Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

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marcopolo
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Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

Readers of V is for Voltage often overlook those four wheel pioneer toiling away creating EV's and charging infrastructure that will prove useful to all EV users in the future.

One such Pioneer is the Australian Ross Blade. The history of the Blade Electron is astonishing!

As those who have read my posts from time to time will attest, I am not very tolerant of snake oil and vaporware merchants!

Ross Blade is probably one of the most sincere and honest engineers I have ever met.

It's unfortunate that he is located in a small Australian provincial city. The Australian government has not been very supportive of EV development. I suppose the Australian federal and state governments attitudes are not really surprising considering the concern to retain the significant employment created by a marginally profitable local car industry consisting of three major manufacturers! Australia also possesses vast reserves of cheap natural gas (LPG).

Nevertheless, Ross Blade has persisted. Blade produced the first real modern four door, four seater EV. beating iMev and Nissan Leaf by four years.

The new offering from Blade boasts a range in the vicinity of 200klm+ and has an all Australian Drive train.

I own and operate three Blade Electrons. I can attest to the reliability and quality of these tough little cars.

For those interested, check out the Blade website. www.bev.com.au/

Cheers.

antiscab
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

The new offering from Blade boasts a range in the vicinity of 200klm+ and has an all Australian Drive train.

Hi Marco,

do you own one of the new models?

can you shed any light on where Ross sourced an Australian made motor and controller?

Aside from tritium, I know of no other Australian EV drivetrain.

The older models used azure AC24LS, which is pretty good for what it is, if a bit over priced.

cheers,
Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

marcopolo
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

do you own one of the new models?
can you shed any light on where Ross sourced an Australian made motor and controller?

No, I'm sorry I don't own one of the new model,(Although I will order one)Unfortunately I have no information on the drivetrain.

I am returning to Australia in March and will visit Ross in Castlemaine to test drive the new model. But, I am sure if you rang, or emailed, Ross, he will be only too happy to supply information.

Matt, as an Australian, (and pretty knowledgeable about EV's), why do you think Australians (and the world) make such a fuss of iMev etc, and ignore their own home grown EV, which has evolved to be a pretty damn good small EV?

Where ever I travel (outside of NZ) no one seems to have heard of Ross Blade's achievements. This is exceedingly disappointing. Many Australian EV supporters seem to have the attitude that if it's Australian, it can't be good.

I constantly hear the cry from environmentalists, condemning oil companies and ICE automakers, for EV transport. Especially members of the Green Party, yet when you ask if they dive an Electron, they always come up with some feeble or irrational excuse!

Sad to see, imagine what Ross could have achieve if the SA government had given him and Mitsubishi the enormous subsidy and support offered to Misti to maintain production at the old Tonsley Park plant, instead of paying PRC workers $1.90 per hour to demolish it!

A range of EV commercial vehicles could have been produced specially adapted to Australian and NZ conditions.

But I guess a prophet has no honour in his own country, is a very true maxim.

marcopolo

Mik
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

My excuse is that I cannot afford new cars! Doesn't matter what type of propulsion and energy source it uses, it's too expensive.

The Vectrix was the only new vehicle I ever bought (except for one bicycle, but most bicycles I have owned were used, too!)

However, some state governments are making (or have been making) a lot of noise about good intentions re: emissions reductions, supporting solutions etc.

I wonder if one could pull it off to get the Blade Electron added to the list of available vehicles for government employees? I managed to get approval for some free scooter charging points in Australia that way, shame they are going totally unused since the Vectux is defunct.

Here some useful arguments in case someone wants to have a go at submitting a business case:

I propose that supporting the use of electric vehicles is consistent with the clearly stated intentions of the Queensland Government:

‘Climate Change is one of the great challenges facing Queensland and the world—it can’t be ignored. The Smart State will light the path to the future.’

“Doing nothing is not an option; we must make a commitment to deliver real cuts in our State’s greenhouse gas emissions and find new ways of generating power.
We aim to achieve all this by:

• engaging in national and international efforts to establish emissions trading
• reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by investing in technological innovation in clean coal and renewable energy sources
supporting Queenslanders to lower their emissions and conserve water at home, at work and in their local communities.

“Getting it right will require the input of the best and brightest from across Queensland and the nation.
“In Queensland we are facing up to climate change and committing ourselves to making a real difference to future generations.”
—Premier Peter Beattie 2007

The benefits in terms of reduced energy consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced air and noise pollution and reduced cost of EV ownership are very substantial.

