Just a few weeks ago, Honda 3D printed a micro electric vehicle, known as Micro Commuter. With the help of 3D printing specialist, Kabuku, the company built what is set to be a custom delivery vehicle for Toshimaya, a Japanese cookie company. The vehicle can travel about 50 miles maximum in one go, and has removable battery packs for easy charging. Honda has set an important precedent for both electric vehicles and automotive design in general, suggesting that micro electric vehicles may have a purpose beyond simply being fun.
What exactly is a micro electric vehicle? Simply put, it’s a vehicle that has either one or two seats and is powered by battery, with an electric power propulsion between 4-10 KWh. In Europe, micro electric vehicles are classified as quadricycles. Micro EVs aren’t designed for long road trips or excursions, but for those who need to make short distance trips within a certain radius, such as delivery people. Electric vehicles as a whole have an interesting and complex history, and have certainly come a long way since their initial conception. The electric vehicles of today aim to do it all: be sustainable, safe, ergonomic, and accessible to the average consumer. The micro electric vehicle has created its own niche by offering up a “portable” or micro-sized version of the standard electric vehicle, but certainly not with the same level of capability.
Micro EVs are still quite expensive in terms of what they offer, pushing them into the novelty category rather than the general consumer category. That being said, the micro electric vehicle market is witnessing significant growth; in fact, according to analysts at Technavio, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 17% by 2020. This is in large part due to advancements in li-ion battery technology, including increased power capabilities and performance. One of the toughest challenges that all electric vehicles face is the issue of the battery and charging time. The emergence of ultra-capacitators for charging would potentially mean majorly improved energy storage and reduced costs.
The micro electric vehicles market is divided up into two major segments: golf carts and micro cars, and quadricycles (as previously mentioned). It comes as no surprise that APAC is dominating the market. Several years ago, the Chinese government made it a necessity that all car manufacturers provide a sustainable or green model in their product line. The simplest solution was to introduce micro EVs into the mix, as the country’s goal has been to produce 5 million electric vehicles by 2020. Governments in China, Japan, and South Korea are all working to offer incentives for the creation and use of electric vehicles in order to help reduce carbon emissions. While electric vehicles might initially be expensive, in the long-term they can be quite cost-effective what with the money saved on fuel.
The development of micro electric vehicles has also fueled the creation of many other types of electric or “e” vehicles, such as electric bikes, electric scooters, and electric motorbikes. There seems to be a great deal of potential for micro EVs and what they can offer in the future, and the market is certainly one to watch over the next few years.
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