Battery Tech – the new power monoliths, Tesla, Ford, VW, Rivian, GM, BYD, Vinfast, Nissan, BMW, KIA, Hyundai, Mercedes, Genesis and so many more electric vehicle companies are working to bring some of the most advanced vehicles we have seen to your neighbourhood.
The evolution has not only turned the car industry on its head but has accelerated other industries to change direction, focus on the future of their products and shake things up to support the new age of electrification.
One industry that has been at the center of this shake-up has been the Battery companies. Panasonic, CATL, LG Chem, Gotion, Northvolt and many more including the startups like Tesla.
Batteries have become essential for the future of not just vehicles but support solar and the power grid. The storage of electrical energy to be used to propel electric motors for vehicles, to store large quantities of energy in storage systems for small dwellings and on a larger scale megapacks that store power grids are becoming the norm.
Opportunities
Battery Tech – the new power monoliths, This evolution has taken some companies from sheer obscurity to global leaders. Panasonic for example was never really known for its battery technology, but now its name is synonymous with Tesla the leading electric car brand globally.
It is this evolution that has all battery manufacturers vying for the opportunity to do the same with other car brands.
Battery technology has in the most part sat idle with little innovation for a hundred or so years. Acid batteries were the most evolutionary step forward in the early 19th century with Lithium-ion batteries coming with the evolution of the Smartphone.
Outside of these batteries have been nothing more than an afterthought. Until now.
4680
Video courtesy of Tesla.com/Youtube
Tesla announced in late 2020 that it was about to rethink battery tech and the evolution of battery technology with the development of 4680 cells. They had redesigned the idea of the battery. Retaining the cylindrical shape but looking for better materials and ways to create them in a smaller footprint.
This forward-thinking allowed them to move with pace and partners to have vehicles in 2023 to be delivered with this battery technology driving their vehicles into the future.
Elon has mentioned on several occasions that Tesla and all car companies will need as many battery cells as they can get their hands on. This has undoubtedly been the case with constraints in the early 2021s as car deliveries and manufacturing was hamstrung by the limited supply.
However, that does not seem to be the case with Tesla currently as production continues to grow along with the construction of more battery cell factories like the one recently announced in Berlin.
But what about the other companies? Each has a different manufacturing process and format. Some are creating the typical cylindrical batteries while others are pouching style and prismatic. Regardless they are producing as many as they can due to the rise of the electric vehicle.
Challenges
When established car companies start looking to move to electric, they have a lot of knowledge of vehicles but not much in the way of battery technology, in most art. This is proving to be one of the biggest challenges in understanding the complexities of battery management systems and how they integrate third-party systems in their new vehicles.
Furthermore, they are all competing for the same battery capacity, which is causing delays in car production. The battery companies cannot deploy enough cells fast enough.
It just proves that Tesla’s early thinking about the development in the house of their own battery cells and top to bottom integration puts them far ahead of the competition as they do not have to compete with anyone but themselves.
Image courtesy of Tesla.com
Of course, this challenge will only last for several years before new players and new thinking around battery tech will bring balance and a more competitive advantage to an equal playing field.
Batteries are fast becoming the coal of the future. The difference is that with this technology the batteries are almost all able to be recycled.
Battery Tech – the new power monoliths, Redwood materials have shown itself to be ahead of the curve with the company developing techniques and processes for disassembling and recycling battery packs and batteries to be reused and recycled back into electric vehicle technologies.
This thinking means that eventually digging the minerals out of the ground will no longer be required in the vast numbers that currently are occurring and the same batteries you had in your vehicle for the last 10 years will help in the vehicles in the next 10 years.
Image courtesy of Redwoodmaterials.com
Reuse, Recycle and have a safer, healthier future for our kids and grandkids.
ACE EV – Australian EV Manufacturer. At the turn of the century there was a hope that the 21st century would deliver a new age of innovation, inspiration, motivation and vision. Nothing comes for free it usually comes with hard work, blood, sweat and tears with a touch of luck and hope is usually the way forward.