The positive signal that this would be setting is invaluable.

This could also be a prime opportunity to generate positive publicity for the company by being the first to promote EV ownership/use/recharging for employees at work.

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Benefits:

There is an enormous volume of scientific evidence supporting the benefits of Electric Vehicles (EV’s) compared to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Vehicles.
I have compiled a small selection of statements from various Australian authorities for your perusal.
I am only quoting some key phrases here to keep it short. You may follow the provided links to the full text of the quoted documents.

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“National Strategy to Combat Environmental Impacts of Motor Vehicles
A comprehensive review into how Australia should adopt tougher motor vehicle emission standards is one of the key projects in a national motor vehicle environment strategy…..
The strategy involves a major coordinated approach between transport and environment agencies to guide Australia's efforts to reduce the impact of motor vehicles on public health and the environment.
Its major thrusts are to reduce motor vehicle emissions to improve air quality, to ensure that vehicle noise is within acceptable levels and to minimise greenhouse emissions.
It has been endorsed by all Commonwealth, State and Territory Transport and Environment Ministers, and was developed by the Motor Vehicle Environment Committee, established by the NRTC and NEPC in 1998.
Alternative technology vehicles such as fuel cells, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel offer long term solutions to significantly reducing road transport emissions.”

The National Transport Commission
(The NTC was established to assist Australian governments in achieving their jointly agreed objective set out in the Inter-Governmental Agreement1(IGA) of: “…improving transport productivity, efficiency, safety and environmental performance and regulatory efficiency in a uniform or nationally consistent manner.”)
http://]http://ntc.gov.au/NewsDetail.aspx?page=A024003055000000200060

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“ It would be even better to move to plug in, no tailpipe emission, electric vehicles.
Only the Vectrix fully electric motorcycle has so far been approved for Australian roads. It costs only $45 a year to run and even using coal fired electricity is responsible for a tenth of the CO2 of its petrol-powered equivalents.
We need to roll out hundreds of smart-card operated pavement power posts. Electric wheelchair users would benefit and our air would be so much cleaner.”

Senator Lyn Allison, Leader of the Australian Democrats
in Science Alert Australia and New Zealand.
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions/20081502-16905.html

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Health benefits:

“Does an electric vehicle fleet hold the key to urban transport?

However, conventional petrol or diesel engine cars have been reported to be the main sources of urban air pollution in major Australian cities - pollutants such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, particles (up to 50 microns) and lead - as well as being considerable contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
The most effective way of reducing pollutants is through use of electric vehicles (EVs), which are approximately 97 per cent cleaner than petrol-powered cars.”
By Professor Alek Samarin, ( a private consultant and adviser in the development and implementation of the concepts of sustainable development. From 1980 to 1994 he was Director of Research at Boral Ltd and Professorial Fellow at the University of Wollongong, and was then was appointed Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). He is currently with the Centre for Built Infrastructure Research, Faculty of Engineering, at UTS.) Monday, 21 January 2008 Science Alert Australia and New Zealand http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions/20082101-16807-2.html

First published in the December 2007 edition of The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE). http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=1110

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The following was published by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in collaboration with the National Asthma Council:

“Health effects of outdoor air pollution

While concentrations of individual outdoor air pollutants are generally low in Australian cities, the combined effect of the pollutants is complex and the health impacts are not restricted to the respiratory system.
The following table lists pollutants with known health effects on people with asthma.
Airborne particles: (Combustion of fossil fuel and organic matter, tobacco smoke and exhaust fumes)
Known health effects:
Respiratory tract irritation and infection, allergies
Bronchitis, eye irritation
Exacerbation of respiratory and cardiopulmonary diseases
Asthma requiring hospital admission
Lung cancer

Sulphur dioxide : (from Fossil fuel combustion)
Known health effects:
Respiratory tract irritation, bronchitis, bronchoconstriction
Provocation of asthmatic episodes
Exacerbation of cardiopulmonary diseases

Nitrogen oxides: (Biomass and fossil fuel combustion, tobacco smoke and exhaust fumes)
Known health effects:
Eye irritation
Respiratory tract infection (especially in children)
Exacerbation of asthma, irritation of bronchi
Asthma requiring hospital admission

Ozone: (Secondary pollutant - traffic, hydrocarbon release, fossil fuel combustion)
Known health effects:
Eye and respiratory tract irritation
Reduced exercise capacity
Exacerbation of asthma
Asthma requiring hospital admission
Some of the scientific evidence for these health effects includes:

