The Rising Popularity of Hybrid Cars in Australia

The Rising Popularity of Hybrid Cars in Australia

Hybrid cars are here to stay and if you are the eco-conscious owner of a hybrid German vehicle then you’ll need a trusted electric and hybrid car service team.

 

Our favourite German brands – BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi – are all producing hybrid cars for the Australian market.

 

Hybrid Cars and the Australian Market

Australia hasn’t seen the incentives, such as tax rebates, offered by other countries to convert to more environmentally friendly low-emissions vehicles. But us Aussies have been embracing the green lifestyle anyway – opting for cleaner and more fuel-efficient technology. It would be wonderful to see the local and state governing bodies take a more proactive approach and introduce incentives for people to reduce their carbon footprint. It is estimated that road traffic in Australia in responsible for about 13% of greenhouse gas emissions. With the fluctuating and ever-increasing fuel price, green vehicles are a wise choice.

 

Snapshot of Popular Hybrid Cars in Australia

 

  • BMW iPerformance

 

BMW have a number of hybrid vehicles on the Australian market already with plans to launch more electric models in the future. The iPerformance vehicles are described as a marrying of combustion engine engineering and modern battery technology. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions but still have the luxurious feel and drive that is distinctly BMW. You can use a public charging station to charge the battery or a household socket. The BMW i3 (2013) will get you 130 km on battery and 100km from petrol.

 

  • Audi e-Tron

A popular model is the Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron (2014). This is a petrol-electric hybrid with great fuel efficiency and keeps its sporty shape.

 

 

  • Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is keeping up with their competitors, but their 2015 C-class only offers 31km electric range.

 

Hybrid cars are something to keep our eye on. Although Australia has been slow in adopting them, it is certainly something that is only going to be enhanced by future technology.

 

Car Service Specialists

 

At Volks Affair our speciality is German car service and repair. Our mechanics are professionals and experts in the field. We keep up to date with all the latest in car technology and can offer standard servicing on hybrid vehicles. Volks Affair is an independent car service and repair centre. We pride ourselves on the personal service we give to our customers and the open and honest way in which we communicate. If you own a German vehicle, hybrid or not, and live in Melbourne then look no further than Volks Affair.

Autonomous Audi: Six Levels of Autonomous Driving

Autonomous Audi: Six Levels of Autonomous Driving

Driverless cars are getting closer. In fact, a lot of autonomous tech is already on our roads. We service a number of Audi vehicles with varying degrees of autonomy every day. With the first Level 3 vehicle set to be released this year, it might not be too long before we see a fully self-driving car arrive at our workshop for a service!

So this week, we thought we’d look at the six different levels of autonomous driving, as set out by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Where possible, we’ve given an example of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) already on our roads. (more…)

Volkswagen’s New Logo

Volkswagen’s New Logo

Volkswagen announced that they will be updating their logo next year. How it will change is a mystery: the company is remaining tight-lipped. What we know so far is that the badge will look “as good on a smartphone as it does on a car”.

Volkswagen are focusing more on electric vehicles — the brand want to have an electric version of their entire fleet by 2030. We imagine that the new logo is being designed to reflect VW’s electric future. (more…)