Some hybrid cars thirstier than their petrol peers
On-road vehicle tests show some hybrid vehicles are not saving as much petrol as lab tests promise and a two use more than standard cars on highways.
automotive equipment
Will Tesla’s problems crash Australia’s electric dream?
The brand that has long led Australia's electric vehicle charge is falling out of favour. Can the nation's move to low-emission transport go on regardless?
Car sales accelerate, with hybrids leading the charge
More drivers are getting behind the wheel of a new car but preferences are changing, with hybrids speeding up and petrol cars slowing down.
auto trends
automotive equipment
diesel fuel
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
political campaigns
politics
politics (general)
pollution
road transport
transport
U-turn on gas-guzzler fines could penalise motorists
Carmakers who fail to meet environmental standards will not be penalised under proposed changes expected during the election campaign.
Hitting the brakes: hybrid sales clouded by tax cut end
A tax concession for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles has come to the end of the road and experts say it could affect future car sales and emissions.
Trump ratchets up trade war with 25 per cent car tariff
Markets are reacting to President Donald Trump's announcement of new import taxes of 25 per cent on cars and car parts coming into the US.
Aussie road rules are not ready for self-driving cars
Road rules will need to be changed before autonomous vehicles become more common, or lawsuits could follow.
Tesla Cybertruck named the hero of motor show comeback
It is large, futuristic and not ready to drive on Australian roads but Tesla's Cybertruck will be the centrepiece of the first Melbourne motor show in 15 years.
Why electric cars can be uncommonly useful in cyclones
As Queenslanders prepared for a tropical cyclone, an Australian electric car company raced to fulfil an influx of orders to keep lights and fridges working.
New vehicle sales stuck in slow lane, even popular SUVs
Hybrids are among few vehicles to withstand a continuing slowdown in new vehicles sales, with one model racing into the top ten.
Plug-in hybrid car tax breaks about to hit the skids
Drivers have one month left to claim a tax break on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, amid calls for Labor to give the fuel-saving cars more support.
Price and policy changes redirect Uber’s electric drive
Australian ride-share drivers could be about to lose a long-time electric vehicle discount but gain another as Uber adapts to market changes.
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
environmental politics
renewable energy
research
road transport
transport
Big changes needed to connect cars to the power grid
Most Australians want to turn their electric vehicle into a battery on wheels in future but there are still speed bumps to making the technology work.
Small cars show a big thirst for petrol in road tests
Three popular small cars, including a hybrid model, are among the latest vehicles found using more fuel than expected in Australian road tests.
Kerbside charging boost to curb electric car concerns
Hundreds of electric vehicle chargers will be installed on power poles across three states in a bid to remove concerns about swapping to next-gen transport.
Electric vehicle sales brake as car market slows again
Australians bought fewer new cars in January, with electric car sales more than halving despite growing price competition and new limits on vehicle emissions.
air pollution
auto trends
automotive equipment
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
pollution
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Electric kickstart: call to fund clean, greener trucks
Small transport companies need to adopt electric fleets to remain competitive, industry experts say, but many will need financial help to get there.
Dump fuel fees and tax all cars, motoring groups urge
The government should overhaul vehicle taxes in its upcoming budget, according to early submissions that say electric, hybrid and petrol drivers should pay.
20,000 free rides: Uber and Kia’s Australian Open serve
Fifty electric vehicles will deliver Aussies around Melbourne during the Australian Open in a partnership designed to promote the transport technology.
automotive equipment
consumers
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
environmental politics
road transport
transport
Charge ahead faster: energy group proposes EV changes
Installing electric car chargers on power poles could be a solution to Australia's growing transport issues, one group says, and could roll out fast.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
politics (general)
pollution
road transport
transport
Rough road ahead despite record-breaking new car sales
Aussie motorists bought a record number of new vehicles during the year but experts warn the path ahead is rocky as momentum is already slowing.
Laws to rev up electric car race at starting line
Australia's automotive industry will look different in 2025 after a change in laws inspires a long list of electric and plug-in hybrid challengers.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumers
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
pollution
road transport
transport
Australia urged to power ahead on EV charger rollout
Australia is not moving fast enough on vehicle charging and is holding back apartment dwellers, one of the country's biggest energy firms says.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
politics
politics (general)
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Push to spark up EV policy to drive net zero ambitions
Misinformation and an early end to state subsidies has slowed electric car adoption and may mean Australia misses its climate goals, a study has found.
auto trends
automotive equipment
computing and information technology
consumer issue - lifestyle and leisure
road transport
safety of citizens
science and technology
software
technology (general)
transport
Smartphones still driving professionals to distraction
Calls, messages and apps are even getting the best of paid drivers, a study has found, amid a call to introduce surveillance and safety alerts behind the wheel.
Drivers hit the brakes on car buys as economy slows
New vehicle sales continue to slow down in Australia, in what industry experts say is a 'disturbing trend' and a sign the cost of living is biting.
auto trends
automotive equipment
budgets and budgeting
consumer issue - macro economics
consumers
economy (general)
road transport
transport
Deals on the bus go down, down: transport costs plunge
Transport costs have fallen for Australian households, a report shows, led by public transport discounts and falling fuel prices.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
environmental politics
regulatory policy and organisation
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Electric cars may save power grid, if drivers let them
Motorists could decide the future of Australia's energy networks by when they choose to buy an electric car and how they recharge it.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
energy
energy (general)
energy saving
environmental issue
renewable energy
road transport
sales
transport
Lingering doubts, end of subsidies put EVs in slow lane
Electric vehicle sales have dipped according to Australian Automobile Association figures, and experts say misconceptions and rebate removals are to blame.
auto trends
automotive equipment
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
environmental politics
litigation and regulation
politics
politics (general)
pollution
road transport
transport
Electric cars could keep lights on in Australian homes
The batteries inside electric cars could be used to power households in Australia before the end of the year after the release of technological standards.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
economy (general)
energy (general)
environmental issue
road transport
transport
New vehicle sales slow down as economy applies brakes
New vehicle sales have fallen in Australia for the third month in a row, with sales figures revealing private buyers were most likely to drive on by.