The EV Charging Podcast

#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

#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.

#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 & more This 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.

#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 detour * How BYD overtook Tesla in key segments, and why brand “social proof” matters more than specs * The 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 matters * The impact of vehicle emissions standards and novated lease FBT exemptions * What’s really holding back public fast charging profitability * A clear, plain-English explanation of network tariffs and why they matter for EV charging * The real state of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) in Australia — progress, pilots, and remaining roadblocks * Why battery health concerns are increasingly misplaced * What 2026 could bring for: * EV adoption rates * Charging network consolidation * Second-hand EV markets * Electric motorcycles * Smart home EV chargers and tariff-driven charging This 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.

#14 Everything Electric: EV Batteries, Street Charging & Next-Gen Home Energy

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 testing * On-street home charging for houses with no driveway * Classic car EV conversions * High-performance electric motorbikes * Thermal home batteries for heating & cooling * Home 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.