A study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) has concluded that electric cars and vans in every European light vehicle segment will less expensive to make than their fossil-fueled equivalents by 2027 at the latest. The report, commissioned by independent clan transport campaign group Transport & Environment, says small and mid-size cars and SUVs will cost the same to … Continue reading Study predicts EVs will be cheaper to make than petrol or diesel equivalents by 2027
Toyota has built the world’s first refrigerated vehicle to get Performance, Quality and Safety prequalification from the World Health Organisation for the transport of vaccines. Based on a LandCruiser 78 ‘Troopy’, the project will help reduce the amount of vaccines wasted by exposure to temperature fluctuations during transportation to hospitals and clinics in regions where … Continue reading Toyota builds refrigerated VaccineCruiser based on 78-series Troopy, gets WHO tick of approval
The United States and China have made a joint commitment of mutual cooperation to phase down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, following meetings in Shanghai between US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua. Among the world’s largest producers and consumers of HFCs, the two … Continue reading US, China get serious on HFCs
This year’s Brisbane Truck Show will host the launch of EV Automotive’s EC11 electric van and minibus, which have received full volume Australian Design Rule certification and compliance. Available in 12.3 cubic metre E-Cargo and 12-seat E-Crew formats, the EC11 has a 1.7-tonne payload and its 73.6kWh battery provides a claimed range of 200-300km depending … Continue reading Brisbane Truck Show promises electrification
A decade’s worth of lobbying by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) – and significant efforts by others – has finally resulted in the introduction of legislation that would require automakers to share service and repair data. The legislation, which entered Australian Parliament as the latest edition of SightGlass News went to press, would level the playing … Continue reading Repair info sharing legislation enters parliament
Australia’s federal government has extended its wage subsidy scheme for apprentices and trainees for another year, ending 30 September 2021. The scheme, said to have helped create around 100,000 apprenticeships to date, was introduced in 2020 as part of the economic response to COVID-19 and subsidises 50 per cent of the wages of apprentices and trainees. In total, … Continue reading Extension for Australian apprenticeship subsidy
Falken parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries has developed a method of harvesting static electricity from rotating tyres and then using this energy to power sensors, such as those used for tyre pressure monitoring systems. The joint project with Professor Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University in Japan, has resulted in an integrated system that uses the electricity generated … Continue reading Tyres that can generate electricity?
Jaguar Land Rover is planning to install Panasonic’s virus-busting ‘nanoe X’ air-purification technology on future models. The nanoe X technology, already used in some Panasonic commercial air-conditioners, has been verified as an inhibitor of harmful bacteria and viruses (including COVID-19) by viral research specialists Texcell. Jaguar Land Rover has also commissioned an independent assessment of nanoe X … Continue reading Jaguar Land Rover to get virus-busting HVAC tech
The shipping industry is looking to the past and future in an attempt to address its heinous air pollution record, with a return to wind power as well as battery power for upcoming ocean-going cargo vessels. Perhaps most striking is the Oceanbird roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vehicle carrier that has taken its first order from Norewgian … Continue reading Shipping finally starts to clean up its act
The VASA Board has taken the tough decision to further postpone Wire & Gas until 2022 due to ongoing uncertainty caused by regular state border closures and snap lockdowns that will likely continue well into this year. Light is visible at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel with the first shipment of vaccines rolling out … Continue reading Wire & Gas postponed until July 2022
