Have you ever wondered how you can make a difference in this world we live in?
My family has been in the heavy haulage industry and growing up, I spent my school holidays around trucks, cranes and lorries.
The most memorable moment of my childhood was when our family business bought a brand new Scania 124. My father drove the truck from the dealership back to the office. I can still remember the euphoria like it was yesterday. I hopped on board immediately, held the steering wheel firmly in my little hands, and let out a soft rumbling sound with my throat. THAT was the day I decided I want to be a truck driver when I grow up.
As I grew up, I learnt about the environment we live in. I learnt about how humans impacted our planet and our co-inhabitants. Worst of all, I learnt that the very machines I hold closest to my heart are the main contributors to the problem. As a student, I focused alot of my readings on the transformation of the automotive market. I read about how both ICEVs and EVs worked. I looked at the environmental impact of EVs. I learnt about the infrastructure required to enable EV adoption. I knew my future lies in the automotive industry, but I didn't know where to start.
Nevertheless, I was pulled into our family business since 2014. Starting as a Rigger/Signalman, I slowly worked my way up over the years, holding positions in all the different departments in the company. The idea was that the tour will expose me to the myriad of challenges faced by all departments, even down to the workers on the ground. Needless to say, I learned much about the intricate relationships between all departments.
In 2021, SANY approached me with a product. It was a product that I personally thought will only be in the market 5 years down the road. It was a fully Electric Prime Mover, the EV550 (not the EV490). It hit me. The EV550 can be the answer to our problems. However, there is a lack of convincing infrastructure for EVs to make commercial sense. In order to make the shift, we have to build this infrastructure.
I made the decision to "Go Big, or Go Home". I invested more than 2 million dollars on 24 DC chargers, building up the infrastructure for the nation to pivot away from diesels. I decided that this was what I needed to do. I saw this as a way to combine my love for trucks and my passion for decarbonisation to carve a path away from diesels. This is the way for me to finally do it right. Not only can I use the trucks for my family business, I can also help others to do so.
In 2022, we established EcoSwift Pte Ltd. We worked hard with SANY to develop the right hand drive model suitable for use in Singapore. We spent a good 6 months morphing the EV550 into the EV490. We made changes to the dimensions, the chassis design and feature specifications to enhance the usability of the truck in Singapore.
When the EV490 arrived, it brought me right back to the day my father drove the Scania 124. The euphoria of being able to finally make a difference and finding my purpose was as memorable as the one back in the day. The confidence in my decision to help customer electrify fleets is as empowering as the one back in the day. Work with me to change our ways. We can now dream of a world without diesel.
-Ryan Woon, Director, EcoSwift
Comments