MEGAPOWER Driving Positive Change

Since launching their ground-breaking company Megapower in 2013, the pioneering Barbadian eco-entrepreneurs Jo Edghill and Simon Richards have successfully championed the uptake of Electric Vehicles powered by renewable sources throughout the Caribbean. With operations in Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, Dominica and Saint Vincent, Megapower currently ranks as both the region’s leading retailer of electric vehicles and the leading supplier of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. Specializing in pure 100% Battery Electric Vehicles, Megapower’s mandate also includes adding renewable energy to each island’s national power grid, thus significantly reducing – and eventually eliminating - costly reliance on imported petroleum products.

In their early start-up days in Barbados, Megapower entered the market by supplying affordable ex-demonstrator and second-hand EVs, primarily the Nissan LEAF. From the outset, the company simultaneously set about rolling out a nationwide network of publicly accessible charging points. In addition to the original Nissan LEAF, Megapower now also distributes for two other major manufacturers, BYD Automobile and SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. As such, their product offerings have expanded to include electric SUVs, electric passenger and panel vans, and electric buses. Megapower has also brought back to Barbados the famous British car marque MG, with their mid-size electric SUV, the MG ZS, rapidly gaining a top sales position in the island.

A significant benchmark moment for both Megapower and Barbados occurred in 2020 when the Government introduced electric buses into its Transport Board fleet, with the stated intention of gradually replacing the entire complement of vehicles. Currently numbering 50, with 10 more due to be ordered, Barbados has the largest public electric bus fleet in the Caribbean today. These state-of-the-art vehicles are equipped with data systems that can monitor the driver’s performance, vehicle emissions and charging cycles. And, from the all-important perspective of passenger comfort, the new buses can deliver a whole range of ‘firsts’, including air suspension, disability access, mother and child seating, air-conditioning, charging outlets for mobile devices, and free wi-fi.

Having successfully established a functioning EV infrastructure in Barbados and beyond, Megapower now has a solid platform to move forward into the future. The company will continue bringing in 100% electric cars and buses, plus a wider range of commercial vehicles, police cars, garbage trucks, water tankers, forklift trucks and airport tugs. Further to that, their goal is to integrate all those vehicles into the Barbados Light & Power national grid in a way that will support the system. For example, to help the grid get greener by only charging electric vehicles when there is excess power available, as opposed to charging during peak periods when the country is struggling for power.

The team at Megapower are especially excited about the prospects for bidirectional charging, where the charge can literally flow either way. Meaning the grid can charge vehicles or, in reverse, vehicles can send charge back into the grid. Consumers can simply plug a vehicle into a smart-charger and leave it for the grid to decide when is the most energy efficient time to charge. This provides the greenest and cheapest energy while also saving the consumer money. In fact, electric vehicle owners could even be paid a small fee for using up excess energy when charging their car. The technology is already there and so are the vehicles, so now it’s just a case of joining all the dots.

In the case of a fleet of buses for example, with a simple upgrade, when fully charged they could push significant power back into the grid when needed. Each bus has a massive battery storage capacity of 275 kilowatt hours. So, when you multiply that by 60 or whatever number of buses are in operation, that combined capacity could support a large portion of the island for a significant period. In addition to the obvious and much needed environmental benefits, this all adds up to huge financial savings for individuals, the commercial sector and the government on fuel. Plus, it protects Foreign Exchange Reserves. Not surprisingly, the government has mandated that wherever available, they should only buy electric vehicles.

Megapower is also taking steps to offset the energy consumed by electric vehicle users through producing renewable energy. To that end, they have rented rooftops for solar panel power generation and built solar car parks. Megapower is also exploring agri-solar options and other ways to support sustainable farming and livelihoods with hurricane resilient applications, utilising renewable energy (solar) and repurposed vehicle batteries. By creating an energy efficient, climate-controlled environment, combined with rainwater harvesting, farmers can grow crops that don’t ordinarily grow here. And the cost of the structure is paid for by the renewable energy produced. www.megapower365.com

Megapower’s development plans also include new purpose-designed, state of the art premises to better showcase and service their products. And, more immediately, the Sales Team anticipates a very positive reaction to the upcoming introduction into Barbados of the new BYD Dolphin, a very desirable electric subcompact hatchback.

All in all, Megapower is very optimistic about the future. Long may that continue.