In the field of automobiles, the electric vehicle (EV) is a relatively new concept. No longer confined to the realms of science fiction, the road for self-driving autonomous cars is being paved for all.
As the name suggests, low-speed electric vehicles are propelled by electricity. These climate-friendly vehicles run on batteries that provide a continuous supply of energy and can be recharged when needed.
There are various types of batteries that are used in these vehicles, including lithium batteries, molten salt batteries, zinc-air batteries, and some nickel-based designs. Its primary purpose is to replace conventional forms of transportation and eliminate the associated downsides, such as carbon emissions.
So, why does the world need autonomous low-speed electric vehicles?
Low-speed electric vehicles have the potential to shake up current transportation norms by providing a safer, versatile, more accessible, and lower cost alternative to autonomous cars. Additionally, there’s a movement towards car-free zones, cities, and areas – low-speed EAVs can transport users and goods, much like cars would have, in these car-free areas while still maintaining the benefits and feel of a car-free zone.
According to Allied Market Research: “The electric vehicle outperforms the conventional vehicle providing higher fuel economy, low carbon emission, and maintenance.”
Combined with the versatility and safety of low-speed vehicles, electric autonomous LSV’s can serve society in a number of new and exciting ways.
Let’s take a look at the technological improvements that are spurring on the wide-spread adoption of low-speed electric vehicles before diving into the development of today’s autonomous electric vehicles.
Technology improvement shaping the adoption of low-speed electric vehicles
Smart and flexible charging
Smart charging is a more efficient way to manage the electricity usage of EV’s by connecting intelligent metering systems that can monitor the grid, vehicle usage, and stored capacity to optimize how electric stores are used across the board.
95% of the time, vehicles are idle. With smart and flexible charging technologies, unused energy from car batteries could even be utilized to supplement the grid’s electrical supply during peak demand periods. In other cases, charging power is paused or reduced intelligently. Together, these functions create a more economic use of electricity.
Improved load management
By leveraging smart connectivity and intelligent algorithms, owners can monitor asset health and performance in real-time, thereby optimizing battery-life, or the use of renewable energy. Ultimately reducing system investments and operating costs.
Better battery management
Battery data from AIoT-enabled EVs and stationary storage systems can help with predictive maintenance and usage optimization, reducing the need for new batteries and supply chain pressure.
The benefits of low-speed electric vehicles
With electric low-speed vehicles becoming more mainstream and the technology being developed to cater for fleets, and also public utility, the costs are dropping rapidly. This creates new opportunities and benefits for the world to enjoy.
Let’s take a closer look at some of them.
Climate-friendly and fuel-efficient
Regardless of how the electricity is produced, electric vehicles have a lower carbon footprint than gasoline-powered cars. Electricity for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles comes from power grids, which are powered by a broad range of energy sources, from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy.
In densely populated areas, electric low-speed vehicles play a critical role in reducing air pollution. Additionally, these vehicles are a promising option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The benefits of electric vehicles include zero tailpipe emissions, better efficiency than internal combustion engines, and the possibility of reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a low-carbon electricity sector. In addition, as different areas improve their energy grids, electric vehicles will continue to become more efficient.
Safer driving alternative
Low-speed vehicles are inherently safer than other vehicles and now with autonomous driving technology electric LSV’s have the potential to become the safest means of transport available to anyone. Take golf carts for example, self-driving golf carts present a massive opportunity for safe transportation in dense pedestrian areas and car-free zones.
A vehicle controlled by an autonomous system can be trained to drive with a significantly lower error-rate and will therefore be much safer than a human-driven vehicle. By eliminating human error, sensors and cameras can enhance the safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
Low maintenance
Since the engines in electric vehicles are powered by electricity, they do not require oiling, lubrication, or any of the other maintenance tasks that are usually associated with gas engines. It doesn’t need to be serviced as often as a gasoline-powered car either. Now, the days of expensive engine work are over and electric transportation maintenance costs are decreasing.
There’s less noise when driving
When switching to an electric car, one of the first things you’ll notice is the quietness of the vehicle, which makes for a far more enjoyable driving experience (and improves the environment for pedestrians)
Electric low-speed vehicles are nimble
In electric cars, the batteries are often located on the floor, which provides excellent balance and weight distribution. This makes it easy to handle corners and curves. Autonomous vehicles can zip through traffic and glide across town in a comfortable, clean and quiet manner.
The next step: electric low-speed autonomous vehicles
Now, electric vehicles are going autonomous. Innovative autonomous low-speed vehicle solutions are emerging. Each offering a wide range of benefits to the areas in which these vehicles commute.
Using autonomous low-speed vehicles helps us to take the benefits of low speed electric vehicles one step further.
Smart charging becomes even smarter with automated charging dispatch based on battery thresholds, load management becomes more efficient with unique reservation features powered by mobile apps. Maintenance costs are reduced as battery life-cycles are optimized, and finally, these low speed vehicles become much safer when driven autonomously.
And that is only scraping the surface of what autonomous electric low-speed vehicles can and will do in the coming years.
The future of transportation is electric, autonomous, and low-speed
The benefits of using electric vehicles are clear. But in case you need a little more encouragement, here are some stats to help make the point:
- 2020 was a pivotal year for electric vehicles, as stocks reached 10 million.
- EVs will account for about 7% of the road vehicle fleet by 2030.
- Global sales of electric vehicles will reach 58% by 2040, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
- KPMG predicts that safer transport due to autonomous technology could reduce the frequency of accidents by almost 90% by 2050.
It is clear how much low-speed autonomous vehicles have to offer and why we need them.
As teams like ours at Carteav continue to develop the technology that powers low-speed electric vehicle autonomy, the adoption will continue to grow. Managed sites, such as resorts, campuses, hospitals, and airports, are switching their fleets to enjoy lower on-site transportation costs, improved safety, smoothness, and mobility efficiency for their users (guests).
Visit our website to learn more about our autonomous golf cart solution, the autonomous low-speed vehicle revolution, and how our technology can redefine low-speed mobility.
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