Mass retrofit: 12 start-ups selected to help switch existing car fleet to fully electric

The second annual Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge has chosen 12 local start-ups that boast potential solutions that could accelerate the transition of Australia’s car fleet to fully electric vehicles (EVs) through a mass retrofit of the existing fleet.

The aim of the program is to deploy up to 1.3TWh of batteries that would convert half the Australian vehicle fleet to EVs, equivalent to over 10 million vehicles. These include councils and corporate fleets, marine vessels, mining haul trucks, and buses for public transport and private fleets.

The challenge is run as a partnership between EnergyLab and New Energy Nexus and is designed to support start-ups in developing solutions capable of deploying the batteries needed to electrify half the country’s vehicle fleet – a number that would require up to approximately 600GWh of heavy truck and bus batteries, 25GWh for mining applications, 400GWh for light trucks and commercial vehicles, and 260GWh for passenger vehicles.

“This is the first innovation challenge of its type in Australia to focus on mass EV retrofitting vehicles,” said Kirk McDonald, project manager for Supercharge Australia.

“With the incredible increase in battery demand this would generate, we aim to change the conversation on the viability of battery and cell manufacturing in Australia, taking advantage of our huge competitive advantage in the lithium battery supply chain.”

The challenge is run as a partnership between EnergyLab and New Energy Nexus and is designed to support start-ups in developing solutions capable of deploying up to 600GWh of heavy truck and bus batteries, 25GWh for mining applications, 400GWh for light trucks and commercial vehicles, and 260GWh for passenger vehicles.

“Not only would retrofitting half the Australian vehicle fleet to electric vehicles rapidly reduce emissions from transport, it would also support a big capacity uplift in our startup innovation ecosystem and clean energy advanced manufacturing,” added Megan Fisher, CEO of EnergyLab.

The 11 participants enrolled in the first Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge held in 2023 raised over $48 million in additional funding after the first Challenge.

The second Challenge will consist of predominantly online sessions which will provide start-ups with advice from international and domestic experts in finance, intellectual property, and business growth. Participants will also have the opportunity to pitch their companies and technologies to potential investors.

The Challenge will culminate in the second Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge Awards event which will be held in Sydney on November 7.

The first Challenge Award was won in 2023 by Perth-based lithium battery recycler Renewable Metals, which took the award home for its unique technology that turns battery waste into battery metals.

The start-ups selected for the second Challenge cohort are:

• Australian EVS, Newcastle, NSW: light commercial EV retrofits for councils and fleets.
• Cuedo Controls, Melbourne, VIC: efficient EV software control systems for the entire retrofit market.
• Eclass Outboards, Kiama, NSW: electric outboard and marine hybrid retrofits for pleasure craft and fishing fleets.
• Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA), Hazelmere WA: EV retrofitting mining haul trucks from 100 tonnes and up
• Electromotiv, Canberra, ACT: EV retrofitting buses for public transport and private fleets
• Evans Electric Sydney NSW: EV powertrain hardware and software developer specialising in axial flux motor development including e-axles
• IonDNA ACT and NSW: power electric ATVs, utility vehicles, and farm tools from electricity generated via on-site solar power infrastructure.
• Jaunt, Melbourne, VIC: EV conversion systems for classic cars and specialist commercial vehicles.
• Net Zero Engineering Solutions, Adelaide, SA: bi-directional EV charging solution.
• OZ Electric Vehicles, Logan City, QLD: battery upscaling and “flat pack” EV retrofit kits.
• “Project Midas”, Sydney, NSW: next generation graphene anode technology, improving lithium ion battery performance and safety.
• REVR, Melbourne, VIC: Minimised installation requirement mass EV retrofit kits.