2018 Bangkok Motor Show + Electric Vehicles review
Always enjoy a car show and especially the concept cars and new technology trends on display. In this year’s show themed ‘Revolution in Motion’ the concept cars were fewer in number but the tech-trend component did not disappoint with several Electric Vehicles (EV’s ) & Petrol/Electric Hybrids on display.
(to watch my video review of the Bangkok Motor Show pls click below)
The speed at which EV’s & Hybrids are evolving (and travelling;) is astonishing. By just 2025 likely 1 in 4 cars sold will be an EV or Hybrid Electric. This is going to cause (IS causing) a revolution in not only EV technology but how we use and access EV-tech.
For example, consider that most EV/Hybrid owners prefer to re-charge at home. This is fine for house dwellers but in urban areas condo/apt residents face some initial challenges. Each condo/apt board would firstly have to agree to the concept of allowing charging systems or charging areas. Then owners would bear the costs of retrofitting a personal car park or shared space to install an approved and insured charging system (building mains may also have to be beefed up or extended at the least – is this an ‘all owners’ shared bill or one-off per user?). It’s going to be a difficult transition for some existing buildings… However, many new buildings are already planning for EV’s and as more add car park charging areas/stalls, condos/apts without will eventually lose appeal thus value comparably.
Here’s just one example of many evolving suppliers/installers of EV charging units/stations for condos:
Source/Credit: ChargePoint.com
There are several charging options from slow but simple existing outlets, to faster charging units from a few KW up to very fast 200 KW (and even 350 KW units -although not in use as yet, everyone from Audi to VW will be rolling out vehicles in 2020 which can use such ultra-fast chargers).
One such 200 KW wireless system developed by Momentum Dynamics is being trialled at an electric bus transit loop in Washington State USA. The wireless charging transmitter is embedded in the road whereby each bus gets a 5 minutes ‘top-up’ at a scheduled transit transfer stop before starting another route cycle (enabling continuous uninterrupted service). Momentum Dynamics seeks to roll out Bus fleet charging stations all over the U.S. this year and then Europe starting in 2019.
(source credit: Momentum Dynamics)
Other wireless units are already available whereby one simply parks over a wireless pod to re-charge a car. Trials are also underway using a grid of wireless charging pods spaced out under roads whereby as one travels your EV gets constantly topped up with electric pulses as it passes over the next pod on the roadway.
Meanwhile, more than 100 Walmart stores in the States are partnering with ‘Electrify America’ as part of a nation-wide roll-out of 2000 charging stations (with all main modes up to ultra-fast 350 KW) by the end of 2019. Eventually most malls, offices and car parks will also offer charging systems either shared or per stall as well as solar storage to help off-set costs.
Speaking of costs, electricity in most developed countries costs much more to use at peak times in the day, versus at night. Also, some developed countries electric costs are prohibitively high (S.Australia/ Denmark/ Germany /Italy etc) in that a 38 MPG car may cost less to just use petrol…
(chart from 2016, couldn’t source an accurate 2018 chart but the range is similar)
QUOTES to ponder:
“Nissan Leaf’s kWh/100miles figure is 29. If electricity is 12 cents per kWh (the national USA avg) it would cost $3.48 to go 100 miles. However, in Hawaii electric costs are more than double, thus a 38 MPG car may cost less to fuel”… (source: edmunds.com)
*Avg person driving the avg EV 15,000 miles per year pays about $540 per year to charge it. (source: pluginamerica.org)
*On average, Canadians pay some 37 cents tax for every litre of gas at the pump and $654 in gas taxes each year' (source globalnews.ca)
*In the UK the treasury loses almost 60p per litre in fuel tax every time a driver switches to electric (source theguardian.com)
Petrol is still key to many economies and will remain so for some time but if I were a world leader looking at creating new, industry leading, well paid jobs and also eyeing upgrading infrastructure (such as roads) I’d pay very close attention at how best to leverage fast evolving electric tech via public/private partnerships (also treasuries will need to look at lost revenues/tax gap as drivers switch to electric...)
Electric scooter startup Bird wants to make it legal to ride electric scooters -on sidewalks...
(source/credit: qz.com )
Meanwhile dockless electric scooter boards (the ones with handles) which can be rented from $1 via phone apps have become both the new craze of the hipster set from San Fransisco to Seattle and also the new scourge to the public at large as a swarm of the things are being left blocking doorways and strewn on pathways (also one may get literally 'rear-ended' on a sidewalk). Thus as we rush head-long to electrify our transport options (and deplete our treasury coffers along the way) be careful what you wish for...
Last, as a somewhat old-school type (and a bit of a petrol-head;) I’ll miss the roar and thunder of a big V8 but there was bound to be a time for EV’s when both ‘sense and cents’ merged and that time is fast approaching. Meanwhile, your current petrol car may become a classic sooner than you might think (and some Cubans may be trading their old collector cars for same value new condos soon;). The times they are a-changing so whatever your current ride, enjoy and happy driving all!
Cheers!
STPasia