The Kilowatt Half Hour

Mercedes, Lexus and Audi are all fighting for executive EV supremacy, Volkswagen's new electric supermini is finally on sale, and BYD has launched a tiny kei car in Japan. There's plenty to get through in Episode 118 of the Kilowatt Half Hour.

This week, Vicky Parrott is joined by Batch and Tom to discuss the latest electric car news and compare notes on the new Mercedes C-Class Electric, Lexus ES and Mercedes GLA. They also look ahead to Audi's upcoming electric hatchback, share their first impressions of the wild 1,600hp Denza Z, and ask why Audi has been so quiet while rivals have been grabbing the headlines.

Elsewhere, the team debates whether flush electronic door handles should be banned, takes a closer look at BYD's bold move into Japan's kei car market, and discusses the launch of the Volkswagen ID.Polo.

There's also the latest Bargain of the Week, including an eye-catching lease deal on the BYD Sealion 7 and a nearly-new Jaecoo 5 with a hefty discount.
As always, the listener questions and comments spark plenty of debate. This week the team recommends the best first EVs for a young driver, revisits the pay-per-mile road pricing discussion, compares real-world EV efficiency figures, hears from a happy Ford Mustang Mach-E owner, and explains why journalists are sometimes invited to drive cars they can't actually talk about.

If you've got a question or topic you'd like us to cover, email us at podcast@electrifying.com. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of the Kilowatt Half Hour.
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Range Rover has a new electric GT, Ford has teamed up with Geely in one of the biggest automotive stories of the year, and Mercedes has unveiled a family EV that has us reminiscing about the Blur vs Oasis rivalry. There's plenty to get stuck into in Episode 117 of the Kilowatt Half Hour.

Ginny Buckley, Mike Askew and Vicky Parrott discuss the latest electric car news, including the sleek new Range Rover GT, Ford's surprising partnership with Chinese giant Geely, and the wave of new Mercedes EVs heading our way.

There's also a look at what the Electrifying team has been driving, including the Mercedes C-Class Electric, Honda WN7, and Vicky's long-term Škoda Elroq. Plus, we pick out a bargain BYD Seal lease deal, suggest an overlooked used EV alternative to the Kia e-Niro, and answer your questions on EV servicing costs, Volkswagen ID. Buzz wheels, and when you can expect our Peugeot E-208 GTi review.

As always, we dive into your comments too, debating pay-per-mile road pricing, EV efficiency versus battery size, DS pricing, Volkswagen's future, and, naturally, Batch's ever-expanding trouser collection.

If you've got a question or topic you'd like us to cover, email us at podcast@electrifying.com. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of the Kilowatt Half Hour.
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Ford and Geely? It's the partnership nobody saw coming.

In this podcast special, Ginny Buckley and Tom Barnard are joined by "the Godfather of the Nissan Leaf", former Nissan COO and Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer, to unpack one of the biggest stories in the automotive industry this year.

Why has Ford turned to Chinese giant Geely to help build its future European models? Is this simply a smart way to cut costs, or does it signal a much bigger shift in the global car industry? And what does Geely stand to gain?

The team discusses what the deal means for consumers, whether buyers still care where their cars are made, the risks Ford is taking, and whether this is the latest step in the company's transformation from traditional manufacturer into a global automotive brand. They also look at the future of familiar names like Capri, Explorer and Bronco, and ask why manufacturers are still investing in combustion engines alongside electric cars.
It's a fascinating conversation about the changing face of the car industry – and what it could mean for the cars we'll all be driving in the years ahead.
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This week on the Kilowatt Half Hour, Vicky and Batch dig into the government's newly confirmed pay-per-mile scheme for electric cars, set to land at 3p per mile from 2028, and unpack what it really means for the cost of running an EV versus a petrol car (spoiler: home charging still wins).

They also cover Volkswagen's bombshell restructuring plans, with up to 50,000 jobs at risk in Germany and a major shake-up of its model line-up and platform sharing across the VW Group.

Plus: more highlights from Goodwood, first impressions of the DS No7, this week's leasing and used-car bargains (a Renault 5 for under £280 a month, and a Mini Electric for under £10k), and your comments and questions, including a listener's case for wanting 600 miles of range, and a brilliantly weird suggestion for testing whether car colour affects EV range.

All that, plus your comments from across the Electrifying.com channels.

🔌 Brought to you by the team at Electrifying.com
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Goodwood Festival of Speed went electric in 2026 — and the team were there to see it all.

This week, Ginny and Nicola report from Goodwood with the standout new EVs, from the MG Go concept and electric BMW M3 to the forthcoming Alpine A110. Mike, meanwhile, definitely wasn’t at Goodwood.

We also discuss a Volvo EX30 lease bargain, a tempting used Vauxhall Mokka Electric, and answer your questions on choosing a first EV, depreciation, the Peugeot E-3008 versus DS N°7, and whether the Volkswagen ID. Polo will be easy to get in and out of.

Plus: steel wheels, Fisker Ocean ownership, Ferrari Luce opinions, electric motorcycles and your suggestions for the ultimate EV group test.
Send your questions to podcast@electrifying.com.
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