Shortly before condemning the Holden brand as unviable, General Motors announced a $US2.2 billion investment that will dedicate its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan to create its first dedicated production base for electric vehicles. The company has plans for a “variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs” to be produced at Hamtramck, including a battery-powered pick-up … Continue reading GM bets the farm on EV, autonomy
The Associate of Equipment Manufactures (AEM), a North American organisation, continues to pursue the formal process that could allow off-road machinery to use R1234yf instead of increasingly restricted R134a. AEM, aimed at advancing the success of global industrial equipment manufacturers, has been working on substitution reports for a range of machinery – including those used … Continue reading R1234yf for mobile machinery
Vehicle wreckers in Spain have been accused of emitting in excess of 76,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents by not properly disposing of refrigerant. The emissions, created by the negligent or illegal venting of air-conditioning systems, are reputed to be equivalent to driving a single car some 800 million km. The Spanish Central Prosecutor’s Office for … Continue reading Spanish wreckers caught venting
Transport refrigeration specialist Thermo King has developed new diesel-electric hybrid systems for trucks, drawbar trailers and high-loaders. In addition to reduced running costs, the hybrids’ alternator and inverter-drive technology from sister company Frigoblock, enable switching between diesel and electric operation as needed. Thermo King says these dual modes enable transport companies to “operate in inner … Continue reading Thermo King adds hybrids
The surge in illegal CFC-11 production and use in China will, according to a recently published athe recovery of the ozone layer. The paper, titled Delay in recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole from unexpected CFC-11 emissions, suggests that the emissions could add two years to the recovery of the ozone layer – if, that … Continue reading Ozone under threat from CFC-11
The illegal refrigerant trade in Europe is extracting a heavy toll on legitimate business on both sides of the Atlantic. As a case in point, the profits of US-based refrigerant and chemical specialist Chemours fell from $10.1 billion in 2018 to $8.4 billion in 2019, with the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) black market cited as one of … Continue reading Trade in illegal refrigerant hits hard
Almost everyone in Australasia knows someone who was affected by the recent bushfire crisis, from losing loved ones, homes and livelihoods to cancelled travel plans and almost every conceivable scenario between. The ferocity and speed of many fires put them beyond human control, but that didn’t stop countless brave, selfless souls from trying. Among these … Continue reading VASA director Darrel Hursey risked everything in bushfire fight
Electric utes, sports coupes and more in the pipeline to keep our weekends alive From a VASA member perspective, electric vehicles are only going to “end the weekend” (as claimed by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the 2019 general election campaign) because their businesses will be overrun with high-end thermal and electrical diagnosis and … Continue reading Weekends: saved
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?
