The 10 Best Automotive Franchise to Open in 2019

www.insightssuccess.com April 2019

VOL - 04 ISSUE - 03

10

The

Best

Automotive F R A N C H I S E S to Open, 2019

E-mobility & SmartGrid E-Mobility: Pioneering Transportation with Smart Grid

Editor’s Desk Automobile Brand Slogans: A Line Says It All!

E Driving towards fully Automated Future

I

t was 1908, when Henry Ford successfully started the production of the first Model T. Since then, there was no looking back for the company, it sold around 15 million Model T cars. Soon the production run of the Model T became one of the longest in the history until VW Beetle surpassed it in 1972.

Since 1908, the automotive technology has evolved by multiple folds. Nowadays we can buy cars that can be driven around without any human input, fuel efficient, powered by alternative energy etc.

Tesla is a very well-known badge when it comes to the fuel efficient and self-drive cars. With the release of few electric and hybrid vehicles that can be driven around more than hundreds of miles in a single charge Tesla kick-started the green revolution in the sector. However, due to the high production costs, Teslas were dream for many people around the world. Thanks to a bunch of other manufacturers like Kia, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and others, electric vehicles are becoming more and more affordable with each passing days. As per various researches, by 2030 United States will see 20%-25% electric vehicles in its freeways.

On the other hand, autonomous driving technology has become a rage nowadays. However, while organizations like Google and others are testing this technology on open roads, still we are quite a few miles away from widely adopting fully self-driven cars. Organizations like Volvo are equipping their cars with semi-autonomous technology, which includes blind spot warning, break assist, lane keep assist etc.

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Why to own your temporary requirements, when they are available on lease?

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Kaustav Roy

Like any other industry, AI and Machine Learning are playing a big role in the automotive industry. Slowly manufacturers are integrating AI and ML in order to automate the process of setting up a vehicle. Nowadays, vehicles can also be connected to smart devices and can take voice commands, changing the user interface. Predictive technology also informs if the vehicle needs any service or of any safety hazards.

So, with great enthusiasm Insights Success has shortlisted, “The 10 Best Automotive Franchise to Open in 2019”, who are redefining the automotive industry with their innovative solutions.

In this issue we have Green Shine, which is committed to providing vehicle owners with high-end products and services, Green Shine strives daily to conserve water, eliminate contaminated runoff, and protect natural resources, while exceeding customer expectations; Tommy’s Express Car Wash, which was built on 50 years of car washing experience, beginning with a single car wash in Holland, Michigan in 1969; Velofix, who provides a consistent, premium service experience direct to the customer allowing the customer to Save Time. Ride More.

Ar cles

10 Maestro’s Insights

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The Revolution of our Roads: Driving the UK to zero carbon transportation

Emission Regula ons A Sustainable Shi

26 Editor’s Desk Automobile Brand Slogans: A Line Says It All!

32 Recharging Environment Driving Towards a Greener and Cleaner Environment

24 Expert’s ViewPoint The Rise of EV’s – A Curse or a Blessing?

34 Maestro’s Perspective Choosing the Right Translator for Internationalization

36 E-Mobility & Smart Grid E-Mobility: Pioneering Transporta on with Smart Grid

38 Mentor’s Standpoint BEYOND AUTOMATION: AI powered Autonomous Factories of the Future

Contents Green Shine: An Ecofriendly Approach in Automobiles

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Tommy's Express: Delivering Exemplary Car Washing Experiences

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Velox: Do What You Love…Ride!

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Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Managing Editor Anish Miller

Executive Editor

Assistant Editors

Kaustav Roy

Jenny Fernandes Rohit Chaturvedi

Visualizer

Art & Design Director

Associate Designer

David King

Amol Kamble

Shubham Mahadik

Senior Sales Manager Co-designer

Co-designer Poonam Mahajan

Business Development Manager

Passi D.

Peter Collins

Marketing Manager

Sales Executives

John Matthew

David, Kevin, Mark, Avinash

Technical Head

Business Development Executives

Jacob Smile

Steve, Joe, Alan, Anup

Technical Specialist Aditya

Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza

SME-SMO Executive Prashant Chevale

Research Analyst Patrick James

Database Management Stella Andrew

Circulation Manager Robert Brown

Technology Consultant David Stokes

sales@insightssuccess.com April, 2019 Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com

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Maestro’s Insights

The Revolution of our Roads Driving the UK to zero carbon transportation

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reen number plates for electric vehicles. Zero Emissions Zone trials. Grants for any employer installing EV charge points. Ideas and initiatives for boosting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) have accelerated recently, in an effort to make electric vehicles the norm rather than the exception on UK roads.

In September, Theresa May announced further support for the industry at the very first Zero Emission Vehicle Summit, outlining a plan to ensure Britain “leads from the front” in the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, committing £106m in funding for research and development into EV technology. She also elaborated on the 2040 target to make all manufactured cars emission-free, saying that this should be reflected in all cars on the road just ten years later.

Government backing This government’s commitment to electric vehicles is being matched by an increase in interest from drivers, as the perceived hurdles - including the initial cost of switching to an electric car, and the mile range compared to traditional petrol and diesel cars - are being cleared. Last month EVs accounted for one in every 12 new cars purchased in the UK. That’s been attributed to a number of factors, including the availability of a range of cars that do at least 150 miles on a single charge, EV drivers are reducing their fuel spend by 90%, and

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About the Author Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, Biography Fiona leads the Octopus Electric Vehicle business - a start-up from Octopus Energy. With a passion for renewable energy, fantastic cars and using tech to create great customer experiences, this is absolutely Fiona’s dream job!

Having studied Engineering at Oxford University, she spent her early career at Dyson and BMW - developing efficient motors and hydrogen powered cars. She then went on to work with major energy companies and government while at Bain & Company, before joining British Connected Homes start up AlertMe. A move to British Gas, saw her take Hive, by British Gas, from a tech pilot to a household name that today has more than one million customers.

“Octopus EV is offering the electric vehicle equivalent of Sweden’s famous baby box,” says Octopus Electric Vehicles CEO Fiona Howarth

April 2019

with an increase in the number and visibility of charge points and a decrease in the cost of the electric vehicles themselves.

There’s also been better proof of the environmental impact of EVs, such as a recent European Climate Foundationcommissioned report which found that EVs emit half the CO2 emissions of a petrol or diesel car through the course of their lifetime, and the overall effect has now been shown to be positive.

A new breed of EV One company is on a mission to help drive the adoption of electric vehicles.

Octopus Electric Vehicles is pioneering an ‘EV bundle’ which will give drivers everything they need to make the switch, for one monthly price. The innovation has come from energy supplier Octopus Energy, which is driven by a mission ‘to make buying energy as easy as buying cornflakes’.

Similarly, the team at Octopus EV wants to help to make the switch to EV as easy as possible, for as many people as possible.

CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, Fiona Howarth says: “For us, the EV journey begins long before we start talking about leasing options and charge point installation. There’s a big education job to do - many people still believe that they’ll need to stop every few miles to recharge and that the range of models is limited. Our Drive Day roadshow has proved enormously popular, touring the country and letting people come and see the cars for themselves, as well as question EV experts about exactly how it all works” These events have not only demonstrated the massive leap forward that the industry has taken in the past few years, but also provided people with a chance to test drive the latest models. From the sporty BMW i3 to the family friendly Nissan LEAF, the cars have been carefully selected as the best EVs on the market, with each

April 2019

Fiona Howarth CEO

Octopus Electric Vehicles

offering at least 150 miles of driving per charge.

electric vehicles at a fraction of the cost.”

Continues Howarth: “We’ve found that people are often surprised at what an electric car can do. I think there’s a general misconception that the technology and the pricing has stayed largely the same since EVs came to market a few years ago, whereas in fact today’s electric car is almost unrecognisable from its older incarnation, and a hell of a lot cheaper.

Battery costs came down 80% in six years – unlocking a better range of

All-in-one EV solution After education, the challenge has been how to best help customers with the changes needed to go electric. Here, Octopus Electric Vehicles is pioneering adoption with their ‘EV bundle’.

“We’re offering the electric vehicle equivalent of Sweden’s famous baby box, giving the driver everything they need to make the switch” says Howarth “and unlike babies, our vehicles come with instructions!”

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About Powerloop How Vehicle-to-Grid is changing the game Electric vehicles have been criticised for placing more demand on an already overloaded grid. But a consortium of industry experts is hoping that electric vehicles could be the solution to the grid’s capacity issues, rather than a problem. Led by Octopus EV and Octopus Energy, the consortium has won over £3m of funding from Innovate UK (backed by government departments DfT and BEIS) to test the viability of vehicle-to-grid charging on UK roads.

The Powerloop project offers EV drivers the chance to help balance demand by supplying the grid with power from their car batteries during the peak hours of 4-7pm, before recharging in the early hours of the morning while demand is lowest. In return for plugging in their cars 12 times a month to supply charge during the evening, Powerloop drivers will get money off their monthly leasing cost.

As well as the monthly lease of an electric vehicle, Octopus EV organises the installation of a home charge point and smart meter. The monthly lease cost can also include insurance, service and maintenance, as well as help and support for the duration of the contract.

There’s even a bespoke electricity tariff, designed specifically with EV drivers in mind. Dubbed Octopus Go, it offers renewable electricity at just 5p/kWh between the hours of 12.30am and 4.30am, allowing people to charge their cars for just a fraction of the daytime cost for 70% less than a standard variable tariff from a Big 6 supplier.

Octopus EV has also partnered with myenergi, to offer the innovative Zappi charge point, which automates charging to take advantage of these prices.

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Octopus can arrange the installation of the Zappi via trusted installers that can help unlock the £500 home charge point grant from the government.

This world-first tariff is possible thanks to Octopus EV’s relationship with Octopus Energy. The supplier is already taking advantage of the potential of smart meters with the Agile Octopus tariff, which lets customers see the fluctuations in wholesale energy prices and adjust their usage accordingly. It’s just the beginning of how the company intends to use smart meter technology, which allows them to measure and record electricity usage in real-time and offer cheaper electricity when demand on the grid is low.

Fiona Howarth believes this will be a landmark year for electric vehicle adoption in the UK. “Tesla has revolutionised the market and now all other vehicle manufacturers are rapidly bringing their EVs to the market. Think of the switch from analogue phones to smart phones - we’re in a similar transitory phase. If the Government can deliver on their EV plans, and we think they can, the carpark of tomorrow is going to look very different to the gas-guzzling lot of today.”

April 2019

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Green Shine: An Ecofriendly Approach in Automobiles

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veryone has the desire to purchase their dream car.

A car enthusiast always wants to keep his/her car in top shape. To maintain cars in the always ready condition, sometimes it takes huge efforts. Every car’s surface is constantly affected by rain, dust, mud and water spots which corrode the paint and metal sheet of the vehicle. Green Shine a US-based eco-friendly car spa company which is effectively preventing cars from losing its beauty.

Green Shine is a new concept in auto care. The green and organic market in America is increasingly popular, as evidenced in the growth of Green Shine sales. Therefore, the business idea is to provide a professional environment in which to wash, deep clean, and wax the automobile. The organization has targeted a specific market of individuals who would like to maintain their cars, without going overboard.

Inclusive Services Green Shine’s focus always relies on improving its products and services for the benefit of the customers and franchisees. Its products are not only organic and crueltyfree, but they are developed to not leave any stains or scratches in the cars. This eco-friendly process also reduces energy consumption and conserves 95% of the water that

other car washes and detailers would waste. With advanced Nano ceramic, the services Green Shine provides are paint restoration, glass, scratch removal, water repellant, and leather and fabric hydration treatment and stain protector.

An Inspiring Leader Green shine established with the vision to make a difference in the automobile industry. Juan Sagastume, Founder and President of the Green Shine is a car lover and maintained his own vehicles in pristine condition. Juan Sagastume is a highly driven and positive visionary. Juan believes, leadership can be influential and through Green Shine, his goal is to build leaders. He is constantly developing new methods that can display the company’s full capacity. Juan also has a great fascination for the environment so he ensured that the company didn’t contribute to the chemical usage and immense levels of water waste. He wanted to create a business that centered on maintaining not only vehicles but also the environment we are part of.

Improving with Challenges According to Juan, since he was five years old, he was a Tae Kwon Do practitioner. He trained professionally with the Guatemalan national team and the elite Olympic team until he retired at 27. For the most part, his life consisted of training. He spent four years in training for a championship that could have been lost in nine minutes. Essentially, all the training helped him build Green Shine by teaching him how to focus on goals and work hard.

According to Juan the selection of staffs is the biggest challenge for him. After working with different people in different locations, he learned that the best people to work with were those who could represent Green Shine all around. Those who embody the company not only share their love for cars and the environment but are also motivated to do their best and exceed customers’ satisfaction.

At Green Shine, the focus is on the client’s need and the market. Juan has 15 years of experience that allowed him to

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April 2019

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Our deepest purpose as an organization is giving back to earth while as offering our pristine service to the clients and their vehicles.

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Juan Sagastume Founder & President

understand what each sector needs in order to succeed with the company’s current goal and international expansion.

This has led him to understand which strategies to implement in order to improve teamwork and communication. Showing the general passion for innovation, Juan brings to the company ideas from his previous experiences and Focusing on how to always be environmental.

Exemplifying Novelty Green Shine prides itself on its green car cleaning system.

The full line of products was carefully designed to both maximize cleaning power and to be safe for vehicles, humans and the planet. The company conserves 95% of the water in comparison to other carwash businesses.

