Articles by Stephen Corby

The introduction of any kind of new technology usually brings a whole host of new jargon to learn along with it, forcing consumers to wade through the initial deluge of fresh information with a sense of head-scratching confusion. The ins and outs of petrol-powered vehicles are second nature to most drivers, but with the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) there’s a whole new type of vehicle, and an entirely new operating system, for people to get their heads around. One obvious area to grapple with is charging speeds, and the difference between AC and DC charging. Sadly, it’s not quite as obvious as the difference between diesel and petrol.The simple version is that AC charging is slow and DC is fast, but there’s a bit more to it than that. The two types of electricity an EV can use are Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC). What makes things a little tricky is that most power that comes from the electricity grid we’re all plugged into is AC, whereas batteries - like the one in your smartphone, or the one in your EV - can only store power as DC. This is why a lot of devices have an AC to DC converter built-in to the plug. EVs have their own in-built convertor (or ‘onboard charger’, as they’re confusingly called) that changes AC power to DC and then transfers it to the EV’s battery. There are larger, faster chargers that convert the AC power to DC internally, meaning you can transfer the power directly to the EV’s battery, thus bypassing the vehicle’s in-built convertor.  The easiest way to understand the different ways to charge your EV and the time it will take is to break charging down intro three levels. Level one is AC trickle charging, where the EV is plugged into a standard 240-volt AC socket - the kind that you’ll find on the wall at home (and hopefully in your garage - if not, you’ll be needing yourself a lengthy extension cord). While this is the easiest form of charging - these types of sockets are everywhere - it’s also the slowest. A typical 10-amp socket offers about 2.0kW of charging power, and the time it takes to give your EV’s battery a full charge from empty will depend on its size, but will almost always be slow. Like a couple of days slow.A good rule of thumb: dividing your battery’s capacity by two should give you an approximate time that this method will take (e.g. an 80kW battery will take around 36-40 hours to charge). Using a slightly more powerful 15-amp, 3.6kW socket should halve these times again, although it’s worth remembering that most charging is topping up, not replenishing a fully drained battery, so the likelihood you’ll be up for a 48-hour wait for a full charge is slim. Level two is AC fast-charging, best exemplified by a wall-box charger that you can get installed at home. These deliver 7.2kW with 240-volt AC single-phase power, reducing charging time considerably: a 13.8kW battery will only take a couple of hours to fully charge from empty, and a larger 80kW battery will fully charge after about 10 hours. Wall-box chargers are often seen as a good option for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), which have both an internal-combustion engine and an electric motor, because their smaller batteries take less time to charge. While it’s important to note that a lot of EV batteries will only charge at a maximum of 7.6kW - most likely in PHEVs due to the aforementioned smaller batteries - there is an option to get a 22kW charger if you have 415-volt three-phase power at your disposal. Level two AC fast-charging is also what you can typically expect to find at public charging stations. There are a number of apps that will help you locate charging stations and offer you detailed information on them, which is useful for finding out which ones offer 7.2kW and which have 22kW. Level three is DC rapid-charging, offered via public 480-volt DC rapid-chargers that can deliver charging power starting at a very impressive 50kW. These type of chargers are important in relation to drivers who have longer distances to travel and want relatively short charging times, although charging can be sped up further with certain ultra-rapid chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of power (kind of pointless, currently, since no EV can accept a 350kW charge, but they are effectively future proofing themselves for the battery tech that’s coming). If you have a PHEV, keep in mind that they are not compatible with DC fast-chargers or ultra-rapid chargers - they only work with AC charging.As for charging time, DC fast-chargers will match the kW the charger is delivering to kilometres for every 10 minutes charged, meaning 10 minutes at 50kW will give you 50km of range, 10 minutes at 175kW will give you 175km of range, and so on.Again, your best friend here will be one of the many smartphone apps that will help you locate the appropriate charger for your type of vehicle, so long as you’re aware what the maximum charge your vehicle can handle is. Good luck, and happy charging! 

Maserati's Trofeo badge represents its most extreme, track-focused vehicles, which makes it a bit of a surprise for a company generally known for building luxurious and beautiful cruisers (and the odd SUV these days). The Trofeo Ghibli is Maserati turned up to 11, then. Let's have a listen.

