There have been a couple of signs recently that consumers may not be quite ready yet for pure electric vehicles (EVs), or at least that manufacturers still have some work ahead of them to be able to provide an EV that has all the features that consumers want.
Toyota has drastically cut the number of eQ cars it plans to build to only about 100 vehicles, down from several thousand as were initially planned when the vehicle was first announced. (The eQ is an all-electric variant of their small iQ car.) But the company is far from abandoning vehicle electrification altogether. Toyota has also announced plans to have 21 different gas-electric hybrid models in its line by 2015. It is the all-electric vehicle that the company does not see as a viable market at present.
Meanwhile, a group of Nissan LEAF owners in Arizona got together to test their vehicles on their own to show the company that their vehicles batteries are prematurely losing capacity and are not able to reach the promised driving range. The LEAF owners felt that they were not getting sufficient responses to their complaints from the company and decided to take matters into their own hands. The hot Arizona environment was a particular concern from the outset, since the LEAF does not have a battery cooling system.
Electric vehicles certainly have niches in which they are an excellent option. But in many ways, they are not perceived as ideal for the wide range of driving that many people do. As automakers make improvements, these perceptions may well change, and more people will take up EVs. But there are a lot of ingrained consumer habits that will take more than a couple years to overcome.
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written by Robbert, September 28, 2012
I recently could pick a new leased car, but was told by my boss that the different lease companies here in the Netherlands wouldn't allow the 2 cars I was looking at (Opel Ampera & Toyota Prius plug-in) as there is still no confidence in the battery packs beyond 100.000 KM . This strikes me as odd, as I'm just finishing the current lease in the older model Prius with more than 164.000 km on the counter, and the battery is just as good now as it was when I just got it...
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written by Karen Wiesner, September 30, 2012
My husband has been driving a Volt for the better part of a year, now, and he LOVES it!!!!
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written by David King, October 01, 2012
Probably more advertising is neded to ensure that people understand that daily car trips rarely exceed 100km, therefore the second car could always be an electric without any disadvantage to a 2 car family. I own a wagon which I use for any journey over 40miles and it often stays in the garage for the entire month unused.
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written by Anderson Ashbaugh, October 01, 2012
I found this article extremely interesting. I am a part of Penn State's EcoCar 2 competition where our engineering team re-engineer a Chevrolet Malibu into an extended-range electric vehicle. I have seen how much work is put into building an adequate electric vehicle while still maintaining consumer appeal and safety. Very Interesting!
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written by Edwin, October 01, 2012
Great info here Philip. I did a Bachelor of Design majoring in Transport design, and one of my mates for the course (about 5 years ago now) did a project where he designed an electric car that looked like a sports car. Maybe it's an aesthetic thing, but electric cars would definitely get more people taking a second look when its something that will save them money AND turn heads.
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written by mike, October 03, 2012
It's not about reversing consumer habits, it's about creating a product consumers will actually want.
You think anyone's going to buy a Leaf now?
Do the current EV charge ranges make them an appealing option for most people?
Why would I spend more money for a less efficient vehicle?
You think anyone's going to buy a Leaf now?
Do the current EV charge ranges make them an appealing option for most people?
Why would I spend more money for a less efficient vehicle?
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written by Seb, October 03, 2012
@Paul:
Hydrogen? Ok but how to do produce hydrogen cleanly? Exact same problem than electricity.
If we don't take production into account, hydrogen could have some advantages though like storage maybe...
Hydrogen? Ok but how to do produce hydrogen cleanly? Exact same problem than electricity.
If we don't take production into account, hydrogen could have some advantages though like storage maybe...
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written by furburger, October 04, 2012
It is everywhere and a lot of money is spent on its disposal and treatment. Why not power cars from the stuff? It is free, ubiquitous and it is continually replenished.
Only modest primary treatment would be necessary to concentrate it into a slurry suitable for portable digesters. Granted, vehicles might not go as fast, but they would go.
Only modest primary treatment would be necessary to concentrate it into a slurry suitable for portable digesters. Granted, vehicles might not go as fast, but they would go.
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written by Paul Wellman, October 06, 2012
Seb,
Thanks for your comment.
You are right hydrogen is the storage medium.
It would take WAY to long to tell how it all would work I urge you to look over the websites:
http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/ and http://www.clean-air.org/
I cannot say enough good things about Roy McAlister of the American Hydrogen Association. He is one of the leading visionary/experts on hydrogen. He was one of the top scientists that helped NASA develop fuel cells for space flight. Roy's book “The Coming Hydrogen Civilization” is a bible (I have read it three times) for where we should be headed.
In the virtual blink of an eye we could have every internal combustion engine on the planet running on hydrogen. The conversion is no more complicated than the conversion from gasoline to natural gas. Storage is an issue but that is being worked out. Instead of building new battery powered cars convert the current fleet of internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen. Build the conversion equipment (for existing vehicles) in Michigan. While they are busy doing that they can also set up and start production of fuel cell vehicles.