This is a new Blog where we dive into the “Manufacturers of the Future”. We focus on the electric vehicle companies that have risen out of the ashes of the industrial age to stand tall and lead us to the future.
We aim to tell their story, reveal their challenges and their successes and help many to understand the importance of their journey and the future that they are trying to bring into focus.
To begin this journey, we wanted to start local. Australia is a hot bed of thriving ideas and full of people who are passionate about the legacy of the future.
Australian History
Australia is a proud and passionate country. Our history tells of a time of great challenge out of which came new ideas and innovations. We as a people are filled with determination to achieve great things. Our country prides itself on being a place of hope and prosperity with an intention to drive our imagination whilst creating the future. Australia is large continent, full of wonders great and small, old and new. We as its people embrace them all.
Over the years we have shown our patriotism in a number of ways. The Australian car industry has had a long and distinguished career and in part has been a driver to the prosperity of the country.
In the early days of the 20th century, we started to produce vehicles in Australia that we called our own. It was in the late 1940’s that we truly put our stamp on an Australian vehicle. With companies like Holden, Ford, Toyota and many more coming to market with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles we thrived as a country and consumed these vehicles for passion, fun and the simple life.
These vehicles proved their worth by helping families travel cross country and discover the wonders of this great continent. However in our haste to have a vehicle we call our own, we did not realise that the dream of owning a brand new car was also the reason for our undoing. In our haste, to own a new car, we caused our own industry to be over run and ultimately decimated by foreign imports and greater variety.
Holden closed its doors in 2017, as one of the last manufacturers in australia and no one took their place.
Yet amongst the mayhem and loss, one Australian car company was forging a new path, ACE EV.
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Global consequences
Our need for our own vehicle and reliance on fossil fuels has led the global population to pollute the very air we breathe and in turn cause catastrophic change to the environment. Health of the population has also been impacted by the environmental pollutants that the growing number of vehicles produced.
These environmental and health issues, that are a direct result of poor human decision making, have impacted Australia in recent years. Bushfires, droughts and increasing ocean temperatures are all indicators that something needs to change. Providing new and fresh ideas to fix the issues we have caused but to also set up the future generations for success should be our goal moving forward.
ACE EV
Issues like these are what motivate people like Greg McGarvie to gain the passion and determination to make a change. Greg’s pioneering spirit helped him and the team to follow a path not easily tread, back in 2015. It is this determination and a mission to improve the world for the grandchildren that motivates and drives his ideas forward. Gregs passion for renewable energy is not new but his determination to move the dial in australia is stronger than ever.
Startup
ACE EV – Australian EV Manufacturer. Over 5 years ACE EV have worked tirelessly to deliver on their promise of manufacturing an australian made electric vehicle. Whilst government incentives have been very rare ACE EV has been backed by private investors who can see the vision they are trying to deliver. These investors have been great supporters of Greg’s and ACE EV efforts to develop a unique vehicle that provides all aspects of the current vehicles on the road but without the pollutants.
In a recent interview with SME TV, Greg Mcgarvie explained that his vision to build an Australian electric vehicle has been like his child. A child that has grown up quickly considering their journey only started a mere 5 years before. It is wonderful to see Greg’s vision of manufacturing an Australian EV become reality.
ACE EV is Australia’s first home grown manufacturing electric vehicle company. Their initial startup was conceived in Brisbane Australia and in recent years they have collaborated with Aldom Motor Body Builders to begin production of their innovative vehicle design.
The ability for this company to grow an industry in a time that has seen much retraction is encouraging. Manufacturing in Adelaide helps to grow new jobs and develop a truly Australia wide collaboration between two companies.
ACE EV are not your traditional car manufacturer of electric vehicles. They have a unique production process. Their vehicles include the EV CARGO and ACE YEWT and due in 2022 is the EV URBAN.
The initial focus for ACE EV is in the commercial sector. The EV CARGO provides a small van that allows for approx. 500kg cargo carrying capacity. The size and carrying capacity suggest’s it’s a great vehicle for small business and companies who deliver goods within their local areas. Some recent examples include use by Australia Post.
