Are consumers the biggest threat to the rise of electric vehicles? That’s what Bill Vlasic of The New York Times is exploring, as we reach a crucial point in determining the future of American automobiles. Cost is the biggest hurdle – the Chevy Volt has a price tag of $40,000, too high for many people.
Ford has bet the farm on the Volt, and other automakers are turning toward the electric car concept as well. The American auto industry realizes that drastic changes are necessary to survive and they’re pouring billions into the technology in a gamble that consumers will bite.
From The New York Times:
These are risky bets. There are no guarantees that consumers — for all their stated concerns about global warming, dependence on foreign oil and unpredictable gas prices — will buy enough of them. They may balk, for example, at the limits on how far they can drive on a single charge.
So far, consumers have proved to be fickle about how much they care about fuel economy. When gas prices soared above $4 a gallon last year, sales of the market-leading Prius hybrid surged so quickly that Toyota could not build them fast enough. But demand sagged when gas prices dropped below $2 a gallon.
Industry analysts also note that electric models could be a harder sell than hybrids, which have a gasoline engine to assist and recharge battery packs, freeing them from the need to be plugged in.
Since many people seem apprehensive about the idea of running out of juice while traveling, the NYT suggests that car companies allow customers to change their batteries on the fly, setting up stations to allow quick battery changes or plug-in charging outlets.
The more people buy electric cars, the more demand there will be for batteries to be produced in mass quantities right here in the States, which would substantially reduce costs. Car companies will have to make a big manufacturing investment in order to improve the chances of success for their electric models.
It’s tough to say right now, with the state of the economy, whether there will be real demand for electric vehicles priced at almost double the cost of a hybrid. Gas prices will inevitably go back up, though, and people will once again become concerned about the daily costs of running a gas-powered vehicle, so there’s hope.
Link [The New York Times] via [Dot Earth]
Photo credit: Flickr user McPig
