EVA, developed by researchers from TUM CREATE, is a prototype of an electric taxi specially designed for tropical megacities.
Electric vehicles pave the way for sustainable mobility as replacing fuel-burning engines with electric-powered engines reduces carbon, noise and hydrocarbon emissions. However, electric vehicles are often not suitable as taxis and tropical megacities like Singapore pose unique challenges to the implementation of electric vehicles. To address these challenges, TUM CREATE developed the EVA prototype as the first electric vehicle specially designed as a taxi for tropical megacities.
Electric vehicles typically have limited range (distance it can cover before it runs out of power) and long recharge times, making it unsuitable for taxis. EVA is specially designed with a fast-charging battery that can recharge in 15 minutes to cover a range of 200km. This short recharge time allows the vehicle to fully recharge while taxi drivers have their lunch break.
The heat and humidity in tropical megacities have also led the developers to design EVA with seat cooling and overhead air conditioning for localised cooling. Localised cooling allows the air conditioners to target select zones and unoccupied zones can be switched off.
EVA’s interior and the infotainment system.
Other innovative features of EVA include a lightweight body made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer that does not compromise on strength. To cater to the different needs of taxi passengers, EVA features a large storage compartment for bulky items such as luggage, strollers or golf clubs, as well as an integrated child seat in the back of the front seat for young children between 9 months and 3 years old. EVA also includes an infotainment system that allows passengers to control air-conditioning and audio settings wirelessly from their mobile devices.
The EVA prototype was showcased at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show in 2013 and marks the first time that a Singapore-based organisation has participated and presented at the automotive tradeshow. Read press release here. TUM CREATE is doing the last necessary steps and tests on the vehicle to ensure a safe rollout soon.
The EVA electric taxi is developed by researchers from TUM CREATE, a collaboration between Nanyang Technology University and Technical University of Munich. This research is funded by National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under the Campus for Research Excellence and Technology Enterprise (CREATE) Programme.
