Singapore has been on the brink of ushering in a new era of green transport as governments and industry have been preparing the island for a whole new way of driving, including testing electric vehicles. Key to that preparation is the charging infrastructure that will be needed for powering these long-awaited vehicles.
At this week’s Clean Energy Expo Asia in Singapore, Eco-Business talked to Greenlots managing director Oliver Risse about what to expect from the EV industry’s perspective.
Greenlots is one of the companies involved in the government’s electric vehicle test-bed project. Along with technology firm Bosch, Greenlots has developed charging networks that allow registered users to access charge points at a variety of locations.
Eco-Business: When are we going to start seeing electric vehicles in Singapore?
We see the first vehicles here already, although not many. There are a handful of vehicles - both cars and two-wheel vehicles on the roads now. But we are all waiting for more cars. Obviously there will be more interest as soon as people can test the vehicles and see how easy it is to get around using electric cars and bikes.
EB: Is that what Singapore needs for the idea of EVs to go mainstream - more cars?
Absolutely. Everything is in place. If there is a new trend - new vehicles, new concepts - you need to test it. As a consumer you will not buy a car without having tested it. If you can’t test it because there are no vehicles available here, then people won’t buy it.
EB: Why did you choose Singapore?
Singapore is the perfect place for electric vehicles because of its short distances and densely populated, urbanised area. It’s also a place where business moves fast, compared to Europe.
We set up Greenlots in 2008 because we wanted to see a Singapore-based company that develops advanced charging infrastructure for the world market, not only for Singapore.
We developed the tech here, tested it here, and set up the first carparks here with our partners - and saw that it worked. Then we said, “Look, if it works in Singapore, it will work in Bangkok, it will work in Kuala Lumpur, and in Berlin or New York.”
Since then, we have worked on the local roll-out, but also on the international roll-out which is more important for us, because that’s where the markets are right now. The Singapore market is a small market for us, and charging infrastructure is a global game.
EB: Tell us about your expansion plans.
Greenlots is no longer in the development phase. That gives us a bit more advantage because we have already tested the technology in Singapore, and now we have started gaining experience internationally. Since 2010 we’ve expanded into 12 countries with commercial projects.
EB: Where are you expanding so far?
Mainly in Asia and Europe, but we’re just expanding right now into the United States. One of our partners was just in California for that reason.
Within Asia, the biggest market by far is China. Japan is very strong as well. From our perspective, we see a huge potential there…Korea is pushing hard as well. But we also see a lot of activities going on in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia.
EB: Does the EV industry have any compatibility issues to overcome to charge different types of cars?
The infrastructure is very simple. The Singapore government decided on one standard (TR25), which is from the United States, and all cars have to come with the same kind of socket type.
Our charging platform is a flexible platform using AC current, which supports from 3 to 20 kilowatts (kw), so drivers can do slow charging or fast charging. The AC current uses existing infrastructure, which is a big advantage. Extra infrastructure adds costs to the car. We believe that for mass market use, you need to use existing infrastructure.
EB: Do you think the EV industry here needs favourable government policies to push the uptake of EVs?
You can’t bet on government incentives.
The EV industry is self-evolving. Electric vehicles are sold out globally, and everyone is waiting for more cars. As more vehicles come on-line, the costs will come down.
Oliver Risse is also the co-founder of Greenlots.
Eco-Business.com’s coverage of Clean Energy Expo Asia 2011, part of Singapore International Energy Week 2011, is brought to you by Schneider Electric.
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