A recent European study found that hospital admissions for asthma increase by 1 per cent for every 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase in particles with diameters less than 10 micrometres (known as PM10).,
· Associations between particles, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and asthma hospital admissions have been confirmed in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.2,3,4, ,
· A recent study in Darwin demonstrated an association between modest levels of PM10 from bushfires and emergency attendances for asthma.,
· Effects of particles on symptoms and lung function have not been confirmed in cohorts of children with asthma.,
· However, other studies involving cohorts of children with asthma have shown clear effects of nitrogen oxides and ozone., With more sensitive techniques health effects of ozone are observed at ever-lower concentrations.8,9,10,
· Prior exposure to ozone or nitrogen dioxide increases the response to allergens in people with allergic asthma.11,12,
· Long-term effects of air pollution appear to be related more to bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer,13, than to asthma.

Authors:
A/Prof Michael Abramson, Monash University; Dr Stephen Brown, CSIRO; Dr Shyamali Dharmage, The University Of Melbourne; A/Prof Nicholas Glasgow, The University Of Sydney; Peter Holder, Community Pharmacist, ACT; Peter Lewis, Consumer Representative, VIC; Dr James Markos, Launceston General Hospital; Prof Rod Simpson, University Of The Sunshine Coast
http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/html/management/infopapers/health_professionals/4003.asp

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Here is part of an article published in The Medical Journal of Australia:

“ Air pollution and its health impacts: the changing panorama
Abstract: Urban air pollution levels are associated with increased mortality and cardiorespiratory morbidity.
These health effects occur even at exposure levels below those stipulated in current air-quality guidelines, and it is unclear whether a safe threshold exists.
Air pollution in Australia and New Zealand comes primarily from motor vehicle emissions, electricity generation from fossil fuels, heavy industry, and home heating using wood and coal. In individual patients a direct link between symptoms and air pollution exposure may be difficult to establish and may not change their clinical management. However, avoiding exposure during periods of peak pollution may be beneficial.
Although there is some evidence that urban air pollution in Australia and New Zealand has been decreasing (through reduced car use, improved emission-control technology and use of more energy-efficient devices in the household and in industry), pollution levels are still unsatisfactory. Further reductions may prevent hundreds of cardiorespiratory hospital admissions and deaths each year.”

Tord E Kjellstrom, Anne Neller and Rod W Simpson MJA 2002 177 (11/12): 604-608
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_11_021202/kje10481_fm.html

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The following is from the Environment Protection Authority Victoria:

“Effects of air pollution on mortality - Melbourne Mortality Study
This report presents the results of an epidemiological study conducted by EPA and its partners into the effects of air pollution on daily mortality in Melbourne. The statistical analysis, conducted by the researchers at the School of Public Health, Griffith University, utilises state of the art statistical methods to identify the impacts of ambient air pollution on daily mortality. The results of the study show that current levels of air pollution in Melbourne are associated with increases in daily mortality and are consistent with studies conducted elsewhere in Australia and overseas.”
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/air/health/mortality_study.asp

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Benefits in regards to CO2 emissions reduction and Climate destabilisation:

"Shrinking timeframe to prevent dangerous climate change?
‘But you don’t need to wait for the uncertainties to be quantified to know what to do next - the need for emissions reductions is urgent.’
Dr Mike Raupach - CSIRO 14 February 2008
http://www.publish.csiro.au/?nid=214

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“The opportunity for Australia, and CSIRO, is to reduce the likelihood of an economic and social shock of a major disruption to oil supplies and to minimise the cost of implementing change in the transport sector,” CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.
“We have to do this while at the same time reducing the transport sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
CSIRO Media Release 7 May 2007
http://www.csiro.au/news/FundingForLowEmissionsTransport.html

