If you thought the automotive manufacturing industry in Australia was dead you wouldn’t be alone, but a small Queensland company is bucking the trend… for now.
ACE EV Group will launch its first electric vehicle, a small commercial van, in Sydney this week.
It will target a $39,995 price and has plans to follow it up with a small ute called the ACE Yewt and a city-car dubbed the ACE Cargo.
Laying claim to producing the world's first electric ute -- beating to market pick-ups from Tesla and fellow US EV-maker Rivian in the process -- would be a significant coup for the Aussie company.
ACE EV Group's CEO Greg McGarvie told the ABC that its electric vehicles are "…nothing like [the] Tesla – it's nothing like any of the other automakers".
The most affordable EV in Australia at present is the Hyundai IONIQ, which has a 230km range and costs about $45,000.
ACE EV Group reckons its vehicles will slash running costs, with estimations of around $1.80 per 50km, compared to the petrol average of $9 per 50km.
Claimed to be the first EV assembled in Australia, the Cargo will only be sold to business and government fleets initially. If sales take off it will then offer its vehicles, including the compact Yewt, to private buyers.
It's not clear what safety credentials the new EVs will have (there's no mention of airbags) and whether they will be tested by ANCAP, but one of the optional extras is electronic stability control, suggesting the Cargo and Yewt are built to a budget.
The Logan-based company initially plans to build 100 units of the lightweight Cargo delivery vans, which it hopes will find favour with fleet buyers like Australia Post.
All three models are based on a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic shell and will have a top speed of 100km/h. Cruising range will be between 150km and 200km, and the lithium-battery packs are rated at 23.2kWh, according to the manufacturer's website.
However, recent reports suggest the battery pack has been upgraded to a 33kWh unit, good for a 250km range. There is also the option for a 40kWh battery pack that could extend range to more than 300km.
The electric motor generates 45kW of power and 174Nm, and charging on a regular power socket will take around eight hours, says ACE EV Group.
Both the Cargo and Yewt will have a 500kg payload capacity.
ACE EV Group says the first year assembly target of 100 vehicles will be followed by a 600 unit production run in 2020, with the potential for exponential expansion in the years beyond, up to 3000 vehicles.
"It's about us taking responsibility for the next generation, both in jobs and innovation," McGarvie said.
With backing from Taiwanese and German interests, ACE EV Group has an agreement to assemble the vehicles in Australia until June 2019. McGarvie says the Australian government needs to do more to support Aussie EV companies, or it will be forced to take its operation overseas.
"All we want government to say is look, we think this is a great idea — what can we do to help?" McGarvie said.
"It doesn't necessarily have to be money," he added.
EV sales are still miniscule in Australia, accounting for less than half a per cent of the million-plus annual Australian new sales.
With the federal election looming, green-car policy could become a key battleground as voters go to the polls.