Back to the Future
Singapore can be at the forefront of the fast-growing electric vehicle industry, says Larissa Tan, CEO of the homegrown start-up behind the Dendrobium electric hypercar
Propelled by the spirit of the Space Age and the Jet Age, car manufacturers of the 1950s aspired to not just speed and power, but also beauty—the iconic automobiles of the period are still beloved by aficionados for the cool curves and clean lines that often drew direct inspiration from the jet planes and spacecrafts that were probing new frontiers of exploration. It was also the Atomic Age, and as nuclear technology developed, engineers even dreamed up concept cars that might one day safely harness nuclear energy. The nuclear-powered car never came to pass, but the dream of finding a source of clean, sustainable energy to fuel our travels has persisted well into the 21st century. Today, the answer to that dream increasingly seems to be found in the electric vehicle (EV). Some might say we are living in the eve of the EV Age—in 2017, over 1.2 million of such vehicles were sold globally, a 58 per cent increase from 2016. With EVS representing just 1.3 per cent of total global new passenger vehicle sales, traditional internal combustion engine cars still dominate the market. Still, if you are a glass-half-full kind of person, that simply means the room for EV growth is massive. Or as Singapore start-up Vanda Electrics posits: “The future is electric”. CEO Larissa Tan explains, “We are at a stage now in the automotive industry where we are on the cusp of a revolution. I don’t think there’s a doubt now that things are moving in the direction of EVS; it’s not a matter of if, but when. “In the 1950s, there were a lot of technological development for the combustion engine, and a lot of new materials that allowed for the design of different car shapes. We are at that phase now where battery technology is concerned. This is a tipping point. I think you’re going to see a lot more activity within this industry, and many new players from around the world bringing fresh perspectives and a lot of innovation.” Vanda Electrics, of course, is a case in point. The idea for this two-year-old EV company and the electric hypercar that it wanted to make had actually been floating around for around 20 years, Larissa reveals. “But it was only recently that technology caught up with what we wanted to do.” Around 2012, the hypercar dream began germinating again, and the result, named Dendrobium, finally debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. “That went really well,” Larissa recalls. “We attracted a lot of press and interest, and the Dendrobium was hailed as one of the top concept cars at the show.” Subsequently, the hypercar was whisked off to show at Top Marques Monaco and England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was most recently showcased here at the National Museum as part of Singapore Design Week 2018. “This project has completely achieved its purpose,” says