According to a recent post from Aptera Motors co-CEO Steve Fambro, the solar EV startup has received a delivery of bodies in carbon (BinCs) from Italy. According to Fambro, the BinCs will be cleaned up and soon become Aptera’s next three production-intent solar EV builds.
Solar EV startup Aptera Motors continues to push forward toward its holy grail of scaled production and is another step closer in the process. After announcing it would end its crowdfunding campaigns, which garnered $135 million from over $17,000 investors, Aptera announced a partnership with financial group US Capital Global.
US Capital is leading a new investment round that includes up to $60 million in convertible notes of Aptera Motors Corp.
According to US Capital’s Aptera investor presentation, the $60 million will provide the startup with enough cash to build 10-12 validation prototypes, complete crash testing, and then manufacture 10-15 production intent vehicles that will be sold. Aptera has been teasing its production-intent builds for some time now, especially the PI-2, which, according to a company update from March 2024, is expected to feature Aptera’s production components.
In a recent post to X, Aptera CEO Steve Fambro shared a similar update alongside some images seen below.
Source: @stevefambro/X
Aptera on the cusp of production intent builds 2 through 4
Fambro posted the most recent BinC images seen above alongside the following progress update:
Two large boxes arrived from Italy today containing BinCs for PI-2 thru PI-4. Going to be trimmed shortly and then construction will begin!
As you can see in the image on the left, three BinCs have been delivered safely to Aptera’s Carlsbad headquarters and will lay the groundwork for production intent (PI) builds 2, 3, and 4.
This is welcomed progress as Aptera remains on track according to its previously shared timelines. If and when the $60 million convertible note round is successful, Aptera could have enough cash to hit a start of (very limited) production in 2025 before ramping up to 20,000 solar EV builds per year after that.
As is always the case with Aptera, more capital will be required to truly reach its production goals, but this is a welcomed step that moves us closer to taking a spin in a production intent solar EV, and those thousands of loyal investors are getting closer to possibly getting a bonafide production model someday.
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Author Scooter Doll
#Aptera #receives #bodies #carbon #delivery #multiple #production #intent #solar #builds #follow
Join us to explore AVL’s innovative approach that combines ultra-high precision and accuracy testing methodology with advanced electrochemical simulation models to overcome the limitations of traditional BMS calibration methods. These advanced methods reduce the need for extensive physical testing, saving time and costs while enabling virtual testing that’s 3000 times faster than conventional testing.
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Broadcast live on September 16-19, 2024, the conference content will span the EV engineering supply chain and ecosystem, including motor and power electronics design and manufacturing, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection, wire and cable, EMI/EMC and more.
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Canary Media’s Electrified Life column shares real-world tales, tips, and insights to demystify what individuals can do to shift their homes and lives to clean electric power. Canary thanks EnergySage for its support of the column.
Fraudsters can dim even an industry as bright as solar.
Solar scams are rare, but on the rise as more and more consumers install panels at their homes. While just 1.5 percent of households report being dissatisfied with their solar installations, according to a Forbes survey this year, regulators have seen an uptick in solar consumer complaints over the past decade.
Individuals say they’ve been misled into getting solar arrays that they can’t afford or that don’t deliver as promised. Bad actors inflict a steep financial toll, as systems typically cost upwards of $20,000. Leases and loans can swell those costs far higher.
Early this month, five federal agencies — the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the departments of Treasury, Energy, and Housing and Urban Development — announced that they’re joining forces to better protect Americans from solar swindlers. As one of their first steps, they issued a slew of helpful advisories.
Gleaned from this guidance, expert interviews, and other resources, here are six ways to protect yourself from solar scammers.
1. Don’t believe the “free solar” ads.
Ads for “free solar” are among the most pernicious scams, says Andrew Posner, founder and CEO of nonprofit Capital Good Fund, a financial institution working to help low-income families adopt solar.
There are rare programs that offer this specific demographic low- or even no-cost solar installations. And the $7 billion federal Solar for All initiative will expand such efforts around the country. But these programs probably aren’t taking out ads on Facebook. You can check if a solar equity program is real by sourcing it to its government or utility website.
Solar is also sometimes erroneously marketed as “free” when the panels are owned by a third party. But that’s like saying a house is “free” when you rent it. The customer doesn’t have to buy the panels outright but instead either leases them or pays for the power they generate.
If you can afford to buy solar panels with cash or a loan instead of leasing them, you could save thousands of dollars over the system’s lifetime.
2. Don’t rush into getting solar panels.
Salespeople who show up at your door may try to lock you into a solar contract then and there. They could use a phone or tablet that makes it easy to gloss over the true complexity of the deal. And the worst predators may brazenly lie, telling you that if you sign up now, you can always back out whenever you want. Ignore their urgency.
“If you’re feeling pressured or uncomfortable in any way about your decision to move forward, … take a step back,” says Ben Delman, senior director of communication for nonprofit Solar United Neighbors. Get a copy of the contract and compare it with other solar offers.
Salespeople may say that a deal is available for only a limited time or that a key incentive, the federal solar tax credit, is going to expire soon. But the tax credit is around for 10 more years, and at its full 30 percent value until 2033.
3. Do your own research on solar and incentives.
If you’re interested in solar, “do a little bit of research, just like if you were buying a car,” Posner says.
Know what to expect on the price. Salespeople may be given a floor for what they need to charge, but can inflate the project costs to the consumer, pocketing the difference. Nationally, the average solar array costs about $2.75 per watt before incentives, according to the clean energy marketplace EnergySage. But prices vary widely state to state.
Also look into how the federal tax credit will work for you. It provides a discount of 30 percent of the solar installation cost, but since it’s a tax credit, you only get that discount when you file your taxes. And if you don’t have a big enough federal tax bill, you may get only a portion of the discount in the first year and the rest in later years.
And think ahead about how big of a solar array you want. Solar reps may try to upsell you, but it’s best to follow the data. If your electric bills show your household uses 10,000 kilowatt-hours per year, depending on your future electrification plans, you probably don’t need a system that’ll deliver 20,000 kilowatt-hours, Posner says. “Unless you’re planning to get an electric vehicle or a big battery system, that’s just too much.”
4. Get an independent estimate of solar savings.
The value proposition for solar hinges on utility bill savings, so you’ll want to get a realistic picture of how much solar could actually deliver for you.
