Retired Marine Biologist, 73, Revives Australian Car Industry

Ten years ago, retired marine biologist Greg McGarvey started building electric vehicles in his garage in Hervey Bay, Australia. Now 73, he's finally hitting the road with working prototypes that could bring car manufacturing back to a country that lost it all.

McGarvey's company, ACE EV (Australian Clean Energy Electric Vehicles), just launched a 52-day roadshow across Eastern Australia. The two vehicles making the journey are a compact minivan and a utility truck called a "yewt," both designed for last-mile deliveries in tight urban spaces.

The timing couldn't be better. The minivan measures just 11 feet long but packs a 230-kilometer range and can fast charge in 30 minutes. It's designed for bakers, delivery services, and small businesses navigating crowded city streets where larger vans can't fit.

McGarvey needs to sell 9,000 units to kickstart Australian production. He's already booked over 70 test drives during the roadshow, which stops at towns between Brisbane and Melbourne. Local mayors, business owners, and fleet operators are invited to try the vehicles at each stop.

The minivan passed full Australian crash testing and holds 400 kilograms of cargo. Running costs are projected at 60 to 70 percent lower than diesel vehicles, saving businesses up to $75 Australian dollars weekly per vehicle.

When asked how he kept going through a decade of setbacks, McGarvey didn't hesitate. "I'm a stubborn old pr!ck," he said with a grin.

The Ripple Effect

Australia's car manufacturing industry collapsed when the last Holden plant closed. McGarvey sees his vehicles as more than just transportation. He calls them "the Electric Commodore that never was" and frames the business as fighting for Australian jobs, capability, and sovereignty.

First comes imported kit assembly in Brisbane workshops. With enough sales, manufacturing moves to Australian soil with local supply chains. Every vehicle sold brings the country one step closer to rebuilding what it lost.

McGarvey was 66 when he founded ACE EV in 2017, operating from a garage with a vision most people dismissed. The Australian media didn't even show up to his launch event three days ago.

But the test drive bookings keep rolling in. Small businesses are paying attention because these compact EVs solve real problems. They fit in tight alleyways, cost less to run than diesel, and can haul everything from bread deliveries to wheelchairs.

One stubborn marine biologist might just prove that Australian manufacturing can come back, one electric delivery van at a time.