New South Wales

Just when we thought we were in the clear from the dreaded coronavirus, it reared its ugly head again in New South Wales and Victoria in late 2020 and in Queensland in early 2021, wreaking havoc on holiday plans across the country. Many people – including several CarAdvice team members – were forced to do a last-minute dash across the border in order to avoid being locked out of their home state when case numbers began to increase in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

There's a grand plan afoot to bring automotive manufacturing back to Australia, with the announcement of a new $700 million facility in New South Wales dedicated solely to the local production of electric cars. The facility will be owned and operated by Nexport, an electric bus company launched in 2018 that's currently working to assist the NSW government with its plans to electrify the state's 8000-strong public bus fleet.

Sydney could become the electric car capital of Australia with a plan to convert roadside electricity distribution boxes into electric vehicle charging stations. The ambitious plan is being driven by Sydney-based charging infrastructure startup JOLT in conjunction with NSW electricity supplier Ausgrid.

Empty roads in Europe, the USA and Australia have seen a rise in the number of drivers caught travelling at excessively high speeds, according to police and highway patrol units. State police across Australia have reported recording speeds as high as 192km/h as motorists take advantage of reduced traffic amid coronavirus restrictions, while traffic authorities in the US and Europe say average speeds have more than doubled in some areas.

Local councils in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are suspending or altering their parking restrictions as more residents are forced to stay at home or avoid public transport amid the coronavirus outbreak. Brisbane City Council announced on Thursday it would be suspending all parking fines, turning off parking meters and reducing parking lot fees in a bid to support those still needing to travel to work during the public health crisis.