Supporting IDTechEx strong forecasts for car-like vehicles not homologated as cars or even crash tested, we saw a lot at this event. They are coming in in many shapes and forms for developed nations not just as three wheel farmers' "cars" in China, e-rickshaws in India and e-tuktuks in the Philippines. L category, microcars, micro EVs, quadricycles, ATV, NEV .... The jargon is the only barrier to huge success! For example, Toyota is not alone in thinking it can sell 100,000 of these things for postal deliveries in ten European countries.
Many awards were presented at the 500 strong dinner with the "Award of Awards" going to UK pure electric bus company Optare for selling 88 and innovating with dual fast charge and other advances. Dundee got an award for wholeheartedly adopting electric buses and helping others. Pure electric buses are now the largest market for lithium-ion batteries and the source of the largest orders on IDTechEx analysis in its best-selling report, Electric Buses 2015-2025. The first billion dollar battery order for EVs has been given by a Chinese bus company to XALT in the USA.
Top image: Optare PLC