If you’re after a definition of electric cars, the simple version is that they are vehicles with an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery that requires external charging. 

Both hydrogen-powered cars and electric vehicles (EVs) have motors powered by electricity, with the major difference being where that electricity is generated from. EVs get theirs from a lithium-ion battery, while hydrogen-powered cars are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that converts hydrogen to electricity while the car is running.

Buying a used car can feel like dancing along a treacherous shore, temped on each side by the devil (the cliched view of unscrupulous used-car dealers) and the deep blue sea (the great unknown, and great unwashed, of the private market). BUYING PRIVATELY Buying privately will almost certainly save you money, right

It is still hard for some of us to get our heads around the idea of SUVs that are built for race-track work, or at least built to be capable of it. What is even stranger is when a luxury brand like Maserati builds one, like the Levante Trofeo. That Trofeo badge means Maserati at its maddest. Hold on.

The fact that the L on an L plate stands for Learner might causes you to assume that a P plate stands for “Passed”, but that’s not the case. It actually stands for “Provisional”, which means you have passed your test, but you’re only provisionally licensed - you can drive, but with certain provisions, or restrictions, attached, and you have to display a P plate to warn other motorists that you’re not fully Passed… yet.As you would expect in a country of states that really hate to agree with each other, the P-plate provisions are different depending on where you get your licence, so we’re going to break that down.Driving licences have been a thing in Australia ever since the introduction of the first motor car here in 1906, but provisional licences were only introduced in New South Wales in 1966 with a provisional phase of 12 months and a 40mph (64km/h) speed restriction. Progressing from a Learner’s permit to a Provisional license and then finally to a full driver’s licence is known as a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system, which was an Australian innovation created in the mid-1960s.New Zealand picked up the baton by introducing a GDL in the ’80s that inspired the one that began in North America in the late-1980s, with GDLs now in play across several countries throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.Each Australian state and territory has its own laws regarding Provisional licences, but the general premise is the same: learner drivers need to complete a theory and practical driving test before being granted their P plates. Once a Provisional licence is granted, drivers are placed in a probationary period with certain restrictions. This period lasts for two years in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, three years in the ACT, New South Wales and South Australia, and four years in Victoria.Yes, it would be fair to say that Victoria is the toughest state to get your licence in, but that’s hardly a surprise. Read on for our extensive guide covering the P licence and P plate restrictions (including red P plate rules and green P plate rules), where you’ll find answers to burning questions like “Can you tow a trailer on P plates?”, “Can you drive a V8 on your Ps?” and “What is the P plate speed limit?”Provisional drivers need to comply with all road rules and traffic laws and other restrictions.Drivers are required by law to display approved P plates that are clearly visible to the front and rear of the vehicle and which do not obstruct the driver's vision. P plates must not be displayed when the person driving the vehicle is not a provisional driver.The P is usually a red or green letter on a white background or a white letter on a red or green background (Victoria & Western Australia only).Probationary drivers must drive with a zero blood alcohol content (BAC) and have no illegal drugs in their system.Prove your identity and pass an eyesight test.Pay the licence and test fees. Note: most states and territories offer discounted or free licences in return for P licence holders having a good driving record. The NSW GDL became three-stage on 1 July, 2000, with learners progressing from a learner licence, to a provisional P1 licence, to a provisional P2 licence and finally to a full licence.To obtain a P1 probationary licence, learners under 25 can undertake a Hazard Perception Test (HPT) after they’ve logged 120 hours driving (including 20 hours of night driving) and have held their Learner’s licence for a minimum of 10 months. Those over 25 can take the HPT regardless of the above conditions. Once the HPT is successfully passed, learners under 25 who’ve held their Learner’s licence for a minimum of 12 months can book a driving test (there is no licence-holding minimum for those over 25). Your P1 licence is valid for 18 months. If you haven't progressed to a P2 licence at the end of the 18 months, you can renew your licence and don't need to take the driving test again.A P1 probationary licence is required for a minimum of one year, requires red P plates and is available to people 17 years old and over. Also they can only drive cars - not trucks of any kind - can never