Ford on Wednesday said it plans to launch more hybrids and cut back on a previously announced battery-electric vehicle as it adjusts to the changing landscape for electrified vehicles.
The automaker said its changed roadmap is aimed at lowering prices, particularly for EVs whose buyers today are more cost conscious compared to the early adopters of previous years.
The new roadmap is also aimed at capitalizing on increasing demand for hybrids. A direct consequence of this will be a reduction in investment in EVs from about 40% of Ford’s annual capital expenditures at present to 30%.
3-row electric SUV out, midsize electric truck in
New EVs in the pipeline are confirmed by Ford to include a commercial van to be built in Ohio starting in 2026, followed by mid- and full-size pickup trucks in 2027. A previously announced three-row SUV originally planned for launch in 2025 has been canceled. Ford said it invested $400 million thus far in the three-row SUV, and that the final cost of its shifted product plan could reach up to $1.5 billion.
The midsize truck will be based on a new low-cost EV platform that Ford said was developed by a “skunkworks” team in California, and is set to feature the automaker’s BlueCruise automated driver-assist feature. The platform will be used for multiple vehicles, including passenger and commercial vehicles, starting with the midsize truck.
The full-size truck, code-named Project T3, will serve as the replacement for the F-150 Lightning. It will be built in Tennessee and has previously been referred to by Ford CEO Jim Farley as the “Millennium Falcon of pickup trucks.” The full-size truck was originally planned for launch in 2025, but Ford on Wednesday said delaying it will enable the automaker to benefit from lower-cost battery measures and other cost advantages while also giving the market more time to adjust to EVs.
Cheaper batteries are key
A specific lower-cost battery measure Ford will adopt is building cheaper lithium iron phosphate type batteries in the U.S., meaning they’ll qualify for for Inflation Reduction Act benefits. Ford also said on Wednesday it will move production of batteries for the Mustang Mach-E from Poland to the U.S. That suggests the vehicle will stick around and should also remain eligible for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.
Ford also plans new hybrids, especially in bigger segments where the automaker said battery costs remain challenging. Ford specifically mentioned three-row SUVs that would offer hybrid powertrains, potentially covering the segments of the Explorer and Expedition.
Ford also hinted at a hybrid option for its next-generation F-Series Super Duty, which the automaker said would offer a range of propulsion options.
Ford plans to given an update on its electrification plans in the first half of 2025.
What is luxury? In the automobile industry some brands say covering the seats in leather makes an economy car luxury. Some have created an upscale division they call luxury. Then there are brands that consider themselves luxury. These are all good cars, some even very nice cars, but at best they would be considered premium; only a few truly reach luxury. After driving the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre EV, it is clear what luxury is, and what ultra luxury is. The Spectre is ultra-luxury. Serene, regal, extremely refined, stunning, super-luxurious ultra-luxury.
A sleek Rolls
The Rolls-Royce 10, with 10 indicating the horsepower, was the first car produced in 1904 by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce who started their company with that model. There were also 15hp and 20hp versions, shipped as a chassis to coachwork builders for custom bodies to be designed and fitted. Each one is unique, truly bespoke.
What hasn’t changed in the past 120 years is owning a Rolls-Royce is special, and a well-earned reward. For the past 12 years I have driven many cars considered to be luxury, but until I drove the Rolls-Royce Spectre, I truly didn’t realize what a luxury car was all about. I believe Rolls-Royce when they say it takes “90 pairs of hands and 600 hours” to build each car, and that there is a one year waiting period due to the individual customization available to owners.
The Spectre Experience – Interior Solitude
The mere act of entering the Spectre begins the experience of something far more than special.
Welcome to solitude
The coach doors (rear hinged) are closed via a button. In the case with the driver door, it closes upon depressing the brake pedal, softly pulling tight and latching. The body color-matched umbrellas, which slide into each front fender when the doors are open, are another Rolls-Royce tradition. The illuminated ‘Spectre’ door tread plates add a nice touch as do the analog clock and lamb’s wool foot mats.
Once all closed-up tight, the absolute solitude of the cabin can best be described as being in a recording studio. There is total silence. The extra thick door glass (six millimeters) and 400 pounds of sound deadening material make for a unique setting to, for a few moments at least, close your eyes and revel in supreme isolation. Our friends over at Edmunds concur by saying: “In fact, the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre is officially the quietest vehicle Edmunds has ever tested.”
All materials were an 11-on-a-scale of 10 quality. The comfort was beyond compare with Clean Fleet Report’s interior looking elegant in Grace White and Ardent Red, with tasteful accents and stitching, including ‘RR’ on all four headrests, in Peony Pink. The full list of Spectre interior colors is at the end of the story.
Special Leather
Hand dyed and stitched, Rolls-Royce only uses leather from male cows (their skin hasn’t been stretched like a female’s) that come from Northern Europe where there are no mosquitoes or barbed wire to mar the skins.
Cushy and crafted
Veneer inserts on the steering wheel were shared with leather in Ardent Red, and open pore Canadel Wood doors. Rolls-Royce explains “Named after a cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design team spent their winters, Canadel is tactile, with a light satin finish that retains the material’s natural texture. This crafted wood contributes to the Spectre’s warm, contemporary ambience. The veneer is grain-matched throughout and gently curves to hug the contours of the coach doors, adding a sweep of open grain throughout the rear cabin and the fascia.”
The best part of the cabin may be the full leather, Shooting Star headliner, offering a gaze at a starry-night sky and the occasional shooting star.
The Spectre is a massive coupe, the largest you can buy, measuring 18 feet long, seats four with cushy bucket seats front and rear. The sumptuous leather, front heated and ventilated power seats had memory, massage and power adjustments. The heated and ventilated rear seats are separated by a soft-padded console with air vents, temperature and fan controls, and cup holders. Sitting in the rear seat was pure enjoyment and relaxation.
The dash was among the simplest we have encountered to understand and use. This makes perfect sense as Rolls-Royce does not want the Spectre owner to be overwhelmed with gimmickry. The head-up display and the color, 12.3-inch digital gauges are configurable.
