How to become “Fit for 55”?

How to become “Fit for 55”?

Abstract Within the previous articles, our focus was on Mobility and in particular on “Mobility in 2050”. Within this article, we will focus on the broader scope and position Mobility within the coming years, next to Energy, Industry and Housing. Hence, we develop a Systemic Approach, one that is needed to increase penetration of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicles) and to get us reaching the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement and the objectives of the EU Green Deal. Next to Swap2drivE, the swappable battery solution for the EV 2.0 (the next generation of Electric Vehicles), we also introduce the concept of Solar-as-a-Service.

This article is based on the script, that has been used to produce the video-clip, that can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NJxJee9T1o

1.1 Introduction

On the 14th of July 2021, Frans Timmermans, European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, presented his ambitious plan to the European Commission, called “Fit for 55”.

The overall aim is to reduce the CO2-emissions to 55% of those of 1990 and finally to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

More details on “Fit for 55” can be found at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3541

Clearly, a multitude of actions are needed to reach these goals.

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What we observe is that there are challenges on Mobility, on Energy, on Industry and on Housing and all of these sectors are trying to get their issues solved:

  • Housing is evolving towards more clustering, with apartments instead of individual houses, thus creating more open space
  • The Industry has to comply to more stringent emission standards
  • The Energy industry is evolving towards a 100% renewable energy model
  • And finally, Mobility is withdrawing ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) and evolving towards a Full Electric Mobility

Each of them is working on individual solutions for their individual industry, but we’re missing a Systemic Approach.

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One at which all sectors jointly are moving forward and making progress, and that Systemic Approach is called Swap2drivE.

1.2 Mobility

1.2.1 The Observation

At first, we’ll focus on mobility.

Do you have any idea “How many Full Electric Vehicles” are on our roads as we speak?

Let’s take a look at the most recent report(1) of ACEA, the European Automobiles Manufacturers’ Association, entitled “Vehicles in use in Europe”, issued in January 2021. It can be found at https://www.acea.auto/uploads/publications/report-vehicles-in-use-europe-january-2021.pdf

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 According to this report, only 0,2% of all European vehicles are Full Electric Vehicles.

In other words: 99,8 % of all vehicles on the European Roads still have an ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) onboard and this, while our objective is to remove ALL ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) and to evolve towards 0 % fossil engines.

When will this happen, do you think?

“Are we “really” on the right track?”

And do you have any idea why?

99,8 % of all vehicles on the European Roads still have an ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) onboard and this, while our objective is to remove ALL ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) and to evolve towards 0 % fossil engines.

1.2.2 The Cause

The reason is very simple. It’s because the actual offering on Electric Vehicles is not compelling at all. There are still issues which aren’t solved and will never been solved with the actual approach:

  • At first, there’s the Range

It’s still a problem and adding more battery capacity is not a solution at all!

  • And there’s also the Charging Time

No one is interested wasting precious time at chargers, even at fast chargers

  • And the overall Acquisition Cost

Is even increasing, since the battery capacity is increasing day-by-day.

  • And “last but not least”, there is the Social Inclusion

People, living on an apartment, cannot charge their Electric Vehicle at home and will have to constantly make use of public charging poles at very high cost.

When observing this situation, one can easily understand why the actual fleet of Electric Vehicles (EV 1.0) gets only 0,2% of market share and … why nothing indicates a fast improvement of this situation.

People, living on an apartment, cannot charge their Electric Vehicle at home and will have to constantly make use of public charging poles at very high cost.

1.2.3 The Solution

It’s crystal clear that, in case we intend to obtain the objectives of the EU Green Deal and those of the Paris agreement, a new approach is needed and this new approach is called Swap2drivE. 

