Thesis Proposal Automotive Engineer in Australia Melbourne – Free Word Template Download with AI

Submitted by: [Your Name/Student ID]

Supervisor: [Supervisor Name]

Institution: RMIT University, Melbourne Campus

Date: October 26, 2023

The rapid acceleration of electric vehicle (EV) adoption across Australia represents a pivotal shift for the nation's automotive sector, with Melbourne emerging as the undisputed epicentre of this transformation. As an aspiring Automotive Engineer, this Thesis Proposal outlines critical research addressing a gap in Victoria's sustainable mobility strategy: the scalable and economically viable recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) powering Australia's EV surge. The Victorian Government's ambitious target of 50% new vehicle sales being electric by 2030 places Melbourne at the forefront of a complex industrial transition. This Thesis Proposal directly responds to this context, positioning Melbourne as the ideal testbed for developing solutions tailored to Australian conditions and supply chains. The research aims to produce actionable frameworks that will equip future Automotive Engineers with the expertise needed to navigate Australia's unique regulatory landscape and drive circular economy principles within its burgeoning EV industry.

While Australia Melbourne is actively fostering EV manufacturing (e.g., Geelong Ford Plant transition, local battery cell startups like Australian Battery Metals) and charging infrastructure, a critical bottleneck exists in the end-of-life management of EV batteries. Current global LIB recycling processes are often energy-intensive, costly, and not optimised for the specific chemistries used in Australian vehicles or the volume projected for Melbourne's market. Victoria lacks a coordinated, large-scale domestic battery recycling infrastructure capable of handling anticipated volumes by 2035. This gap jeopardises Australia's sustainability credentials (aligning with net-zero goals), creates economic vulnerability through reliance on imported recycling services, and risks environmental harm if batteries end up in landfill – a scenario increasingly at odds with Melbourne's progressive environmental policies. As the lead Automotive Engineer for any future Australian EV ecosystem, understanding and solving this recycling challenge is paramount.

This research proposes a multi-faceted investigation to develop an optimised battery recycling framework specifically for the Australia Melbourne context. The primary objectives are:

1. To conduct a comprehensive audit of current LIB supply chains, end-of-life pathways, and regulatory frameworks within Victoria and across Australia Melbourne.
2. To evaluate the technical feasibility and economic viability of adapting existing global recycling technologies (hydrometallurgy, direct recycling) for Australian battery chemistries prevalent in local EV fleets (e.g., LFP from Chinese/Asian imports common in Melbourne).
3. To model and propose a scalable, geographically optimised regional recycling hub network centred around Melbourne's industrial corridors (e.g., Laverton, Tullamarine), integrating with existing waste streams and potential new manufacturing sites.
4. To develop a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology specific to the Australian context, quantifying environmental benefits (carbon reduction, resource conservation) of the proposed framework compared to current practices or exports.

Extant literature extensively covers LIB recycling technologies globally (e.g., studies by CSIRO on battery material recovery), but rarely contextualises these for the Australian market. Research by the University of Melbourne's Energy Institute highlights gaps in understanding local supply chain dynamics, while reports from VicRoads and the Victorian Government's Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) underscore the urgent need for domestic capability. Crucially, few studies integrate Melbourne-specific factors: its unique mix of urban EV adoption rates (among Australia's highest), proximity to resource-rich regions in Western Australia (lithium, nickel), and the strategic location within a major economic hub with established logistics networks. This Thesis Proposal explicitly bridges this gap, synthesising global best practices with actionable data for Melbourne's industrial environment.

The research will employ a mixed-methods approach grounded in the Victoria context:

1. Stakeholder Engagement:** Structured interviews with key Melbourne industry players (e.g., ATEC, Plug Power Australia, EV charging network operators, waste management firms like Cleanaway), government bodies (DJSIR, Environment Protection Authority Victoria), and academic partners (RMIT Automotive Research Centre).
2. Supply Chain Analysis:** Mapping of current battery flow from Melbourne's EV fleet to disposal points using data from VicRoads registrations and industry reports.
3. Technical Feasibility Lab Work:** Collaboration with RMIT's advanced materials labs to test recovery processes on representative Australian battery samples, focusing on cost and efficiency metrics relevant to Melbourne-scale operations.
4. Modelling & LCA:** Using software like GaBi or OpenLCA, developing location-specific models incorporating Melbourne's energy mix (increasingly renewable), transport logistics, and local environmental regulations to assess the full system impact of proposed recycling strategies.