Electric Motors

It is now becoming clear that the appalling emissions from ships that cause global warming and local injuries can be virtually eliminated.

Hyundai used to be a leader in buses but the explosion of the huge, protected Chinese market has resulted in the global leaders consisting entirely of Chinese companies growing their sales rapidly - mainly with pure electric buses - and Daimler, with declining sales.

A little known Canadian startup, Havelaar in Toronto has unveiled an all-electric pickup truck concept at the EMC show in Markham, Ontario. This Bison E-Pickup will be produced in Ontario. With the large center touchscreen, the interior of the vehicle is clearly inspired by Tesla, the company that is shaking the motor industry to its roots.

From its facts based research, IDTechEx has what some regarded as over-optimistic forecasts for electric cars. However, others are now matching or exceeding our optimism.

IDTechEx are at the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Conference in Sindlefingen, Germany where 48V mild hybrids are rightly a strong focus.

China may be gearing up to have 100,000 pure electric taxis with zero emissions in use soon but at least the iconic British black cab is going to be made in Britain as a hybrid - by a Chinese company.

IDTechEx finds that the construction, agriculture and mining part alone will be an $81 billion market in 2027 with considerable opportunities for consolidation of players and technological breakthroughs with major market disruption and creation.

Analysts at IDTechEx have issued a new report, Electric Boats and Ships 2017-2027 looking at this fragmented but often highly profitable and growing sector.

For light duty there are small wheel loaders and even small excavators that are pure electric. Now many manufacturers are developing or offering wheel loaders or excavators that are hybrid electric including Komatsu, Volvo and Caterpillar. Care is needed however, because this industry sometimes uses the word hybrid to mean a non-electric hybrid of hydraulic and diesel drive.

It started with Julius Caesar banning vehicles from rattling along the cobbles after 8pm so people could get to sleep. Things went backwards in the ensuing two thousand years but now it is coming center stage again.