Posts Tagged ‘electric vehicles’
Consumers Remain Skeptical of Electric Vehicles
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
40 percent of consumers still feel they don’t know enough about electric vehicles to consider one for their next purchase and have high standards to adopt the technology, according to a new poll from Cars.com.
While the majority of consumers are still unsure of the technology, 36 percent of respondents said they would consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase while 24 percent said they would not.
“Electric cars still face many hurdles in the minds of consumers who have range anxiety,” said Cars.com Editor and Chief Patrick Olsen. “When asked for reasons they would not purchase an electric car, 54 percent said they feared they would run out of electricity while out on the road, while 43 percent said they drive distances greater than electric technology will currently allow.” About a quarter of respondents expected at least 400 miles per charge.
In addition to driving concerns, the implications of charging their vehicles becomes a problem for many potential customers. A total of 36 percent said they don’t have or don’t want to pay for an electrical outlet in their garage for charging an electric vehicle. They also demand relatively short charging cycles, with 41 percent indicating it should take less than two hours.
This survey was conducted online by Impulse Research, on behalf of Cars.com, with a random sample of 1,030 men and women, 18 and older. Cars.com said the sample was carefully selected to closely match U.S. population demographics and the respondents are representative of American men and women 18 and older. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence, Cars.com said.
Photo courtesy of jurvetson under the Creative Commons License
Tags: Chief Patrick Olsen, consumers, electric vehicles, skeptical, technology
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Ford and Microsoft Team up on EV Charging
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Ford and Microsoft are teaming up to help future owners of Ford’s electric vehicles optimize the way they recharge their vehicle and better manage their home’s energy use.
The two companies are implementing the Microsoft Hohm energy management application for Ford’s electric vehicles. Ford will first use Hohm with the Focus Electric next year, the automaker said. Hohm will help owners determine when and how to most efficiently and affordably recharge battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. It also should help utility companies manage the added demands of electric vehicles on the electric grid.
“Ford and Microsoft both share a strong commitment to contributing to a better world. Today, we begin the next major step in our working together and leading the way for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” said Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Co. president and CEO. “For Ford, this is a needed step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles viable.”
Ford today has four hybrids on the road and another coming this year. They include the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Also coming this fall is the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid.
Photo courtesy of Robert Scoble under the Creative Commons License
Tags: electric vehicles, energy, EV charging, Ford, Hohm, management, Microsoft, team up
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General Motors Makes Fuel Cells Practical
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
General Motors Co. said it is testing a production-intent hydrogen fuel cell system that can be packaged in the space of a traditional four-cylinder engine and be ready for commercial production in 2015.
The system is half the size, 220 pounds lighter and uses about a third of the platinum of the system in the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles used in Project Driveway.
The Project Driveway market test and demonstration fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles began in late 2007 and has amassed nearly 1.3 million miles of everyday driving in cities around the world.
“We will continue to use the Project Driveway fleet strategically to advance fuel cell technology, hydrogen infrastructure, and GM’s vehicle electrification goals,” Freese added.
The first long-term loan of the new-look Chevy fuel cell vehicle will be to Stephanie White, a fuel cell advocate who was among the first Project Driveway participants and regularly blogs about zero-pollution fuel cells. Freese presented White with the keys to the car on Tuesday.
“Driving the Chevy fuel cell around L.A. has been an amazing experience,” White said. “People are always stopping me to ask questions about the vehicle and I tell them how powerful and eco-friendly it is.”
Photo courtesy of ideowl under the Creative Commons License
Tags: Chevy, electric vehicles, fuel cells, General Motors, hydrogen fuel, market test, Project Driveway
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Nissan Chief Wary but Optimistic Over Electric Vehicles
Monday, November 30th, 2009
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles for fleet operations. But when the time comes to adopt new technologies, will people really be ready to make the switch? Automotive Fleet provides some interesting insight:
Carlos Ghosn, head of the Nissan-Renault alliance, says that consumers’ adoption of electric vehicles will be a gradual process, with traditional gasoline-powered cars dominating the market for many years to come.
Ghosn predicted that electric vehicles would most likely account for only about 10 percent of vehicles sold by 2020. Gasoline, diesel, hybrid engines and other technologies will power the rest. “We’re not going to take the market by storm,” said Ghosn. “Electricity is going to complement oil.”
According to an Associated Press report, Ghosn made the remarks during a November 19th panel discussion sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
Ghosn acknowledged that Toyota Motor Co. has already taken an early lead in the hybrid market. While this may be true, he believes that Nissan Motor Co. can become a leader in the all-electric vehicle market within a reasonable amount of time. Next year, Nissan is releasing the Leaf electric car in on a limited scale and plans to put the all-electric vehicle into mass-production in 2012.
Ghosn said demand from rising economies like China and India will help spur demand for electric cars.
Photo courtesy of karyodimejo2010 under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Automotive Fleet, Council on Foreign Relations, electric vehicles, hybrid, Leaf, Nissan, Nissan Leaf, Renault, Toyota
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Is Your Fleet Ready for Electric Vehicles?
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
A new study conducted by Better Place shows that almost 30 percent of prospective car buyers in the United States are considering buying an electric vehicle as their next car. The study, which surveyed several nations, also showed a response of 57 percent in Israel, 40 percent in Denmark and 39 percent in Australia. On average, the data shows that almost half of the world’s population (a significant 48 percent) are considering the switch to electric transportation.
Domestically, most of the respondents’ reasons for switching to an electric vehicle hinged heavily on social concerns, including dependence on foreign oil and environmentalism. Also mentioned by many respondents was a desire to stimulate the US into becoming a leader in renewable energy. Younger people tended to be more likely to consider electric vehicles.
With electric vehicles becoming more and more mainstream, the choice to switch some of your fleet vehicles to electrics depends on your business model. Do you want your fleet to reflect your commitment to environmental issues? Are you looking to expand with more fuel-efficient vehicles to cut long-term fuel costs? If so, electric vehicles may be a good option (and the next best thing to a Fleet card!).
Photo courtesy of carrott under the Creative Commons License
Tags: Better Places, electric vehicles, environmentalism, fleet card, fleet vehicles, foreign oil, fuel efficient vehicles, renewable energy
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