australian governments be doing in terms of phasing out combustion engines?  18:36 Pathways for women in clean technology fields        Thanks for tuning in! Please get in touch with any questions and comments! If you enjoyed the content, please leave a thumbs up and hit subscribe to ensure you don't miss next week's show! For the latest EV news, analysis and reviews, visit our home at https://evbrief.com