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!
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
Kleandrive has partnered with British public transport operator First Bus and heavy vehicle manufacturer Alexander Dennis to convert diesel buses to electric using innovative modular drivetrain tech. The collaboration will initially result in 30 Wrightbus Streetdeck double-deckers fitted with KleanDrive electric drivetrains. Continue reading Double-decker buses get a new life with EV swap
Stellantis has partnered with battery technology company Ample to bring modular battery swapping to Madrid’s streets, aiming to revolutionise electric vehicle charging for car-sharing service Free2move through five-minute battery exchanges. The rollout features a fleet of Fiat 500e vehicles equipped with Ample’s modular battery packs that can be swapped for fully charged units in under … Continue reading Five-minute battery swap shops open in Madrid
VASA member GB Auto has switched 20 vehicles to electric F-150 Lightnings, the first major deployment of locally converted electric utes in Australia. The fully electric utility vehicles have been remanufactured to right-hand drive by Advanced Manufacturing Queensland (AMQ), part of the Australian-owned Bosscap Group, at its 8000-square-metre facility in Brendale, north of Brisbane. Bosscap … Continue reading GB Auto’s fleet of beaut electric utes
A shift towards electrification in the world of heavy machinery is not only underway but accelerating with the introduction of electric platforms like Dannar’s MPS and Case’s 580EV electric backhoe loader emerging with the potential to reshape the landscape of off-highway and construction machinery. Beyond the obvious emissions reductions, developments in this industry promise to increase … Continue reading The future of machinery: Modular and electrified
Australian logistics firm Centurion has launched Australia’s first off-grid electric truck fleet with 20 fully electric Mercedes-Benz eActros trucks as part of a $29 million project powered entirely by solar energy. Centurion is already operating the trucks across the Perth metropolitan area powered by a 4.4-megawatt rooftop solar installation at its Hazelmere depot. Continue reading Perth off-grid electric truck fleet: Initial rollout of 20 Mercedes trucks fuelled by 4.4MW solar, 10MWh battery
China’s dominant battery manufacturer CATL has unveiled a suite of revolutionary technologies that promise to transform electric vehicle performance, cost and charging. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, which supplies batteries to 16 of the world’s top car-makers, held a commanding 38 per cent share of the global EV battery market in 2024. The company’s latest … Continue reading More game-changing battery tech from China
Stagnating growth in demand for battery electric vehicles in some markets has prompted UK-based Horse Powertrain to develop a modular hybrid system that retrofit an internal combustion engine to existing BEV platforms with minimal modifications. The company, a joint venture between Renault Group and Geely with backing from Saudi oil giant Aramco, revealed its Future … Continue reading Convert EV to a hybrid: Horse Powertrain retrofit kit
BYD, the world’s largest electrified vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has unveiled its groundbreaking 1000kW Super e-Platform. The company claims to be the first to achieve a 10C charging rate, meaning the charging speed is 10 times the battery’s capacity per hour. This allows vehicles to add up to 400km of range in only five minutes, with … Continue reading Will electrified vehicle thermal management move toward direct refrigerant contact?
