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Transport

Toyota HiAce 2022 review: LWB diesel auto GL Package - GVM test
By Mark Oastler · 23 Feb 2022
When the current HiAce was launched in 2019, it was a no-brainer that this sixth-generation model would continue - or probably increase - Toyota's long-standing dominance of Australia's mid-sized (2.5-3.5 tonne GVM) commercial van market.
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How to pick a car transport company in Australia
By David Morley · 23 Sep 2020
Transporting a car remotely is a bit of a boom industry right now. Online shopping for classic and collector cars, and motorbikes, has never been more popular as COVID-19 restrictions make travel (particularly interstate travel) impossible. But that also means that actually getting the purchase to its new owner requires the services of a transport company that can legally operate under those same
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Neuron e-scooters now with live-tracking for enhanced safety
By Matt Campbell · 28 Jul 2020
Don't go scooting down dark streets in fear anymore - you can now share your location on a Neuron rental e-scooter.
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Should I buy a diesel or petrol car?
By Stephen Corby · 05 Jul 2020
There’s long been a bit of a stench around diesel, but with the Volkswagen scandal and big cities in Europe now considering banning them, it seems to be a fuel source that’s more on the nose than ever
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Flying cars a greener option than electric vehicles?
By Stephen Corby · 07 Mar 2020
After what feels like a lifetime of unfulfilled promises, the only thing that seems more unlikely than flying cars actually taking off is that they might turn out to be a good idea, and yet a new study has shown they might be better for the environment th
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Lime scooters and e-bikes now available with a subscription
By Matt Campbell · 23 Dec 2019
Urban mobility company Lime has announced a new subscription service for its scooter and e-bike services in Australia.The LimePass subscription forgoes the $1 per ride fee that users would usually pay - instead, customers who are frequent users can subscribe to the service for $5.99 per week.So, if you use a Lime scooter or e-bike more than six times a week, you’ll be ahead. The service offers unlimited unlocks of bikes or scooters to users, though the usual distance-based charging remains.Mitchell Price, Lime’s head of government relations, said this subscription plan is the first of its kind in the world or urban mobility.“We know that more than 50 per cent of our riders worldwide trust Lime for their commutes and personal daily trips around the city. With our new LimePass service, we’re proud to offer them a more cost-efficient way to get around town and manage their busy schedules.”The subscription service is able to be activated through the Lime smartphone app.The company has also announced a new Group Ride function recently, which launched in Brisbane. Group Ride allows a single user to unlock multiple scooters using one account, and the brand reckons it could appeal to those who want to see their city with their friends or family.
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Toyota APM EV to provide transport at 2020 Olympic Games
By Spencer Leech · 18 Jul 2019
Olympic and Paralympic Games partner Toyota has revealed its new APM (Accessible People Mover) electric vehicle, which will provide mobility for staff and visitors at the Tokyo 2020 Games.The APM is specifically designed to transport people to events and venues, including athletes and staff related to the Games, as well as visitors with particular accessibility needs such as elderly, disabled, pregnant people, and families with small children. Toyota will employ around 200 units, and will also utilise the APM at non-event sites such as the Olympic Village.The vehicle is powered by a low-power, battery-electric powertrain, which provides 100 kilometres of driving range and a maximum speed of 19km/h.In the standard configuration, the APM has three seating rows. A driver and front passenger can use the front row, while the second row provides seating for three, and the third row provides seating for two. When transporting passengers in wheelchairs, the layout can be adjusted to place one wheelchair rider in the second row, with anchor plates and ramps to improve safety. The APM can also cater to injured event-goers, with a configuration that hosts relief staff workers and a stretcher. It is unclear what will come of the 200 Toyota APM units once the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games comes to pass.
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Trucks you only need a car licence to drive
By Stephen Corby · 28 Jun 2019
Are there trucks that can be driven on a car licence? How light is a “light truck”? The answer to all your car licence truck questions are right here.
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Federal Labor Party outlines future EV policy
By Tung Nguyen · 02 Apr 2019
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Bill Shorten has proposed a plan to ramp up new EV sales to the point where they will make up half of all new-vehicle registrations by 2030, while also targeting the same result for government fleets by 2025.The EV strategy is part of the ALP's broader Climate Change Action Plan, and if new vehicle sales remain steady until 2030 it would represent approximately 600,000 new EVs hitting the road per year.It has not been specified in the plan whether the 50 per cent target includes hybrids such as the Toyota Prius or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, or whether it is reserved for battery-electric vehicles like the BMW i3 or Hyundai Kona Electric.To spur a greater uptake, the ALP will introduce a financial incentive that allows businesses to immediately deduct 20 per cent off the price of any new EV valued over $20,000, while also mandating changes to EV charging infrastructure on both a federal and state level.According to estimates by Price Waterhouse Coopers, the policy can result in up to $2.9 billion being added to the economy by the end of the decade if the 50 per cent figure is reached, while also creating around 13,400 new jobs.The ALP is also proposing a vehicle emissions standard of 105 grams of CO2 per km for light vehicles – the same as in the US – however a clear timeline has not been disclosed.An emission standard will be applied to the retailer instead of the manufacturer, which according to the plan will "allow retailers to meet the standards by offsetting high-emissions car sales with low- or zero-emissions car sales".Australia's current best-selling passenger car, the Toyota Corolla, currently emits 148g/km of CO2 when equipped with the 2.0-litre petrol engine.The ALP has also flagged a refresh of the country's truck fleet while improving public transport networks, which account for nearly 20 per cent of air pollutants.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Tony Weber said Labor's policy will need extensive planning across the industry to be successful."We have been calling for the implementation of an achievable emissions target for some time, so we welcome the opportunity to discuss this in more detail," he said."The key is to implement achievable emissions targets, designed in consultation with industry, as part of the transport sector's contribution to lower overall emissions."A well-thought-out introductory plan that includes tariff and tax relief, financial and non-financial incentives, and the provision of comprehensive infrastructure will need to be implemented if the targets are to be achieved."Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) CEO David Blackhall said the onus for low-emission sales should fall on the manufacturer, and not the car seller."We accept the opposition's invitation to consult on the timeline and coverage of vehicle emissions standards but are concerned over the reference to these standards applying to car retailers," he said."In the US and the EU, it is the manufacturer not the retailer that needs to adhere to vehicle emissions standards."Dealers have limited influence over the product mix and the decision as to what cars are imported into Australia is entirely at the discretion of the manufacturers. In the end, dealers can only sell cars supplied to them."
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Vehicle weights explained | tare, kerb, GVM, payload and trailer figures
By Mark Oastler · 18 Feb 2019
Tare Mass? GVM? Kerb Mass? GCM? These terms and acronyms can be found on your vehicle's compliance plates, in your owner's manual and many articles and discussions about weights, but what do they actually mean? They all refer to how much of a load your vehicle is designed to carry or tow, which is crucial to its safe
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