victorian electric vehicle trial mid-term report - Department of Transport

One issue that may need to beaddressed as part of standards andregulatory development processesrelates to the potential hazard to otherroad users as a result of the nearsilentoperation of electric vehicles atlow speed. Around six weeks into theelectric vehicle experience, the trialhousehold participants were askedhow frequently the quiet operationof their EV had caught other roadusers unawares. Nearly one in threeparticipants reported this experienceoccurring either ‘frequently’ or‘very frequently’.International regulators have acted toaddress this risk by requiring electricvehicles to emit a minimum sound levelduring low speed operation (NHTSA2011). The Australian Government(Aust Govt 2012b) is committed toharmonisation with internationalvehicle safety standards, as isevidenced by the following excerptfrom the responsible Department:The Australian Government’s policyis to harmonise the national vehiclesafety standards with internationalregulations where possible andconsideration is given to the adoptionof the international regulationsof the United Nations EconomicCommission for Europe (UNECE).Australia is a signatory to the UNECE1958 Agreement and the 1998Agreement. The policy to harmoniseis also important to fulfil WorldTrade Organisation and Asia PacificEconomic Cooperation commitments.Australian Government Departmentof Infrastructure and Transportwebsite, February 2013As these standards are agreedinternationally and applied tothe design and manufacture ofelectric vehicles destined for theAustralian market, communitysafety will be ensured.6.3.2 How is Victoria’s futureelectric vehicle workforcebeing prepared?As the focus of Australia’s automotiveindustry, Victoria is home to a range ofeducation and training providers whospecialise in automotive engineeringand repair. Recognising the futureneeds of the EV market, many of theseproviders have been actively developingtheir programs in support of EVs.The emerging trend towards electricvehicle technology is being recognisedin Victoria’s higher education sector:• Swinburne University ofTechnology has establishedan electric vehicle researchgroup that in 2012 was workingon drivetrain and electricmotor technologies, batterytechnology and management,vehicle architecture anddesign, lightweighting, Clean21Manufacturing, vehicle-to-vehicleand vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunications, the smartelectricity grid, consumerbehaviour and public policy,new business models andentrepreneurship, and EVpromotion, training and education(Swinburne 2012a)• University of Melbourne has aresearch program underway onthe impact of mass adoption ofelectric cars on the Australianelectricity grid (Uni of Melb 2010).A novel means by which the futureEV workforce is being prepared isthrough the Formula SAE-A event.Formula SAE is an internationaleducation program where universitystudents design, build and competein small open-wheeler vehicles (SAE-Aust 2012). Since 2009 it has beenpossible to enter an electric vehicle inthe competition, with local entrantsincluding Swinburne Universityof Technology (Swinburne 2012b)and Royal Melbourne Institute ofTechnology (DOT 2012h).Technical standards such as thosedescribed in Section 6.3.1 canform the basis of training courseand workshop practices for EVtechnicians. Training providers suchas the Victorian Automotive Chamberof Commerce and Kangan Institutehave already begun to address theseskills shortages with the creationof nationally accredited trainingcourses (VACCSDC 2012). As electricvehicles spread through dealershipand repair networks, manufacturersand workshop operators will beincreasingly able to draw upon widelyrecognised competencies rather thanbe required to address this skills gapin isolation.