Proton's Electric Car : An Industrial Gimmicks?

A few days back, It was a coincidence that I have read an article wrote by local newspaper reporter with an interesting catching line- 'Proton's Electric car, will it become reality?'.  In the article, the writer questions whether that Proton really serious on its intention to produce electric car as the progress to make the car to be production car seems far from reality. It's too slow. Since it appearance in 2010, nothing much have been done by the company.   

I got reason to be excited about this as I have play a small roles indirectly in this project . As a sub vendor and our job is to construct one small of parts of the project:- To construct the Electric Charging Station body enclosure. I still remember the company required a few prototype for it and we did construct one of the prototype. We been informed that all the prototypes will be deploy at Putrajaya various selected location and will be tested by government officials together with the electrics vehicles. They called the program the 'Fleet Test Program'. To heard any news in regards to this project just pump me up!

(Left: Enclosure that I used to construct before then be deploy selected location. The electric charging machine have been been bought in Singapore by the client)

Environmental Issues
As parts of global environmental issues, automotive industries all around the world have been pressured by various parties group to reduce carbon usage (fuel) forcing them to produce efficient car for this purpose or better a car that  not produce carbon emission at all. By all means a car that fully powered by clean electrical engine. As parts of social responsibility and awareness  towards this on-going issues, Proton have came up with their own version of electric car to be inline with this global noble effort.

In year 2011, the national car manufacturer Proton has announce its first debut of prototype electric car called Proton Exora REEV (Range Extender Electric Vehicles) and Saga EV. The prototype car based on Proton Exora & Saga models have been developed  by Frazer-Nash Research Limited (Frazer-Nash) United Kingdom with collaboration team of Malaysian engineers. Earlier in year 2010 the car have been put into a challenge and  have won two awards that one of it was  RAC Brighton To London Future Car Challenge (Exora Won Best E REV). It was a high time and everybody was positive feeling that this car that will embark the new way producing environmentally friendly car. Everybody feet not touching the ground.They plan to roll out the car for production in year 2013.  But till now with the slow progress up to date, the plan is questionable.

(Current Proton' electric car charging station. Seems unutilized)

 

Will Electric Car Will Be A Reality?
I once watched a documentary movies in HBO tells story about what happened to a fully powered electrics car (Non-fuel gas car) in United States and why the production of the car have been discontinue. The title of the movie is 'Who Killed The Electric Car'. It was a good movies and it based on real story what had happened to Electric Car in the US. The car was produced by General Motors and been named GM EV1 which previously been called 'Impact'. The movies tells audience how the workable powered electric car that is proven efficient and environmentally friendly have been called back by GM  just to be disposed. The rollback moves have been beleaguered consumer mind as it makes no sense why GM call the back the car. It is more unacceptable as GM also have invested $1billion dollar for the program.

In the movie, the investigator try to find out which party that actually don't want this car to be discontinue. Is it consumer? Is it the industry? or is it the government? As far as they interviewed the owner, they all like the car. Its efficient and save money a lot (The driver of the car claims)

General Motors claimed that the car is too expensive to be produce due to its expensive battery pack. For the reason, they have end the program. I suggest reader to see this movie as its quite interesting as the movie trigger your curiosity.

Theory
One of the theory that been ruled out is that world's automotive industry is largely depends on the other entity to survive and so does the other industry that associated with it. Even US government have been suspected have joint effort to make this car to be unsuccessful project . They are interdependent to survive as in this business there is big bucks of money flows in.

The automotive industry is the pulse of oil and gas industry. Electrical vehicles will been seen as a threat as it acceptance means some industry will need to close down their business. Politicians  & government officials (the government) have either direct or indirect influence from these industries. Interested parties earned mutual benefits with this kind of collaboration.  In US it no surprise and politican been lobbied by the industry and O&G industry is one of it.  Policies can be change and rules can be influence. It's business politics.

My View
In my point of view, what will happened to GM EV1 is what will happened Proton REEV & Saga EV. The Fleet Test Program is just to provides evidence that the company do take care of the environment and do take initiatives to make it happen. It shows people that the company do did something for the environment and the company is also environmental concerned. Bare in mind, if industry do implementing this, they actually led us to closing down our most profitable industries which is O&G Industries and this is one of the biggest source of income of the country. So I fully understand the motives behind it. The motives is not necessary bad either. (We need money for country to for operation & development).If I'm the government, I will do exactly the same.  The game is how do we project ourselves as good entity in front of nation. Or in other word in front of these sensitive group (The existence of these groups is not bad either. It works as check and balance so that government will not goes crazy with influx money neglecting the environmental issues)

(Question: Do nations worldwide want to kills their most profitable industries that is major source of income for them? There are industrial chain business involve and there are thousand of job dependent on the industry)

So I predict the closest electric car that we going have in the future is the hybrid models that still use fuel to run. But I think it is still a good progress :)