drive over 90km/h, can only tow trailers with up to 250kg of unloaded weight with a P plate attached on the back, can’t use mobile phones, including hands-free or loudspeaker unless the car is parked, and can only drive automatic cars unless the driving test was done in a manual.There are P plate passenger restrictions: if you’re under 25 you must not drive a vehicle with more than one passenger who is under 21, between 11pm and 5am, although there are certain exemptions. P1 and P2 licence holders are prohibited from driving vehicles that have a Power to Mass Ratio (PMR) of greater than 130 kilowatts per tonne, if there’s a significant engine modification or if the vehicle is listed in the Transport for NSW document Novice Driver- High Performance Vehicle Restrictions as a high-performance vehicle. Certain exemptions are possible, but basically the idea is to keep inexperience drivers and fast cars away from each other. It’s called removing temptation.Your P1 licence will be suspended or refused if you reach or exceed four demerit points.If you commit a speeding offence your P1 licence will be suspended for at least three months. Excessive speed offences involving travelling more than 30km/h over the speed limit will result in further suspension. Any period that your P1 licence is suspended is not counted towards your P2 licence.If you’re under 25 and live in a specified remote area, you can apply for a restricted P1 licence after you’ve logged 50 hours of driving (including at least 10 hours of night driving). Once you’ve held your P1 licence for 12 months you can progress to a P2 licence, which must be held for a minimum of two years and requires you to display green P plates clearly on the front and rear of the vehicle. Most drivers can apply for a P2 licence online, but if your P1 licence was issued before 20 November 2017, you may need to complete a HPT. After 24 months, you can upgrade to a full unrestricted licence, as long as you haven't been suspended for unsafe driving behaviour. P2 drivers who receive a suspension for unsafe driving behaviour must stay on their licence for an extra six months for every suspension they receive.Restrictions include never driving over the maximum speed limit of 100 km/h and no use of mobile phones, including hands-free or loudspeaker unless the car is parked.P2 drivers will be suspended or refused if they reach or exceed seven demerit points and any speeding offence will result in a minimum of four demerit points. Excessive speed offences involving travelling more than 30km/h over the speed limit will result in further suspension and any period that your P2 licence is suspended is not counted towards your full, unrestricted licence.If you’ve been disqualified for any driving offence committed on or after 11 July 2005, when your disqualification period ends you must not carry more than one passenger at any time while driving. This condition will apply for 12 months. This is known as the ‘one passenger condition’.To gain a P1 probationary licence, an applicant must be a minimum of 18 years old and have held a Learner's permit for at least 12 months if the applicant is under 21; six months if the applicant is between 21 and 24 years and three months for applicants aged over 25 years. The learner must have logged 120 hours of practice, including 20 hours at night, and must pass a computerised HPT (available to attempt at 17 years and 11 months) before progressing to a driving test. A practice HPT is available online. If the driving test is successfully completed, those under 21 are granted a four-year probationary licence with 12 months at P1 level and 3 years at P2 level. Those over 21 are placed on a three-year probationary licence at P2 level. P1 and P2 restrictions: display P plates clearly on front and back of vehicle (red for P1, green for P2), not use a mobile phone or GPS of any kind while driving, must not tow a trailer (although there are some exemptions, such as it being a part of your job), must not carry more than one passenger aged between 16 and less than 22 years old (although there are some exemptions and this is only a condition of a P1 licence), must drive an automatic vehicle and have an A condition on your licence if you were tested in one, must not drive a prohibited vehicle (a vehicle with a Power to Mass Ratio of greater than 130 kilowatts per tonne, an engine that has been modified to increase performance or a vehicle that has been declared as probationary prohibited in the Victorian Government Gazette). The minimum age for obtaining a P2 Licence is 19 years and 22 years for a full, unrestricted licence. Yes, you have to be 22 to get your full licence in Victoria. And yes, that's different to everywhere in Australia. There are no speed restrictions other than those signposted on roads. After holding a Learner’s licence for a minimum of 12 months, logging 100 hours of supervised driving (including 10 hours of night driving) and being at least 17 years of age, learners may move to a P1 licence after passing a driving test. Drivers must display P plates (red for P1, green for P2) clearly on front and rear of vehicle, can only drive vehicles allowed on their licence class, must not use mobile phones, even on hands-free or loudspeaker, unless safely parked (even passengers can’t use the loudspeaker function on