The Driven Podcast

Australia’s cheapest new car is now electric, with BYD slashing the price of its Atto 1 to just $19,990 driveaway. What does this mean for EV affordability and the wider Australian car market?

We wrap up a big weekend at Everything Electric Sydney, sharing our highlights from the show, before looking at an Australian-first grid connection from Ampol and Ausgrid that could dramatically reduce the cost of rolling out EV fast chargers.

And finally, we discuss the ABC’s Four Corners investigation into the cybersecurity and national-security risks associated with Chinese EVs. The program raised some important questions, but was its focus too narrow?

We explore why cybersecurity and data privacy are issues for all modern connected cars, regardless of where they’re made or what powers them.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology promises to turn electric cars into batteries on wheels, helping households slash electricity bills, power their homes and even earn money by selling energy back to the grid.

But how close are we to making this a reality for everyday Australian EV owners?

Recorded live at Everything Electric Sydney, The Driven Podcast brings together experts from Hyundai, Origin Energy, Amber Electric and Net Zero Engineering Solutions to explore the opportunities and challenges of bidirectional charging.

We discuss the difference between V2H and V2G, what's holding back widespread adoption, the challenges of interoperability and grid standards, and what car manufacturers need to do to support the technology without compromising battery warranties.

Panelists:
- Portia Rooney, Founder and Director, Net Zero Engineering Solutions
- Scott Nargar, Senior Manager of Future Mobility and Government Relations, Hyundai Motor Company Australia
- Daryl Wong, Head of Charging Product and Performance, Origin Energy
- Tim Barson, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Amber Electric

Electric cars have hit a new milestone in Australia, accounting for 24.9 per cent of new vehicle sales in August and outselling petrol-only and diesel vehicles individually.

Plus, what we've been driving recently, the Polestar 4 gets a rear window, Queensland walks away from its electric bus mandate, and Hyundai develops faster-charging battery technology - only to debut it in an extended-range hybrid.

Fully Charged founder and Everything Electric’s Robert Llewellyn joins The Driven Podcast to talk about the rapidly changing global EV market, the rise of Chinese carmakers, why Australia is becoming an important market for new electric models, and how dramatically the charging experience has improved across Europe.

We also talk small and affordable EVs, the Renault 5, MG4 and Honda Super-One, the arrival of electric Ferraris, Jaguars and Bentleys, and why the next big leap in EV technology could come from batteries.

Plus, Robert discusses what’s next for Everything Electric following Dan Caesar’s decision to step back, why the upcoming Sydney show is set to be its biggest yet, and – inevitably – we find time for *Red Dwarf*, Kryten, robots and some particularly irritating driver-assistance systems.

Australian BEV sales pass the 20% mark for the second month in a row as Geely's best-selling hatchback arrives on Australian shores. Why we think Subaru's Uncharted is one of the best drives on the market. Plus, news of the week.