The Green Car Innovation Fund summarised

On Friday the 6th of February 2009 I attended a one of the Green Car Innovation Fund (GCIF) consultation sessions being held around Australia. My motivation for attending was primarily to find out how the Fund was going to work and to try to get an idea of the impact of the fund on the [...]

Reading: Fuel for thought

While digging around the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) web site I discovered Fuel for thought, a publication by the Future Fuels Forum 2007. This June 2008 publication informs us how the Future Fuels Forum thinks transport fuels will pan out in our future with modelling from now to 2050.  It is an [...]

Australians rank eighth in world car ownership levels

Information from Pocket World In Figures 2009 shows that Australians rank eighth in the world of car ownership.  From the chart below it appears Aussies own approximately 540 cars per 1000 people in our population. I can’t say I’m surprised. A quick look around the ‘burbs highlights the number of double garages and the occasional [...]

Keep your old car or buy a new more efficient model?

On the Scientific American web site a reader asked a question that has been in the back of my mind for quite a while: Is it better to drive an older, well-maintained car that gets about 25 miles per gallon or to buy a new car that gets about 35 miles per gallon? The response [...]

KTM gets conceptual

KTM in partnership with the FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft have developed a number of concept vehicles ranging from a four wheel off-roader to a hydrofoil boat. My favourite is the oddly named sr 85 deuce, a light weight electric car that makes an Ariel Atom look positively obese. You can view all six concepts here.

City Living versus The Great Australian Dream

For a few years now I’ve harboured a dream to be able to live life without a car. I have this imaginary lifestyle in my mind where I live in the centre of a city. Everything I need is within walking or cycling distance. On the rare occasion that I need to do a long [...]

Victorian Transport Plan released

The Victorian Department of Transport released the Victorian Transport Plan (VTP) earlier this month. Not having a great understanding of Melbourne and Victoria make it hard to assess the VTP but at least Victoria has a plan. The proof will be in the execution. Highlights include: Up to 70 new trains and 100km of new [...]

Will digital trees on your dash make you a more economical driver?

Honda has announced the development of the Ecological Drive Assist System for their 2009 Insight hybrid, which combines three functions to enhance fuel economy. The ECON Mode optimises control of the continuously variable transmission and engine for more fuel-efficient driving at the push of a button. The guidance function uses speedometer color to provide real-time [...]

evMe – the Australian Mazda 2 electric car

Back in February 2008 we wrote about the Blade Runner, now called the Electron, which is an electric Hyundai Getz produced by Blade Electric Vehicles. We are pleased to report that Australia now has a second company producing electric cars based on an existing small car platform. This time the conversion is being done by [...]

Locally produced four-cylinder Holden due in 2010

Holden and the Prime Minister held a combined press conference today at the Holden plant in Adelaide to announce the production of a new front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder car at the Elizabeth plant. The new car will be designed and engineered at Port Melbourne in Victoria and will commence production in the third quarter of 2010. The [...]