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“Cutting greenhouse emissions can start in simple ways
Growth of transport energy use is closely coupled to economic growth. It has to be decoupled if global warming is not to make the Earth uninhabitable.
What's the answer? Well we can wait for technological advance to come up with "the golden bullet" - the hydrogen car, nuclear power stations or clean coal. Or we can get on with the job of reducing carbon emissions right now with what works.
Step 1: Reduce travel demand by 20 per cent.....
Step 2: Shift 20 per cent of journeys to low or non-greenhouse gas emitting modes of transport....
Step 3: Improve vehicle greenhouse performance by 20 per cent by the use of alternative fuels......
Step 4: Improve fuel efficiency for travel by 20 per cent. This is perhaps the easiest step of all. Travel does not require large heavy fuel-guzzling cars. Such vehicles are for style, not travel, and style can be delivered in other ways once the true price of travel is paid.
Step 5: Obtain 20 per cent of energy for travel in individual motor vehicles from zero-carbon sources. Solar electric energy is coming. Electric vehicle refuelling could be linked to housing equipped …………
Australia cannot afford climate change on the scale now predicted. No dollar value can possibly reflect the loss of human habitat and food production that climate change will bring in its train. To meet the challenge, the price of greenhouse gas emitting energy will have to rise to a level that reduces its consumption. But that price will be lower if the alternatives are readily available. We need to start thinking about them now, and planning to adapt to the new reality.
Nicholas Low, Director of the Australasian Centre for Governance and Management of Urban Transport, University of Melbourne. In Science Alert Australia and New Zealand
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions/20070504-14828-3.html

Of course these quotes are becoming a bit dated now, but a few hours of trawling the net will undoubtedly reveal an even larger amount evidence for the need of government institutions to support EV's in order to do what their bosses are promising they would do!

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

marcopolo
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

Wow Mik, thanks for the super detailed reply!

Yes indeed, (sigh) Australian governments of all persuasions have been very long on rhetoric and very short on action! Australia's vast natural resources and relatively secure economy, has definitely bred complacency and incompetence.

Mik, your point about lack of support from the Australian government car fleet of 8000 vehicles (and another 138,000 elective or managed fleet), is very valid! If the government ordered just 5% fleet as EV's, (or .05 of the elective fleet), the support for Blade would be electrifying! (excuse the pun!).

My excuse is that I cannot afford new cars! Doesn't matter what type of propulsion and energy source it uses, it's too expensive

.

You have my empathy, especially with the recent devastation in Qld!

However, a pre-owned, but fully reconditioned Blade Electron is only $29,000. (or $ 98 dollars pwk*, hey! You could trade-in the Vetux!). If the owner saved $52.00 pwk on petrol, that's only $48.00 pwk! Or $6.83 per day. Allow futher savings on servicing and maintence savings, maybe $3.40 per day. Now deduct the capital cost of a redundant ICE vehicle. The result could be as low as $2.00 per day to own and operate your own EV!

Everyone can afford $2.00 a day! Not bad for a clear conscience? Hell, that's not even the price of a beer!

(I know I have deliberately put an optimistically positive interpretation on the math to prove my point, but the priciple is worth consideration)

My observations are not aimed at those who are genuinely unable to afford new cars, but directed at all those Chardonnay green-left voters, whose lack of support for Blade result in so few second-hand units available for those who would like to buy an EV, but can only afford a used model

If the three most congested Australian cities developed incentives such as special parking and peak hour lane concessions for EV's, Blade's sales would become more viable.

The Sydney City Council decided to purchase a far more expensive, imported iMev as a test vehicle, and made EV adoption dependent on using solar power from the roof of the town hall! The reason why Lord Mayor Clover Moore preferred the imported Mitsubishi product over the Australian Blade remains unclear, and Mayor Moore has declined to answer why she elected to ignore SCC 'buy Australian' guidelines. ( Maybe just anti-Victoria)

Brisbane City Council has made some effort to incorporate Hybrid technology in the BCC fleet, but this doesn't translate to any real support for Blade.

Melbourne City Council, actually purchased a Blade for its 1017 vehicle fleet. It also boasts two hybrids.

Blade has experienced marginal success with other suburban local governments, mostly just purchasing a token test vehicle.

Some of the excuses trundled out by Government and councils alike are;
1)"Our fleet management consultants recommend waiting until EV's are more established"(catch 22)
2)" Waiting until Fleet resale prices are established" (catch 22)
3)"We have commissioned a 5 year study with RARE Consulting Services" (obsolete before complete).
4)"Safety and Insurance considerations for employees, they might be electrocuted or not hear an EV." (Silly) 5)"Waiting until recharging infrastructure guarantees all green power" (smugly pathetic excuse)
6)"No charging infrastructure." (what, no power points in all those municipal facilities).
7)"Need a certified member of the Electrical Trade Union to plug in to power points(British absurd) etc etc...