The negative buzz about hydrogen taking to much energy to produce is one of many myths that Roy bursts in the book. The technology is there - not in ten or twenty years but now. It just needs to be implemented! Michael Moore should interview Roy and get his story out.
Also Jeremy Rifkin's 2002 book “The Hydrogen Economy” is an excellent source of technology and sociology.
Furburger,
Organic products can not be a sustainable fuel source. Feces should be used to grow much needed fertile soil.
Let's get beyond all the BS and do this!
Thanks for your comment.
You are right hydrogen is the storage medium.
It would take WAY to long to tell how it all would work I urge you to look over the websites:
http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/ and http://www.clean-air.org/
I cannot say enough good things about Roy McAlister of the American Hydrogen Association. He is one of the leading visionary/experts on hydrogen. He was one of the top scientists that helped NASA develop fuel cells for space flight. Roy's book “The Coming Hydrogen Civilization” is a bible (I have read it three times) for where we should be headed.
In the virtual blink of an eye we could have every internal combustion engine on the planet running on hydrogen. The conversion is no more complicated than the conversion from gasoline to natural gas. Storage is an issue but that is being worked out. Instead of building new battery powered cars convert the current fleet of internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen. Build the conversion equipment (for existing vehicles) in Michigan. While they are busy doing that they can also set up and start production of fuel cell vehicles.
The negative buzz about hydrogen taking to much energy to produce is one of many myths that Roy bursts in the book. The technology is there - not in ten or twenty years but now. It just needs to be implemented! Michael Moore should interview Roy and get his story out.
Also Jeremy Rifkin's 2002 book “The Hydrogen Economy” is an excellent source of technology and sociology.
Furburger,
Organic products can not be a sustainable fuel source. Feces should be used to grow much needed fertile soil.
Let's get beyond all the BS and do this!
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written by CW, October 10, 2012
Aren't fuel cell vehicles electric vehicles - with the electricity stored in the fuel cell? I believe Li-ion battery all-electric passenger cars have better range than fuel cell cars with stock-size fuel tanks, and don't have highly flammable fuel on board.
Battery-electric cars also go about 7 times as far per unit of pollution from even coal-fired power plants as do 30mpg gasoline cars.
Burning pure hydrogen in existing internal combustion engines may makes sense, depending on how it's generated and can be stored/transported.
Paul I fear what good points you do raise are lost in your aggressive, demeaning, and intolerant tone that resembles at best a pushy sales pitch, and at worst the type of hate-filled ill-informed propaganda all too common in the media, particularly the heavy-handed neo-conservative media.
Look into gasification before dismissing sources as feces and whatever you mean by "organic products".
Battery-electric cars also go about 7 times as far per unit of pollution from even coal-fired power plants as do 30mpg gasoline cars.
Burning pure hydrogen in existing internal combustion engines may makes sense, depending on how it's generated and can be stored/transported.
Paul I fear what good points you do raise are lost in your aggressive, demeaning, and intolerant tone that resembles at best a pushy sales pitch, and at worst the type of hate-filled ill-informed propaganda all too common in the media, particularly the heavy-handed neo-conservative media.
Look into gasification before dismissing sources as feces and whatever you mean by "organic products".
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written by Jim Furth, October 10, 2012
I LOVE my 2012 Nissan LEAF.
Change of paradigm, sure. DIFFERENT style of driving, planning ahead, enjoy the transition, like the Model T drivers, not a lot of gas stations for them or proper roads either.
WE look for Charge Stations, learn about batteries. Do not expect a copy of the folly of an ICE (Infernal Combustion Engine). I can't wait for tomorrow, my Leaf gets better, every day. I become a better driver too.
Enjoying tomorrow today with the joy of my 100% Electric Car. Nissan Leaf.
Change of paradigm, sure. DIFFERENT style of driving, planning ahead, enjoy the transition, like the Model T drivers, not a lot of gas stations for them or proper roads either.
WE look for Charge Stations, learn about batteries. Do not expect a copy of the folly of an ICE (Infernal Combustion Engine). I can't wait for tomorrow, my Leaf gets better, every day. I become a better driver too.
Enjoying tomorrow today with the joy of my 100% Electric Car. Nissan Leaf.
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written by michael, October 10, 2012
Electric cars get charged at night time when grid is idle,with EV's there is no oil/filter/muffler/spark plug/transmissions/Prius taxi cab's only need brakes every 250ks the newer batteries should be good for 500kms in the next 5-10 years and with advances in solar/wind/wave energy [just look at Gernany] this could offset the power used photo cell roofs for cars.Hydrogen you still have the same polluting components that you have in a gas engine and costs.Michael
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written by George Phillips, March 11, 2013
Personal Electric Vehicles are the future today. Green environment is the main goal of PEV's.
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