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Australian government amends vehicle emissions standards amid backlash

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The Albanese government has announced a significant adjustment to its proposed pollution caps for new utes and large SUVs.

Key highlights:

– Government Revises Vehicle Emissions Standards: The Albanese government adjusts pollution caps for new utes and large SUVs following criticism.

– Reduced Targets for Utes and SUVs: Light commercial vehicles will face less stringent emission reduction targets, down from 60% to 50% by 2029.

– Reclassification of SUVs: High-emitting large SUVs meeting specific criteria will be reclassified as LCVs to avoid stricter pollution caps.

Anthony Albanese, Australia’s Prime Minister.

Initially introduced in early February, the proposed fuel efficiency standard faced intense criticism for potentially increasing vehicle prices and limiting consumer choice.

In response, the government has revised the standard to impose fleetwide emission caps for both passenger vehicles (PVs) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs), aligning Australia with other developed economies with similar regulations.

Under the revised rules, new LCVs will face less stringent emission reduction targets compared to passenger vehicles.

While the original proposal aimed for a 60% reduction in emissions by 2029, the updated standard requires only a 50% reduction for LCVs.

Meanwhile, passenger vehicles will maintain the original 60% emissions reduction requirement.

New classification

Additionally, certain large SUVs initially categorized as passenger vehicles will now be reclassified as LCVs if they possess a towing capacity exceeding 3 tonnes and share a similar chassis with utes.

This reclassification includes models like the Nissan Patrol, Toyota Prado and Landcruiser, Ford Everest, Mitsubishi Pajero, and Isuzu MUX.

The adjustment aims to prevent the premature phasing out of high-emission models before low-emission alternatives are readily available.

By lowering the emissions cap annually, the standard effectively functions as a carbon price, incentivizing car manufacturers to prioritize zero and low-emission vehicles or face fines for exceeding pollution limits.

The commencement of the standard has also been postponed by six months to July 2025, with penalties for non-compliance to be determined by legislation.

A review of the scheme’s effectiveness is scheduled to begin in 2026.

Ahron Young is an award winning journalist who has covered major news events around the world. Ahron is the Managing Editor and Founder of TICKER NEWS.

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Tesla is slashing prices to stay competitive

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Tesla cut the U.S. prices of its Model Y, Model X and Model S vehicles by $2,000 each, days after the first-quarter deliveries of the world’s most valuable automaker missed market expectations.

Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle (EV) maker lowered the prices for its Model Y base variant to $42,990, while the long-range and performance variants are now priced at $47,990 and $51,490, respectively, according to its website.

The basic version of the Model S now costs $72,990 and its plaid variant $87,990. The Model X base variant now costs $77,990 and its plaid variant is priced at $92,900.
Tesla North America also said in a post on X said it would end its referral program benefits in all markets after April 30.

Referral program allows buyers to get extra incentives through referrals from existing customers, a strategy long used by traditional automakers to boost sales.

Musk has postponed a planned trip to India where he was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce plans to enter the South Asian market, Reuters reported on Saturday.
On Monday Reuters reported, citing an internal memo, that the EV maker was laying off more than 10% of its global workforce.
Earlier this month Reuters reported the EV maker had canceled a long-promised inexpensive car, expected to cost $25,000, that investors had been counting on to drive mass-market growth.
The EV maker reported this month that its global vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell for the first time in nearly four years, as price cuts failed to stir demand.

Tesla is to report first-quarter earnings on Tuesday.

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TikTok launches Instagram competitor ‘Notes’

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TikTok Notes has launched in Australia & Canada as a formidable competitor to Instagram, offering a unique platform for content creation, text and sharing.

“TikTok Notes is a lifestyle platform that offers informative photo-text content about people’s lives, where you can see individuals sharing their travel tips and daily recipes,” reads the official App Store description.

Take note

The app allows users to create content by combining short videos with text-based notes, closely resembling that of Meta’s Instagram.

Whether it’s sharing a quick tutorial, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking message, TikTok Notes is positioned to be a formidable social media platform.

Currently, the app is only available for download and “limited testing” in Australia and Canada.

As it gains momentum, the platform is poised to contest Instagram’s established reign in the social media landscape.

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Ramifications of a TikTok ban to impact Open Internet

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The United States’ longstanding advocacy for an open internet faces a critical juncture as Congress considers legislation targeting TikTok.

The proposed measures, including a forced sale or outright ban of TikTok, have sparked concerns among digital rights advocates and global observers about the implications for internet freedom and international norms.

For decades, the U.S. has championed the concept of an unregulated internet, advocating for the free flow of digital data across borders.

However, the move against TikTok, a platform with 170 million U.S. users, has raised questions about the consistency of America’s stance on internet governance.

Read more – Big tech to handover misinformation data

Critics fear that actions against TikTok could set a precedent for other countries to justify their own internet censorship measures.

Russian blogger Aleksandr Gorbunov warned that Russia could use the U.S. decision to justify further restrictions on platforms like YouTube.

Similarly, Indian lawyer Mishi Choudhary expressed concerns that a U.S. ban on TikTok would embolden the Indian government to impose additional crackdowns on internet freedoms.

Moreover, the proposed legislation could complicate U.S. efforts to advocate for an internet governed by international organizations rather than individual countries.

China, in particular, has promoted a vision of internet sovereignty, advocating for greater national control over online content.

A TikTok ban could undermine America’s credibility in urging other countries to embrace a more open internet governed by global standards.

 

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