Plugged in Australia

Jamie
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Plugged In Australia is your essential podcast for the latest electric vehicle news tailored to Aussie drivers. We break down fresh updates on sales trends, policy changes like road-user charges and tax exemptions, and infrastructure developments—from charging networks in Sydney to regional rollouts. Get quick insights on new models hitting the market, like affordable BYD imports and Tesla’s latest, plus analysis on how global shifts affect Oz. Whether you’re tracking EV adoption rates or debunking myths, tune in weekly for concise, no-fluff coverage to keep you informed on the road to a greener future. Subscribe now and plug into the conversation

  1. 5H AGO

    Record EV Sales Surge as Fuel Prices and Supply Fears Drive Aussies Electric, Forthing Launches with 1050km PHEV SUV, BYD Seal 6 PHEV Lands as Cheapest Option, Kia PV5 Van Arrives and More

    Australia’s EV market hits a new high with 15,839 battery-electric vehicles sold in March 2026 amid record petrol prices and fuel security worries from global tensions.  We break down the numbers, the consumer shift, and every spec on new arrivals including Forthing’s Taikon 5 with its 1050km range-extender PHEV, BYD’s sub-$40k Seal 6 PHEV sedan and wagon, Kia’s $55,990 PV5 Cargo electric van, Tesla’s 150th Supercharger milestone, plus updates on Zeekr X pricing and power boosts, Mazda CX-6e provisional specs.  Toyota’s Hilux EV ute, MG4 refresh, Ford’s affordable EV plans and more. All the verified details, Australian context, and what it means for drivers. Chapters: 00:00 Cold Intro 00:38 Intro & Apology for Missing Episodes 01:52 Segment 1: Record EV Sales Surge to 14.6% Market Share in March 2026 05:58 Segment 2: Forthing Brand Launches June with Taikon 5 1050km PHEV SUV 08:46 Segment 3: BYD Seal 6 PHEV – Australia’s Cheapest Sedan & Wagon 12:02 Segment 4: Kia PV5 Cargo Electric Van Priced from $55,990 13:46 Segment 5: Tesla Opens 150th Supercharger Site in Pokolbin 15:13 Segment 6: Future Models – Zeekr X Price Drop, Mazda CX-6e Specs, Toyota Hilux EV, MG4 Update & Ford Sub-$45k Ute Plans 18:59 Outro   All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    20 min

  2. MAR 29

    Affordable EV Onslaught, Subaru’s Electric Crossover Locked In, Porsche’s 850kW Beast, and the Surge at the Petrol Pump

    Australia’s EV market is firing on all cylinders with MG confirming the sharpest-ever MG4 Urban drive-away pricing.  Subaru locking in the Uncharted as its smallest electric SUV yet. Renault’s Scenic E-Tech delivering its full Australian first-drive verdict, and high-end performance arriving via the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric.  We break down every spec, dimension, power figure, range, pricing tier and Australian detail on the newest battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and extended-range models, plus major charging hub progress in Melbourne, Tesla’s innovative Supercharger rollout, fleet-focused commercial vans from Ford, and the hard data on why EV loans are doubling as fuel prices bite. No hype, just the facts that matter for Australian drivers. YouTube Chapter Timestamps 00:00 - Cold Intro & Episode 39 Teaser 00:40 - Intro Welcome  01:27 - Segment 1: MG4 Urban Pricing & Availability Update  03:19 - Segment 2: Subaru Uncharted Electric SUV Confirmed for Mid-2026  05:47 - Segment 3: Renault Scenic E-Tech Australian First Drive   08:18 - Segment 4: Skoda Kodiaq Plug-in Hybrid Lands in Australia  10:15 - Segment 5: GWM Ora 5 Small SUV with Electric & Hybrid Options  12:43 - Segment 6: GAC & JAC Electrified Dual-Cab Utes Detailed for Australia 14:34 - Segment 7: Market Response to Rising Fuel Prices & EV Loans Doubling  16:50 - Segment 8: Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric First Drive. 18:25 - Segment 9: Melbourne Airport BP Pulse Charging Hub + Tesla Foldable Superchargers 19:41 - Segment 10: Quick Hits – Cupra Born VZ, Ford Transit City, Cupra Tavascan, Mazda 6e/CX-6e & Nio Firefly 21:12 - Outro & Closing All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    22 min