1.2.4 Video-clip “Imagine you can swap”

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Within this video-clip, you’ll discover what Swap2drivE is all about and how this concept will allow us to reach our ambitious climate goals:

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  • An Electric Vehicle of the 2nd generation – called EV 2.0 - contains a swappable battery at the rear side
  • Battery Swap happens very, very fast and no manual intervention is needed. No need to connect and disconnect cables, no need to go out of the vehicle, in whatsoever weather conditions, … everything happens in an automated way.
  • This swappable battery has enough energy onboard for at least another 200 km or more.
  • Rain, wind, hail, snow … never mind, since the driver doesn’t have to come out of the vehicle.
  • And the acquisition cost … is much lower than a traditional diesel, petrol or 1st generation electric car (EV 1.0), since the owner only acquires the body of the car. The battery itself is a container of energy, that is owned by Swap2drivE and is handed over for a limited period of time.
  • The consumption of energy is charged on a pay-per-use scheme.
  • And think for a while on businesses, that have to be operational all time: Car Sharing, Ambulance, Police, Taxi, …
  • So, it has all you need: Easy, Clean, Cheap and Fast … what do you need more???
  • Let’s skip the 1st generation of Electric Vehicles (EV 1.0) and move as fast as possible towards the 2nd generation (EV 2.0).
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So, it has all you need: Easy, Clean, Cheap and Fast … what do you need more???

1.2.5 The Analysis

Let’s make a quick analysis. With what you’ve seen in this video-clip, you now immediately understand that:

  • Range is no longer an issue anymore. If one day, you have to drive 1000 km or more, you will have to swap a few times and … that it!
  • Charging happens very fast at a BRS (Battery Recharging Station).
  • Prices of the Electric Vehicles will drop drastically. An EV of the 2nd generation (EV 2.0) will be affordable for almost everyone.
  • Even people, living on apartments, can have an Electric Vehicle. No segregation! No discrimination! Equal rights and opportunities for everybody!
  • And even new REC (Renewable Energy Community) initiatives are becoming feasible
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1.2.6 The Conclusion and Action Plan

So, let’s abandon the 1st generation of Electric Vehicles as fast as possible and move towards the 2nd generation, the EV 2.0. You – the crowd - own the power to get the ball rolling! Use Social Media! Just do it!

1.3 Energy

But there is more.  Remember that we referred at “a Systemic Approach”. Here it comes!

We’ll now take a look at Energy and introduce the Swap2drivE Solar-as-a-Service Concept.

Solar energy is available in abundance. According to some academic, the Sun is providing 9000 times the energy needed by mankind (https://www.zonnestroomnederland.nl)

The reality though is that rooftops are actually very badly used to generate solar energy.

Solar-as a-Service creates the environment to use 100% of the surface of a rooftop, by installing a BRS (Battery Recharging Station) in the direct neighborhood of these houses.

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A very basic simulation learns that with a population of 1 million inhabitants one can generate about 5,36 TWh in a year.

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To make it more tangible, this means that Belgium can generate more than 60 TWh, France more than 360 TWh and Germany even more than 430 TWh.

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In that case, we might get rid of nuclear power plants, of gas or coal fired power plants and even of turbo-jet power plants.

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In that case, we might get rid of nuclear power plants, of gas or coal fired power plants and even of turbo-jet power plants.

And in case there is not sufficient rooftop surface, architects can help us to very rapidly increase the volume of solar energy generated, thanks to a slight modification of the architecture of houses and other buildings.

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1.4 Industry

We will now take a look at the Industry.

Imagine a production plant and next to it, a BRS (Battery Recharging Station).

At any time, renewable energy can be stored in or retrieved from the Swappable Batteries, that are stored inside the BRS (Battery Recharging Station).

Or for Transport and Logistics

And, on top of that, … we’re guiding our mobility towards a 100% clean mobility.

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1.5 Housing

Last, but not least, let’s take a look at Housing.

The “Neighborhood BRS” will act as a real REC (Renewable Energy Community) beacon, where Solar Energy is stored into and retrieved from the Swappable Batteries, which are inside the local BRS.

And, on top of that, … we’re guiding our mobility towards a 100% clean mobility.

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1.6 Conclusions

So, we finally come to our conclusions.

It’s time for our “Act Now” statement.

We fully endorse the strike and other actions from young people. They fully understand the sense of urgency and feel their future is under threat.