The most sustainable way to create value is to continually invest in capabilities, both as an individuals and organization. In Green Shine, employees are getting trained regularly, which is helping them to develop new techniques and products. This allows arranging the organization in a way that leads to long-term value creation. The main focus of the organization is delivering immaculate services in a short time, creating a powerful guarantee on every service performed, being a social business, creating a memorable culture, and delighting customers by giving them more than what it is expected.

The company wants to become a synonym of the service it provides. In other words, when people think of car cleaning and detailing, they think Green Shine. Of course, those are big, lofty goals. Disclosing its immediate plans the company is looking to continue its expansion across the United States and the Middle East As well, it is planning to donate a percentage of the profit made by all Green Shine franchises to an environmental cause; such as water sanitation in a developing country.

Testimonial from the Clients “I did not have much hope for the paint of my vehicle as well as the interior of it. – The paint was without any shine and full of marks and the interior was really dirty and smelled like something died in it! My car came out fantastic – it looks wonderful! My car smells clean and I will definitely be using your service again and will be recommending you to anyone asking about car detailing!

Thank you Juan!” K. S Miami Florida Customer “After using Green Shine guys I will definitely never use any other detailers again. At Green Shine they do so much more than any car cleaners I know. I will recommend Green Shine guys to everyone I know for sure!” – Peter C Atlanta Georgia Customer

Aiming for Get Large Green Shine with its comprehensive services aims to become the number one car detailer in the global market.

April 2019

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Emission Regula ons

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April 2019

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Sustainable Shift

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ndustries in their true essence are the systems driven by technical excellence and customer satisfaction.

These two variables are the vital ingredients for any organisation to thrive in this competitive domain.

Unfortunately, not all the time these dimensions prove to be absolutely fruitful. Contingencies do strike! The Automotive sector is no exception to that.

One such history-defining challenge in the form emission norms had entered into the market back in 90s and its latest version has caused automotive industry to disrupt.

Constantly rising air pollution made lawmakers to establish few amendments for restoring the nature’s balance. These amendments or regulations impose constraints in front of the firms making them to upgrade and update their tools.

To survive and succeed, automakers need to revise policies and strategies on different fronts including technology, infrastructure, recapitalization and

April 2019

marketing. This difficult balancing act where they have to enhance their expertise on the account of billions of dollars to be invested, and minimising the pass-on effect to customers, has sparked vigorous discussions in recent times.

An industry which has evolved astonishingly with passing time will evidently respond to this universal call towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Euro Standards, the first and foremost emission regulation ever formulated in the wake of astronomically growing pollution across the globe, were initiated in 1991. On its basis, California Air Resource Board (CARB), a primary institute which governs all emission related rules in US was made. CARB which works in tandem with Environmental Protection Agency (EPAs) is known for its stringent regulations which are adopted by most states in the country.

Ultimately, the issue which remains is how are the current automotive companies going to amend

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themselves to match these norms and appeal customers without tightening their budget at the same time? Thus, they are analysing keyways to adopting these strict emission norms and not losing their beloved customers as well.

1. Technological Innovations In the history of automobile, many revolutionary changes have been made. Be it the discovery of Spark Ignition or Compression Ignition engines, or the development of Electronic Traction Control system which employed a smooth integration of machine intelligence into mechanical power.

In this need of the hour, technical perfection has to stand up once again if automotive industries have to retain their title of change-makers. Thanks to many bright engineering minds, such ideas are kept surfacing which will help to reduce emissions from automobiles and simultaneously enhance fuel efficiency too. Higher mileage eventually helps to achieve lesser vehicular emissions.

2. Down-weighting is the key!

Many organisations employ a method where they opt for unconventional size accompanied with lightweight structure to fit in the regulations. For instance, instead of hunk sized SUVs, companies nowadays launch many SUVs having smaller sizes and much lighter in weight.

This can give them advantage in two ways. Firstly, with less intrinsic load to propel, vehicles achieve better mileage which is the most appealing factor for many of the buyers. Second thing is, production costs associated with shrunk size vehicles are proportionally smaller, further shrinking the actual cost a consumer has to bear.

Needless to say, reduction in size and weight together is merely a dream without materials having desired properties. Fortunately modern material science has blessed us with materials like Carbon fiber, Aluminium Alloy, Magnesium Alloy, Hybrid material and Polymer Composites which not only flaunt their lightweight characteristics but also their durability and wear resistance.

3. Green fuel powered vehicles

Mechanisms like Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Three Way Catalytic converter (TWC), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Variable Valve Train (VVT), Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT), Turbochargers, Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), On-Board Diagnostics with oxygen sensors and transmission-systems-provided-with-many gears can help to trap and reduce Nitrous oxides (NOx), Hydrocarbons(HC), carbon monoxide(CO) and particulate matter (PM). Additionally they have proved their prowess in enhancing mileage, realizing the dream of highly fuel efficient futuristic vehicles with zero or least emissions.

One more important aspect of these add-on systems is that they operate with a prerequisite condition of high graded fuel. Fuel quality of present days can hinder the flawless working of above mentioned equipment. Fuel with any amount of sulphur greater than 10 parts-permillion is considered ill-suited for the current infrastructure. Therefore, fuel refineries have to upgrade their machinery to achieve the desired quality. Good news is that Oil Marketing Companies have already gear up the process to upgrade their refinery infrastructure.

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Automobile fraternity is facing a paramount shift in terms of propelling power as newer, cleaner and cheaper alternatives are being introduced. From its introduction of SI and CI engines in late 19th century, they are a popular choice among mass and technocrats. But their environmental demerits are slowly pushing them towards extinction. Solar vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and gas powered vehicles can be the solutions for growing environmental pollution and depleting crude oil sources. As a wise has man said, “change is the only permanent thing in this world ”, automakers have no choice than embracing these changes despite of their higher initial cost. However, the advantages it offers are countless and unquestionable.

4. Unorthodox Designs Until now people have used automobiles for connectivity, comfort and the means of carrying goods.

Time has come to rethink over our expectations from them since we are employing vehicle designs which serve purposes commonly. An example where a vehicle April 2019

widely used for intra-city connectivity is also equipped with larger trunk spaces which could have been avoided helping in reduction of overall weight and size.

Dedicated category of vehicles for dedicated purposes employing unique shapes seems a distant dream for now but certainly not impossible.

5. Spread the word!

Customers tend to have a problem in paying extra cash unless they know the long-term benefits and payback time of these accessories. A study shows that a EURO VI norm car which costs about $1000 more than its EURO V counterparts retrieves the investment within 2-3 years for enhanced fuel efficiency.

Protecting our mother Earth from harmful effects of pollution is a responsibility of every single individual to assure a healthier and greener environment to our future generations. Despite of initial investments which these amendments demand, they are essential for the very existence of this planet. An intensive marketing strategy about making people aware of the benefits received at the core can instil an appreciation of value over cost.

This can make the job easier for manufacturers.

