Tomcar unveils Australia’s first production electric car

A Melbourne-­based company is challenging the accepted narrative of doom and gloom in the Australian motor industry.

Automotive company Tomcar is at the forefront of a new era in Australian vehicle manufacturing, with the introduction of Australia’s first production electric car, the Tomcar LV1.

Designed and built in Australia, full scale production of the zero emission Tomcar LV1 will commence in November 2016 at the Tomcar manufacturing facility in Melbourne, with customer deliveries commencing February 2017.

The prototype Tomcar LV1 has already undergone two years of intense development, with trials of its robust electric powertrain currently underway in the harshest environments throughout Australia. Tomcar has teamed with innovative electric vehicle technology developers, Energetique, to develop the Tomcar LV1.

Tomcar Australia’s co-­founder and CEO, David Brim says: ‘We have been working with Energetique on this project for over a year, keeping it secret while creating the world’s toughest EV ­ to be built right here in Australia. The entire vehicle is being developed here, including the unique proprietary software and our incredible powertrain system design. This vehicle is a game changer for the Australian automotive manufacturing industry, an industry that has a bright future thanks to Tomcar.’

The LV1 is designed principally for the mining industry, with features that meet the duty cycle requirements of the various mining applications, in which these vehicles will operate. The design goal of the LV1 was simple – to develop a robust electric vehicle capable of operating reliably in some the most challenging environments for sustained periods, with little or no maintenance.

With over 60% Australian-­made componentry, the Tomcar LV1 meets Australia’s world leading mine safety standards, providing a Commercial Off-­The­-Shelf (COTS), mobility solution for mines anywhere in the world. The Tomcar LV1’s zero emissions and ultra low running costs also represent huge safety and environmental savings for the industry.

______________________________________________________________

Vehicle Specifications

E­motor Type: Brushless PM for low torque applications ­ max rpm ­ 8500 rpm

Peak / Continuous Power: 100 kW (peak), 60 kW (Continuous)

Gearing reduction including differential ratio: around 9:1 overall

Battery output voltage and capacity: A selection of 12­20 kWh battery storage modules.

Operating voltage: 270­425 VDC

_____________________________________________________________

About Tomcar

Tomcar Australia manufactures unique commercial off­road utility vehicles ­ currently available in both petrol and diesel configurations. The Tomcar is specifically designed for defence, agribusiness, mining, emergency services and recreational purposes.

Tomcar commenced manufacturing in Melbourne, Australia in late 2011, as part of a strategic partnership with tier one automotive components supplier MTM. It is the first Original Equipment auto Manufacturer (OEM) to set up operations in Australia for over 30 years, and sees highly skilled niche manufacturing as the future of Australian manufacturing.