  3. MAR 25

    EV Road-User Charges Loom as Fuel Excise Cliff Bites, Australia’s Ten Cheapest EVs Laid Bare with Real-World Compromises, Mazda Eyes Chinese Electric Ute Platform, and More

    Epsiode 38, In this episode of Plugged In Australia we break down the Albanese government’s active modelling of a national distance-based EV road user charge ahead of the May budget.  Run through every price tier, battery size, WLTP range, power output, charging speed, dimension, boot volume, warranty and practical compromise of the ten cheapest full battery-electric vehicles on sale right now. Examine Mazda’s openness to a Chinese-made Deepal E07-style electric ute with full Australian-market implications.  Review the first undisguised spy shots and confirmed Neue Klasse specs of the upcoming electric BMW M3, preview the EV-packed 2026 Melbourne Motor Show with test-drive and activation details, detail the safety recall and receivership fallout for Ausevs-converted Ford F-150 Lightnings.  Unpack MG’s SolidCore semi-solid-state battery breakthrough plus Hybrid+ upgrades with direct Australian relevance. Reveal the exact NEDC efficiency and 1005 km range figures for the JAC Hunter PHEV ute including local Lang Lang tuning, and examine Victoria’s $9.5 million freight decarbonisation grants and heavy-vehicle trial.  All the verified specifications, dimensions, power figures, ranges, pricing tiers, feature lists, quotes, Australian tuning details, rival comparisons and cross-checked facts – positive on the transition but no sugar-coating the hard truths or ownership realities. Timestamps 00:00 – Cold Intro 01:01 – Intro 01:47 – Segment 1: EV Road-User Charges Are Back — Here’s What’s Actually On The Table In 2026 06:30– Segment 2: Australia’s Ten Cheapest EVs — Real Prices, Real Specs, and Where the Compromises Hide 15:32 – Segment 3: Mazda Might Not Build Its Own EV Ute — But A China-Sourced Platform Is Now A Real Conversation 18:17 – Segment 4: Electric BMW M3 Spied Undisguised — What’s Confirmed, What’s Rumor, and Why It Matters For Australia 20:33 – Segment 5: Melbourne Motor Show 2026 — The EV Signal In The Noise 22:47 – Segment 6: Ausevs Ford F-150 Lightning Conversion Recalled for Charging Fault — Ownership Reality Check 24:28 – Segment 7: MG Unveils SolidCore Semi-Solid-State Battery and Next-Gen Hybrid+ Tech 26:33 – Segment 8: JAC Hunter PHEV Ute Fuel Efficiency and Range Figures Revealed with Australian Tuning 28:12 – Segment 9: Victoria Announces Support Programs for Low and Zero-Emission Freight Vehicles 29:41 – Outro All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    31 min

  4. MAR 24

    Xpeng Distributor TrueEV Collapses Into Administration Amid Federal Court Battle With Chinese Carmaker – ACL Implications For Owners, Mercedes GLC-EQ Locked For 2026 Australia & MG U9 EV Ute One Step Closer | Plugged In Australia

    📌Xpeng Administrators are Daniel Juratowitch and Barry Wight of Cor Cordis Xpeng’s exclusive Australian distributor TrueEV has been placed into external administration with 197 vehicles frozen across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle while the company serves Federal Court proceedings against Xpeng entities in China and Australia; full details on the March 3 2026 filing, lender action on stock loans, next hearing dates and what Australian Consumer Law means for existing owners when an importer goes under.  Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology confirmed on track for Australian deliveries in 2026 as a 2027 model with 800-volt architecture, single- or dual-motor options up to 500 kW and 500-800 km WLTP range.  MG U9 dual-cab EV ute advances toward Australia with full specs and pricing revealed. KGM Torres EVX electric SUV review with 80.6 kWh BYD LFP battery, 152 kW front-drive and 462 km WLTP.  Leapmotor B10 receives major OTA update adding one-pedal driving, native Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. BYD Australia pushes for dedicated performance division. New survey reveals massive EV fuel savings as prices climb. Subaru electric SUV revealed globally. Network funds EV charger and battery for remote First Nations community.  Tesla Model Y lead times blow out amid surging demand.  Jaecoo J5 EV hits 2000 orders and extends drive-away offer. Global EV fleet to shield world from oil shocks.  Leapmotor C10 Sports Special Edition with 440 kW. Daimler Truck first MCS-enabled eActros 600 deliveries imminent. Donut Lab solid-state battery passes five extreme tests. BMW i3 Neue Klasse bigger deal than iX3. Europe FTA fails to kill luxury car tax but boosts 120,000 EVs.  Every verified specification, dimension, power figure, torque output, range claim, battery detail, pricing tier, feature list, executive quote, Australian compliance note, rival comparison and cross-checked fact from all sources – full BEV, PHEV and EREV focus only. All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    36 min

