Tag: SightGlass News Issue 37

Major vocational training reform in New Zealand promises to give the automotive sector greater control over apprenticeships and traineeships. It involves a departure from the centralised model under Te Pūkenga, the country’s Institute of Skills and Technology and aims to ensure work-based programmes are more closely aligned with industry needs and job realities. The shift … Continue reading NZ auto industry welcomes vocational training reform

Cold chain goes solar

The cold chain industry is undergoing a major transformation as electric reefers – powered by solar energy, batteries, and regenerative braking – begin to replace traditional diesel systems.  In Australia, continental Europe and the UK, innovative trials and commercial rollouts are proving that sustainable refrigerated transport is both viable and already working. Australia’s first solar … Continue reading Cold chain goes solar

R1234yf cylinder

Honeywell has officially announced its new publicly traded spin-off refrigerant company, Solstice Advanced Materials, expected to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026, allowing both companies to pursue independent growth. With projected revenue approaching A$6.7 billion, Solstice Advanced Materials will remain headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey, and leverage its flagship hydrofluoroolefin technology, developed … Continue reading Honeywell’s refrigerant spin-off Solstice takes shape

Chemours plant near Corpus Christi, Texas

Chemours reported a 14 per cent increase in sales of its Opteon HFO refrigerants and low-GWP blends in 2024, reaching $810 million (A$1.25 billion). Growth was particularly strong in the fourth quarter, with a 23 per cent year-on-year rise, as customers prepared for the U.S. AIM Act, which took effect in 2024 and mandates the … Continue reading Low-GWP shift lifts sales for Chemours Opteon brand 

Utah Senator Mike Lee has urged United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider pulling the US out of the Montreal Protocol – and SightGlass understands American industry is taking the prospect seriously. In a letter dated 30 April 2025, Senator Lee cited scientific, economic, and geopolitical concerns, calling the treaty a “relic of … Continue reading Senator wants to cancel Montreal Protocol

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 battery thermal management

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?