INGAPORE: An electrical car, said to be the first to be designed, developed and manufactured locally, was officially launched on Friday (Apr 24).
The car, named EVA, was built by TUM CREATE (Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise) - a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Technische Universität München (TUM), according to the press release.
The new carbon fibre-structured vehicle, purposed to function as a taxi, will provide Singaporeans a futuristic alternative to the regular fuel-powered taxis. EVA was developed with user studies and observational analysis based on how Singaporean commuters utilised taxi services.
QUICK CHARGE BATTERY CREATING WAVES
It has a maximum speed of 111 km/h and a battery system that allows it to cover up to 200km with 15 minutes of charge time, according to the developers.
"The challenges surrounding fast charging include the high electricity currents needed and the heat that is consequently generated in the battery pack during the recharging process," the press release stated. "Our engineers have designed an innovative concept for more effective thermal management of the battery cells that targets to extend the pack's lifespan."
Under EVA's hood. (Photo: Calvin Oh)
Currently, there is only one charging station equipped with the fast-charging technology and is situated at NUS Town, said Mr Raymond Khoo, a Masters student who was involved in building the car.
EVA's battery pack can be charged with a regular home plug, but it will take up to 10 hours to charge fully. Wireless charging for the electric car is also installed, but the capability needs further optimisation, he added.
"Charging stations aren't that expensive, you can set them up anywhere," said Mr Markus Lienkamp, scientific advisor for the EVA project. He added that Singapore's small size is a huge advantage for the concept of an electrical taxi, since there is not a lot of distance for the vehicle to travel.
A look at the interior of EVA. (Photo: Calvin Oh)
EVA: MADE IN SINGAPORE
NTU President Professor Bertil Andersson also highlighted another achievement: "EVA is the first car ever designed, developed, and manufactured locally. While Singapore is not an automotive manufacturing country, the nation's economy will definitely benefit in the long run through technology transfer."
TUM CREATE CEO Maria-Elisabeth Michel-Beyerle added that many of the technologies researched and used in EVA, such as the fast-charging battery system, had yielded innovations beneficial to the automotive industry.
"Through EVA, this partnership between TUM and NTU has led to the development of several technological innovations which have caught the attention of the automotive industry. We are also now in discussions with some companies who are interested to commercialise our innovations," the CEO said.
Additionally, over the next four years, NTU will turn into a national test-bed for smart mobility solutions such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, which seeks to equip cars with devices capable of interacting with traffic infrastructure and other vehicles, according to the press release.
