The EV Charging Podcast

Jeff Sykes & Dan Carson

The EV Charging podcast explores the journeys of founders and leaders of Electric Vehicle charging organisations in the Australian market and around the world. We uncover the funny stories of the early days of the Electric Vehicle market, the key dynamics of today's environment and stargaze towards some of the exciting innovations that are already on the way. This podcast is hosted by www.solarchoice.net.au

  1. 2d ago

    #20 EV Infrastructure Summit: V2G, Apartment Charging & World-First Vehicle-to-Vehicle Charger

    Australia just passed a milestone: more than one in five new cars sold is now electric. In this special episode of The EV Charging Podcast, Jeff and Dan report live from the EV Infrastructure Summit in Sydney with three short interviews from the summit floor — covering where vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging really sits, how apartments and public spaces get charging done, and a world-first charger that can rescue a stranded EV on the roadside. They also run the numbers on an Origin subscription idea — around $800 a month for a BYD Atto 3, a V2G charger and all your home charging in one payment — and share early results from Amber's V2G trial, where owners are expected to earn $2,000 to $3,000 a year letting their car sell power back to the grid. Guests: - Porsche Rooney — Net Zero Engineering Solutions & Good Batteries on Wheels: where V2G is really at, and how long until you can buy it off the shelf - Alex Killeen — ACT Government: how the nation's EV capital makes apartment and public charging work - Mark Wexler — Alpine Energy: the world-first vehicle-to-vehicle charger that gets a flat EV moving again in about 15 minutes In this episode, we cover: - Why EVs have passed 20% of new-car sales in Australia - How much you can earn letting your EV sell power back to the grid - When you'll actually be able to buy vehicle-to-grid charging off the shelf - How the Netherlands built a working V2G system Australia can copy - Why underground car parks are the cheapest place to install apartment EV charging - What the ACT did to reach 36.5% electric new-car sales in a single month - Origin's $800-a-month all-inclusive EV subscription idea, run against a novated lease

  2. May 25

    #19 Tom Gan | Ludicrous Feed: Why Australians Are Suddenly Buying EVs Now

    Petrol and diesel cars are starting to look a lot more expensive. In this episode of The EV Charging Podcast, Jeff and Dan are joined live from the Smart Energy Conference in Sydney by Tom Gan from Ludicrous Feed to unpack why Australians are suddenly buying EVs, what rising fuel prices mean for petrol car owners, and whether now is the right time to make the switch. The conversation covers record EV sales in Australia, the changing EV fringe benefits tax rules, the real five-year cost difference between petrol and electric cars, what Tom saw at the Beijing Auto Show, and how home charging, solar and batteries are changing the economics of EV ownership. In this episode, we cover: - Why EV sales in Australia have jumped so quickly - Whether petrol and diesel cars are now becoming the expensive option - The EV fringe benefits tax changes coming from April 2027 - How EV running costs compare with petrol over five years - Why Chinese EV brands like BYD, Chery, MG, Kia and Zeekr are gaining ground - What ultra-fast charging could mean for future EV adoption - Why electric utes are still harder to crack - How solar, home batteries and EV charging are becoming one connected home energy decision - What V2G and V2H could mean for Australian homes in the future If you are thinking about buying an EV, installing a home charger, or working out whether your next car should still be petrol, this episode is a practical look at what is changing and what Australian drivers should be watching next.

  3. Apr 27

    #18 Matt Downie - V2Grid: EV's Powering Your Home & The Future of V2G

    Most people still think of EVs as just cars. But what if your EV could also help power your home, cut your electricity bills, or even support the grid? In Episode 18 of The EV Charging Podcast, Jeff Sykes speaks with Matt Downie from V2Grid about the shift that could change how Australians think about EV charging: bidirectional charging. This conversation explores why the first real use case may not be chasing grid profits at all, but something much more practical — backup power, energy resilience, and getting more value from the battery already sitting in your driveway. Matt also shares what’s happening on the ground in Australia, what’s still holding the market back, and why fleets, councils and everyday households could all play a role in what comes next. In this episode:  Could an EV act like a home battery?  Why bidirectional charging is getting so much attention  The difference between V2H and V2G  What’s already possible in Australia  Why outages and grid pressure are making this more relevant  Where Matt thinks the market is heading next

