EV Café Takeaway

Paul and JC sit down with Caroline Watson, Director of Transport at C40 Cities—a global network of mayors leading the charge toward a zero-emission future.   Caroline shares her incredible journey in the world of transport decarbonisation, from her early days at the Energy Saving Trust to spearheading international initiatives that are transforming city mobility. She reveals how C40 supports nearl...

Kicking off 2026, Paul and John are joined by one of the true legends of the UK fleet and rental industry – Tim Bailey. Fresh into retirement after a 37-year career spanning Alamo, National Car & Rental, Europcar, Redde, and Northgate. Tim shares his fascinating journey from petrol pump attendant in Dublin to leading fleets, shaping policy, and guiding the UK’s transition to electric vehicles—...

In this special episode, we take a look back at all the EV Café Takeaway guests of 2025. We hand the wand (or seashell, block of wood, or lightning bolt…) to pioneers, collaborators, and innovators across the electric vehicle and sustainability world, asking them what their one wish would be…

This week Paul and John welcome Lyndsey Hetherington, EV Charging Specialist at Drax Electric Vehicles. Lyndsey shares her unique journey from starting out in van and truck marketing to becoming a key player in helping fleets transition to zero-emission transport. She reflects on her formative years at Elmtronics, the challenges of building trust in a new industry, and how she balances career ambi...

This week, the EV Café team goes live at Fleet Mobility Live with a very special guest: Dale Eynon, former Head of Fleet at the Environment Agency and now a semi-retired consultant, passionate environmentalist, and mentor to the next generation of fleet leaders.   With over 20 years’ experience managing 10,000+ diverse assets—from cars, vans and HGVs to marine vessels and heavy plant—Dale shares h...

This week, Paul and Sara (a.k.a. The Sazmanator) sit down with Rebecca Denyer, co-founder of Sebring Works, the innovative British company hand-building retro-inspired electric sports cars! Rebecca shares the remarkable journey from a classic car enthusiast and accountant to an EV pioneer, creating stunning 1950s and 60s-style electric cars that combine nostalgia, performance, and sustainability....

In another live-recorded episode, Paul and John sit down with Sarah Gray, Head of Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy & Development at Dawsongroup Vans.   We talk about: - Falling into the automotive world and never looking back   - Overcoming redundancy and imposter syndrome with the help of a business coach   - Supporting fleets on their transition to electric vans   - The real challenges of prod...

From lasers bound for Mars to leading the charge in EV infrastructure, Zaptec’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. In this week’s episode, Paul and Sarah sit down with Michael Braybrook to explore how a company that once supported NASA pivoted to become one of the few profitable EV hardware manufacturers in the world.   Michael shares:   The fascinating origin story of Zaptec, from space t...

In this special live-recorded episode of The EV Café Takeaway, we sit down with Nigel Allsop, Fleet Account Director for BT, who manages one of the UK’s largest and most complex fleets—over 36,000 vehicles and 5,000 company cars. Nigel shares the inside story of BT and Openreach’s journey to net zero by 2030, including how they’ve already electrified 5,500 vehicles, predominantly vans, and the str...

Did you know that 1 in 4 EVs currently bought are for Motability Operations? Neither did Paul Kirby! Join Paul and John (aka W.C.) as they sit down with Lisa Thomas—Chief Marketing Officer at Motability Operations—the organisation behind the life‑changing Motability Scheme.   Lisa shares the incredible story of how Motability Operations supports over 800,000 drivers across the UK, providing afford...

In this special live-recorded episode of The EV Café Takeaway, Paul and John sit down at Fleet & Mobility Live with Stuart Murphy, Head of Fleet Transformation at Royal Mail, to explore how one of the UK’s most iconic organisations is delivering a cleaner, zero-emission future.   Stuart shares his journey from growing up in the Royal Mail family to leading one of the largest electric fleet tra...

Chris Demetriou, (Assistant Director of Corporate Fleet, Transport and Accessible Community Transport at Islington Borough Council) has spent over 24 years in the public sector and now leads one of the UK’s most ambitious local authority fleet decarbonisation programmes.   Chris shares his journey from a two-week temp job to becoming a driving force behind Islington’s transition to electric vehicl...

This week, Phil Morris - Key Account Manager at Iveco on the ever-evolving world of zero and low-emission commercial vehicles.   Phil shares his journey from working in his family’s butcher shop to becoming a passionate advocate for sustainable transport solutions. He takes us behind the scenes of heavy vehicle sales, explaining the jargon of six-by-fours, fifth wheels, and CNG. We dive deep into...