  5. MAR 23

    Sodium-Ion Battery Breakthrough Delivers 11-Minute Full Charge and Extreme Safety as Zeekr 8X PHEV Locked In for Australia, Mazda Defends China-Built CX-6e, BMW i4 Production Ends for Neue Klasse i3 with 900km Range and Longest PHEV Electric Ranges Rank

    Sodium-ion cells with 170 Wh/kg density, 11-minute full charge at 4C rates, 200 per cent overcharge tolerance without fire or explosion and 92 per cent capacity retention at minus 20 degrees Celsius emerge as a practical near-term breakthrough potentially reaching Australian models like the Hyundai Elexio via Beijing Hyundai joint venture;  Mazda CX-6e medium electric SUV confirmed for 2026 with full China-Changan engineering oversight, 4850 mm length, 78 kWh LFP battery, 190 kW rear-drive power and up to 560 km WLTP range; Zeekr 8X PHEV large luxury SUV locked for 2027 Australia arrival featuring 5100 mm length, 3069 mm wheelbase, 55.1 or 70 kWh battery options for 256-328 km CLTC electric range and up to 1416 km combined, 2.0-litre turbo petrol at 205 kW plus electric motors to 660 kW dual or 1030 kW tri-motor outputs with 9-minute 20-80 per cent charging on 900-volt architecture;  Zeekr 9X flagship three-row PHEV and 7GT performance electric wagon also in 2027 pipeline;  BMW i4 production phases out after 2026 model year as the Neue Klasse i3 sedan arrives early 2027 with headline 900 km WLTP range; full ranked list of Australia’s longest electric-range PHEVs including GWM Haval H6 GT at 180 km NEDC. Every verified specification, dimension, power figure, torque output, range claim, battery detail, pricing tier, feature list, executive quote. Australian compliance and tuning note, rival comparison and cross-checked fact from all sources – full BEV, PHEV and EREV focus only. All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    24 min

  6. MAR 22

    China Tightens EV Safety Rules in Major Shakeup for Aussie Imports as Fuel Prices Spark Record EV Interest, MG4 Urban Locked In for April and Renault 5 Blocked by Unique ADRs

    China introduces sweeping new EV safety, efficiency and export regulations banning flush door handles, yoke steering wheels and touchscreen-only critical controls while capping energy use at 15.1 kWh/100 km and requiring two-hour post-crash fire resistance, directly reshaping models from BYD, GWM and MG that now represent one in five new cars sold here; the MG4 Urban budget hatch is confirmed for April arrival as one of Australia’s cheapest EVs with 43 kWh or 54 kWh batteries delivering 323 km or 415 km WLTP range; GWM accelerates solid-state battery investment for future Haval, Tank and Ora models; Byron Shire Council adds five more EVs to its fleet with NSW grant support; Skoda launches Octavia Hybrid and Superb PHEV wagons with full powertrain and pricing details; Renault Australia cites small market size and ADR 34/03 child-seat anchor rules as barriers blocking the Renault 5 E-Tech and other cool European EVs; Janus Electric outlines a five-year pathway to electrify the national heavy freight fleet cutting diesel use by 10 billion litres; Tesla shifts focus to 500 kW V4 Supercharger cabinets for faster nationwide rollout; Rolls-Royce walks back from electric-only by 2030 keeping V12 engines alive due to customer demand; Mazda remains open to a 6e electric wagon if demand materialises; and soaring fuel prices drive a 190 per cent surge in EV searches with Australians eyeing savings exceeding 60 per cent. All verified specs, dimensions, power figures, ranges, pricing tiers, feature lists, quotes, Australian tuning details, rival comparisons and cross-checked facts from every outlet – full BEV, PHEV and EREV focus only. All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    24 min

  7. MAR 19

    900km BMW i3 Touring Confirmed + Audi A2, Renault EREV & Charging Wins, 300-pole rural streetlight trial, Melbourne Motor Show 2026

