THE DESIGN OF THE RASA
THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE RASA CAR
CAD BUILD OF THE RASA
RIVERSIMPLE'S PURPOSE
WHOLE SYSTEM DESIGN
A UNIQUE PROPOSITION FOR CUSTOMERS
THE RIVERSIMPLE RASA IN BETA TEST
BATTERIES OR HYDROGEN?
MAKING EFFICIENCY PROFITABLE
TRANSFORMATION – ENABLERS AND CONSEQUENCES
THE RIVERSIMPLE TEAM
OUR PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS
Interest surges in clean solutions to transport
Posted by Fiona Spowers	/ News
In the last few weeks, clean mobility, and hydrogen as part of it, has had a crescendo of interest and Riversimple has been very involved in the zero-emission conversation, from award nominations to media coverage, new events and podcasts. As concern about the climate crisis escalates, people are seeking alternatives to the status quo – and that definitely includes clean personal transport.
It's wider than just the vehicle itself. Our business is truly disruptive, and that resonates with a growing public interest in new ways of doing things: usership not ownership; circularity instead of take, make, dispose; longevity not obsolescence.
In October's edition of The Manufacturer and in this piece in November's Autocar, Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers highlights the necessity for both hydrogen electric and battery electric vehicles:
"Some demands are met better by BEVs and some by hydrogen. We need both these technologies; we don't argue over solar or wind turbines winning the energy race."
Hugo also outlines hydrogen's role as a convenient storage vector for intermittent renewables:
"Electricity and hydrogen are very complementary. You can make electricity more efficiently from some sources and hydrogen more efficiently from others. For instance, producing electricity from wind is far more efficient than hydrogen. But when there's excess wind, you can't store electricity but you can store hydrogen. On the other hand, hydrogen is made more efficiently from biogas than electricity."
Auto Futures is a recently-launched Thomson Reuters platform all about the rapidly-evolving automotive industry – and we attended their stylishly executed event, Auto Futures Live, in London at the end of October. We truly enjoyed being amongst a very informed and forward-thinking bunch.
Watch Hugo in their fascinating Fuel of the Future debate with: Helen Lees from Groupe PSA; Ricardo Martinez-Botas, Professor of Turbomachinery at Imperial College London and ClientEarth's Dominic Phinn.
The BBC's Fergus Nicholl covered us in this piece which is largely about hydrogen electric cars from the consumer's perspective – 'Behind the wheel of a hydrogen car." Fergus took the Hyundai ix35 out for a spin and found it a quiet, clean experience. "But this is a sector in which the upstart start-up can claim a modest place too," he says. "Outside Llandrindod Wells, a small market town in central Wales, Riversimple aims to lease, not sell, its futuristic hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to a strictly local market."
"The Riversimple business model – a three-year fixed price lease aimed at short-distance local drivers – is designed to negate the biggest problem affecting hydrogen cars: range anxiety."
Hugo himself has also been in focus this autumn. In the era of the cult of personality, his dogged pursuit of Riversimple's goal – personal mobility with zero environmental impact – has attracted attention. He can be little unreasonable at times. Or, possibly, the most unreasonable of people… Hugo was presented with the London Business School's George Bernard Shaw Unreasonable Person Award on 14 November!
Hugo with Jeff Skinner and Justin Birkinshaw of LBS. Hugo was both the judges' and the people's choice for this award "for an individual who has shown enormous tenacity and stubbornness in pursuing an idea, despite the difficulties encountered along the way".
Other recent coverage includes this BBC World Service business report on hydrogen cars; this article in French business magazine Challenges; this brilliant Fully Charged podcast, which explores aspects of our atypical business model; and most recently this film on CNBC, featuring Head of Powertrain Dr Nico Sergent.
Green GB?
We had the privilege of meeting Claire Perry on Thursday at Cardiff University and she loved the Rasa – the innovation in it, its efficiency, the fun it offers. She was there to mark the first Green GB week, led by the Government and UK R&I, with the aim of engaging the British public on the importance of tackling climate change and ensuring clean growth.