6. Credit System: A tool for rectification Credit system is a depository system where if an automaker exceeds standards in early years, it can bank credits to use in future years with stringer standards. An interesting statistics revealed that last year, many automobile giants like Mercedes Benz, Honda could not mitigate the emissions to the level drafted by regulatory agencies. However, thanks to their previous years' credit points, they could manage to surpass the benchmark.

7. Lower profits with higher number of customers A prime hurdle while employing these technical modifications is that their cost is undoubtedly reflected in increased vehicle prices. This can discourage people from purchasing new automobiles resulting overall slowdown of the industry. After all, people pay vehicle producers for horsepower and not for environmental protection.

That being said, we should also face the reality check where bearing the whole cost isn’t possible for any organisation. So, passing it on to the customers is the only way manufacturers have. But a chunk of those costs can be swallowed by lowering the profit margins. This strategy can make businesses survive without losing their customers.

Undoubtedly, emission regulations are the need of the hour with millions of vehicles rolling out in the market worsening the pollution issue globally. Conforming to them is of prime importance when considering the noble virtues of the efforts making this planet a better place to live. But succeeding and surviving in this transiently modifying world of connectivity, automobile industry has to adopt some changes and strategies. An industry with a history of marvellous inventions and a potential to shape the future will surely be on the driving seat while experiencing this sustainable awakening.

Some experts even call this credit score mechanism a daunting loophole which is compromising the serious efforts of environmental protection. However, while tightening the grip on vehicle pollutants, stricter emission standards like EURO VI, CARB and BS VI had to provide a breathing space for organisations.

Entrepreneurs can exploit this situation to some extent in case they fall marginally short of meeting the norms.

April 2019

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Tommy's Express:

Delivering Exemplary Car Washing Experiences

car wash services, and thus commenced with a single car wash outlet in Holland, Michigan in 1969.

Tommy’s Express has been in the business of building the best systems and processes to create outstanding car washes for 50 years. There are currently 7 corporate stores with an 8th breaking ground in 2019. 20 years ago, the company began an innovative equipment and building company, which has since built and/or equipped hundreds of car washes around the world. In 2016, they launched the Tommy’s Express Car Wash Franchise business, which currently has dozens of stores open or under construction, with well over one hundred in development.

Customized Offerings

Ryan Essenburg Co-owner & President

C

ars are one of the most valuable assets people are concerned about. They spend a lot of time tending to its maintenance needs. And, the essential thing they consider a priority is the cleanliness of their car, as it is a low cost way to protect value and maintain appearance. Considering all these factors, Tommy’s Express felt the need to provide exemplary

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Tommy’s Express has got the tools and the expertise to keep its customer’s car clean, inside and out. Its wash packages include customized services, which enables customers to pay for the services they want. As frontrunners in the car wash industry, its facilities use the most modern equipment to ensure a clean car including the round arch design tunnel systems, Tommy Transporter Belt conveyer system, and its easy chem detergent management system.

Besides these features, the company also has the Tommy Club app-based membership club for its customers.

Users can download the Tommy’s Express app on their mobile devices and select their wash package and monthly payment options. In addition, its license plate April 2019

V recognition software automatically matches their vehicle to their account. The cameras positioned behind their vehicle scan their license plate and detect the license plate number in seconds.

The Lead Visionary Ryan Essenburg is the Co-owner and President of Tommy’s Express.

Ryan began his love of car washing as a young child spending time at work with his father. In college he began dreaming of a new car wash building design, which paved the way to the current wash design and building model. He is considered a leading expert in the car wash industry and is a featured speaker at conventions. He continues to be the lead visionary for the company, with a keen understanding of every aspect of the wash and business processes.

Ryan’s sister, Mandi, manages the corporate stores and was recently awarded Small Business Person of the Year by the local Chamber of Commerce.

Tommy’s Express sees itself as the stand alone leader in car washing in the near future. The company is dedicated to being the fastest growing and most well run car wash operation in the United States and beyond. company standout from its competitors. Besides, Tommy Express also provides world class training in car wash management.

Committed to Second-to-none Guest Experience Since the inception of Tommy’s Express, the Essenburg family has been committed to a second-to-none guest experience. The company believes that a car wash is not just about a clean car, but is about helping every guest leave with improved self-identity and confidence. Simply put, we all feel better about ourselves when driving a clean car. The company is committed to providing that experience in the most effective, enjoyable, and efficient way possible.

Industry-leading Innovation Tommy’s Express is a family owned business and has been operation for 50 years. It has evolved as an industry-leading innovator through its exceptional facilities including energy-efficient wash equipment, iconic design, water reclamation systems, perfect layout, open concept, POD system, and dual house vacuums. In the year 2017, it set a record of 515,000 cars through a single tunnel express wash. Apart from this record, its unmatched marketing practices make the April 2019

“

Committed to a never-ending pursuit of

Online Reviews “Awesome staff, very friendly. Also, the line moves very fast and the works wash is the best!”

“Awesome staff.. and outstanding deals.. free unlimited vacuums!! My absolute favorite carwash!”

“The Works wash package is what I decided to get knowing my car’s body, wheels, and tires will look shiny after the wash just like it did when I drove it off the New Car lot.

The person in the vacuum area approached me to ensure my wash exceeded my expectations! It was completely unexpected for I noticed she was cleaning out the trash bins.

What great customer service at a car wash?! I’ll be signing up my family’s vehicles!”

“We LOVE Tommy’s Express! We have an unlimited wash membership and we can go through the wash daily if we want! I work in construction and I like to keep my truck clean. THIS IS THE BEST! I always have the nicest truck on site because I can wash as much as I want. Highly suggest.”

excellence.

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Expert’s ViewPoint

The Rise of EV’s – A Curse or a Blessing?

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very week there is yet again a new big natural disaster or influence of climate change hitting us. The voices are swelling towards taking faster and more tangible actions towards a decarbonized energy system to hopefully not get to an un-changeable and very costly tipping point in our global ecosystem.

Green energy production “plants” are increasing and the way the underlying economics of the energy system works this is pushing out more and more stable base-loads like gas and nuclear which in turn increases the volatility of the system.

System failures and lack of power at some points in time where not known in the Western world already quite a long time but are now coming back.

On the consumption side EVs are at a rise too and predictions are adjusted every quarter to higher percentages of total car sales and each time earlier in time and with more OEMs providing more models. Soon we will hit the point that EVs are from a total cost of ownership better than their competitive “fuel brothers”, but the true inflection point will come when the purchase price parity is hit on the common car-model types. At that time also the range anxiety will have been taken away with most people due to higher electrical battery capacities, more abundant available (semi and fast) charging points and in general good feedback from the earlier adopters.

Stefan Lodeweyckx Founder & CEO

Enervalis

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However with the increasing grid/power problems the general public also starts thinking that EV’s are a bad evolution because “we already have electrical energy problems now”. It is fundamentally important that these voices are informed well about the reality and the positive effects EV can have and thus don’t hamper growth of EV due to half information/knowledge.

