Automotive thermal management company Hanon Systems has has manufactured its millionth electric R744 (carbon dioxide) compressor for EVs. The R744 compressors, which have been in high-volume production at the company’s Palmela plant in Portugal since 2019, are at the core of energy-efficient heating and cooling systems used in modern electric cars. Continue reading A million R744 EV heat pumps!
The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) is advancing its shift to more sustainable rail transport with the rollout of new battery-electric trains featuring propane-based climate control systems. Liebherr-Transportation Systems has been commissioned to supply the (HVAC) systems, using technology the company developed with R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant. Each train will be equipped with three saloon HVAC units … Continue reading Hydrocarbon refrigerant for Austria’s new trains
This summer, we’re keeping cooler than ever. Australia’s refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) industry has continued to grow steadily. As per the latest 2024-25 ARC permit scheme annual report, the automotive sector holds the largest number of current Refrigerant Trading Authorisations (RTAs), making up more than 52 per cent of all current RTAs. It is a … Continue reading ARC Insights: Auto refrigerant trends and summer reminder
The Australian freight and logistics industry keeps evolving toward low- and zero-emission technologies with new charging hubs to aid fleet electrification in parallel with the local development of biofuels, green hydrogen and the related infrastructure. Government investment in low-carbon biofuels As part of a broader push toward sustainable transport, Australia is making strides in low-carbon … Continue reading Haul pass: Road freight’s tech frontier
Australia’s automotive aftermarket sector faces a severe and ongoing skills shortage, with nearly 40,000 technicians urgently needed across the country. Yet despite this clear demand, women hold only around 1 in 40 automotive trade roles, according to data from the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance. This underrepresentation is compounding the labour shortage, especially as demand … Continue reading Women technicians needed!
British startup Hydrohertz has patented a thermal management technology dubbed ‘Dectravalve’, which early testing suggests could cut electric vehicle fast-charging times by more than two-thirds while boosting battery performance and efficiency. It has the potential to enable vehicle manufacturers to quickly boost the appeal of electric vehicles in a cost-effective way, without waiting for next-generation … Continue reading Startup rethinks EV thermal management
Australia’s independent automotive repair sector is facing one of its most complex periods of change, as electric vehicles (EVs), advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and an influx of Chinese-built models reshape the way workshops operate. These shifts are highlighted in the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association’s (AAAA) 2025 Critical Issues Report, released at the Bridgestone Family … Continue reading AAAA critical issues report highlights EVs, ADAS and new car brands
Australia’s drive to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 is intensifying with a recently announced 2035 emissions reduction target of up to 70 per cent – but industry debate reveals both progress and friction in terms of low-emission transport, the adoption of electric vehicles, and a big missed opportunity when it comes to refrigerants. Global scrutiny … Continue reading The road to Net Zero: progress and friction
The Australian government has committed to extending Right to Repair reforms to agricultural machinery in the policy’s most significant expansion since the pioneering Motor Vehicle Information Sharing (MVIS) Scheme was introduced in July 2022. In a move being framed as a major productivity lever for regional Australia, federal treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed “the Commonwealth will … Continue reading Right to Repair flagged as productivity priority, farm machinery to be included
Several Australian automotive industry bodies have criticised the federal government’s decision to halve apprenticeship incentives from January 2026, warning that the cut will worsen the automotive sector’s chronic skills shortage and ultimately cost consumers through higher repair bills and longer wait times. The government plans to cut the Priority Hiring Incentive from $5000 to $2500 … Continue reading Auto industry slams apprenticeship incentive cuts
