Do not fully charge: Volvo electric vehicle warning
A serious fault has been identified in more than 2800 electric vehicles and, with no immediate fix, drivers are being warned not to fully charge the cars.
road transport
Cyclone leaves trail of damage as floods isolate towns
Residents of isolated communities might be cut off for months, with roads and water supplies damaged by heavy rain left behind by ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji.
Hybrids, SUVs and utes race away with 2025 car sales
Australian motorists are increasingly choosing fuel-efficient vehicles but that does not mean a move away from SUVs or utes.
auto trends
automotive equipment
business (general)
consumer goods
diesel fuel
environmental issue
imports
road transport
sales
transport
Novel car brands tipped to accelerate Aussie market
From Forthing to Farizon, consumers can expect plenty of fresh brand names in the local automotive market, with growth expected to almost double in a decade.
Charges and changes: electric car shifts coming in 2026
Twists and turns are coming to Australia's electric car market, from a potential road-user charge and tax reform to the price of models launching on our shores.
Dismal start to holidays as national road toll soars
A grim start to the Christmas holidays on the roads continues, with Australia on track to record its worst year of fatalities in more than a decade.
business (general)
employee
employer
research
road transport
survey
transport
travel and commuting
work relations
Long commute deal breaker as workers stay close to home
Spending hours on public transport or driving to work is falling out of favour as more employees seek local and hybrid working options.
Electric shock: hybrids, not EVs, pose pedestrian risk
They may be quieter and heavier than petrol cars but electric vehicles are not more likely to crash into a pedestrian or to cause serious injury.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
diesel fuel
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
road transport
transport
Aussies’ latest car choices are driving down pollution
The growing popularity of hybrid and electric cars is helping to reduce Australia's transport emissions but big, old cars are slowing progress.
Road tests show electric vehicles keep pulling up short
Battery-powered cars have been found using more energy than promised in independent tests, just like their petrol and diesel peers.
Motorists pooh pooh petrol for low-emission options
Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles are closing the gap on their petrol rivals with sales figures showing a change in consumer sentiment.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
environmental issue
renewable energy
road transport
transport
The vast and the curious: electric car expo shows range
Battery-powered sports cars, vans, SUVs and motorbikes will go on show in Melbourne but organisers say some attendees may need test drives to win them over.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental pollution
road transport
transport
New entry about to make electric cars a lot cheaper
Australian motorists can expect to see more price competition in electric vehicles after one auto maker announced the cheapest model to date.
Second-hand car buyers are looking to save petrol too
Hybrid vehicles are not just popular with new car buyers, as figures reveal the low-emission models are making up more second-hand sales.
Gasps as message sent over ‘extreme’ road rage death
A killer driver who dragged another man alongside his moving vehicle before running over him will spend years in jail as a warning to others.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
environmental issue
environmental politics
road transport
transport
New petrol cars could be outnumbered in two years
Australian drivers are buying more electric and hybrid vehicles than ever and experts say they are forcing down petrol and diesel car sales.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
energy (general)
environmental issue
research
road transport
sales
transport
Petrol low as car buyers flock to hybrid and electric
More buyers of new vehicles are opting to save money on petrol with electric cars and hybrid models proving popular in the latest auto industry snapshot.
Hybrids, small SUVs revealed as unexpected gas guzzlers
Popular vehicles including petrol-powered SUVs and hybrids are exceeding their advertised fuel consumption by up to 21 per cent, tests have found.
No sound, no fury: a startup is backing electric trucks
A record-breaking electric truck journey has been staged to prove Australian businesses can and should swap diesel for battery-powered transport.
auto trends
automotive equipment
construction and property
consumers
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
regulatory policy and organisation
road transport
transport
Construction code delays risk pulling the plug on EVs
New homes will not need to be ready to charge electric vehicles after a freeze on the construction code, which some say will stall progress.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumers
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Pole position: contentious EV charging plan to go ahead
Power providers in one state will be allowed to install electric vehicle chargers on their power poles despite opposition to the proposal.
Waste is the new oil: why Aussie export may be rubbish
Cutting emissions from long-haul flights, shipping and trucking remains a challenge but one solution could put Australia in an enviable position.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
road transport
transport
Ban on petrol, diesel vehicles urged as EVs set records
Motorists are buying electric vehicles in record numbers but uptake will need to speed up to meet climate targets and experts are calling for change.
Parcel-packing electric trikes to roll out by Christmas
Australia's largest electric fleet is expected to grow significantly with the introduction of three-wheeled vehicles capable of carrying more parcels.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Why 2026 could be the year cars drive down power prices
With three energy companies committed to trials and more automakers willing to back them, using your electric car as a battery should be possible soon.
‘Everlasting regret’ truckie to be jailed for bus crash
A truck driver says he is wracked with guilt after he drove a defective prime mover that crashed into a school bus with "catastrophic consequences".
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
environmental issue
environmental pollution
road transport
sales
transport
Electric car U-turn puts low-emission options on track
Electric vehicles are quietly climbing the sales charts in Australia after a slow start to the year, but hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars remain popular.
automotive equipment
consumers
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
exports
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Wanted: 100 electric car drivers for energy-saving test
Would you plug your car into the national grid for money off your electricity bill? A growing number of energy providers would like to know.
Charge up at no charge: EV pilot to test behaviour
A major energy supplier will select 50 households to take part in a vehicle-to-grid technology trial that will charge up vehicles at no cost.
accident (general)
auto trends
litigation and regulation
regulatory policy and organisation
road transport
safety of citizens
transport
Ratings system to help drivers navigate road safety
How safe are the roads you regularly travel? A free online tool ranks most major arterial roads out of five stars and its maker plans to expand it.
Self-driving car forecasts speed up after Tesla launch
Australia could become a major testbed for autonomous vehicles if efforts to develop a national set of road rules for their use are successful.