While it would appear perfect timing for us – the first Rasa Beta is rolling off the production line here in Powys, Wales – we cannot overlook the irony that this week a whole new fossil fuel industry has lurched into life with the blessing of this government, just days after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued their sobering report on the global climate situation. Addiction is always hard to break but, if we are addicted to fossil fuels, fracking really is trawling for the dregs, analogous to the stereotype of tramps drinking methylated spirits!
It is causing us some cognitive dissonance. How can we believe in the government's sincerity about championing Clean Growth while they are supporting the opposite?
Less unsustainable is still not sustainable
This week Cuadrilla started fracking for shale gas. The UK Government are stating that shale gas has the potential to provide the UK with greater energy security, economic growth and jobs, and could be an important part of our transition to a low carbon future. Literally undermining our national parks is hardly a bridge to a low carbon economy – it's a very circuitous route at best. Any distraction from the real work of getting our renewable energy sector off the ground is very shortsighted – why not take the high road and invest directly in renewable energy?
Divesting and investing
Last month the Mayors of London and New York made a public appeal for cities to divest from fossil fuels. In a joint statement they said, "We believe we can demonstrate to the world that divestment is a powerful tool and a prudent use of resources. And that, together, our cities – New York, London and many others around the world – can send a clear message to the fossil fuel industry: change your ways now and join us in tackling climate change."
Scottish Power announced their own divestment this week – that they are turning to 100% wind power shows what can be done.
Our refueller installed in Abergavenny
We are often asked where the hydrogen for our cars comes from. Right now, hydrogen is reformed from natural gas for a large number of industrial processes; it is also a byproduct of many. While it's more efficient to generate hydrogen than electricity from natural gas (70% rather than 49% – p.147, DUKES 2018), and we are making the most of any hydrogen we use – you can go 200 miles on a kilo of hydrogen in a Rasa, as opposed to 66 miles in a Toyota Mirai – we are looking forward to plentiful green sources of hydrogen. Electrolysis from green electricity, photo catalysis, waste from methane-eating bacteria … bring them on!
Now that would be something to invest in, Minister!
RIVERSIMPLE ACCELERATES IN DUBAI
Posted by Fiona Spowers	/ News, Sustainability, Technology
Riversimple has just returned from a two-month accelerator project in Dubai – an initiative that has seen the Rasa and our philosophy embraced by a completely different culture living in a much harsher environment.
The timing wasn't great, with 20 Beta test cars to get built in Wales, but when the Dubai Future Foundation, headed by Dubai's Crown Prince, invited us to take part in the 4th Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) programme, we jumped at the chance. We were sponsored by a powerful government department: the Road and Transport Authority (RTA).
The view from the top of the Emirates Towers
Dubai is a place like no other. It laid its first modern brick in 1973 and is now a city state of 3 million thoroughly multicultural people. Furthermore, it continues to expand at a furious pace. Despite its terrible air quality, mad traffic issues and paradoxical desire to be environmentally friendly, there are 27,000 building projects on the go as we write and the skyscape is a sea of cranes.
The DFA is designed to enable businesses to develop technologies and proposals far quicker than would ever normally be the case. Companies taking part (37 in our 'Cohort', selected from 677 applicants) are hosted in the Government's offices to allow for accelerated processes, hence the DFA's tag-line: 'pulling the future forward faster'.
The entrance to our office
Dubai is unashamedly determined to be quickest, boldest, biggest, highest, cleverest and altogether 'the mostest', not only among other Emirate states but also among all countries of the world. It also happens to be one of the hottest and dustiest places, humid and salty, so pretty tough for the Rasa. But that provides the perfect opportunity for us to 'accelerate' our technology development for much more extreme climates. We want to bring a Whole System Design approach to developing both a highly efficient cabin cooling system and fuel cell cooling technologies. That done, the Rasa and its descendants could operate in a far wider, much warmer market.
So, for the past 8 weeks, a revolving team of Riversimple personnel have been in the DFA offices investigating how the RTA – and other independents – could embrace not only the hydrogen economy, but also our technology, circular economy business model, and a culture of ultimate efficiency.
