Another Australian company plotting an electric ute
But Roev is not only planning to retro-fit utes with battery power but establish an “EV open-source software ecosystem”Electric utes could be closer to Australian roads than you think. Local start-up Roev has revealed plans to manufacture EV utes in Australia and convert existing Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger models to 100 per cent battery power.
Formed by two former executives of software giant Atlassian, Roev has a vision to revive the Australian car manufacturing industry by producing electric utes.
“We have the passion, vision and know-how to restore manufacturing in Australia” says Roev CEO and co-founder, Noah Wasmer.
A sketch on the company’s website shows a sleek single-cab ute with what appears to be a cab-chassis tray. There are enough muscly design add-ons – including a contrasting bonnet bulge and full-width LED lights up front – to suggest Roev understands that a ute also needs to look tough and purposeful.
But it’s a deeper understanding of the EV industry – including the ability to use EVs to power houses – that Roev believes gives it a competitive edge.
“We’ve already invested heavily in understanding the long-term business case for manufacturing at scale in Australia,” says Wasmer. “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make this happen and drive real change in this country.”
As many aspirational EV manufacturers know – including Australian hopeful H2X – there’s a chasm between a vision and showrooms packed with their vehicles.
To fill the multi-year void between that vision and creating an Aussie-made ute, Roev is well advanced with plans to convert existing HiLux and Ranger workhorses from diesel power to zero-emissions utes.
The company says it is currently working with businesses and governments about large-scale EV conversions that could help ‘green’ fleets before manufacturers make the inevitable switch to electric utes.
Roev already has a development vehicle based on a HiLux that is currently undergoing testing.
It plans to offer the HiLux EV with a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery with a capacity of at least 100kWh. It will also be offered in two- and four-wheel drive configurations, although there’s no word yet on how much the EV conversions will cost.
Of course, Roev is by no means alone in offering EV conversions. There are various workshops currently converting all manner of cars from ICE to electric, with costs typically starting at about $40,000.
Top-seller Toyota has committed to converting its utilitarian 70-Series LandCruiser utes to electric for mining giants such as BHP.
However, rather than just replacing oily bits with batteries and electric motors, Roev also wants to infuse its EVs with the latest software and vehicle-to-grid capability, with plans to deliver “a full bi-directional charging solution to market”.
“EV utes are a great start, but the biggest impact will come from running them efficiently with renewable energy and the ability to store and redistribute that energy from their batteries,” says Wasmer.
Currently the only battery-electric vehicle capable of vehicle-to-grid technology in Australia is the Nissan LEAF – and it requires about $10,000 of hardware to enable its V2G functionality.
Energy companies and governments are exploring the potential for V2G to balance grid demand and capture excess renewable energy that currently gets discarded.
Roev co-founder and CTO Paul Slade says that by 2035 – the same year the ACT has proposed a ban on the sale of new vehicles powered by petrol and electricity – there will be enough EVs on the road to provide battery capacity to power 75 per cent of Australian homes.
“We can power this country with renewable energy stored in EVs,” says Slade.
“We see the future of vehicle depots as DC micro-grids, and by testing our V2G technology and EV management software, we can show that it can be done without impacting the driving performance or range requirements for electric vehicles.”
With a background in software, Roev’s founders also says it plans to be the first company to supply “EV open-source software ecosystem”.
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