Government to fund solar-powered EV

An Australian start-up company has been promised $2 million in government funding to help get its first car on the road – a solar-powered, driverless electric vehicle (EV).

The funding is via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), on behalf of the Australian Government, and is said to go towards completing the next stage of commercialisation for the EV.

While the new vehicle will not challenge the Toyota Corolla - or any mainstream vehicle for that matter - given the vehicle's self-imposed 40km/h speed limit, it is designed to make urban transport easier, more efficient and safer.

AEV says that pedestrian injuries and deaths can be dramatically reduced when a vehicle's top speed is 40km/h or less.

The cash injection will also go "towards solving energy related challenges, such as selection of the most appropriate solar PV [photo voltaic] technology for the roof, and optimising the mass, energy efficiency, solar gain and safety of the vehicle".

An early prototype of Applied Electrics Vehicle’s (AEV) platform was revealed at last year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and now the Melbourne-based robotics company says it will build a pre-production prototype to complete its final design and testing phases.

AEV’s first vehicle also has some pretty impressive stats, with 60 per cent of its energy requirements produced from its solar PV roof.

A small lithium-ion battery pack means it can be charged by a 240V household plug to do the rest, which means it doesn’t require any special charging infrastructure.

Mainstream car-maker's Hyundai and Kia are also working on solar panel roof technology.

AEV's new electric cars are designed for short trips at low speed, according to the company.

The versatile platform could be used for a range of applications in delivery, agriculture, waste management and passenger transport, says AEV.

The $7.65 million project is also being developed in partnership with Japanese company Teijin Limited, which is responsible for delivering the vehicle’s lightweight materials and manufacturing methods.

"EVs are expected to play an important role in the coming decade in reducing the carbon footprint of transport," said ARENA’s chief executive Darren Miller.

"There is significant opportunity in the low speed vehicle market which is expected to gain considerable traction in cities, campuses and factories over the next decade, that AEV could tap into."

AEV’s chief executive, Julian Broadbent – who also happens to be the ex-Director of Global Advanced Portfolio Planning at General Motors – says he is excited to bring the this technology to market.

"We appreciate ARENA’s support for AEV, providing both funding and valuable expertise along the way," he said.

"The Modular Vehicle System will offer companies access to transport that is cost effective, pedestrian friendly, gentle on the environment and very customisable to their business needs."