EV & ALTERNATIVE FUELS
POWERING INTO THE FUTURE IM Group General Manager of of Circular Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Power Solutions, Dickson Leow, takes a look at the current EV landscape
A recent article about the cessation of the Prius model from the Australian market signifies some maturity of the electrification of models in Australia, although Australia still lacks behind many regions around the world in the adoption of EVs. The Prius nameplate was synonymous with technology and electrification, and after 15 years, each Toyota model line has a hybrid drivetrain and more electrification of the powertrain from the likes of Tesla, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, and many new technology-turn car makers are on this electrification journey. It is, however, more than just a transition to a new battery-derived drive train and more about how we transition towards sustainable electrification, where our next generations have a sustainable future.
A better tomorrow Although the uptake of EVs and derivatives such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and HEV has been slow in Australia, their numbers are increasing rapidly each year. With such an increase and expansion in the uptake of these alternative fueled vehicles, state and local governments must consider the ways these vehicles will impact road operations and the potential opportunity of harnessed energy it creates – especially with the growing availability of models and because of the potential for reduced operating costs, oil displacement and some environmental benefits. The primary value of EVs (and their derivatives) is
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Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine August 2022
the reduced fuel costs by substituting some petrol with electricity, but this benefit is offset by higher purchase costs (in comparison to the ICE variant, largely due to the cost of batteries). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), as of 2019, there were 19.5 million registered vehicles on Australian roads, with an average age of 10.2 years. According to VFACTS, an average of about one million vehicles are sold, of which Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) – account for less than one per cent.
There are many reasons attributed to the low uptake rate in Australia including vehicle price, model availability, access to charging infrastructure, charging time, incentives, service support and education. However, as mentioned sales are encouraging over the past three years. Many manufacturers are waking up to the trend and allocating an alternative fueled vehicle to the mix in their model line-up. You can now purchase an EV across many car brands, including Hyundai, MG and Mercedes Benz. In a March 2020 article by Infrastructure Magazine, the Chief Technology Leader and National Leader, Future Transport Systems at NTRO, said, “By supporting the transition to EVs and ZEVs, road operators can help shape how charging infrastructure is modelled – as opposed to random third party install – what incentives could be considered to generate greater uptake, and how road design, planning, maintenance, build and implementation could be influenced.” This article also stated the benefits of supporting the transition, including: • Life-saving technology and contribution to ‘Towards Zero’ • Fewer GHG emissions than fossil fuel-powered vehicles • Reduced energy consumption by returning energy to the grid • Reduced dependence on the importation of fossil fuels • Possible creation of tens of thousands of jobs
