Electric Vehicles

The first fully Australian designed and built electric bus has been rolled out for a two-week trial in Sydney as the New South Wales State Government pushes ahead with its plan to convert its entire bus fleet to electric by 2030.

The Victorian Government’s push to impose a tax on electric vehicles (EV) is accelerating despite a Federal Government MP warning this week that the uptake of EVs in Australia is too slow, and the industry needs to be supported.

LG Energy Solution is facing consumer concerns with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) confirming a recall notice for some of the company’s battery energy storage systems (ESS) due to potential defects which can cause overheating and fire.

Australia’s laggardly uptake of electric vehicles is set for a boost after Origin Energy announced a partnership with Custom Fleet to provide a holistic solution to EV fleet transition. Fleet cars make up almost half of all new car sales in Australia and upgrading Australia’s commercial vehicles to electric is seen as key to reducing transport emissions.

Dutch scientist Bonna Newmann spoke with pv magazine about the present and future of vehicle-integrated PV from a technological and economic perspective. Solar panels installed on cars could have a payback time of only three or four years and ensure 10,000 km of pure PV-generated road travel per year, she said. Furthermore, if you live in a sunny place, you can drive an electric car with solar panels for weeks during summertime, without the need for recharging, she pointed out.

For the transport sector, which is responsible for half of New Zealand’s energy-related emissions, the commission suggests a sweeping set of changes to electrify the country’s car fleet and to replace imported fuels with local renewable electricity. It’s exciting to see a national-level plan that actually cuts emissions. But it raises two questions: is it feasible, and is it the best or only option?

Australia’s Rectifier Technologies has unveiled its latest electric vehicle charging technology, which the company says is flexible, reduces grid stains and opens the door to High Powered Charging in urban areas.

The Electric Vehicle Council (ECV) has taken a swipe at Australia’s politicians, claiming they are “Holden” the nation back after automotive giant General Motors announced it is going all electric and plans to be carbon neutral by 2040 in its global products and operations.

World-first electric vehicle (EV) charging technology that is 50% quicker than existing 50 kW EV charging stations and capable of simultaneously charging two vehicles has been rolled out on the Gold Coast.

The centralised nature of policymaking in Beijing would enable component standardisation to ease the transition from EV to stationary energy storage use, according to Greenpeace East Asia.