BUSINESS

Electric Vehicles Win

the Running-Cost Savings Race

Electric mobility is an unstoppable trend which cannot be reversed. Other ecological vehicular propulsion

systems are too complicated or impractical. The European market now is a battlefield of cars and truck

fleets in regards to their operational costs. Low-consumption diesel-powered engines compete with

CNG powered and electric vehicles. We present here an interview with Ing. Karel Bárta, CEO at Cenntro.

Mr Bárta, the current situation has put

many business plans of local companies

through a test. What is the status quo

in electric mobility?

Automotive businesses are obliged to

European Union regulations, and selling

a prescribed share of electric vehicles

(though “sponsored” by the producer) is the

cheapest way to avoid potential penalties.

With a proper subsidy policy, the purchase

of an electric vehicle can be a very good

option for a company or an individual. The

subsidy in the Czech Republic is 30-40% of the

purchase cost of an electric vehicle, which is

very attractive for many of our clients. Electric

vehicles have the lowest running costs per

1 km. This is partly thanks to the construction of

a vehicle without a combustion motor being

considerably simpler: it contains app. 10 %

of parts of a traditional vehicle.

Can you briefly introduce Cenntro to our

readers?

The history of Cenntro dates back to 2013,

and we have sold about 40,000 vehicles so far.

The vehicles are sold as Tropos Motors in the

USA and Germany. Currently, our company

is developing a larger model, called Metro II.

The company comes from the USA,

production facilities (like those of many other

global brands) are situated in China. In 2019,

our company signed a contract to become

the exclusive representative in the Czech

Republic.

Are Czech businesses interested in electric

vehicles or, in your case, electric vans?

Yes, they are. Companies operating

in logistics find our small vans

to be an ideal solution for

product delivery within

a municipality, or within

the operation of their

facilities. Companies such as Rohlík are

testing this vehicle, and others have

already started negotiations. Our vehicle

is a good model to be finished with

various custom tops, such as a box van, or

a freezer and refrigerating tops. The Li-on

batteries have a capacity of 26 kWh, and

operate the cooling unit with a range of

about 180 km.

What company is the best target group

for your vehicles?

The Cenntro Metro I is suitable for logistics

businesses and applications in municipal

services. Our chassis accommodates basically

any kind of top, from basic types like a tilting

flatbed and spray trucks to those with special

functions. The Metro I model, with a cabin

width of 1200 mm, is, on one hand, limited

in the sense of the interior room, on the

other hand, it represents a new level

of operational comfort. It is a narrow profile

which allows the vehicle to drive through

and stay parked in places impossible

for standard vehicles. The vehicle is equipped

with power steering and brakes, ABS,

heating, a handsfree set, a reverse camera,

and (if ordered) air-conditioning. The client

does not need a wall box; standard sockets

of 220 V with a 16A plug fuse are sufficient.

Czech entrepreneurs might become more

careful with their investments due to

the COVID-19 impact. What can you say

to change their decision about the holding

pattern?

In my opinion, many entrepreneurs would

rather have their old vehicles serviced than

purchase new ones. However, if there

are subsidies on the purchase of electric

vehicles, businesses should seriously

consider this option. Without the subsidy,

an electric vehicle demonstrates a certain

level of prestige, vision, and “green thinking”.

With subsidies as high as 30–40 %, it becomes

a good economic decision with the bonus

of the good feeling of joining the growing

group of drivers who help to improve the

climate and reduce pollution in towns.

Thank you for the interview.

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