  4. Mar 25

    #17 Scott Maynard: MD of Polestar Australia - Future of Premium EVs

    In this episode of The EV Charging Podcast, we sit down with Scott Maynard, Managing Director of Polestar Australia, to unpack how one of the world’s fastest-growing EV brands is positioning itself in an increasingly crowded market. We cover how Polestar has grown in Australia, why the brand is doubling down on a premium EV strategy (while others race to the bottom on price), and what actually matters to buyers beyond spec sheets.  The conversation also dives into some of the biggest questions facing EVs right now:  Is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) actually ready in Australia?  Why aren’t car manufacturers switching it on yet?  What’s really happening with autonomous driving?  And how will policy and incentives shape EV adoption over the next decade? Scott also shares insight into Polestar’s shift to a retailer-led model across Australia, the thinking behind its sustainability approach, and what to expect from the upcoming Polestar 5.  If you’re considering an EV — or just want to understand where the market is heading — this is a practical, no-hype look at what’s actually happening on the ground in Australia.

  5. Feb 25

    #16 Gareth Ridge: Zenobē: Electrifying Buses & Second‑Life Batteries

    You’ve seen Woolworths’ electric delivery trucks driving silently through the suburbs. But where do they charge — and how does that infrastructure actually work? In this episode of the EV Charging Podcast, we’re joined by Gareth Ridge, Country Manager at Zenobē Australia, to go inside one of Australia’s most innovative commercial EV charging projects: an off-site, multi-user charging hub in Mascot powering last-mile Woolworths delivery trucks. We break down: ⚡ Why space and grid constraints are shaping EV fleet charging🏗️ How a 1MVA, 22-bay charging hub was built on an Ausgrid site💰 The commercial model behind fleet electrification (Total Cost of Ownership explained)🔋 What happens to EV batteries after 8–10 years (second-life storage use cases)🚚 Why light and medium trucks are electrifying faster than prime movers🔮 2026 predictions: megawatt charging, electric ferries, mining fleets & moreThis is a behind-the-scenes look at the infrastructure quietly driving Australia’s transport transition. If you’re interested in EVs, grid-scale batteries, commercial fleet electrification, or the future of energy — this episode is for you.

  6. Jan 26

    #15 EVs After 2025: No Turning Back — What’s Coming in 2026

    Jeff Sykes and Dan Carson take a step back to reflect on what actually happened in Australia’s EV market in 2025 and to make some bold, evidence-based predictions for 2026. From EV sales data and charging infrastructure growth, to government policy, vehicle-to-grid progress, and the rise of Chinese EV brands, this episode connects the dots between headlines, real-world experience, and where the industry is heading next. The conversation kicks off with a very real (and slightly painful) Christmas road-trip charging fail — before zooming out to the bigger picture of adoption, affordability, infrastructure, and grid reform. In this episode, Jeff and Dan unpack: What Australia’s 100,000+ EV sales milestone really means (and why growth has been slower than early predictions)Why plug-in hybrids surged in 2025 — and whether that’s a stepping stone or a detourHow BYD overtook Tesla in key segments, and why brand “social proof” matters more than specsThe explosion of new EV models (including sub-$40k and sub-$50k vehicles)Why EV utes are still the missing piece — and why the BYD Shark mattersThe impact of vehicle emissions standards and novated lease FBT exemptionsWhat’s really holding back public fast charging profitabilityA clear, plain-English explanation of network tariffs and why they matter for EV chargingThe real state of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) in Australia — progress, pilots, and remaining roadblocksWhy battery health concerns are increasingly misplacedWhat 2026 could bring for:EV adoption ratesCharging network consolidationSecond-hand EV marketsElectric motorcyclesSmart home EV chargers and tariff-driven chargingThis episode is part industry analysis, part lived experience, and part crystal-ball gazing grounded in data, policy, and what Jeff and Dan are seeing on the ground every day. If you want a clear-eyed view of where Australia’s EV transition really stands — and where it’s likely headed next — this one’s for you.