Sounds and Technology
The multi-media 10.25-inch touch screen display’s content is managed by the intuitive Spirit of Ecstasy rotary controller for HD/FM, SiriusXM, Spotify built-in and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen also houses the navigation, voice recognition and Bluetooth for hands-free calling. The 1,300-watt, 18-speaker (7-tweeters, 7-midrange, 2-sub-woofers, and two ‘Exciters’ overhead that make the complete headliner resonate like a tweeter) six-channel surround sound system has Studio and Theater settings and a nine-band equalizer, to match your personal listening preference. The multi-function steering wheel also has controls for channel, volume and cruise control.
Sound and sanity
The bespoke sound system is phenomenally rich, reproducing sounds you may have never heard before on your favorite songs. The system was designed around the Spectre to maximize the cabin acoustics. As noted earlier, the interior quietness is like being in a recording studio, which makes the sound system possibly the best we have ever experienced.
The four-zone automatic climate control has physical wheels to set the temperature and fan speed. The round, chrome air vents are operated with pull/push controls. Both are a welcome return to sanity for operating cooling and heating.
Other interior features are a power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, power heated side mirrors, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, rain-sensing windshield wipers, keyless entry, power opening trunk and a surround view camera.
Big wheels
Power and Range
Clean Feet Report drove the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre, the brand’s first all-electric car. The dual “Separately Excited Synchronous” motors, one each front and rear, produce 584 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque. Our Spectre, shod with 23-inch Wing Spoke polished wheels with self-leveling center ‘RR’ logo caps, (the largest wheel available for a car) was rated by the EPA with an all-electric driving range of 266 miles, which is pretty much what we got in our week with an efficiency of 2.9 miles per kW. However, if you opt for the Spectre with the 22-inch wheels the all-electric driving range increases to 291 miles.
Charging and Regeneration
The Spectre is no different to charge than any other electric vehicle and Rolls-Royce has made it easy with this charging overview.
Not something most owners will see
Prior to delivery, new owners will have a Rolls-Royce Wallbox installed that charges up to 11 kW. This 240-watt Level 2 charger will provide charging for the 102 kWh lithium-ion battery, going from 10-100% in about 11 hours.
It is unlikely that Spectre owners will charge away from their home, but the adventurous ones can visit a DC fast charger station, where at a peak of 190 kW can take the battery from 10-80% in about 34 minutes. There is no shame in charging alongside lesser EVs out in the wilds of a shopping mall!
There is also battery regeneration, when coasting or braking, kinetic energy is converted into electric energy and returns it to the battery to add driving range. The regen level is pre-set, but there is a ‘B’ button to make it more aggressive. This mode enables one-pedal driving, which allows the car to slow and come to a full stop by lifting the accelerator pedal.
Cruising and Gliding
The secret behind the most luscious and sumptuous ride I have experienced (in more than 12 years driving and reviewing 1000+ vehicles) begins with the planar suspension in combination with the independent air suspension, all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, dynamic stability control, traction control and cornering brake control.
Starry, starry ceiling
Rolls-Royce engineers say the planar suspension is “an orchestra of systems” that automatically decouples the anti-roll bars. This allows each wheel to act independently, reducing high-frequency disturbances caused by smaller, repeated surface defects.
This suspension works so well cabin occupants are completely unaffected by road imperfections as the Spectre glides effortlessly down the freeway with an ease that continues to impress mile after mile. Combine this with the recording studio isolation, and the driving experience is second to none.
The rear wheel steering (“active axle” in Rolls-Royce speak) had a major impact on the overall handling and ride, making the 19-foot Spectre turn like a car half its size and eliminating most three-point turns. The rear wheel steering made all driving easier as the Spectre effortlessly maneuvered city streets and parking lots, freeway cloverleafs and country lane sweeping corners.
Stepping on the accelerator results in an instant and strong launch, which is the beauty of EV torque. The performance was impressive, with the 6,559-pound Spectre returning 0-60 mph runs at 4.4 seconds. But don’t even begin to think the Spectre buyer is all that concerned with off-the-line speed, because if they are looking for raw speed and handling prowess, they undoubtedly already have performance cars in their garage.
Owners will be interested in the well-distributed weight that gives the Spectre a balanced and confident ride. The Pirelli PZero Elect255/40/23 tires, specifically developed for high performance electric and plug-in vehicles, gripped well, but were also low noise.
The Spectre was an absolute joy to drive, making it hard to return home for the day and not want to head-out on a long road trip.
Slippery
Slippery Design
A 0.25 coefficient of drag (Cd) is a very low number for a vehicle of this size, and the lowest of any Rolls-Royce—ever. Once driving the Spectre, it is easy to believe. It has form and function, making it efficient and quiet to drive.
A slippery coupe
Obviously, the Spectre is like no other coupe on the road, beginning with the automatically retracting Spirit Of Ecstasy hood ornament, which magically reappears when pushing the start button. It was redesigned and wind tunnel-tested to be more aerodynamic. The iconic radiator-type grille, framed by narrow LED headlights, is now more for show as there is no engine to cool. But it too has been designed with efficiency in mind as the vertical fins force the wind to the outer edges of the car. The front and rear lights dance and put on a show, offering a warm welcome.
Disappearing lady
The long hood elegantly meets the sloping windshield that leads to possibly the longest coupe roof, ending with a bustle tail. Chrome is at a tasteful minimum, found on the grille, accenting the coach doors, and a sliver dissecting the rear bumper. That’s it, no cladding, scoops or other tricks on the Spectre to interrupt its smooth, sleek design.
The Spectre is available in 60 exterior colors. Clean Fleet Report’s primary color was Morganite with the contrasting Gunmetal. The full list of exterior colors is at the end of the story.
Safety
The Spectre comes with a standard list of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and parking distance control, front and rear.
The adaptive cruise control has lane guide, lane change assistance and low-speed hands-free driving. The integrated camera system has a panoramic view and a recorder that can retain GPS, speed and additional information in the event of an accident.
Pricing
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre comes in one model that is highly customizable, which is what most owners will opt for. The base price, including the mandatory destination and handling charge of $2,750, is $422,750. Clean Fleet Report’s Spectre had $156,025 in options and packages, bringing the total to $578,775.
Warranty
New Vehicle – Four years/Unlimited miles
Battery – Eight years/100,000 miles
Factory Maintenance – Four years/Unlimited miles
Roadside Assistance – Four years/Unlimited miles
Observations: 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre
The top of the list
If you have read this far, three cheers for hanging in there for 2,000+ words! There is more to say about this amazing vehicle, as Rolls-Royce has packed so much into the Spectre, but it would take multiple reviews to cover everything.