We have met with around 80 different interested parties, exploring opportunities with R&D establishments, data specialists, blockchain experts, niche vehicle builders, financiers, transport companies (not least the RTA themselves), energy suppliers and distributors, entrepreneurs and developers, the EXPO 2020 organisers, and a host of national and federal government officials. The Welsh Government were there to support. It was a rollercoaster of dialogue and investigation and the result is an agreement with the RTA to progress our agenda, ultimately – we hope – building a dedicated Dubai-friendly prototype.
So, in the land of big cars with big wheels and big engines we are pleased to report that our championing of the hydrogen future, our circular economy model and all things Rasa have found synergy. And if small can be recognised as beautiful there, it can be anywhere.
Our grateful thanks are due to the Dubai Future Accelerators (in particular our Project Manager Faisal Kazim and Program Managers Karin Gabriel and Abdallah Kanaan), the Future team of the RTA (in particular the wonderfully enthusiastic and technically-savvy Mohamed Saleh Al Shareef), and our friends and advisors Kyle Weber, Dr Alessandro Zampieri and Mohamed and Abdulsalam Haykal).
Future accelerator Riversimple Riversimple Rasa
2018:THE WORLD IS MOVING IN RIVERSIMPLE'S DIRECTION
Air pollution concerns have really brought the need for clean cars to the fore. Now that combustion-engined vehicles have a 'Sell By' date of 2040, there is much greater focus on practical and viable alternatives and the question of scale is surfacing. What are the 34 million cars in the UK alone going to be replaced with?
On one level, this is clearly an opportunity to lower the total number of cars in circulation and move to more shared vehicle usage, especially in cities where owning a car is becoming ever more onerous.
But what will the cars of the future be running on? Whilst battery electric cars will have a part to play, large-scale adoption is likely to be stymied by the ~50% of UK customers who do not have easy access to overnight charging.
Shell/ITM hydrogen station, Cobham Surrey
Each publicly accessible battery charger only supports a handful of cars. A hydrogen refueller, on the other hand, can be placed on an existing forecourt and, like a petrol station, support thousands of cars. Per car served they are massively cheaper, so at scale, hydrogen infrastructure is more economical.
Senior automotive executives share our perspective on the potential for hydrogen cars, according to KPMG, and a recently highlighted industry shift towards fuel cell investment has seen Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Nikola One refocus on hydrogen-powered models, which has put the spotlight on our engineering approach in this time of critical change for the auto-industry.
Riversimple remains ahead of the pack with the lightest, most efficient fuel cell car – which, incidentally, also makes it the cleanest. No emissions except pure water and a fraction of the particulates of other cars (thanks to skinny tyres, low weight and electrical braking).
We are now embarking on our next crowdfunding round. Our focus is on Beta testing the car and service with the public and the funding will get the Rasa into Beta series production.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who responded to our plea for Beta test drivers. We hope to engage with as many of you as possible in refining design and service features, even if you are too far from Monmouthshire to be a driver. .
GROWING PUBLIC INTEREST IN RIVERSIMPLE AND THE RASA
Talking to the public about Riversimple and showing the Rasa at events is an important part of growing the Riversimple movement. We reported last summer about our hectic public activities to June last year, and the second half of last year saw no let-up.
In August, we joined the Hydrogen Hub in Swindon for a day dedicated to the local hydrogen economy. There is a refuelling point there and over 30 organisations are working together to develop projects to deploy hydrogen and fuel cell technology.
Our progress also drew a very prominent visitor to our HQ – Lord Bamford, Chairman of JCB, along with a team of engineers, dropped by in a helicopter much to the amusement of golfers on the local green!
In September Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers gave a lecture at the Institute of Engineering and Technology and we presented at the Unreasonable World Impact Forum at the Royal Institution in London.
In October, Hugo was a panel speaker at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester chaired by Jesse Norman, Undersecretary for Roads and Transport, on the subject of decarbonising road transport and he spoke again at the prestigious Wired Energy Conference in London, while senior engineer Dr Stafford Lloyd spoke at a House of Lords committee meeting on zero emission vehicles.
