Czech Flag for Green, Fast Cars

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 6, 2011 -

The new Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Australia, HE Dr
Hynek Kmonicek, has led a high-level industry and government
delegation to inspect leading-edge green car technologies at RMIT
University in Melbourne.

With a domestic automotive sector valued at 32 billion euros
with more than 850 companies, the Czech Republic is eager to
explore potential research and development collaboration
opportunities with Australia.

Australia is one of only 13 countries which currently have the
design, engineering and technical capabilities to develop a motor
vehicle from design to showroom floor.

RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner
AO, welcomed Dr Kmonicek and the delegation to campus and said RMIT
was partnering with organisations to address the acute
environmental challenges facing the planet.

“I am proud of the University’s leadership in the development of
sustainable technology for a new energy future,” Professor Gardner
said.

“RMIT’s research will strategically support the building of
Australia’s share of the global green car industry and contribute
to the impact of national innovation and research through new
knowledge and skills leading to patents and productivity
improvements.”

Professor Aleksandar Subic, Head of the School of Aerospace,
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, said that the automotive
industry needed to make a fundamental shift in design and
manufacture of road vehicles for the industry to remain
commercially and environmentally viable.

“The ultimate outcomes of our research will help build
intellectual capacity required in design and development of green
cars of the future, retain automotive jobs in Victoria, and help
sustain automotive exports as one of Australia’s top 10 export
earners,” Professor Subic said.

RMIT achievements include Australia’s first hydrogen racing car,
the Formula electric car and a hydrogen fuel cell truck model. RMIT
established and is leading the Global Green Car Learning Cluster,
and has expert teams working on green engines and sustainable
ethanol production. Priorities include:

• Developing hydrogen, gaseous and electric car technologies
• Vehicle life cycle design and assessment
• End-of-life vehicle (ELV) treatment systems
• Vehicle light-weighting

    For interviews and images:    RMIT University Communications,
                                  Paul Noonan,
                                  +61 409 239 021 or
                                  paul.noonan@rmit.edu.au

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