New Era For Australia's Automotive Industries - Better Fuel Standard Still An Issue

[JoeT]

New Era For FCAI

Andrew Ellis
25 May 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Incoming CEO Andrew McKellar faces the burning issues facing Aussie auto sector.

Incumbent Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Andrew McKellar faces a number of difficult challenges when he begins his new post on June 1, despite new-vehicle sales being widely tipped to top the magical million mark for the first time this year.

Replacing long-serving CEO Peter Sturrock as the head of Australia’s peak motoring industry body, Mr McKellar last week listed an upcoming automotive industry review, which will include a critical examination of proposed tariff reductions, as a key priority.

Other challenges Mr McKellar must face include growing discontent from some commentators about ongoing levels of government support for a manufacturing industry providing vehicles in a dwindling sector.

There is also increased demand from government and non-government organisations for the automotive industry to become cleaner and greener, and anxiety from some importers over a perceived lack of urgency on new fuel standards that would give Australian customers access to new, high-technology engines.

New Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions, involving the burgeoning industries in China and ASEAN, are also looming.

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Targets Shift

Andrew Ellis
25 May 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Incoming Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Andrew McKellar is confident that the Australian car industry is on track to meet a voluntary emissions code – but will not be drawn into outlining a timetable for cleaner fuel standards or lower fuel consumption.

In 2003, local manufacturers entered into a voluntary agreement to achieve an average fuel economy figure of 6.8L/100km for all passenger cars by 2010.

However, Mr McKellar explained last week that the code – which now seems an impossible target, based on the current crop of engines powering Australian-built cars – was changed in 2005, when the FCAI adopted a new CO2 emissions target of 222 grams per kilometre travelled.

This coincided with the adoption in Australia of the Euro III emissions standard, which took a greater account of emissions levels than fuel economy.

“The new voluntary code is not just for passenger vehicles, it includes all SUV and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes,” said Mr McKellar, adding that the industry was ahead of schedule to meet the 2010 emissions target.

In 2002 the industry average was 252g/km. At the end of 2006, after the first full year under Euro III, that figure had dropped to 230g/km.

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Australian Car Industries Uncertain Future
Australian Government Calls For Greener Locally Built Cars
Car Makers Ask For Higher Tariffs To Save Local Industry

[mikmak]

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it ya freakin doubters. We'll meet our targetwuth really trying. Where is this in the nightly news? Perhaps it isn't negative enough.

[redimpss5]

It looks like it is happening everywhere.

[Xenon]

At this rate, it seems that high performance cars, and heavy duty trucks will probably have huge restrictions slapped onto them.

That, or the price of cars is gonna hike BIG TIME.

[jbernie]

JoeT & the other Aussies, any word on the rumor mill about whether Holden or HSV have been working on getting hte dual mode system in the top level cars?

As much as HSV is about performance, with them at least talking about more models, a dual mode Senator or Grange would be quite interesting, lots of performance and more efficent too. Would also give some Senior execs a feel good knowing their performance cars aren't quite so bad to the enviroment.

[JoeT]

I haven't heard anything about HSV using duel-fuel systems in their models.

I don't think there would be much of a market for duel-fuel HSV's, but it's a good idea.

[mikmak]

Dual fuel eh? Must be talking about Petrol and Nitrous.

Here's one for RedVee8

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by JoeT

I haven't heard anything about HSV using duel-fuel systems in their models.

I don't think there would be much of a market for duel-fuel HSV's, but it's a good idea.

not duel fuel... duel mode hybrids, ie what we will see on the 08 Tahoe etc. the one that can get 25% better mpg etc etc.

[mmciau]

Originally Posted by jbernie

not duel fuel... dual mode hybrids, ie what we will see on the 08 Tahoe etc. the one that can get 25% better mpg etc etc.

Holden try and keep the dual fuel to the Omega level

mike