We dive into a conversation with Paul Hollick, Chairman of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) and CEO of Lightfoot.   Paul shares his journey from a young, unconfident teenager in the New Forest to a dynamic leader driving the UK fleet industry toward a zero-emission future. He opens up about:   Balancing his dual roles at AFP and Lightfoot   His passion for people, collaboration, and do...

In this inspiring episode of The EV Café Takeaway Podcast, we welcome Michelle Breffitt, co-founder of Women Drive Electric, the thriving community dedicated to helping women confidently make the switch to electric vehicles.   Michelle shares her journey from starting in the automotive world as a teenager to becoming a leading advocate for inclusivity, EV adoption, and authentic conversations arou...

Paul and John sit down with the unstoppable Evelyn Tourish, Customer Experience Director at Europcar Mobility Group UK. With 32 years at Europcar, Evelyn shares her journey from rental sales agent to leading the company’s customer experience and spearheading the electrification of their UK network. Her passion for EV adoption, customer care, and building resilient teams shines through as she talks...

Paul and John sit down with Stephen Briers, the highly respected Group Editor for Fleet News, AM, and Rail at Bauer Media. Stephen brings a wealth of insight into journalism, industry objectivity, and the fast-moving world of fleet electrification.   We Explore Stephen’s journey from humble beginnings to leading Bauer’s B2B automotive titles.   The responsibility of journalism in a rapidly changin...

This week JC and Sara (stepping in with her best Paul Kirby impression!) are joined by the brilliant Chris Bunce, Network Sales Manager for Iveco’s Light Business Line in the UK and Ireland.   Chris takes us behind the job title to share a refreshingly open and often hilarious conversation about:   His 30-year journey through the motor trade, from Yellow Pages cold calls to leading network sales a...

This week, Paul and John are joined by Andreas Blin, Director Segments and Partnerships - CPOs, Fuel&Convenience and Solution Partners at ChargePoint, and self-proclaimed enabler of the electric mobility revolution.   Andreas takes us on a journey from his early career in plastics and cheese-making machinery (yes, really!) to becoming a passionate leader in the EV charging industry. He shares...

This week we welcome Tim Morris, the newly appointed Marketing Director for UK & Ireland at Europcar. From swapping petrol-guzzling BMW M5s for sleek electric vehicles to navigating the challenges of parenthood, Tim's journey is as dynamic as the EV revolution itself.   🚙 What’s Inside?   Europcar’s Electric Evolution: Hear how Europcar is leading the charge with an impressive percentage of i...

This week we’re joined by Faizan Ahmed, Decarbonisation Programme Director at First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Faizan shares his inspiring journey steering First Bus towards a zero-emission future with bold ambitions, including a fleet of over 1,200 zero-emission buses—on track to hit 1,500 by next year! We dive into: 🌍Decarbonisation ambitions: The roadmap to a zero-emission com...

This week - Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England. Vicky shares her journey from the halls of government, where she played a pivotal role in shaping transport decarbonisation policy, to leading EVA England in amplifying the voice of EV drivers across the UK. 🚗 What’s in this episode? Vicky’s interesting career shift from zoology to EV advocacy  The critical role of EVA England in representing EV driv...

This week we’re joined by the legendary Tim Campbell from Campbell’s Consultancy—a true pioneer in the world of commercial vehicle decarbonisation. Known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of trucks and vans, Tim shares insights from his global journey exploring electrification, including eye-opening experiences from China’s commercial vehicle shows. We dive deep into:  🚚 The evolution of electrific...

In this deeply inspiring episode, Paul and John are joined by Tom Pearson, Commercial Director at CPD Bodies, one of the UK’s leading commercial vehicle converters. Tom shares CPD’s bold journey from a small business to a thriving medium-sized enterprise, fuelled by sustainable practices, innovative systems, and people-driven growth.   🚛 What’s in this episode?   CPD’s sustainability strategy, in...

This week we are joined by the dynamic Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy at the AA. Known for his appearances on BBC Travel News and transport reports, Jack shares his journey from local politics to becoming the voice of the motorist at one of Britain's most trusted motoring organisations. What’s Covered?   Behind the Scenes at the AA: Discover the dual role Jack plays – from being the AA’s media...