The Spectre will be out-of-reach for 99.99% of consumers, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid appreciating excellence. The buyer of a Spectre will have multiple vehicles in their garage. The 266-mile all-electric driving range is not a pacing item for their purchase, as that distance would cover a couple of month’s worth of driving as they rotate through their car quiver.
When climbing behind the wheel of the Spectre, you’ll quickly develop an appreciation for an ultra-fine, ultra luxury automobile. The styling is all Rolls-Royce, staying true to its heritage. The impressive interior, where occupants are encased in high-quality materials and workmanship, ranks at the top in all the cars we have tested at Clean Fleet Report, and not just EVs. The features list is long and deep, including a full safety suite. The price may seem high, but there is a whole lot going on that in the rarefied world of this full-size luxury electric vehicle that is hand-built in Chichester, England.
Electric luxury
As far as charging, owners will have staff to top off the battery, most likely be done in the secure privacy of their home and not at a public charger. However, they would be in good company mixing it up with the masses. When I charged at an Electrify America charger at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, California, I was joined by a few upper-end EVs, such as the Porsche Taycan RS, Rivian RS1, and the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+, EQE 500 4Matic, and EQE 500 X4.
Whether it is an entry-level or an ultra luxury model, there is something very satisfying about driving an electric car. The lack of sound as it moves down the road is wonderful, and the instant torque from a stop or already at highway speeds is something to enjoy. In the 2024 Spectre these are all amplified to something only Rolls-Royce is currently doing, and it is very special.
Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews.
Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Rolls-Royce.
Spectre Exterior Colors
Standard
Darkest Tungsten
Black Diamond
English White
Jubilee Silver
Midnight Sapphire
Salamanca Blue
Iguazu Blue
Dark Emerald
Scala Red
Bohemian Red
Anthracite
Arctic White
Tempest Grey
Rear seat splender
Commissioned Collection
Twilight Purple
Sapphire Black
Black Kirsch
Magma Red
Belladonna Purple
Imperial Jade
Wittering Blue
Monteverde
Olivin
Chartreuse
Gunmetal
Infinity Black
Valdivian Lime
Black
Morganite
Special Order Color
Brooklands Green
Obsidian
Autumn Mystery Black
Silversand
Sapphire Gunmetal
Adriatic Blue
Berwick Bronze
Tungsten
Titanium
Arizona Sun
Wildberry
Velvet Orchid
Sterling Grey
Melanite
Madiera Red
Purple Silk
Blue Velvet
Stone Grey
Black Green
Bronze
Black Ember
Burnout Grey
Galileo Blue
Duck Egg Blue
Midnight Blue
Crystal Finish
Your own umbrella
Crystal over Arctic White
Crystal over Selby Grey
Crystal over Black
Crystal over Magma Red
Crystal over Twilight Purple
Crystal over Fame Green
Crystal over Salamanca Blue
Crystal over Orange Metallic
Crystal over Midnight Sapphire
Spectre Interior Colors
Standard
Grace White
Black
Seashell
Moccasin
Scivaro Grey
Tan
Navy Blue
Ardent Red
Havana
Commissioned Collection
Charles Blue
Tailored Purple
Turchese
Arctic White
Iceland Moss
Peony Pink
Mandarin
Cashmere Grey
Forge Yellow
Chartreuse
Phoenix Red
Even the trunk is luxurious
Special Order
Blushing Pink
Cacao
Casden Tan
Forest Fall
Galileo Blue
Lime Green
Lemon Yellow
Muscari Blue
Mugello Red
Pine Green
Roseleaf
Selby Grey
Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
The post Road Test: 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre EV first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.
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Author John Faulkner
#Road #Test #RollsRoyce #Spectre
Despite talk of an EV slowdown, more electric cars are hitting US streets. In the second quarter, 18 models topped 5K in sales, with Tesla, Ford, and Hyundai leading the way. Meanwhile, newcomers, like Toyota’s bZ4X, Kia’s EV9, and the Chevy Blazer EV, joined the club.
According to Kelley Blue Book, EV sales hit a new record in the second quarter, with 320,463 units sold in the US in Q2. That’s up 11% from last year and 23% from Q1, with new models and heavy discounts driving growth.
With an influx of new EV models, Tesla’s market share slipped below 50% (49.7%) for the first time.
New Chevy EV models, including the Blazer, Equinox, and Silverado, added over 21,000 to GM’s total. However, it was not enough to top rival Ford, which sold nearly 24,000 EVs in Q2.
If you include combined Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai, Kia, Genesis) sales, Hyundai was actually the second-best-selling EV brand in the US. According to Motor Intelligence, Hyundai, including Kia and Genesis, accounted for 10% of the US EV market in Q2, topping Ford (7.4%) and GM (6.3%).
Hyundai’s dedicated IONIQ 5 and 6 electric vehicles continued seeing higher demand, while Kia’s new EV9 joined the 5K sales club.
(Photo: Courtesy of Tesla Inc.)
Electric vehicles with over 5K in sales in Q2
Despite Tesla’s (inevitable) falling share, “the overall competitive landscape for electric vehicles is intensifying,” Cox Automotive Industry Insights Director Stephanie Valdez Streaty said.
“This increased competition is leading to continued price pressure, gradually boosting EV adoption,” Valdez Streaty explained, adding, “Automakers that deliver the right product at the right price and offer an excellent consumer experience will lead the way in EV adoption.”
Electric Vehicle
Q2 2024 Sales
Tesla Model Y
101,301
Tesla Model 3
42,710
Ford Mustang Mach-E
12,645
Hyundai IONIQ 5
11,906
Tesla Cybertruck
8,755
Rivian R1S
8,137
Ford F-150 Lightning
7,902
Toyota bZ4X
7,571
Cadillac Lyric
7,294
BMW i4
7,066
Kia EV6
6,882
Chevrolet Blazer EV
6,634
Tesla Model X
6,570
Volkswagen ID.4
5,690
Mercedes EQE
5,684
Kia EV9
5,664
Kia Niro
5,434
Nissan Ariya
5,203
Electric vehicles with over 5K in US sales in Q2 (Source: Kelley Blue Book)
In the second quarter, 18 electric vehicles topped the 5K sales milestone. Tesla’s Model Y and 3 have long topped the list, while Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and Lightning models continued climbing.
