An article regarding rare earths production in Australia.
And another regarding French research into rare earths production.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/bacteria-enlisted-french-push-rare-094346807.html
I see that the share prices for both Lynas and Iluka have risen dramatically on the ASX recently.
Hopefully, Australia will be able to achieve a dominant position in rare earths production and the free world will be able to show China the back door with a stragetically well placed boot.
Local production draws closer:
Not a problem for all types of vehicle:
I didn’t realise that Newcastle’s wireless electric trams use supercapacitors.
[edit]
Ummm … Well, it’s an alternative. 
Fantastic article.
Trip hazard, anyone?
What’s it like to fly an electric aircraft?
Ferrari talks the talk:
Not really a jet, but interesting:
It would be interesting to contrast with road freight costs. Speed might be a factor. 
They still look weird.
A common criticism of electric vehicles is their towing capacity. One solution is to power the trailer. Could the concept be adapted to road freight? Powering each axle of a semi-trailer or road train?
Puts a new spin on the “back up battery”?
Great also for powering the van if that is what you are towing. Useful to free roam avoiding expensive camp sites. Solar PV on the van roof anyone? There are other questions concerning braking needs vs legal towing weights that become part of the equation.
An interesting solution that leverages existing technology, it assumes battery technology only improves in small incremental steps. There is always the future promise so a step change in battery specific energy density (Wh/kg). Any large improvement is most likely to favour solutions that are more conventional.
WA ups the ante.
It seems in the UK subsidies are being gamed by the Fossil Fuel industry to make hydrogen from carbon sources eg gas to produce Blue Hydrogen. So much so that the CEO of the Industry Lobby Association has quit in protest.
This is interesting.
A highly informed opinion on EV’s by none other than Murdoch’s mouth piece.
Hydrogen is needed as feedstock for manufacture of many chemicals.
Blue hydrogen and grey hydrogen are not made using renewable energy. Only green hydrogen is.
Lots of arguments against blue and grey hydrogen as per articles like the one grahroll posted.
and the obvious argument against green hydrogen that as a storage technology (for storing energy in order to use it at a different time or in a different location) is that other storage technologies are safer and more cost effective.
Other energy storage technologies making use of electrochemical energy (ie batteries), gravity (eg pumped hydro), and pressurised gases (eg compressed air, compressed nitrogen).
An article regarding electric vehicles in Qld being required to display a warning symbol on the number plates similar to the LPG symbols.
When I first saw the article, I expected it to be about battery fires, not electrocution risks.
An article regarding sodium ion battery research.
There are a number of possible next generation battery technologies. This example offers potentially a lower cost more sustainable battery. It’s as noted still a work in progress.
The step change needed to push vehicle/transport batteries is not just on cost but on the specific energy and energy density of the battery. IE lighter and more compact batteries. The savings in weight contribute to increased overall energy efficiency and greater range. Note the news item did not specifically target any one future application.
Current BEV’s can be carrying 400-600kg of weight in the battery pack for 300-500km of range. Similar size and spec ICE powered vehicles require a fraction (25-40kg) in petrol to achieve similar ranges.
Sodium ion may find a role in transport. It seems more likely if proven, to be a low cost efficient option for mass storage, in particular home batteries attached to solar PV. In that application low cost, long reliable service and good efficiency are desirable. Weight and size are not so critical.
Catching up to recent convos 
Yeh re the Newcastle trams (helped build some of their systems) the supercapacitors are very real and impressive. At each stop they peak at 750V x 1300A charging them (overhead), all in under 10s.
Hyundai gets serious regarding hydrogen vehicles.
