TECHNOLOGY
BANS ON PETROL and diesel vehicles - set to come into place across Europe over the next decades - mean there ’ s more focus than ever on the electric vehicle market .
Not only does the ban present a lot of pressures and opportunities for electric vehicle manufacturers , but it ’ s spurring on other companies too – those seeking to explore numerous business opportunities within the electric vehicle space . Within the space there are motor manufacturers , R & D labs for battery technology , chargingpoint installers , car tech companies and even those involved in motorsport spying opportunities .
The boom in the industry – 2016 saw a 41 % increase in global sales ( 777,497 vehicles ) – represents a huge opportunity for startups and established businesses alike to offer something new and exciting to this burgeoning automotive market . UBS expects that 14 % of all cars sold globally by 2025 will be battery driven , and one in three cars sold in Europe will be an EV .
Commercial electric vehicles Electric mobility goes far beyond passenger cars and the health risks associated with diesel vehicles as zero-emission policies push logistics and transport companies towards ever greener solutions . Royal Mail recently announced it was partnering with electric truck company Arrival to trial nine e-HGVs .
Denis Sverdlov , CEO of Arrival , says : “ We are thrilled to partner with Royal Mail , who will be using our electric vehicles . Cities like London will benefit hugely from a switch to electric , in terms of both pollution and noise . Most importantly , we are priced the same as diesel trucks thus removing the main barrier to go electric .”
Small and sustainable personal transport At the other end of the scale , when it comes to transport , is Bolt . This Netherlands-based company is leading the way when it comes to safe , scalable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to petrol and diesel vehicles . The AppScooter is a plug-in vehicle with full app integration , capable of 400km on a single charge .
CEO and co-founder of Bolt Mobility , Bart Jacobsz Rosier , saw the gap in the market for a
20 October 2017