GETTING COSY WITH JOULE, SA'S FIRST ELECTRIC CAR

The growing focus on climate change, pollution and renewable energy sources indicates that the world can no longer rely solely on fossil fuels. With more than half the population on earth living in cities, urban transport remains a major factor in the ongoing global warming debate in that urban transport arguably plays a major role in energy wastage and climate changing pollution. Cleaner, renewable alternatives need to be found.

Enter South Africa's first electric motor vehicle, the Joule, developed in South Africa by Cape Town-based Optimal Energy. The Joule is a five-seater lithium-ion battery EV with a top speed of a 135 km/h, and a range of 300 km. It will be on display at the AIDC's Automotive Industry Conference 2009 on 7 and 8 October 2009.

Entrepreneur Kobus Meiring is CEO of Optimal Energy, which specialises in optimal solutions for urban transport. He has always had an interest in sustainable energy - particularly electricity, which he feels is the most versatile form of energy available. With the tremendous advances in battery technology made over that past decade, coupled with the steady rise in the oil price, he believes that electric cars have now become a viable option for urban transport.

Meiring will be presenting on the subject of breakthrough automotive greening technology on the first day of the conference, which takes the form of a plenary session with plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate. The second day sees delegates focus on specific areas of interest: Supply Chain Development, Supplier Development and Skills Development & Training.

The Automotive Industry Conference is being held in Port Elizabeth as part of the South African Automotive Week. If you work in the automotive industry and related sectors, you cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

Registrations for the conference are still open, register online today!