Everything Electric Podcast – “2025 Wrapped: EV Myths, Dream Cars & 2026 Predictions!”

Hosted by Robert Llewellyn, Imogen Pierce & Jack Scarlett | December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

The final Everything Electric podcast episode of 2025 brings together hosts Robert Llewellyn, Imogen Pierce, and Jack Scarlett for a lively year-in-review and forward-looking discussion. The trio reflect on the big stories, technological leaps, industry trends, favorite reviews, and memorable shoots of 2025—debunking persistent EV myths, sharing dream garage ambitions, and making bold predictions for 2026. Packed with data, personal stories, and the show’s characteristic wit, the episode offers both sober perspective and optimistic energy about the future of electrification and sustainability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2025 Global EV Growth: Facts vs. Myths

Stats & Narrative Realignment:

• Robert dispels negative headlines about EV sales declining:
  • “There’s been a lot of, you know, ‘sales of EVs dive off a cliff’ and it’s all coming to an end… but in October there were 1.9 million plug-in vehicles sold worldwide.” (03:09)
  • BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) are up 19% YoY; PHEVs down 5% globally (04:00)
• International markets booming:
  • Europe BEVs up 38%, Vietnam +117%, India +98%, Indonesia +101%, Turkey +157% (04:42)
  • Chinese dominance: “Of the top 10 best-sellers, seven are Chinese brands, with BYD leading and Tesla second, but a long way behind.” (05:37)

Quote:

“It’s always important to remind people: when it says momentum is slowing down, it doesn’t mean we’re returning them. It’s growing still, just not at the same rate all the time.” – Jack Scarlett (07:00)

2. Dream Cars & Electric Favourites of 2025

Hosts’ Picks (Magic Money Tree Edition):

• Jack:
  • Hyundai Ioniq 6N (“childish, absolute lunacy turned up a few notches”), new BMW i3 coming next year, second-hand Porsche Taycan for value (08:32-09:35)
• Imogen:
  • Loves her Hyundai Ioniq 5, flirted with Mercedes G-Wagon (“people look at you like they hate you, and yet it was very fun”), but in fantasy-land would pick the Kia EV9—“adore the EV9… but it’s not justifiable in any way.” (10:05-11:09)
• Robert:
  • In love with the Polestar 2 and eyeing the upcoming Polestar 5:

    “It wasn’t just like extreme engineering… it’s so beautiful. I have near zero aesthetic sense with cars and I saw that one—oh, that is an amazing-looking car!” (12:17-13:47)

  • Admits: “I’d be a tragic old man in a sports car—but you can almost get away with it!” (13:53)

3. Notable Reviews & Shoots of 2025

Standout Episodes & Behind-the-Scenes:

• Jack:
  • Microlino convertible in Portofino (16:09) – showcasing production team’s skill.
  • BMW iX3 & Kia PV5 both “game-changing” for European industry comeback and commercial EV space (17:27-19:54):

    “The iX3, they’ve completely reinvented their design language… genuinely skipped a generation of car.”
    “PV5: It costs something like £20,000 less than a spec’d VW ID Buzz. The commercial space has a hero car.”

• Imogen:
  • Namibia solar-powered safari boat trip (28:53-30:05): A privilege to see the tech’s real-world impact on conservation.

    “It’s a good reminder why we spend so much time and energy wanging on about the benefits of clean energy.” (29:55)

  • Vancouver’s Site C Dam and new lithium refining methods (27:03)
  • Cherry farm in New Zealand running entirely on solar, a YouTube comment suggestion (30:41-33:02):

    “He wants to prove to other farmers that this is a more cost-effective way to run a farm.”

