Some standards live forever. That’s a 100-year-old battery charger with a glowing valve rectifier maintaining an EV.

Running late on the morning school run? That’s when problems tend to hit. Even with two EVs and a PHEV in the driveway, I’ve learned flat 12v batteries are still a problem, and keeping a few tools handy can save the day. Let me show you why charging a flat 12v battery can be quicker than shifting the kids’ car seats into a new car.
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Tired of filling your tank?  Go electric!

Last weekend I drove to Naracoorte to check out some holes in the ground.  While this may not sound exciting, what made it special was driving there in a brand new “refreshed” Tesla Model 3.

In almost every way but one, the car was great.  Perhaps even amazing.  However, tragically, I’m unable to give it the coveted title of totes amazeballs.  This is due to one annoying penny-pinching design choice I will heartily complain about later.  I’ll hold off for now because there are far too many miserable bastards on the internet and I’d much rather go straight to telling you how cool it was using it to tool around South Australia. [Read more…]

Image credit “Modern Power Generators” printed 1908

The first car I ever owned turns 100 this year.

What tenuous link does this have with solar energy for your home or business? Well, I guess it’s mainly about fuel… and access to it. [Read more…]

As I wrote last week, I’ve recently picked up a really cheap electric vehicle. Since then, I’ve been testing out the battery, mulling over why we feel the need to name cute cars… and trying out the RAA’s new emergency charging service for EVs. Oops.

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I can’t quite believe it’s been over a year since I penned an article about buying my first EV.

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Brisbane-based charger manufacturer Tritium is taking the tap-to-pay step out of electric vehicle charging, with a Plug and Charge feature called Autocharge. [Read more…]

The Amprius battery pack in the third-placed Brunel ‘Nuna 12’ solar race car.

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is not just a race. It’s a tough test for solar-powered cars, travelling a 3,000-kilometre stretch from Darwin to Adelaide. Every year, this race shows off the latest and best in solar, battery and EV technology. [Read more…]

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Australia is not without challenges, one of which is overcoming resistance to change. It seems that no matter how credible the case for EV adoption is, there is always a chorus of naysayers in the background trying to undermine the consensus. [Read more…]

Picture this: You’re standing at your dining table, staring at two sets of car keys—one for a Mini Cooper SE, a zippy little electric car, and the other for a Tesla Model S, the electric behemoth. [Read more…]

The Australian-adopted CCS2 charge port and Tesla’s NACS port.

In a welcome development for American EV owners,  SAE International (formerly the Society for Automotive Engineers) has announced it will standardise Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector. But don’t expect Australia to follow suit.
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