Meanwhile, several new models made the list, including the Toyota bZ4X, Nissan Ariya, Chevy Blazer EV, Kia EV9, and Tesla’s Cybertruck.
Kia EV9 GT-Line (Source: Kia)
The new competition is driving prices down as automakers introduce significant incentives. According to Motor Intelligence, Kia’s new EV9 was among them, with an average discount of over $18,000 in June.
A recent Consumer Reports study found that Subaru’s Solterra, which just missed 5K in sales (4,238), was the most discounted car (EV or gas) selling for 12% off MSRP.
2024 Subaru Solterra (Source: Subaru)
Like many automakers, Subaru is passing deals on through leases, with the Solterra starting at $329 per month (36 months) with $0 down.
As more models are launched and EV tech continues improving, sales are expected to continue rising. It will be interesting to see how many models make the list at the end of the year.
EV chargers are as vulnerable to cyber-threats any other connected devices. Insecure communications leave the door open to threats ranging from petty theft (fraudulent billing) to major data breaches (theft of vehicle data or customer credit card info) to disaster-movie scenarios (sabotage of electrical grids).
Communications between vehicles and EVSE are secured by means of public key infrastructure (PKI). Certificates that include the information that the car and the charging station need in order to deliver and pay for a charge are stored in a secure format based on asymmetric key cryptography.
Irdeto has been a major player in the cybersecurity realm for many years, and has recently established an important role in the EV infrastructure ecosystem—its customers include vehicle OEMs, charge point operators and other e-mobility providers. Irdeto is a key player in managing the V2G root Certificate Authority (CA) in North America, and recently took over the CharIN public key infrastructure in Europe.
The ISO 15118 series of standards governs the interface between the vehicle and the charge point. Secure implementation of these standards enables things like roaming, Plug & Charge and V2G.
Q&A with Irdeto’s Senior Vice President of New Markets and Senior Director of Electric Vehicles.
Execs and experts across the EV infrastructure ecosystem agree on the importance of connectivity. Connecting EV charging stations to the cloud helps companies maintain reliability, provides valuable usage statistics, and enables cutting-edge features such as roaming, Plug & Charge and V2X applications. However, connectivity also means opportunity for hackers, crackers and other online evil-doers.
EV chargers are as vulnerable to cyber-threats any other connected devices—maybe even more so, for a couple of reasons. For one, EV infrastructure represents a new technology, and industry standards and best practices are still being worked out. Companies are entering (and exiting) the business on seemingly a daily basis—a sort of Wild West ethos still prevails.
Furthermore, some EVSE installations, especially in the public charging realm, involve a complex web of different companies and organizations, and by no means all of these are as security-conscious as they should be.
Irdeto has been a major player in the cybersecurity realm for many years, and has recently established an important role in the EV infrastructure ecosystem—its customers include vehicle OEMs, charge point operators and other e-mobility providers. Irdeto is a key player in managing the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) root Certificate Authority (CA) in North America, and recently expanded its influence by taking on the CharIN public key infrastructure in Europe.
Charged spoke with Irdeto’s Niels Haverkorn, Senior Vice President of New Markets, and Juha Hytönen, Senior Director, Electric Vehicles.
Charged: Irdeto specializes in cryptographic keys and certificates for communication security. Is that something like the certificates we’re used to seeing on web sites?
Juha Hytönen: The solution is much more than just certificates. We like to talk about key lifecycle management, which is an all-encompassing topic that deals with the issuance of secure material from creation all the way to revocation and renewal. The public key infrastructure (PKI) is in many ways analogous to the certificate that you see in a web browser. Of course, in the context of EV charging, the certificate itself carries information that is specific to the domain—for example, charging contract information, identity of the vehicle, etc.
Charged: So, the certificate includes the information that the car and the charging station need in order to deliver and pay for a charge, and it includes all that information in a secure format.
Juha Hytönen: Correct. A secure format that is based on asymmetric key cryptography.
Niels Haverkorn: PKI technology is based on a public key and a private key—which is why they call it asymmetric—and then a certificate infrastructure behind it that allows for authentication and security.
Charged: Your company provides PKI for a lot of different fields. How long have you been in the EV charging realm?
Niels Haverkorn: We go back a long, long time in PKI, and we are one of the world’s largest players in the field. We have been in existence since 1969. Our initial business, and still one of our key focal points, is the video entertainment space, where public key infrastructure in a hostile domain is one of our key deliverables.
Juha Hytönen: We had a number of customers in the automotive domain starting in 2019, including Ford Otosan (the truck manufacturing side of Ford) and Knorr-Bremse (a manufacturer of brakes and other things). These engagements led us into discussions with entities in the automotive space who are of course also active in the EV charging space. That’s how we became familiar with CharIN—our first engagement in the EV space was actually with CharIN, in 2021, when we became the PKI provider for CharIN’s European V2G root.
Charged: Your web site lists three different types of customers: vehicle OEMs, charge point providers and e-mobility service providers. Tell me about the needs of these kinds of companies as far as the security certificates.
Juha Hytönen: There are lot of use cases, but for a charging session these three entities need to talk to one another, and they need to do it in a secure way. And the state of play today is that not all charging sessions are cyber-secure. The communication between the vehicle and the charge point, for example, may still be in plain text in some cases.
The cybersecurity of the charge points themselves is also an issue. It can be that the same set of keys is used for an entire network of charge points, which means that if you are able to get hold of that key, then you are suddenly in control of all the charge points. This was understood by the industry and that’s why they started developing standards like ISO 15118 and OCPP 2.0.1. In all these standards, the underpinning security technology is PKI.
“The state of play today is that not all charging sessions are cyber-secure. The communication between the vehicle and the charge point, for example, may still be in plain text in some cases.”
For example, a charge point and a vehicle need to be able to trust one another even though they belong to different companies. The PKI is a mechanism that enables this fundamental trust. The certificate is essentially a piece of text that ends up in the charge point, and when the plug is connected to the charge point, then it’s the public key and the certificate that gets sent from the charge point to the vehicle. And with that, all of these entities are able to verify that the charge point is who they claim to be and that the vehicle is who they claim to be, and they’re able to use that same information to encrypt the communications between them. Our role here is to play the very topmost entity, and in some cases also that of a Tier 1 issuer, to make sure that those verifications can pass, and that these companies actually follow the necessary security requirements—for example, to keep their private keys safe.
