Electric Vehicles Win the Running-Cost Savings Race

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. POSITIV 2/2020 ǀ 45