aXcessaustralia Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Wins CSIRO Gold Medal
The aXcessaustralia, an HEV built to promote the abilities of Australian automotive component manufacturers overseas, won the CSIRO (Australia) chairman's gold medal for 2000. The low-emissions concept car is the result of 12 months collaboration between the Australian government and 102 representatives of the Australian automotive industry.
The award, which comes with a check for $25,000, is given each year for the CSIRO research project judged to be the very best in the categories of CSIRO research and also national and international significance.
CSIRO provided the components for the electrical drive train of the aXcessaustralia, working in conjunction with many automotive component manufacturers to deliver a fully operational prototype.
“This product is about showing the world just how capable we in Australia are of producing new automotive technologies that are of interest to global car makers," said CSIRO project leader and Chairman David Lamb upon accepting the award in Brisbane. He added, “We're confident a number of the companies that have contributed to the low-emissions vehicle will secure major export orders, which will lift exports generally from Australia and consolidate our position as a major automotive components-producing nation."
The HEV cost around $12.0 million to design and build. It was funded by CSIRO, the Federal Department of Industry Science and Resources and the Victorian Department of State and Regional Development. The remaining funds came from the design group Radial Pacific (Australia). It is hoped that more than $1.0 billion in exports will be generated as a result of the vehicle and its recent roadshow to car manufacturers around the world. The aXcessaustralia's next stop on its road trip includes major car manufacturers in North America in 2001.