    An Exhaustive fact-packed edition of Plugged in Australia with every verified technical detail on the 2027 BMW i3 900km WLTP flagship (Australia’s potential longest-range EV), confirmed Touring wagon and chrome-free Neue Klasse illuminated aesthetics.  Renault’s 800V RGEV platform delivering 750km pure BEV or 1400km EREV with 2-tonne towing. Audi A2 e-tron sub-$60k MEB entry model, VW ID.Cross 4153mm compact SUV with 430km range options, Sierra Hawthorn’s southern-hemisphere-record 251 Level-1 charger strata project with $300k cost and demand-management software. Essential Energy’s 300-pole rural streetlight trial plus 1000 more identified, Melbourne Motor Show 2026 expansion to 40,000sqm with 120+ exhibitors, Polestar 5 112kWh Grand Tourer Australian pricing from $171,100 and 678km WLTP, CSIRO quantum battery prototype completing full cycle with faster scaling, Bosscap collapse impacting 100 jobs.  Chinese marques at 24% market share plus BYD credits analysis, global EV oil savings of 1.7 million barrels per day, Porsche vertical integration for Cayenne Electric, Australian road-user tax modelling, Brookvale electric bus infrastructure, up-to-$30,000 2026 EV price slashes, Leapmotor A05 cheap hatch reveal, and Chery’s 600Wh/kg solid-state batteries for 1500km range in extreme cold.  All stories tied directly to Australian roads, apartment dwellers, regional drivers, interstate capability, fleet economics and buyer savings — positive progress reported with hard truths where required. All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    29 min

  8. MAR 17

    Nissan Frontier Pro PHEV Locked In to Challenge BYD Shark 6 as Skoda Enyaq RS SUV and Coupe Pricing Confirmed, Dreame 1399kW Nebula NEXT Hypercar Targets Australia 2027 and MG4 Urban Cut-Price BEV Arrives in April

    Nissan confirms its 320kW/800Nm Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute – direct rival to the BYD Shark 6 PHEV with 33kWh battery, 135km CLTC electric range, 3500kg towing and 700mm wading depth – for Australian announcement next month and 2027 deliveries alongside the 2026 Navara with Premcar Australian-tuned suspension.  Skoda Enyaq RS 2026 dual-motor SUV and Coupe priced from $75,490 before on-roads with 250kW/545Nm, 84kWh battery, 523-534km WLTP range and 185kW DC charging. Dreame Nebula NEXT 01 hypercar and SUV concept with quad motors delivering 1399kW and 23,000Nm, 1.8-second 0-100km/h and in-house solid-state batteries over 450Wh/kg heading to Australia and New Zealand as first RHD markets in early 2027. MG4 Urban BEV launches April with 43kWh (110kW, 323km WLTP) or 54kWh (118kW, 415km) options, 150kW DC charging and full ADAS suite undercutting the BYD Dolphin.  Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV gains cheaper front-wheel-drive base grade option under review with 1.5-litre turbo petrol plus dual motors; 2026 MG4X electric SUV freshened with new front light bar and illuminated badge on 4500mm body and 125-150kW motors  BYD weighs Australian launch of smaller Baby Shark PHEV ute based on Sealion 6 platform; Australians report over 60% fuel savings with 93% home charging capability in latest EV Ownership Survey. Chinese brands dominate February sales as value trumps origin concerns; NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion adopted by BYD, Geely and Nissan for Level 4 autonomy in models already on Australian roads.  All verified specs, power figures, ranges, pricing tiers, quotes, Australian tuning details, rival comparisons and cross-checked facts from every outlet – full BEV, PHEV and EREV focus only. All specs and pricing correct as at time of recording. This is general information only based on publicly available Australian Consumer Law guidelines and is not legal advice — owners should contact the ACCC or seek independent professional advice for their specific situation.

    22 min
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About

Plugged In Australia is your essential podcast for the latest electric vehicle news tailored to Aussie drivers. We break down fresh updates on sales trends, policy changes like road-user charges and tax exemptions, and infrastructure developments—from charging networks in Sydney to regional rollouts. Get quick insights on new models hitting the market, like affordable BYD imports and Tesla’s latest, plus analysis on how global shifts affect Oz. Whether you’re tracking EV adoption rates or debunking myths, tune in weekly for concise, no-fluff coverage to keep you informed on the road to a greener future. Subscribe now and plug into the conversation

Information

  • Creator
    Jamie
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Plugged in Australia
  • Show Website
    Plugged in Australia

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