April 2019

About the Author Stefan Lodeweyckx, Founder & CEO of Enervalis is an internationally experienced and an all-encompassing manager in the technology sector with handson and managerial knowledge ranging from start-ups, business development, engineering, operations, change to customer service and product/project/people management/planning.

His professional experience is endorsed by a solid educational blend of engineering and business degrees (MSc/MBA). Apart from being the Co-founder of Ego-LogiQ, which focuses on the mental aspect of individuals to increase their personal and professional performance, Stefan’s Enervalis is a high tech start-up company which provides smart grid software, service and solutions. He is also the Managing Director at Ubisin, a consultancy rm in the high-tech sector on various domains such as business development, project and product management, strategy, and overall management.

To start off, the current EV penetration is so small that the energy usage is marginal in comparison with an overall country’s usage. Looking at the mid-term (2030) would give lead to an overall modest % of EVs (100+ Millions worldwide) which would still only on average consume 4-6% of the overall electrical production which again is a marginal step-up of what we have now. So far seemingly no issue but here looms the real danger … electrical grids need to be in balance and a key balance period on EU level is 15min in which supply and demand need to be in equilibrium. One can easily imagine that if worst case all EVs would charge at the same time there can be a significant increase in energy need on 15 minute level. This relates to typical human/societal group behavior and e.g. the current approximate 1million + EVs can realistically give lead to 1,2GW of instantaneous power need. This equates to about 3-4 gas fired power plants or nearly 2 nuclear power plants.

As an analogy a country like Belgium on average would need about 8-10GW of power and thus if all these EVs would be concentrated on that single country one can easily see that this causes a significant problem. Coming back on the 2030 targets, the 100 million+ EVs would pose an average 10% extra power requirement which is also not insignificant anymore, but overall there are no real national level issues to be expected the next 10+ years with the EV introduction. The real shorter-term issues will (and are already) arise within concentrated EV deployments (e.g. a group of 100 houses with 5-10 EVs can worst case already impact the power peeks up to 20% which is the danger-zone of typical dimensioned normal low-voltage network). Here smart EV charging technology can become a blessing to spread out the charging process over a longer period such that the local grid nearly does not see any power issue and April 2019

hence again no issues are expected because the increased energy demand is relatively low.

Another value is that these EV-drivers typically work for employers which are becoming increasingly aware of the need for sustainability and also have solar panels on their business’ roof which with smart charging technology again can be absorbed nearly fully avoiding peek-injection of the solar panels and lowering the charging costs by means of a lower cost of own produced green energy versus net-energy.

Finally imagine that all the above mentioned 1M+ EVs in EU would be bi-directional and thus would be able to also provide the network of energy when there are high periods of need of energy during short periods of time. This situation does realistically occur (recall more volatility on the green production side) and at that point in time the EVs could avoid the need to use 3-4 gas-fired power-plants which more and more are still kept alive for these short imbalance periods. This would save 100’s of millions of euros only of these type of power plants using latent available EV batteries.

This seems far off, but currently in small scale it is already running in projects fully automatically proving the viability of advanced AI technology to perform this type of charging without discomforting the EV driver who needs to get to his next location.

To summarize, EVs are not at all a curse for the electrical grid, but rather a blessing when combined with advanced smart EV charging algorithms. The result will be a more stable, greener and cost-effective energy grid which is what we are striving for, so let’s all embrace and positively stimulate the EV growth to help save our planet and make a better world for our children.

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Editor’s Desk

Brand Slogans A utomobile A Line Says It All!

P

eople love cars. To be honest, they are mad about them.

Cars are the spellbinding aspect of the vastly spread automobile industry. They are the mixture of poise and aggression reflecting your personality traits. As Alexandra Paul said, “The cars we drive say a lot about us.” Therefore everyone is so individualistic about the choices and the brands they opt for. Thanks to some auto-makers, the standards of car-making have been raised so high that for fulfilling customers’ expectations, companies need to be top-notch in Performance, Aesthetics and Service (PAS). Any company meeting these norms will definitely be the customers’ favourite.

Certainly, ‘PAS’ parameters are the most important ones, but one cannot deny the fascination of a catchy tagline any automobile brand possesses. A tagline or a catchphrase reflects the ideology and vision of the

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company. It is a short set of words which delivers a memorable phrase about a brand’s core values. It is evident that a portion of crowd gets attracted towards a particular brand because of the brand’s creative catchphrase. So here are taglines of few globally famous car-making brands.

Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul.

The slogan of this British cultural icon perfectly personifies its incredible products. Power for performance, beauty for aesthetics and soul, reflects the company’s determination to strive for excellence. Ÿ Audi: Vorsprung durch Technik (Being ahead through technology).

This German stalwart has kept it very simple and to the point, focussing more on technical perfection.

However, people are also fond of its state-of-the-art designs.

Ÿ

Ÿ BMW: Sheer Driving Pleasure.

Bayerische Motoren Werke or BMW is one of the leaders of the luxury car market. This Germany based giant has shifted to this catchphrase from its classical one i.e. The Ultimate Driving Machine, both showing its outlook in this segment. Ÿ Ferrari: We are the competition. Ÿ This power packed machine manufacturer overtly expresses dominance through its tagline, setting the benchmark to a level difficult to reach. Ÿ Ford: Go Further Ÿ This US legend has set a slogan not only for customers but also for itself, inspiring to keep moving forward. Ÿ Jaguar: The Art of Performance.

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Jaguar, known for its powerful and elegant cars, has exactly resonated this ideology with its tagline, crafting a beautiful blend of performance and beauty. However, many of the Jaguar lovers admire its previous catchphrase, Grace.Space.Pace. Ÿ Lamborghini: We’re not supercars. We’re Lamborghini.

The ’Automobili Lamborghini’ has made this Italian brand, a worldwide phenomenon when it comes to supercars and luxury SUVs. Previously, it had a classical slogan stating, Follow your ears. Ÿ Lexus: Experience Amazing.

This luxury vehicle division of Toyota has truly conveyed its opulence through this catchphrase.

Witnessing its marvellous cars is an amazing experience. Ÿ Mercedes-Benz: The Best or Nothing.

Probably the true leader of the luxury cars segment, Mercedes flaunts its superiority through this incredible tagline replicating its passion about perfection. Ÿ Nissan: Innovation That Excites.

This prominent automobile brand from the land of rising Sun recently shifted from its vintage slogan Shift to the aforesaid newly introduced one. Ÿ Porsche: There Is No Substitute.

Thanks to this creative marketing catchphrase, people don’t need any explanations. If you want to be unique and different, you have no alternative than a Porsche. Ÿ Renault: Passion for Life.

Renault’s newly launched slogan replacing the previous Drive The Change brought a bright, modern take on its historic virtues resonating spirit of automotive revolution. Ÿ Toyota: Let’s Go Places.

