Green vehicles in 2010

This is the Mitsubishi iMiEV 16, one of the vehicles that will be introduced to Singapore roads in 2010 as part of a test-bed programme. We’re not sure how any of us will be able to take part in the programme, which apparently goes towards finding out things like driving time between charges, what type of charging station is optimal and suitable – Currently, different manufacturers have different specifications for charging stations, so you can imagine in the not too distant future, having to carry a giant power adapter – and in general, decide on the future of electric vehicles in Singapore:

“While EVs offer tremendous potential for improvements to both our energy and transportation landscape, there are also uncertainties that we need to manage. At this early stage, it is premature for us to tell whether EVs will eventually take off commercially and replace ICE-based vehicles, or if they will be superseded by other competing technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cells.”

Most likely, it also means having to take into consideration the tweaking of the many road and fuel tariffs we have in our current land transport system.

Besides the Mitsubishi iMiEV 16, the other make likely to take up part of the 50 vehicles coming next year is the Detroit Electric, while Renault has announced that their EVs will only be available commercially from 2011.