Amsterdam’s reputation as a developer of electric vehicles got a boost last month when the Tuk Tuk Factory, a local manufacturer of electric-powered Tuk Tuks signed a licensing deal with Denver-based eTuk USA. It’s the sort of deal that can galvanise a local industry. Amsterdam after all is one of a number of European cities with a growing reputation in electric-powered vehicles, although it is a long way from being the greenest European city. That accolade seems to consistently go to Copenhagen. Nevertheless, Amsterdam does claim to have the highest concentration of electric charging points in the world. So is this city, famous for having more bicycles than people putting its eggs in one basket and forging ahead down a path to becoming the electric vehicle capital?
“Amsterdam is developing itself to be the number one electric vehicle city in Europe,” confirms Laurens van Mulukom, a teacher at Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HVA), the city’s university of applied sciences. While van Mukulom supports the idea and suggests he is trying to create closer links with the local government, he is not altogether convinced that electric vehicles are the right long term horse to back. So where does the answer lie?
“Hydrogen,” he says. “The electric car is going to be a temporary thing. Hydrogen will make a big impression.”
He points to Hyundai’s recent ix35 launch, the first mass-production hydrogen car, as proof that the industry has overcome issues with fuel storage and safety. But it’s his own work with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that has convinced him of the potential.
A former male model who has lived and worked in New York, Paris and London for brands such as Paul Smith, van Mukulom is now one of six teachers that run CleanMobility, a projects unit within HVA for second year students.
“It started in 2009 when two students wanted to enter a self-built “head wind car” into a race in Denmark. It finished in first place. The project was such a success that the idea continued the following year with a different group of students. In 2011 we added the H2A prototype hydrogen car and entered that into the Shell Eco Marathon for Europe.”
The CleanMobility team won that race in 2013 and 2014 but in May this year came in second, following a series of “technical difficulties,” says van Mukulom. It’s a reminder he adds that this really is all about the taking part and not just the winning. He acknowledges the cliché but is unrepentant.
Around 50 students work on the four CleanMobility vehicles as part of HVA’s innovation lab, where students earn approximately a third of their second year points through practical application.
Race days, says van Mukulom are the pinnacle of the year. In July the team working on the solar boat will travel to Monaco to compete. It sounds glamourous, especially for second year students but these races are about efficiency and not wrapped-up in the traditional trappings of first past the post motorsport. The H2A hydrogen car for example has to complete 10 laps of a track within 39 minutes and each team is judged on a series of efficiency criteria, as well as innovation and design.
So where do you go with this?
“Each year is different,” says van Mukulom. “Our students are now developing a Halbach electric motor to fit inside the H2A hydrogen car.”
That in itself is an education and it supports the ethos of CleanMobility. The projects unit does not have ideas of grandeur. It does not expect its work to provide innovation for industry but naturally it does expect its students to achieve greater things.
“Who knows,” says van Mukulom. “Maybe they will be the ones to achieve something with hydrogen.”
As long as they keep in touch? He pauses then laughs.
“Yes, we encourage that, if only to help with sponsorship and internships.”
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