Challenges Remain for Plug-In and Electric Cars
A major realignment in the automotive industry is coming. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are on the way, and for a while now the question has been: How soon? Perhaps a better question, though, would be: Are we ready?
This is the question that researchers at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, recently examined.
Their conclusions raise several concerns that must be addressed as plug-in hybrids and electric cars make their way to the market. First of all, the study found that a major obstacle to market penetration may be education: Consumers simply don't know much about plug-in cars, or they confuse the technology with hybrids that are already available. A "lack of awareness and understanding" runs rampant when it comes to the technology and, rather shockingly, car buyers may not understand the benefits of owning a plug-in — including the fact that they require less gas.
Secondly, only half of U.S. households have the infrastructure to support a plug-in. Take Chicago residents for example. An apartment-dwelling city denizen could benefit enormously from a vehicle that could go 40 miles without using a drop of gas, but if this hypothetical car-buyer doesn’t have access to a garage, instead relying on street parking, he or she has no way of recharging the car.
Therefore, the study concluded that only a third of "new-vehicle buying" households had both the necessary infrastructure and a basic interest in plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars. While this certainly isn't a devastating indictment of the future of these cars, it does highlight that, outside of technological concerns, other issues must be addressed before the next generation of cars hits dealerships.
Study Finds About 1/3 of US New Vehicle Buying Households Have the Required Infrastructure and Buying Interest for PHEVs (Green Car Congress)
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Plugin hybrids are good for range and a great "bridge technology". That is, you can create demand for parking spot pay chargers, without having the chicken or egg coming first issue.
A series hybrid is much better for adapting to plugin. I think a parallel hybrid (Prius) does not make as much sense for either being plugin, or even for mostly city driving.
One of the proposed plans for the Chevy Volt is to have a battery pack, and another rack.
That extra rack can be left empty, or hold a storage box, extra battery pack, fuel cell, or gas generator.
Having a US market of ~40 million possible buyers should still justify a few models.
and is the first step. if it is a big hit, it will have more than 40 miles before using oil and the its energy needs will not be as great or even be solar. and we all can't get one right way anyway. the energy infrastructure isn't ready just yet and we need to upgrade it.
and if we do, every gas station will go out of business and we can't have that happen too suddenly. or gas stations will bolt you up.
I remember when I was a kid, they were still building the "infrastructure" for gasoline cars. Many parts of rural America did not have gas stations. But, you know what, people purchased the auto, and the infrastructure followed.
In other words, build electric cars and people will purchase them. As they get better, more people will purchase them.
The nay-sayers always tend to find an excuse as to why we should not move on to new technology.
In some cases these vehicles just don't cut it.
If you drive close to 40 miles per trip and have the time to recharge, then that's great. This is the vehicle for you.
But if you regularly drive over 40 miles then you're back to buying gas to keep the vehicle running.
I think with better battery and solar cell technology these vehicles will start to become more prevalent.
I'd give it a go if you could get 300 miles on a charge and you could pull into a service center and recharge in five minutes.
Solar cell technology to reduce the need for electricity generated by fossil fuels, as well as a way to extend the time between charging off the grid.
The electric grid can easily handle it. We have lots of excess capacity at night, and wind generators peak at night.
Hmmm, you mean a plug in car has to be plugged in??? Crazy!