In today's fast-changing world, technology has become an essential part of our daily lives, revolutionising the ways we communicate, work and live. Technology also holds powerful keys to help tackle some longstanding public health and environmental issues.
By taking advantage of technological advancements and embracing innovation such as electric vehicle (EV) technologies, we may find solutions to not only combat a host of environmental hazards, from air and noise to thermal pollution, but also enhance a more sustainable lifestyle.
The transport sector not only contributes significantly to carbon emissions, but also causes congestion and air and noise pollution. Thailand had almost 21.5 million registered motorcycles in 2021, accounting for roughly half of all registered vehicles in the country.
Motorbikes are more affordable and flexible for commuting and serve as a robust mode of transport for the e-commerce delivery and logistics sector.
However, gasoline-powered motorbikes emit significantly more pollutants per kilometre than gasoline-powered cars. Electrifying motorbikes presents a promising opportunity for Thailand to make significant progress towards its energy and decarbonisation goals.
SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES
Thailand set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.
To achieve this goal, the country enacted a policy to promote the production and use of EVs, including e-motorbikes, with zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) constituting a minimum of 30% of total automotive production by 2030.
This goal represents a significant step towards mitigating the impact of climate change and promoting sustainable development.
The government developed policies and initiatives to promote the use of EVs, especially light-battery EVs, leading to higher demand for electric motorbikes on the country's roads.
However, the limited range, charging time and charger availability of many EV battery technologies remains an obstacle for some potential buyers.
Determined to bring to market a cleaner and more cost-efficient solution, Oyika, a Singapore-based technology startup, has piloted a battery-swapping service for electric motorbikes in Thailand.
Affordable power subscription packages include battery swaps, enabling riders to swap depleted batteries for fully charged ones at a growing network of swap stations.
In a smart battery ecosystem, riders can use a mobile application to access secure charging kiosks outside convenience stores, insert depleted batteries into open recharging slots, and pull away with freshly charged batteries in just a minute or two. The Oyika smart battery design also makes it compatible with most of the mass-market electric motorbikes across Southeast Asia.
Arrow Electronics has helped Oyika engineer its smart battery ecosystem via computing, power management and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Valuable data from the batteries can also be collected for analysis, leading to enhanced efficiency, improved performance and prolonged battery life.
Development and refinement of the system is ongoing, with support from technical experts and design engineers at the NTU-Arrow Invent Lab in Singapore -- a collaboration since 2022 with Nanyang Technological University in the city-state.
Expert guidance in power management, IoT telematics, battery management and component selection make it easier for Oyika to tackle challenges and continuously update its products for the market. For example, 4G IoT telematics developed by Arrow engineers include:
- Engineering guidance in battery and power management;
- Vehicle speed and location tracking;
- Component selection;
- Battery condition monitoring (voltage, current, charge/discharge rate, temperature, vibration and humidity);
- GPS-enabled security and safety measures.
Oyika battery swap kiosks are being deployed in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other locations, with hopes of eventually plugging all of Southeast Asia into a green, zero-emissions ecosystem.
Dr Raphael Salmi is the president (components) for South Asia, Korea and Japan of Arrow Electronics.