In November, while the Rasa went to the Advanced Engineering Show at the NEC and then on to Brussels to support the annual review of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), Hugo spoke in Bratislava at the UNIDO Conference on the Circular Economy for the automotive industry and
Stafford went to Uruguay to present at the first Circular Economy Forum for Latin America which was subsequently featured in the Disruptive Innovation Festival – Riversimple is an Emerging Innovator Member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's CE100.
In December, Hugo gave the inaugural David Mackay Memorial Lecture to the Energy, Environment and Sustainability Group of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and addressed the Innovation team of the Welsh Government the day afterwards.
But maybe powertrain architect Dr Nico Sergent had the sunniest December speaking engagement, at the Energaïa conference in Montpelier in the Occitane region of France.
In the meantime, back at Riversimple HQ, the workshop and R&D teams have been busy fine-tuning the software and modifying some of the hardware for the build of new Beta cars. The new carbon fibre chassis includes front and rear subframes and is 20 kgs lighter in total. More on the technology next time.
May 2018 be a Happy Year for all enterprises focused on eliminating negative environmental impact.
FROM SWANSEA TO BAKEWELL – THE RASA HAS BEEN IN GREAT DEMAND
We have been to a wonderful series of summer events, from grassroots festivals to art exhibitions to internationally-renowned extravaganzas attracting crowds of over 250,000. Whatever the audience, people are impressed by the Rasa's sophisticated, ultra-efficient design and our game-changing business model. We remain the only car-maker to adopt a circular economy, and we are sticking firmly to our fundamental aim of making the car accessible to the many, not the few.
Our first event of the season was the Clean Air Roadshow in Swansea in April, organised by Swansea City Council. The Rasa sat in Castle Square beside two Hyundai FCEV cars owned by Swansea Fire Service – what greater endorsement of hydrogen cars could there be?
At the Hay Festival we discussed sustainable transport with the Festival's Andy Fryers. The Times also covered our observations about the heated debate between EV owners and FCEV supporters.
The Rasa held its own for a week as a work of art among the Supercars including a McLaren P1 as part of the stunning Art in Motion exhibition at Messum's Gallery in Wiltshire.
And then the car was honoured to be a key feature in the RHS's 'Garden for Changing Climate' at the Chatsworth Flower Show. Designed by the University of Sheffield to highlight their report for the RHS on the impact of climate change, the garden itself featured wild flower lawn along with orange and olive trees.
Built by landscape experts Killingley, it was also full of clever ideas to illustrate how to manage future water needs and reuse materials. Changing climate being the theme – the first day of the event was cancelled due to gales and heavy rain!
Most recently, we have been in Abergavenny to promote our forthcoming Beta Test of 20 Rasas, starting at the end of the year. We have begun to compile a list of triallists in and around Abergavenny; if you are interested in participating, please click here for more information.
THANK YOU AND WELCOME, RIVERSIMPLE CROWD
As our first crowdfunding closed at midnight on Sunday 9th April, we were thrilled to have reached over £1,138,000. A huge thank you to all those who have pledged to join us on this exciting and important journey towards clean and efficient cars.
Photographer: Anthony Dawton
In the meantime, we have fitted a new back end to the Rasa made of bio carbon, with layers of flax woven into it.
Inspired by nature in so many ways, the car has butterfly doors and now a 'whale fluke' boot, which will comfortably take a set of golf clubs or, if it is more to your taste, two cabin bags and a case of wine.
And that is good news as we definitely have occasion to celebrate! The entire team in LLandrindod Wells is in very high spirits. Thank you all.
PROFITABLE, DISRUPTIVE, SUSTAINABLE – THE INVESTMENT CASE FOR RIVERSIMPLE
As we approach the final days of our first crowd round we thought we should share some reasons to invest. The numbers and financial projections are readily available once you've registered but here is the big picture.
Our business is focused on making efficient cars desirable and efficiency profitable. Bending great engineering and design to this task is indisputably good news for the environment, but it also makes sound business sense. The more efficient our cars are and the longer they are on the road, the more money we make. No need to cheat the regulations.
