Author: Haitham Razagui

Zero is Australia’s third LandCruiser EV conversion

Adelaide based start-up Zero Automotive has launched an electric-converted Toyota LandCruiser called the ZED 70, capable of up to 350km on a charge and primarily aimed at reducing diesel particulate emissions in underground mining applications. It is the third Australian LandCruiser EV conversion to be announced in two years, with VASA member GB Auto hitting … Continue reading Zero is Australia’s third LandCruiser EV conversion

AEB uptake could provide opportunity

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is now available on 60 per cent of Australia’s 100 top-selling light vehicles, according to crash-test authority ANCAP, with the inevitable repair and calibration of this and other sophisticated safety systems presenting a huge opportunity to VASA members. In September, around 40,000 new vehicles with AEB joined the Australian fleet, according … Continue reading AEB uptake could provide opportunity

Women & Leadership Australia

Women working in the automotive sector are invited to express interest in a limited pool of scholarship funding that has to be allocated by the end of this year. The fee support opportunity has been provisioned by St.George, Women in Automotive and Toyota to provide women with a range of full and partial scholarships for … Continue reading St George, Women in Automotive & Toyota boost Women & Leadership scholarships

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says car-makers that still refused to share service and repair data with independent workshops are costing consumers $1 billion a year. ACCC chairman Rod Sims told the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics that consumers were being disadvantaged by car-makers that cite safety reasons for not granting … Continue reading No repair data sharing costs $1b a year: ACCC

Two people were hospitalised with “significant” burns caused by a refrigeration compressor explosion at the food court of Parabanks Shopping Centre in Adelaide on September 7. A tradesperson working on the compressor reportedly suffered full body burns to their chest and face in the incident, which also inflicted burns to the legs of the owner … Continue reading Another hydrocarbon refrigerant incident?

We may never see an EV battery pack capable of providing a million-mile (1.6 million km) range, but one capable of enough discharge and recharge cycles to carry a vehicle this huge distance could become available as soon as next year, according to Tesla. The main benefit of this battery technology could be to help … Continue reading Mooted million-mile battery pack could be electric truck game-changer

The Porsche Taycan pictured above is hooked up to an Australian-made ultra rapid charger capable of zapping a colossal 350kW into the battery of an electric vehicle, provided it is capable of handling this level of throughput. Porsche has engineered the Taycan to take a not-inconsiderable 270kW of charge when plugged into the right 800-volt … Continue reading Porsche has Taycan thermal management to new heights with its EV

A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) is highlights both direct and indirect emissions caused by automotive air-conditioning, recommending governments take a holistic approach to addressing these issues that includes the adoption of low-GWP refrigerants, improved system efficiency and increased vehicle electrification. Few reports of this kind cover both direct and indirect emissions, usually … Continue reading Auto-AC has big energy role to play in reducing emissions

The red R134a sticker on a refrigerant line fitting in the image above is found under the bonnet of a cutting-edge electric vehicle that is selling well in Australia. The Hyundai Kona. Inset is a J639 label from another hi-tech EV, the Jaguar I-Pace, sold in Australia carrying 850 grams of R134a. The Kona uses … Continue reading Car-makers keep using high-GWP refrigerant