Summary
In this episode we’re not talking about money or investing but rather touching on the sustainable side of the FIRE movement. Today my guest is Anthony Broese van Groenou, a sustainability expert, environmental scientist, PhD researcher and the co-founder of the Good Car Co. This company’s goal is to accelerate the uptake of Electric Vehicles in Australia by offering second-hand EVs at an affordable price.
Some of the topics we cover are:
- Who is Anthony Broese van Groenou and what is the story behind the Good Car Co.? (03:24)
- What options are there now for Australians who want to purchase an EV? (07:11)
- What is the price range in Australia for second-hand EV’s atm? (12:44)
- One of the most exciting features of EVs in my opinion is the two-way charging capabilities. What does this mean and what are the benefits? (20:27)
- How much can an average Aussie expect to save on fuel and maintenance costs with an EV? (30:10)
- How long does an EV battery last and what is the replacement cost? (31:46)
- What about EV battery warranties – do they get passed on to the second-hand car owner? (34:54)
- Do EV’s actually lower CO2 emissions when you factor in everything it takes to actually make the car and the battery? (44:20)
Loved the episode mate!! Anthony how good was he, busting some of those common myths 🤩. Energy storage is definitely the future. I had a Nissan Leaf as a company car when I lived in Sweden, absolutely loved it ! To be able to charge from solar and use the car as energy storage would be a dream.
Wow, what a great episode! Thanks for the well-researched discussion. We’ve been trying to lower our own emissions here as well and have researched batteries, electric water heating pumps and EVs, but with a focus on FIRE, we ultimately end up with more questions than answers given it is all such a new concept to us – which leads to inaction unfortunately. This podcast showed how quickly things are moving and how the old barriers to entry no longer apply based on what Anthony said. Exciting times ahead!
Great interview. Shared it to our investment group and friends. Will be interesting to hear updates on what’s happening in the different states with incentives, charging infrastructure, availability and new models. As owners of a solar system that produces 3 times as much as we use I’m watching this space with much interest.
I’m in the same spot. I have these epic panels on my roof creating all this electricity that we’re hardly using.
An EV that could double as a home battery during the night would be a game changer for us.
What about people living in high-density apartments.
They won’t be able to charge their EVs like home owners.
In many Swedish cities they can. The local city council in cooperation with the property owner and energy company offer solutions for people with EV’s living in high density dwellings. This is only for charging though not for energy storage…. Yet 😉
Good question David. We didn’t really go into that area. Maybe I’ll explore it in another podcast episode.
I have a 19 years old Honda HRV, mechanically in top condition. Can this car be converted to EV?
I believe it can be. But it would cost a lot of money (from what I’ve read).
How’s the hunt for a new whip going AFB? The new Mitsubishi Outlander is about to hit showrooms and apparently its got two way charging so you can use it as a power source for your home. Much better EV range over the old model too.
I pretty much know what we want and I’ve seen the models. It’s just a matter of waiting until the second-hand market cools down a little.
I also want to look into leasing through my business. I need to chat with my accountant.
Yea the fringe benefits tax can be a killer on passenger cars, but worth doing the sums for sure👍
I enjoy the Aussiefirebug podcasts. Unfortunately both sides of the electric vehicle debate murky the waters by making general or false statements that obviously show bias to their side of the story. Statements like ” you can’t even get a chainsaw or lawnmower any more” which Anthony attributed to California, are absolute bullshit. A quick Google search is all that is required to see that Home Depot on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, offers no less than 36 petrol powered chainsaws. It appears that Anthony may have been wearing his car salesman hat.
Unfortunately this then leaves me wondering how many other “facts” in the interview were incorrect.
As they say, in a two horse race always back self interest.”
John, you are partially correct. These engines are not currently banned from sale in California at the moment, but California did legislate in October 2021 for the banning of their sale from 2024: “California will ban “small off-road engines” (SORE) primarily used in gas-powered lawn equipment, such as leaf blowers and lawnmowers, in a law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom this weekend.
“The bill, AB 1346, directs California’s Air Resources Board to draw up regulations that will go into place by 2024. It bans the sale of new SOREs, but does not seem to ban their operation.
“The law will apply not only to gas-powered lawn equipment, but also to generators and emergency response equipment and other assorted categories. The bill does give regulators some leeway with the regulations based on what is found to be “technologically feasible,” so some portions of the regulation may be pushed back beyond 2024.”
[Source: https://electrek.co/2021/10/11/california-bans-gas-powered-lawn-equipment-and-other-small-off-road-engines/%5D