All aboard: fast rail gains momentum after false starts
A high-speed rail network linking major cities in Australia would come at a huge cost but is gaining momentum as experts tout the cost savings for commuters.
transport
Funding all aboard ensuring fast rail leaves station
A two-year development phase will lay the groundwork for a final decision on federal funding for high-speed rail from Newcastle to Sydney.
Big trucks and buses drive a heavy healthcare burden
Premature deaths and childhood asthma are among the health risks of allowing high-polluting heavy vehicles to travel on populated routes.
Popular car brand earns $24m debt under pollution rules
Some of the most popular car companies in Australia and a selection of luxury brands have failed to meet emissions targets in their first year of operation.
Electric car sales may stall if tax policy changes gear
Australia's biggest electric vehicle incentive is under review and both traditional car makers and the EV industry warns change could lead to a crash.
Ticket to rideshare: disability groups call for change
Transport subsidy schemes around Australia need urgent reform to give people with disabilities greater choice and lower costs, a report has found.
‘Off our roads’: high-powered e-bikes to be crushed
Police will confiscate and crush high-powered, illegal e-bikes in a crackdown after a viral video of 40 hoons speeding across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Harbour Bridge joyriders sparks calls for e-bike action
Footage of young men dangerously riding e-bikes and motorcycles on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has fuelled calls for more accountability.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
economy (general)
environmental issue
environmental pollution
finance (general)
road transport
transport
Petrol, diesel cars slow while hybrids, EVs speed up
Australians are buying fewer cars that use fossil fuels alone as they shift allegiance to low-emission hybrid and electric models.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
environmental issue
environmental politics
loans
politics (general)
road transport
transport
Discount loans to drive down the price of electric cars
Finance on electric vehicles from two big brands will be subsidised by the government under a plan to cut the cost of low-emission cars.
‘Really shocked’: pilot remembered after fiery crash
Investigators have begun sifting through a "complex accident scene" after two people were killed in a fiery plane crash north of the Gold Coast.
No seats, no dramas: $30m boost for self-driving cars
A Melbourne company creating vehicles with no seats, no doors and no steering wheel has secured an investment to boost its manufacturing.
Death toll soars after high-speed train crash in Spain
A high-speed train has derailed and smashed into another oncoming train in southern Spain in a collision that killed at least 39 people.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
environmental issue
road transport
safety of citizens
transport
Want a safe car? Crash tests say you should go electric
The safest new vehicles in Australia are almost all electric, with the top performers delivering consistently across the various areas of testing.
Hybrid and electric vehicles rev up second-hand market
Australians are buying more used hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars, although sales across all states and territories are slowing down.
Australia Post rival shuts operations without warning
A Sydney-based delivery firm that promised to undercut Australia Post has abruptly stopped taking bookings, causing alarm for businesses.
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.
US seizes two oil tankers linked to Venezuela
The US has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back operations.
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.
Holiday warning after hoard of stolen e-bikes uncovered
Bicycle and scooter riders have been reminded to secure their vehicles after multiple stolen e-bikes were found in the home of an alleged thief.
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.
Modified e-bikes cop another rail ban over safety risks
Converted e-bikes will no longer be allowed on a major rail network, with one state government blaming "after-market add-ons" for causing fires.
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.
E-bike rider killed in crash as safety warning sounds
Cyclists are being urged to wear helmets and stay off the footpath after an e-bike rider was hit and killed by a garbage truck.
No raining on city’s parade as $15b train line opens
Crowds have flocked to five new underground stations to catch trains through Melbourne's Metro Tunnel for the first time.
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.