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The new brand EV Olymp Cars may be based in Austria, but its inspiration comes from ancient Greece. He plans to launch a number of vehicles, all named after figures from Greek mythology.
Auto Futures spoke with Elias Skodras, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Olymp Cars. His partner at Olymp is Benjamin Dosenchuk, whose company abo-drive is a subscription platform that allows dealers to use a shared fleet of vehicles.
“After various cooperatives, we decided it was time to create our own car brand that would hit the string with the new mobility and show existing manufacturers what is possible with electrical and hydrogen technology,” says Shkodras.
“We had a very clear idea, which soon became a concept, then a concrete plan that we are now implementing – difficult and full of joy,” he added.
Olymp’s goal is to make electric vehicles more modular, sustainable and economical. His vehicles will be based on a fully modular platform with in-wheel engines called the Hephaistos of the Greek god of fire. It is suitable for a variety of vehicles, from small city cars to large human carriers.
“The lightweight design reduces energy consumption by up to 25% compared to actual state-of-the-art electric vehicles. For our customers, this translates into best-in-class TCO, unparalleled design freedom and high flexibility. The modular, plug & play concept helps to reduce time to market and allows large cost savings for the development of new vehicles. This allows us to launch our designed models in a very short period of time, ”explains Skodras.
Olymp has very ambitious plans to deploy its vehicles. The Ares SUV and the Hermes van have already been designed. They are expected to be introduced in early 2023. Preliminary sales will begin at the same time. The city car Selene, named after the Greek goddess of the moon, will soon follow.
The design of the Apollon sedan and the family van Hera is still being refined.
Cars with a second or third life
Fast charging and range are very important for Olymp. In the future, the brand may provide this service to its customers.
“It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes – a break for fuel or coffee – to switch from 10 to 80% of the battery charge. Something we achieved while testing our Hephaistos platform. But for that, of course, we need super chargers. We work closely with charging technology vendors to regularly improve coverage and fast charging in the future. ”
The company also strives for its vehicles to have a second or even third life.
“With the growing number of electric cars exponentially, the volume of batteries consumed is approximately equivalent to the current annual production of batteries. Disposal is the least energy efficient option, but it is often needed. The key is to create a technological and economic chain to renew, reuse and recycle batteries. “Extracting expensive raw materials through a delicate recycling procedure is already a well-known strategy and is now supported by the growing industry, as well as by Olymp Cars,” he explains.
“Second and third lives for our EV are possible by replacing individual cells or by renewing several parts of the vehicles. Olymp is also stepping up its efforts to find second-hand applications for still-useful batteries, modules and cells.
Looking to the future
When it comes to sales and distribution, the company is considering a number of options.
“Olymp Cars has already found partners or general importers in different countries. The number of inquiries is constantly increasing. However, there will be leading stores around the world that will convey the feeling of Olymp to the end user, ”explains Skodras.
“Online trading, of course, is an important part and we are absolute professionals when it comes to subscription models anyway. It is important that our customers receive attractive, cheap and above all safe vehicles and / or mobility packages. Made in Europe! This is what we at Olymp Cars work for day and night! ”He added.
says Skodras Olymp is also exploring hydrogen-powered mobility solutions.
“We have concrete plans, but also technology. We could probably build a fuel cell car right away. But there is still no infrastructure. But our plan is to offer a version powered by hydrogen, in parallel with the electric model.
Mobility – not just vehicles
Finally, we asked Skodras what urban mobility would look like in the future.
“Times are changing. People are pushing more and more in the cities. For the so-called
Generation Y and Millennials, mobility itself is more important than owning a car. These new customers need to be considered. They are more technological and have a different attitude towards environmental protection, “said Shkodras.
“Much of Olymp’s vehicles will go into short-term rental, sharing and smart city solutions. There are already future designs of scooters, motorcycles or Olymp bikes. Olymp will mean mobility, not just vehicles.
“We have very specific plans that we will announce in a timely manner,” he concluded. Watch this space.