The electrification of the transport sector is likely to be one of the most fundamental developments of the 21st century, that will reshape the way we use energy, the way we plan transport systems throughout our cities and require the creation of new skills and industries.
Attendees at the UNSW’s Electrifying Transportation forum this week made clear that they understand the issues and are already working quickly to tackle the challenges head on, and are keen to share their findings and seek out opportunities to collaborate on crucial solutions.
The forum, an initiative of the University’s Digital Grid Futures Institute, was designed to stimulate greater cooperation between researchers and emerging technology companies to solve challenges to the electrification of transport systems, at the same time as there is an accelerating shift towards transport automation.
The forum heard from high profile academics at the UNSW, as well as representatives of Tesla, AGL Energy, NRMA, Tritium, and consultancy Aurecon.
There was common consensus among speakers on the three core barriers to current uptake of electric vehicles: the availability of public charging infrastructure; prices compared to petrol vehicles, and; ongoing concerns about range.
Source:https://reneweconomy.com.au/unsw-forum-tackles-big-questions-from-shift-to-electric-and-self-driving-cars-11051/