The Rasa is the car furthest on the road towards sustainability. It boasts the lowest CO2 well-to-wheel, the lowest particulates and NOx from tyres and braking (none from the exhaust – just pure water), the longest lasting cars, with maximum recovery of value at end of life. And at the equivalent of 250mpg, it is probably the most fuel–efficient vehicle yet designed for everyday road-going use (ie not a test or competition car).
This environmental performance is not at the expense of design and desirability.
Design and Desirability The lines of the Rasa are sleek and streamlined for incredible aerodynamics. Chris Reitz, famed for designing the iconic FIAT 500, styled the Rasa: "Early adopters are very open in their mind – they like to have their finger on the pulse, they look for a car with style."
And the Rasa is a dreamy ride.
"A car designed from the ground up to harness the power of hydrogen, and slip through the air like an otter through water " Jack Rix
"Almost like a glider to drive, inasmuch as it wants to flow with nature" Chris Evans
But the car is principa lly designed with people in mind – their safety and comfort. For example, the butterfly doors make it easy to get in and out of, despite being a low car.
We also believe in minimal clutter and will be seeking to (River)simplify even further. Our planned 20-car beta test will allow feedback to directly influence the development of the car and the service to deliver what customers really want and remove the things that they don't.
A business model that delivers for the customer as well as the company
Offering the car as a service makes our cars affordable, de-risks uptake for the customer and takes the hassle out of ownership with an all-inclusive, cost-transparent service. Globally, consumers are shifting their perceptions. And this works to our advantage. Usership over ownership is a common theme in some clever and astonishingly lucrative businesses, from mobile phone providers to hire-by-the-hour cars. The future is 'servitisation'.
Sustainability also makes sense for shareholders. Some businesses are starting to adopt circular economy principles to save money. We're a step ahead. Our entire business is designed not just to save money but make more profit, at the same price to the customer, with cars that are built for longevity, resource conservation – and, crucially, a resilient income stream.
A hydrogen lead in the UK
China, the world's biggest car market, is now actively supporting fuel cell vehicle development with major subsidies, and countries like Japan and the US, regions known for leading innovation trends, are developing infrastructure for hydrogen.
Riversimple could give the UK a lead position in this technology. Compared to other hydrogen fuel cell cars, Riversimple's vehicle has the same acceleration and range, but is a 3rd of the weight, a 13th of the power and 3x as efficient. Public refuelling stations in the UK are being opened, with more stacking up in the pipeline. These stations alone are enough to support our first 3 years of planned production.
Small-scale manufacturing, big talent
Our latest innovation? A layer of flax in the Rasa's carbon fibre shell. Our continuing focus is on efficiency, lightweighting, improvement of the ride in the car and safety.
Small is beautiful and profitable in our case, but it is also scale-able; this broad spectrum of profitable scale is very rare and is a key strategy to derisk our business.
Our business model embraces small-scale, regional manufacturing operations that draw on the best the UK has to offer and our first phase of manufacturing could create 220 jobs locally in Wales. UK automotive talent is world-renowned and we're already attracting engineers from the likes of Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce plc and aerospace. We also have the promise of material financial support from the Welsh government.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, we are offering something that the world needs rather more urgently than autonomous vehicles. According to the Royal College of Physicians, c.40,00 early deaths a year in the UK are caused by air pollution. Just under 210,000 light delivery van journeys were recorded in Birmingham in 2015. Imagine r eplacing all those diesel delivery vans with non-polluting Riversimple hydrogen vans.
This is an opportunity to invest not only in a huge market but in a future that we all want to see and breathe.
INVEST HERE
Our current crowdfunding campaign has been approved as a financial promotion by ShareIn Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (603332). Capital at risk. Photography by Anthony Dawton.
THE RIVERSIMPLE DISTANCE TRAVELLED IN 2016
On this very day last year, 20th January 2016, the Rasa was driven for the first time. It was a very cold and very beautiful morning.
In February 2016 we launched the Riversimple Rasa, our sleek, smart prototype hydrogen fuel cell car.
In May, the Rasa starred at the London Motorshow.
