7:23 am, November 28, 2011
WELL, it’s 9.30am in Gosport, but 4.30pm where I am: Thailand. I’m in a transfer lounge at Bangkok Airport waiting for a flight to Taipei, Taiwan, after arriving here from Heathrow an hour or so ago.
I’m heading to Taiwan to get a sneaky peek at some of the technological innovations that will be taking centre stage at the second annual Taiwan Electric International Vehicle Show which will be taking place from April 12-15 in that country next year.
The first such event held earlier this year was apparently a huge success and there are clearly high hopes for the second.
I will be part of a pre-tour press party taking a look behind the scenes as preparations are made for next April’s event.
It would appear that Taiwan sees a big opportunity for itself as EV technology makes increasingly confident strides forward.
With a long-established reputation as a maker of vehicle components, the country might be become more well-known for actually making cars, vans and bikes in an electrically-powered future.
Of course it’s been a big year for electric vehicle evangelists.
Cars such as the all-electric Nissan Leaf have been gaining moreand more publicity while events such as London’s Eco-velocity motor show and the Future Car Challenge are all drawing attention to cleaner, greener ways of getting around.
One thing’s for sure, I’m in for a fascinating few days. Never having been to the Far East before, I have been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Tomorrow we’re off to visit the Lanyang Energy Technology Company after a press conference and lunch. Watch this space.
Dave Brown