Charged: Tell me a couple of horror stories. If a charger sent information in plain text, without encryption, what could happen?
Niels Haverkorn: One of the simplest ones could be that, instead of a CPO giving notice to your vehicle that a charging session is done, it’s a hacker on the side of the road who says, “I have just charged this car for $50, here is the bill.” That’s something simple that can go wrong. But of course, there’s lots of personal data in vehicles and in charging contracts.
Juha Hytönen: The impacts may not be that large if a few people are able to charge for free or if the charging session doesn’t happen. But I think that the main sort of horror scenarios, there are two. The first one impacts the business of these companies. If your communications are unencrypted and you have these open doors into your infrastructure, whether it’s the charge points or the vehicles, then this makes you susceptible to a very basic type of attack, such as ransomware. That’s something that we have seen happening in many industries, and if this is not fixed, then it’s also going to happen in charging infrastructure.
Then there is another scenario, which is that if you’re actually able to take control over charge points, and you can suddenly stop or start the charging sessions of 100,000 vehicles in the city of Seattle, for example, then that is going to create such a huge spike on the electricity grid that the grid is most likely going to go down, and then you have a problem.
Charged: And a great plot for a disaster movie.
Juha Hytönen: Absolutely!
“If you’re able to take control over charge points, and you can suddenly stop or start the charging sessions of 100,000 vehicles in the city of Seattle, for example, then that is going to create such a huge spike on the electricity grid that the grid is most likely going to go down.”
Charged: Tell me more about ISO 15118.
Juha Hytönen: ISO 15118 is a series of standards that governs the interface between the vehicle and the charge point. And the two specific parts that we are interested in are parts 2 and 20, which govern the communication interface.
Charged: These standards enable things like roaming, Plug & Charge and V2G. I guess roaming is fairly well established, but Plug & Charge and V2G are new up-and-coming technologies.
Niels Haverkorn: Roaming is available today, but it’s actually not free roaming in the sense of being standardized. It requires a third party that aggregates services and signs on companies. With that comes, of course, cost inefficiencies, monopolies, etc. It’s not true free roaming as we would have for example, in a standardized cellular network. And that is where Plug & Charge capability comes in. So, this neutrality and industry-wide setup is what we’re also doing in taking on, for example, the business from CharIN, where we want to make sure that our customers have a say in how policies are set.
Charged: Hubject is an example of one of those aggregators—as I understand it, it’s kind of a closed system that’s only open to the companies that participate. Your goal is to have an open roaming system that anyone can participate in, based on open standards. Would that put companies like Hubject out of business?
Juha Hytönen: Well, I think it would significantly reduce their business. Hubject has done a lot of good groundbreaking work in the sense that they enabled roaming in the first place, so you have to give them that. And they have certainly fixed some of the early issues in the industry. However, they are not based on open standards at the moment.
Also, Hubject is not solving the entire problem. The problems that they are trying to solve are interoperability and roaming. We are trying to solve the cybersecurity problem, of which interoperability is just one aspect, and our aim is to do that in an open manner. One of the key differences between us and some of the other industry players is that we have an open governance model, meaning that for our ecosystem, we will have an external governance board, comprised of representatives of customers, that has the final say in how that ecosystem is governed. Also that, insofar as available, we will base our technology on open standards such as ISO 15118, OCPP, Open Plug & Charge Protocol, and others.
Charged: Of course, Tesla has its own proprietary system that does basically the same thing as Plug & Charge, and there’s another system called AutoCharge. Can those all coexist and work together?
Juha Hytönen: Tesla’s system is also based on the ISO 15118-2 standard. The communication protocol is the same, it is just the connector that is different. Their connector is the NACS connector, whereas others, especially in Europe, prefer the CCS connector, which is defined in the ISO standard as well. The Tesla infrastructure also relies on a public key infrastructure, so some of the fundamental building blocks are the same.
AutoCharge, however, is something totally different. AutoCharge was developed to address one very narrow use case, which is a seamless charging session, and it comes with some limitations. It doesn’t work on all vehicle models because there is no native support from the vehicle manufacturers. It is a very clever technology, and as an EV driver, I think it’s great they came up with AutoCharge because it showcases how simple charging an EV can be, and it has proven the potential for Plug & Charge. However, what AutoCharge doesn’t provide is the security foundation. I do think that there is a place for AutoCharge for a few years until ISO 15118 is fully deployed, but think that eventually Plug & Charge is going to replace it as the primary use case.
“Tesla’s system is also based on the ISO 15118-2 standard. The communication protocol is the same, it is just the connector that is different. AutoCharge, however, is something totally different.”
Charged: I’ve heard that a lot of the back-end stuff—security and so on—with Tesla’s system is not very different from the CCS system. Will the Tesla and Plug & Charge systems merge, or will they continue to coexist?
Juha Hytönen: There will certainly be some kind of an interoperability arrangement. And since they are both based on the same foundational technology, it is not as big a problem as people may think.
Charged: On your web site you list OEMs, CPOs and e-mobility service providers as your customers. Would fleet operators also be potential customers?
Juha Hytönen: Yeah, they would. If we look at the deployment of the ISO 15118-based technology, then it seems that the first adopters will actually be fleets. A lot of the concrete customer cases that we are talking about have to do with an OEM and a CPO providing a private charging experience for a fleet operator. The use case is that the CPO will install charging infrastructure at a depot, for example, and then the OEM will sell fleet vehicles that are able to use Plug & Charge at that particular depot and enable a seamless charging transaction. There’s also talk about V2G, because the potential for V2G is of course much larger in fleet environments where you have a number of EVs co-located.
Charged: Where does your company fit into the overall charging ecosystem? You provide the security piece of the puzzle. Do you have competitors that provide similar services, or do some of the EVSE providers offer the same sort of services?
Juha Hytönen: We are an independent trust platform provider in the sense that we are one of the few players in this space who are independent of all the CPOs and all the OEMs. When our customers choose to work with us, they are not funding the technology of their competition, and they see us as a neutral entity. That’s one thing.
