Hello and welcome to Overdrive a program that broods over the world of cars and transport. I’m David Brown. The times each story appears in the program are noted (mm:ss)
Overdrive News
- NSW State government pushes electric vehicle tax reform (1:12)
- Rex breaks records in Australia (2:24)
- Genesis is expanding in models and sales (3:21)
- Can the station wagon make a comeback? – Peugeot Unveils the 308 SW (4:23)
- Bus lounges help make public transport more effective (5:32)
Overdrive Interviews
- Tim Robson from MG gives some frank opinions on their success and their approach to electric vehicles (7:01)
- Guido Shenken from Genesis prestige vehicles discusses their fast-improving model range (15:57)
Motoring Minute
Quirky News
- And Brian Smith covers the unusual subject of residents installing their own speed humps on public roads. (22:14)
Motoring Minute
NSW State government pushes electric vehicle tax reform
The NSW government’s latest budget contains some measures to encourage the take up of electric vehicles.
Stamp duty has been eliminated on electric vehicles up to $78,000 from September 2021 and then for all EVs including Plug In Hybrids from July 2027.
$151 million will be invested in EV charging infrastructure.
Electric vehicles will have access to transit T2 and T3 lanes and there will be some cash rebates for customers.
A road user charge of 2.5c/km for EV and a 2.0c/km for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles will be applied from July 2027 or when EVs make up at least 30 per cent of new car sales.
Genesis is expanding in models and sales
The Korean luxury car brand Genesis currently makes only small sales in Australia but its percentage growth this year is enormous. They currently have only 3 models on the market.
Guido Schenken their PR manager in Australia says there are more on the way.
We’ve just launched our updated V70 sedan in June and that’s going to follow shortly in July with our second SUV, GV 70, which we’re really excited about. I think we’ve already taken 100 pre-orders on that car before it was physically seen by any of the customers.
We have three EVs launching in the first half of 2022, all of which will be coming to Australia. So the first one will be a fully electric version of our jehadi sedan. And the next two I can’t talk about yet because they haven’t been globally announced. [00:06:24][16.8]
Can the station wagon make a comeback? – Peugeot Unveils the 308 SW
SUVs have overshadowed the market for station wagons in Australia.
Stations wagons have had a range of images from the stodgy family car to the sportwagon.
Their sales have plummeted to the surprise and disappointment of many car enthusiasts who want the practical room and the sedan like feel and handling.
Subaru led the way in creating cars that look and felt like a station wagon but also had all wheel drive.
Now Peugeot has announced with fanfare their 308 SW (for station wagon). But we won’t get it here in Australia till 2022.
‘Rex breaks records in Australia
The high-performance Subaru WRX was first launched in Australia in 1994
Now total sales in this country have passed 50,000.
With a turbo charged all-wheel drive set-up and a highly successful rally pedigree, it became a prime example of a “hero car” that gave creditability to all of Subaru’s models and fed many young person’s dreams.
Its competitive success helped justify its unusual exterior design.
A new model is due soon.
You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity
Originally broadcast 26 June 2021 across Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) and Torque Radio affiliated commercial radio channels and has a weekly audience of over 430,000.