If all Australia's various Publicly Funded Intuitions institued a policy to spend a mere 5% of urban fleet budget to buy EV's, coupled with support/tax relief/registration/insurance/ parking/ etc.. incentives, Blade would have to build 20,000+ EV vehicles pa to satisfy this demand.

With production potential of that magnitude, Hyundai would have joint-ventured an assembly/manufacturing plant in Australia. Other Australian car makers would either choose to start building EV's, or lose market share.

Given a 3-4 year lead on rivals automakers, Blade could have established itself as a front runner in the EV market and established export capacity.

With Hyundai's collaboration, Blade could be producing 50-100,000 Australia manufactured EV cars and light commercials pa. With modest support, Australia's universities could have become a centre for EV R&D funding and research.

Australia, has not only large scale lithium deposits, but also rare earth alternatives to dependence on PRC or Bolivian deposits.

All it would have taken was a little government initiative to fulfil the rhetoric.

But, what about the rest of us Australians?

Every day I hear Australian environmentalists bleating on about the inportance of environmentaly beneficial transport, but what do car do they drive? There's always some lame excuse why they haven't supported the local product. US, European, South Americans, Asian and Africans, can reply "we haven't been able to buy an EV until the leaf, iMev, Volt" etc....but Australians could have bought an EV, for the last 4 years, but wouldn't.

All those conspiracy theorists who rant on about the film " Who killed the electric car", crying "I would have bought one, but evil GM crushed them all"! Well, where are you now, why arn't you driving a Blade?

The same applies to Australian business and Unions. Always waiting for someone else set the example.

When I withess the passion and fanatical support for the defective and appallingly miss-managed Vectrix, I am astounded at the total lack of recognition and support for the achievements of Ross Blade's Electron.

(I have no financial or material interest in Blade).

marcopolo

gasdive
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

Great post MarcoPolo

The Blade isn't the only one actually.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/energetique/3970474317/

Made in Armidale. Not to the same volume as the Blade, but similar in that it's also ignored...

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

marcopolo
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

The Blade isn't the only one actually. Made in Armidale. Not to the same volume as the Blade, but similar in that it's also ignored...

Thank you for your reply. However, the evme by Energetique Pty Ltd, is little more than a home built conversion. Produced by converting a Mazda 2 subcompact, (without Mazda authorisation). The entire 'production run' consisted of 2 vehicles plus a prototype before the Australian securities Regulator, (ASIC) prosecuted Energetique Pty Ltd and its director, Philip Coop, for unlawfully attempting to raise investment capital from the public without an approved, audited, and accurate prospectus.

A further blow was dealt to the company when neither of the two vehicles could be independently assessed to achieve the performance claims made by the designer and founder, Dr Phillip Coop, a former Tech college lecturer. The sole 'customer' glowing testimonial was somewhat compromised by his vested interest.

This may account for the absence of any new regarding vehicle sales, since 2009's optimistic predictions.

Fortunately, this is not a case of a conman with a slick website, selling vapour-ware. Actually, Dr Coop is just an idealistic, academic dreamer, with no business knowledge, or capacity to convert his dreams to reality.

His latest venture is to team up with a former sales employee of the UK Reva-G-Wiz (now defunct)importer, Keith Johnson, and try his luck in UK with a converted VW Caddy light commercial van. (again without VW authorisation). Dr Coop reports since his visit to the UK at least a 'Dozen' people have shown interest in his EV electronic system!

Dr Coop is quite a passionate and interesting speaker. He appears from time to time at Environmental gatherings, and his lectures are usually quite well received.

Qualifying as an Auto-manufacturer in Australia, is very difficult. Australia has some of the highest DR's in the world. Licencing requires a very substantial level of investment, independent crash testing and warranty bond. Ev's must be fitted with airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Anti-lock breaking, safety inspections, spare part stockpile, independent consumer certification of performance and engineering specifications, etc..

Years and years of government red tape. This is way beyond the capacity of a hopeful dreamer and a handful of enthusiastic students.

This is a further insight into why Ross Blade's achievement at becoming a fully accredited auto-manufacturer,is so very remarkable.

marcopolo

gasdive
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

The blade is a great achievement. It is hard to get the right to fit compliance plates. Australian design rules are very tough to meet. Just a note though, there's no requirement for antilock brakes and no requirement for Electronic Stability Control (well not that I can find in the ADRs anyway).

The EVME is indeed little more than a conversion, done by converting an existing car. But so is the blade. It's a Hyundai Getz. Blade even used to have a price for converting your personal Getz to electric and currently sells a variety of parts to let you do the conversion yourself (not just spares for your blade).