their phones while you’re driving), must not carry a passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am unless it’s an immediate family member and must not drive a high-powered performance vehicle. Those who accumulate four or more demerit points in any 12 month period will have to choose between a suspension and a good driving behaviour period.After a minimum of 12 months, under-25 P1 drivers who are a minimum of 18 years old are eligible to upgrade to a P2 licence after passing a HPT. Those over 25 can move to P2 if they passed their driving test and have held their P1 licence for one year. Under-25s must remain on their P2 licence for two years; over-24s for one year. P2 drivers have no passenger restrictions and are allowed to use a hands-free mobile. For ACT Learner licences issued before 1 January 2020, drivers can apply for their Provisional licence if they’ve held a Learner licence for a minimum of six months, are at least 17 years old and successfully complete a practical driving assessment with a Government Assessor or the Competency Based Training and Assessment through an Accredited Driving Instructor.ACT Learner licences issued or renewed after 1 January 2020 are part of a new GDS and must hold an active ACT Learner licence for a minimum of 12 months (six months if aged 25 or older at the time of getting your Learner licence), completed an online HPT (can only be completed after three months of holding an active Learner licence), completed and logged the required driving hours (drivers under 25 are required to complete 100 supervised driving hours including 10 at night; drivers 25 or older are required to complete 50 supervised driving hours including five at night) and successfully complete a practical driving assessment with a Government Assessor or the Competency Based Training and Assessment through an Accredited Driving Instructor.If a driving test is successfully passed in an automatic vehicle then the licence will be endorsed with an 'A' condition. After 12 months the licence holder can have the 'A' condition removed. Drivers can choose to take a driving test in a manual car to avoid this condition. If the driving test is completed successfully, those under 25 will receive a P1 licence and those over 25 will receive a P2 licence. P1 licence: a red P plate must be displayed for the first 12 months and late-night peer passenger restrictions apply.P2 licence: a green P plate must be displayed for two years. If you are 25 or older when you are issued with your provisional licence, you will be a P2 for the entire three-year provisional licence period.The accumulation of four or more demerit points during this period will result in suspension of the licence for three months. Any suspension periods served do not count towards the required provisional tenure period required to upgrade to a full driver licence.After the provisional period of three years has been completed, you can obtain a full licence which is renewable on each birthday divisible by five years. Restrictions include a ban on mobile phones, including hands-free and loudspeaker (although hands-free GPS is allowed), P1 drivers under 25 will be limited to one peer aged passenger between the hours of 11pm and 5am (some exemptions do apply). To get your P plates, you must hold your learner driver licence continuously for at least six months. If your licence has been suspended, disqualified, cancelled or allowed to expire, the six months will start from the date your learner licence becomes active again. You must have read A Guide to the Driving Test. Under-25s who pass the driving test receive a two-year provisional licence. Those 25 and over will receive a one year provisional licence. Provisional licence holders must not exceed a speed limit of 100km/h. To get a Provisional Licence you must have held a Learner's permit for at least 12 months (six months if you’re 25 or older), logged at least 75 hours driving experience (including at least 15 hours of night driving), passed a HPT and be at least 17 years of age. You can get your P1 licence two ways: by passing a practical driving test called the Vehicle On Road Test (VORT) or completing the competency-based training course (CBT) in your Driving Companion.After successfully passing a driving test, drivers are then issued with a P1 licence. The main restrictions on P-platers must display red P plates, never exceed a maximum speed limit of 100 km/h (even where the posted speed limit is higher), you must never accrue more than four demerit points and you must not drive a high-powered vehicle if you are under 25 unless you have an exemption certificate.P1 drivers must not use mobile phones, including hands-free and loudspeaker (although can use an authorised GPS), if under the age of 25 they must not drive between midnight and 5am or with more than one passenger aged 16 to 20 years (excluding immediate family members) unless a Qualified Supervising Driver is seated next to them or they meet the exemption and must not exceed a maximum speed limit of 100km/h. Provisional licence holders under 25 are prohibited from driving high-powered vehicles unless they have an exemption or have been granted a full, unrestricted driver’s licence. P1 drivers will have their licence automatically converted to a P2 licence after 12 months, provided they don't