The second thing is that we provide a full end-to-end solution. We talked previously about the roaming hubs—they are definitely one group of competition that we have. Then we have the traditional PKI providers. To give an example, DigiCert is a big name, especially in the US market. Their background is in the internet space, where they are a well-known provider of certificates. But in comparison to those kinds of operators, we are a true end-to-end service provider in the sense that we provide all the services for key lifecycle management, from getting that key from when it’s generated to the manufacturing line of that charging station to provisioning it for the first time, to the creation of a contract certificate and getting that into a contract certificate pool, which is a public service where anybody can find that. And as far as we know at the moment, this kind of full service does not exist with any of our competitors.
The fact that we are a neutral outsider is a key element here. We are not a CPO, we’re not an EV company, and we don’t have those investors in our company. That creates neutrality, which is important for these types of systems to go broader. And this is also why us starting to take over the PKI infrastructure from CharIN is significant. That open governance, where the market and customers have a say in PKI policy and deployment, is a key element. Because it has to be neutral and trusted by the entire industry and all the players.
“The fact that we are a neutral outsider is a key element here. We are not a CPO, we’re not an EV company, and we don’t have those investors in our company. That creates neutrality, which is important for these types of systems to go broader.“
Charged: Tell us more about your takeover of the public key structure from CharIN. Is this just for Europe?
Juha Hytönen: We are going to take over the CharIN PKI, and it was only launched in Europe. We have our own operation in North America, which we launched late last year. The challenge that CharIN had was the operational effort to run a PKI where the participants are Fortune 500 companies with quite high requirements for cybersecurity process compliance. It was maybe a bit too much for an association, whereas that has been our bread and butter for decades and it is something where we really have developed quite an operational excellence.
Niels Haverkorn: That initial PKI of CharIN was actually developed in cooperation with us as well, so we’ve been working closely together over those years. The idea was for CharIN to manage and operate this key lifecycle management system. And clearly the operational requirements of doing so is our specialty. Of course, what we want to maintain is this element of neutrality that CharIN very much had.
Charged: I suppose that opens up some new opportunities for you as a company. What’s next for the PKI project?
Juha Hytönen: Yeah, it is a huge opportunity. This will be one of the most important global platforms going forward—we hope that we will have most of world’s EV drivers on our platform in one way or another. That’s a huge opportunity for us as and of course to the competitors who will eventually follow, as there will be a few of these platforms for sure.
This article first appeared in Issue 68: April-June 2024 – Subscribe now.
Source link by Charged EVs
Author Charles Morris
#Irdeto #protecting #charging #infrastructure #cyberattacks
When Max Kanter bought an electric vehicle back in 2022, he didn’t expect it to be so hard to find accurate data on the cost and carbon-intensity of the electricity surging through the power grid.
As not only a new EV owner but also a data whiz, he sought out the information because he “wanted to build a machine learning algorithm to check energy prices and charge and discharge profitably,” Kanter told Canary Media. “But when I got a peek behind the curtain, I saw the data and tools the industry had could be a lot better.”
That’s why Kanter — who has previously built and sold an analytics startup — co-founded Grid Status, a data platform that aims to make high-quality, real-time grid information widely accessible.
The platform, launched last year, grew out of Kanter’s early efforts to pull together real-time grid data, the results of which he posted to the open-source software development platform GitHub so that “anyone could download our data for free and start using it,” he said. The GitHub post gained traction among some in the energy industry — and helped Kanter meet his eventual Grid Status co-founders, longtime energy industry players Connor Waldoch and Andrew Gelston.
Since starting Grid Status, Kanter and the rest of his seven-member team have seen demand for their combination of free data and subscription services increase to about 10,000 users per month. Those users include most of the country’s interstate grid operators and largest energy project developers, as well as some well-known U.S. energy experts.
“We’ve taken the approach to democratizing access to data on the grid, and we’ve signed up people from all corners of the industry,” said Kanter, who serves as the company’s CEO.
On Wednesday, Grid Status announced an $8 million investment round led by Energize Capital, a venture firm backed by General Electric, Schneider Electric, and major energy developer Invenergy. Other investors include former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross of NFDG Ventures, and Rayburn Electric Cooperative, a member-owned utility in northeast Texas that’s using Grid Status’ data and algorithms in its grid control room.
Rayburn is one of the growing number of Grid Status customers that are paying the company to co-develop the products they need to track what’s happening on the grid, said Tyler Lancaster, a partner at Energize.
“Data centers, virtual power plants, consumer-electricity-oriented companies — there are hundreds of thousands of parties that need to understand the grid, and do so in a much more technology-forward manner,” he said. “If Grid Status can serve that vision, we’re talking about a much more valuable enterprise down the road.”
Other Grid Status users are tapping into the company’s free data resources, which include dashboards and graphing tools that allow users to track and analyze various grid metrics nationwide, from record-high renewables generation to pricing. The company’s data has been featured in reporting by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and other publications — including Canary Media — and is a regular source of data for energy analysts’ social media posts.
“It’s in the public interest to have a tool like Grid Status that provides a valuable service — one place where you can go and get a consistent dashboard of what’s going on,” said Ric O’Connell, founding executive director of nonprofit analysis group GridLab, which provided financial support for some of Grid Status’s early-stage work.
The Grid Status homepage (Grid Status)
Why is grid data so hard to get and use?
Kanter’s past work in general-purpose machine learning gave him access to lots of different kinds of data. “But one we never touched on was energy. I think that’s because it’s an esoteric domain, and having data, but not understanding how that data is used, isn’t very useful.”
O’Connell agreed that accessing and using the data available from grid operators and government agencies is “incredibly complicated. Right now you could go dig around on their web pages and find where they post these data. But it would take you a long time, and every place is a little bit different — different formats and different ways of representing it.”
Kanter cited the example of ERCOT, the grid operator for most of Texas. “If you dig deep enough on ERCOT’s site, there’s a place you can find — with some delay — what resources are being used” to generate power, he said. But that data comes in a zip file, which itself contains eight different files, and “you have to merge them all together,” he added. “Then, if you want to figure out what zone they are in, you have to merge them with another dataset — and if you want to know the prices, that’s another dataset.”
Grid operators like ERCOT and government agencies like the U.S. Energy Information Administration “do a very respectable job making a lot of this data available,” he noted, but it can be hard to navigate. Collecting, validating, merging, and regularly updating these various datasets makes the information much more useful, Kanter said.