A world leader in automotive production, Toyota is

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probably the only company having hundreds of taglines, different for different countries. Its US domain slogan Let’s Go Places is among the most popular ones sharing the honour with taglines like Start Your Impossible and Quality Revolution. Ÿ Volkswagen: Das Auto(The Car).

This gigantic German group is well known for its perfectly crafted and engineered vehicles. Historical ‘The Car’ slogan could be the only catchphrase that could portray Volkswagen’s vastness. Ÿ Volvo: For Life.

This Swedish automaker through its slogan has expressed two important elements of the brand; loyalty for life and safety of life. Needless to say, this makes it one of the best taglines ever created.

After reading all these creatively crafted taglines, one can easily get an idea of how powerful of a marketing tool they can prove to be. After all, influencing someone’s choices isn’t an easy job. In this world of advertisement, many claim that along with performance, aesthetics and service you need to have incredible marketing tools like that of brand slogans. Without these it is really hard to draw the attention of customers who are equipped with vast number of choices nowadays.

Certainly, in this regard, taglines have proved their importance and comprehensiveness.

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V

Velox: H

ave you ever been in a situation where your bike needs an immediate repair or service or any cure for that matter, and you don’t have enough time to visit a regular shop where your bike can be repaired. Don’t know about you, I have faced this issue number of times, be it laziness or any other reason sometimes it become quite a cumbersome job to leave my bike to a store from where I will have to pick it up after few days. Meanwhile during this period I have to live my life without the bike, which disturbs my normal routine. It is absolutely fine with me but it may not be for many people that need bike for their dayto-day travelling.

Do What You Love…Ride!

With a vision to eradicate this problem Vancouver based Velofix came into existence. Since its inception, the organization has disrupted the way consumers service and buy their bikes. The company is unique with its mobile concept in the industry that still depends on brick and mortar shops for service and delivery of bikes. Thanks to its innovative idea and its worth, currently velofix has corporate clients like Microsoft, Google, Tesla, Facebook and Starbucks.

Cycling without any Worry When it comes to providing service, velofix offers wide range of services including: · Last Mile Delivery and Bike Building: The professionally trained and certified mechanics of velofix provides delivery onsite bike building services for every type of bike.

Whether your need a bike building for a road, mountain, triathlon, city, electric or kids bike, velofix got you covered. · Road, Tri and Cyclocross Services: It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, or an elite cyclist who competes in races, triathlon, or occasionally participates in a Gran Fondo velofix is always there for help. · Mountain Bike Services: If you like to ride your bike through trails, the safety of your bike becomes a major concern. velofix also has a service package for your mountain bike, which will fit your diverse needs perfectly. · Commuter Bike Service: Currently, many people around the world use bikes as a primary mode of transport. If you are one amongst them, then don’t worry velofix is there to

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April 2019

“

We offer a convenient Mobile Bike Shop experience at your home or ofce.

Chris Guillement

Davide Xausa

VP & Co-Founder

CEO & Co-founder

President & Co-Founder

“

Boris Martin

make sure your bike stays in perfect condition in order to get you from point A to point B. · À la Carte Bike Services: The organization also provides all-inclusive À la Carte Bike Services that includes almost every service mentioned in previous packages. · Bike Rental: velofix is slowly planning to launch its bike rental services in multiple cities. However, for now it is only available at velofix Kona. · Bike Fittings: The organization also wants to make sure that your bike is properly fitted so you can enjoy your ride · Bike Boxing Services: Going out of town on a trip and don’t want to leave you bike at home? velofix offers rental of bike bags and a bike pack up for travel · Corporate Services: In this case, velofix’s mobile bike shop comes to your office to serve your employees’ bikes. · Fleet Management – velofix offers complete service of your Corporate Bikes Other than all these Bike services, the organization offers Ski and Snowboard Tuning and waxing Cyclist at Heart Back in 2012, Chris Guillemet, Boris Martin and Davide Xausa felt that brick and mortar stores were unable cater the growing needs of cyclists. Hence, they set out to create a Mobile Bike Shop. Chris already had the much needed

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management expertise gained through various companies.

Davide Xausa provided with all his financial expertise and Boris brought the bike industry expertise Dedicated to their vision they started in Vancouver, which already had much more bike shops per capita than the rest of North America. Their efforts soon transpired into success, and eventually proved that velofix’s model offers the much needed convenience which a brick and mortar shop can’t provide, From launch in 2013 to almost 150 Franchise sold in North America.

Building Largest Fleet of Mobile Bike Shops velofix provides a consistent, premium service experience direct to the customer allowing the customer to Save Time and Ride More. The organization has been formed with a core principal of focusing on innovation and looking for alternative ways to deliver a premium customer experience.

The organization envisions building the largest fleet of Mobile Bike Shops around the world and plans on expanding its business on a global level. According to velofix, the traditional service model is outdated, inconvenient and not sustainable. As more bikes are purchased online, the demand for a last mile delivery service will increase and consumers will expect service at their home or office.

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Recharging Environment

Driving Towards a Greener and Cleaner Environment

W

ith the environmental damages from the fossil fuel electrics cars have seen a steep rise in its demand. A growing number of countries, including Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Denmark, Portugal and Spain, have recently set targets on electric vehicles sales. Also countries like UK, France and India are looking to completely shift towards all electric vehicles by the end of 2040.

According to petroleum giant BP, global oil demand will witness its peak demand in 2030, which will eventually increase the demand of electric vehicles by quite few folds.

When it comes to leading the way with electric and hybrid engines, Norway and China are one of the prominent facilitators. In case of Norway more than half of the new cars sold fall in to this category. China is also a big and a leading market for electric and hybrid engines and power trains. Back in 2017, more than 600000 electric vehicles were sold in China, which was whooping 71% higher than the previous year.

So, the question arises, how it will impact the consumers and governments?

When it comes to individuals, electric vehicles reduce monthly travelling costs drastically. However, there’s a catch;

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April 2019

electric vehicles come with limited range of fuel efficiency which means one has to plan his/her trip according to route with ample number charging stations.

Also electric vehicles are much cheaper to maintain than an internal fuel combustion engine.

The impact of electric vehicles on environment is quite clear. More than a quarter of greenhouse gases produced in the United States of America are a result of transportation which eventually contributes to the rising pollution levels. On the other hand, electric vehicles come with no gases and sounds, leading to a clean environment.

However, the wide use of electric vehicles also has some demerits if we consider the government’s perspective.

Thanks to these vehicles, various governments will lose billions of dollars of revenue from taxes on fossil fuel.

So, soon we might have to shell out higher direct or indirect taxes, or the vehicle taxation system could be changed completely. Also, electric cars need 30% lesser time to produce. So, a complete switch to these green vehicles might also lead to reduction of workforce in the automotive industry. Switching to green vehicles would also mean drop in employment levels in petrol bunks, car repair garages, etc.

