• Hdrive is commissioning two EV buses for public transport
      • New bus has a range of about 300km and can recharge in 45 minutes
      • Company to release a range of BEV and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

 

Special Report: China may be curbing expansion of its booming electric vehicle industry, in response to growing tariffs and legislation imposed on its exports by Western markets, but EVs remain very much at the pointy end of the stick aimed at decarbonising transport.

In Australia, EVs (more specifically battery electric vehicles) made up 7.2% of total new vehicle sales in 2023, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

Including plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles into this mix takes the total number of electrified vehicle sales up to 16.2% of all new vehicle sales.

This is substantially more than 5% of all new car sales, a level widely accepted as the “tipping point” when EVs cease to be an early-adopter novelty or niche, small-volume product and become part of the mainstream fleet.

Casual observation certainly seems to support this with multiple EVs likely to be spotted anytime one takes a drive out to the shops.

Global EV sales are also encouraging, rising 29% to 13.7 million units in 2023, according to technology market analysis firm Canalys.

However, this growth in the use of EVs has been largely constrained to consumer vehicles with the commercial and industrial sectors still a long way from mass adoption of the technology.

That is not to say there are no EVs available for either sectors with several electric vans already available for purchase while trials have been run into the feasibility of giant electric mine trucks.

 

Interest in EVs growing

While adoption of EVs in both the commercial and industrial sectors remains limited, there are indicators that interest in EVs for the commercial sector is growing and HDrive International, a 60% owned subsidiary of Pure Hydrogen (ASX:PH2), is gearing up to meet this demand.

It is poised to commission two EV buses to support the NSW Government’s initiatives for eco-friendly and flexible multimodal public transport.

 

The compact 7.5m long EV70 Citybus boasts an 18-seat capacity and is designed to be accessible for wheelchair users and passengers with reduced mobility, making it ideal for on-demand services, schools, shuttle operations and mobility companies.

Other standout features include its range of about 300km that makes it suitable for both short and medium-distance routes, as well as quick recharge time of just 45 minutes, which enhances its operational efficiency by ensuring minimal downtime and maximising availability for service.

More importantly, the EV70 bus represents HDrive’s first step in its ambitious goals for 2024, which include releasing a range of battery EV and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in both Australia and the US.

This aligns with the global push towards cleaner energy alternatives.

Advanced discussions are also under way to extend HDrive’s supply chain into Europe by early 2025, which will demonstrate the company’s commitment to international collaboration in fostering sustainable transportation solutions.

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Pure Hydrogen, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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