  7. 11/27/2025

    #14 Everything Electric: Battery Testing, E-Moto's & Thermal Batteries

    Recorded live at Everything Electric Melbourne, this special episode of the EV Charging Podcast takes you onto the show floor with Jeff Sykes and Dan Carson. Across a series of 3–5 minute interviews, they talk with innovators in: EV battery health testingOn-street home charging for houses with no drivewayClassic car EV conversionsHigh-performance electric motorbikesThermal home batteries for heating & coolingHome energy ecosystems (solar, batteries, EV charging, hot water)You’ll hear from: Nathan Gore-Brown – Founder, TEST EV Bringing AVILOO battery diagnostics from Austria to Australia & New Zealand to give buyers, sellers and fleets objective EV battery health reports. Ross de Rango – Director & Co-Founder, Vehicle Charging Solutions Australia (VCSA) Former Head of Energy & Infrastructure at the Electric Vehicle Council, now piloting an overhead “boom” charger so people without off-street parking can safely charge from their own supply. Scott Anderson – Co-Founder, Revival EV Converting classics like a 1970s BMW 2002 into fully electric cars, with reversible conversions that keep the original driveline whenever possible. Sam Carter – Marketing Manager & Lead Creative, Savic Motorcycles Part of the founding team behind the Savic C-Series electric café racer, an Aussie-built high-performance electric motorcycle made in West Melbourne. Nick Zeniou – Founder, Thermal Dawn Building a “thermal battery” for homes that stores heating and cooling rather than electricity, based on his experience in HVAC and large-scale energy generation. Shahram “Shaz” Shadan – Managing Director, myenergi APAC Senior leadership at myenergi, leading the rollout of the zappi EV charger, eddi, harvi and the libbi home battery as a single home-energy ecosystem across Australia and New Zealand. Along the way they bust myths about EV battery life, explore how councils are handling on-street charging, and look at how smart home energy management is evolving as more households electrify everything. Brought to you by Solar Choice, Australia’s online quote comparison tool for solar, batteries, EV chargers, air con and heat pump hot water systems.

  8. 10/27/2025

    #13 Rohan Smith: Chargefox: The Software Powering Australia’s Public EV Charging

    Chargefox Head of Partner Success Rohan Smith joins us to unpack how Australia’s largest EV charging app turns a fragmented hardware landscape into a simple, reliable driver experience. We trace Rohan’s journey (AGL → DNSP trials → RACV → Chargefox) and dig into the platform choices behind public charging that just works: OCPP-based interoperability, first-attempt start success, clear pricing (kWh, time-based and idle fees), payments, and the data that guides new site builds. Rohan shares usage trends—300k+ app users, ~5,000 plugs across public and private networks, sessions doubling YoY—and why “driver-first” means better maps, accessibility, and integrations (e.g., in-car systems and retail partners). We also explore: Roaming to reduce “app fatigue” and lift utilisationWhy charge to ~80% on DC keeps trips movingStrata & fleets: RFID, workplace billing and load limitsV2G/V2L: dynamic pricing, grid support events, and resilience during outagesWhether you’re planning a road trip, operating a site, or mapping the future of the grid, this episode translates EV charging buzzwords into practical decisions drivers actually feel—uptime, speed to charge, and confidence to go electric.

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About

The EV Charging podcast explores the journeys of founders and leaders of Electric Vehicle charging organisations in the Australian market and around the world. We uncover the funny stories of the early days of the Electric Vehicle market, the key dynamics of today's environment and stargaze towards some of the exciting innovations that are already on the way. This podcast is hosted by www.solarchoice.net.au

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Sykes & Dan Carson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The EV Charging Podcast
  • Show Website
    The EV Charging Podcast

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