Happy birthday to the longest continuously running EV society in the world

Formed after the oil price shocks of 1973, the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) has turned 50 this year and, believe it or not, is now the longest continuously running EV society in the world.

From the inside though, progress has seemed so damn slow that it’s easy to think we’ve not made a difference over the years. However, looking back on even the last 12 or so years I’ve been involved, AEVA has done plenty.

In 2009 AEVA was a partner with the University of WA’s Renewable Energy Vehicle (REV) Project, providing technical support and beta testers for the early days of the EV trials.

AEVA also helped with the development of safety systems and engineering details during the conversion of 10 Ford Focus vehicles to electric (done locally at EV Works, Kewdale). This was even before it was possible to buy an EV in Australia!

In fact, that project precipitated the need for the development of NCOP14 (the code of practice for the safe construction of ICE to EV conversions).

NCOP14 was largely developed by the AEVA in conjunction with state transport authorities. AEVA is also a partner organisation with the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society. (The project lead, Dr Yuan Peng, will be sharing her results at the AEVA EV Conference and Expo on November 3rd).

AEVA’s WA branch prepared the first detailed plan for an ‘Electric Highway’ between Perth and Augusta in 2013, and was pitched at anyone who’d listen. Eventually the RAC of WA saw it and said ‘actually, we’ll build it!’

The RAC Electric Highway was commissioned in 2015 and was Australia’s first contiguous public DC charging network. This was also the moment I knew EVs were on an unstoppable trajectory here in Oz.

AEVA continues to play a key advisory role with government charging infrastructure rollout, most recently with the WA EV network – one of the world’s longest contiguous DC charging networks.

Image: Infinite Energy

AEVA also provided support and logistics for the first electric motorcycle racing series, the eFX Championship (2011 to 2016) as well as providing a technical forum for the development of faster, safer and more reliable racing machines.

Some of these machines will no doubt be covered in great detail in a history book, recognising them for the ground-breaking prototypes they were. We knew major manufacturers were looking with keen interest as we proved our home-built e-motos were capable and competitive.

Even in the last few years, AEVA members have been rolling up their sleeves and doing the engineering and planning on a whole host of electromobility endeavours, including Electrikhana (a test-drive event for the public to experience the EV grin), biodiesel DC fast chargers on the Nullarbor, fundraising for essential charge points in the outback and remote reaches of western Queensland and the NT, even supporting EV endurance and tarmac rally race challengers, TOCEVA racing.

But our history of providing a forum for knowledge sharing goes even further back. Names such as Professor Brian Leary and Roy Leembruggen are often seen in dusty pages of EV News – AEVA’s long-running (and hopefully soon to be resumed) newsletter.

Professor Leary pioneered solid state switching research, developing reliable power electronic circuits capable of powering AC motors in the late 1970s, while Roy Leembruggen designed Sydney’s first double-decker electric trains. He also designed and engineered Australia’s first battery electric bus – the Townobile, in 1978.

The Annual AEVA Electrathon was a competitive challenge where members would build ever faster, more efficient light EVs from whatever parts they had lying around, and pit them against each other for engineering bragging rights.

This was often done in conjunction with high schools and TAFE colleges, fostering young interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

It’s not just engineering either.  A lot of what AEVA does is representations to governments on matters concerning transport and energy policy.

In the last 12 months, AEVA has made scores of submissions to various federal and state government committees and enquiries. Sadly, it often feels like we’re just updating the reference list on the same old submissions – but recent progress is heartening. Here’s hoping we’ll have an effective federal vehicle emissions standard by January 1st!

For 50 years now, AEVA has kept the pressure on Australia to embrace electric mobility. If not for our efforts sharing knowledge freely with the public and allowing people to experience the benefits of electric vehicles first hand, EVs would be even further behind in Australia.

We see our role of informing, educating and inspiring at the grass roots level as an extremely important part of the transition – fostering demand for change amongst the populace so that legislators cannot ignore their constituents.

This year, AEVA celebrates 50 years of advocacy for a cleaner, quieter transport sector in Australia. We hope you can join us in Perth for the party.

Dr Chris Jones is national president of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association