breach any provisional licence conditions and are a minimum of 18 years old. You must not accumulate four or more demerit points during the provisional licence period.Those with a P2 licence do not have to display P plates, are not prohibited from using mobile phones or high-powered vehicles and don’t have any restrictions on when they drive or who their passengers are. You can apply for a full licence once you reach the age of 20 and have been a P2 licence holder for two years. After you’ve held your Learner’s licence for 12 continuous months, are at least 17 years of age and you’ve logged at least 80 hours of driving time, including 15 at night, you can sit the P1 driving assessment and HPT. If the HPT and driving assessment is passed you receive your P1 licence and must display the red P plates on your car. Restrictions include a ban on mobile phone use, including hands-free, a maximum speed limit of 100km/h, for P1 licence holders under 25, only one 16 – 21 year old passenger allowed during the P1 stage (exclusions apply)If you hold your P1 licence for 12 continuous months and drive safely, you’ll progress to your P2 licence and must display your green P plates at the front and back of your car. P2 drivers can drive at the posted speed limit and hands-free mobile phone use is allowed.Depending on your age, you’ll hold a P2 licence for either one or two years. All learner drivers under 25 must complete a minimum 50 supervised driving hours, five of those driving at night (those over 25 are exempt from the 50 hours). Once the hours are logged, you’re a minimum of 17 years old and a HPT is successfully completed (note: those who live outside a radius of more than 100 kilometres from a HPT location are exempt), you can sit your practical driving assessment for your Provisional licence. Those on red Ps are subject to a P platers curfew - they not permitted to drive between midnight and 5.00am for the first six months that they hold a driver's licence unless the driving is to or from a place of work or study.Drivers start with red P plates and switch to green after six months. Drivers must hold a provisional licence for two years or until they are 19 years of age, whichever is the longer period.If four or more demerit points are recorded against a person, they will be disqualified for at least three months and any driver's licence held will be cancelled. The amount is eight demerit points for P2 drivers. 

The Subaru Outback has always made an excellent choice for families that don't mind sticking out from the crowd, not only by buying something that's not typically SUV shaped, but choosing a car that's a little... quirky. The new Outback, however, seems a little more attractive at first glance than before. So is it as good as it looks?

It’s funny how well we all tend to remember the golden glory of getting our driver’s licences, but the day we got our Learner’s permits, and stuck that slightly embarrassing L-plate on the back of a car for the first time, seems more vague. 

If you believe that roadside assistance will one day become obsolete, thanks to the advent of AI-assisted electric cars that will inevitably rise up and enslave humanity, think again.Motors that boast very few moving parts and are unlikely to run out of juice unless you choose to ignore very obvious warnings may sound infallible, but they still won’t protect you from the major reasons why roadside assistance is needed in the first place (the top three today are wheel and tyre problems, electrical faults and vehicle lock-outs, and that may well not change). Australia is a still a way off electric cars being the norm, they currently only make up 0.6 per cent of new-car sales, so for now we still have to contend with internal-combustion engines and all the problems that come with them.If you drove up a steep hill in summer in anything but a new car back in the day, it was often in the back of your mind that you might not make it. This now unimaginable level of mechanical unreliability meant that everyone was signed up for NRMA roadside assistance or RACV roadside assist. It was as much an accepted part of owning a car as the 40c a litre we used to pay for fuel.Today, though, we just don’t expect our cars to break down. This doesn’t mean they won’t, of course, because it still happens, but certainly our perceptions have changed to the point where we’re genuinely surprised if something goes wrong, even a flat tyres, or flat battery.Roadside assist is also just something that seems to come as part of your new-car warranty these days, which provides both peace of mind, and the reassurance that the car company we’ve bought from must be very confident to pay for that.But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek the best roadside assistance for your car if you’re not already covered, because you never know when it could be you looking glum on the roadside. And tow trucks are not cheap.Fortunately, it seems to be the case that cars breaking down less often means that cheap roadside assistance has almost become the norm.Finding the cheapest for you and your circumstances is obviously an easy way to save money, particularly with the internet making it so easy to compare roadside assistance plans.Basically, the best roadside assistance in Australia is going to be bit of a personal choice, because you might feel aligned with a brand, possibly because you’ve grown up with it.  