Also, the aircraft manufacturer company Airbus, engine manufacturer Rolls Royce and Siemens are developing a hybrid model which will probably make its maiden flight as early as 2020.

According to a major Swiss bank, by the end of 2025 electric vehicles will account for 14% of total car sales globally. Back in 2017, the figure was just 1%.

Also thanks to the rapidly changing market and growing innovation this timeline can eventually shift backwards.

As an example, the batteries are constantly getting cheaper and much more efficient. Nowadays one can cover a distance of 1000kms with a single charge. With the improvement in battery technology costs are slowly cutting down and it’s being predicted that the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle will be on par by 2025.

So, it’s all good for the drivers and the owners, who will be able to buy and maintain electric vehicles at reasonable prices. But jobs will be lost, countries that are now thriving due to petroleum will face scarce demands.

However, new jobs will be created, and countries which have Lithium deposits may have their chance of success.

Above all we will get a planet that is much greener, cleaner and quitter.

Vehicles are not only going electric, Norway plans to start 1.5 hours short haul flights using electric planes.

April 2019

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Maestro’s Perspective

CHOOSING the

RIGHT TRANSLATOR for INTERNATIONALIZATION services. The biggest barrier to business over the years has been language. Most entrepreneurs use English on their websites, which is a huge drawback especially to the native language speaking clients. Changing the world can be an impossible task to take up, instead the business world took an adaptive approach through internationalization.

Rilind Elezaj Digital Marketing Specialist

I

n the 21st century, the main focus has been making the world more connected, and entrepreneurs are no exception. All entrepreneurs aim at increasing their customer base, and going international is one way to do it.

To achieve this, the business world opted to merge with the technological sphere to ensure the physical boundaries from state to state are not a barrier to the exchange of goods and

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Internationalization is the process whereby the producers strategize on products that are acceptable and appealing to people in as many countries as possible. In case the producers have a website, they design it in such a way that people speaking different languages can translate the content on the site to their own language. Transactions done in one’s native language are as personal as it gets. This trail of logic has been backed by studies that show 55% of clients have a preference of online shopping in their local dialect. Using their native language makes the process easier and the producer/seller becomes more trustworthy.

That’s a good indication which lets us know that localization helps with business growth, but there’s more to it. Investing on an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that has the option of localizing language is of benefit to both the entrepreneur and the customers considering that 56% of clients confess to value the use of their local languages more than the price of the product itself!

Coming to translations on the website, all the critical contents and documentation should be translated. To get the most accurate and honest translations one has to vet the

April 2019

translator and ensure they are familiar with the native language. Investing on the best translation services and translators will help avoid poor translations which lower the business’ level of professionalism. Even the marketing and branding should be localized depending on the culture of the setting. Some holidays and discounts may simply not make sense to the locals. With the right local specialist or translator you will know the kind of marketing and branding that works for the specific community. The specialist will come up with the best translation for the slogan, the best colors and even give tips on the peak and off-peak seasons of that particular community.

To get the best translations, ensure that you have the best ERP providers who will make sure the localization details are well taken care of. To achieve all these, one has to ensure they have the best language service provider for their organization. The organization has to consider whether the translator is a native speaker or not, because it will be advantageous if they are natives so that they translate accurately. In case the materials to be translated have a specific format or subject matter that can only be handled by professionals in the area, then specialists must be hired.

All translators must provide proof of relevant education or previously translated work to show they are well acquainted with the task and most important they must be within the budget.

Other than the hiring issue, the organization has also to consider the number of languages the organization needs to have translated. If the languages are few and the translations minimal then they can get small language service providers like freelancers, but in case the languages are numerous, then it is advisable to use one language service provider. One service provider is also an easy and convenient contact person in doing follow ups unlike dealing with various small service providers. To maintain the brand, one translator is suitable, as all the documents will be written in different languages but in one voice unlike a variety of small service providers who will all be speaking in their different voices and in different languages, in which case the aspect of uniformity will be lost. It is advisable to use one provider who will develop a deep understanding of the business and can be a long-term translator for the organization bringing about consistency and uniformity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rilind Elezaj is an experienced a Digital Marketing Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Rilind possesses a strong entrepreneurial mindset and has devoted his career to enhancing the sphere of digital marketing. In his methodological approach, Rilind integrates web development and other digital marketing solutions to create hybrid strategies that bring the best results.

organization to manage international websites and ensure they have the capacity to modify the content on local sites.

It should also have an automated translation workflow, this will help reduce time wasted when launching new sites within the website. The minute new information is posted, it is translated to all the languages through the service providers. Pseudo-localization is another aspect to look at.

Language may have a specific font of writing, or direction of writing. This is sorted out by the pseudo-localization which presents language in its most original form. A fallback location should also be put in place to go back to the original language in case the client speaks a language that is not available.

All these features have been brought together to ensure the best localization experience in entrepreneurship wherever one may be and grow the business sector to the highest possible heights, internationally.

To ensure consistency of the multilingual platform, the organization has to ensure they choose the right web control and management solution (WCMS). WCMS enables the

April 2019

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E-Mobility & Smart Grid

E-Mobility: Pioneering Transportation with

Smart Grid

he electric automobile is associated with the integration of transportation, which is resulted according to the customer needs. Customer demands are initiated towards renewable energies in terms of a zero-emission and sustainable mobility. The “Smart Grid” could be a hypothetic methodology with electrically collected from vehicles that run on renewable resources.

However, E-mobility consequently specializing in customer demands and build an effective source of energy through mobility.

T

Rendering ahead with Smart Grid

Electro mobility or E-mobility suggests clean and environment-friendly transport through electric vehicles. It conjointly delivers climate-friendly technology with massive growth potential. In the automotive industry, electricity suppliers and government influencers are also pushing e-mobility within the field of standardization. For sequencing to the perfection, utilities and network operators are heavily investing under development of ‘intelligent’ electricity distribution systems.

Functionalities of E-Mobility

Smart Grid Communication for economical E-Mobility In smart grid, smart energy network depends upon comprehensive communication with integrated charging stations. The communication with the smart grid is incessantly measured and controlled through an IP-based connection. It additionally permits load compensation with the assistance of interconnecting charging stations.

Additionally, vehicle-to-grid communication makes it potential to integrate special charge models and supply new services. Moreover, in future the vehicles connected to the smart grid unit expected to perform batteries for storing extra energy as needed.

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The move towards a low-carbon society would require progress in renewable energy production and in e-mobility.

The success of e-mobility is connected to smart grid development that helps intelligent charging infrastructure for big scale acceptance of electric vehicles. The dependency works both ways in which comparable to massive scale acceptance of e-mobility helps massive scale infrastructure investments to be profitable.

There are two different kinds of plug-in electric vehicles, such as plug-in hybrid vehicle and pure electric vehicle.

