It's time for another edition of Electro Beat; where we find the latest EV news so you don't have to!
This month we give you the rundown on the revolutionary EV batteries that can charge in just five minutes, a new partnership between Uber and BYD aimed at electrifying drivers, a fully electric flying ferry (yes really!), and so much more!
Let's get plugged in...
Swedish company Candela is making a big splash in the world of electric transport with their fully electric ferry.
The innovative boat sits 3 whole feet above the water leaving virtually no wake, noise, or emissions—a welcome change from the usual hulking diesel-powered ferries.
The idea for the electric passenger ferry was born in Stockholm and with good reason. For a city surrounded by water, slashing ferry carbon emissions is a must. The current fleet of 60 ferries pumps out 40,000 tons of CO2 annually, a whopping 8% of Sweden's total shipping emissions, posing a big health risk in urban areas.
Enter the Candela P-12. Most electric boats struggle with heavy batteries, but Candela’s hydrofoils solve this by lifting the boat above water like a plane during takeoff, minimising drag.
While hydrofoils aren't new, combining them with electric power and automated controls is. The carbon-fibre P-12, with its 180-kWh batteries, can cruise for three hours before charging. This 12-metre, 8.5-ton boat seats 30 passengers comfortably.
Andrea Meschini, head of R&D testing for the Candela P-12 said there is a gap in the sector just waiting for something like this:
The Candela P-12 is due to start taking passengers between the island of Ekero and central Stockholm in October -- a busy route that should take 35 minutes with the new ferry, half the time it takes by land.
Royal Mail is expanding its electric vehicle fleet by 2,100 vans within a year to help reach its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. These new EVs will debut from August 2024 across the UK, with over half expected to operate by early winter - meaning your Christmas shopping might just be that little bit more electric!
With approximately 5,000 vans, Royal Mail is the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet - and with addition of these 2,100 electric vans, they are firmly in the lead.
Charging for most vans will occur at Royal Mail’s delivery offices using 100% renewable electricity. When the full 2,100 vans are on the roads, Royal Mail estimates that they’ll be reducing their annual emissions by 6,000 tonnes of CO2 (that’s around 3,021 round-trip flights from London Heathrow to New York JFK!).
Jenny Hall, Royal Mail’s director of corporate affairs, emphasised the electric milestone:
But EVs aren’t the only exciting thing Royal Mail is doing to reduce its carbon footprint:
Alongside EVs, Royal Mail introduced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in its heavy goods vehicles in June 2023, saving 30,000 tonnes of CO2. And as part of its ‘Steps to Zero’ strategy aiming for Net-Zero by 2040, it halved domestic flights, cutting another 30,000 tonnes of CO2. Emissions dropped 18% in two years, targeting 50% by 2030.
Electric vehicles are zooming ahead worldwide, with numbers soaring, according to fresh research from Germany.
The Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) revealed that by the end of 2023, there were about 42 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road—a 50% jump from the previous year. This includes all-electric, plug-in hybrids, and range-extender EVs.
China leads the pack with an impressive 23.4 million EVs, accounting for over half of the global total. The United States follows with 4.8 million, while Germany comes in third with 2.3 million. France and the United Kingdom are also making significant strides, with 1.6 million and 1.5 million EVs respectively. China’s electric vehicle growth is particularly spectacular, boasting a sizzling 60% year-over-year increase, far outpacing other major markets!
Here are the only three acronyms you’ll need to know:
EV = Electric Vehicle (okay, you probably already knew that one…)
ICE = Internal Combustion Engine (Petrol/Diesel)
XFC = Extreme Fast Charging
One of the main EV anxieties is the length of time spent charging. And, whilst the chargers today are providing faster charging than ever before, the EV community (and those debating the move over to electric!) are always after quicker chargers and, more importantly, batteries that can charge quicker.
The battery company, Storedot, are aiming to eliminate charging anxiety. They’ve produced an XFC Silicon Battery, charging up to 100 miles (160km) in under 5 minutes! Although this technology will only be available in high-end luxury EVs at first, the idea is that eventually all EV drivers will have access to this technology, encouraging everyone to go green.
In their recent venture with Polestar, Storedot demonstrated the XFC technology in a Polestar 5 prototype. The technology proceeded to charge the Polestar from 10-80% in 10 minutes! This was the first time this type of technology had been demonstrated in a drivable vehicle outside of the lab and is an exciting step forward to eliminating range anxiety.
CEO of Polestar, Thomas Ingenlath said:
By 2026, Storedot are planning on further developing this technology, aiming to see the silicon batteries provide 100 miles of range in 4 minutes, and hoping for an even shorter 3 minutes by 2028!
As part of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), EV fleet and battery storage solutions firm Zenobē has been granted £41.7 million!
Who is Zenobē?
Zenobē are involved in everything ‘clean power’! From electric fleets (fleet electrification, charging infrastructure etc.) to second life batteries (refurbishing used batteries), Zenobē are all about supporting the charge to Net Zero and making clean power accessible across the world!
What are they trying to achieve?
We get it, £41.7m is a lot of money - so what are they going to do with it? Zenobē’s aim is to aid a network of major operators in their exciting transitions to zero-emission vehicles. They’ll also be providing key infrastructure and ongoing support for EV operation, whilst curating financing structures to ensure the reduction of overall cost for electric fleet operations.
If all goes to plan, this electrification project will enable 8 small to medium sized enterprise, mid-market and major operators to undergo the transition to electric. More than 250 electric buses should therefore be added to the Scotland fleet by the end of 2026, increasing the overall amount in Scotland by 40%!
Additionally, the money will be put towards the 110 vehicles Zenobē already supports in Scotland (and the 1,200 globally!), whilst also maintaining their £750m commitment to provide battery energy storage systems.
Here is a list of all the consortium operators in Scotland who are excited to start their green journeys:
D&E Coaches, Ember, Hairy Haggis, Maynes Coaches, McGills, NHS GGC, Premier Coaches and Stagecoach.
They have also stated that all their new rapid-charging infrastructure will be open to third party fleet operators - encouraging all buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles to get involved!
What are the benefits?
It has been said that once this operation is complete, new vehicles in Scotland will collectively avoid 605,595 tonnes of CO2 emissions over their 15-year lifetime! These epic numbers will make a big difference when it comes to Zenobē’s zero emissions mission, bringing cleaner air to Scottish communities
In big news, Uber Technologies Inc. and BYD Co. have announced a new partnership, introducing 100,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to Uber's platform, initially focusing on Europe and Latin America before expanding to the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
This collaboration aims to provide drivers with lower vehicle pricing and financing, discounts on charging, and help with maintenance & insurance, supporting Uber's goal to transition its fleet to EVs (previously, Uber has also collaborated with charging network providers like EVgo and Revel Transit Inc. and invested in public EV chargers in London).
“When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more… We’re excited to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to more people around the world.” - Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD and CEO of BYD Americas, also commented, “We are elated to join forces with a global leader like Uber to not only accelerate the transition to electric vehicles but also to make green transportation accessible and affordable for everyone. This collaboration marks a new era in the electrification of urban mobility...”
While this deal benefits both companies - enhancing Uber's EV goal and aiding BYD's global expansion - huge strides have already been made this year individually. In 2024 alone, Uber's shares increased by over 2%, and BYD's shares have risen more than 6%, reaching a market cap of HK$734.6 billion ($94 billion).
So, just remember when you’re looking for your next Uber ride - think electric!
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