Roadside assistance in NSW isn’t going to be that different to roadside assistance QLD, because they all tend to provide national coverage through sister companies anyway.New entrants in the car insurance market, such as supermarkets and online players, are helping to drive down the cost of car breakdown cover. Some insurers now offer roadside assistance at no extra cost with other types of cover.Shop around and review the deals and you can find emergency roadside assistance for as little as $80 a year. These budget plans are designed to get you back on the road for common problems like flat batteries and running out of fuel, but there are more expensive plans ($200-plus) offered by large insurers for those drivers after premium extras like higher towing distances, a hire car while your vehicle is in the shop and emergency accomodation and transport - a useful extra for those who travel extensively in remote areas. Motorists should consider the cover they need before buying all the bells and whistles though, says Compare the Market spokesperson Abigail Koch."If you have only had to call on your roadside assistance once or twice in the last few years, or if long road trips aren't your thing, then perhaps you should consider a more basic product. You don't want to be over-covered," Koch says. She also advises people to check the policy's towing distance limits and restrictions on the number of call-outs. Budget Direct roadside assistance is currently offering unlimited callouts and 24/7 coverage, 365 days a year, for just $79.95 annually, and you don’t already have to hold a car-insurance policy with them to take advantage of the deal. It’s worth noting, however, that they have a cap on certain features - they’ll pay up to $125 for lost keys or if you’ve locked yourself out of your car, and up to $15 worth of fuel if you run out. NRMA may cost more annually at $113, but its cover doesn’t come with caps and offers longer towing distances (20km in the city and towing to the nearest NRMA centre in rural areas, compared to the 15km in the city and 50km in rural areas offered by Budget Direct).Some insurance companies now even throw in emergency help if you comprehensively insure your car with them, as is the case with Youi Roadside Assistance. Just as when car dealers offer it, you're basically getting it thrown in for free.AAMI is another national insurer that offers coverage, for “less than $86 a year”, which covers you for flat batteries, flat tyres, lost or locked-in keys, running out of fuel, or if your car is really broken and needs towing. AAMI points out that it will help your vehicle out, no matter who’s driving, that it already covers 270,000+ vehicles nationally and that it includes up to 20km of towing in the city, or up to 100km in the city, at no extra charge.However, much like Budget Direct, there are caps on certain features: up to $250 towards lost keys and car lock-outs and $10 toward fuel. Those membership numbers are small beer, of course, compared to the giant NRMA, a staple in NSW and the ACT, which has 2.6 million members. The NRMA claims an average 35-minute wait time with more than 1000 of its specialist breakdown vehicles ready to assist you. Its technicians also fix, they say, nine of 10 problems on the roadside, meaning no further delays for you. NRMA offers unlimited callouts, at a cost of $9.99 a month.Roadside assistance VIC is likely going to see you at least considering the RACV, which offers a basic program of 'Roadside Care' for $114, the mid-level ‘Extra Care’ tier for $186 or a 'Total Care' package for $255 annually, which is worth considering if you want multi-car breakdown cover or caravan and trailer assistance.Roadside assistance QLD will see you tending towards RACQ, with prices starting at $99 a year.GIO roadside assistance is another trusted provider, with coverage from $95 a year, and will bring you a free top-up of fuel if you run out. Handy.If you’re still not sure, after comparing all the prices, you can always check out what other customers are saying via internet searches like ‘365 roadside assistance review’ or ’24/7 road services review’. Generally speaking, the inclusions are pretty standard, but you can expect to be looked after anywhere in Australia (warning, waiting times may vary if you’re in the Outback), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, if your car breaks down. Different amounts of free towing are covered, depending on your deal, but they’ll generally get you to the nearest repairer if you break down in the city. For those that do more frequent travelling in remote areas, it’s recommended you research what towing distances are covered. Even if the problem is your fault - you’ve run out of fuel or locked your keys in the car - roadside assistance will rescue you. They’ll also change a flat tyre for you, if you’re too useless/inexperienced/lazy to do it yourself. And flat batteries are also covered, although they seem rarer than ever today.Call times are something of a selling point for providers, with Allianz Roadside Assistance promising 39 minutes of waiting time on average, which is just above NRMA’s 35. But you have to accept that averages are one thing, and getting caught in peak hour in a major city is another.