EV

UNSW’s Digital Grid Futures Institute held an Electrifying Transportation forum last week to bring together companies, innovators and academics to discuss the electrification of the transport sector and how persistent problems can be overcome.

By considering use of the metal in charging infrastructure, analyst Wood Mackenzie has found higher demand from the mobility sector than is the case if only the volume of the material required for vehicle construction is examined.

A study by LEK Consulting puts the future economic value of “new mobility” options such as electric vehicles and autonomous taxis in the tens of billions of dollars. The benefits go beyond decarbonisation into social and healthcare realms — compelling reasons to accelerate change.

Energy analysts from the United Kingdom have found that many of the world’s largest car manufacturers launching EVs, or looking to launch EVs, are engaged in an “unprecedented” level of collaboration in order to share the costs and risks inherent in EV development. Cornwall Insight found that the collaboration could see a major boom in supply from the early 2020s.

With around 16 battery-based virtual-power-plant projects either in progress or planned across six states, Australia is demonstrating the potential of distributed energy resources to the world. An Australian Clean Energy Summit panel last week caught up on progress and potholes on the road to energy’s new two-way street.

With miners around globe stepping up their production capacities to cater to the demand of the electro-mobility and energy storage sectors, supply has outpaced demand leading to a steep decline in lithium prices. Amid slowing growth in China, a number of Australian lithium miners are hurting.

The UK is leaping ahead in its deployment of electric-vehicle charge infrastructure. Box Energi has chosen Australia’s Tritium Veefil-RT technology to double refill sites around the UK, boosting not only charge accessibility and driving range, but confidence in emissions-free commuting and touring.

Hyundai has unveiled its new hybrid, the Hyundai Sonata, complete with integrated solar cells. The Sonata’s unveiling joins Toyota and Lightyear in integrating solar PV wth EVs.

A report published by New Zealand’s state-owned transmission grid operator Transpower finds the widespread uptake of distributed battery storage could play an important role in supporting the power system as rooftop PV and electric vehicles are increasingly adopted.

Toyota has announced plans to begin public road trials this month on a new Prius PHV demo car modified to include integrated solar panels. The announcement follows similar recent solar innovations in the EV industry which could accelerate the emerging form of transport.