AUSTRALIA’S EV BOOM WHAT IS DRIVING ITS SUCCESS? Stephane Marouani, Country Manager ANZ at MathWorks
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ver recent years Australia has fallen behind on the adoption of electrification compared to other countries. Both from a political and general public perspective, the thinking has been that EVs are not adopted in Australia because of range limitation and the long distances people are often required to traverse. However, the opposite is true — Australia is well suited to EVs, not only because its renewable energy capacity (mainly solar) is growing at a fast pace (with the ability to provide a cheap and easily deployable recharging network) but also because, in many situations, EVs make a lot of sense in major Australian industries. For example, EVs such as utes or trucks for the mining industry are not only safer, especially in underground conditions, but also much cheaper to maintain — with significantly fewer mechanical parts subject to wearing in harsh conditions. Many mines in Australia are remote and already have plans for microgrids and operating their own renewable energy plant and storage batteries for their needs. In this particular scenario, using EVs makes absolute sense, and forestry or farming equipment fall in the same category. So, it is no surprise that electrification start-up companies are growing, with the need for specialised vehicles in mining (SafeScape), farming, construction and forestry (DC Equipment) and even aviation (MagniX).
38 INSIGHTS 2022
So, what is it about Australia that has led to this boom? • Engineering experience: After some of the large original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Toyota and GM either left Australia or reduced their local workforce in recent years, there is now a pool of very experienced automotive engineers who have decided to innovate and create their own startups, rather than relocating internationally. • History of renewable energy research: Australia has been hosting the world’s largest solar EV race, which has led to significant innovation in this market. For example, the first solar-powered luxury sedan from a company called Lightyear had its infancy in the Darwin to Adelaide Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. • Industry and university research collaboration: Universities such as UTS and UNSW have been collaborating with businesses to drive electrification research and innovation, which means local innovations in electric vehicles came years ahead of those from mainstream EV manufacturers. The first battery-powered electric Holden Commodore, developed by Melbourne-based startup EV Engineering, was around as far back as 2012.
