G-Car Further Thoughts

Energy Supply Issues

A lot of new transport technology is set to be tested in the next few years - mass produced electric cars, pods, hyperloop. The G-Car is not revolutionary or even disruptive. It's designed as a lightweight electric taxi optimised for small urban areas or neighborhoods. No doubt energy storage technology will one day improve enough to extend the range of electric vehicles but right now the cards are still stacked against a long range electric vehicle especially with the fixed battery design adopted by leading car manufacturers. Some like Tesla seem to integrate the battery into the car chasis. 

An alternative approach that the G-Car will seek to refine is an easily replaceable battery preferably using a robotic arm to replace the battery at "Electric Refueling Stations" [ERS] that run on solar power to charge batteries ready for customers to come and replace. Ideally, the ERS would not need to buy a large number of batteries as long as charging times was relatively fast. 

Batteries need to managed and maintained according to a standardized protocol so that customers are assured that the replacement battery they get at an ERS is of reasonable quality. The approach is rather like that of domestic  LPG cylinders with standardised valves that that the brand should not matter. Competition with then be on the basis of logistical advantage.

At an ERS, customers will pay a charge for battery replacement that should cover the energy cost, labour cost, depreciation and other administrative and regulatory overheads that may include tax. By using green power, it may be possible to lower the cost of energy (?).

Alternatively, G-Cars can park and charge either at an ERS or other convenient locations where a standard charging station is installed. Charging energy can be derived from mains electricity, solar panels, wind or any other source.

Setting up an ERS infrastructure would be likely to face the challenge of lack of historic data prior experience on the enterprise. What would be the return rates for new entrants? What are the risks? Who supplies the equipment? Who trains the operators? Who provides engineering support? What's the future of the technology? Will it become obsolete before the operators recover their investment and make reasonable profit?

But technology is a moving target. None of these issues can stop the G-Car project from moving forward because the project is intended to pioneer short range electric vehicles in Kenya. All challenges are on the table and I believe none is insurmountable.