The second vehicle in their line-up is the ACE YEWT. It is targeted at a number of key industries including Home Nurses, Government agencies, florists, news agencies. I would think that handymen and tradies would be interested as the vehicles promote the ability to charge tools from the vehicle. It is this innovation that truly helps to set ACE EV apart from the current competition here in Australia.
Due in 2022 is the EV Urban. This will be the car for the masses and hopefully help ACE EV grow their footprint home and abroad.
ACE EV specs
ACE EV have an innovative and unique process for manufacturing their vehicles. The body of the vehicle is made up of carbon fiber materials which when assembled create a strong and durable base. On top of this plastic body pieces are attached to the substructure of carbon fiber to form the shell of the vehicle. This combined with a 18kw motor with 45kw peak and 174 NM of torque provides a zippy vehicle for round town driving. The use of the Carbon Fiber reduces the weight to power ratio and thus allows the vehicles to perform with greater mobility and distance.
ACE EV Prices
In recent update from Greg McGarvie, he provided an updated price breakdown for the up coming vehicles for Australia and USA. The prices that Greg outlined provide an insight into the competitive nature that the ACE EV vehicles will provide. With some of the most complelling value seen in australia for EV’s these vehicles will be compared to their foreign counterparts as value for money.
Target pricing with availability(late 2021 – early 2022)
Cargo AUD $29,995 (USD $21,896) late 2021 reservation open
Yewt. AUD $25,995 (USD $18,796) early 2022 reservation open
Urban.AUD $35,995 (USD $26,276) mid 2022 Reserve February 1st 2021
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Battery packs
The battery packs are made up of 18650 cells and are contained below the floor of the cabin. A total of 23.2 kwh battery pack provides between 150 – 200 kms of range depending on load capacity. The heavier the vehicle the less range provided from the battery packs. This is the advantage of the Carbon Fiber helping to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle.
As the vehicles are built with carbon fiber combined with lightweight plastics they tip the scales at just under 1000kgs. In comparison to many internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles of similar size the ACE EV is almost half their weight.
Australian innovation in the 21st century is alive and well and ACE EV is leading the way. Their preliminary line up of vehicles combined with their compelling prices and their innovative construction will truly give them an edge here in Australia.
The Australian Government’s support for electric vehicles has been quite negative in recent years and continues to be lack luster. What is encouraging for the future of electric vehicles in australia is a company like ACE EV working against the tide of adversity.
Manufacturing innovation
ACE Electric Vehicles are made of composite materials that are strong and durable. There manufacturing is done in an unusual way. The components for the vehicle are created in an overseas factory where the carbon fiber is shaped into individual pieces. These pieces are shipped in a “Smart Pack” and assembled in the Aldom Motor Body Builders factory. This video shows the process the construction takes.
Video Courtesy of ace-ev.com.au
Australian motor vehicle manufacturing industry was a shining light in Australia with proud owners of the Australian made Holden’s, Ford’s, Toyota’s and Mitsubishi vehicles. ACE EV’s pioneering spirit will once again help to inspire the future drivers of Australia to be proud of what we make. However Ace is looking beyond our shores to share this innovation with the world.
Australia has for many years been pivotal in discovering new cures for diseases and new ways of understanding the world through research, discovery and a sheer drive to solve a problem. It is this drive that has inspired Greg and Ace EV to continue to innovate and develop their products.
It is no surprise that we again have innovative people like Greg McGarvie who understand through life experience, career and a drive to make the world better, that Australia’s reputation to manufacture quality products remains intact.
Australia has a reputation for being great at dissecting and observing fresh perspectives on old thinking and applying new innovative ideas to deliver a new industry and give life to old industries thought lost to the past.
ACE EV – Australian EV Manufacturer. ACE EV‘s innovations in Smart Packs and manufacturing, in combination with a vision of helping the grandchildren of the future, and showing that innovation is not lost in the Australian motor vehicle industry, provides encouragement for the future generations and a hope that we can reverse the impact we have had on the world around us.
Dave
David McCann
EV-HQ founder, passionate about sharing the passion for Tesla and Electric Vehicles everywhere.