“What we hear from many of our customers is they go from a universe with 10 tabs open on their computer to just being able to go to Grid Status.”
David A. Naylor, CEO of Rayburn Electric Cooperative, agreed that collecting this real-time data in one dashboard has been valuable for his organization, which operates transmission and generation for four distribution cooperatives that serve over 575,000 Texans. The member-owned utility was hard-hit by the massive grid outages and energy market price spikes during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, and had been working to improve its understanding of the ups and downs of the increasingly stressed-out ERCOT grid.
Single-motor models will have 234 miles of range, dual-motor models have 231 miles of range
The ID.Buzz will arrive in U.S. dealers later this year
The two most pressing pieces of the VW Bus’s return have finally been revealed.
On Wednesday, Volkswagen said the 2025 ID.Buzz will cost $61,545 including a $1,550 destination charge and have up to 234 miles of range when it arrives later this year. Those numbers aren’t for the same vehicle.
Initially the ID.Buzz will be offered in three trim levels including Pro S, Pro S Plus, and launch-only 1st Edition. Rear-wheel drive will be standard while a dual-motor model with all-wheel drive will be available, but only on Pro S Plus and launch-only 1st Edition. Every U.S. ID.Buzz will feature three rows of seats with seating for six or seven passengers and a 91-kwh battery pack.
2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Base Pro S models cost $61,545, have a single-rear motor with 282 hp and 234 miles of EPA-rated range. The rear-wheel-drive only model comes standard with a second-row bench seat with seating for up to seven passengers. Only three monotone colors, including Candy White, Deep Black Pearl, and Metro Silver, will be offered with the choice of Copper or Moonlight interior colors. Standard 20-inch aluminum wheels fill the wheels with LED lighting defining the front and rear ends.
Every ID.Buzz will have a 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system and 5.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The front center console is removable. Eight 45-watt USB-C ports and a 12-volt trunk outlet keep things charged along with a 150-watt 110-volt passenger seat outlet.
2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Pro S Plus models cost $65,045 with the single 282-hp rear motor. Opting for the dual-motor model for all-wheel drive increases output to 335 hp and increases the price to $69,545 and drops EPA-rated range to 231 miles. The three monotone color options from the base model carry over, but for $995 the color palette opens to a variety of two-tone options. The interior can be optioned in Cooper, Moonlight, or Dune colors. The extra coin adds a head-up display and surround-view camera system along with a 700-watt Harmon Kardon sound system with 14 speakers. Single-motor Pro S Plus models a second-row bench seat is standard for hauling seven passengers while captain’s chairs are optional. Opting for the dual-motor powertrain makes the second-row captain’s chairs standard.
The launch-only 1st Edition model costs $67,045 in single-motor form and $71,545 for the dual-motor powertrain. Every 1st Edition features a Dune interior and five two-tone exterior color options. The 1st Edition models sport a specific 20-inch wheel design, roof rail cross bars, and badging throughout along with heritage-inspired floor mats. Single-motor models will have a second-row bench seat while dual-motor models will have captain’s chairs.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Joel Feder)
#ID.Buzz #costs #miles #range
Aerospace innovators this week announced a new drone partnership to design and build a drone delivery system that could benefit NHS Wales and other healthcare providers. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, SLiNK-TECH and Aerovolt agreed to collaborate on integrating the automated vertiport system designed by Bristol-based SLiNK-TECH with Aerovolt’s world-first charging network for electric aircraft.
The partners say this will make drone logistics cost-effective and scalable, and their technology could play a key role in creating drone healthcare supply chains in Wales and across the UK. “Aerovolt are thrilled to partner with both SLiNK-TECH and Snowdonia Aerospace Centre at the forefront of real-world drone tech application, and even more excited about the potential applications for our technology within the Welsh NHS, and the practical life-saving benefit that it can have” said Guy Haydon, Chief Commercial Officer at Aerovolt.
The partnership follows on from Snowdonia Aerospace Centre and SLiNK-TECH’s work to develop operational concepts and standard operating procedures for a proposed NHS Wales drone network that could assist the Welsh Blood Service and Welsh Ambulance Service Trust in restocking ambulances and transporting complex cross-matches. The network takes into account existing logistics, cost-benefit analysis, and the needs of patients and staff. John Goudie, CEO of SLiNK-TECH said: “Excuse the pun – we’re amped up to be collaborating with charging company Aerovolt to help make scalable, fully-autonomous drone networks commercially viable for healthcare. Getting the charging infrastructure right is so important for drone operations, across NHS Wales and beyond. With support from our partners, our advanced PORTAL landing technology alongside the Aerovolt charging network will unlock cost-effective, safe drone logistics that can have a big impact in rural Wales.”
Snowdonia Aerospace Centre boasts the UK’s only permanent commercial airspace danger zone and is equipped with a fully automated testing vertiport, developed by SLiNK-TECH; as well as an Aerovolt charging system. Together, the partners plan to streamline an integrated system which could be ready to support operations from as early as 2025.
Assistant Director of Research & Innovation for Welsh Ambulance Service University NHS Trust, Professor Nigel Rees QAM, said:
“Drones hold enormous potential in healthcare, from the delivery of supplies to the deployment of life-saving products and devices. This project and our collaboration with the Welsh Health Drone Network is furthering our understandings of how a safe, efficient, well-regulated and integrated network of drones may be achieved to support the NHS for the people of Wales.”
About SLiNK-TECH SLiNK-TECH Ltd (SLiNK) is a Bristol, UK-based technology company, pioneering drone and vertiport automation solutions built to scale the future of flight economy, enabling safe, low cost, automated drone launch and landing with minimal infrastructure in any environment. The company, founded in 2018, has been developing their advanced landing solution, which is safe, low cost and highly automated. Their vision is to make the benefits of drone logistics available across all industries and applications.
About Snowdonia Aerospace Centre Snowdonia Aerospace LLP operates the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, Llanbedr, Gwynedd, the premier commercial UK test centre for next-generation aerospace including “drones-for-good”. They have also established Snowdonia Aerospace Drone Services Ltd. to further develop and commercially exploit the output of their research.
About Aerovolt Aerovolt are installing the world’s first public network of charging for electric aircraft, building both infrastructure and software systems for charging fixed wing, drone and eVTOL aircraft.
