THE UNSTOPPABLE EV

Are EVs on a fast track to the mainstream? As manufacturers prepare to unveil their latest green models at the Detroit Auto Show this week, the omens are looking increasingly good for zero-emission motoring
James Murray, 11 January 2011 (Business Green)

"…Over 120 [Business Green] readers answered [an informal poll] question on whether you or your business are interested in buying an electric car, with five per cent stating that they will definitely purchase an EV this year and a further 11 per cent revealing that they are investigating buying or leasing...

"The numbers may sound insignificant, but [are impressive] when you consider that manufacturers who are planning to launch EVs, such as Nissan and Mitsubishi, would be delighted with first-year sales of several thousand for cutting-edge cars that are not expected to enter the mainstream for another three or four years…More significantly, 58 per cent of respondents said they would like to buy an EV but would wait for the price to fall first…[O]nly 26 per cent said an electric car was not suitable for their needs…"

Spot the trend? (click to enlarge)

"…Of far greater importance is last week's annual Global Auto Executive Survey from consultancy giant KPMG, which polled 200 of the world's leading car executives and confirmed that support for zero-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles has reached a critical mass…[N]ot only is fuel efficiency regarded as the biggest factor influencing purchasing decisions, but 80 per cent of senior executives believe that ‘hybrid and electric vehicles will see the lion's share of growth of any vehicle category over the next five years.’

"…[W]hile the majority admits that it is likely to take five years for low- and zero-emission cars to reach a level where they are affordable enough for mainstream adoption, almost 90 per cent of respondents [foretold change when they] told KPMG that they were preparing for that tipping point by investing in hybrid systems, battery electric power or hydrogen fuel-cell technologies…"

click thru to Plug-in America for complete info on EVs coming to market

"The survey also hints at a huge philosophical shift in the thinking of auto industry executives, which saw 73 per cent of respondents predict future cars should be defined by their specific purpose and more than three quarters [correlate design and urban planning…This shift in the understanding of what a car is for has potentially huge implications for electric vehicles, which more so than conventional vehicles require the right car to be matched accurately with the right travel needs. No EV manufacturer wants people running out of power on the motorway, just as they do not want to see our cities clogged up with pollution-spouting vehicles that are only on the road for 20 miles a day.

"…[There is] evidence the technical ingenuity and solid driving experience displayed by electric cars is winning over plenty of converts. Witness the Chevy Volt's victory…as North American Car of the year for 2011 and the Nissan Leaf's naming as European car of the year…[A]t the Mecca of motoring that is the Detroit Auto Show…hybrid, electric and fuel-efficient cars are once again expected to dominate proceedings…Toyota is due to unveil its first Prius wagon…Audi, Honda and Chevrolet – amongst others – are all expected to debut cars boasting significantly improved fuel efficiency…[T]he march of the green car is looking increasingly unstoppable."