Jonny Smith: ‘People say I can’t be a true car fan because I review EVs’
The Late Brake Show presenter and living, breathing definition of ‘car guy’ Jonny Smith explains why it’s possible to enjoy EVs and ICE vehicles, how electric cars can ensure classics remain on the roads, plus the wellbeing benefits that come with all-electric, ‘mindful motoring’
Let’s face it, the car community has a problem. Head on any social media site featuring a car post, and both internal combustion engine and EV enthusiasts will be taking lumps out of each other in the comments section.
Just this weekend, I experienced this first hand. Due to my current running of a Tesla Model 3, I have been branded a “Nazi,” a “card-carrying fascist,” and told I am complicit in genocide. All of this by total strangers online.
To explore how this somewhat nasty online trend has emerged over recent years, EV Powered sat down with Jonny Smith. Long-time car journalist, broadcaster and all-round nice bloke, Jonny is the brains and face of The Late Brake Show on YouTube, one half of Smith and Sniff and, in his own words, “the automotive bridge between EV and V8″.
Having owned over 130 cars in his 46 years, if you look up ‘car guy’ in the dictionary, then you’ll find a picture of Jonny. Probably.
Jonny Smith on: Addressing EV hate online
“There’s this definite assumption that you can’t be a real car fanatic if you appreciate electric cars or drive one, and I think that’s utter bobbins,” he opens. “Some people genuinely have said that I can’t be a true car fanatic because I review electric cars.
“And, I feel it’s actually got worse since Covid.”
Having not thought about the c-word for the best part of four years, it’s certainly a left-field theory. It does, however, make sense as Jonny delves deeper into the thoughts behind his explanation.
“I think that people are harnessing anger and upset about the repercussions of Covid and the economic turmoil it created. People are upset, and I think EVs are getting punched in the gut for it.”
In reference to the 2035 ban on selling new internal combustion engined cars, Jonny adds. “It doesn’t help that it’s the government saying ‘you must adopt this’ and we’ll tax you for it, too. I don’t think it’s that people actively dislike EVs, it’s that they dislike being told they should buy an electric car. A few people have actually said that to me.
“There’s also an element of feeling threatened, I think. There’s a lot of disinformation around EVs [and ideas] like the government restricting drivers from travelling more than 200 miles or 500 miles per-year. I don’t think that’s the case. In the UK, we’ve got too many cars for that, we’ve got too many businesses attached to the EV-sphere, and we’ve got too much of a dedicated car culture here.”
Jonny Smith on: The importance of electric car education
Looking ahead to 2035 when EVs will be the only brand new cars available on sale, Jonny feels that it’s down to the carmakers to do more to get bums on seats and place more of an emphasis on learning a new way of motoring.
“If I were an EV manufacturer, I’d let people borrow EVs for a week or 10 days or something,” he explains. “I think a lot of people who get really pitchforky over EVs have never even sat in one, let alone driven one. If they did, they may well discover how to appreciate it and understand how and where it might fit into their life.
“There needs to be an educational shift, because you do have to get your head around on a new way of refuelling, for example. I think the best way to approach this is likening it to a mobile phone – you can put it on charge for five minutes here and there.
“I’m actually talking to you from my parents’ sofa, and they don’t have a charger and I don’t have a three-pin granny plug, which is a bit annoying. But my point is that if you have a three-pin and leave the car on charge for 12, 15 hours or whatever, it’s still usable power going into the battery.
“Just because you’re learning this new approach to driving and living with a car, it doesn’t make you any less of a car enthusiast. Assuring people that they’re no less of a car enthusiast just because they drive an EV will be the biggest thing when it comes to making the transition.”
Jonny Smith on: EVs and classic cars working together
And it’s that reassurance that leads Jonny into explaining how EVs will complement classics. Don’t forget that both Jonny and The Late Brake Show are synonymous with his “slightly” ratty, largely un-restored 1968 Dodge Charger.
At the other end of the automotive spectrum, his fleet of cars includes a Honda Insight and a new, all-electric Renault 5. Previously, Jonny has also owned a Kia Soul EV, and a Volkswagen e-Golf.
“The car world can be a really broad church if you open your mind to it, and that’s what I really love,” he continues. “I really enjoy the duality of having both EVs and ICEs, because they’re both tools suited to different jobs.
“The more I drive electric cars, the more I cherish the moments when I drive a classic. People don’t believe me when I say that classics will really benefit from EVs, but I do actually believe that. I think when we’re all driving electric, it’ll encourage car enthusiasts to appreciate analogue cars more, delve deeper into their history, and when they do use them, those moments will be extra special.”
As part of how EVs and classics work in lockstep, Jonny adds the financial savings that come with running an electric car over an ICE model – current findings have shown that EVs are 50% cheaper in terms of maintenance. What’s more, home charging can be done for as little as 6.7p per-kilowatt hour.
“I know that the government has now decided to tax EVs, but up until this year they were tax exempt,” he recalls. “Still, it’s less tax than a petrol or a diesel car, so tie that into how much money you save on fuel over the course of a year and don’t forget that EV servicing intervals are less frequent, and you’ve saved a chunk of cash.
“I’d say that the more I’ve driven EVs, the more I’ve spent on my Dodge, so the electric cars are kind of keeping it on the road, because let’s say I’ve saved three grand. Well, that money I’ve saved I can spend on parts, or doing the paint, or rebuilding the engine.
“Don’t get me wrong – some people I’ve explained this to get it, and some others just think I’m a bloody lunatic. That’s just how I’ve always seen things, though.”
Jonny Smith on: ‘Mindful motoring’
In this age of paradox where mental wellbeing is emphasised but UK adults are spending more time online than ever, Jonny believes EVs are able to contribute to foging deeper human connections and feeling better in general. His assessment is one that fully checks out. After all, research has shown that 38% of EV drivers said they feel less stressed than when driving an ICE.
“Electric cars just lend themselves to mindful motoring, don’t they?” he asks rhetorically. “From how they drive with the silence in the cabin, the whole EV emphasizes your appreciation for music, and I really feel that the best way to have a conversation with someone is to go for a drive with them.
“When you’re driving, you’re looking out at the scenery, and you’re more alert so you’re processing things deeper than you would normally do. While you’re still sitting close to your passenger, you’re not making eye contact with them, so you’ll let your inhibitions drop.
“Genuinely, some of the deepest, most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had have been in EVs.”
It’s the concept of “mindful motoring” where things wrap up for this part of the interview, and loop back to re-defining what motoring means from an EV perspective.
“I just find that I let a lot more wash over me in an electric car,” Jonny concludes. “There’s something satisfying about them, whether that be pre-warming the cabin with the app on your phone and not having to warm up any components. I mean, is cold start even a thing anymore?
“Some people say to me that they find stopping to top up your battery or even charge fully is a waste of 20 minutes, half an hour, or whatever. I enjoy it, though. That charging window allows me to take the time to stop and reply to some of the hundreds of emails I’ve got in a thoughtful way, or have a nice phone call with someone.
“Besides, you’re going to have to stop in your petrol or diesel car if you’re driving 200 miles or something. Once you’ve popped to Starbucks and been for a poo, that’s 20 minutes or so gone. When you think about it like that, it’s not really all that different, is it?”