In June, the Rasa took on the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Our local MP Chris Davies invited Riversimple Rasa to visit Parliament. We were overwhelmed by the interest and enthusiasm from MPs of all parties.
In July, Oldsmobile and Riversimple – pioneers in different centuries – were side by side at CarFest.
Riversimple scooped the prestigious Simms Medal awarded by the RAC Club for "a genuine contribution to motoring innovation".
Thank you to all the journalists and supporters who have taken the time to get under the skin of Riversimple. We have enjoyed great reviews of Riversimple's technology, design, business model and governance and great conversations about the future of clean, sustainable mobility.
Nobody has written so clearly and thoughtfully about our governance before.
Growing the movement is our priority now
Thank you to all crowd investors for your commitment to this journey… everybody who has a spin in the car gets out smiling. People have pledged anything from £50 to £100,000. Please join us while the crowdfunding is still open.
RIVERSIMPLE RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB SIMMS MEDAL
5.00am. Riversimple Rasa is parked in Pall Mall, London. To be more precise, Riversimple Rasa is parked on a beautiful carpet at the Royal Automobile Club's celebrated London Clubhouse in Pall Mall, London. Preparations for a special announcement are already underway.
The RAC was founded in 1897 by Frederick Richard Simms with the primary purpose of promoting the motor car and its place in society. Today it is an immense institution, widely felt to be the UK 'spiritual home' of motoring.
9.00am. At time of writing the news is if course embargoed, but later today Riversimple are to receive the Royal Automobile Club Simms Medal.
The Simms Medal is awarded in recognition of "a genuine contribution to motoring innovation by individuals or small companies," and only in years when such an award is merited. The last winners were Williams Advanced Engineering. The team were awarded the Simms Medal in 2015 for the design, development and production of battery powered Formula E racing cars.
12.00 am. The scene is set. Today is not just about ambition, nor engineering achievement. It is not just about British innovation, nor proving that the hydrogen fuel cell deserves a place in a modern transport system. It is about technology that is relevant, smart, cleaner – a weapon in the fight to protect the environment.
As Hugo Spowers steps forward to receive the Simms medal, the journalists are already tweeting: "Riversimple scoops the Simms Medal" "Winning the Royal Automobile Club Simms medal is Riversimple for its Rasa hydrogen fuel cell vehicle."
Looking back on past winners is humbling – Williams Advanced Engineering; Richard Parry-Jones CBE of Ford Motor Company Group; Professor Gary Savage of B.A.R. Formula 1 team for the carbon fibre gearbox; Mr. Mick Hyde of Radical Motorsport for the SR3 sports racing car. We are truly honoured to be in such prestigious company.
The whole Riversimple team has much to be proud of. We have many people to thank, not least the Welsh government. We have come along way. Accomplished a great deal. Defied a few odds. And now the road stretches out ahead of us.
Alpha Build
RT @h2_view "World's largest" renewable #hydrogen factory starts fit out. The factory will enable @ITMPowerPlc to reach a capacity of 1GW within 3 years. #H2View #decarbonise #fuelcells h2-view.com/story/wo…
About 2 days ago from riversimple's Twitter via Twitter Web App
We're in this @itvnews report! 'Could hydrogen cars be the story of 2020?' pic.twitter.com/XcBm…
About 3 days ago from riversimple's Twitter via Twitter Media Studio
Doubts on all-electric renewable economy? Investors eye up hydrogen: on.ft.com/2FMQcot pic.twitter.com/iTMl…
About 6 days ago from riversimple's Twitter via Hootsuite Inc.
RT @IRENA Participants at #IRENA10A's Ministerial Roundtable identify #hydrogen produced by #renewableenergy as potential key accelerator of the #energy transition and enabler for a wider global decarbonisation. bit.ly/35GNxak #ADSW
U2 powers up with H2 at Tokyo concert ⚡️ guitar, bass, amps + more run entirely on clean hydrogen! 🎸bit.ly/36KsAwy
Last week from riversimple's Twitter via Hootsuite Inc.
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RIVERSIMPLE'S PURPOSE