Collaboration Drives Electric Car Research

Online, October 13, 2010 (Newswire.com) - A delegation from Hefei University of Technology (HFUT), China visited Swinburne Unviersity of Technology in Australia today to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the research and development of electric vehicles.

The partnership will make way for the next generation of electric cars, which are lightweight, can cover longer distances at acceptable speeds and have increased charging efficiency.

The delegates also participated in Australia's first electric vehicle seminar and showcase, Plug-in 4 Power, which brought together representatives from government, universities, car manufacturers and the community.

Professor Ajay Kapoor, Swinburne researcher and chair of Plug-in 4 Power, said the event aimed to accelerate the use of electric vehicle technology.

"Innovative vehicles that run on less energy and produce less carbon have become vital in the automotive sector as governments and community look to address issues of energy security, climate change and sustainability," he said.

"One of the main intentions behind the event was to facilitate research collaborations and provide networking opportunities for the many stakeholders involved in the creation of sustainable transport."

Electric cars built by Swinburne undergraduate and TAFE students were on display as well as a free exhibit of electric vehicles developed by other universities and car manufacturers including GM Holden, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Mercedes.

Director of the Automotive Electronic Technology Institute at HFUT, Professor Huifang Kong delivered a presentation at the seminar about research into automotive electronics technology.

Presentations were also given by GM Holden, SIM Drive (Japan), Swinburne, Betterplace Australia, Mitsubishi Motors, the Department of Infrastructure, CSIRO, RMIT University and SAE.

Read more: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/chancellery/mediacentre/media-centre/news/2010/10/collaboration-drives-electric-car-research