Fleetstrategy Blog – Can an Electric Vehicle make Perth to Adelaide safely with Tim Roberts?

Here comes the electric vehicle (EV) disruption!

Countries around the world are adapting their infrastructure to power the car of the future. So where does Australia sit? Are EVs even feasible in a country the size of Australia? Vast distances to cover and not a power point in sight. Will the EV journey become the modern version of our early explorers Burke and Wills expedition?

Enter Tim Roberts, Executive Director of Fleet Strategy and recent NRSPP Program Partner, who on 21st of September is commencing one of the world’s great road trips in a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. He will be tackling the challenging 2700km from Perth to Adelaide across the Nullarbor in the most practical, full size, fleet ready and Plug-in Hybrid Electric 4WD available.

Why is journey management planning important you ask?

An organisation has a legal responsibility to providing a safe workplace to its employees. When it comes to a workers travel it is about knowing is the vehicle suitable for the job, where they are going, fatigue management, when they left and ensuring they arrived safely, to name a few. Tim is going to use this Blog and Social media to check in.

The success of Tim’s journey will be determined by his journey management planning and also ensuring the safety features of his EV are working with him to protect him. He will share his strategies of a ensuring a safe journey and address many of the concerns regarding electric vehicles along the way.

Tim is heading out to myth bust common EV concerns. We recognise others may have gone here before him with an EV but Tim wishes to share his tales to make those who follow easier.

Knowledge shared is knowledge built upon.

As with all intrepid explorers, he will test the technology at hand and its practicality.

The reward is he will attend the International Astronautical Congress, where some of the brightest minds on the planet will discuss how they’ll send people off planet.

So join us in following Tim through this Blog on his EV journey from Perth to Adelaide and return.


Day 4 – 24 September

  • @mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus @AfMA Perth to Adelaide by PHEV Checked Ceduna to Port Augusta eta 1:15 local
  • @Mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus Fatigue break, Silo Art Kimba SA

  • @Mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus. At Pt Augusta, EV range myth busted. 465km, no refuel, 135km left in tank. 7.0l/km over day. PHEV has the legs.‬
  • @Mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus departing for Adelaide. Been resting near this solar thermal renewables monolith. eta Adelaide 5:30.


Day 3 – 23 September

  • @mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus @AfMA On the road from Caiguna, good conditions. Eucla by 11:30am local
  • @mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus @AfMA At Eucla 6.6l/100km over 320km next check Ceduna 6:15pm local
  • @mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus @AfMA Checked in at Ceduna. 824km @ 7.3l/km, biggest test & all at highway speeds, PHEV has proved its abilities. Tomorrow Adelaide.

  • There’s no way I’d have set off across country if I wasn’t going to be confident and comfortable in the vehicle I’m driving. Those of you reading who are involved in the automotive industry already know the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a capable vehicle and that the criteria I was expecting was always going to be met. Quite frankly i’ve seen many older and far less impressive vehicles traversing the country over the last couple of days and I wouldn’t swap places.
  • This is the main highway across our country and thousands upon thousands traverse it every year, it’s one of the great road trips but honestly, I’m not beating a path through virgin scrub. Nevertheless, it’s not without risk or potential discomfort.
  • I’m not a professional driver or automotive technician, I’m a fleet manager working to deliver the best mobile workplace possible. I’m also an average driver, with my own preferences, capabilities and shortcomings, likes and dislikes. I know when I feel confident and secure on the road and I know what concerns me.
  • I have to praise the PHEV for it’s performance on the highway, putting aside the frugal fuel consumption, the vehicle really impresses with its passing power. It also feels rocksteady even on less than pristine sections of highway and handles well on the occasional bend (we are talking the Nullarbor). I’ve already talked about the adaptive cruise, AEB and lane departure features on top of 5 Star ANCAP, as a whole package the car just leaves you feeling confident, comfortable and safe in the drivers seat.
  • Given it also has plenty of carrying capacity for my luxury rollout swag, coffee machine, milk frother and soft pillow, I’m really quite impressed… and comfortable outside the car as well.

Day 2 – 22 September


Day 1 – 21 September

  • @NRSPPaus @MitsubishiAust Perth to Adelaide. This is going to be the longest drive of the entire trip around 800km today. Weather is looking OK, PHEV is fully charged and the driver has had morning coffee.
  • Plenty of stops scheduled along the way, Checking in at Coolgardie by 10am. re-fuel and rest. More to come throughout the day.
  • Re-capping on the stats from yesterday, 433km in appalling conditions @ 6.5l/100km very comfortable driving using active cruise.
  • @nrsppaus @mitsubishiaust @AfMA Rest break over, next stop Norseman 12:45 checkin

  • @mitsubishiaust @nrsppaus @AfMA Checking in at Norseman, next stop Balladonia in by 3:15pm… always allow for contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • 21st of September and I’m making one of the worlds great road trips in a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.  
  • 2700km from Perth to Adelaide across the Nullarbor in the most practical, full size, fleet ready  and affordable Plug-in Hybrid Electric 4WD available. 
  • Electric vehicles are finally becoming mainstream, yet many people still have concerns about their range and practicality. 
  • With a 2700km trip and little infrastructure along the way, I’m  going to dispel those concerns in the coming days.
  • I’ll be in Adelaide to attend International Astronautical Congress, where some of the brightest minds on the planet will discuss how they’ll send people off planet.
  • Regular posts with much more to come including vehicle performance, features, benefits and the International Astronautical Conference. 
  • Daily updates through Linkedin, Twitter,  fleetstrategy.com.au and launchsite.net.au

 

  • @Mitsubishiaust @NRSPPaus @AfMA @fleetstrategy I continue to be impressed by Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV.
  • It’s simply not possible to overlook the array of safety related equipment on-board and how it makes a journey across the country even more comfortable.
  • The knowledge that this vehicle is equipped with autonomous emergency braking and electronic stability control is reassuring, even though I don’t expect or want to test these features over the next two weeks.
  • What I have enjoyed though is the adaptive cruise control (using the same suite of sensors), this has activated on approach to slower moving vehicles throughout the journey.
  • The system efficiently maintains the Outlander at a safe following distance without driver input (although it can be partially adjusted by the driver).
  • Equally impressive is the lane departure feature that provides a clearly audible tone when I’ve approached either the centre or roadside white lines, which is inevitable on a long rural drive.
  • Once at cruise speed, the PHEV is clearly monitoring both the driver and its surroundings, this is not a signal for the driver to switch off though, rather it is an additional layer of vigilance that delivers a satisfying and secure driving experience.

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