Were plug-in hybrid vehicles are equipped with a combustion engine and pure electric vehicle encompass pure electric connectivity. The proper electricity-production drastically reduces CO2 emissions compared to traditional combustion engine cars. From the perspective of the electrical grid, people’s habits and daily schedules can probably cause peak demand at certain times of day, which may cause electricity network congestion or voltages below normal.

Revolutionary Trends of Electrical Grid In an electrical grid, the energy system becomes progressively relied on renewable energy sources. The wants to the electrical grid are ever-changing with latest trends. The alternative energy is generally non-controllable, suburbanized and unsteady. E-mobility brings purposeful technology which reinforces the transportation medium and efficient method.

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Flexible property of E-Mobility E-mobility may be a versatile electrical transportation medium immensely capturing client demands. The flexibility of e-mobility helps to reduce costs of network investments and electricity bills with grid operators. The network has the flexibility to deal with worst case situation.

It additionally reduces energy and absorbs excessive energy generation, and additionally things and voltage issues.

Nissan Integrates E-Mobility with Smart Grid The well-known automobile brand, Nissan is introducing its own electronic vehicle or e-mobility vehicle with smart grid technology. Nissan additionally proposes to introduce technology and business ties between electric driving and smart grid. Moreover, Nissan is on the point of introducing energy storage for a vehicle for domestic usage supported second-life batteries. Nissan’s is aiming to provide concerning one hundred electric vehicle charging stations for each non-public and business purpose. The automotive April 2019

users are ready to offer the battery capacity to vehicles and to create energy for grid. Hence, Nissan drives its e-mobility vehicles effectively with unified consumer experience.

Confronting Future with E-Mobility The future of electric vehicles is remodeling within the field of energy and quality happening in the fields of energy and quality. E-mobility is influenced by market factors and forthcoming trends that are nearly unbeatable. The conjunction of e-mobility and smart grid is a chance for many automobile industries. Through automobile, businesses have many possibilities to head in the market.

Henceforth, e-mobility delivers significant solutions to automobile industry comprises with a smart grid. It’s a revolutionary step towards automobile segmentation comprises with electric transport mobility solutions.

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Mentor’s Standpoint

BEYOND AUTOMATION:

AI powered Autonomous Factories of the Future

R

ise of the industrial robots in 1980s led to a major evolution of Henry Ford’s assembly line concept. Routine tasks that were being handled by factory workers started to be performed by robots with greater accuracy and efficiency. With the spread of device-to-device communication and IoT protocols, robots started taking a serious amount of responsibility from factory workers. This movement was initially led by German high tech firms that branded this shift as the 4th industrial revolution. On the opposite side, there was China, taking advantage of their access to low cost human labour as an alternative to automation. Very recently, a few years ago, China flipped their strategy 180 degrees, becoming the biggest advocate of automation by starting to invest aggressively on buying robots and developing their own robotics know-how led by government initiatives. So the technology won. There is no question about the need for automation anymore and major manufacturing companies, including the ones in China, Germany and rest of the world are racing to automate their industrial processes to increase productivity.

Daghan Cam Co-founder & CEO Ai Build

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Everything that can be automated will be automated, according to Zuboff’s law.

However, some things are more difficult to be automated than other things.

Those are non-repetitive tasks which require higher level of cognition and ability to adapt into unknown conditions. These tasks can be defined as the last mile in factory automation. Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, was recently criticized by analysts for automating their assembly line more than necessary. The reason of the criticism was the fact that the cost of automation exceeded the cost of a human led assembly April 2019

line. This may be a valid argument for today but the solution should be found in increasing the bar for commercially viable automation and not by going back to lower levels of automation.

So if we are moving towards full automation and lights-out manufacturing, how can the last mile in factories be automated without overspending and over engineering?

Autonomy seems to be the answer, therefore Artificial Intelligence…

There is a slight but important difference between Automation and Autonomy. Autonomy is the state of being able to make independent decisions in situations that were not experienced before. By definition, autonomous systems are always automated, but the other way around is not always the case. A system may be fully automated but not autonomous.

“Blind Automation” is the term we use for this category.

Systems that are blindly automated are based on hard coded rules, as in expert systems, and they tend to be very difficult to be reconfigured if the conditions or requirements change over time. Autonomous systems, in contrast, generalize the rules for decision making in different scenarios by allowing a higher level of abstraction in their programming.

For example, in the blind automation scenario, a robot may be programmed to go to coordinates x, y, z in order to pick up an object. This will work without problems as long as the object is found precisely at coordinates x, y, z.

However, if for any reason the object is positioned at a slightly different location, the robot will still go to x, y, z, fail to pick the object up and continue executing the rest of its commands without noticing this problem. Eventually every step subsequent to this failure will also fail.

A better strategy for performing the same task, is using a robot with vision

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sensors, and programming it to go to the object’s position (as a variable) to pick it up. Regardless of where the object is positioned, robot will localize it using its sensors and successfully pick it up. This difference between the two programming paradigms; “go to x, y, z” and “go to an object’s position” makes a big difference in making the system less prone to making mistakes in unexpected conditions which is crucial for last mile factory automation.

About the Author Daghan Cam is the Co-founder and CEO of Ai Build, a London based startup developing Artificial Intelligence and Robotics technologies for the construction industry. He is also a visiting lecturer at University College London doing research on robotic fabrication, large scale 3d printing and parallel algorithms with GPU computing.

His work focuses on developing intelligence for automating complex tasks in design and manufacturing by using computer vision and machine learning techniques.

In this scenario where robots make autonomous decisions by using realtime sensor data, a feedback loop is established between physical and digital environments. The constant flow of information from physical to digital and vice versa create immense amounts of structured data which is the fuel for AI powered autonomous factories of the future. Such actionmeasurement-action strategies allow the systems to self-improve over time, creating a data network effect in manufacturing. The more one process is executed, the more efficient it will get. This allows super-human performance in almost every domain given enough data.

Robots making hundreds of decisions every second and receiving hundreds of measurements from the environment and from other devices also require massive computation and storage capabilities. Despite the popularity of cloud computing in most applications today, a decentralized compute power is necessary for most robotic applications and for IoT devices in general. The throughput between the edge and the cloud through internet connectivity is simply not enough to process all data generated by sensors and make sensible decisions in realtime. So edge computing, or fog computing - dedicated servers on premise as a layer between individual devices and the cloud - will likely be the norm in autonomous factories of the future unless we experience a breakthrough in science that leads to infinitely fast and reliable internet connectivity. However unlike compute power, storage of important data, that is filtered on the edge, should be centralized in order to achieve the best decision making models at every location.

As a summary, a few conclusions and predictions about the future are: Ÿ

We are moving towards an autonomous black-box factory model where the factory robots are operated by themselves without human intervention.

Ÿ

These factories will be powered by the data that is generated by themselves and their productivity will increase over time exceeding human performance in every process involved in manufacturing.

Ÿ

Factories will compute on-premise / on-edge and they will push important data to cloud for benefiting from a shared pool of data with other factories.

www.ai-build.com

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