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Hyundai to take on Tesla with its own zero-emissions truck
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By Tung Nguyen · 22 Oct 2019
Hyundai's next step in hydrogen fuel cell mobility will be in the form of a large commercial vehicle as the brand teases a concept for a large truck dubbed HDC-6 Neptune for a reveal later this month.Though very little information is currently known about
Holden Ute EV would be "as cheap or cheaper" as fuel-powered rivals
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By Andrew Chesterton · 17 Jun 2019
GM's top executive has shed more light on the brand's electric ute plans, revealing its first EV pick-up truck will be as cheap or cheaper than it's fuel-powered rivals, but no less capable.That's the word from GM president, and former Holden MD, Mark
BMW ready to go electric, but says politicians are dragging the power cord
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By Stephen Corby · 03 May 2019
Partisan politicking around increasing the number of EVs on Australian roads has done nothing to change consumer attitudes thus far, and nor will it, until politicians set out an actual road map for action, according to Vikram Pawah, the CEO of BMW Group Australia.
Fuel efficiency explained
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By CarsGuide team · 08 Apr 2019
We’ve all heard the term fuel-efficient bandied about and although it’s a very common term when talking about cars, what exactly does it mean?At the very basic level, fuel-efficiency refers to the distance you can travel on a amount of fuel. Let’s break it down.Even with a one-litre difference in fuel efficiency, the owner of Car B will need another 147 litres of fuel and spend an extra $183.75 than the owner of Car A. All that from an extra one-litre per 100km.What qualifies as fuel efficient, then?Anything that is listed as less than 6-litres/100km or more than 16.5km/1-litre is considered to be pretty good.Fuel efficiency measurements The first (and most common) reference is litres per 100km (litres/100km). This is how many litres of fuel the car needs in order to travel 100km. You’ll often see it referred to as ‘fuel economy’. Rule of thumb on this one: the lower the number of litres stated, the better the fuel economy.Not as frequently used in Australia, kilometres per litre (km/1-litre) is another way to look at a car’s fuel consumption. In this instance, the higher the number of kilometres travelled the more fuel-efficient.Petrol vs diesel?Petrol is the most widely-used fuel in Australia, however diesel is becoming more popular. In the last 10 years, diesel sales have almost doubled and the idea that diesel is reserved for dirty, smelly trucks has long gone.Generally speaking, diesel engines are more fuel efficient than petrol engines. They use compression ignition (instead of spark plugs), which results in a more efficient fuel-burn. This requires a more high-tech engine design, which is one of the reasons why diesel cars cost more than petrol.Modern diesel engines are often turbocharged and have a lot of pulling power (also known as torque). It can shift through gears more quickly than a petrol engine and runs at lower revs per minute. All of this means it uses less fuel at each stage than an equivalent petrol engine would.What about LPG?LPG presents many benefits, but strictly speaking, fuel economy is not one of them. In terms of cost, you’re getting a more economical deal with LPG but fuel consumption after an LPG conversion can increase by up to 40 per cent, so you’ll be filling up more often. However, LPG can be up to 60 per cent cheaper than petrol, litre for litre. So the consumption increase is more than covered by the cost savings.
EV fast-charging network listed as high priority
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By Spencer Leech · 15 Feb 2019
Independent statutory board Infrastructure Australia has listed a nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging network as a high-priority initiative for 2019.
Ford plans fully autonomous ride share car by 2021
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By Laura Berry · 17 Aug 2016
Ford’s global chief Mark Fields made the bold statement overnight from the car-maker’s Silicon Valley-based research centre in the United States.“Ford will be mass producing vehicles with full autonomy within five years and that means there will be no steering wheels, no gas pedals and no brake pedals - a driver is not going to be required.“The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago. We’re dedicated to putting on the road an autonomous vehicle that can improve safety and solve social and environmental challenges for millions of people – not just those who can afford luxury cars.”The driverless vehicles will form an integral part of the company’s plan to offer a ride-sharing service.Ford said the cars will be level-four capable autonomous vehicles.The Society of Automotive Engineers classifies level-four autonomy as a vehicle with high automation that is able to perform all aspects of driving without human interaction. The most advanced cars currently on the road such as the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Tesla Model S are still only at a level-two stage of partial automation.To achieve its ambitious level-four ride-share goal Ford has acquired and invested in several research organisations and advanced tech companies including LiDAR sensor developers Velodyne; Israel-based computer learning operation SAIPS; machine vision researchers Nirenberg Neuroscience; and 3D mapping firm Civil Maps.In 2015 Ford announced its Smart Mobility plan, which includes autonomous vehicles, ride sharing and other transport services.Most recently Ford Australia made its move into the ride-share market by partnering with ride-sharing and parking service Carhood. The collaboration sees Ford providing vehicles to Carhood along with discounts to Ford owners who use Carhood.