Electric car and electric bike information and suppliers in Australia.

Electric vehicles are now being recognised as the likely future of "green motoring". Electric motors are powered by batteries that can be charged from the electicity grid - for instance, by plugging into a domestic socket. The batteries can also be charged from heat or energy generated by the vehicle in motion, for instance by heat generated while braking.
   There are two basic types of electric vehicle: a "hybrid", which has a petrol engine and an electric motor, and a "plug-in", which is a purely electric vehicle with no petrol engine. You can buy hybrids now in Australia, such as the Toyota Prius or Honda Civic Hybrid.
   Currently we know of only one pure plug-in electric car available in Australia, a Hyundai Getz conversion from Blade Electric Vehicles (see listing), but there are a number of plug-in electric bicycles.
   In the near future we will see "plug-in hybrids" hitting the Australian market. These vehicles can be charged from a power socket overnight and driven on the electric motor until the charge runs out, at which point they will switch to a petrol motor for greater range. The electric motor is then recharged from surplus energy from the brakes and engine, as in a hybrid. Plug-in hybrids will thus be able to match petrol-only cars for range.
   In the longer term we are likely to see improved battery technology that allows electric cars to travel for hundreds of kilometres between charges and to recharge in a few minutes, making petrol engines redundant.
   Electric vehicles produce no toxic emissions but in terms of carbon dioxide, of course, an electric vehicle is only as clean as the source of electricity. If the electricity comes from a renewable source, thenelectric vehicles may be a pathway to a low-emissions future.
   Electric bikes typically uses similar energy to a 100 watt lightbulb and can beat cars door-to-door in heavy traffic. They don't need rego or pay road tax, making them a very cost-effective alternative for short trips and commuting.