At Jaunt, our mission has always been about transforming Australia’s iconic vehicles into electric ones—combining sustainability with craftsmanship. Now, we’re excited to announce our participation in the Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge as part of the "Retrofit Nation" cohort.
This groundbreaking initiative is aimed at a bold goal: converting half of Australia’s vehicle fleet—around 10 million vehicles—into electric by using retrofitting solutions. The challenge? Deploying up to 1.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of batteries to make this goal a reality. It’s an ambitious target, but it’s one we’re ready to tackle head-on.
The Innovation Challenge: Retrofit Nation
The Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge is the first of its kind in the country, focused on mass EV retrofitting. Australia’s transport sector, responsible for 19% of national emissions, is ripe for decarbonization. By converting trucks, buses, and light commercial vehicles—which account for about 40% of the transport sector’s emissions—retrofitting offers a path to rapidly reducing the environmental impact of transport.
With the potential to reduce the acquisition costs of EVs by up to 50% compared to buying new vehicles, this challenge is not only about sustainability but also affordability. It’s about making EVs accessible to all Australians while supporting the growth of our local clean energy manufacturing ecosystem.
Supporting Startups to Scale Big
The program, running from August to November, is designed to accelerate the success of startups like Jaunt. Through two months of mentorship, technical support, networking, and exposure to investors and customers, we’ll receive guidance from international and local experts across business growth, finance, and intellectual property. This will culminate in the Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge Awards in Sydney on November 7, where participants will pitch their solutions to key industry players.
The goal isn’t just to retrofit vehicles; it’s to change the national conversation around EVs, batteries, and the potential for Australian battery manufacturing. “Retrofitting half the Australian vehicle fleet would not only reduce emissions, it would also support an increase in our startup innovation ecosystem and clean energy manufacturing,” said Megan Fisher, CEO of EnergyLab, one of the key figures behind the program.
Why This Matters for Jaunt
For us at Jaunt, this program is about much more than the technical aspects of EV conversion. It’s about creating sustainable solutions at scale that benefit everyday Australians. It’s also a chance to continue pushing boundaries as we grow our team and refine our processes for vehicle retrofitting.
Being part of the Supercharge Australia cohort gives us access to incredible resources, from mentorship to investment opportunities, and will play a critical role in helping us ramp up our operations. We believe this initiative will help catalyze a significant shift in the Australian transport industry.
Looking Ahead
We’re honored to be part of the Retrofit Nation cohort and to work alongside other innovative startups who are all focused on the same goal: electrifying Australia’s vehicle fleet and reducing emissions. As we move forward, we’re excited to continue scaling Jaunt and contributing to a greener, more sustainable transport future for Australia.
Stay tuned for more updates on our journey through the Innovation Challenge—and the role Jaunt will play in the future of electric vehicle retrofitting.