While we observe a continuous flow of congresses, seminars, webinars and the like.

But now is time to ACT!

We can reach the ambitious targets on obility by designing Electric Vehicles that contain Swappable Batteries instead of fixed batteries and on Energy, Industry and Housing by making the BRS (Battery Recharging Station) the Cornerstone of the new paradigm.

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We can reach the ambitious targets on Mobility by designing Electric Vehicles that contain Swappable Batteries instead of fixed batteries and on Energy, Industry and Housing by making the BRS (Battery Recharging Station) the Cornerstone of the new paradigm.

This is the way how we will become “Fit for 55”, how we can reach the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement and the ambitious targets from the EU Green Deal.

This is the Road Ahead!

1.7 More Info

You want to know more about Swap2drivE?

Let us know and we’ll be happy to provide you with more in-depth information.

And in case you’re interested in understanding the technical details behind, feel free to look-up the patent application, containing all these technical details.

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1.8 The Closing Address

The Closing Address is from Bertrand Piccard, creator of the Solar Impulse Foundation:

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 So many people, before you do something, they believe it’s impossible.

When I initiated the Solar Impulse project, it was exactly like this also:

people first tell me it’s impossible and then, because it’s impossible, you can find people to come in your team, that are people, who love to challenge the possible.

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 We really need you!

Act Now! 

Help us to make the impossible … possible!

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Thank you!

 

BIO

Jacques De Kegel (1954) Graduated (cum Laude) as Master in Engineering Sciences at the KU Leuven University in Leuven (Belgium). He worked for IBM for 33 years, deepened his knowledge with additional studies at London Business School and Boston University and finally became a mobility expert within the Emerging Business Opportunities and Smarter Cities Solutions teams. He is patent holder on the Swap2drivE Battery Swap solution. After his retirement, he runs his own engineering company DK Engineering & Services.

 

REFERENCES

De Kegel J (2020) Battery Swap. European Patent 2,543,093, 12 Feb 2020

De Kegel J (2019) EV 2.0 – Electrical Vehicle: Friend or Foe of Smart Grids? v2019-06-03 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacques-de-kegel/

De Kegel J (2020) Mobility in 2050 – Part I https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mobility-2050-jacques-de-kegel Published 7 Dec 2020

De Kegel J (2021) Mobility in 2050 – Part II https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mobility-2050-part-2-jacques-de-kegel Published 20 Jan 2021

De Kegel J (2021) Mobility in 2050 – Part III https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mobility-2050-part-iii-jacques-de-kegel Published 5 Feb 2021

De Kegel J (2021) Imagine you can swap … https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/imagine-you-can-swap-jacques-de-kegel Published 2 Mar 2021

De Kegel J (2021) Mobility in 2050 – EU-27 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mobility-2050-eu-27-jacques-de-kegel Published 18 June 2021

 

ACRONYMS

  •  SaaS

Solar-as-a-Service

  • BEV

Battery Electric Vehicle (= Full Electric Vehicles)

  • ICE

Internal Combustion Engine

  • BRS

Battery Recharging Station

HASHTAGS

#futureofmobility #automotive #innovation #sustainability #technology #mobility #elektrischrijden #electromobility


NOTES

(1) Figures, coming from ACEA Report “Vehicles in Use in Europe” – January 2021

https://www.acea.be/uploads/publications/report-vehicles-in-use-europe-january-2021.pdf

Remarque: note that figures from European Countries Bulgaria, Cyprus and Malta are missing within the ACEA report.

Wim De Bruyn

Past ISA BELGIUM president, member of the BOARD of ISA EMEA District 12 at ISA Belgium International Society of Automation

2y

Very interesting practical solutions that work, congratulations Jacques

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Jeanne Schreurs

DIGITAL LEARNING and strategic issues of management are my domains of expertise! Consultant SCV Limburg (Senior Consultants Vlaanderen)

2y

ER IS NOG HOOP VOOR ONS KLIMAAT! Dank u Jacques om dit hier met ons te delen.

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