• Robert:
  • Test drives: Polestar 5 (“extraordinarily impressive”), new Nissan Leaf (“a leap in tech and software”)—original Leaf now at 90,000 miles and still running (20:27-22:43)
  • Shipyard in Hobart: Electric, all-aluminum catamaran ferry with “batteries lighter and smaller than diesel engines.” (33:30-36:19)

4. Live Shows & Panels: Turning Points & Memorable Moments

• Sydney 2025:
  • Sunday crowd not the typical “EV fans”—families, much broader demographic, signaling mass market shift (38:22-40:47):

    “No one looked at me twice. This felt completely different… it was what we need to happen.” – Robert (39:35)

• Melbourne:
  • Jack hosts panel with Claire Walter, air pollution expert:

    “When she started talking about her subject, it was hard to talk about anything else… a bucket of cold water, a powerful reminder of why these things are important.” (41:19-44:20)

  • The need to return to “hardcore facts” and the basics—clean air, health, child mortality—despite the tech focus (45:10-46:17)

5. 2026 Predictions & Big Trends

Jack’s Macro Trends for 2026 (46:43-50:00):

• “Big year for British automotive”—New electric Jaguar, Range Rover, maybe Caterham.
• More small, affordable EVs at the £20–25k price point: “Too many good cars at 30 grand. Now it’s about 25,000.”
• “Big year for Japan”—Nissan leading electric launches, rest of the sector accelerating.
• Cars “getting more interesting”—after years of just platform & software overhauls, brands will rediscover design/lifestyle fun.

“I don’t want cars to just become sterile boxes that get us from A to B. I want them to be interesting, desirable, and improve your day when you get in them.” – Jack (49:25)

Robert’s Hopeful Prediction:

• The long-awaited dawn of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G):

  “The fact that you can finally… sell some electricity when you’re not using your car…I know will click a switch in people who aren't interested in EVs… That’s three large nuclear power plants we’ve got, switched on like that.” (50:30-52:27)

• Octopus/BYD V2G lease deal “will be a real paradigm shift.” (52:27-53:22)

Imogen:

• Echoes the importance of V2G and the critical role of making tech “convenient, cost-effective, or more comfortable” for mass adoption. (53:22)

Cost of Clean Energy (Robert):

• Game-changing stat:

  “Solar plus batteries, globally, is now cheaper than every other way to produce electricity—$65/MWh, cheaper than gas, coal, hydro, wind.” (55:04-56:46)

6. Optimism, Community, and Closing Thoughts

• Robert urges focus on “lumps of hope and positivity”—amazing people, inspiring projects, genuine momentum override the doom in mainstream media (59:03).
• Imogen highlights the duty of the show to shine a light on “incredible people” on panels and in the field, whose energy keeps them motivated (59:55).
• Jack: “It’s the people we meet in this job and the stuff they’re doing that keeps us going, in the face of endless pessimistic and often inaccurate press.” (60:31)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Robert: “It’s so beautiful. I have, as you know Jack, near zero aesthetic sense – and I saw [the Polestar 5] and thought ‘that is an amazing looking car'.” (13:10)
• Jack: “Do you like not spending money? Do you like being given money? …They’re staring down the barrel of a future where they’re not driving for free, they’re getting paid to own these electric cars!” (53:22)
• Imogen: “It is a good reminder of why we spend so much time and effort and energy wanging on about the benefits of clean energy.” (29:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:09 — Robert dispels “EV downturn” media myths with global sales stats
• 08:29 — Dream garage: hosts’ fantasy EV picks
• 16:17 — Noteworthy shoots: Microlino, BMW iX3, Kia PV5, maving motorcycle, new Nissan Leaf
• 28:53 — Imogen’s Namibia solar safari, Vancouver, Cherry Tree Farm adventures
• 38:22 — Sydney live show: mainstream electrification arrives
• 41:19 — Melbourne panel: Jack’s “sobering” lesson on air pollution, health, and policy
• 46:43 — Jack’s macro trends and 2026 predictions
• 50:30 — Robert’s excitement for V2G and its societal impact
• 55:04 — Solar+Battery economics reach tipping point
• 59:03 — Final reflections: optimism, inspiration, gratitude

Podcast Tone

The conversation is friendly, personal, witty, and optimistic—even when addressing tough realities. The hosts balance technical details, practical experiences, and a dash of irreverent British humor, all while aiming to inspire listeners and dispel EV myths through facts and real stories.

Summary Value

Rich in data, global perspectives, industry trends, and personal takeaways—as well as honest sobering reminders about the stakes—this episode is an accessible, hopeful, and comprehensive wrap-up for EV enthusiasts and newcomers alike, providing a clear window into the state of the electric vehicle movement at the end of 2025 and where it’s heading next.