Lite-On Technology Corp. (2301.tw) announced today that one of its subsidiaries, Lite-On Clean Energy, an electric vehicle power system and stationary storage system integration company, has built a successful power system for the Love River Sightseeing Solar Electric Boats, the first environmental-friendly high-power commercial sightseeing solar-electric boat launched in Asia, which will be operated by the government of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The first boat was unveiled today and official operations are set to commence during the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. An additional four boats of the same type are scheduled to join the fleet later for Love River sightseeing services. The operations of these clean energy electric boats are expected to contribute to the opportunities for growth of Kaohsiung’s sightseeing business and an obvious improvement in protection of the natural environment of the Love River.
In response to global warming, rising fossil fuel prices and the maturing of battery power technologies, the development of clean energy electric power systems is becoming a global trend. Unlike older electric vehicle power systems used in boats, which are generally low-power, Lite-On Clean Energy’s system represents a breakthrough, as the first high-power commercial sightseeing solar-electric boat in Asia, incorporating solar panels, lithium-ion battery packs, dual 25KW motors, battery management systems, charger, DC/DC converter, computerized central control panel and LED Lighting. Mr. David Lin, Lite-On’s Group CEO explained that thanks to their pollution free, low noise and high energy efficiency advantages, electric vehicles are generally acknowledged as the most environmentally friendly vehicles. The Lite-On Group possesses various key technologies and patents related to battery management systems and aims to exploit the tremendous opportunities in the worldwide market of electric power systems and stationary storage systems.
The brand-new Love River Sightseeing Solar Electric Boat is 13 meters long and will carry 36 passengers. It features a catamaran design, with 54KWH battery pack and dual 20KW motors, producing an output of 53 horsepower, reaching a maximum speed of 9 knots (16.7km/h) and it can continuously cruise for 9 hours at a speed of 3 knots (5.6km/h). Unlike conventional petrol engine boats, this boat generates no pollution and low noise. Moreover its energy consumption is only one-fourth to one-third what would be required by the same size petrol engine boats and its solar power can contribute an additional 25% energy savings on an average sunny day.
Reducing air pollution from vehicles is one of the targets of governments worldwide, for energy savings and carbon emission reduction, and most governments and large companies are globally investing in power battery technology developments. Consequently we are seeing rapid improvements in the cost, life cycle and safety of batteries, and power battery manufacturing is expected to reach a greater economic scale within the next 5 years, driving the growth of the electric power vehicle industry. Meanwhile, the electric vehicle power system and stationary storage system markets should experience a corresponding boom.
Lite-On Clean Energy provides a full range of customized design and integration services for electric power systems and stationary storage systems, with high expertise in various key technologies and valuable patents relating to battery management systems. Lite-On Clean Energy aims to develop electric power systems applicable to buses, automobiles, light automobiles, light trucks, motorcycles, yachts and utility vehicles, as well as stationary storage systems for mobile phone base stations and industrial facilities.
As a result of the Lite-On Group’s active moves into new energy industries in recent years, capitalizing on the advantages of its competences in the ICT industry, Lite-On has developed a “comprehensive new energy technology supply chain,” incorporating solar power (energy creation), optoelectronics inverters (energy conversion), LED lighting and high efficiency switching power supplies (energy saving), electric power systems and stationary storage systems (energy storage), all of which will be a new force driving the Lite-On Group’s further growth.
Contact:
Julia Wang
Director, Investor and Public Relations
Tel: +886-2-8798-2888
LiteOnTech.IR@liteon.com