Yes, the blade has been granted a production licence. It's great. But it was only granted in October last year. So for the four years before that it was in the same situation as the EVME. If the EVME is somehow worthless as it lacks that licence, how are the second hand Blades that you suggested "better" in any way due to the licence that was granted years after their manufacture?

I don't understand...

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

marcopolo
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

Just a note though, there's no requirement for antilock brakes and no requirement for Electronic Stability Control (well not that I can find in the ADRs anyway).

You are quite correct. To manufacture automobiles in Australia, you must comply with both Federal and State registration requirements. Victoria requires all new passenger cars seeking registration and RWC, to be fitted with ESC. NSW, Queensland and Tasmania, will introduce the same requirement in 2012.

The EVME is indeed little more than a conversion, done by converting an existing car. But so is the blade. It's a Hyundai Getz. Blade even used to have a price for converting your personal Getz to electric and currently sells a variety of parts to let you do the conversion yourself (not just spares for your blade).

Again you are correct, although Blade is winding down the kit sideline. But Blade is now much more than just a conversion. Blade has the support and collaboration of Hyundai. (although this may one day prove problematic)But essentially you are right. Quite a number of the most famous specialist marques, started out as kit cars or using major components from established manufacturers. Jensen, Morgan, Bolwell, TVR, Lotus,Eureka, AC Cobra, Marcos,(even triumph), and many others followed this route to gain enough recognition to expand into full production. Blade is currently developing its own unique drive-train technology.

In the early 20th century most marques only produced the chassis and drive-train. The purchaser then engaged the coach-builder of his choice for the bodywork. There's an amazing coach-builder in Japan (Mitsuoka Motor Company )who will build you a really incredible EV from the chassis of an Mazda MX 5 with awesome bodywork and 500 klm range. The only drawback is price!

If the EVME is somehow worthless as it lacks that licence, how are the second hand Blades that you suggested "better" in any way due to the licence that was granted years after their manufacture? I don't understand...

Blade 'pre-owned' (more classy) EV's are 'better' for 6 main reasons;

1) Blade 'pre-owned' values are recognised by the Finance companies guidebooks.
2) Blade recondition and update every 'pre-owned'vehicle sold by BEV
3) Blade is able to be serviced an warranted for all its ICE components by the 150 Hyundai service chain throughout Australia and NZ. Mazda states that EVME's modifications render Mazda's warranty null and Void.
4) Blade provides a guaranteed buy back price to maintain the viability of it's 'pre-owned' resale value.
5) Blade 'pre-owned' vehicles actually exist! It's kinda difficult to assess what a EVME is worth when only be two or three exist. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistic less than three evme are in existence.(difficult to estimate because there is no official listing for EVME, since is not a recognised marque).
6) Blade is now an actual marque for insurance purposes. The Getz glider very low panel repair cost, ensures low insurance premiums.

I hope this information is useful. Oh, one last point. Here's something you can't do with GM, Ford or Nissan. If you're every near Castlemaine in Victoria, and you have time, you can drop in and meet the creator of the Blade Electron! I'm sure you'd be a very welcome visitor.

Cheers..

p/s What is it that interests you about the evme?

marcopolo

gasdive
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

Oh, ok. I understand now. Thanks for explaining.

As an outsider they did appear pretty similar (apart from volume). I get the feeling that energetique is not all that interested in actually building cars, rather developing and licencing stuff to overseas builders. The EVME seems more like a proof of concept/test car. But unlike so many test cars you can actually buy one.

My only interest is the general one that I wish all EV builders success and like you, I don't understand the way everyone got all excited about the "killed" electric cars, but who then don't buy one.

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

marcopolo
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Re: Third generation EV from Australian rival to iMev and Leaf

I get the feeling that energetique is not all that interested in actually building cars, rather developing and licencing stuff to overseas builders. The EVME seems more like a proof of concept/test car.

Yes, I agree, i think that would be a fairly accurate assessment of Energetique.

My only interest is the general one that I wish all EV builders success and like you, I don't understand the way everyone got all excited about the "killed" electric cars, but who then don't buy one.

Yep, that right! Interestingly the main contents of the film were very sensationalised and wild inaccurate. Yet, the premise has been accepted by so many people as gospel that evil GM, (and oil companies) "Killed the Electric Car', then get in their SUV's and drive away.

marcopolo

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