French trainmaker Alstom
eyes Singapore electric bus market
French trainmaker Alstom estimates it will have an electric bus
ready for the Singapore market by 2019 as it looks to road
transport for growth.
The company's aim to diversify into other mobility businesses
gained traction with its recently unveiled electric low-floor buses
and autonomous shuttles.
Alstom has been heavily reliant on rail and related businesses,
with 43 per cent of revenue currently attributable to this
segment.
Mr Jean-Francois Beaudoin, Alstom's senior vice-president of
Asia-Pacific, told The Straits Times: "We want to grow a new
business - electric buses."
He said Alstom's recently launched Aptis battery-powered,
low-floor buses offered "a tram-like service" and, unlike others,
are designed and conceptualised as electric vehicles from the
start.
Currently, two prototypes have been supplied to the French
transport authority for assessment.
Mr Beaudoin said the company will target the "large market" in
the Ile-de-France region, "which will lead the transformation from
diesel buses to electric ones in France".
It is targeting Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.
Alstom is also looking to introduce its e-buses in Singapore,
and has informally presented the Aptis to the Land Transport
Authority (LTA).
"There is a push from LTA to move towards electric buses," Mr
Beaudoin said. "The product will require modifications to make it
suitable for Singapore."
This is because "a lot of energy" will be used for
air-conditioning. "This requires a different battery capacity while
ensuring that costs do not become prohibitive," he said.
Nevertheless, he estimates that a product will be ready for
Singapore by 2019.
Mr Beaudoin noted: "Alstom has already proven its technology
leadership with metros and tramways, and we expect our entry into
the electric bus market... to revolutionise urban
transportation."
Elsewhere, the French group acquired a minority stake in
EasyMile, a manufacturer of driverless shuttles, earlier this year.
The âŹ14 million (S$22.6 million) investment is part of Alstom's
ambition to become a one-stop urban mobility solutions
provider.
EasyMile operates an autonomous shuttle in Singapore's Gardens
by the Bay, and in a business park in California.
It recently started similar operations in Taiwan, and is in
talks to expand its presence there.
For the second quarter ended June 30, Alstom booked âŹ1.9 billion
of orders, compared with âŹ900 million over the same period last
year.
The company stated that sales, at âŹ1.9 billion, were up 5 per
cent organically over the first quarter of this year.
It added that by 2020, adjusted Ebit (earnings before interest
and tax) margin should reach around 7 per cent, up from an average
of 5.3 in the last three years.
(Plagiarised from The Straits Times)
